Yes, it’s been a long, long time…A long, long time since I’ve posted that is. Too much to do, too little time. Plus, my knee troubles have worsened and I’m pretty miserable most of the time.

Since I last posted, I received the June shipment from Woolgirl - the theme for June 2009 is It’s Raining Cats & Dogs:

Lovely package from Woolgirl

Dream In Color Smooshy

The contents of the June sock kit are awesome, so much swag:

Dream in Color Smooshy yarn in “It’s Raining Cats & Dogs” colorway

A bone calculator

Cute cat & dog notecards

Cute cat & dog stitch markers

Cute animal theme pattern tamers

Bunch of cute little cat/dog pendants

Stickers

Umbrella tape measure

Wooden “paw” needle size gauge thingy

Two patterns (sock & shawl)The yarn is super soft, the colours so look like a brindle dog coat — not a colour I’d specifically would go out and buy, but, hey…that’s what sock clubs are for…to break out of the box a little. Great thing about it is that I  see a pair of socks for Erwin in the future with this yarn. It’s perfect for him!

Speaking of Erwin, I finished his summer weight cotton blend socks

Lana Grossa Cotton blend yarn

And, I’ve already started a new pair for him using some handpainted Opal

Opal Handpainted yarn

Talking about cotton, I also finished my pair of Flame Wave socks done in Cascade Fixation cotton in the olive colourway

Flame Wave socks in Cascade Fixation

I really didn’t like this yarn. It was supposed to knit up very quickly, because it is thicker and the pattern called for 3.5 & 4.0 needles, but with the slight amount of elastic in it, I really struggled with the yarn. It just wouldn’t slide on the bamboo needles…Note to self: why didn’t you try your nickel plated needles duh?

I also finished up a pair of Monkey socks - yes “the” Monkey sock design by Cookie A using super smooshy Indigo Moon yarn

Monkey socks knit in Indigo Moon Yarn - Wine Country

As June wrapped up, and July came barrelling in, the July sock kit from Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin’ Sock Club) arrivedI love the sticker that I got….sorta sums me up pretty well “I like poetry, long walks on the beach and poking dead things with a stick”…

The colourway is called “Garden Daze” and the colours represent those found in heritage tomatoes

BMFA Socks That Rock "Garden Daze"

I really love this colourway, and can’t wait to cast on. The pattern is for a shortie sock — anklets — but I’m not sure if I want to use that pattern for these socks.

What else have I been up to? Our weather in Ontario has been total pits….Bummer Summer as I call it.  But, thank goodness most of the gardening was done before I busted up my knee, everything is blooming away without very little intervention from me….

Asiatic Lily

Except for having to control these bugs….

Asiatic Lily Beetle

Asiatic Lily Beetle Larvae

Which means squishing their larvae by hand….encrusted in the parent’s feces….yummy…..I’m on a mission now…and you don’t need knees to do this!! Like, my sticker says, I like poking dead things with sticks - this is even better, squishing crap-encrusted larvae by hand - no stick between me & the poop covered babies…

Yes, it has been a long, long time…I’m happy to catch up. I leave you now with my bone calculator - forget about diamonds being a girl’s best friend…(the buttons are little paws LOL!!)

Geez, sometimes work really gets in the way of knitting and quilting. But, if I wasn’t out there earning, I would not be able to indulge in my passions. Here we are, Wednesday already, and I’ve barely had time to put in any knitting/quilting stitches.

On the knitting front, I did go shopping with my sil for yarn (see my last post); I got to the heel flap of my first Trekking XXL purples - this sock is in holding pattern right now,  until I see my sil this weekend - I’ll show her how to turn the heel. I’m still also knitting on the sock from hell (most ugly yarn I’ve ever seen — I know that I should rip it out and just put that skein to rest, but I just can’t help it), and I’ve now started Grumperina’s Jaywalker sock. I saw some finished socks in this pattern on Ravelry, and after reading through the pattern - I figured I could do this pattern. And, it is really easy. Once I figured out the K1 f/b (real easy) and the DD (slip 2 stitches together as if to knit and then knit next stitch, then slip the slipped stitches over the knit stich) I started and, well, I think I know what I’m doing. Some pattern is emerging.

I’ m using some Brooklyn Handspun yarn that I picked up at last year’s Kitchener-Waterloo knitting festival - the colours are a little odd — but I was attracted to them: yellow, brown and peach. They labelled it as Root colourway. I will get a photo up asap.

On the virtual knitting front - I received the Spina di Pesce sock kit from Yarnissima to join the KAL with the Yarnissima Ravelry group. It’s  gorgeous, gorgeous blues Wollmeise yarn. The KAL starts on April 4th. This is the KAL that I need to get ready for by learning how to knit toe-up and learn some stitches, plus figure out how to read those charts.

I also received a pkg from Knitpicks with a book from Cat Bordhi “New Pathways for Sock Knitters” - that should help me learn the toe up thing. I also signed up for some Peanuts kits from Woolgirl (have not heard back yet as to whether I go in on those.) And, phew, I joined the Indigo Moon Ravelry group just in time to discover that Indigo Moon will be running it’s first ever Yarn Club!!! I’ll be watching out for that one. And, last, but not least, I’ve been reading the buzz about some people having received their March sock kit from BMFA.

So, considering I’m having a busy week at work, and, now that I put it down in words, I did have time for some knitting related stuff - and the week is not over!!

On the quilting front, I managed to get a quilt in to Jan (long arm quilter) for quilting and I just have to get one last border onto my Holiday Sampler quilt, and then I can drop that one off with Jan as well.

Wow! Imagine how much of this stuff I will get done when I retire (BTW, very long way off). Nice to dream about it though!

“It” finally arrived!! A package today from Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club My first ever sock club kit!I am so excited by this. The wool is gorgeous - My Blue Heaven - and the beautiful pattern is called “Queen of Beads” designed by Sivia Harding. The beads get knit into the socks…YIKES!! Up to know all I’ve done is plain knitting…I think I’m going to need help with this….

The kit also included some “extras” - button, keychain, sticker, and stuff for the binder - which is all VERY, very cool indeed….

This is going to be my year to sock soar…………

Got an email today from BMFA saying that my membership is complete and that I got an “approval”. This is definite then….I am IN for the Rockin’ Sock Club 2009 Notorious Sock Knitters World Domination Tour!!!!!!!!! Life is sweeet…

After countless attempts trying to register for the 2009 Rockin’ Sock Club - The system finally accepted my registration and I did not get the “declined” message. This is looking good….Others are starting to get through as well…

Now, I sit and wait…..nervous fingers knitting…