My Feet are cold!

Update: Ok friends... I am in a blog contest and I need your help. I need you to go to this site http://www.favecraftsblog.com/christmas-craft-blog-hop-vote/ ... scroll down to you see my sock and click on the little heart.... thanks so much and Hugs

I am having a hard time accepting that today is already December the 9th. I felt like I just had Thanksgiving. Its so funny when you are young you feel like the days last forever. You never really appreciate the reason for the holidays and really get to enjoy them. Now as an adult and mom I feel like it goes by to fast and I am missing so much. I think it has something to do with the fact Thanksgiving came late this year and my boys are growing so fast. I truly love this time of year and am OK with really allowing myself to slow down and turn down a few events.The only thing I do not like about the season is all the colds and virus like things it brings with it. This year we have been hit hard by them. Our oldest started Kindergarten this year and has brought home every bug. On thanksgiving he had a fever and we found out he had pneumonia and bronchitis a few days later... then the 2yr old got it. When my kids are sick there isn't much that gets done in our house. I have been working on my socks when I can but they still are not done. I started them on November 5th and restarted them several times... Here are some things I have learned while knitting my first pair of socks.

~Know how many you need to cast on! (swatch... I know when we hear that word we cringe but I think if I had swatched in the beginning I would have figured I need to CO 64 instead of the 72 and I would have learned that the US 2 was what I needed opposed to a US 0. 

~Know your yarn. (some yarns stretch more than others.)

`w1~Read your pattern all the way through! yea my toes are not right but I fudged them so they would work... which brings me to the next point..

~Keep notes on any changes you make so you can repeat them (set yourself limits if you are a multi-project kind of person. That way you can work and complete all in a timely manner.)

~Know where to search for answers and do not be afraid to ask (use the web, designer, Blogs/Facebook)

I have really enjoyed making them and really hope I get them done by Christmas Eve. I used the Caffe Macchiato pattern by Marian Moldan. The pattern is easy to follow and there is a video on her special stitch. I was able to follow it and I am very new knitter and these are my first socks ever. The pattern has a lovely detail on the outside of each sock and plain on the inner sides. The pattern calls for the Fish Lips Kiss Heel which was written by Sox Therapist. You can see all the info and links from my Ravelry project page which can be found here : http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarning4asmile/caffe-macchiato

For these socks I used a yarn called Marathon Socks--North Pole from Wisdom Yarns. The color I am using is called Balsam Fir. This yarn is discontinues but can still be found on the Internet. Amazon carries the City Colorways which can be found here.  My thoughts on the yarn is that is stripes well and is very pretty. However it tends to split and loses its twist easily.

Since I have rather large feet I was worried I may run out of yarn so I decided to use an alternate color for my heel. I found a skein of Red Heart Heart and Sole in Ivory at Hobby Lobby and used it.
I still have to finish the right foot but here is what I have so far...

I also have been working on a few gifts. One being a TMNT guy for the hubby that I started last night. I am using the pattern from Matthew Gravelyn it is called TMNT Plush. I have only done a few rounds so will not post pictures yet but you can see how it is coming along here until the next post. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarning4asmile/tmnt-plush

I have done a little spinning, a 2oz Sample I got when I bought a Batt from Etsy. The fiber is from Luthvarian her Etsy shop can be found here. The sample is called Rainbow and I spun it using my MockingJAy Spindle from Spinatude and her shop can be found here. It was fun and I love how the colors turned out. I got a bout 34 yards from it and plan on turning into a little bunny... the pattern I choose can be seen here.  I love Rebecca Danger she has so many cute ones!!!

Well that pretty much wraps up all my holiday needle craft projects for the month. We are doing a project here and there with the boys like painting, decorating foam things and this week we will be making shrinky dink ornaments!! super excited! I hope you have a lovely Holiday if I do not post again and a Merry Christmas. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY YARNING!