Knitting Socks: A Meme

September 10, 2008 By Carole

Today’s post is a meme about sock knitting. I saw it at Cookie’s and then I saw it at Terry’s and now you’re seeing it here. Just so you know, the mosaic is a compilation of the last 16 pairs of socks I have finished. It dates from late Dec 2007 to the present and it gives a pretty good visual to go along with the meme.

When did you first learn to knit socks?
I started knitting socks in the spring of 2002.

What’s the first sock you ever knit?
The first sock I ever knit was a pair of socks for Dale. I knit them for him to wear at Civil War reenactments and I used what I thought was a period correct pattern. It wasn’t, as it turns out, but it was a good first sock. Well, except that I used Lopi Lite and they were so scratchy he never actually wore them.

Favorite Sock Pattern?
My go-to sock is a plain stockinette with a picot edge, heel flap and round toe. I use 72 stitches if they are for Dale, 64 stitches if they are for me and 56 stitches if they are for Hannah.

Favorite needle method?
I’m a Magic Looper but I learned on double pointed needles and I still use those if I’m at a reenactment.

Favorite sock needles?
Addi Turbos size one or zero.

Who do you knit socks for?
Most of the socks I knit are for me but I do knit socks for Hannah and Dale occasionally. Sometimes I knit socks for other family members but socks take a lot of time so I like to make sure that they will be appreciated – I’ve been burned in the past. I also participate in sock swaps now and then.

How many pairs have you knitted to date?
Since I started blogging I’ve knit 75 pairs of socks. I don’t think there were more than a few pairs before that so I’m going with ~80.

What is on your sock knitting to-do list?
I’m signed up for the Trick of Treat Sock Swap so I need to pick a design for those. I’m leaning towards Nutkin at the moment.

What kind of socks to you like to knit-
Striped? Definitely. You’ve seen my stash of Vesper sock yarn, right?
Colorwork? I’ll save the colorwork for mittens.
Plain Stockinette? Way too often.
Cabled? Certainly, I love cables.
Lace? Oh yes!
Anklets? Nope!
Knee Socks? Hannah really wants a pair of knee socks and I imagine I’ll get to it one of these days.
Solid colors? Yes, especially if I’m using a lace or cabled pattern.
Bright and crazy? Ummm, did you see the mosaic up there?
Faux Fair Isle (the yarn doing all of the work)? I’ve done this but I mostly stick with the handpainted yarns these days.

Tag a few sock knitters here: You know the drill. If you’re a sock knitter and you need some blog fodder then consider yourself tagged.

Thursday Meme

May 29, 2008 By Carole

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
Dale and I were just about to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. My mom had died in March so I was still reeling from that. I was working full time as director of our town library and trying hard to be a good wife, mom and step mom. I was not yet a knitter.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
It’s Thursday so that means payroll and next week’s schedule. I have some paperwork to do, I need to stop at the grocery store on my way home from work, and I also need to finish up some test knitting.

3) Snacks I enjoy:
cheese and crackers, pita chips and hummus, popcorn, wasabi peas

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Quit my job, pay off the mortgage and various other things, travel, set up trust funds for my kids, and buy a beautiful spot for all my fiber friends to gather.

5) Places I have lived:
Ummm. Massachusetts.

6) 5 peeps I wanna know more about:
No tags. I think everyone has done this by now but if you haven’t, feel free!

Happy Thursday, it’s almost the weekend.

Movie Meme Thursday

March 27, 2008 By Carole

The drama and trauma of the past week have drained my blogging mojo, I think. So, today you get the movie meme that everyone else has already posted. Hello, bandwagon.

Just in case you’ve been under a rock, here are the rules:

1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them on your blog for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. Looking them up is cheating, please don’t.

Here we go!

1. ~~I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich.~~ When Harry Met Sally, identified by Maryse
2. ~~You get a nervous mother, you could wind up in a doctor’s office.~~ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, identified by Wendy
3. ~~Roll, roll, roll in ze hay.~~ Young Frankenstein, identified by Jessie
4. ~~Couldn’t go on? You’ll give the performance of your life.~~ All About Eve, identified by Liz in IN
5. ~~No! Not both of us! Not all of us!~~Gettysburg, identified by Robin
6. You’re overwrought, madam. I’ve opened a window for you.
7. ~~That’s cool baby, you know how it is, rockin’ and rollin’ and what not.~~ Grease, identified by Wendy
8. ~~As you wish.~~ Princess Bride, identified by Jessie
9. ~~He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a knife, and our lives.~~ To Kill A Mockingbird, identified by Blogless Jan
10.~~I fart in your general direction.~~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail, identified by Jessie

Have at it – and good luck!

