Olympic Sock Knitting

My "Olympic" socks did not get finished. However, the first one was completed, and the second one was down to the heel.

Photo is as of the end of the Closing Ceremonies.

More knitting has been done since then; the heel is "turned" and I am working my way down the foot. These are going to be mis-matched in that I finished the first ball of yarn at just about the point in the photo. When I started the second ball--it was not at the same point in the dye-ing of the stripes. I considered unwinding a chunk of yarn and not using it so that the stripes would match, but I'm just too frugal. I decided that a variation in the strips between the two socks would be "interestiing" rather than "a mistake". I'll see how I like them when finished.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Annual physical exam results in no surprizes

Second batch of brioche

Call from DH last night

UFOs before the New Year

Finn has just challenged herself to finish FIVE, count 'em 5, UFOs before the New Year. Sounds like a good plan to me, so I signed on, also for FIVE.

I'm going on retreat with my Bee in September for two full days, so I said I'd finish TWO then.

Guess I'd better review what I have on the "Waiting List".

Looks like I have two different projects that are LEAVES:

And another two projects that are PINEAPPLES.

Maybe I can find a way to combine these pairs, or make smaller than bed-sized quilts.

This next week Charlie is going away on a baseball trip with two friends. My Number One project for this week is re-modelling an altar frontal so that it will fit the new altar at church. I need a deadline for this because I have uncertainty about my ability to get it done!

Sara

Gratitudes:

Cherry pie from the farmer's market

Cooler weather

C's retirement coming, fun fantasizing

Pair #2 finished

Yes, I finished knitting this pair of socks during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Then I needed to have 10 minutes with the TV turned OFF so I could sew the end of the toe together using the "Kitchener" stitch. This too is a new process to me, and I need to follow one direction step at a time.

Saturday we were busy most of the day with a friend's wedding, so I was only able to begin casting on the Kaffe Fassett yarn for the next sock. It was soon clear that I had cast on too tightly, and I had to rip that out. Today I will start over.

Charlie's mother died this afternoon. She has not recognized her sons for the last year, and has been slowly declining, just turning 92 in July. Our feeling is one of gladness for her. The extended family will have a memorial service in September when more people can go to St. Louis, her home for over 80 years.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Happy 40th birthday, Peter!

Wedding that all parties enjoyed

Blessed release for DMIL Ruth.

Olympic knitting

Time for a lot of TV watching as the Olympics take over our evenings. Time for some projects that are done BY HAND. Something I hardly ever have to work on.

So during the Opening Ceremonies, I plan to finish my second pair of socks. Only a bit of the toe left of the second sock. Should be able to do that tonight.


After that I am going to start my THIRD pair of socks. I have bought two balls of Kaffe Fassett yarn that will make stripes of navy blue, purple, brown, red, rust, and tan. One ball for each sock - and then I'll have some left over for baby tube socks!


These yarns have been developed since the last time I knit, years ago. Both of them are dyed in sections so that you don't have to change yarns to change the color of the stripe. Easy peasy! Which is good since I have to pay enough attention to the FORM of the sock (cuff, heel, foot, toe).

On our return from the Grand Canyon we found that the birdbath in the middle of the herb garden was gloriously bright. And the basil is doing well also. Time for pesto making.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Temperatures in the 70's

Lots of mail goes directly into trash

Black-eyed Susans in the meadow

Grand Canyon trip

We are back from our trip to an intergenerational Elderhostel with our granddaughter to the Grand Canyon. We flew to Las Vegas and on our way to the site we drove on a portion of old Route 66 in western Arizona.

Wow! What a difference from last week at Lake Michigan! Dry, dusty and hot, hot.

In one "ghost" town we saw wild burros, left from the days the Army used them to carry loads (WWI?).

They really weren't very WILD since they were cruising the main street looking for handouts. Lots of people had brought carrots to feed them. SaraRachel and Charlie were able to pat them with no problems.

One day we drove in vans down a feeder canyon and then all played in the silty waters of the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Lots of particles suspended in this water! Any white clothes turned tan that day!

Buckets were provided so the kids could douse the grandparents--and one another.

The next day we rafted 30+ miles inside the canyon, where we were glad to get splashed by the rapids because the temperature was 110 F.

Some of the rapids were strong enough to wash away our hats, so everyone had to have a method of tying them on. SaraRachel used a scrunchie, and some string around her ponytail.

At the end of our rafting tour we were lifted out of the canyon by an 8 minute helicopter ride! SaraRachel said that was the "best" event of the trip for her.

We ALL had a good time together, including the two nights in Las Vegas where we used the airport. However, I still don't think Las Vegas is a vacation spot for me. Just not my kind of thing! Quiet and nature are what I like.

Sara

Gratitudes:

SaraRachel's enthusiasm for everything

New experiences

Home to my own bed!