Mama needs a new pair of socks

I’m blocking out my Throwback before I continue. Best to find out now if it’s a giant swatch - lol. 

I know about the magic of blocking, but I’m still impressed at how much it improves a wip!! This is looking so excellent - I have impressed myself with the spincycle dream state colours that I picked!! (Shades of Earth, Robin’s Egg, and Melancholia) Maybe it’s just how they line up from where I started them from the balls, but they contrast and complement each other nicely. The light blue of the woolstok is more challenging to capture, but it’s a perfect foil for the more intense colouring in the patterning. 

It’s just finishing up drying, so I’ve managed to get the 1^st Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock socks done and started on the 2^nd.

My go-to sock needles - 2.5mm Signature Needles - are showing some wear. 

No noticeable impact on feel or function, but you can certainly tell that they are my faves!! 

I have also cast on for my go-to baby gift for Jenny’s next child. 
While I am generally more of a natural fibre lover, I have to give props to Bernat Blanket for being a fantastic yarn for (baby) blankets. It just wears and washes so well, great colour range, and I just enjoy knitting with it. 

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I had my St John Ambulance refresher course today to renew my certification today. It was informative - there are always minor changes to the procedures - and productive; I started my Turtlepurl Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock socks. 

I also managed to do the zig zag portion on my Throwback cardi. I don’t hate the truncation in the pattern that was needed to take out that 3^rd colour in a row, and I certainly love it more than knitting with a 3^rd colour in a row!! 

So that was my day - how was yours? 

Yoke

Day 5 of 30 Days of Flowers!
The lines are so tiny, it makes trying to stay inside them a challenge, but I don’t give up easily. Another Prismacolor lead  failure. 

I have made excellent progress on my friend Lynn’s Humulus  You can see the floats and the pattern. I really try to do my fairisle neatly, and don’t carry a float more than 3 stitches. Just another round or two then I’m onto the separation of body and sleeves. I really love that pink bit in the Dream State fairisle section!!  

Yes, that is a bag of ice on my knee. I really didn’t do anything, but after lunch I got up from the table and my knee just felt wrong. It’s not muscular, or a strictly weight-bearing pain. It’s a stabbing pain when I move my knee. Hopefully rest, ice, and elevation will get me through work tomorrow, then I can decide on going to urgent care or not. I did try a knee brace that I have (not THE knee brace which is for my right knee, but a good one from years back) and it didn’t help in any noticeable way. I hate mystery injuries that I can’t diagnose. 

Humulus Le Deux

Made excellent progress after re-starting Humulus and the gauge is spot on. 

Because I prefer a tighter gauge than is generally called for in most patterns, sometimes I don’t realize I’m off until a bit in. This fabric, relative to the first go, definitely feels looser in a better way.

I’m definitely liking the gentle fair isle effect that the Spincycle Dream State is giving without having to change yarns! I love yarns that do the work for me. 

I made egg bites in my Instant Pot yesterday from this recipe  They can put a bit more dense than the Starbucks ones that I love, so I may reduce the steam time a minute or two next go. 

The flavor is good, though the flavor of the Swiss cheese that I used is coming through rather strongly. I’m not a massive fan of Swiss, so I think I’ll have a go with the Gruyère next time. 

I also need to let them cool down in the mould so that they come out less misshapen ... I was in such a hurry to try them though.

Today is day 4 of the 30 Days of Flowers colouring challenge with Johanna Basford. The colouring pages are a free download - give it a go!

Does colouring make you happier? I think so. It’s relaxing, except when I look at it and I’ve gone outside the teeny tiny lines. D’oh!! Still, I enjoy it. 

Except when the lead is broken all the way down and I just have broken tips. These are Prismacolor; I may pop into the art store in Barrie and see what other options there are.  

Giant swatch

Well, it’s a giant swatch, but it serves its purpose and I know that I have to go up a size needle. 
Honestly, I think that the time invested knitting this was worth it. I struggle with circular swatches - the arranging of the yarn behind to do just knit rows. They use up a lot of yarn and in my experience, they aren’t as accurate as actually knitting around. 

I have also enjoyed knitting with both the Woolstok and the Spincycle yarns - this was not a hardship and I don’t mind that I’ll be in a state of déjavu reknitting this first bit. 

I don’t ham it up a lot for pictures - I mostly don’t like having my pic taken - but Julie caught me in a moment!!

 I love this pic (I ganked it from her blog). It is a sweet torture working her booth at the shows - I can’t have all the yarn and yet I want all the yarn!! She has so many projects knit up for inspiration and the colours!! 

I am wearing the Veronika cardigan in in Mad Tosh Chunky in Wilted Rose. Lynn and Sarah are wearing their Comfort Fade Cardis.