ETA: Wow, you guys are fast! All ten movies were identified in less than an hour and a half. I guess I don’t watch very obscure movies. Either that or you’re all way more into movies than I realized.

It IS Easy Being Green

June 13, 2007 By Carole

When it comes to memes, I’m generally in the “been there, done that” camp. However, yesterday I read a meme over at Kristi’s and I just can’t resist this one. It’s pretty simple: make a list of the things you’re doing to help our environment.

~I knit with green yarn. Okay, so this isn’t really an environmental thing but I wanted to show you how the Early Spring Maple yarn I dyed is knitting up. And let’s face it, all that wool I have around my house must be acting as some sort of insulation. Right?

~ I signed up for Green Dimes. Not only are they reducing my junk mail but they are also planting a tree in my name every month.

~I use a company called Green Earth Cleaning for my house cleaning services. This company is owned by my two sisters-in-law Mary (the one I knit socks for) and Jen (the one who finds spinning wheels at yard sales). They use only natural cleaners and essential oils and everything is environmentally friendly. No harsh chemicals for my home, thankyouverymuch.

~Dale wrapped our hot water heater in an insulated blanket.

~We switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs. This one is a no brainer, people.

~We wash only full loads of laundry, in cold water, and hang things outside on a clothes line whenever possible.

~We recycle everything that can be recycled. Curb side recycling in our town has made this very simple.

~Dale installed a digital programmable thermostat for our furnace but we primarily heat with wood. And our wood stove has a catalytic converter. We also have ceiling fans.

~Our refrigerator and dishwasher are both new and have great energy efficiency ratings.

~We joined a CSA this year. We expect to pick up our first share next week and are really excited about this. We also eat local beef as we have friends who raise their own beef.

~Dale and I work to make our schedules compatible in the summer months so that we can carpool to work. This one involves some sacrifices on both our parts but it really helps with the gas bill.

As you can see, most of the things we do at Chez Carole Knits are very basic and pretty simple. But, there might be something new to you on this list and that’s why I think this is a really worthwhile meme. So go on, show me your green list. I bet I’ll get some great new ideas.

The Interview

March 27, 2007 By Carole

I read an interview over at Knitiot Savant yesterday and decided that looked like fun so I asked Susan to send me 5 questions to answer for ya’ll. Really, it had nothing to do with the fact that I have nothing else to talk about today.

1. Has spinning enriched your knitting experience? If so, how?
Now that I am spinning yarn and actually knitting with it, I can say that spinning has definitely enriched my knitting experience. There’s something truly satisfying about knitting with your own handspun yarn. It may not be as perfect as commercially spun yarn but it feels like a great accomplishment. I’m prouder of the things I’ve knit with my handspun than any other things I’ve knit.

2. What’s your favorite quilt block pattern?
Oooh, a quilting question! My favorite quilt block pattern is Log Cabin. It’s so versatile and looks great whether pieced with scraps or newly purchased fabrics. There are loads of different layouts and I just never get tired of making Log Cabin quilts.

3. What’s a ‘comfort food’ for you?
My favorite comfort food is mashed potatoes and gravy. I’m also big on homemade mac ‘n cheese. Bring on the carbs.

4. Why did you become a librarian?
I became a librarian because I like research. There’s nothing so satisfying as answering a tough reference question. Of course, most of what I do on a daily basis has less to do with libraries and more to do with management, but that’s okay because I like management, too. I wrote a post about my childhood librarian and the way she inspired me here.

5. What’s your favorite book and why?
Now this is tough because it changes depending on my mood, my age, my experience and my surroundings. I will say that the book I’ve read more times than any other is Pride and Prejudice. Honestly, though, I think my favorite book ever is The Time Traveler’s Wife. Heartbreaking but satisfying.

Thanks for the great questions, Susan, I had fun answering them. And I hope you all had fun reading my answers. If you want me to interview you, just let me know and I’ll send you five questions.

And, finally, because a blog post without a photo is like a day without coffee – dull and lifeless – I give you a photo of Hannah taken while we were shopping a week or so ago. She just lurved this shirt.

No. I did not buy it for her.