Hi y’all. If it seems like I just took off, it’s because I did. If I could contrive a way to live in the mountains here in NC, I would. Just look at this sky.

The family and I went on a little camping trip to the mountains. It was great fun, complete with knitting time around the campfire. The photo above was taken from a mountain meadow, where we were nearly in the clouds. The sock I was knitting was too complex to do in the dark*, so I ended up knitting this in the evenings:

A plain MDK baby bib. It’s in need of some embellishment and a button to fasten it around the little cherub’s neck. Anyone know where I can find a pattern for a crocheted froggie patch or some such? I’ll have to go on a search.

And, I finished up my first River Valley sock shortly before we left. Here it is, lying about in its native environment. The lovely yarn is from Cabin Cove Mercantile – the Inkblot colorway.

I’m ready to go back now, please.

* It freaks the muggles out when you knit in the dark around a campfire. Each evening, a different person would ask, “How can you see what you’re doing?” Easy enough to answer – I can’t!

In my usual style, I signed up for a knit-along to keep myself knitting. I am much more productive under pressure, it seems. Last month, I threw my Sockamania pattern to the wind pretty much the day after I got it. I knew there was no way I’d finish by the end of the month, so I didn’t start it.

This month’s pattern is River Valley, and I really want to get it done. My dear hubby’s big ol’ socks have been put into hibernation (thanks, honey) and I’ve been working on this lovely blue pair for myself. I started toe-up with a short-row toe. Why did i do this?! Every time I make myself a short row toe I say I’ll never do it again. It just doesn’t fit me right. Case in point:

See my big toe? Happy. See that funny little point to the right? Nothing but pointy sock over there. Hrmmmm. NEXT TIME, I’ll make a different toe. Something out there will fit me right. (Suggestions, anyone? Bueller?) Anyway, so I’m knitting along and the sock feels loose. I mean, it’s OKAY, but I’m afraid it will start walking around on my foot with any wear. The pattern repeats over 11 stitches, so I’m unwilling to tinker too much. I could make it 3 stitches across the knit bands and decrease it that way, but there must be an easier way. A-ha! Change my needle size.

Everything above the light blue lifeline is knit on US-1 and below on US-0. Luckily, we were in the car for about 6 hours yesterday. This is what the sock looked like pulling into Wilmington to go to the beach. What do you think?

I’m glad I experiemented, because now I won’t be second-guessing myself. I liked the look of the design better in the US-1’s. The 0’s definitely pulled it in – but I didn’t like how much it stretched out the channel of the rib. So, I frogged it back. By the end of the drive, it was this big, again, but knit in all the same size stitch.

My eminently reasonable husband argued for leaving the tighter band in the middle of the sock. His original reasoning was that no one but another knitter would know. Then, he opted for the “fancy biking socks have tight insteps” reasoning – my personal favorite. I knew it would bug me, though, so into the frog pond it went. I find it endearing that my husband pouts when I rip back my work. Now, on to my very first toe-up gusset. Wish me luck… I guess I’d better measure my row gauge before I just leap in on faith.

Today’s sky is blue, with just a cloud here or there if you really search. More exciting is this cheater sky from this May in the Smokies.

I found out today that I won the Fantasy (Yarn) Island contest over at Crafting Morrighana’s. I’m really excited – I haven’t won anything in decades! Well, except for my hubby, but that wasn’t really a write-in sort of contest.

In knitting news, I’ve started on a pair of River Valley socks with a nice subtly shaded dark blue yarn from Cabin Cove. A pair of socks for me, me, ME! I love the pattern, but I’m thinking I need to drop down a needle size. So, I have some experimentation to do there.

I spent the morning designing a pair of sock blockers so I can block my Hogwarts socks in style. I haven’t cut out or prepared the blockers yet; if the next picture you see is the Hogwarts socks on purchased blockers, you’ll know how it went.

Seven years ago, I was in a hospital bed living my own personal movie of the week. About this time every year, my thoughts turn to how lucky and unlucky we as a family have been. All of you who have been through your own movie of the week (and, really, who hasn’t?) know what I’m talking about.

So, it amused me to no end when I realized what I was knitting. A little less than seven years ago, I sat in a NICU and knit this:

Don’t look too close – it’s pretty horrendous. One seam is still undone, and the ends were never woven in. No button at the top. It kept me sane whilst I sat in the NICU with the boys for a few months. That, and a bunch of preemie baby booties for my boys and some other little guys in the NICU. By the time it was done, I knew the boys were probably going to make it. I also knew that there was no way I’d have time to knit a second one. And, it was WAY too big for either one of them. After spending spring and summer at the hospital, we finally came home. Through the next three years when we struggled through our days, and then the four years of “normal” life that followed, this baby sweater sat around. It popped up from time to time, during a move or when I was reorganizing the craft closet. I thought about finishing it several times, but it never felt right. It was therapy for me, and I think it’s finished just as it is. Time to pack it away.

This week, I finished a little something for myself.

Feather and fan strikes again. It’s the first time I’ve knit it since that baby sweater. This is nylon/merino sock yarn from Cabin Cove – ‘boquet’. I am happy to report that I can knit with (and wear) this wool. It’s a teensy bit itchy on my feet, but I’m really sensitive. Knitting it didn’t cause any breakouts on my hands; I’m surprised and amazed. If you have trouble knitting wool, try wool that’s been treated to be machine washable. It’s lovely.

This was my first toe up sock, and my first sock with a short-row heel.

Comfy cozy!