May 17 2006
Playing by the Rules
Mother’s Day was very special this year. We celebrated the day with a yummy brunch, a visit to see my grandmother, and finally some knitting time before we left to see Kris’s family.
I did not snap a picture, but I purchased a big felted bag kit for mom - lovely purples and greens. It uses both Lamb’s Pride and Noro Kuryeon. I hope she likes it! Dad bought her the beautiful handwoven basket pictured in the photograph. He chose it from one of the artisans at the Sheep and Wool Festival, and it is already storing some of her (growing) stash of lovely yarns. She cast on for another bag pattern, this time using Cascade 220. And you can see that I started a new project too…
This is the Sweet Georgia Handpaint yarn, and it is knitting up so well! Beautiful variegations, and a nice texture. I originally planned to try the “Magic Loop” method with this yarn, but I found that I needed longer needles. I tried with 32″ and found it cumbersome. So, next trip to the LYS (I need to stay away for awhile - I spent a lot at the Festival!) I will buy the 40″ circulars. In the meantime, I went back to tried-and-true DPNs. I opted for the anklet length: perfect for summer! (plus, my friend Heather just made some adorable anklets, so that reminded me that I wanted another pair!)
I am experimenting with some new heel and toe techniques, outlined in Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks book. I tried a German heel, with purl rows on the edge, and a center garter stitch in the middle of the heel. I love the look! I am planning to try a new toe technique as well, although I have not chosen one in particular. Any suggestions?
As I knit mindlessly on these socks, my mind wanders to all of the other projects in my head… I have some lovely green skeins in my stash - not enough to make large projects, but perfect for those “one skein” creations. Perhaps mom’s new love of felting is rubbing off on me, because the minute I saw this Cascade 220 in my stash, I was ready to felt!
Luckily, I came across a wonderful new felted cloche hat pattern, designed by Lani at Isis in Life. This is just perfect for this random skein! and I have some great little scraps and buttons that would make nice accessories for the hat!
The new Project Spectrum MAY colorway is available through Hill Country Yarns - and I am so excited about it! The colors are so vibrant! I got the “Instant Gratification” yarn, which is larger gauge, and uses a US 4-6 needle. I have seen many sportweight sock patterns, so this will be a great chance to try one out. (I used HCY for my Strawberry Swirl Socks, and I loved knitting with it!)
… and here we are in the second half of May - how did that happen? - and I am also thinking ahead to some of my projects for June. I love blue. I have lots of blue in my stash, so it will be another month of knitty creations. I have some socks in mind, a tank, and maybe even a sweater. Seems like I am setting myself up with all of these projects. I am not the only one thinking about JUNE though - Mama E just unveiled her new blue colorway for Project Spectrum: JUNE BUG!
She is taking orders now!
As you know, I love socks, and I am always happy to see other knitting them too! Socks continue to be a very popular knit on many blogs, and Jessica decided to start a summertime knit-along specifically for socks!
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She is planning some fun contests and has some cute summer-themed buttons too! |
Make sure and sign up for the SUMMER OF SOCKS - you’ll be knitting them anyway! 
Remember to save up some sock love for the 2nd Annual Socktoberfest in October though! Socktoberfest is a month-long sock celebration right here at Lollygirl.com!
As you have probably gathered, Project Spectrum has a lot of participants. About 2/5 of the participants are also a part of the Postcard Swap, the monthly color-themed card swap between members. However, from the first month, this swap has been riddled with problems: incorrect email addresses, unanswered emails to/from swap pals, participants dropping out without telling the administrator… and last week, it even escalated into some nasty emails.
Please understand that I am not responsible for your pal not writing back to you. I do my best and return emails and make another match for you in a timely manner, but it is inevitable that some of these emails go unanswered, and for that, I am sorry. However, you must remember that I am also getting emails from other “disgruntled” swappers whose pals have disappeared as well. At one point, I had over 100 emails in my Inbox about the Postcard Swap - and I had very little time to devote to it because I was studying for my course finals, and was bombarded at work. When my computer problems started in the beginning of the month (my site crashed, and I had major problems with my mail server) I was ready to pull the plug on the Postcard Swap altogether - it was just causing too much stress. Thankfully, Kris offered some amazing technical support, and I can say now that the Postcard Swap will continue, but there are MAJOR changes in the administration.
