I stayed up so late last night reading that I missed the Pancake Breakfast this morning. (not to mention Church!)
Omega's 2011 catalogue arrived and I was awash in possibilities. How does one decide between 'Unleash Your Calling' and 'The Power of Purpose'? I cannot forget to mention 'Painting the Light Within' vs 'Mindfulness Tools for Living the Full Catastrophe'! Who couldn't benefit from 'Liberating the Mind from Unhappiness' or 'From Global Brain to Global Heart'? I want to take every workshop under the Spiritual Practice category - skip on over to Intuitive Development, and end the semester with at least five of the Creativity selections! This would require buckets of discretionary cash and endless hours to spare. Moving right along -
I have socks on the brain. You'll remember that my newest Blue Moon cotton arrived last week, so I skeined and began the journey into sock patterns . . .
So many designs - so little time. I sit with my co-workers, always a bit of knitting in my hands. They poke fun at me when I ask the question - where did socks come from pre-Industrial Revolution? They gape at me - I must have two heads. We are so disconnected from our roots. My co-workers can give you the background of each contestant who dances with the stars, can bring you up to date on the musical preferences of any American Idol and what in the hell would you like to know about Housewives? Pop culture - all for the taking - all of those hours spent in front of a rectangular box and no small wonder that this culture is being separated from the miraculous.
In the 1700's you wore stockings that your mother MADE - knitted right there in front of the fire so that your legs would be warm while you were doing your chores. They were thick and scratchy and they got the job done.
On Sunday morning thoughts of faith return. We are getting close to the High Holy Days when miracles abound. I am not suggesting that knitting a pair of socks will bring you closer to the Divine.
But you never know.
I love my new sock (singular).
I'm really enjoying this and Anne Hanson's directions are so easy to read. She makes me believe that I might have the talent to become a sox knitter! Whoa, Nellie. I'm getting ahead of myself here!
Jelli - can you hear me? I. AM. KNITTING. SOX. For real. I have this vision - of opening my chest of drawers to find an entire collection of hand-knit sox. This is what I would call opulence. Decadence. Happiness.
A basket of sox would suffice, too. I have this wonderful new book from which this image is lifted. I cannot remember ordering this book! Does anyone know how it came to live with me? I'm serious!
It's a lovely book and it contains some of the juiciest sox patterns ever. And I like her pedicure. A lot!
One pattern is more interesting than the next! I'll never peruse the sox aisle at TXMax again. How can one pull on commercial sox when the handmade variety is out there, waiting to be created?
These are the first socks that I ever made. I measured Can-Do-Guy's feet and bought some Morehouse merino (thinking that $48 was a lot of money for socks, but ... never mind!) and here you have them! He never wore them, claiming that they were too warm for work boots. I pointed out that he could wear them indoors - like TV socks and immediately realized, by the expression on his face, that we were from different planets. Guys just don't wear "bed socks"!!! So, these wonderfully crude, yet warm creatures will probably never see the inside of an arch. But it's ok. I gained some confidence and decided that socks were not my favorite knit.
There was a lot baking going on over the weekend. I had a helper ...
He waited so patiently to have a go at that spatula!
This is the best cheesecake in the country, paws down.
It has never failed me - it has always supported my kitchen prowess. I'm willing to share it - send me a note if you'd like the recipe. It's strictly New York Cheesecake - in its best form. I also made a banana cake, a big vat of chicken and dumplings, and prepared the way for a shrimp scampi - tonight's feast. It was a foodie kind of weekend. I don't think that anyone minded!
Remember those Bed Socks that Patty made for my birthday? Here is an image, and I just wish that you could reach in and touch these lovelies because they are THAT soft and delicious ... thank you Patty, you are the best.
Made from an alpaca and merino blend that she found at Sheep & Wool last year - really special and appreciated! I love socks. I really enjoy what you are all making out there in Sock Land. My fantasy is to open my sock drawer on any given day to glimpse DOZENS of pairs of hand knitted socks. It never happens. Here is a pic of the last pair that I started ...
Fantastic fiber, exceptional design .... what the heck?
I need help. Inspiration. Buds to knit socks with. I feel lonely! Alone with my knitting - an island. Does anyone out there have advice - some kind of formula that will help me to move forward and beyond this sock block? When I look at Miss Baa Baa Blacksheep's blog, I swoon. She is THAT good. I am not worthy ...
I have another piece of knitting that I am working on - it is Anne Hanson's 'Hillflowers' and I am knitting it in Briar Rose delicious-nessssss...
There are many many fibers out there to choose from, but I must say that Chris's fibers are really spectacular - in every way. Not only are they incredible to work on, but the colors are dreamy and the fiber smells amazing!!!! It really does - it is a total turn on. You know what I'm talking about! Non-commercial yarn is sensual. Am I wrong?
This is what I have - what I will continue to strive toward - that, and making (completing) SOCKS!
