Finito!

The Dublin Bay, they are finished!




Pattern: Dublin Bay Socks
Yarn: Opal 5004
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo Size #2

The Dublin Bay socks are my third pair of knitted socks. My goal was to finish them in the month of October for Socktoberfest. I started them the last part of September and completed them at 10pm CST on October 31st (just in time!)

This was my first time to use Opal and while I really like the colorway, I found the yarn a bit scratchy. I really liked the Crystal Palace needles, they were very smooth and good for knitting socks.

A little about me

Trying to procrastinate the knitting subject by filling out a meme going around the blogs. Desperately trying to finish the Dublin Bays by Wednesday. Cross your fingers.

1. FIRST NAME? Sara but I go by middle name, Beth.

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No. Mom wanted to name me Sara Elizabeth but my dad said no so I became Sara Beth. I was called Beth instead of Sara because my dad thought I would get nicknamed Sally if I went by Sara.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I can't exactly remember but I bet I have cried at least once in the last month.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No. Most people can't read it and often get my 9s and 4s mixed up.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? I like Virginia Ham.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes. I would love to have someone with my common interests as my friend.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Just the blog. I've tried journaling in the past and am not good at keeping up with it.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Special K Vanilla Almond and Golden Grahams, it's a toss up.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not if I can help it.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I am a very strong woman emotionally and physically. I'm not a small gal.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Mint Choclate Chip.

14. SHOE SIZE? 9.5/10.

15. RED OR PINK? Red. I really have never liked pink but I've grown to like it a little more in my old age.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I can be mean.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mom. I live 6 hours away and only get to see her about 5 times a year.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? No, just having it on the blog is enough.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans, green t-shirt, and no shoes.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A bowl of chicken tortilla soup. YUM!

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Kansas City Chiefs vs. Seatle Seahawks.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Cornflower blue.

23. FAVORITE SMELL? When it first starts to rain.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My husband.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes and Intelligence.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE TIHS FROM? I've seen it on several blogs but finally got it from Domestic Bliss. I really enjoyed her answers.

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Minute Maid Berry Punch and a mixed drink I made up from Pineapple juice, Peach schnapps, Grenadine, and coconut rum.

28. FAVORITE SPORT? I'm not very athletic but I like to watch football.

29. EYE COLOR? Blue.

30. HAT SIZE? Good question. I'm mostly a one size fits all kind of girl.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, I quit wearing them due to allergies.

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Chocolate.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I'm a sucker for a good chick flick.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter, I don't like the heat.

36. HUGS OR KISSES? I'm not really a touchy feely kind of person but if I had to choose, I'd say hugs.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake.

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Wendy Knits and The Knitting Rules (again.)

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mousepad, I use a laptop.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The ocean and the woods.

44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Moscow.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? So far knitting is the only thing I am halfway good. I do have a great sense of direction though.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Little Rock, Arkansas.

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I got it from Domestic Bliss.

Well it ain't Rheinbeck...

but my LYS did have it's Fall sale this weekend. I picked up a few things.



The Stone Cotton in the middle was only $1 each so I thought they would be great for dishcloths. I'm also planning on using the variegated Flash for a dishcloth too. The Brittany needles were half off. They mostly had size 4 and 5 so I picked up a pair of 5s. I love the ornamentation at the top. They feel fancy. I'm going to attempt to make some fingerless gloves with the Lily Chin Grammercy. I've never used Lily Chin before so that'll be a new one to try. Last but not least, Reynolds Whiskey. I just love the name! I bought a purple skein and a yellowish green skein. Something about the yellowish green called to me for a hat. If I can pull that off, I will make my mom one out of the purple. Or maybe a Misty Garden scarf. Not sure yet.

I'm looking forward to blog reading all week as I am sure many of my favorites made it out to Rheinbeck and will have lots of yarn pron for me to drool over. Someday, I will have some Socks that Rock, someday. A girl can only dream!

New Toys!

And we are back! I purchased a new Gateway laptop this week so I am back to blogging.



I have been knitting as well. Socktoberfest is well under way and I finished my first Dublin Bay sock today. My goal is to finish this pair of socks this month. I've never knit one pair in a month's time. I really like how the Opal colorway has turned out for this sock and the detail on the lace pattern looks pretty good too. I am actually going to cast on for sock #2 today and am going to try and make them match.





I ordered some sock yarn and circs from Knit Picks a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to posting it. I am really looking forward to trying out Gloss. I really like the Pumpkin colorway. I also picked up a couple of skeins of Essential Solid in Grass and Essential Tweed in Plum. All for socks of course!



Speaking of Pumpkins, here's my little felted pumpkin. I should have taken progress pics but forgot. I have enough yarn to make another so if I get around to it, I will take more pics. I still need to stuff it and sew the top on, but I think it is so cute!

Blogger photos MIA

So, I was just looking through some of my archived posts and several of my pics are missing. Has anyone else had this problem? Do I just need to reupload them?

Whta's hers is hers, what's his is hers

It's offical, the Compaq died. So, I have *borrowed* DH's laptop for the time being. He assures me this is a temporary situation and that I must acquire my own in the near future. The good news is, the hard drive did not die so we were able to recover everything including our many pics and tons of knitting patterns I had downloaded.

On to the knitting! It's a little late, but here's my Socktoberfest Week 1 post.

* When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
After reading many many blog posts about socks, I decided to give them a shot in March 2006. I got a free pattern off of the internet, bought some very colorful yarn and started knitting. It took me several months to finish the first pair with the help of my knitting teacher.



* What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
My first pair was knit from a basic in the round, two by two rib leg with stockinette foot in Schachenmayr Crazy Cotton color 89. They have held up great considering I've only worn them around the house about 4 times.

* What would you have done differently?
Other than pick something besides 100% cotton, not much. They were a great beginner sock and the bright colors kept me interested.

* What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
Now that I'm more into knitting socks, I have started a sock stash. I am currently knitting with Opal and enjoy it. I made my mom a pair of socks in Sockotta and it was okay but not my favorite. I am dying to try some Koigu and Lorna's Laces.

* Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
So far, I'm torn between dpns, and 2 circs. I started on dpns but took a class this summer on 2 circs. I think I will probably continue to knit both ways. As for Magic Loop, I haven't tried this yet and I don't know if I will.

* Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
So far, all of the socks I have made have flap heels. I'd like to try short-row though.

* How many pairs have you made?
I am currently working on my third pair of socks, the Dublin Bay pattern.

Crash!

Methinks the Compaq has died. It is 5 years old this month, which is pretty old for a laptop I guess. DH has taken it apart and is trying to see if he can get things off of the hard drive.

On the knitting front, I have got the first Dublin Bay sock down to the foot. I also made a small felted pumpkin from Knitty.com. Pics to come later.