POMEGRANATES AND SOCKS

This seems so anticlimactic to post photos of this little runner after all the beautiful WIP's rugs from the last post.  Here is a close up of the center of the rug.

It is hooked in predominantly a 6 cut.  the wool was all dyed by Linda Bell of the Hookery in Haiwassee Ga. I started this a little over 2 years ago at a weekend workshop Linda taught in my area.  No it did not take 2 years to hook this little runner - I just did not work on it at all for at least a year after the workshop.  Typically if I start a new rug at a camp or workshop - I come home and put it away and go back to whatever my focus rug is at the time - that's why it seems like they have been WIP's for years - they have - well sorta but they are mostly in hibernation waiting their turning.  Here is the completed runner.  It is about 18" X 36" and looks really nice on my glass top sofa table.  I'm glad to have another rug completed.

I was gifted with not ONE but TWO pair of hand knit socks this week.  The first pair were knitted by DF and mentor Diane Stoffel. She is a great rug hooking teacher and dyer extraordinaire.  She has color planned a number of my favorite rugs including the mermaid and Shakespeare the marmoset moneky and Merrie Halloween. She bought this sock yarn (Fiesta Baby Boom) a couple of years ago while visiting Jacksonville for a rug workshop.  I had no idea when she bought the yarn they were for me - what a sweetie to make these lovely socks for me - they are a perfect fit too !.

the next pair of socks were a gift from a perfect stranger.  I arranged for a trade of a skein of yarn that I was looking for with someone on Ravelry. (an online knitting community) and so I met Colleen from Kansas.  She said she would be interested in trying some brand new sock yarn I had bought from the LYS since she had never seen it before.  When she shipped my skein - she said she put in a "little" surprise - OK nice - I was expecting a piece of candy - a freebie pattern - maybe a couple of stitch markers - OMGOSH - imagine my surprise when I opened the package on Saturday and inside was this  lovely pair of hand knit socks.

What a beautiful color they are and they are so well made with the reinforced heel and fit very well.  I am astounded with this random act of kindness Colleen.  You do meet the nicest people in the online communities.

I'm still knitting a lot - started a new pullover this weekend - I ordered the yarn from the LYS many months ago but was already distracted by the time it came in and never got around to casting on.  It is  a freebie pattern from Berroco using Inca Gold which is a Dk weight wool/silk blend in a beautiful rusty brown color.  The pattern is Wishbone and is very simple with a center cable down the front and back - I was calling it Fishbone because that's what the cable reminds me of.  I'll show a photo when I get enough of it done.

got the new SANQ issue on Saturday and there is a wonderful little Vierlande sampler in there repro'd by my friend Lorraine Mootz from Celle Germany.  I have pulled some suitable linen from my stash and gotten the DMC colors out and already started stitching the border.  I have suggested our local guild do this as a SAL since Lorraine has taught several classes and given lectures for our group - she is very dear to us.  I know a few people are committed already so that will be fun to do together as a group.  Thanks for visiting my blog - I'll try to come back for a chat real soon.