Is it Christmas yet?

Is it Christmas yet?  And exactly how lazy am I?

Christmas socks, West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply wool

Apparently, I'm so lazy, I'm okay with photoing these socks on my unmade bed.  Hey - it's laundry day and the sheets and quilt are out hanging on the clothesline.  I'm so lazy, I didn't even bother moving the stack of books and papers I've been shuffling from my desk to my bed in the morning and back to my desk at night  for, well, for weeks now.  Good grief!

But the exciting part of that photo ...  I finished the first Christmas sock!  What is it about socks?  It takes me FOREVER to knit the first one, then the second one practically knits itself.  I started these socks in November of 2019 and just finished the first one 48, no, actually about 56 hours ago.  As soon as I finished the first, I started the second and am already working on the heel gusset! 

And during those 56 hours, I've done a lot of other stuff too!  I've made three hats on the Sentro machine, I knit a chicken, I've cleaned the house, done many, many loads of laundry, meal planned, gone grocery shopping, cooked, eaten and cleaned up afer a few meals and I've even gotten some yard work done.

Can you tell I'm enjoying retirement?  I really am.  It is so incredibly nice to feel like I have time to clean the house and do the yardwork and all the other adulty/housewifey stuff, and,that time spent doing those things is not taking away precious crafting time.  I actually feel like I have time to do everything I want to.  It's awesome!

I've even sarted an exercise program, if you can call it that.  I'm making sure I go for a walk every single day.  Even when it's 1,000 degrees outside and I don't want to go for a walk, I make myself go.  And, I bought myself a weighted hula hoop.  No affiliate and that's not even the one I bought.  The one I got doesn't even seem  to be listed anymore.  If I get the nerve up, I'll video myself trying to use it.  It is HILARIOUS!  I have not been able to hula hoop since I was about 8 years old, I'm ridiculously uncoordinated, and now as an overweight 62 year old....  It's pretty damned funny!  I think I probably burn more calories laughing at my patheticness than I do from hula hooping but at least I'm having fun.  I do feel sorry for the poor Amazon guy who showed up while I was on the porch trying to hula hoop though.  I think he may be scared for life.  

And now, I'm going to wind this up and go finish that sock so I can get busy working on craft fair items.  I've applied for quite a few fairs, mostly in the fall.  I'm not sure I'll be accepted to any of them though since I had pretty much abandoned my knitting business and social media for the past few years.  If you look me up online, things aren't looking too impressive.   Thankfully, retirement has given me the time and motivation to get it going again.  Wish me luck.

Happy knitting!

Working the WIPs

First, let me just say, I am so, so happy February is over!

Now, let's talk knitting.

I'm so proud of myself!  Remember my plan to finish something from the WIP pile then knit something new, then something from the WIP pile....?  Well, finishing the Rambling Rows afghan that had been hanging around since 2020 felt so good, I've just kept on grabbing WIPs instead of starting something new.

I finished a simple scarf made from Homespun yarn that was given to me a long time ago.  (Big box store Homespun, not hand-spun.)  It feels good to have it off the needles because it's been hanging around for a long time too.  

And the beaded cowl is finished.  Obviously still needs to be blocked, but it's off the needles.  It's an infinity type scarf without the infinity twist.  I used Palette yarn and randomly placed beads on it.  I really enjoy doing beaded knitting.  I'm slow as molasses with it, but I enjoy it.

By the way, if you shop at crochet.com, which is affiliated with Knit Picks, use coupon code CROCHETMONTH during the month of March and you can save 10 - 20% depending on the amount of your purchase. A $75 purchase gets you 10%, a $100 purchase gets you 15% off and $150 and up gets you 20% off.

I am trying very, very hard not to visit crochet.com because this coming Tuesday will mark 150 days (basically 5 months) without buying yarn.  My goal is to go six months.  We'll see if I can make it that long.

But back to today's topic.... finishing WIPs.

I've beaded eleven more pairs of socks.  Okay, they weren't exactly considered WIPs, but I did have the socks laying around plus some of the beads, and I desperately need to get my shop restocked.  Plus, Hayden's birthday is coming up and she asked me to make her some more.  She specifically asked for rainbow, but I am head over heels in love with that blue/greem combo.  Just looking at them makes me feel like I'm on island water.  I could use some island water right now!

Anyway....

Not exciting looking, but exciting to me.... I'm on zebra striped sock #2.  Just three days ago, sock #1 was only a few rows past the ribbing.  These socks have been in the WIP pile for quite a while too.  Not sure why.  The yarn is Patons Kroy Socks which I like so.... Maybe I found the black and white stripes to be too boring.  Or the US 1 needles too small and slow.  Who knows.  Whatever, I'm on a roll with them now.

Once those zebra socks are done, all that's left in the WIP crate is one more pair of socks, a hat, and 2 shawls.  I really hope I can keep motivated to get them all finished.  I would love to end up with an empty crate.  

Happy March and happy knitting!