Kitchenering outdoors!

Trying a new needle, I like the feel of it but I am so used to a larger head and eye!

I don't need my glasses to kitchener, so they hang around my neck!  Neat pic though   :-)

All my necessities right at hand , my case that holds my needle tin and scissors, and socks ready to have the toes grafted!

I don't think I sat outdoors too long today, but I did manage to get a bit of a sunburn.  MrB did some cranking outdoors today also.  I never even thought to get his picture or set-up in action this time round.

MsB from Socks Made On 88

SOCKS ON THE LINE!

Yesterday these were our own personal socks out on the line, flapping in the Atlantic breeze!

 I think our line must have been the most colourful in our neighbourhood. 


MsB from Socks Made On 88

May 3, 2013

Well the month of May has arrived! Whew, where did the month of April go?
It is a month ago today that we left for a vacation south.  We have had some sunny weather here, bbq'ing, clothesline washed, and some yard work done.  It will soon be time to hang out socks on the line instead of letting them dry by the fire.  Our wood stove fires are slowly diminishing and will be back in the swing of things come FALL again.  We will be off to the market next Saturday, not this Saturday. To be honest we have not spent a great deal of time within Socks Made On 88 this past week, but I did get 4 pairs of socks kitchenered, washed, dried and tagged, so at least I have accomplished something!  This is our slower time of year.  Our minds wander to the outdoors, and the sunshine takes our bodies there too. 

We are starting to relish the anticipations of driving to Maine next month to the Good Karma Crank-in.  This will be, year #2.  It will be awesome to see all the crankers we met last year at sock-school and renew and strengthen those friendships, we made. We always look forward to making new ones too this year, and learning new things also. I think it may be a good time to go shopping again afterwards, but this time just head into Bangor and see what we can find.  I think some baby looking maybe on the agenda for future baby-to-be junior, Granna miles well check out possibilities for Christmas while I am there.

I hope MrB, sees someone cranking little socks on a small cylinder while at Good Karma, and gets that itch!  I think it would be a great way to use up some  more of our left-overs and junior 's parents would appreciate the little tike socks that can be created.  His little feet will surely always be toasty warm once he comes into this world early September 2013.  That seems so far away, being 4 more months and all, but gives us all time to prepare for his arrival.  He already has booties, and a hat waiting for him.

As I am writing this blog post, something reminded me that I need to type out some more intended appearance dates on small slips of paper for the next market.  We do not frequent every week, so it has proven to be very convenient to show potential and returning customers the dates we do intend to be there each month.  I must go do that right now so I do not forget.  When I open my small storage box that I keep in the drawer in the Cranking Cave, I am sure that other little to-dos will also jolt my mind.

MsB from Socks Made On 88  

soon April blogging done and onto May

I don't know about you but this month of April just seemed to zip by way too fast!  Look it's the 28th and only a couple more days left.  We started the month off by taking a week off and going to Cuba, coming back and taking another week to get back into routine, and last week was a week of appointments almost every single day.  Last week I also found out that my grand baby to be is going to be a grandson!  How special is that news!  Whew, this week will be slower, this I know! 

Yesterday was market day for us!  It was a good day, good stint.  It started off slow but then became rather steady with sales.  In two weeks, when we reappear again, there will also be an event at the market called Open City.  We are participating.  We donated a product of ours to the basket, and we are also offering up a sale on some older stock giving $5.00 off our older stock of sock pairs of yarn we do not order any more.  I think we have about 10 pairs to sell and they will be our featured baskets that particular day which will be Sat. May 11th.  The day before Mother's Day, and I suspect that we will be busy that day!

Two appearances for market in May.  May 11th and May 25th.  And also hope to be present on June 8th.  After that we will see how our dates are for June as there may have to be a change if MrB's hand surgery ends up coming earlier than we anticipate.  We are sure hoping it's after our Good Karma event, as that would make for good travel and a fun few days away.

MrB will be busy cranking sometime this week although it is suppose to be sunny and that means he will be torn to do yard work and garden work also.  He does have some quotas to fill before next market day.   Our goals and blackboard method is working very well.  Kudos to us both for keeping up the tallies after cranking, after kitchenering, after washing, after drying, after tagging and onto being ready to add our the storage containers for market going.

I made signs yesterday for our sale offering!  I know I may have said that we would not offer a sale.  Well, it's a one time thing for now and it is also primarily to participate and promote the Historic Farmers' Market that day!  We will see how it ends up going.  And as I mentioned it is to help rid some of our older stock of sock pairs that normally may not leave the rack as the colours are not as appealing as what we produce now.

Time to wrap this blog post up and be back again sometime real soon,
MsB from Socks Made On 88 

Socks, Rain or Shine!

Its a very dreary, grey, windy, rainy day here today!  The good thing is though if you go out and get your nice wool socks wet, you can take them off, wring them out, and they will dry fast, and your feet will stay relatively dry and comfortable!  Step-son spent some time in Costa Rica, and this is what he did while there.  It does not have to be winter to wear wool socks is my message for today!  Our socks work really well too, in rubber boots!  It is rubber boot season now for us in Nova Scotia.  I am still wishing I had a pair of those see-through rubber boots so I could advertise my socks!  Oh oh now that has given me a great idea, I may have to go searching for a pair again.  If I had a pair I could wear them at the market too!  Oh wouldn't that be special!

We will be at the market again next Saturday, April 27/13 7am -1pm.
Hope it is a sunny bright day then, and the people will venture out to the market. Our last appearance was a very dull snowy, icy day so that did nothing for our potential and actual sales.  Speaking of market coming up I should go check our goals, and take tally of the socks we have available to date.  MrB is right on top of our goals so he hasn't needed to do a lot of knitting/cranking this week so far.  He will catch up and do some cranking this coming week though.  I think he needs a break so he can focus on learning some new techniques to get his creative juices flowing before summer comes along.
What we all need soon is Mr. Sunshine to make regular appearances.  Here in Nova Scotia, spring is our rainy time, and spring is late, and here is the rain, which means not much SUN!  The sun makes people happier!  I want lots of happy customers visiting our sock display at the market next week.  Do you think that is too much to ask for?  Well if it is raining, raining, raining, then I just have to keep the sunshine in my smile instead.  Looking on the bright side.
Looking on the dry side too!  Where you are, is it raining?  A rainy day is good though once in awhile then you can do what I am doing, not much at all, and it stimulated me to post a rain or shine sock post!

MsB from Socks Made On 88   

still on Cuba slow-mode time!

It usually does not take me this long to bounce back from a vacation.  I still seem to be on slow-mode Cuba time for some reason.  Even went to the market yesterday and things seemed slow there too.  I think it may be the weather.  If the sun appears soon then I think I will bet more zip to my step!
We had lots of socks on hand for the market, but did not sell many at all.  It will be a good test to see if it was the inclement weather  or just a sign that wool socks selling is not as popular this time of year.  We took a break come May last year, but we were hoping to go longer this year.  We will have to track our appearances and see if we need to end our two week intentions sooner or not.  Mark one off the list, and try again in two weeks time and see the results.  Here is a photo to symbolize our return from vacation.  The item in the laundry basket is a Cuban mask.  We buy one for each

time we go and now will have 4 of them on our Entrance Room wall. 

HAPPY EASTER to ALL!

Happy Easter to all my blog followers and onlookers, and also to any Historic Farmers' Market goers!  We will be at the market again Saturday, April 13/13.