Feet and Flora

Quick, while Flickr is functional… 

While we were at the beach, I knitted the Knight some belated birthday house socks.  Actually, I cast on at home while I was waiting for him to finish his fire training so we could leave, but…

Project:  Knight’s House Socks

Photo taken on the front porch at OBX

Pattern:  Basic Dude Socks.  Umm…  I had a few modifications and will cobble together my own pattern before I do the next pair.  He’s delighted with them and barely allowed me to weave in the ends before he put them on.  I used Judy’s Magic Cast-on, but 14 stitches to start made the toe too square, in my opinion.  The Knight just shrugged, but the toe bunched up when he did shove them in his shoes for dog walking duties. 

The heel is its own little nightmare.  I had to darn holes all over the place in both socks, because this particular short-row method didn’t match my knitting style one bit.  I thought I’d compensated after frogging once and trying again, but when the Knight pull the socks on, the holes were too much for me.   He loves the way a short-row heel fits though, so I’m going to try another version next time.

As good as it gets with a reluctant foot model

Yarn:  Kraemer Yarns Perfection in Sky, purchased at Dog House Yarns & More.   I really liked this yarn.  It’s similar to Wool Ease, but it’s softer to the hand and seems to wear just as well.  Sadly, Kraemer doesn’t seem to have much of a following in these parts.  Shame, because it’s a solid company with good prices!

Needles:  US #5 Addi circs.  Yes, plural.   I think I’ve discovered the right methodology for sock knitting for me.  Magic Loop, one sock per needle, but start both at the same time and finish both within a few hours of each other.   A couple of my RCK pals have been doing this for years (but I think at least one of them uses double points)…  You just always pick up the sock further behind. 

Verdict:  I think I need worsted weight house socks too. 

Because I need to catch up on all the stuff I wanted to share, here are some photos of the cactus thing that attacks the girls and me at the beach.  Sis had one stick in her bottom lip, Gretchen had one poke in her sweet little belly, and I had one draw blood from a finger or two while I was cleaning up pooooo before we left.

Here’s a singlet, the sort that gets stuck on living, breathing folk.

Here’s a more mature plant…

And here’s I assume the same plant in a different state…  I don’t know if it winters red, or if that’s what it looks like when it’s dying, or what.

If anyone knows what this pest is, I’d like to know.  We thought we’d rid the property of ALL vestiges of it last spring, but obviously not.  Only the red-purple photo was taken on the neighbor’s property.

How are your holiday preparations going?