Green Baby Cables -- Take 2

Do these look familiar?































They should. They are carbon copies of my previous, beautiful, green baby cables socks. I loved them, and I wore them a lot. Therefore, I washed them a lot. But, as everyone knows, you don't wash wool...or if you do, you certainly don't do it in hot water, and you really don't throw them in the "heavy duty" dryer cycle.

If you do, eventually they look like this:

And, then you have to make new ones.

Blue Diamonds

Nope, not gems...socks. I really grew to dislike this pattern (can you even see the diamond pattern?? Didn't think so).

Have you ever started something that you're not thrilled with, but you feel like you have to finish it anyway?

Tim doesn't have that problem. He once started a 700-page book on Cleopatra. He thought it was ok and read it on and off for a few months. Finally, around p. 678, he said, "I know how this ends" and STOPPED reading it. My reaction was how could someone possibly do that???

Now I am just envious of that ability. Anyway, despite really not liking this pattern, I finally finished the socks after putting them away for a few months. And, here they are:

I'm 2, 3, 4...

It's been way too long... The summer blew by and there's lots to update everyone on, but in the meantime, here's a totally cute video of Ginny insisting she is NOT 1 year old.

Carefree Summertime Fun

A Summer Bucket List

Before school let out, the kids spent a few weeks putting together their "Summer Bucket List":

• Travel to see Izzy and Jackie
• Visit with Grandma and Grandpa Probst
• OMSI
• Children's Museum
• Prince Caspian
• Go to the Ocean
• Clackamas Aquatic Center and Wave Pool
• Father's Day Camping Trip
• Geocaching
• Alli's belated Geocaching B-day party
• Firstenburg Swimming Pool
• Rock Climbing
• Library
• Barnes and Noble
• Picnic at Lewisville State Park
• Skiing for Dad's B-day
• Great Wolf Lodge
• Picnic and Hike on Campus
• Paint Girls' Bedroom
• Webkinz Party
• Ice Skating
• Hiking in the Gorge
• Bake Cookies
• See Wall-E
• See Kung Fu Panda
• Go Junking (Garage Sales)
• Tour Olympia
• Wild Waves Amusement Park
• Midnight Bowling

It seemed like quite a list at first, but we've already made our way through all the italicized ones...and there's still 2 months of summer left...!

Fuzzy Felted Footies

My first felting project... If it works out, feel free to use the pattern below. (It is basically your typical simple sock pattern, but made much bigger.) But, if I were you, I'd wait to see the finished product on this blog... (7/9/08 UPDATE: see pics below - they turned out pretty cute!)

FUZZY FELTED FOOTIES

Women's Size Medium

Materials Needed:

• Set of 4 double-pointed needles: Size 10.5
• 3 skeins Needful Yarns Joy (255yards/233.2m) or other bulky weight 100% wool yarn suitable for felting [I used a MC throughout and CC for the heel and toe. So, 1 skein CC and 2 skeins MC]
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape

Gauge:
17 sts and 22 rows= 4"

Using long-tail method (or other loose cast-on) CO 48 sts.

Divide as follows:
Needle 1: 12 sts
Needle 2 (will become instep needle): 24 sts
Needle 3: 12 sts

Join and work 15 rounds in stockinette stitch. This will cause a nice roll at the top around your ankle. If you prefer a different top to your footies, feel free to improvise.

Begin heel:

Move sts from Needle 1 and 3 to one needle.

Join CC (if desired)

Row 1 (WS): Sl 1, purl to end. Turn.

Row 2 (RS): Sl 1, knit to end. Turn.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until there are 12 selvedge stitches (a total of 24 rows)

Heel Turn:

Row 1 (WS): Sl 1, p 13, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 2 (RS): Sl 1, k5, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 3: Sl 1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Row 4: Sl 1, k to 1 st before gap, ssk, k1 turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all sts are worked, ending with a total of 14 sts on heel flap.

Divide the 14 sts onto two needles again (numbered 1 and 3) to begin working gusset. Needle 1 begins round (at the middle of the heel) and holds the second half of the heel sts. Needle 2 holds instep sts and Needle 3 hold first half of heel sts.

Gusset (using MC):

Needle 1: Pick up 12 sts from side of heel flap (and one extra st in corner, if desired)

Needle 2: Work instep sts

Needle 3: Pick up 12 sts from side of heel flap (and one extra st in corner, if desired)

Gusset Decreases:

Rnd 1: On needle 1, k to last three sts; k2tog, k1. Knit instep sts on needle 2. On needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to end.

Rnd 2: Knit around.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until the original 48 sts remain.

Continue to work in the round until total length from back of heel reaches approximately 11". (Yes, it is very large...)

Toe:

Rnd 1: On needle 1, k to last three sts; k2tog, k1. On needle 2, k1, ssk, knit to last three sts; k2tog, k1. On needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to end.
Rnd 2: Knit around.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 20 sts remain, then decrease every round until 12 sts remain total (6 on instep and 6 on heel).

Close with kitchener st and weave in all loose ends.

Make second footie.

Felt carefully in washing machine until the proper size.

Take out while damp, and shape to foot.

Let dry and wear!

UPDATE:

They turned out really cute (and more importantly, they actually fit!). Below are the before and after pics.

Rad Baby

Check out Ginny dancing to the Hives... Gotta love it.