Aiming for 100

I started knitting socks in the fall of 2007 and by March of last year, I had knit 50 pairs of socks! I knit pairs #71 and #72 -- both Christmas gifts -- by the end of 2010.

My goal is to knit my 100th pair of socks sometime in 2011. I'll have to knit at least 2 pairs a month and a few extras but I've already finished pairs #73 and #74 -- both for other people. Some Knitalongs have rules about what constitutes a sock that "counts" -- for example baby socks, socks for kids and footies do not usually count. A sock usually has to have a few inches of cuff to be included in a sock competition. But since this is my own personal "sockalong", I can make my own rules. While I won't count baby socks (and I don't usually knit socks for kids), I will probably count footies because I also intend on knitting some knee high socks which will balance out the footies.

Pair #74 were knee highs -- 20 inches high! They're for my sister-in-law for when she goes horseback riding. No, she isn't incredibly tall but a 20 inch high sock will shrink down to about 15 inches high when it is on. The picture shows them tied up in loose knots -- that's how I had to keep them when I was knitting to stop them from getting tangled up in my yarn.

I have 3 pairs of socks currently on my needles and I think pair #75 will be finished soon -- a pair for hubby. That will make 12 pairs for him so far, and yes, he keeps asking for more.

Unfortunately, I won't need to buy any sock yarn :-( . I probably have enough sock yarn to reach my 150th pair of socks, probably more. And then there is also the Cookie A Sock Club that I joined...more about that in a future post.

Harley makes a friend...

...literally! He wanted someone to play with so he built a snowman. I helped.

The backyard is full of great packing snow. And more importantly...it was 15+ inches of white snow, not yellow and even better, not brown (ew!) snow. So Harley (with a lot of help from me) built a snowman. I admit it, it was just for the photo op.

More Snow = More Mallomars for me!

20 minutes of shoveling snow burns off enough calories to balance out eating 2 mallomars. I have to admit that's what I was thinking as I shoveled more snow today. It stopped snowing yesterday afternoon and I went out and shoveled 5 inches of snow -- time: 2 mallomars.

It started to snow again last night and there was probably another 10 inches out there. Between the sidewalk, driveway and clearing the car, I was out there awhile -- time: 12 mallomars. Well, I don't think clearing the car counts for as many mallomars, so maybe 8-9 mallomars.

It's a good thing my friend's son thought of me the last time he went to the grocery store with his mom.

Harley of course is loving this snow and after I rest up a bit, we are going to play fetch and then go for a walk for 2 more mallomars! Although I am really tired right now, so maybe we'll go for only 1.5 mallomars...maybe 1.

This post dedicated to Ethan for thinking of me at the grocery store -- thank you!

Snow covered fields...

It is snowing again today! It's one of those gray winter days with fast falling snowflakes -- the kind of winter day that I love. Harley is really loving the winter we are having this year and here are some pictures from after the last snow storm.

There's a school near our home with huge fields in back. Look at all that snow just begging to be tracked with pawprints.

Harley was happy to oblige.

Vogue Knitting

No, I really am not a fashionista...me, Vogue? Really...but I did go to Vogue Knitting Live this past weekend. My sister-in-law (aka my personal yarn enabler) and I went into Manhattan on Thursday where we stayed for two nights. We took a 2 part sock design class on Friday -- yes, we spent most of the day learning about socks! The class was taught by Cookie A -- a sock designer that I admire -- her designs are beautiful and intricate. I have both of her sock books and I plan to knit everything from both books.

Knitting is a lot of math -- not one of my favorite subjects but I'll deal with it as long as I get to knit a pretty sock!

We were so tired after our class that at the Marketplace Preview on Friday evening, we hardly bought a thing. The Marketplace was only open for two hours and we stayed for just one. You know I must have been pooped if I only bought two skeins of yarn!

I made up for it the next morning -- not so much in quantity but in expense :-)

I bought some pricey (at least for me) Cashmere to knit hubby a cowl -- it is incredibly soft! I had to have this Recycled Sari Yarn made out of silk -- the colors were just beautiful! I bought super bulky yarn -- yes, bulky yarn (not for socks of course but for an afghan) -- that was my only bargain since it was buy one get one free! And in the last few minutes of our Saturday morning shopping extravaganza, I bought a pretty shawl pin and some rayon yarn called Corde to knit a bag.
Oh, and I also bought some books. I only bought the ones on the right -- 2 Japanese books. And no, I can't read Japanese BUT all the designs are charted so as long as I can figure out the charts, I can design my own socks! Buying those books inspired me to search through my craft closet til I found the Chinese knitting book (on the right) my aunt gave me a long time ago. And no, I can't read Chinese either BUT it is charted :-)

And yes, there is "homework". I started a sock using a design I chose that actually came from one of the Japanese chart books I bought -- which is why I bought the books.

It was a very exhausting, expensive but fun and worth it weekend! Me and sil had a great time and now I am inspired to design my own socks :-)

A walk at Lake Needwood

When we were in Maryland after Christmas, we took Harley for his usual walk at Lake Frank but this time we also took a walk along Lake Needwood and along part of the Rock Creek Trail.

Who needs a cat condo?

when two boxes will do?

There's Harrison, advertising my Creative Memories business! What a good kitty!

We still have cheese!

We are down to a little over a quarter of the cheese wheel but that is still a lot of cheese!

It is yummy but there was no way we could eat all that cheese and not get sick of it so most of it was given away.

And this is when I learned that my sister-in-law's fiance has no manners. Would you believe that he helped himself to a can of Coke from our fridge but didn't take a wedge of cheese? Very rude!

:-)

PS It is not easy to cut cheese wedges!

Look Who's One

Nope, not a puppy or a kitty but my nephew!

There he is debating about whether he should eat his very healthy (but not tasty) banana cake.

He finally smooshed it to pieces while Harley kept waiting for his share of cake.

In the end neither Harley nor my nephew had cake and they both decided they don't like to wear birthday hats.

Yippee! More Snow!

After Christmas, we went to Maryland where there was absolutely no snow. Harley was very happy when we came home and there was still leftover blizzard snow in the backyard. He found one of his many new Christmas toys and just sat outside. We've learned that he really loves the cold weather.

He was very excited this morning to see that is was snowing some more! He ran outside and found his toy because he wanted to play. I left the back door open while I took some pictures. Normally I would worry that Harrison (cat) would make a break for it because he does try to escape. He went out as far as the snow shovel at the top of the steps before he decided that it was just too cold out for a kitty that spends his days inside. He turned around and came back in without any coaxing from me.

As much as Harley loves snow, he loves breakfast even more.