Thesockladyspins

The variegated Merino I was spinning at Desert Mesa in October is finally finished (with a long time out while I was sick with the nasty cold or flu). Its in the plying queue. Now back to spinning the stuff I was after in August and September. These are the first two bobbins, bobbin 3 is full as well. With 3 I added a good bit of wool-silk mixes prolly ever other colour change, and still using the red Merino about every 4 colour change. Now on to bobbin #4, started on it December 15 and have taken a pix every day to show the progress. Bobbins 3 and 4 have a few brighter colours, once plied (prolly well into the new year), will be interested to see if it will be suitable for socks. Red is Merino-nylon, then lots of BFL, wool-silk mixes and some superwash Merino. Pix of the superwash Merino little bundles in last post. Didn't buy anything on black Friday or cyber Monday and if I never hear the words black Friday again I would be beyond happy, everybody and their two brot...

While poking around a few days ago I found a small bag of tiny Opal balls of yarn, have no idea when or where I bought them. Eventually will use them in socks of some sort. Should finish the second bobbin of the turq-yellow mix yet today. Then plans are to go back to bobbin #2 of the Scrappy Sock Bundles, bought another  mix of the wild & crazy stuff from Wound Up Fibres, if it wasn't so expensive I'd only spin this stuff. Post to Canada is the kicker cost almost as much as the fibre. Its superwash Merino and velly nice stuff. Have 3 pair of socks on the go right now, reds for Jean in Oregon, a pair of fatties (using up lots of odds and sods) and a pair of Monstersocks using more leftovers in blues & greens. Did finish the socks for Miss E (in kindergarten this year), again using up more leftovers. Tatla Lakes Christmas sale was last weekend, I didn't go but friend Dee did and was able to snag me 3 dozen eggs, I was down to just one egg. And if all goe...

Finished the various reds etc socks over a week ago now, have been letting my arthritic hand feel better before jumping into the next pair. I started the reds with ideas of having them finished for the MonstersockKAL that ended October 6th, not even close. But they did get finished. The next (and I hope the last pair for awhile) are for Jean V in Oregon, once they are finished I want to do something with the crayon challenge yarn from Desert Mesa. Got Jeans yarn into center pull balls today and will likely start on them while watching football tonight. On the left is the first pix I took, other is yarn in balls ready to knit. Added one new colour (which doesn't show up well) a burgundy purple. Click on smaller pix to show it up better (I hope). No way my fingers can figure out how to get pix side by side in same size. Had hoped to get to town tomorrow but weather is telling me no way. So will call prescriptions in and Bee Line will bring out. Can use my Visa to pay for th...

Desert Mesa In Cache Creek was the 17th thru the 20th, was outstanding as usual. Pleased that I can still go up and down the steps for meals even tho I do move slow on steps. Ran into quite a bit of snow on the way home, tho for the most part it wasn't sticking to the road, glad for the snow tires. Once I dropped down to 100 Mile House snow quit and roads were bare & dry. Only  thing I bought was variegated sock yarns from Mary-anne Smith for use in Monstersocks, no spinning fibres, none. Oh did buy a nasty cold somewhere on the trip, felt punk most of last week, even so uncomfortable that I went without food Thursday and Friday, only drinking water. On the mend now after the week from hell. Still working on the second reds Monstersock, about half way down the foot on 2nd sock. As soon as its finished will get the sock yarn into balls to start on socks for Jean in Oregon. She wants red for the main colour then lots of bright colours along with. But identical (if my finger...

Got into Williams Lake Wednesday midday, appointment at 5:30 at Kal Tire for new snow ties to be mounted on car, by the time I got out of there was nearly dark and far to late to be starting for home. To many deer, cattle and horses on the road. Motel for the night, then in the morning picked up a few groceries at SaveOn and headed west. Very glad to have the tires on the car, they are mandatory for highway travel on October 1st, so only was a day late. Weather forecast is for snow flurries Monday night and then temps in low teens F for Tuesday and Wednesday. Pix I took on the finished reds sock #1 hasn't shown up in my photos yet so no pix at this time. Will add it when it comes thru. First pix is sock inside out and second the right side.

