Despite having a very busy month filled with sightseeing and pirate-spotting, I still found time to knit lots of socks!
Since so many folks have asked me about my grandmother's black socks, I would like to share with you a photo of them.
They are lovely, aren't they. Well, I found out last week that they are NOT what my grandmother wanted. Somehow, I had missed the critical piece of information about how her church shoes have a thong in the toe section. She wanted tabi socks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She plans to bring the socks back to me so that I can rework the toes, but I told her to take the socks as is to Ireland next week since her feet might get a wee bit chilly. I need to build up some stamina before I tackle that black yarn again.
I also knit my first pair of Trekking XXL (Colorway 100) socks during the month. I used the Ribbed Lace pattern (pp. 50-54) from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks book. Originally, I'd planned to give them to my best friend who lives in Charleston, South Carolina, but I fell in love with them when I realized they were going to be too narrow for her. Lucky me!
To readjust the karmic balance, I decided to knit some Fetzensocken from the Sockamaniac_Sockalong list using BMFA's STR in Olivenite for my best friend. Luckily, she and her husband visited in mid-July, so I was able to check the fit on the first sock. I used any eye of partridge heel and a regular grafted toe.
After my best friend's visit, we welcomed The Diva's "Belgian Sister" for a 3-week visit! Belgian sister was on summer break, and she wanted to visit us sans family. We had a ball! Here is a picture of Belgian Sister, The Diva and Toad at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
We had a ball exploring the Niki de Saint Phalle exhibit there. In addition to visiting some of the other touristy Atlanta destinations (e.g., Georgia Aquarium, the Jimmy Carter Library, the Martin Luther King, Jr., burial site, and the Atlanta History Center), we took a road trip to Charleston!
My best friend threw a surprise birthday party for her husband. She arranged for a dinner cruise, and we were instructed to dress as pirates. The Diva insisted that she needed to dress as Tiger Lily. Who can argue?
Alas, I thought I had a photo of the finished pair of Fetzensocken and the Web Socks for Belgian Sister, but those photos have disappeared. The Web Socks are now in Belgium, so you'll have to take my word for it that they were lovely in the Stonewash colorway of STR.
However, here is a photo of the socks I knit with the Peaseblossom colorway from the Rockin' Sock Club July kit and Charlene Schurch's Elongated Corded Rib pattern (pp. 33 - 37) from, you guessed it, Sensational Knitted Socks. I just couldn't concentrate on the kit pattern for the Hippy Crunchy Socks, and I have to say I LOVE the way these socks look and feel!
I am now working on socks for my DSIL (i.e., dear sister-in-law), but I will not be able to post photos of them until December. These are going to be her birthday present, and I don't want to take the chance that she might see them before she opens them on her birthday! Trust me. They are lovely.
Finally, I'd like to share a photo of my finally-blooming hibiscus plant. I bought it several years ago, and it didn't bloom once last summer. This year, I gave it some fertilizer, and we are both much happier!
Happy August!
