Go To Your corners. AND STOP FIGHTING!

We have finally had some winter here. Freezing rain covered the trees with a coating of ice which made them sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. This is the tree in my front yard.

And the view from my kitchen window. That is ice on the trees. And 4 inches of snow on the ground. Click on the pictures to see all the pretty ice in the bigger pictures.



Beadwork and I are sitting in opposite corners and glaring at each other(I feel like all the children are home and carrying on like the siblings that they are). I need to sit down, do the math for the sleeves, (I am such a hypocrite, every afternoon when Sierra and I do her homework I do the "We're doing algebra, isn't this fun!" happy, happy, joy, joy dance), and look at me it has been 2 weeks, just tear the darn sleeve out and get over yourself!

And I haven't touched Trip Trap because I am almost finished with the 2nd front and then, guess what! all that is left is *SLEEVES!* and I have been pondering over the method of "doing the sleeves" I mean Vivian Hoxbro gives perfectly good direction to make the sleeves, even provides 2 booklets of instructions, for goodness sake, but can I follow directions? Absolutely Not! (which come to think of it, might have something to do with the ripping out so often).

But as I was considering what to write about this matter, it occurred to me that the sub-conscious had been at work, and what I want/need to do is to work the sleeves from top of the sleeve around the underarm to the other side of the top of the sleeve, which will let me use the: pick up stitches down both shoulders and sleeves on each side with the accent color, and then 3 needle bind-off the entire top, making an accent stripe all the way down the sleeve. 3 needle bind-off on the top or inside?? More to ponder.

So to avoid any possibility of more sleeves I have been making socks, and trying out new toes. I have used the figure-eight cast on for toe-up socks for a while, and I like the decorative braid effect it creates on the toe, (and my toes are not particularly sensitive and don't mind it) but I have a friend who has very sensitive toes and can't stand the ridge. (yes a very slight ridge but she feels it), so I looked on the Internet, (of course) and have tried some other toe-up sock starts.




One pair of socks uses the Turkish cast on, slick, easy and I kept it snug first try. These are Regia Silk, and I am so looking forward to having them finished, because they are almost as soft as my Debbie Bliss Cashmerino socks.

One pair Regia Bamboo using the crochet over the needle with waste yarn, work 4 rows st st and take out the waste yarn, carry on as if a regular figure-eight. See it here. Which I have been using a lot since AmKamin reminded me of it, last year.




And one pair of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Childsplay, using the Knitty magic toe. These are knit up to just past the heel using a 2X2 rib on the top of the foot, then increase to 56 and use the Jaywalker pattern for the leg of the sock, these are for the youngest granddaughter to match her Childsplay sweater. I am on the 3rd sock because I did not like the first sock which was worked from the top down and decreased for the foot. I am thinking that if I add something else in, for the toes and heels, I may get a pair of grandma socks to match Rayne's.




And now, even though procrastination is my middle name, I am going to rip out Beadwork, AGAIN!!