Tricotine

Pretty cool

I saw this at Clothedinjoy and I thought it was pretty cool! Now, if you think my M&M character looks like me (sort of), you should see Sara's... It is amazing!!!

[make your own]

Worless Wednesday #4

Wordless Wednesday

Under the weather

The not-so-fun part of the winter... but I don't complain; it had been a long time since my last cold. In fact, I don't even remember my last cold!   

A special thanks to my Dear Husband for sharing his germs with me...

[Click on photo to enlarge]

Because I was feeling quite flagada, I didn't really feel like exercising today... until late tonight.  I did 12 miles on the stationary bicycle.

AAAAAAAAND...  I finished my Son's sock!

Knitting Lesson

Making memories...

OOPS!

I spent the weekend trying to make up the DSS pattern on 2 circulars, and this is what I ended up with...

[Click on photo to enlarge]

OOPS!  Not really the shape of a sock, huh?  I won't report here my Husband's "funny" comments, but I bet you can easily imagine...

What went wrong? Well, I am not completely sure... I was trying to figure out by myself how to make a Toe-Up Flap Heel Sock; I had never done before or even seen a pattern for it, as most of Toe-Up socks have short row heel. To make it short, I tried to reverse the instructions for a cuff down sock and obviously I got a little confused... I have to admit that if I am pretty comfortable with making up socks the Cuff Down way, I still have lots to learn about Toe-Up sock making!

They say practice makes perfect, right?  Well, I experimented, had a good laugh, took a photo and ripped off to the point where I wanted the heel to be shaped, and I finally came up with something more conventionally shaped and that fits my son's foot perfectly...   

Here is sock #1 in progress, the high and ribbed cuff is almost finished and my son is really impatient to get his socks "just like Daddy"! 

[Click on photo to enlarge]

I am taking notes of what I am doing so I can make sock #2 identical and publish  the pattern here when the pair is completed.  Stay tune!

Runagogo - Week 4 report

Another week is gone and, on the exercising front, it has been pretty good one for me. I have passed the 100 miles milestone and, despite of my worries, I was able to set new goals and I kept going anyway... and I feel GREAT! 

Today, I was even able to jog .5 miles x 2!  But "hush" don't tell my Doctor or my Husband, because I am not supposed too... yet - although pedaling on the stationary bicycle hurts me more...  But the truth is that I kind of get a little bored walking and pedaling at low pace.  I guess that's just the cowboy in me...   

Even knittercising doesn't help much anymore.  After a while, I feel like I need to increase the speed and be more effective... just a little! 

So, today, I pedaled 3 miles on the stationary bike but I was not too happy with that... So, I switch to the treadmill and I walked 1.5 miles at regular pace (3.7mph speed - incline 1.0).  Then, getting bored to see those numbers on the screen running too slow, I increased the speed to 4.5 mph for half a mile, slowed down and walked for half a mile and jogged again at 4.7mph this time.  I was amazed to note that I was feeling comfortable and not out of breath.

Then, I did my usual cool down, walking for another half a mile - but I never count cool-downs in my charts because they are just there to allow the heart to get back to its normal pace and gradually...  No swet...  

In conclusion, I really feel that my work-out was worth the time today.  For the same amount of time spent on the treadmill (60 minutes), I have burned 400 calories (instead of 200 something usually) and 60 gr of carbs! 

Tomorrow, is Resting Day...

Wk	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
4	Stationary Bike 10 miles	------ --------	Stationary Bike 4 + 2 miles Walk 2 miles	Leis. Walk 2 miles	Leis. Walk 2 miles	Stationary Bike 3 miles Jog. .5  + .5 mile Walk 2 miles	Rest

Additional mileage after 100 miles completed are reported in green in the table.
Total for the week = 30 miles

Saturday Sky

For Sandy's Saturday Sky Watchers, a picture of the sky above me right now.
We are expecting snow today...

   

DSS on the needles

With the remains of DHS, I think I can make a pair of kid socks.  To make sure I will have enough of yarn, I have decided to make a Toe-Up sock; the lengh of the cuff will be determined by the amount of yarn left. 

DSS #1 is on its way and it is sock project #20...

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Magic Stripes, color "Brown/Blue Pattern" - 1 skein
Needles:  2 - 16" Circulars - size US #3
Foot size: Kid 12 US

Featuring my wonderful wooden darning egg; a present from my dear friend Betty. It was very useful to tighten my cast on.

DHS Completed

Pair of Socks # 19 in progress...

... and  4 hours later, DHS finished.
Perfect identical twin socks like my friend Betty would say.

[Click on photo to enlarge]

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Magic Stripes, color "Brown/Blue Pattern" - 2 skeins
Needles:  2 - 16" Circulars - size US #3
Foot size: Man 11 US

Featuring my new Plastic Sock blockers from The Loopy Ewe.

About Stash Reduction

I went through my stash this morning and I was pleased to note that I have done a pretty great job at Destashing! This is what I consider being my good stash but, although I am glad and proud to have it narrowd, it kind of upsets me to see how small it has become...

[Click on photo to enlarge]

Of course, there is also the other stash, the basic one - the one that contains Acrylics and remains of finished projects - but I didn't even bother taking a photo of it...  Using that stash requires lots or imagination and creativity!

And... There is also the Sock Yarn, but everybody knows by now (except my Husband who doesn't believe in that theory) that it doesn't count as stash, right?   

There is some Bamboo yarn: Reggia and Trekking Pro-Natura, some Austerman Step with Aloe Vera & Jojoba oil and my favorite, the one I barely dare touching, the fabulous Lorna's hand-dyed Shepherd Somerset.  My first hank EVER and first hand-dyed as well!

That yarn impresses the casual knitter that I always have been so much that I cannot decide which pattern would give best justice to that yarn!  I have heard from few experienced Knitters that going simple is the best way to show off a very special yarn though, so maybe that is what I will do after all...

[Click on photo to enlarge]

In that basket is potential for 10 adult size pair of socks and 1 kid size.
Few hours of sock-knitting fun, right there!

~ My Guidelines ~