Another cold ish morning, was glad I started out with wool socks last night. -8.1 C or 18° F. Seems early. Got in my 45 minutes at the spinning wheel, bobbin #3 of the odds and sods, hoping I can find enuff of the bits for the 4th bobbin. 2nd pix are the two already done. Really enjoying spinning this mix. Maureen in Takoma wanted to see a pix of the inside of one of my socks, here you go. I moved pix up to large so you could see it better. Current socks are the red mix, with a bit of luck and Monday Nite Football I might finish first sock today. After 2nd sock will move right into socks for Jean in Oregon. She wanted red for the main colour then identical wild coloured patterns. The identical part will be the hardest for my fingers to do, plan on careful notes so I can try. The red in front will be the main colour Off to town tomorrow, have an appointment at Kal Tire at 5:30 to get my brand new snow tires installed. My old car had 16 inch wheels ...

The official first day of fall and it really is in here right now, so windy that the leaves are coming off the trees like yellow snow. Have chicken cooking for soup for today and next several days. Right now its 52°F and by the weekend low 20's F are predicted. With possible snow on Saturday. Finished the first pair of socks for the Monstersockkal2019, lots of ends to deal with. From this came these. May be able to squeeze in another pair have until October 6 to finish.  After this pair is finished will get started on socks for Jean V. red with lots of wild colours and identical (if my fingers will do that). If you read my blog leave a comment if anything strikes your fancy. Please.  I had hoped to be able to go down to Canby, Oregon for OFFF coming up this weekend but couldn't find anyone to travel down with me. So guess I'll stay home and watch college football on Saturday. Next adventure out will be Desert Mesa after CA Thanksgiving.

Environment Canada's weather page shows the lows for Tatlako in low single digits C for the next week or so, with tomorrow nights low just +1°, much prefer soup weather. The three pair of kidlet socks delivered all fit and kids were happy to immediately try them on. Then finished the pair going to Miss M in Pritchard, I liked the colour combo and so did M. Current socks are for a Monstersockkal, getting to use up a load of leftovers. With lots of college football games on starting tomorrow I should finish sock #2 and maybe start another pair for the KAL. using leftover reds, hot pinks and maybe some purples. Since my last blog post I lucked out and got a 25 lb box of real tomatoes from Desert Hills in Ashcroft BC, think I've had a tomato with every meal since I got home with them. Don't believe I could ever get tired of eating the real things. Len K came with the quad and brush hogg and knocked down the weeds in my house yard, so...

Out last Sunday to our small farmers market in Tatla Lake, was hoping for eggs and bread, no eggs but instead scored real tomatoes from the Okanagan, bought 8 sorta large and have had one a day since I came home. 2 left, bummer had just got used to having them again. I do have to make a trip into town for prescription refills in the next few days might luck out and find more at Beaver Valley Feeds. The socks for Miss E are on the way, Jo forgot to pick them up when she left but via the who is going to town to make connections they made it. Looking forward to pix on the kids. As soon as I was done with this batch started a pair for Maela, Opal variegated green for main colour then lots of odds and sods for the patterns. Pix after a bit more progress. Have a #monstersockkal starting Sept. 1st so that will be next project, lots of blues, and greens all odds and sods. Haven't neglected (to much) my spinning, finished the second bobbin of the little bits, used red about every 4...

Have been working on socks for Miss E who will start school this Sept, one pair done and almost finished with first sock of second pair. Smaller socks are for her brother, will by and by make a second pair for him as well. These are for Jo's grandchildren, Jo hauls my garbage to the dump twice a month or so, gets grandchildren with warm feet from the deal. The two reds are going to be exactly the same size so they could be mixed. While at NwRSA conference they had a library dispersal sale, I didn't go up with the main crowd, waited til it was down to 2 or 3 people, likely all the good stuff would be gone, NOT. One of the books I'd been wanting for 10+ years was still there "Knitting in the Hebrides" by Alice Starmore, the Robin Hansen Mitten book is another that I'd been thinking about. K in the H was $35, Hansen book $5, third book was one of the last ones on the table by this time books left were free. Picked it up for someone local that weaves Navajo r...

