Socks completed

I have been knitting socks for awhile.  A friend has asked me to make socks for Christmas again.  I don't like to wait until last minute to get socks knitted.  They are so time intensive.  I have been using the same pattern for socks for quite some time, but decided this time I would try new ways to make socks.  I have knitted three pairs for men and three for women.  I used a slightly different pattern for each of them.

These are for the women.  On the left is the Faux-cable, in the center is a lace cuff, and on the right is a lace sock.  The Faux-cable and the lace cuff both have the same kind of heel, but differ in the cuff.  The Faux-cable has a ribbed cuff all down the leg, whereas the lace has only a lacy looking cuff and the rest of the leg is in regular stockinette stitch and so it looks much wider.  The lace sock has a lacy look from the very top down to the toe.  It also has a different heel that is reenforced with a double yarn.  It is 100% wool and is a very thick sock.

For the men, on the left and right are a basic ribbed and in the middle is a plain ribbed.  There are two differences in the basic and the plain ribbed.  The basic has a two inch cuff on the top of the leg and they also have a reenforced heel that is knitted totally differently than on the plain ribbed one.

Now that the socks are done, I will start making some things for the Christmas festival just in case I decide to do a booth again this year.  I don't know if I will be knitting any Christmas gifts for the family this year.  I may just try sewing things.  I haven't decided for sure.  I may change my mind.

Skirts for Show

A while back Dorothy and Lucy asked me to make them some skirts.  I decided to let them go to the store with me to pick the patterns and the material.  It was a real delight for the girls to make their first trip to the fabric store.  They were amazed at the variety of patterns, but more so even with the material.  Once they had picked the patterns they wanted, we started the process of selecting the material.  Their eyes were as wide open as an owls as they jumped from one fabric to another.  Surprisingly, they were able to make choices rather quickly and then we went to the notions to pick out the zippers and the bias tape we would need for the hem of one of the skirts.  I let them choose the color they wanted to go with the material that would be used to make the skirt with the trim.  I was unable to get right to the project because I had so many grand children around for the end of June.  I finally got to the skirts last week and was able to finish them all in one day from cutting out to hemming them.  Here are the final results of one day's work.  Luckily, they were very easy patterns, especially the one they refer to as the twirly skirt.

Lucy's twirly skirt featuring polka dot swirls and yellow binding on the hem.

Dot's twirly skirt has a dark purple binding on the hem that is not very visible here, but looks nice with the blue and purple in the skirt.

This is Lucy's fitted skirt.  I was surprised that a little girl would choose this type of print for her skirt, but she was certain that this is the material she wanted. It looks very nice on her.

I love the material Dot chose for her fitted skirt.  It also fit her perfectly.

Lucy and Dot styling their twirly skirts.

And now in their fitted skirts.

I haven't blogged in a while because I have been waiting for me to finish the socks I have been making.  I have to finish the last pair that I have started.  I have two men's and one women's finished and I am currently working on the first sock of the second woman's pair.  I am trying out different patterns, so each pair is a little different.  I will blog those when I have them finished.