Saturday, October 4, 2014

A Sock Knitter Lives Here



One thing I really really miss come fall is my clothesline. I love hanging out the wash, and yes I am quite selective about what I hang out.( Mrs Newman, on the corner, hangs her bloomers off her front deck and we don't need to know that much about her!)   My kids used to complain about the crunchy towels, I'd tell them think of it as exfoliation. I sure do love the smell of freshly dried towels and sheets. After our flood last month some of my socks got wet so I fired them out on the line to dry. I have a lot of socks. Took me a few days to get them all washed and dried.


However, I obviously think a girl can never have too many socks. I started this one awhile ago. It is knit with Taiyo sock yarn, it is super soft and the colours are so pretty. The pattern comes from one of the Noro magazines. It is a toe upper and I am knitting it on two circs to accommodate the cabling and the moving stitches.









I really like the look of the heel flap on this sock. I have knit lots of different kinds of heels on socks. I have knit the conventional heel flap,the afterthought heel,the aforethought heel, dutch heel, and many types of short row heels. For my feet the conventional heel flap and gusset style works the best. As this is a toe up sock, the heel is knit in reverse. I really need to knit my man some socks too. He has at least a dozen pair that have really had the biscuit. I have strict instructions not to throw them out as evidently they are still useful! Evidently they have built in climate control (holes).


We are eating lots of veggies from the garden now. I thought this year I would try growing some winter squash. The one pictured above is a Lakota squash, a Sioux heritage variety. It is about as big as my head. We also grew some delicata squash , sweet dumpling squash and of course lots of zucchini. Zucchini has got to be instant gratification gardening .With little effort and a few heavy rains, you have grown a cricket bat in no time!


 Using a Delicata I made a really nice squash soup today. It is made with squash, potatoes, leeks, garlic and some herbs. The recipe can be found here. The recipe is on newsletter # 688. Try it, you will love it! We get fantastic organic produce delivered by Urban Harvest. It has really made me be a less wasteful cook and I have tried lots of new veggies. I have also found lots of great recipes in their newsletters.

Delicata Squash and Squash, Leek and Potato Soup






 We have a lot of rogue sunflowers in our yard. We let them come up where they may. They are so cheerful and the little birds love them. We have tried planting some really nice sunflowers and they never seem to do as well.  Isn't that always the way!!


We have had a beautiful warm September. I took this picture several days ago and that water is pretty chilly now! 

Okanagan Lake



Have a great week everyone!!

Keep smiling

Chris


32 comments:

  1. Ah Chris!!! That line of socks is just awesome! It is so beautiful in that there is so much color and because you made all of that goodness! Bravo friend! And how lovely are your shots of your sunflowers! And that lake looks so relaxing and peaceful! How awesome that you were able to harvest all of that goodness and make some yummy soup! Such lovelies happening everywhere here! Have a wonderful weekend you! Nicole xo

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    1. It seems in the fall we all get pretty nesty, it's instinctual I think. Growing squash is pretty easy once they get started. Our big challenge here is keeping them well watered. We live on a beautiful lake and it warms up in the summer. There is nothing nicer than swimming in it on a hot day. That time has passed and now I am thinking warm soups and warm feet! Happy Sunday to you my friend!

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  2. So many socks !!!! and what a such beautiful place you show ! Have a lovely day !

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    1. Thank you Geraldine. I sure do love my socks and I have lots of sock yarn stashed away for more socks!!

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  3. I adore that picture of a sock-filled clothesline!!! I have knit about 100 pairs of socks, but only about 4 for myself - I don't know if that means I'm generous or just stupid ... ;-)

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    1. I think you are incredibly generous!! Knit socks are the best! Of all the knitting I do my socks get the most use. I am interested in the Halloween socks you are knitting, please post a picture!

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  4. YOur socks look so beautiful on that clothesline, I have only knit a few pairs of socks, I guess living in Florida I don't wear them much so I lost interest fast. Your garden has produced some beautiful veggies,
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    1. Yes I guess you wouldn't need a lot of socks in Florida! Certainly not wool ones. That's ok there are lots of cool things to knit and crochet. It's nice to have fresh veggies, the deer haven't been back as far as I know!

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  5. That is a gorgeous sight, all of the beautiful socks hanging on the line. They look like a row of colourful flowers proudly blooming! The variety of vegetables sounds delicious. It is a soup sort of day here.


