Saturday, July 14, 2007

How Sweet It Is!


I don't know if you remember my post on Luba, the woman in Russia who I donate any profit I make with my knitting to? Anyways, after my post on Luba, my friend Sheri asked if it would be helpful to have hats and fingerless gloves knit for the girls Luba works with. Since their classroom they meet in is unheated, I thought this would be a great idea. Sheri sent it out as a quarterly challenge on her blog. The response has been unbelievable!! 52 pairs of fingerless gloves and 37 hats were sent in to send to Luba. I know the time involved in knitting these and I am overwhelmed at the generosity of all those who took the time to knit for Luba!
(Here are some of the fingerless gloves... see more on Sheri's blog, here)




I continue to enjoy my sock knitting. I finished the second sock of my Fluted Banister pattern and only had to bind off twice before it was loose enough! I then received the nicest email from Karen who expained her method for binding off toe-up socks so that they are not too tight. I am excited to try it on the sock I am knitting now.














That's right, I immediately cast on another sock and am working on the mate to the very first sock I ever knit. It's a thicker yarn and I am doing them on size 3 needles, so it is going quite quickly. I will then have two complete pairs. Yippee! These socks are going to go perfect with blue jeans!

















I did have one other sock that needed a mate, but I hadn't swatched to check my gauge (I know better now!) and it was way to loose and big etc.., so I decided to FROG it and start over. The only problem is it is not unraveling! I thought once I got it going and got my loose end that I could just pull and wind it up into a neat little ball and start over. What I have is a mess. Any suggestions or tips? (I could just hang it on my wall of shame......)














Yesterday we spent the afternoon staining the deck and hot tub. It is something that Steve really wanted to get done this summer. My job was the miles and miles of railing. (Ok, maybe I'm exagerating, but it seemed like miles....) He is especially pleased with how the hot tub came out. He built the shell of this a few years back and did an AMAZING job. (We were given the hot tub, but it was originally an inground tub and needed a case). It is nice to have done, I admit!






Stands of sweet corn are now open on several corners around town. (Sweet corn is pretty much one of the main reasons to live in Iowa!) Kirstin and I bought a dozen ears and quickly got it ready to cook for supper.




















Yum! Nothing like that first bite of sweet corn for the season.















Today we are off to Des Moines to spend some time with Ryan who is working down there for the summer. He's a little lonely right now because Mallory is in Africa on a 7 week missions trip to work with children in an orphanage. She did this last summer as well. It's an incredible experience and she has such a heart for the children there. (Most are orphaned due to AIDS). Here is a photo from her trip last year. I love it.


Until Next Time...

7 comments:

Robin said...

That sock knitting is addictive. Those are great. Good job.

Anonymous said...

Your are a full fledged sock knitter now!
Yum, I love corn. We have a month to wait before it's in season here. But peaches are ready so that will tide me over.

rohanknitter said...

That is so great, all those warm things for Luba's girls!!
All your socks look great! I'm anxious to get back to sock knitting and use some of the great stuff I've gotten from Sheri. (must. finish. baby. blanket.)
I'll bet you are glad to have the staining done. Ugh, railings are a pain.

That's a really sweet photo of Mallory, how neat to have a future dil with such a heart for kids.
Enjoy the sweet corn while it lasts!!

monica said...

I love the picture of Mallory skipping down the road with the children, and the sun rays shining down.
Your socks are beautiful, I think you are a full fledged sock knitter.

Sheri at The Loopy Ewe said...

Woohooo - look at your socks! I'm so so so proud of you. (And so excited that you're getting sock-knitting in your blood! I have a few sock yarns that are must-haves. We'll talk.)

I agree on the sweet corn. Iowa sweet corn is the best. Paul's mom brought some down this past weekend for us. Yum!

AR said...

What a beautiful picture. That's a wonderful thing to do, those children probably just love her!

Anonymous said...

Hi Janice-
I have the opposite problem. I am a speedy ready and will likely have the book finished By Sunday night. Ken will take a few weeks and I will have to keep all the secrets. Hopefully my friends will be finished sooner and I can chat with them.
Happy weekend!!