Socks for Soldiers

I just joined Socks for Soldiers. This is a nonprofit group that knits socks for our military men and women serving in the Middle East and then distributes them. See this link for more information: Socks for Soldiers, Inc.

When you sign up for this group, you make a commitment to knit daily on the socks and to make 2 pair of socks plus 5 caps in a twelve month period. There are very specific requirements for the yarn that can be used to knit the socks and you are required to follow the “regulation socks” pattern. Since I like to knit socks, this seemed like a small way to give back to our service men and women who willing serve in our military and place themselves in harm’s way regularly. I just received my first shipment of sock yarn in the regulation color, so I am off to swatch on small needles to make certain I can knit my first pair of socks to the correct gauge. I need to be able to knit 8 stitches per inch and also 9 stitches per inch with the same yarn. Starting with size 2 (3.00 mm) and working my way down to size 0 (2.00 mm).

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SFS Care Package on Its WaySFS Care Package on Its Way

My first pair of regulation Olive Drab (OD) socks have been washed and a darning kit has been carefully made and pinned to the toes. The SFS sock band has been completed along with a written note for the recipient of the socks. All this went into a gallon size plastic bag. I also finished my first SFS beanie — It went with the socks into the bag.
SFS_Beanie1

Along with the socks, I have sent a mixed assortment of “goodies” for the soldier. I gathered snacks and a number of items like sunscreen, Q-tips, Wet Ones wipes, & Chapstick to include with my socks. It made for a nice little care package.
SFS_CarePkg1

Package has been mailed off to Sarge — who will now send it along with numerous other such packages to a group of soldiers serving somewhere overseas.

WIPs – Goals For OctoberWIPs – Goals For October

I still have far too many works in progress! I have made some headway on them, but I keep wanting to start more and find myself having to exercise some mental discipline. For now, I will not start any more projects until I finish the following:

Aida Scarf
Lace Scarf for DIL (nearly 50% completed)

SFS_12inches
Regulation Socks – SFS (ready to start the heel)

I am also prioritizing the projects that I have planned and for which I have purchased yarn. I hope this will keep me from my insane tendency to have too many projects on needles. In order of priority, the planned projects are: 1) Textured Scarf for DD; 2) Striped Scarf for JC; 3) Baby Sweater and Romper for new grandchild; 4) Regulation hat for SFS. The first two are Christmas presents, so I hope to start them sometime this month.

I have also decided that there are some WIPs that can just sit patiently on their needles and wait for a time when I am ready to pick them up and finish them. These are projects without any identified recipients or times for completion: So the Cable Rib Socks (for me), the two shawls and a “Moderne Baby Blanket” currently on needles are on hold for now.

Now, I just have to avoid the temptation of yarn shops and yarn sections in craft stores…

Nearly Identical Twins…Nearly Identical Twins…

Last month, the Yarn Harlot posted an article on a pair of identical twin socks that she had made. As those of us who knit with self-striping/self-patterning yarns know, getting a pair of socks that are totally identical is nearly impossible — but this pair turned out to be completely identical. (I was impressed…)

This morning I was putting away my pair of striped socks that I had knit with Paton’s Kroy self-striping sock yarn — and noticed that while I had not gotten a completely identical pair of socks — they were nearly identical — being off only a few rows of striping. So I took a couple of pictures:
StripedSocks_Twins1StripedSocks_Twins2

How’s that for a pair of twins?