time

This is only the second time for this pattern.

And the first time for the yarn.

It appears I started these socks back in October...2015.

It is now February.

If you've been following me, you know that "back in the day" I could complete 

around 2 pairs of socks in a month.

Times change.

I love the socks and yarn, and

I was very happy to have the opportunity to try a new cafe...

Cathedral Coffee...in north Portland...for this photoshoot.

Their latte art was impeccable.

I better get back to my knitting or it will be October of 2017 

before these socks are wearable!

We have so much time and so little to do. 

Strike that, reverse it.

~ Roald Dahl

Sparrow Dance pattern by Anne Hanson in Bumblebirch yarn 

winter comfort

You must do the thing you think you cannot do. 

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

This is apparently my 12th Toasty Twist sock.

This pattern rivals the Monkey sock in my book...

or should I say my Ravelry project page!!

It's as perfect a pattern as humanly possible to create.

So far every one of the 12 skeins of multi-colored yarn I've used has played well with it.

I made one small modification ages ago, 

and none other since then.

If you haven't made Toasty Twist socks yet...do so.

Now!!

I don't like change.

With this pattern

change isn't necessary.

Love. It.

And the yarn...a rare gem on the new Tigger Targhee base at BMFA.

Loving. It. Also.

It's dubbed tigger for a reason - it bounces!!

p.s. did you notice the Grimm sighting?!

p.s.s. Stepping Stone cafe was the backdrop for this photoshoot...yum!

break fast

There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want. 

 ~ Bill Watterson

Taking a little break from the hustle and bustle of the season.

It's Christmas Eve.

The presents are almost all wrapped.

Groceries are purchased and ready for prep.

Seems like a good time for a wee nap.

Wishing you all the very best this holiday season!

xo

Toasty twist pattern by Teresa Fox in BMFA STR rare gem.

starts

What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I'm back.

I keep saying that.

I'm never really gone...you know that, right?

I have a new sock, too!
This gorgeous yarn is new to me. It was a lovely gift from Linda from the MSWF.
Tempting Ewe Yarns.
The pattern? You know the pattern!! Mad Color Weave.

And those lovely blue socks? You know them, too!!
Cotty pattern by the lovely IGK
in Fiber Seed Sprout Hydrangea.

Today is the day.
Get something started!

first sock of 2015

The first sock of 2015.

I've been posting to instagram a lot and thought I might try posting a 'gram' here, too.

I hope it works and looks ok!

Yarn: RSC 2014 club 'forget me knots'

Pattern: embossed leaves.

I never get tired of this pattern...

...and this yarn!

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

~ Paulo Coelho

be bold

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. 

Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

Just do it. 

Do it now!

xo

Toasty twist socks by Teresa Fox in BMFA 'overcast'

autumn prepper

 I'm ready for autumn.

Crisp days.

Rain.

Falling leaves.

A steaming cup of coffee to warm my hands.

Handknits on hands, neck, and feet.

Soon.

Very, very soon.

And I'll be ready.

Four steps to achievement: 

Plan purposefully. 

Prepare prayerfully. 

Proceed positively. 

Pursue persistently.

~ William Arthur Ward  

Willow Cowl in Kitchen Sink Dyeworks (no longer available)

a day in the park

A walk in the park should always begin with a good breakfast,

don't you agree?!

I finished these socks last evening.

I love all the pops of color provided by the twisted stitches.

I think it's a pretty good match of pattern and yarn.

It has been horribly hot in the Pacific NW. 

Just being by the river cools me off.

What about you...what do you do to cool off?

We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough.

~ Helen Keller 

pattern by me in Hedgehog Fibres 'verdigris'

spontaneity

Once we believe in ourselves, 

we can risk curiosity,

wonder,

spontaneous delight,

or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

~ E. E. Cummings 

And in an unprecedented and 'spontaneous' move,

we had a smoothie from greenleaf in the Pearl.

Yummy. Very Yummy.

But a little $$$ for a regular habit.

Back to coffee and looking for latte art.

Progress is being made on the 'back on track' socks.

This is a good thing, as I don't want to rename them!

I love Hedgehog Fibres yarn...the color change in the yarn 

plays well with the subtle stitch pattern.

That's it for now!

I hope you're having a great week!!

xo

pattern by me in Hedgehog Fibres 'verdigris'

greenleaf smoothie: classic with chia seed and coconut oil

breakfast of champions

Yep. Still stuck on photographing macarons and lattes.

