In no particular order…

I tried on the completed sock for the May Summit Sock Club this morning (I was not brave enough to last night at the end of the day…too tired if something wasn’t right…ostrich maneuver…head in sand)…and it fit beautifully.  I had to make one minor adjustment to the heel turn and I believe everyone will enjoy this knit very much.  The pattern is written for three sizes, much like a pattern from Blue Moon RSC.  I have to play with my new charting program, but hope to have charts to go along with the written out directions.  The stitch pattern is a multiple of twelve stitches and easy to follow along with one “work” round to every three “I can visit” rounds.  Here is a close up of the cuff, of which I am proud…one pattern flowed to the next and to the next one last time:

Cuff of "May Flowers" sock pattern...a new design by M.E. Langieri

Chris came by this morning and is hard at work on this past month’s socks, probably nearing the toes as we speak.  She is working on a few projects…one of which is a secret, at least until I guess what it is.  Lisa came by this afternoon for a private lesson and got back to work on her “Peas Please” vest…she is really very close to done.  Of course, she has found three or more other very tempting patterns; among them a pair of socks by IrishGirlieKnits (be sure to go check her out on Ravelry…great designer and all around sweet person).  Lisa is almost done with a garter triangular scarf out of a Great Adirondack Silk Sock yarn (if memory serves) and we found just the perfect yarn to edge it with in a coordinating color up on the shelves.

I have finished writing the sock pattern and also begun the second sock of this just in case I get any last minute tweaking ideas for the pattern.  I hope to have kits ready this Sunday, May 1st.  All the components are here, I just need to spend some quality time with my computer.  After a little angst this past weekend, I am also back to work on the Serenity Wrap for Frog Tree Yarns out of a beautiful color of their Alpaca Melange.  This yarn is soft, with a minimum of fuzz and a lovely hand…very soothing to knit AND in a gently heathered color range that is just not to be resisted.

The cats were quite agreeable to posing this morning:

Smidgen: "Mom, you really expect me to keep these boys in line by myself all day?"

Sputters: "I am king of this hill!"

Nikkers: "My mom is about to post a raunchy joke, so stop reading if you think it might offend you! I did tell her to think twice. sigh..."

One of my friends forwarded me this joke, and I confess, it makes me laugh…

part one

part two

part three...the end.

Take care and have a lovely twenty four hours.  We have gone straight from winter into summer today and, witch that I am, I am melting menopause on legs.  Time to go get the square ready for tomorrow…looking forward to this lace pattern!

with loads of love, laughter and light always, Mary Ellen aka thehumanloom

 

Sock KAL, Entrelac, next KAL, The Lavendar Thing

The next project I am working on for Frog Tree Yarns is called the “Serenity Wrap and Cowl” and is designed by Stephanie Steinhaus as an Unwind design to knit.  I finished the cowl this morning and grafted it closed using the technique recommended by “Vogue Knitting:  The Ultimate Knitting Book”.  This part is now stashed safely away and the next part of this knit is on needles.  It is being done in Alpaca Melange Sport by Frog Tree Yarns and this is a wonderful gently heathered alpaca yarn to knit.

When I am taking a break from the above, I am working on the shawl just published by Franklin Habit in the most recent issue of Knitty.  I purchased two colors of a yarn called:  Kitten at Vogue Knitting Live (cashmere and silk) and this yarn is just perfect for this project.  Will share pictures soon.  I am working hard at the Frog Tree samples so they are ready by mid-May.  Please send good vibes.

Jaddu brought her owner, Martha by yesterday for a knit and visit.  Jaddu and I shared wonderful lovies and kisses and she was rewarded with lots of cookies.  Martha was working on a new pair of socks in rainbow Zauberball using a stitch from Barbara Walker Volume II.  The stitch looks like a cable but is really a slip-stitch pattern, if I heard correctly between lovies with Jaddu.  (Martha I love you too!)  Here is a photo:

close-up view

 

Jean was here this morning and began a stunning entrelac purse pattern using Kujaku (by Noro) and a coordinating color of Karaoke by SWTC.  We discussed the basic technique, how to pick up stitches and the two rows involved in creating a rectangular piece of entrelac with straight edges.  Suzy came by later, just as I was burying the ends of part one of the Lavender Thing.  Of course, Eleanor and I had hugs, kisses and lots of fun.  She has her own treats here because of her delicate sensibilities.  Once full, she took a nap on her mother’s lap.  Suzy is working on a lovely baby sweater in Schaefer’s Chris yarn in the colorway, Nellie Bly (browns and greys and black).  She has chosen adorable buttons made from brass and is nearly done.

Although Kathy said she was coming by for a visit Sunday, she wound up with other commitments.  Jamie did come by for a knit together and to retrieve her April sock kit.  We are both big fans of the author, Patrick Rothfuss.  We both have his most recent book, sequel to “The Name of The Wind”.  Neither one of us has the courage to begin the book, because it was such a long wait.  Who knows how long it will be until the third book in this trilogy is released?  I decided to start with the first book again and prolong this as much as I can.  I will probably do the same when the third book in the trilogy comes out…because, what will I read then?

We saw the movie “Source Code” this past weekend and I thought it was a great flick.  It is however too graphic for anyone who has lost a loved one in the armed services.  Just do not subject yourself to the trauma.  I long for old movies where the obvious was alluded to, not spelled out in unnecessary graphic detail.

Back to Kathy:  I went and parked in her driveway (she and I live in the same neighborhood) and called her before I went home from work.  As I was dialing her up, there was her dog, Yeager.  Yikes, he has become gigantic…still adorable and highly loveable as ever.  We all three wound up out in the driveway.  Here is a photo of my beloved Yeager so you can meet him too (he did not stay still for a microsecond…this was the best I could do):

 

Yeager

Nikkers

Brothers Sputters and Nikkers (Sput-Nik) waiting for me to get in bed last night.

Sinfonia on my chest staring me down this morning.

Nikkers and Sinfonia on me this morning.

 

That’s it for today…have some serious power knitting to get done tonight.  Take care and let me know when you are ready for the heel of the Discovery Sock!  with loads of love, laughter and light always,

Mary Ellen and crew