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  6. Thank you, I just aim my camera and shoot! I sure like colourful things, keeps me happy! I love soup, especially squash soups. I am making a curried Apple kuri squash one today. House smells great! Have a good week!!

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  7. I just love your row of socks!!!! They look so pretty, and you are so amazing to have knitted all of those!! I love seeing peoples knitted socks and am always in awe of them, but I don't remember seeing such a large and beautiful collection as this!!!! xx

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    1. Hey Amy! Obviously I went through a period of sock knitting mania! The nice thing about hand knit socks is they last for years!

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  8. My husband says that about his holey socks too! Love that you have so many socks, I wonder how many knitted stitches there are on that washing line?

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    1. What is it with men and holey socks! My dad was the same, you would think they were the Crown Jewels! Probably don't want to know how how many stitches I knit with my toothpicks! (2.25 dps), no wonder I ended up with sore paws! Have a good one!

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  9. I love the picture of all your socks on your clothesline! My kids made the same complaint about crunchy towels when they lived at home. Personally, I think the only thing better than a towel that has dried on the line are sheets. Thanks for the link to the squash soup. It looks delicious!

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    1. It's so nice to go to bed with fresh sheets right off the line! They smell so nice.Our poor kids, the stuff they had to put up with hahaha! The soup is really nice hope you give it a try. Have a great week!

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  10. So many pairs of colorful socks! Your newest pair looks like it's going to be amazing too.

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    1. Thank you Kaiya! One thing I like about socks is you can try lots of different techniques and stitch patterns on a small project.

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  11. You sure have a line of colorful and fun socks! I'm having a bit of sock envy! Love all of the pretty colors in the yarn you use. Enjoy your week! Have fun knitting! Hugs!

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  12. Thanks Diane! I like to knit socks as they are small projects and you can knit all sorts of patterns. I guess in Florida you don't need socks very often! Have a great week too!

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  13. Love the photo of the socks on the line! I am exactly the same and love drying my clothes outdoors. I am lucky that anything I hang is hidden from public view, so even undergarments can get that fresh air scent. I put my towels in the dryer with a dryer sheet after they have hung on the line and they soften up nicely (although exfoliating is not a bad thing). I am always a little sad when the weather is too cold to hang clothes outside.

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  14. I think my clothesline window closed today :( our local utility company has been promoting the use of clotheslines. They have been giving away clotheslines but all it is is a piece of covered line. Nice to see they are PC again! They sure are handy. The birds sure like sitting on them too!

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  15. Wow, what a beautiful line of socks. I've just discovered your lovely blog from Meredith at Mereknits. It looks like you've had a lovely harvest, especially the squash. It's nice to gather them in ready for winter isn't it.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by and saying hi CJ! I sure miss our fresh veggies as the season ends, especially our tomatoes. I have never grown winter squash so it was quite exciting to actually have them grow and fruit appear.

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  16. Hello - just found your lovely blog via Mereknits. Can't believe you have so many knitted socks!

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  17. Hi Gillian thank you for dropping by and thank you for being a new follower! I went through a major sock knitting binge a few years ago! I still have a significant sock yarn stash, I will have to do more giveaways!!

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  18. Those socks on the line are wonderful!!!

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  19. Thank you Elisabeth! It's getting to be that time of year to wear them. We seem to go from shorts and sandals to long pants and shoes and socks in a matter of a few days. It's like who turned off the heat???

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  20. I love that first photo!! So fab! All my favorite socks are also one of my dogs favorite's, too, because she routinely steals them, chews a hole immediately and then carries her prey around the house. She's quite fierce that way and all textiles quiver in fear as she waddles by. I am not a clothesliner. I will fluff dry til I die and have had the same skirt on my ironing board for at least two years. It's rather decorative.

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  21. Perhaps your dog feels she is protecting you from those bad socks lurking out there!! Look what happened to this guy! My ironing board is a convenient storage unit here too. I can find lots of unhemmed pants ageing gracefully there!

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  22. Cannot have too many socks. Wish I could knit them. At the moment I am crocheting a pair, but they are not delicate in style.

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    1. You are absolutely correct, you can never have too many socks!! Crocheted socks will be really fun ! Thanks for stopping by Christy.

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