How do you like my new props?

We were at the Astoria Sunday market this past weekend 

and purchased some old Japanese books. 

Tres cool.

I hope your week is treating you well!

Champion the right to be yourself; 

dare to be different and to set your own pattern;

live your own life 

and follow your own star.

~ Wilfred Peterson 

pattern by me in Hedgehog Fibres 'verdigris'

contentment

A smörgåsbord of shots this morning.

A little bit of knitting.

A little bit of the garden.

I'm an autumn/winter girl to be sure. But June holds a special place of love. 

Between spiders, ladybugs and dragonflies - I'm very content.

Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life 

and share with the people the same happiness.

~ Kahlil Gibran

hello

And for a change of pace, I bring you non-knitting today.

We had a little birthday celebration for my sisters this weekend,

and these yummy Lemon Brownies were party-pleasers to be sure!!

Is there a better way to say, "hello" to Monday than with bright lemon yellow?

I think not.

Make it a good one!!

Spend the afternoon. You can't take it with you. 

~ Annie Dillard 

color

I was at the macaron shop...again.

I pulled out my knitting to match the macarons to it.

The young woman helping me thought it was so cool that

I matched the macarons to my knitting.

She even pointed it out to her co-worker.

He thought it was cool, too.

Love them.

With color one obtains an energy that seems to stem from witchcraft.

~ Henri Matisse 

balance

new socks on the needles.

a new cafe and macaron source (nuvrei).

all that newness needed to be balanced with

an old pattern (I know you know what it is!)

and a fave yarn (I know you know what this is, too).

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.

~ Thomas Merton

Toasty Twist in STR 'overcast'

coffee time

Some progress on this sock has been made since it last aired.

Leg - done.

Heel flap - done.

Not too bad considering I have four other socks on the needles and am working on a test knit project that needs to be finished by the end of the week.

No worries. I've got it covered - it's called intravenous coffee.

Books support us in our solitude and keep us from being a burden to ourselves. 

~ Jeremy Collier

pattern by me in Hedgehog Fibres 'verdigris'

tea time

If you are cold, tea will warm you;

if you are too heated, it will cool you; 

if you are depressed, it will cheer you;

if you are excited it will calm you. 

~William Ewart Gladstone

Something new and pink to send us off into the weekend.

Lunch with a friend, basketball and knitting,

and lots of tea will fill my weekend.

What about you? What's on your agenda?

Wishing you a cheery weekend! xo

Glynis sock by Cookie A in Impulse of Delight  'mountain daisy' 

fuel

some days

get a little derailed and need 

a little extra help to get back on track.

...the beginning of a new sock...

...a latte and macarons...

how do you get back on track?

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.

~ Kenji Miyazawa

pattern by me in Hedgehog Fibres 'verdigris'

variety

I hope you had a fabulous weekend!

I started the Heathcliff-half of the Catherine and Heathcliff

'opposites attract' socks.

Just like there is only one Mr. Darcy, there is only one Heathcliff.

Love. Him them.

In other news...Mr. NK and I spent most of the weekend photographing

at and around Waterfront Park.

We were testing a rental camera and taking pictures of

everything and everyone that moved in front of us!

Although lunch didn't move...we took pictures of it, too! :) 

And you? Any fun happenings for you this past weekend?

Do share! 

For variety of mere nothings 

gives more pleasure 

than uniformity of something. 

~ Jean Paul Richter

this hour

A new sock to greet a new season...well...

the weather on Friday was very spring-like and it seemed like a new season!

Just a prank though. The weekend brought gray and chilly temps...again.

Back to the socks...Cotty by Irishgirlieknits in STR 'vintage'.

Every now and then someone asks me how I do my picot cuff,

a very long time ago I made a little pictorial, here's the linkety if you're interested.

I spent an hour or so at my new favorite cafe photographing my sock with coordinating macarons

while waiting for an appointment...Mr. Whitman's words were running through my head.

Happiness, not in another place but this place...

not for another hour, but this hour. 

~ Walt Whitman

choice

When given the choice between being

right or being kind, choose kind. 

~ R.J. Palacio

The beginning of this sock needs no introduction...

...you can identify it from 40 yards on a galloping horse, right?

Toasty twist. In STR 'metaphysical angst'.