I'm on a mission *giggle*

a SOCK Mission LOL...... well, I finished ONE of Mr. Mann's socks in his "lunar" colorway.

Now before ANY of you feel the need to clarify that my children have mini tree stumps for feet and legs, well.............*sheepish grin* save it, they get it from Daddy's side ;0

This is the yarn he picked out from Twister. It is a thicker yarn that I dunno if I would have picked it out myself. It's along the lines of a heavy DK weight. It moves quick though, I started these last night around 10 or so and finished this early evening. Size 3 needles and 2x2 ribs . It's my standard sock recipe LOL but he's a boy so he doesn't like all that fancy stuff LOL.

I do have to say though that I like the way the colors messed here. It just blends into one another. I can see the color graduations because of the change of different hues. This yarnseemed to have formed some sort of uniformed pattern even though it isn't a self stripping sock.

The heel is a standard traditional square heel, and I decrease quickly after the heel since Mr. Mann is flat footed (has no arch) he tends to get bothered by the excess fabric rubbing under his foot. I do think I need to decrease more severely because depending on the yarn, it can still leave some bulk. Now the sock yarn I use from www.crashintoewe.etsy.com and www.whitewillow.etsy.com both have a finer gauge yarn that doesn't develop alot of bulk so my decreasing is slight with those two. It has turned out to be a trial and error thing with me. It helps that I am VERY picky and prefer to have my socks knit to perfection *giggle* hmmmm, maybe I have a long way to go to perfection LOL. Actually, I happen to really like the way I have developed my own system and it apparently works for others too.

Ok, Gracie asked how I weave in my ends and I was just getting ready to weave in my sock ends when I thought hmmm, I'll snap a photo of it so maybe ya'll can see. Ok, Where you see the needle is where I stopped my weaving and I "fringed" the ends so that the yarn doesn't slip out.

If you look REALLY close (and I take pride in this LOL)you can see how I have carefully gone in and out of the purl loops and only picking up half of the loop. Basically, I am splitting the purl bumps with my needle so I can slip in each one. I start going up then move over one row and go down and then move over one row and go up again and then snip and fray. This seems to be the best way. Now also when you start to go to another purl row, make sure you kind of tug on the sock to stretch the fabric so it doesn't get all goofy and pull your ends out. I am really glad ya'll are taking an interest in my knitting and asking me questions. I love that and it is really cool to know others like my knitting too. Keep in mind though ya'll, there are knitters out there with FAR more knowledge, my "knowledge" comes from just basically, I like things the way I like them LOL. I tend to piddle with things until it becomes something that is comfortable with ME or my lovable ones;)

Now, before I start on this next topic, I want to first start off by saying that my blog is NOT a blog to come to for bashing others. Even if I personally am NOT a fan of something, you will see that I may SAY I am not a big fan....but you WON'T see anything else. I am not into the hash slinging and to be very honest with all of you, if any of the comments or emails (which I actually think that all of the people who come and read my blog are the most kindest and sweetest I have met) but anyways, if any of the comments ext are nasty or rude, I will delete them immediately. You can TACTFULLY say your not satisfied or you are not a big fan of something or someone without being hurtful. Ya'll know that ;) Ok now......here we go....

