I didn't want to have two small balls of yarn left over from these socks, which is what I would have had if I'd started sock 2 with the new ball of yarn. So I just kept on going with the old one (these are knitted on 2.25mm sticks, 70 stitches to a round). Of course, if I'd done the toe in the same yarn, I would have only gotten half a leg, but I do like my signature red toe (which I've decided I'll only use on husby's socks - so he's special!)In a pre-Southern Summer of Socks update (I can't bring myself to use SSS all the time, because of it's other meaning!), I've started the gusset decreases on these babies! A sustained bout of knitting over the weekend just might see these finished...fingers crossed! (well, not literally, because that would make the knitting a bit hard!). And even if I'm not, well, heck, I'm going to start a new pair on Monday anyway!
Of course, I've had to put this on the backburner a bit this week, as I'm madly trying to finish my 
And a close up of the pattern - just because it's so pretty! Question though - is there any problem wet-blocking an alpaca blend yarn? 
(I did have to choose between a couple of options though...the other pair can wait!)
I think of these as my "Stepford Wife" shoes (or perhaps more correctly, my 1950s homemaker who gives her husband a martinin when he arrives home from work, after making sure the children are washed, fed and neat!) - I often wear them with a floral patterned, very girly dress and a 3/4 sleeve purple cardi and I feel all ladylike and domestic goddessy, clipping around in these completely impractical but so pretty shoes! (Even the heel is purple!)
GORGEOUS red yarn - Reynolds Sea Wool, that I've read about on various blogs - all to rave reviews. And the giver - lovely 
This is a simple double crochet (US single crochet) swatch - makes a thick, firm fabric. I always do a turning chain when I'm starting a new row, and also crochet into the first stitch - otherwise the turning chain doesn't really fill the "hole" at the beginning of the row. I do the turning chain at the end of the row, and then turn my work - it just looks neater, and for the longer crochet stitches, like trebles, it makes it easier to work into the top chain.
This one is a treble (US double crochet) swatch. On this one, I do 3 turning chains at the beginning of the row, and then miss the first treble of the row below - you can see on every alternate row there's a bit of a "hole" - the 3 chains act as the first treble of the row. When you get to the end of the row, do the last treble into the top chain stitch of the row below, so that you retain the same number of stitches across the row. Often new crocheters miss this step, and so end up with a triangular shaped swatch!
After puzzling over it for some time, she was pretty sure she loved it.
But 
Red suede sandals with a cool heel and flower trim - are these not the most perfect wedding shoes ever! (Well, they were for me, anyway). 
(And for the record, my bridesmaids wore purple...)
I love these socks - a picot cuff, which I've always wanted to try on socks but haven't yet, and a great eyelet pattern down both sides of the leg and foot.
And best of all, an arrow lace pattern down the back of the sock - I really like the idea of the pattern at the back - looks like a plain sock from the front but the real interest is behind!
Now just have to decide what to make with the yummy squishy yarn - something for me, me me!!
I have finished the first Spey Valley sock, which I'm pretty happy with - minimal pooling around the gusset area, unlike my experience with the 
I used 2.25mm sticks for these, one size down from my usual 2.5mm sticks - love how the socks feel, so soft and smooshy! And I've even cast on the second sock, no SSS on these ones - I'm hoping to have these finished for husby's birthday in early October.
I thought I'd start with an old familiar fave, the shoe that you and I all know and love (well, maybe you don't love it as much as I do, and that's ok...I guess!). Deep purple velvet upper and shiny shiny perfect-shade-of-red shaped wedge heels. Divine!
I had seen these shoes in a magazine for a very large amount of money, way out of my league. But on a trip to Singapore, I found them on sale, on HUGE sale, and in my size, which alone is quite an achievement - I have a large foot by Singaporean standards (size 39 or 8 to 8.5). So I gleefully snapped them up and have no regrets. In fact, they would have been worth paying full price, in hindsight. 
I feel like a million dollars when I wear these shoes - and since I don't have many (ok, no) red carpet events to attend, I wear them to work. And I love them - these are easily my favourite pair of shoes. Look at that heel - from the back so thin, looks like a regular heel, but then the wedge, the fabulously shaped wedge.
And the button closure - yes, it's a real velvet covered button. And the hidden pleasure of the inside of the shoe entirely lined in red leather. Shoe perfection!
Well, I started them before she was born, when I didn't know if she was going to be a Hannah or a Harry, as I figured they were fairly unisex (so clearly am fibbing above). I just thought they were cute. So Hannah arrived last Monday and it was time to finish these, so I worked on them all week.
Yarn: Rowan 4ply cotton, about 1.5 x 50g balls, in oatmeal colour. The pattern uses wool, but as Hannah's older brother has very sensitive skin and can only wear cotton, I thought she might be the same, so used this cotton instead. It knits up well, and is quite soft to touch, for a cotton yarn. Bonus points for using yarn from the stash!
Modifications: As the cotton ribbed waistband is not quite as stretchy or tight as it would be in wool, I made it a bit shorter than the pattern, and folded it over and sewed it down on the inside, so elastic could be threaded around the waist. If I was making this pattern again, I would convert it to knit in the round, from the waistband down.
Lovely yarn from 
And am almost finished the front - just the tops to go, then collar and sewing up (doesn't blocking make a difference!).
Who knows, I just might get this finished by the end of this weekend!!
