I discovered a cool yarn this year: Bernat Denim Style. Its a cotton acrylic blend that feels like sweatshirt fleece when its knitted up. I made several hats and had lots of oddments left over so I decided to use them up by making a scarf for myself. Its a very simple scarf and I am pleased with how it looks.

On size 8 needles

CO 36 stitches K1P2 for 16 rows and switch to next color

Continue until you get sick of knitting or have used up all the oddments.

 Bind off in pattern

Bob is on his way to Ohio to visit the boys. I dropped him off this morning at 5:00 a.m. and I miss him already. One week is going to seem like one month. I know he will have a great time with the boys. His sisters are so excited that he is “coming home”. His suitcases were crammed with handknit Christmas gifts for all the family. He has also assured me that he will be showing off his Cleveland Browns beanie and socks to everyone he can!

 bob3.jpg bob1.jpg

Pattern for Brown’s socks

size 5 dpns

Plymouth Encore Worsted in brown & orange

SOCK
Cast on 40 sts in MC. Divide sts evenly onto 4 needles, being careful not to twist. Place marker for beginning of rnd. Work in k1, p1 rib for 7 rows. Switch to CC and work 5 rows in k1, p1 rib. Switch back to MC and do 7 more rounds of ribbing. Then switch to Stockinette and knit until piece measures 6″ [15 cm] from begShape Heel Flap
Knit across 10 sts on first needle, turn. Switch to CC.
Row 1 (WS) With empty needle, sl 1 st, purl 9 sts on first needle and 10 sts on needle 4 – 20 sts for heel flap. Work back and forth on these sts in rows.
Row 2 * Sl 1, k 1; rep from * across.
Rep last 2 rows until a total of 21 rows have been worked, ending with a Row 1.Turn Heel
Next Row (RS) Sl 1, k 11, skp, k 1, turn.
Next Row Sl 1, p 5, p2tog, p 1, turn.
Next Row Sl 1, k 6, skp, k 1, turn.
Next Row Sl 1, p 7, p2tog, p 1, turn.
Continue to work in this manner, having 1 more st before decs on each row until 12 sts remain. Switch back to MC.Gussets
With first needle, knit across 12 sts of heel, pick up and k 12 sts along side of heel flap, M1 between heel flap and next (instep) needle, with second needle, work 20 sts across 2 instep needles, with third needle, M1 between instep needle and heel flap, pick up 12 sts along remaining side of heel flap, work across 19 sts of heel flap – 58 sts. Place marker for beg of rnd.Dec Rnd K 17, k2tog, k 20, k2tog, k 17.
Knit 1 rnd.
Rep last 2 rnds until 40 sts remain.Foot
Work even in St st until foot measures about 1 1/2″ [4 cm] less than desired length to beg of toes. Then switch to CC and work 1 round before starting toe decreases.Shape Toe
Dec Rnd K 7, skp, k 2, k2tog, k 14, skp, k 2, k2tog, k7.
Knit 1 rnd.
Rep last 2 rnds until 16 sts remain. Divide sts evenly onto 2 needles. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail.Grafting Holding the 2 needles parallel with wrong sides of fabric together, thread a large-eyed blunt needle with one of the yarn ends and work as follows:Insert needle as if to p into first stitch on front needle. Insert needle as if to k into first stitch on back needle. Then follow steps 1-4 as outlined below.

1. Insert needle as if to k through first st on front needle and let the st drop from needle.
2. Insert needle into 2^nd st on front needle as if to p, and leave st on needle.
3. Insert needle into first st on back needle as if to p and let it drop from needle, then

insert needle as if to k through 2nd st on back needle and pull the yarn through, leaving st on needle. Repeat Steps 1-4 until all sts have been grafted. When finished grafting, adjust tension as necessary. Weave in ends.

Ok, so maybe I am just a proud Momma, but I think my Mo Mo is the cutest little bugger!

   

Last Friday at my office, we drew names for Secret Santa. Today Secret Santa reared his ugly head and scared the crap out of me. I came in to work to find a mannequin head on my monitor (female with long blond hair) and a note that reads “Poor Bob, replaced by a blond!!!” I feel much like the guy in the “Godfather” movie who awoke to find a horse head in his bed. While I have been wanting a mannequin head to block and display hats, finding a dismembered one on your desk first thing in the morning is a bit disturbing!(Maybe I got a Secret Satan?”)

 

Why is it when the battery decides to go out in your smoke alarm, it never happens during the daylight hours? Why can’t it start its dieing blips at say, Noon? No, it chooses the wee hours of the morning to begin its death throws. So at 3:30 a.m. this morning our smoke alarm battery decided to give up the ghost. What I did not realize was that my 75 pound shepherd mix, Honey Bun, is afraid of the smoke alarm. I discovered that rather rudely when all 75 pounds of her landed squarely on my bladder at 3:31 a.m. Let me tell you that this is not the ideal way to awaken. If that wasn’t enough to wake the dead, then began the face slobbering which is her way of telling you she is sorry for waking you, but she still loves you. 75 pounds of dog does a great job of immobilizing you, preventing escape from the tongue that can lick around corners.

Now my husband is awake and his solution is to shut the bedroom door. This does not solve the beeping or the large slobbering dog issues. A short terse discussion is involved, due to the fact that I am not a very civil person at 3:30 a.m. I finally convince him that it would be in his best interest to change the battery. (I am told I can be pretty scary in the wee hours of the morning without proper rest.)

Now I can get back to sleep, but hubby is fully awake and somehow this is my fault. Dog curls up next to me which I think was her plan all along. Perhaps she and the smoke alarm are in cahoots to get her a spot on the bed?