2009 Pledge

Socks For Soldiers 2009



I have pledged to send at least two pair of regulation socks and one pair of leisure socks each month this year. 

I have been able to keep that pledge so far. 

A package in January and I just sent a package today with two pair of team knit OD regulation socks, two pair leisure socks and two beanies.

My first beanie was not too successful as I failed to follow the pattern exactly.

 Hope this pair are better. 

One was an OD made with yarn left over from previous socks. Lisa G, a team knitter, sent the yarn along with the great legs she made on her antique sock knitting machine.

A Tough Week

Another batch of socks ready to send to SFS, two pair leisure socks and one pair BBS. I had a tough week flying out to visit my sister who had been removed from a bad home situation by her angel friend Betty. She is doing fine and I had lots of time to start my first pair of JGS.
I cast on the day I left, knit in the airport, on the plane, in the motel, again in the airport, plane, train and bus and finished the first sock the day I arrived back home.
Then discovered a bit of bright news in the form of an award for the 58 pair of socks I have made since I joined SFS. Gave me a boost and got me up and casting on the second green sock.


Found a lot of sad news of soldiers injured and of Matt Maupin's remains positively identified. My prayers go out to their families and my fingers fly to help those still in service.

February Socks

The push for Socks For Soldiers continues. I am working on some of the Claudia yarn that Kim sent to me and finished a pair of toe up socks from my sock knitting group. I am not crazy about toe up, but they came out nicely. I think it is outside my comfort zone and I have to really pay attention. With the top down socks I can almost do them in my sleep. I really enjoy the Claudia yarn and will be making several more pair in March.

This is a photo of some outgoing socks sent out by Socks For Soldiers to our troops

February Fast and Furious

February continues fast and furious. I am learning a new crochet technique with a shawl that has beads place throughout without stringing them. The fringe will be a learning lesson of stringing the beads before crocheting them into the pattern. Very interesting.

Kathrine from church so admired my hats that I offered to make her one, or rather Bob volunteered me to do so. I tried a single strand combination of Cascade yarns with contrast of Knit Picks Yarn of the Andes. Came out just perfect.

Next I tried a double strand of Cascade and Noro Kureyon. It made a lovely hat but didn't shrink enough to fit Kathrine's needs.

We continue to have lots of wind and very little rain. The almond tree will probably lose most of its lush blossoms with the latest storm.

January closing

Carol, Maria and Karen at Creative Pursuits

Perfect end to a great month was getting to meet Maria Hart at my LYS , ABC of Creative Pursuits. We talked socks, the group and yarn. Heaven.

The year continues full bore. I attended a sock knitting session at ABC Creative Knitting and found a lovely pattern for another shawl. It was quick and turned out nicely.

A friend asked me to knit a pair of socks for her niece and of course I went overboard and have knit two pair with a third pair in progress.

She wanted green with a hint of orange in them. You see what I have come up with!

Prayer Shawl Ministry is going full tilt also with hundreds of shawls, lap robes and blankets knit and crochet. My latest contribution was to put the finishing edge on a lap robe made by another member.

Starting 2008

The year has started well with lots of socks already done and more started. I used the remants of a skein of Lorna's Lace and a small amount of eyelash to make these slip up pattern socks. The heels and toes are done in Knit Picks Essential black left over from some of my Big Black Socks.

The Six Sox Knitalong posted a pattern for socklets "Hidden in my Shoe" for the first project of the year. I had one skein of Knit Picks Simple Stripes that was perfect of this toe up sock.
The next project was a pair of Opal Magic Socks for my dear husband, Bob in his favorite color, blue.





I used a small amount of Claudia Hand Painted Merino combined with Knit Picks Essentials to complete a pair of Chain Link socks to go to Socks For Soldiers in my next shipment.
The January shipment contained one pair BBS (big black socks) and three pair leisure socks . A good start for 2008!

Year Ending

Finally getting my yarn stash organized and find that the perfect shelves found at an estate sale are not enough to hold it all. I have made a promise to avoid buying new yarn (except for Big Black Socks for Socks For Soldiers) until it will all fit on the shelves.

Having completed several prayer shawls, lap robes and infant blankets I am shrinking the pile of yarn that won't fit into my new shelves


I am trying to complete several projects that have lanquished in the corner. The latest is a pair of alpaca gloves I started last winter. There was always something more interesting or needed that kept them put aside.