Conf again this year was at the Red Lion hotel in Olympia, WA, was a good weekend. Not as many old friends were able to make it this year tho. Gail, Vicki, rode down with me, unloaded stuff at entrance then Gail parked the car. Got bobbin #2 of the odds and sods done will ply in the next couple of days. Bobbin on the left is the one I'd done here, the right is the one I worked on at conf, its now finished. Connie, Gail, Vicki and me. I took all my finished socks along to distribute to various people, the orangerinos that V ordered finally delivered, then a pair of either full socks or shorties to a couple more. Gail and Val S got socks for helping me out when my puter was down, Connie got shorties for the tail end of the Schacht deal, Alison Sell got another pair of shorties for helping me at conf last year. She wasn't in pix busy elsewhere. The orangerinos on V's feet, was pleased beyond words that they fit and she liked them. Several up the valley have seen a ...

All the celery fit to eat chopped into smallish pieces, 3 carrots chopped, chicken cooking. Will later add veggies to soup stock and simmer for eventual supper. 60°F and rain in forecast, just sounded like soup weather. Am out of several other things that I could have added to soup, onions, and potatoes. Getting low on lots of stuff, don't want to go to town just to pick up a few groceries. Will be stopping in Spences Bridge on way home from conference just in case there are any tomatoes ready, if that happens will then buy a couple or 3 cartons cottage cheese, nothing better than matters and CC. My Mother always said my first word was matters and more than 70 years later have never got tired of them. Have my list of stateside stuff I will be picking up Tillamook cheese for Lorelee (10 pounds medium cheddar) and 4 pounds sharp for me, L gets 2 lb. blocks and I buy 1 lb pieces for me. Woke up this morning to cows bawling along my fence, new cattle guard kept them out. Included...

Finished the Orangerino's for Vicki, think without a doubt the most intricate patterns I have ever used. Someone once watching me knit on patterned socks asked where my pattern was, told her didn't have one that my fingers knew what to do with each colour. And if I had any issues, that going to sleep and dreaming about same straightened everything out. 6 am while reading email, enjoying first cup of coffee and watching a doe with twin fawns wander across my yard, she would stop and nibble on grass waiting for babies to catch up. Sweet. Yesterday I had the cattle guard on my driveway removed and the pit underneath dug out. It has been in place for at least 25 years and being at the bottom of the drive gradually filled up with sand and gravel, so much so that the cattle could just walk across. NO MORE. Last evening watched 4 cows with calves stroll right up drive without even trying to get into my yard. Click on pix to make larger. Planning on skeining recently plied yar...

Needing empty bobbins to take with me to conference the end of this month, knew I had to ply to get them. Oh Hell, definitely not my favorite part of the job. First two were a gray ish mix, plied the old fashioned way using my already sore right leg on my Louet S70, done in 15 or so minute increments, not to bad for being so rusty. But then looking at the more than 30 full bobbins (I did say I dislike plying very much), in a hissy fit with an electric (homemade) plying wheel sitting right there but without a belt to run the beast. So while the hissy was still active I got out the two broke drive belts, lit a candle and joined them together, after the first fuse used my fingers to smooth and straighten them. Two burned fingers later had two usable belts. Bingo. Found two bobbins with unknown fiber on both, different colours and all, started plying on electric wheel, not so bad after all. Larger  amount on the one bobbin, will eventually be plied with another wild leftover bit. I rea...

Caught a mouse in freshly baited trap last night, didn't kill the beast, saw it still moving around this morning, so got on gloves and took trap and critter outside, turned it loose in high grass. The problems one deals with living in the country. Second orange sock proceeding on schedule, just finished first pattern (17 rows) on foot of sock, may  even get 2nd pattern done today. Day 10 in last 11 with rain, considering we in here were all prepped for dry crunchy grass, its really nice to not have to worry about fires. It can still happen with still half of July and all of August to go, but for right now ground is pretty well saturated. Guy supposed to have come today to dig cattle guard pit out cancelled, to wet. Will be nice to have functioning cattle guard again, its been in place for over 25 years and gradually filled in the pit. So cattle can just walk across. Looking forward to not having the beasties in my yard. 50° F at 9 this  morning, caved and turned electric...

