So Yesterday

 Was yet another trip to the health clinic—a whole bunch of blood tests—Is my my blood to fatty (cholesterol/triglycerides) or too sweet? Does my liver keep it clean? Does my thyroid do it's job? And (not a blood test) but how about my kidneys? Vial after vial, collected and labeled. I won't know the results for a few weeks. While there, I also scheduled a mammogram--(already scheduled is a scoping of my nether end.) Every little part of me (including my psych) is being examined!  By and large, I am coming up OK with each test.  I haven't lost any weight this week--but also haven't backslide--not even half a pound.  I am sure I will see more progress any day now.  Not that progress so far has been anything to sneeze at!

Since last I posted, I got some knitting done—but likely its going to be frogged—I was testing a pattern I wrote—and in attempting to fix an error, made a new one. The result is:  1 the pattern doesn't work as written, and 2, I made the same mistake I made last time I was working on the design!--I am consistent in all the wrong places.

Sunday I fought with the black and white socks for a few rounds-- and realized, the only way I was going to get the knitting to work would be to knit the gussets one sock at time.

So here is sock one, with its back seam sewn up and looking sock like, the heel turned, and first few rounds of the instep gussets worked. The other sock has a turned heel, and stitches picked up, but no decreases yet--and  the back seam sewn up yet, either.

The instep gussets will whittle away, decrease by decrease, the white portion of the instep. When the gussets is done, there will still be a few white stitches remaining. But the end of the gusset will be the end of the intarsia in the round. The remaining portion of the sock foot will be solid black. And at that point, the socks will go back to being worked 2 on 2.

What is left of the white yarn (there will be a lot of it!) will be hand painted to some interesting color way—I might detail just how I do that. It won't be enough for a pair of socks—but paired with another solid color (for cuffs, heels and toes) there should be enough.

Yesterday afternoon, with Nancy, a new knitting friend, I went to the Smiley's store sale. She bought sale items, and mostly acrylic (she is knitting a baby blankets—and plans to knit a few more) and I indulged.

The internet sale (link above)  doesn't have the same (limited quantities) of super sale yarn, and it has a high minimum purchase- But as a LYS—Smiley's is the best.

You can see the shine on these lovely (but small—only 99 yards/90m)hands—single ply 50% silk, 50% merino—but you just have to guess at how soft and creamy they are! I might go back and buy a few more—300 yards are nice, but 400 or 500 would be even better for a lacy shawl, or a hooded cowl. At $3.99 they aren't cheap—but they are a real bargain!

And—would any LYS visit be complete with out buying some sock yarn? This is Filatura Lanarota Fashion Toes (aka Plymouth-Happy Feet) 90% merino, 10% nylon. I bought a ton of this sock yarn (20 skeins) of this 2 years ago—some got resold (at cost) to friends--(on sale it was $1.99 a a skein). I keep some for myself—13 skeins in all. 2 of each of 5 color ways, + an additional 3 for a lace scarf. Some of them have been knit up –2 skeins became one pair of secret socks, 3 skeins became my LeafyVines scarf.  Several other skeins have been balled up for knitting later this year.  When not on sale, this yarn (at Smiley's) is just $2.99--$6 worth is enough for a pair of socks. HOW could I pass it up?  Full price for this yarn would be $16 for enough for a pair of socks!.

I have a dark red colorway, and a lovely green color way, and 2 more skeins (for a pair of socks) in the same blue as the leafy vines scarf.--But I didn't have this lovely blue green color way.

I also bought a skein of Patons wool roving (for a hat) and 2 small skeins of some alpaca—in creamy white—I have some skeins for a previous sale—I don't know if they are going to be gloves or hat, or what—but I am even thinking a I could make a deluxe pair of bed socks—alpaca is so warm (and sometimes my toes are so cold!)--Last time they only had black and camel brown—and both will be improved by adding a bit of white trim.

Best of all, I had change! So I can go back later in the week and get another skein or 2 of the soft silk if I want--and still not spend all of my change!  For now, its staying creamy white. But silk and wool? I could end up with any color I want!