Sockapalooza Pal's Socks, ISE 4 Scarf, Spinning

Ok, I promised a picture of the socks I knit up for my Sockapalooza pal, and here they are:

They are made with Paton's Kroy yarn (I forget the colourway off hand, and can't find the ballband). I used 2.75 mm DPNs, and the pattern is the Yarn Over Cable from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.

The foot looks big (it's 10 inches from heel to toe), but I think it's because the cuff and leg are skinnier due to the ribbing nature of the pattern. At least that is what I surmise. I do hope they fit my pal (I'm sure they do...gotta think positive), and I hope she'll like them and the colourway and yarn I chose for her. I also gifted her with the two skeins of yarn I had ordered way at the beginning of Sockapalooza that I was originally going to make her socks from - only to realize that the pattern I chose AFTER ordering the yarn called for part of a third skein of the yarn...

I really enjoyed knitting this pattern. It is very easy to do, and I had the pattern (which was only 4 rows, and 2 of those were the same) memorized very, very quickly. If you haven't knit this pattern and you have Sensational Knitted Socks, I do recommend that you make this pattern!

Currently I am working (albeit slowly) at work on a child's pair of socks using the Little Shell Rib pattern from the same book. It's another easy peasy pattern that is easily memorized. I have no pics of it yet as I only have the leg done...well about another inch until I start the heel flap. Not sure if I'll get these socks finished before leaving for Korea, but I'll do my best so I can add it to the pile of items for the mitten tree at church...which reminds me, I'll have to have my mom or dad drop the stuff off at the church when the tree is up so the items can be put on/under it.

On another note, remember the scarf I knit for my ISE 4 pal? Well, I sent it out to her on June 7 (the day we were supposed to), and after the post office contacted her two or three times, I received my package back yesterday. She never went and claimed it at the post office. I've contacted the leader of ISE to let her know what happened and offered to use my package as an angel gift for this one, if someone has not received a scarf, or it could be used as an angel gift in the next round of ISE. I must say I was disappointed...something may have happened to her or she may have moved (I hope nothing bad has happened), as to why she never claimed it. Oh well. The next round will go better...and I'll also be sending it from South Korea!

I've also been working a little at spinning. I'll try to take pics of the first "skein/ball" of yarn I spun...it's really not a pretty sight...really. I've got a couple more sections to soak and dry before I can ball it up (I don't have a niddy noddy or whatever you call those things to make skeins with). I started into the other batch of roving I got back when I took the drop spindle course, and I must say that is a LOT better and finer spinning. I'll take a pic of that too so you can see the difference. I didn't want to spin the pinkish roving I won in the contest awhile back (scroll down to see the pic of the roving) because I didn't want it to look terrible. I figured I could use this batch or roving I purchased back in April as my next practice spinning before moving on to the beautiful pink one. I do plan on trying to squeeze that and my spindle into one of my suitcases. The spindle will be no problem to fit into my carryon (or any other suitcase for that matter), but the roving will take some squishing...should make a nice cushioning should I decide to pack anything "fragile" to take with me (though at this point I don't plan on taking anything fragile).

Well, off to do some knitting or writing for awhile. Happy knitting!