FullOfStitches.com blog.A good laugh leaves me in stitches!

Welcome to the new site. I’ve just started tinkering with it, but I wanted to get started with the blog anyway and get used to using it here. I’ll try to transfer over my previous blog entries from my 360 account and use that site as a pointer to here.

For anyone new reading: Hi, I’m Jennifer. My site is dedicated to my pastimes: children, knitting, crochet, sewing, and anything else that spurs my mind. I learned crochet about age 7, sewing when I was 16 and have just ventured into knitting because I tried crochet socks. It just wasn’t my thing! I like fitted socks and I like long socks! Crochet may be faster, but the knit ones work better for my purposes.

I’m working on 2 pairs right now, stripes for my hubby and cables for my sister. When I finish these, I plan on starting a pair for *me*. Also on needles is the Angelina Vintage Jacket from White Lies Designs.

I posted Ben’s socks last night. Here are the stats:
Pattern: Best Foot Forward (WW version) from Knit Socks! book by Betsy Lee McCarthy
Yarn: New Tweed by Tahki Yarns (60% Merino, 14% Silk, 26% Viscose)
Needles: I used size US2 instead of size US3 because I couldn’t get gauge on the larger needles.

Would I make this pattern again? Yes, but from the toe-up and in a lighter weight yarn!

Here’s a great shot of my husband in his pajamas. This is the first pair of socks that I knitted and I haven’t had a chance to get a shot of them on him until tonight.

Will update in morning with the specs.

So, I was working on the Super Secret Sue Socks today and asked Ben what he thought of them. He said that his new blue socks looked nice.

I’ve turned both heels and am working at picking up gusset stitches. I love the look of the design, the cables come out pretty. The shine to the yarn doesn’t hide them, it almost enhances the cables. The gussets will be worked in seed stitch (k the p and p the k, throughout), which gives them a better look than the plain old st st.

Ever feel really thoughtless? Well, I was looking closer at those fraternal socks of Ben’s and when I pressed them out to the side I noticed someting about the color repeats..

I’ve been staring at these things for how many hours? And, I just found that that is really the start of the repeat!!!! (Really, they didn’t look that closely related before! I’ve been trying to match the toes… Any excuse is better than stupidity.. and I had to find it during PMS week!)

(note: for those that didn’t catch it, the *other* sock was matched in an earlier picture and that repeat was found way up just before the heel flap.. the repeat is only a sock foot long .. on my DH’s socks..)

Your Birth Month is August

Ambitious and strong, you find it easy to be successful. You are brave and stubborn. No one’s going to set your limits! Your soul reflects: Strength, character, and devotion Your gemstone: Peridot Your flower: Poppy Your colors: Orange, red, and light green

Birthday Swap to join us!

Last night I stayed up to turn the heels. Then I started to pick up gusset stitches and the one had 20st across the turn, but the other had 18..

So, this morning, I ripped them both back to the end of the heel flap and turned the heels again. I carefully counted the stitches to make sure all 32 were there and worked 17 k2t sl st.. turn 6p p2t sl st.. back and forth. 18!! On the other, I thought that I’d counted out the stitches at 32.. I was a little distracted. Ben’s got the older 2 and it’s just BB and I. I turned that heel and got 17… hmm.. So, I examined it closely, there was a loose st back a few rows *before the turn*!! Rip.. back to row 28 (not too bad) finish to row 32, turn heel, voila! matched #s!! Now I’ve started the gusset decreases and found the end of the pattern repeat (note the red then white as the heel was turned). The whole pattern of stripes in this would be pretty much a whole sock! I think I’ll pull out to where the stripes match and make TJ matching matching socks that he can wear with Daddy.

I’ve decided that the Pedicure Socks that I’m making for Naughty Sue will be the Super Secret Sue Socks and I won’t post a picture till she sees them because she might see them here and then they won’t be a surprise even though she knows I’m making them and what color they are.. and what they’re made from and all.. So, as much sense as that makes.. I’m only using the actual Pedi Socks pattern for basic measurements anyway! I’m really using the Aran Sandal Socks for the how-to. However much sense you got from all that!

This sounds like so much fun! I’ve never done a swap before, and I don’t recall that anyone’s given me something fiber related for my birthday (not that I remember.. maybe as a child?).

August birthday swap

I just need to figure out how to add the button to my sidebar.. I was given a Mac as my anniversary present (I know, keep it to yourselves) and I still haven’t got it totally figured out!

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On another note, Ben told me when he woke up that BB was holding her breath because she couldn’t swim yet. He had a dream that she was in the water, he could see her and she was holding her breath.

This afternoon, I let the girls ‘swim’ in the pool. That means they play on the top step or two of the shallow end or the jacuzzi seat or the seat at the ‘deep end’ with me sitting watching them. I know the bike was on the patio, but I didnt recall it being *that close* to the pool. All of a sudden BB and AJ’s bike went back into the pool. I had a fleeting thought that I only had 2 stitches to go on the needle as I threw down my knitting and went to the pool. I was wearing mt pajama pants and only stepped in a step (so the weight of the clothes didn’t hinder movement) or two and grabbed for BB. She was tossing her arms under the water and kicking a little, floating just under the surface, and I caught her arm and pulled her out. She coughed out what little water was in her nose or mouth and resumed normal breathing. I wrapped her in the towel and held her a while, then she went on playing outside the pool as usual.

So, I’m full of energy! Last night I only stayed up till about 11:30, so either my body is adjusting to a lack of sleep or the extra half (full?) hour really helped!

I’ve got Ben’s fraternal twins socks done through the foot and am working the heel flaps. This is my first pair of toe-up heel flap socks.. and I finally found the pattern repeats beginning. I lined it up in the picture: see how the whole foot’s worth of yarn would’ve had to be removed to start them at the same spot? That’s a long repeat! And, I haven’t found the end on the other sock yet!

Oh, and I figured out part of Ben’s surprise.. He wouldn’t answer me before, but I had asked him about it. Someone’s flying in for Memorial Day weekend. He won’t tell me who.. My guesses are: A)Naughty Sue, B) my MIL.. or a stretch would be C) my Dad. Beyond that, he’s got me stumped.

Yes, that’s my measurements… Of my children’s height! TJ was interested, so I measured all 3.