There were problems in May, and I know that some participants did not receive a pal’s name. As this is the 17th of the month, and time is short, I ask that we start with a clean slate, ready for JUNE.
The new system is on a month-by-month basis. This means that you go to the form, and fill it out every month that you want to participate. Please be certain that the information provided is complete, and spelled correctly. If the email you provided bounces back to my inbox, you will not be included in the swap. There are no longer ** next to the names of participants, so please remember that you signed up for the monthly swap.
The other rules are:
- You must be willing to ship internationally. Most postcards ship internationally for less than US $2.00.
- You must sign up for each month you wish to participate. If you cannot send out a postcard this month, please do NOT sign up.
- All postcard swap partners are assigned randomly. Please do not request a different partner once assigned.
- The sign-up period for each month spans from the 16th of the previous month to the 10th of this month. (i.e. Register for June’s postcard from May 16th to June 10th.)
- Postcard swap partners will be assigned and mailed out by the 15th of each month. If you have not received your partner by the 16th, please email Lolly.
Signups are available through THIS FORM, written by Kris, who really saved the Postcard Swap. Go ahead and thank him - he reads the comments
Thank you for your patience - I hope that this system makes it easier for everyone participating.
The pic of you and your mom knitting is precious, and your dad has great taste-the basket was the first thing I noticed!
Sorry to hear about all the trouble with the Postcard Swap. It is such a fun idea and I have really enjoyed it, so a big thanks for putting up with the personal attacks (ugh, what poor taste!) and trying to make things better.
And a big THANK YOU to Kris-what would we do without you!!
Sorry to hear about the attacks.
Hugs!
I’m sorry to hear about the grumpy postcard swapers. How unfair of them to attack you.
You and your mom are so photogenic.
Amy
Good for you on the swap–I’m in awe of your energy and ability to do all that you do…and still run a huge knitalong (with other craft add ons, no less!).
Lolly, You are an inspiration to many of us. Keep up the awesome work!!
And sincere thanks to Kris for the technical help! The swap is a great way for participants to make personal connections, so your “free service” is a gift to us all.
I’m so sorry to hear about the ugly people. Why can’t we all just get along?
Thank Kris for me - I’m looking forward to my June swap!
Kudos to you and Kris for making the postcard swap happen. It sound like quite a task. I have yet to participate in one, but now that it’s month to month, who knows? I love your greens, but blue is my color so I’m looking forward to seeing all the blues come out.
What a cute picture of you knitting with your mom! I love it - thanks for sharing. The colors in your new green sock are beautiful - I’m loving this green month. And that Cascade is lovely too!!
Lolly, I warn you very strenuously against making that tank. I made it in some olive green wool blend and it looked HORRIBLE, no matter what I did to it. I am sorry I can’t be more specific. It was last year and it was a long time ago in knitting time. Hated. It. Ugly.
I love the green color you chose for the Cloche Hat. It will be pretty. I am a bit nervous about the hat. I am the only one who has knitted it. You will be the first to try the pattern. Please let me know how it goes and if there are any mistakes. Hugs and can’t wait to see it!
Love the pic of you and your Mom.
So cute. I’m totally drooling over all the yummy sock yarn! Thanks for posting about the Summer of Socks. I’ve gotten several e-mails about it already! 
your mom is so cute! Im glad she’s hooked on knitting!
summer of socks? im so in! isn’t it the year of the sock anyway?
hope no one was attacking you, or Im going to have to find some people
i love your mother-daughter knitting picture! i’m sorry how the postcard swap has been getting stressful for you - you deserve a metal for all you do for the project. i hope the new system works better for you. i’ve done march and april, and will pass on june…too much to do that month….
Great changes for the postcard swap! My swaps have gone really well so far. And the summer of socks… what a great idea! If I join another KAL though, my head with explode. J/K.
Thanks Kris for saving the swap!
What a great picture of you and your mom! Thanks for sharing it.
I’m so sorry that the Postcard Swap has been so hard to deal with — you are a real trouper and I really appreciate all that you have done. I’m one of the people who didn’t get a pal this month, but I’m certainly not stressed about it! It’s been a great experience so far, and I wouldn’t have “met” two neat bloggers if it weren’t for you — so thank you. And thanks to Kris too!
