Prepping For Advent

Advent season is almost upon on us and it’s time to prep. After several years of trying different advents I have found that the 24 stripe sock skeins work best for me. I LOVE the mini skein advents but I struggle to use them and I have still have two full sets sitting in my stash.

This is KirbyWirby’s 2023 advent self striping sock. She chose a Friends theme this year and each stripe comes with a coordinating quote from a Friends character. I also opted to buy the coordinating mini for toes and heels.

I am working toe up vanilla socks with an afterthought heel. I got two heels knit up and on my 9 inch circulars. Now come December 1st, I am ready to work the first stripe. The dyer was super organized and marked where my skeins started in the sequence. I am starting on Day 11 instead of Day 1. No matter to me as I will still work all 24 stripes.

I wound up the yarn into two balls so I can work both socks. The smaller ball has two full repeats in it. The larger one must have an extra repeat? We will see when we get there!

P.S……I have two sock advents this year! Whoops 🙂

FO Friday: 2023 GFOA Socks

My 2023 GFOA Socks are finally done and properly photographed!

Pattern: None, my own 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock with afterthought heel (Rav link)

Yarn: KirbyWirby Old Faithful Sock in Rose Apothecary Remix

Needles: US 1s

I used about 75 grams of sock yarn to make these. Which makes them roughly 340 yards worth of yarn. They come past my ankles and a decent amount up my calves. Should make nice boot socks!

These just turned out beautifully. I am super pleased with my neutral heel choice. It just fell so beautifully inside the rainbow progression. It’s still crazy hot here in Kansas so I don’t have much a chance to wear them yet but I can’t wait!

MudPunch Always Gets Me

I once again was wooed by the siren song that is my email newsletters. I get the MudPunch email newsletter and I just couldn’t resist her shop.

I have really been feeling the sock mojo here lately so some self-striping felt just right. Do I have a three whole storage bags of sock yarn? Yes I do. Did I still buy this? Yes I did and I don’t regret it.

The pinky brown skein is outside my normal color zone but I’m excited to see how it works up. The yellow and blue skein is 1,000% in my zone as those are my high school alma mater colors and my current employer’s color scheme. I think these will go into the stash for a minute but I foresee them hitting the needles yet this year.

Happy Stashing!!

Two Rainbow Tubes

I managed to finish both tubes this week on my 2023 GFOA socks!

They matched almost perfectly! My second cuff might be a hair short but its close enough. I have decided I am not going to use the rainbow yarn to do the heels. I have some plain grey leftovers that should work nicely.

I just need to dig out my DPNs so I can pick up stitches and cut in the afterthought heel. Happy Knitting!!

Diversity Training

I volunteer on a local non-profit board and we are incorporating DEAI (diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion) into our framework. That included mandatory training after work hours. Of course I brought knitting! And then I got the giggles when I realize my project was rainbow and on “theme”.

This is my second tube for my 2023 GFOA socks and I’m SUPER close to the cuff on this. I got two whole stripes done in a 60 minute meeting. I do have to keep checking my first sock to make sure I am putting the increases in the same place for the second sock. It has been invigorating to feel connected back to knitting again!

Happy Knitting!!

Second Sock And Coffee

Summer busy season is in FULL swing. We have golf, gymnastics, swim lessons, camp and daycare. Someone ALWAYS needs to go somewhere. I am surviving with purse knitting and coffee.

I got my second GFOA/Rose Apothecary sock tube started at gymnastics this past week. It’s a wee bit of a toe but I’m at least working the round and not on DPNs anymore. My coffee is an iced Brunette from 7Brew and its my summer favorite.

What is your favorite summer fuel?

Rose Apothecary Tube

I finally decided to end my first tube on my GFOA socks.

I did decide to stop in the blues. I thought I would save the greys and purple for the heels. But when I wound up the little nubbin it looks scarily small. I might need to find a contract skein for the heels in these socks.

I am going start and work on the second tube before I go with heels. I should have a good idea what I’m working with yarn-wise at that point. Plus I my brain is on scramble here lately and I don’t have the brain cells to make any more decisions, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Punch Bug Vanilla Socks

I finally added the LAST heel on the second sock of my Punch Bug Vanilla Sock!

I have a new finished object to flaunt! My only rub is that my heels don’t match. But I’m going to just do some deep knee bends to get over it.

These socks used 75 grams of yarn or just 327 yards. So I have 25 grams of yarn to add to my memory blanket. I used size 1 US needles and 68 stitches total in my sock. I did some gentle leg increases to account for my health calves. I have zero plans on what these socks will be or for whom they are destined. I am pleased to add to my 2023 finished project goals!

Happy Knitting!!

Mom Summer Plans

I went out on a limb and signed Jellybean up for golf lessons that included a team building component. He doesn’t see super interested in general sports but golf fits. This means two hours, twice a week I have “mom” time. I have decided to dedicate to knitting and reading!

I am cruising through my first 2023 GFOA sock tube and I just started a new summer read by Janet Evanovich. I am immensely enjoying both!

I have also joined a co-worker’s book club and I’m expanding my reading world. The Measure is out next up July book and I can’t wait to dig in! So don’t mind me, I’ll be over her reading and knitting!!

Happy Knitting!!!