Finishing, Starting, and Sometimes Frogging

Yay! My Cable Rib socks are complete! I took a lot of time to finish these because I could only do ten rows of knitting each night while my thumb heals (progress note: some thumb bending is now possible). This pattern is from "Favorite Socks" by Ann Budd. The yarn is Smooshy Dream In Color, and "Beach Fog" is the colorway. I knit them on one KnitPicks circular using the Magic Loop, my favorite method.

I love everything about these socks! First of all, they're the only pair I've ever made that actually STAY UP. The 2 X 2 ribbing is wonderful and I just may have to look for more ribbed sock patterns because I am sure sick of my other hand-knitted socks pooling at my ankles. I look like one of those show poodles with a little poof of fluff at each ankle.

I loved working with the yarn, too. I love the color and the springy feel of the yarn, not to mention that Smooshy is very generous with the yardage! These socks are very tall and I think I have enough left over for a third sock! I'll definitely be buying some more of this stuff.

Now that I'm finished with my socks, I've been yearning to make some mittens. Yes, mittens in Hawaii. I didn't say I was going to wear them....I just want to make them.

So I dug out my favorite knitting book from 1949 and found a basic pair for men or women:

Ten rows started in Wool Ease that I bought in Washington on our last trip. I've never worked with Wool-Ease before, but I think it'll be okay. I'm thinking that I will send them off to my dear son who would not want to hand wash alpaca or wool mittens in his dorm room sink. Thus, the blend. So far, it's a little splitty and rough to work with, but the knitted fabric seems to be fine.

I love old craft books. There's something just so sincere and unpretentious about them. Sometimes they're downright funny without meaning to be! Like this glove modeling job:

Doesn't she look like she's auditioning for a horror film? What was that photographer thinking? Did he not think the girl was pretty? Why not show her from the front? What is she doing? Being struck by a car? About to strangle someone? Did an axe murderer just jump out at her? Or is she laying face down, already the hapless victim of Gonzor, the big-footed squashing monster? A mystery.

I have a lot of old doily books, too. Here's a doily I finished recently:

I think this one is so elegant! I splurged and sent away for some quality Opera crochet thread instead of my usual Wal Mart brand. I wanted to see if it was any different. I must say, I was impressed. This thread seems to have a sheen and a nice body and drape to it that I haven't had before. I heartily recommend a nicer crochet thread if you're going to invest all that time in a doily. There you go, some doily advice. You heard it here, folks. You can find the above doily in this old booklet, should you run across it at a thrift store:

I've made three doilies from this book, including the cover doily. Definitely my favorite doily book ever. A word of caution, though. Old knitting and crocheting books are not for wimps! They assume you know a lot of stuff, and seem to be chock full of mistakes. Perhaps our needleworking ancestors expected mistakes and were sharp enough to catch them. I am constantly surprised and outraged when an old pattern writer leads me to work a row wrong. But then all I have to remember is that I'm alive and she's probably...well...not. Then I forgive her.

I was happy to find a fellow doily-lover, lover of quilts and old pattern books on the internet. Check out her new blog here: Sew Ritzy Titzy Yesterday, she posted the most amazing paper-pieced instrument blocks! Check out the piano and the violin. I think we may be long-lost twins! I wonder if she looks like Janet Evanovich, too...

Janet, do you like doilies?
(No matter...she's still cute...hee hee...)