BRob Bobblehead Summer of Socks

What a way to end a season!

2008-09-28T23:36:29Z

Gee, BRob, I hope your leg is ok! Man, that must have hurt! The game ended for me once Brian Roberts was out of the game.

This has been a long strange trip of a season. At the same time it seems like I just started this blog yesterday. Much has happened. At the beginning of the season I was baking biscotti and listening to Pearl Jam bootlegs. I would post on a baseball game, and include notes on the Pearl Jam bootleg and the biscotti recipe. That didn't last because it was just too much work.

Then I started to knit socks, and I got in my groove in this blog while doing that.

This is the first seaon that I have watched from beginning to end, and I'm 40! Since BRob's not in the World Series I'm not interested in those games by any stretch of the imagination.

I can see why people become couch potatoes during baseball season. Watching the season progress gives them something to do in the evening. I finally bought cable for the first time in my adult life so that I can watch the games (and the Food Network :D.) Quite the mind expanding experience.

Good luck, and good night!

Stars in alignment!

2008-09-26T22:20:57Z

I took the blankets into the dry cleaners on Wednesday, and staff said they would be available Friday. I went into the same dry cleaners on Thursday for other stuff, and the blankets were already done. I sent the blankets same day Thursday from the post office, and the Project Linus coordinator just emailed me that she had received them. Wow! That's great! What a quick turnaround. It's like the stars were in alignment with these blankets . . . and, it all started August 10th when Brian Roberts had 4 hits in one game. Good job, BRob! :D

September 20th: Orioles (0) - Yankees (1)

2008-09-21T02:13:25Z

Congratulations to Brian Roberts for not only hitting 50 doubles, but exceeding 50! Now, it's time for Aubrey and Nick to step up to the plate and get a new record going, eh?

I just finished the red blanket with a chevron pattern. I started it August 30th. I thought I was going to knit 3 blankets for Project Linus, but I'll save the rose colored yarn until later or maybe make something else with it. After knitting two blankets I realized, again, that they take a long time. I'm attending classes on how to knit sweaters and entrelac so I don't have the time to devote to a third blanket. Instead of waiting until I make a third blanket, I'm just going to dry clean, send these two, and call it a day.

The blue blanket is 26"x46", and the red is 33"x40". I discussed the blue one in an earlier post. The red is made with Debbie Bliss yarn, 100% pure cotton. Very soft. I was disappointed with the number of knots within a skein, and at that time I didn't know to unknit a row when a knot comes at me. I just found out that technique in sweater class. Simple solution, but I just wasn't thinking about it. Who'd knew.

I'm happy with them. They are both soft even though one is wool and one is cotton. A girl or a boy could like either. I hope it puts a smile on a child's face, and gives someone something soft to cuddle up with - along with stuffed animals of course. After my hospital stays it was all about counting the stuffed animals I received, and giving them a special place on my bedroom chair :D

September 1st: Orioles (4) - Red Sox (7)

2008-09-02T14:36:01Z

Congratulations, Adam Jones! Way to go, and welcome back. Too bad the O's lost. I finished the first Project Linus blanket. I was planning on finishing 1(because of BRob's 4 hits August 10th), but then I noticed sales on very nice yarn. End of summer sales, who'd knew?! The multi-blue yarn is a superwash wool, and the rose is a superwash wool. The red is 100% cotton which I didn't think I would look into for Project Linus. However, the color is gorgeous and it is incredibly soft. I mean really soft. Unbelievably soft. Debbie Bliss is the brand, and no wonder she's a common household name in knitting land. I'm done with 2 of 12 skeins on the red blanket. Once I'm done with the rose blanket then I'll dry clean all three and off to the Project Linus contact.

August 17th: Orioles (16) - Tigers (8)

2008-08-18T00:22:53Z

I haven't completed a new project, but I wanted to give a shout out to the Orioles. The hitting as a team is becoming more teamlike, and it's wonderful to hear about it on the radio or see the chart during gameday. By the end of the month I'll have cable so I'll finally get the see the O's on tv in my own home. :D Way to go O's!, and congratulations to Melvin Mora! By the way, the Tigers are one of my all-time favorite teams. I lived in Michigan a couple different times growing up and I graduated from the University of Michigan.

I started the baby blanket as I found a superwash wool in a color good for a boy or a girl. I'm on the 3rd of 12 skeins. Archangel Michael is all about cobalt blue so maybe the little cobalt blue in here would give the child in the hospital extra health points :D

August 10th: Orioles (7) - Rangers (15)

2008-08-10T20:43:06Z

BRob had 4 hits! Yes! Congratuations Brian Roberts! I made a little vow nearer to the beginning of the season that when Brian Roberts hit 4 hits in one game I will knit a blanket for Project Linus. I made it a special thing because the yarn I use isn't cheap. I think that people who use acrylic have as good a heart as I do, but I don't want a kid who is already going through a hard time to have to warm up to acrylic because of me. I'm snobby that way; it's superwash wool all the way, baby! Wool is not sanctioned for charity work, but I think it's just because of the shrinkage factor, and superwash is not suppose to shrink as much. The last blanket I made for Project Linus was not sent back :D

Knitting these socks was not a pleasant experience. I used Tofutsies Item #855 on #2 circulars. It contains 50% superwash, 25% soysilk, 22.5% cotton and 2.5% chitin which is crab shells. It was incredibly stretchy which is why I didn't complete the pattern through the foot. The pattern contained a yarnover row 2 times in 8 rows. I won't use this yarn for yarnovers again. After my next pair of socks (as I already have the yarn) I won't use this yarn at all probably. I don't see the use for it, and it's not even hand painted.

