Finished Packer Socks!

There they are, the finished socks! That's actually the third complete set I have made. So far, I don't suffer too badly from SSS (Second Sock Syndrome). Knock on wood. Unlike my earlier forays into counted cross stitch, I seem to feel the need to finish knitting projects after I start them (at least most of them - I am still working on the garter stitch stole, which gets put aside quite often, but I worked on it just a week or so ago and found it to still be enjoyable). These socks are headed to Virginia Beach, to my cousin, Dave, who is a HUGE Packer fan. I just hope they fit his feet, or they will end up being wall art or something!

In other knitting news, I am again working on a pair of Happy Feet yarn socks for me - started before I began the Packer socks and picked back up again now that those are finished. Sheep news, the big, white rams have been taken out of their respective breeding groups and put back in their little pen. They did some minor head bashing, but seem to have settled back into whatever hierarchy they have. It is nice being able to go back in with the girls again and not having to watch over my shoulder constantly for a "ram attack". Or, in the case of Sammy's group, not going in with them at all, as he has developed an ATTITUDE. (Our Shetland ram is well behaved and may stay in with his girls until shearing, unless we get a stretch of nice weather and I feel like catching him).

And speaking of the weather, we had about 4 more inches of snow yesterday and now it is, according to our one thermometer, 3 degrees outside, with a windchill of 5 below. They closed school today, although I'm really not sure why, as we were the only school district closed. It may actually have been the drifting snow affecting the bus routes, because I don't believe they actually close school unless wind chills or actual temps are down around 25 below. Tomorrow we are due for another 3 - 8 inches, depending on how the forecast shapes up and Thursday and Friday more bitter cold.

Well, it sounds like good knitting weather to me - must look at the bright side!

One Down, One to Go!

Although the Packers couldn't get it done yesterday, I did. Finish the first of the Packer socks, that is. Toe Jamz sock yarn in the "Go Pac" color. I hope to cast on the second sock later today. And get them finished fairly soon, as they are a gift.

I apologize for my lack of photographic skills, but I did get to Spin-In two weekends ago and my purchases are pictured below. Mom and I make a day of it, browsing the vendors, having lunch, stopping on the way home for ice cream. Although Spin-In seems to be shrinking since I first started going quite a few years ago, it is a nice day out for the two of us. I do think if they didn't have Spin-In shortly after the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival, they might get a better turnout. As part of a belated birthday gift to me, Mom bought me two pounds of Coopworth roving from Hidden Valley Farm and Woolen Mill (hi, Carol and Paul!) in their Tapestry color. I already have a bit of this and really liked the way it spun up, so wanted to buy enough for maybe a sweater or a vest. But don't hold your breath for the finished product. I think the color shows up OK. It's primarily a deep red, with gold and navy highlights. I know, I know, with a flock of about 20 Coopworth in my back pasture, I really didn't need to BUY Coopworth roving, but this is so pretty and the sheep don't really come in this color. And anyway, I sold most of my Coopworth fleece this year, so had to buy my supply elsewhere! The other is a merino/tencel blend from Frabjous Fibers. I think you can see the colors from this picture, but the shiny white bits (I think that might be the tencel) reflected the flash terribly. While it is a "flashy" roving, it's not quite as bright as the picture leads one to believe! It's labelled as sock roving and I have four ounces there, plenty for socks for me and my small feet. Maybe after I get that second Packer sock done, I can spin this up - it's so pretty, I don't think it will sit in the stash too long! (Of course, that is what I said about the fiber I got last year and some of that IS still in the stash!)

That is really not a very good picture. I'll try harder next time.