Now that we are in the final few hours before London puts on it's opening show, I thought I'd spend the day with a few last minute errands and clean up some loose ends. Well, sorta.
I thought I'd show you some pictures from the stocking that I showed you a few postings ago. Here are the final shots just before it was picked up. I added a bell on the toe and a braided hanger. I also sent along some extra wool just in case it needs some mending down the road. How many times have you finished something and neglected to keep some mending wool? Ya, I do have a tendency to learn the hard way. (har har)
My son has had his 30th Birthday. He's spent the past year enjoying the benefits of having a paycheck that affords him the chance to buy some suits. Here's his birthday olive socks to go along with his new olive suit. I can't wait to see him in it!
I also sent him a cake. Did you know that the post office now has boxes that will ship over night for $40? The last time I shipped over night to one of my kids, it was for my youngest daughter's 21st birthday. All she wanted was some salsa from our local Mexican meat market. That box cost me $125!!!!!!!!! Sooooooooooo, while $40 seems high for shipping a box, it's a bargain to me! Soooooooo kiddo....hope you enjoyed your birthday banana cake!
Ravelry got their bags in from their recent contest. I snagged one really fast and the vest is coming along well. Makes a great project bag to grab quickly inside my bigger knitting bag. I'm a happy camper with this one.
I like the t-shirt bags, too. Over the weekend I'd gotten this far on my class socks. Toe up, two at a time, magic loop. I've learned some new tricks. Some I like....some...well, it's good to learn new things so you can decide what preference you're better at, or which works well for you.
Today, I finally made it to Staples. Why? Well, let me show you. Knitting tools come from some unlikely sources at times.
I have all kinds of needles. Here are the buckets I'd picked up from Target years ago. I still use them for my old 14" metal straights, plastic US 35's, and other plastic needles. Those old 14" metal straights work quite well for unclogging vacuum cleaners and stopped up sinks.
The buckets, however, aren't such a great storage spot for wooden needles. Many years ago when I picked up my first sets of Brittany Black Walnut needles for $6.95, I left them there over a summer. Hot, dry Southern California summers tend to make them warp. Badly. So I found this ruler length storage box from Staples years ago. Laying wooden needles flat keeps them at their best.
However, it's been a few years and I've added some needles to my collection. (shocking-huh?) I've been waiting for many months now for Staples to bring in their back to school supplies. I have looked all over many different stores, and Staples has been the only store where I have found the longer pencil boxes.
Now I have a box for my Crystal Palace, my clovers and my Brittany Black Walnuts. All for $3.49 each. I love a great solution for a cheap price. So, when are you running to Staples? There's still time tonight. ;-)
Pencil boxes aren't the only thing I picked up today. Mom's photo albums have 'taken a walk' out the back door awhile back. Yes, I'm angry, but besides that....I'm working on a new solution to help her remember who the kids are and other events in her life. Today at Staples I found a smaller notebook and pages for pictures. I've had my pictures shipped to Michigan and I'm going to go through and copy several to put into these pages for a mini album all her own that I can also label. This way when the kids call or she gets cards and packages I can show her who she's talking to on the phone. Pictures have been her best memory tool! This 3 ring binder notebook will be smaller and lighter for her to hold in her lap. And bonus? s in her favorite color scheme of turquoise. Thanks Martha Stewart for your collection at Staples for using this color. I think she's going to like it! I'm hoping it will help her remember her grandkids for as long as possible.
The other day once I'd gotten the class socks up to the ankles I made an 'executive decision'. I'm switching from magic loop to 2 circulars. For me, magic loop just didn't work well enough for me. I don't know if the needles were too new and stiff, but I just didn't like the ladders I was getting. Switching to 2 circs made the leg go really fast. I finished the first sock while getting my hair done today. All that's left if the bind off. I'm saving that for Monday's class. Since I paid for the class, I'm going to wait and learn something new. (make 'em earn their money? hehehehe) Shouldn't take too much longer for the second sock. I really love this Knit one crochet too crock 'o dye yarn! Who wouldn't? Merino and silk....oh baby! That's a gift for your hands to work with. Yep, I have another 2 hanks to make more socks down the road. But first.....
While I'm writing this, I have less than 1 1/2 hours before opening ceremonies. And it's disaster time. Being so good today at finishing things up and checking off my lists, I thought it would be a good idea to pull out my bag for the WIP team. Yes, this is Florence the same sweater I was going to do the last time Ravelry had our 'little' knit off. Sadly, that was when Dad's one night in the hospital turned into six nights and the recop time didn't go as smoothly has previously planned. I don't think I even opened it once. Soooooooooooooo.....I signed up to knit on it again. I actually think the last time I worked on it was back in 2009. Yep, it's time to get it done....except for one thing.........
At this moment....all I can find are the three bags of balls of wool waiting to be knit up. The sweater that was under way and the directions? Heaven only knows where they ended up! I have no idea where they are!!!!!!!! And I KNOW I had them shipped to Michigan from California. I remember unpacking them thinking..oh cool. Olympics are coming soon. I need to set these aside to work on this year.....shoot. Well, proof that I didn't start them too early.
Forgive me while I post and try and dig through my stuff. That sweater has to be here someplace. Right? Until next time....happy knitting. That is if you don't loose your stuff. Learn from my mistakes. Someone needs to-right?
