Halfway Down the Stairs

 Just look at all those twisted stitches.  Is it a wonder my fingers were aching from this pair of socks?

Just look at how gorgeous these finished socks are!  The yarn is extremely soft and squooshy as well.

Pattern: Twisted Mockery by Lisa Stichweh  Yarn:  Seacoast Handpainted Panda  Color:  Russet  Needles:  US 1 1/2 - 2.5 mm  Started: May 4, 2011  Completed: May 17, 2011 Note:  This yarn color is called Russet, but it seems to be it should be a sherbet-type name.  Now excuse me while I go and pick mulch off of my new socks.

I am sorry to tell you that I have lost the card of the woman I bought this bag from.  It is unfortunate, because it is a great bag and it was a great deal!  The ripstop fabric is the ticket.  The sock monkeys are pretty awesome too.

This little scarflet is a free pattern that my friend Sue found on Ravelry.  Pimpelliese.  I do believe it is an unfortunate name, but a charming knit.  The yarn was purchased at Shepherd's Harvest from a local producer called Enchanted Meadows.  It is an Alpaca/Mohair blend in the Blueberry colorway.

And the wonderful basket that it is draped upon is my favorite purchase from Shepherd's Harvest last weekend.

I bought this basket from a little booth called Ghana Crazy.  Go ahead and check out the website.  I have a few of these similar baskets and they are so perfect for so many things.  One of them holds my gardening tools and gloves.  I have another at the cabin for my needlework projects.  You should really read the history of this little business - I can't think of a group of people more deserving of my business!

In other news.  We had a great (rainy, of course) weekend of Lacrosse.  Puck's team won their final two, regular season games to finish first in their league (MBSLA Freshman/Sophomore HS).  The High School season runs in the Spring, unlike the Youth (grades 3-8) season which runs from the end of May through the end of July.   Playoff seeding take place on Sunday, and the games begin this week.  I'm thinking they'll get a first round bye!  All I know is that it has been raining for all but one weekend of their games.  My spiritwear is perpetually soggy, a sad state of affairs, I know.

Mother's Day Weekend (yea, yea, I KNOW I'm delinquent), the family took me out to Shepherd's Harvest in Lake Elmo for an hour or two.  I managed to power my way through all the booths for a few goodies:

I bought a skein (or two) of yarn (one is already in a project).  Some lovely Walnut Shell Buttons.

Those buttons will look great on the perfect sweater.   www.magpiemisc.etsy.com - just in case  you can't see it there.  The gentleman I bought the buttons from was very nice as he handed me his card.  The skein of yarn shown is Mackintosh Yarns - Handpainted Luxury Fibers - the yarn is Iona Fingering Merino/Cashmere/Nylon in the Artery colorway.  So very, very soft.

I bought a fantastic basket, a pattern and a project bag, but those photos will have to come later. I think they are featured in a WIP post that will come later on down the line.  In the meantime, it has been a long day of Lacrosse and I am WIPED OUT.  Time to shut down and read for a while.  Smooches!

Pattern:  Cookie A Sock Club April P pattern by Cookie A    Yarn:  Lorna's Laces Sneak Peek  Color: Boysenberry Jam  Needles:  US 1 1/2 - 2.5 mm  Started: April 28, 2011  Completed: May 13, 2011 Note:  This was the easier of this month's two patterns.  When the right yarn comes out of my stash, I will cast on the second pair.  The yarn is a new yarn that is supposed to have temperature control properties.  The yarn itself feels like a cotton sock when it is knit up.  Not sure how I will like the finished product after some wear.

I've finally gotten around to photographing my WIP's so I'll drag one of those out for my next post!

 

This weekend is the end of the regular Lacrosse season; Puck's team is finishing tied for first place so there will be playoffs after Memorial Day Weekend.  This Summer will bring the Travel Team season - Puck loves it so much!

Look!  We had sunshine today!

 This is my latest finished pair of socks and for the life of me, they are better looking than they photographed.

 This is another GREAT Cookie A pattern.  Long repeats that fit together like a puzzle.  The following picture is the two socks stacked on each other, even though it's hard to tell.

Pattern: Passerine Socks by Cookie A  Yarn:  Ruby Sapphire Yarns Sapphire Sock Yarn  Color: Priya  Needles:  US 1 1/2 - 2.5 mm  Started: March 26, 2010  Completed: May 3, 2011 Note:  See comments above!

I've got a couple of pretty awesome WIP's to photograph; let's hope I can do a better job with them!  With my apologies to all of the professional photographers out there!  

I will be spending my weekend outside again, watching many lacrosse games, so don't look for me here!  

Pattern: Lacy Mock Cable Socks by ScarlettKnits Yarn:  Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi   Color:  Blue?  Needles:  US 1 1/2 - 2.5 mm  Started: April 10, 2010  Completed: April 28, 2011 Note:  Yep.  Definitely not the same dyelot.

Try as I might, there was no matching the stripes in these socks.  For that matter, the label may have been a liar and these were not the same dyelot at all.

 They do kind of look like Easter egg colors, don't they?

Pattern: Flint by Samantha Roshak (A Sweater for All Seasons Club) Yarn:  Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu Color:  Raspberry Moose  Needles:  US 7 - 4.5 mm (that sounds HUGE doesn't it?)  Started: November 20, 2010  Completed: February 2, 2011 Note:  The sweater pattern was relatively easy, but I found the stitch reduction on the sleeves, in pattern, extremely frustrating and wound up just doing my own thing to get to the stitch count required.  I also started out with a size 5 needle and was really off on the gauge so I bumped it up to 7s.  The hem was very curly, so the sweater has been sitting on Cherry just waiting to be steamed out of its curliness.  I finally got around to it this weekend.

DH had his knee scoped this weekend so I found myself with some extra time on my hands.

I took photos in between the hours I spent on the Lacrosse field keeping track of goals and assists in the very, very, VERY cold rain on Saturday.  Puck's Lacrosse team won their games 15-2 and 16-0.  They are hoping for some competition next weekend.

I am looking forward to wearing this next Fall!