Couldn’t get blogger to work to add anything to first post. In between Vicki’s socks working on striped pair of shorties, once second sock is done will work on the dk green with turquoise pair. Second pix shows sock inside out, I try and keep inside as neat as I can. Had quite a storm blow thru here on Wednesday, thunder and lightning, power pole about 2 or 3 in on the West Branch road got zapped, fried to a crisp, then a couple of days later a fir tree just a bit south of the old mill site here in Tatlayoko just zapped and started a small fire, the Tatlayoko fire cache got right on it and pretty well had it contained before forest service showed up. Have had enuff  of thunderman and lightfoot for the rest of the summer.

Into our fourth day of rain, after a few scares we are loving the rain. Just a bit cool so ham bone (small) simmered for two hours, split peas, onion, and grated carrot now simmering. Haven’t had any pea soup in some time and it’s a favourite. Watching World Cup soccer and knitting on Vicki’s second sock, they will be fraternal. So far am really enjoying the wild colours.

Yesterday was the first time in a long time that I tried the D&D trip to town, left 7:30 am, in town just after 10:30 am, eating a cheese sandwich on the road. First thing I did was go to the government bldg. to pay my property taxes, then to the bank to get some cash, Staples to get a new computer mouse (hate the track pad), then to Mickey D's for an iced coffee, SaveOn for a few groceries and prescription refills (main reason for going in, was out of Eliquis), then got gas. Almost 3 hours running around, left town 1:30, home just before 4:30. Only 2 bags groceries and knitting bag to come into house, good thing as mozzies are fierce. If I had more stuff to do in town would have likely stayed overnight somewhere. Today tho feel pretty wiped out. Used to do the in and out in one day all the time but that was more than a few years ago (I was younger). And Friday my CA passport arrived so am OK to now cross the line into the states. Brought the car instruction books in this  ...

Yesterdays knitting bee saw me working on Vicki's socks, orange with all the bright colours I could find, so far so good. All tho the hot pink doesn't show up against the orange as much as I thought it would. Will have them done in time to take with when I go down to conference in late July, will be seeing Vicki then so can make sure of fit etc. If anyone is interested a pix of the new Subie Forrester I bought when down at the coast. The car is now officially christened, yesterdays trip to KB saw lots of fresh cow sh** on the roads, impossible to avoid it all. Temp this morning at just after 6 am was -1.6 ° C, frost, not unusual for early June. And likely again with forecast of 0° showing on environment Canada's forecast page,  prolly means -2° or -3°C in here. Hope not to many gardeners have anything showing up and if the do they can cover the tender new stuff. Even had heat on in the house until sun came in over east mountains. Have had some rain in the last whil...

Came down to the coast last Sunday (mostly to go directly to passport office), did that with driving directions from Gail. New CA passport should be ready in prolly two weeks, that was easy. Then to the Mac store to see about my dying laptop, as I thought far to old to have part needed, so a new laptop (had been saving my money) so was ready for that. Then Wednesday unwelcoming noises in the rear end of my 2006 Subie, into dealer, rear calipers, metal to metal, both needed new stuff all around, expensive. While it was on the hoist several other goodies discovered (did I say it was 13 years old). Repairs would have come to almost $4500, so instead of repairing I replaced. 2019 Subaru Forester later me and the bank have a new subie. Lots of  reading the manual later feel comfortable driving home today, dash has more buttons, knobs etc. than any vehicle I’ve ever driven.  Will miss my CD changer, but have 3 months Serius radio, this will be welcome if it works where I live with n...

This is the pix that wouldn't load last blog update. Pieces of various fibres about 4-5-6 inches long, try to use the pinky reds about every fourth or fifth colour. Will be sock weight yarn once plied (I hope). It's taken most of the day at Williams Lk spin in and good bit ofspinning since I've been home.  Wool room is bright and perfect for watching for any visiting critters. Usually have music playing from in house stereo.