July 25th: In progress Orioles(0) - Angels(2)

2008-07-25T23:22:38Z

After the first half of the first inning, the Angels are winning, but I finished these socks! It took me 23 days.

Yarn is Pagewood Farms Denali color Rainbow. The pattern is k2p2 for 3 rows and then YO K2Tog then P2 for a row. Pattern is called Openwork Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks book. This was my favorite yarn to knit to date. It split a little, but there were so many beautiful colors.

Vote BRob In!

2008-07-07T14:16:41Z

Vote BRob in!

It's great that George made it to the All-Star game, but let's add a little more orange, shall we?

Read more about it here.

July 1st: Orioles (7) - Royals (5)

2008-07-02T22:45:24Z

Yippee! BRob got a homer. Great job BRob and other Orioles! Keep at those double plays and strike outs.

I bought the blue yarn for these socks in 2005. I thought I would learn how to knit socks at that time, but I didn't learn until November 2007. Most sock yarn is sold in a yardage long enough for socks that come mid-calf. I like knee highs. I didn't know about yardage in 2005 so I didn't buy enough yarn. Anyhoo, great way to use up scraps :)

120 rows of k2p2 for the cuff and leg
Blue is Karabella Aurora 4, color 21
Green is Rowan 4-ply soft, shade 367
I taught myself how to knit on circulars (THANK GAWD!) When I originally learned how to knit, I moved to circulars in a heart beat. I don't think I completed any pre-sock projects on non-circular needles. Now that I finally know how to knit socks on circulars I can't see myself going back to double pointed needles. What a pain. With circulars stitches don't fall off, and I can't figure out why, but there isn't a ladder.

1000!

2008-06-25T01:50:32Z

Congratulations on your 1000th hit, Brian Roberts!!!! Good job :D

Pearl Jam 062208

2008-06-23T15:56:16Z

My 16th show, and we were 4th row. It was an excellent show. If anyone is a PJ fan, they were on fire. I took my twin's oldest daughter to her first stadium show, and she really enjoyed it. She was air guitaring the entire time. In about 4 years I could take her younger sister. PJ, I'm ready for 2012! Hope to see you then :D

June 20th: Orioles (8) - Brewers (5)

2008-06-21T03:35:22Z

Ohmymy this was a game from the first inning to the last. No come from behind heroics which is good. The Orioles should know that they are a team to command the play from the first inning. I finally bought the gameday audio option, and it's really nerve-wracking to hear the crowd, and to sense the excitement. I may switch to just the Gameday online thingy if I get too anxious.

Man, I was just WAITING for Brian Roberts to hit 4. I was already thinking which Local Yarn Store I would visit on Monday to buy yarn for a project linus blanket. Hopefully, he'll get four hits soon. He can do it, you know he can.

I hope you can see the definition on these socks. This is the first pair I finished with a pattern on the leg. It's quite exciting! My twin liked these socks as I was knitting them so she gets them.

4 double pointed #2 wood needles
Cast on 60 stitches
First 20 rows are K1P1K3P1
Next 100 rows are k2p2/k2p2/Purl/Purl for 4 rows
The cuff, heel flap, and heel turn are Rowan 4 ply soft Shade 367.
The leg, instep, and rest of foot are Regia bamboo color 1072
I think the mass produced wool yarns split more than other yarns. The Rowan was still ok to work with, but I'm noticing that about Rowan and Karabella.

June 8th: Orioles (4) - Blue Jays (5)

2008-06-09T14:05:53Z

That's the second time I "saw" (through GameDay) Brian hit 3 hits in one game. There could be more.

When he hits 4 in one game I will knit a blanket for Project Linus. I was going to knit socks for Socks for Soldiers, but the colors are restricted. One of the best parts about knitting is the color of the yarn. I would rather knit a bigger more time-consuming project with beautiful colors, then a quicker project with drab army colors. Brian Roberts, just hit 4 and a child gets a hand made blanket! I'm already thinking of a patterns for beautiful blankets in either deep green or purple or maybe orange for Orioles! Some yarn is mult-colored, which is very cool, too.

I also saw a scarf donation site through Ravelry.com for cancer patients. So many opportunities for donation knitting! I don't know if that's good or bad . . .

June 3rd: Orioles/Twins still in progress

2008-06-04T02:10:42Z

Brian Roberts hit a triple, but the only hit of 4 at bats. However, that's a cool hit. My twin was on the phone, and she was able to watch the game on TV, as I was plodding along on GameDay. She said it was the closest hit you can hit before a homerun. Similar to Adam Jones' double yesterday. She said there was a little clip of him discussing maple bats, and he's pro nets it seems.

I finished another pair of socks! I used a new cuff pattern: k1 p1 k3 p1 for 20 rows in Rowan shade 374. I found this cuff pattern in Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush, the Conway sock pattern. Then 100 rows of knitting with Regia Bamboo color 1072. I knit the heel flap, heel turn, and gusset back on the Rowan because I didn't know if I had enough of the Regia Bamboo. Knit and Stitch didn't have more than 2 skeins so it was time to try my hand at knitting with two yarns for a sock. Back to the rest of the foot on the Regia.

May 31st: Orioles (3) - Red Sox (6)

2008-06-01T13:00:22Z

Brian Roberts hit a homer! Manny Ramirez got his 500th homer (you have to give props where props are due, eh?)

AND, my oldest uber-knitter sister sent me sock yarn! Thanks, Theresa! Life is good! Time to break out the circular needles, baby :D