Have you finished any socks yet?  Have some currently in progress?  Tried a new pattern?  Managed NOT to buy any more yarn yet? (okay that last one I know at least one person  who might be named Judy who broke that vow in about four days into the challenge). ROFLOL

So far – I have bought no yarn.  I haven’t even been tempted.  I do still get the updates from a couple of yarn stores that I read but haven’t even looked at the yarn.  They do include some neat patterns so I always have to check those out.

If you click on my 12 in 2012 button in the right side bar, you will see photos of the five – yes FIVE - pairs of socks I finished since the start of the month.  Two were brand new pairs from start to finish – both new patterns I hadn’t tried before.  The other three were pairs that were already in progress that got finished off.

  Here’s the one I finished off last night – the 9-to-5 sock pattern from Ravelry.  I’ve got the second one barely started.  I do love this pattern – makes a very comfy stretch sock for my big foot and fat leg.  I did stop the braid pattern that’s supposed to go down the top of the foot a couple inches after the heel was turned since I don’t like the feel of a pattern on the top of my foot in my shoe but it all works. It’s made with Everlasting yarn and is very nice feeling.

So leave a comment and include a link to photos of any socks in progress or finished socks you may have – linking to a specific blog post and not your main blog page – so we can check out what you’re working on.  I definitely won’t keep up this pace but I’m off to a great start!

  It’s my January UFO challenge project  – Frozen Delights – that I’ve been working on quilting.  Will it be done by the end of the day tomrrow – nope.  But not long after.  I’ve got the borders quilted, sashing stitched in the ditch, and all but 3 or 5 blocks outlined with invisible thread.  So once that’s finished, I can go back in with other thread and meander the background of the blocks and do some type of quilting on the ”frozen treats.”  That will take a while since I think I’ll use thread to match each of the “treats” so lots of thread changing when I get to that but it’s turning out really nice.

Since tomorrow is the end of the month, I’ll be adding a blog post re progress on the 12 in 2012 sock challenge those those participating to post a link to their photos of finished socks or just to comment on their progress so far.  Looking forward to seeing how everyone is doing!

  I guess it could be sort of a flower looking thing I quilted in the pinwheels but I kept thinking lobster claws as I was quilting them. LOL

I think next up is to use some invisible thread and outline all the applique block pieces but I’m losing steam so that may wait until tomorrow.  It may be time to go back to knitting on my sock.   The “maid” has taken off this weekend - no laundry, no cleaning, just quilting and knitting and bit of cooking.

Got my tablerunner all spray basted and was ready to start machine quilting it, only to find I don’t have the color of thread I want to use.  Need to do some major restocking of thread.  So decided to start machine quilting my January UFO Challenge, Frozen Delights.  I’ve got all the stitch in the ditch done down the sides of the sashing and plain border.  And just started adding feathers in the plain border.  They’re not perfect, but I like them.  I’m using a King Tut variegated thread in bright colors to go with all the bright colors in  the blocks.

Since it’s just a tablerunner — so not huge — I’m just going to spray baste it.  So quick and easy for those smaller projects and no pins to remove as I’m free motion quilting.  I’ve got it sitting across the room from me so I can stare at it and  try to decide how I want to quilt it.  Now I’m just hoping there’s some gray thread in the thread box so I can start quilting on it tomorrow.

And, since all the fabrics came out of the stash – at least I’ll have something to report on the stashbusting report tomorrow.  But for now – time to taste test those brownies and get a cup of coffee.

  Of course I got a bit sidetracked after making these because they gave me an idea for a new quilt design incorporating them so I’ve been playing in EQ a bit.  But I was due for a break and had to get dinner started — cornish hen and baked potatoe in the oven so just need to make some veggies. Yummm.  Also made some brownies so there’s even dessert!  I forgot to put in the mint chocolate chips I was going to add to the brownies but dumped some on top when they were done and let them melt so they know have minty chocolate frosting.

Earlier today I could see some commotion at the bird feeder outside my door.  Hmmm…. through the blinds I snapped this.

   Where there’s a will, there’s a way.  One daring jump…..

and he landed on top of the birdfeeder — which explained all the seeds scattered on the ground below that I saw this morning.

 They don’t look like much here except a super skinny sock – but that’s deceiving since they are super stretchy which I like.

Here they are stretched out a bit on the sock blocker.

  The yarn is Everlasting in Daylily color.  The stitch doesn’t show real well in the photo but it’s sort of a interweave braided looking thing which is super simple to do and no cable needle.  You can see it much better on the pattern since there the sock is done in a solid yarn.  I’ll definitely use this pattern again in a solid so the stitches really pop.  The pattern is Nine-To-Five by Nicole Hindes which I think I found through Ravelry.  it will be a great looking pair of socks.

Now time to get this table cleared off so I can get to some sewing.  My January UFO challenge project which I was so diligent the beginning of the month of getting the last blocks made, borders on, and pin basted — it still sitting and waiting to be quilted.  Hmmm… may not get it done this month and have to add it on to next months’ UFO project — a deadline has interceded and I need to get that project done.  So time to stitch on a few blocks and maybe get the deadline project top done so I can start quilting on it this week.

Denise

So far – four pairs finished in January.  Now if I average a pair of socks  a week – think of all those new socks I could have at the end of the year! LOL  That definitely won’t be happening.  But one new pair made and three finished off from the socks in progress bin is a pretty good start.

I cast on the second sock to the Ombre pair last night and have a couple inches of that one done.  Still haven’t wound the pink yarn yet – I may finish this one before starting on a new pair.

I restarted with the black print and I like the block so much better.  So it’s a good thing I kept messing things up I guess.  I can’t show you the blocks yet bu these are the other fabrics I’m using with it.

  The red orange is a bit darker but it has lighter splotches and sort of a brownish black that sort of look like some one dry brushed paint over it.  The gray  is one of my current favorite tone on tones – it doesn’t show up real well in the photo  but its a paisly tone on tone.  And the black has tone on tone specks of black and lighter grayish looking ones.

One block is done and the rest are in various stages and 3 or 4 others in various stages.

I did venture outside to run an errand since the temps  who hooo its a heat wave – 29 degrees.  But foggy and misty and the winds were picking up as I came home so not really a great day but warmer than it has been.

I nearly have the socks – the brown/cream/purple ones from the single sock stash – nearly finished.  I think I must be just a row or two away from the toe decreases so should hopefully get them finished off tonight.  So need to wind that pink yarn so I can start on that one to work on at home and cast on the second ombre one to work on during my bus ride.

Oh and check out the Granny’s Hankie blocks by readers page – I finally remembered to add Sigrid’s photo of all her completed blocks.  They turned out absolutely lovely!

Denise