My Socks Do Not Rock.

I finally decided on a “Lace rib” pattern from “Sensational Knitted Socks” I cast it on yesterday, and knit for a bit before I admitted to myself that the striping/pooling is going to drive me batty. And the colours are obscuring the pattern.
Frog it, frog it good.
Yesterday, in an effort to kick my mojo, I got busy in the kitchen. Yes, you can all pick your chins up off the floor. I baked. My family can tell you what a rare, rare occurence this is.
In honour of ANZAC Day, I baked Anzac biscuits.

One legend has it that the ANZAC’s created these from their rations, another says that their wives baked them and sent them to the ANZAC’s. In any case, they are yum.
And they’re all gone already.
There’s a recipe here.
Go to Donni’s blog and donate to a good cause. She’s going to shave her head for “Shave for a Cure Day” if she can raise enough money – donate, donate, donate!
Now I’m going looking for another sock pattern.

I’ve lost my knitting mojo!
And I don’t know where to find it.
On Friday night I finished the second sock. I don’t have a pic yet, because I wore them immediately, and now they’re in the wash basket.
Emily had a dance event all weekend, so I needed something portable, and something that didn’t require a great deal of thought.
Socks are perfect. Small, relatively easy. And I’ve been on a sock roll of late.
I have too much sock yarn.
I’m spoiled for choice. I’m like a kid in a candy store. My eyes go wide and I can’t make a decision. However, I finally decided that I wanted to make the Sixth Sense Socks, which is the latest sock from the Six Sox Knitalong. Then I picked out some Twinkletoes sock yarn, from this store on eBay. I got the sock started, and ignored the fact that I wasn’t enjoying the yarn. After an inch or so, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I didn’t like the yarn.
The sock yarn I dyed up was nice and soft, and this yarn isn’t.
I just knew that if I kept on knitting blindly, I would end up not wearing the socks, or not knitting a second sock. So I ripped it out.
Then I went back to contemplating the sock stash.
I didn’t want to knit plain stocking stitch socks, so that kinda ruled out the Fair Isle patterning yarns, with which I only really have had success with plain socks.
I got out my lucious Socks That Rock.
And couldn’t find a pattern I liked for it. Nothing worked out. It feels thicker than normal sock yarn to me. (Well, at least the ones i’ve been using) even though the label recommends the same needles and gauge.
I don’t want to knit Jaywalkers. Even though I like them, I have no ankles, and I’ve heard there can be difficulties in fit.
Seriously, my legs join straight on to my feet, with no shaping whatsoever.
So I dumped the Socks That Rock, mostly because I was running out of time.
In the end, I took no knitting with me on Saturday.
Saturday night I tried again.
Still no luck.
On Sunday, I ended up taking a glove pattern and yarn with me, out of sheer desperation, but didn’t end up knitting anyway.
Last night I tried something different. I had got some Cascade 220 from Yarns Online with the intention of knitting a hat and scarf for Emily. So I sat down last night and tried to get what was in my head into a workable pattern.
Not happening.
I have lost my knitting mojo.
I have nothing on the needles.
I am almost in panic mode.
Mind you, the pink cardi is still unseamed.
I picked up my shawl and ribbon from the Easter Show today.

Oh, and I guess you could say Em did pretty well at the dance comp.

8 trophies, 3 medals which intepreted mans that she placed every single dance she competed. 1 fifth, 1 third, 7 seconds and 3 firsts.
Yay, Em!

In Pictures.

Socks. Nearly done, stripes lining up nicely.

Dance costume. Not nearly done.

More dance sewing. Kinda nearly done.

Dance costume. Sewing complete, decorating and rhinestoning to be done. But there is a problem. The lycra fabric stinks to high heaven. I’ve soaked it to no avail. Any tips?

Portrait of a slumbering bunny.

One sock down!

Woohoo! I’ve been wearing just one sock.
The second one is started, and I am just past the ribbing. I should be further along, but life keeps getting in the way.
First, just for something different, I cast on for a cabled headband from the latest issue of Creative Knitting. I probably will never wear it, but Em’s dance teacher currently has a thing for headbands. I haven’t done cables in a while, and it makes good TV knitting.
I’ve also been doing some sewing – 3 costumes down, 72ish to go.
And I’ve blocked the pink lacey cardi.

Now I just need to seam it, and face the dreaded edging.
I’ve had a screaming headache all day, but it’s right on the top of my head, not in my forehead like usual. I laid down for a bit this afternoon, and it felt better, then I went to put away the laundry, and a big spider (thing of my nightmares!) ran across the bedroom floor, and under my bed.
My headache is back.
DH didn’t find the spider.
It’s still there somewhere.
Under my bed.
Possibly dead.
There is enough insect spray in the bedroom to kill off 50 of the horrible little terrors.
I still don’t think I’ll sleep tonight.

DH has new socks.

He is appreciative. Mind you, I started these socks in December, so he got a bit whiny before they were done.
Dunno what he was whining about, it’s not even winter yet 😉
These socks are knit in Trekking XXL 110. This is the first time I’ve used Trekking, but I must say that I liked it. The reason they took so long had nothing to do with the yarn, I just didn’t enjoy knitting them on 2 circs! I do have another ball of Trekking XXL put away for me.
Of course, finishing his socks meant I could start my pink stripey socks.
Was the dye job a success?
Decide for yourself.

I’m certainly happy with it! Every few rows I poke whichever family member is close by and make them admire it, too.
I may be doing some more dyeing, I think!
Twinkie didn’t want a cuddle today.

Brat.