Manly man socks

I am happy to have another pair of Christmas socks off the needles!  These are not particularly newsworthy - plain ol’ stockinette socks, with a contrasting cuff, heel and toe.

The only thing that makes them manly is the colours – although I am sure there are lots of girls out there who would wear these too.  The yarn is good ol’ Patons Kroy in the colours Burnished Sierra Stripes, and Gentry Grey.  I know there are lots of fun and fancy yarns out there that people rave, rant and get crazy over (hello Wollmeise, I’m looking at you!) and I do enjoy a good snobby yarn at times.  But really, if you want some nice looking socks that will wear well and feel nice and warm and wooly on your feet its hard to beat Kroy.  The yarn for these socks cost me under $15 – and would have been under $10 if I hadn’t purchased the contrast colour – and I have enough left to make a kids hat or pair of mitts or something of that sort.  Now that’s a good deal!  I do love a good deal,  don’t you?

ETA: reader Faye (hi Faye!) has asked what pattern this is.  It’s my own standard cuff down sock pattern.  It has been cobbled together over the years from a couple of different sources, including the Yarn Harlot’s  basic vanilla sock recipe from her book Knitting Rules.

 

It is fall, there must be pumpkins!

We went to the pumpkin patch, of course there were pumpkins.

Big colourful pumpkins.

Squat squished pumpkins.

 

And corn!

Don’t forget the corn!

Oh, and a goat.

Hello goat!

 

Free Halloween Fun

Skelly heads

Originally uploaded by heatheratjoeyshouse

These skulls are going to hang off the newel posts on my front porch to greet visitors. My friend Dennis cut them out of some scrap wood for me. It was already the dark brown colour that you see. He sanded the edges a bit to get rid of the splinters. I liked the deconstructed look so well that I decided to paint the faces on as is rather than coat them in white, which was my original plan. So these are acrylic paint on scrap wood, coated with outdoor sealant so they don’t get wrecked. They’ll likely be hung with fishing line. In other words, I am jazzed about these because they look cool and cost me nothing!

I’ve Got My EYE On You!

I’ve got my eye on you

Originally uploaded by heatheratjoeyshouse

Need an extra eye for the back of your head?
Actually, this one will be keeping watch on our porch this Halloween.

It’s just the old papier mache over a balloon trick, and a bit o’ paint. Hang it up and LOOK out!

A Fall Walk

Dried flowers,

wet dog,

yellow leaves,

bright fluff,

still some purple,

happy doggle,

tall grass,

a small hand to hold.

Hey look, I finished something!

The ripping streak I posted about last time continued to haunt me.  Sigh.  I ripped the same sock AGAIN because it was far, far too big.  You would thing I would notice that before reaching the toe, but sadly, no.  I gave up on all fancy patterns for it and just went for plain old ribbing.  I knew it would fit, and it always looks good.  Finally, success!

All done except the toe grafting.  I could have knit at least 1 other pair of socks in the time I took screwing around with these.  I am glad they are done, and that I like them.  they are going into the Christmas pile and that makes me happy too! 

We visited my brother and his lovely bride-to-be in Barrie a couple of weeks ago, and Annie was lovely enough to put up with taking me to Knit and Quilt, Barrie’s LYS.  I was happy to find yarns I had never even heard of (yes, apparently such a thing exists) and this little number followed me home.

It is Punta Yarns Merisoft Handpaint, in the luscious colour HP71.  So soft. So squishy.  You so need some.  With it I made this:

John Brinegar’s Bouce.  Aptly named if you make it in some sort of squishy yummy yarn like this one.  Quick and easy too, two of my favourite attributes in a pattern. 

Coming up next?  Well I’ve been into the dyes again, and it seems there is a small monster in my head just awaiting his birth.  We’ll see how much ripping  THAT requires!

Not Knitting

Not that I haven’t been knitting, just that I don’t have any to show you.  I have knit and ripped several things lately – an entrelac scarf, a lace scarf and a sock – all of them were coming along ok, but none were making me happy.  The sock is being re-knit and I like what I am doing now much better.  The scarves I have just put away for now.  Ripping something back that is just frustrating you for whatever reason is very cathartic (don’t you wish you could get rid of all the negative things in your life as easily?) but makes for poor blog fodder.  So, in keeping with today’s Not Knitting theme I give you my latest Not Knitting project!

Freezer paper stencilled project bags!  Sewn by me out of some lovely plain muslin that my fabric store always has and it’s always cheap (yay!).  For these owls I used both the positive and negative images from the stencil I cut. 

This tattoo style sparrow is done using the same method – the dark red is just a bit of black paint brushed on while the red was still wet so it could be blended in well.  Want to make your own?  There’s a nice tutorial here on how to make the stencils.  The images I used are my own designs, but there is lots of clip art out there you can use if drawing isn’t your thing. 

It has been a rainy, cold summer here so far.  Right now the sun is shining, and I think there is a nap calling my name out on the swing.  See ya!

To the little kid in the grocery store;

The three year old ahead of us who, at the top of his lungs was singing:

“C is for Cookie!

Good enough for me!

C is for Cookie!

Good enough for me!

C is for Cookie!

Good enough for me!

Oh!  Cookie, cookie, cookie, cookie C!”

It’s good enough for me too, dude.  Rock on!

To his mother;

Stop looking embarrassed.  Your kid is awesome.

That is all.

Row of yum

Row of yum

Originally uploaded by heatheratjoeyshouse

Cherries fresh from my friend’s tree. Want one?

More Berries!

At this time of year we are always berry crazy.  Berries are pretty much my favourite fruit, and when I can get them local and still warm from the sun I simply must eat them.  As a result a lot of the berries I buy never even make it home.  Most of the ones that do are just eaten out of hand.  But I do love stuff with berries in it too, even if just as another excuse to eat them.  So, for the last few mornings I have been having Berry Oatmeal for breakfast.  Stop squishing your face up, oatmeal can be yummy and it is good for you.  Look, the berries even make it pretty! 

Really easy too, because who needs a difficult breakfast?

Mixed Berry Oatmeal

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 cup berries (other fruit would work too)

2/3 cup oatmeal

Warm the milk, sugar and cinnamon for maybe 2-3 minutes.  You can adjust the amounts of sugar and cinnamon to your tastes.  Add the berries and crush them lightly.  Just a little bit to release a bit of juice, this is not your stress reliever for the day.  Stir in the oatmeal.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer.  I use quick cook oatmeal, so it only takes about 5 minutes.  Just follow the package directions if you are using the regular kind.  Garnish with more berries (of course!).  Its sooo good, you really just have to try it.

Heard enough abut oatmeal?  Gratuitous kitty pictures!

I don’t have a lot of good pictures of Loki.  She has perfect timing and usually turns her head or moves at the last second so I get a picture of her back. 

And finally just something pretty I found outside today.