For the last several weeks, I have been privy to some pretty sad blogging. By that I mean, MEAN, NASTY and CUT-THROAT blogging. I was shocked and to be honest, I was not only hurt for the people that these topics were about BUT I was truly embarrassed for the people writing the blogs. I mean, as my mother taught me, A TRUE lady NEVER shows her teeth and trust me ya'll, I have seen ALOT of teeth. I am shocked. One of the main topics I am referring to is MYSTICAL CREATIONS. I have chatted back and forth with Danielle for awhile now and she has really gone out of her way to help me with each and every one of my silly little endeavors. Those of you who really KNOW me, know that when I have my mind set on something, I just move heaven and earth to find it, get it and knit it LOL. Poor Danielle has been subject to that MANY times LOL. I feel I know her well enough to know that what is being done to her is cruel and so much unlady like, I mean, geesh, short of mud wrestling, I dunno what else would be left.
She is being called TERRIBLE names, and believe me, I have read these names, she is being downed for her creativity, her knowledge and her all around character. Why you ask, well, the whole scenario stems from someone who received some of her yarn and there was what they felt was an error. Danielle was contacted AFTER the blog slinging had already started and she was TOTALLY unaware of the fact of this until the hash started. Trust me, she would have chopped off her own hair, dyed and spun it to make amends and make someone happy. She LOVES what she does and she is damn good at it. I will not comment further to give negative press to what ACTUALLY was,should have been, or done, to start the feud. I don't think fuel should be added to the fire. What I am asking is that all the hate mail, the negative comments from people who never even BOUGHT her yarn and just the cut throat behavior STOP.
The fiber,yarn and dying community is a LARGE one and there is enough room for ALL of you. All of you will have your own customer base, and so what if you share a customer. Maybe you have one thing they want and another dyer or spinner has another. Don't people shop for groceries at different stores? I mean when I need paper products,I go to the dollar store because the paper products I use are of the inexpensive kind, when I want fish, I go to the fish monger and at no time have I ever seen them dukin' it out on the street over me LOL....although it would be funny LOL.
I am just really upset at how nasty people have become. I have seen on blogs where one dyers is ripped to shreds, a yarn company is ripped on another one, a designer on yet another one and then an author on yet others. Now I will admit, I have my personal favorites in ALL aspects, that's my prerogative, BUT I don't go to someone else's side of the street and say what crappy yarn they have because they are an inferior spinner or things to those extent. I know that deep down, everyone is just trying to grab their corner of the world, but ya'll the world is ROUND, there are NO corners, just spaces for everyone to stand............can't we just stand side by side? Why does everything have to be so hateful, so competitive? Please DO NOT email me and tell me that life is like that and competitiveness is the name of the game, yes, I KNOW that, but grabbin' knives and daggers to toss at the neighbor is NOT!
I know one of the things I admire most of this wonderfully diverse craft is just how truly creative everyone is. I mean, honestly, it is mindblowing to me. I am so impressed but so sad it has been seeping with hatred and nastiness. There is just no reason for it. It's really sad. I think what people don't really realize also, is this...................
behind each of those website, blogs, Etsy stores, Ebay stores, and mom and pop shops, there are people. People like Danielle, like me, like you. All of us are here and all of us love what we do and what we're involved in, but we all feel that knife when it goes into our backs. It hurts. It hurts to have someone claim to be your friend and then take advantage of your generosity and your kindness and then stab you in the back knowingly when you turn around. It hurts when people spread rumours about your craft and your talent and then that effects your bread and butter,and it hurts to know that people are just wanting to say things and do things to hurt you and your business or your love. I will be the first to admit I have been taken advantage of, many times, I know it.....but sometimes, its just easier for me to be on the look-out and to shut myself off to the people that do that to me, but you know what, my other friends, the ones that love my dorkiness and love the fact that I crack up laughing and snort, they miss out on having the real me because of my fear of being hurt again...........this is a circle in life......I am not the only one who feels that way, I am just the only one admitting it right now.
I know that the people who have hopped on the bandwagon of what I have started to call "power bashing", I KNOW you are all good people who wouldn't want that happening to you or anyone you cared about, c'mon people, knitters and crafters have this code of ethics, a code that they step up and help, not hurt. People like Danielle at Mystical Creations, she is just like you and I, she loves what she does. She LOVES hearing how happy her customers are and what beauty they are creating. Email her and chat with her, you will see what I do. Her clientele isn't being hurt by all of this, SHE is. She is more hurt that people are unhappy than anything else. She only wants to just have her space in the world too, she doesn't want to fight for it, she knows there's no reason to. I am asking all of you to not only stop with the nastiness from Mystical but others that I have read too. I have seen this regarding bloggers, podcasters, ect., seriously, we CANNOT let men say they are right about us........oh geesh, can you IMAGINE how huge their ego's would be *giggle*.
I hope that this has set with you. I hope that this touches a spot in your heart. I don't mean to try and start this all out argument over who is right who is wrong or who is better. I just want to see everyone happy and everyone share in others creativity. If you are not a fan of someones blog, then don't read it, I won't. If you don't prefer a dyer, don't shop there. I know sometimes it's easier said then done but please........try.
For those of you who have been upset by your merchandise with Mystical, email her, Danielle is MORE than happy to fix things if you have an issue, but she has to KNOW about them first. Mystical Creations Yarns have closed the Etsy Shoppe, not because of this but because the overflow from Etsy, Ebay and her shop was more than she could comfortably handle. You can still order her stunning yarns at either Ebay or her online shoppe at www.mysticalcreationsyarn.com
Check it out....you'll be happy you did.
Now, For the Contest. The winners have been picked. I will be emailing you all and posting the winners tomorrow. Thanks for helping me destash *giggle*.....The answer was........ SUMMER ESSENTIALS SWEATER.................the actual one is Ella. I bought the kit and it arrived and now I am off to knit LOL.

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH..............PLEASE................BE AWARE!!