Fair Ribbons, Knee Highs and Weight Loss

I entered my Pavo Socks and my Hemlock Ring Blanket in the Cabarrus County Fair.

Lookie what they won - a second place ribbon and a third place ribbon!
There were so many beautiful knitted and crocheted items there. And there are always lots of wonderful photos entered in the photo judging.



I've started a couple pairs of socks for the September SKA Sockdown - this month it's orange socks or a Cookie A. pattern. I'm doing a pair of generic orange socks for DS#2, and a pair of Cookie A.'s German Stockings:

These are my first knee-highs! I'm doing these with Knit Picks Palette yarn in a cream color - and size 1 harmony circs.

My cast on number was very difficult to nail down. I initially cast on the 122 sts for a 15 inch calf size (which is what my calves measure), but that was way too large (and I'm getting an even tighter gauge than called for as well.) Then I tried 114, the next size down, and that was still too big. Let me tell you, frogging 100+ stitches, twice, is not fun! I then tried the 106, and that one fits like a charm - that's the 13 inch calf size. So if you go to make these, keep that in mind!

I also made a modification and worked two sets of increase rows at 2.5 inches and at 3 inches - to widen the sock after the ribbing to make room for the wide part of my calves, and to account for the pulling in at the cable section.

The motif cable chart section was a bear to get through, but once that's done, it's a breeze! I'm already almost to the start of the heel on the first sock. I'm hopeful that I can finish these by the end of October to qualify for the Sockdown prizes.

DH and I have been changing our eating habits (not a diet, but a lifestyle change), and we have both lost about 10 pounds each over the course of the last month or two. We've both stalled a little and leveled off, but we also haven't added in exercise yet, so I'm hoping that adding in some exercise will speed the weight loss up again. My goal is to lose another 10-15 pounds or so - and get back into a size 8 jeans (that was my pre-DS#2 jean size). Keep your fingers crossed for us!

My FIL is in New York this week, having a biopsy done (on his liver spot) and another CT Scan. Everything looks good - the CT Scan showed that his tumors are getting smaller, so the chemo seems to be working, which is fantastic news. We don't know the biopsy results yet, but hope to in the next few days. Thank you for all your good thoughts and prayers, they are much appreciated. :-)

Well, that's it for now! Talk at ya later!