Lolly, you’ve done so much for the knitblog-o-sphere, with the fantastic Soctoberfest and all the inspiration generated through Project Spectrum-you deserve only super-happy-smiley emails. *feel the bloggy love* and while you’re feeling it, through a little knitblogger love Kris’s way!
A big THANK YOU to the both of you!
I too can’t believe that someone would send nasty emails to a person who has so generously given her time and energy to knitblog-community-building! I didn’t get a pal’s name for May, but it was the 13th or so before I realized that I was missing something. I took that as a sign that I was too busy this month anyway.
Yay to Kris for the new signup form! It rocks! Looking forward to making a blue postcard for June!
What a great picture of you and your mom! You look so happy to be knitting together.
Shame shame shame on people giving you a hard time. I know how hard you have worked on PS and the postcard swap. I can’t believe anyone would be hateful about it. Thanks to you and Kris for all your dedication and hard work. I for one truly appreciate it!
Boo about the nasty emails. Can’t people just have fun??
Thanks to you & Kris for all you’ve done for Project Spectrum. I’ve enjoyed the inspiration each month and look forward to the rest of the colors!!!!
I didn’t know I was supposed to send you a nasty email because I didn’t get a May pal. Can I send you now anyway? ;P
Nah, I just assumed you were too busy and that was that. It didn’t even cross my mind to email you about it because I know you’re doing this for us, it’s a lot of work, and you don’t HAVE to do it. So, thank you and I’m sorry some people are taking it all too seriously.
Love the green anklets, my Jaywalkers will be anklets too. Short socks are my faves.
I’m really jealous of your mom’s basket.
Thank you Kris for helping the PS Postcard Swap stay alive. You guys are a fantastic duo.
Looks like you had fun at M S & W, I was overscheduled and just couldn’t get the energy to go…next year, hopefully. I am also knitting my way through the Nancy Bush book and am loving it. Keep up the fun blog!!
I can’t believe they have do such nasty thing, It just a swap.. why do they get so stress out. So far. This my first postcard swap and I really enjoy it. I think you did a really good job on project spectrum, not to mention all the effort you put in, but just the ideas itself are brilliant !!!
By the way your mother are really young!! Yours look great together. Think you should frame up that picture.
Thank you for your patience and support despite of all ugly mails. I enjoy the postcard swap very much and I´m lucky with the pals I got til now. Please also say thanks to Kris for his support!
It seems a shame that something designed to bring out promote, friendship, creativeness and generosity can lead to ugliness.
At least Kris has captured the spirit of the event - Thank you!
If you need any help let me know.
You have so much enthusiasm for each color of the spectrum. It’s wonderful.
Good changes to the swap, Lolly. Hopefully this will be more fun for everyone. I did send my May postcard yesterday.
thank you kris for keeping the fun going! i know that i really LOVE the posty swap. and i even like sending internationally. i love getting postys from all over the world.
Thanks again! you are the hero for the day…
sorry people are being grumpy!! I am so amazed that you are organized enough for this though!! Yay for Kris!
the anklets look great and thaks for the summer of socks link!….. sorry to hear about the crashing of your site and absolute craziness of your life with school.. hope things calm down for the summer
anklets are the way to go for summer socks…I love the green ones. Pixie has been shuffling around in my anklets and requested a matching pair!
looks like you had a good mothers day!
Go trying new sock techniques! I want to get a good sock book so I can try some different heels and toes, ya know, jsut to mix things up a bit. You’ve got a lot of green crafting to accomplish in 2 weeks, I send you strength!
I’m glad you found a new system for the postcards, that situation was causing you much undue stress. Go Kris super computer guy. Boo mean nasty people!
Bummer about the swap nonsense.
Can I just say that I am currently working with Hill Country Yarns and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I’m using Sweet Feet instead of Instant Gratification. So soft!
I love your little green anklet!
Love the photo of you and your mom sitting and knitting. That photo should be framed! I really like the basket too! You made me smile seeing you using the knitting bag, ahhhhhh hugs!
What a great pic of you and your mom! I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day.
What a bummer about the probs with the PostCard swap! I don’t think people realize how much work goes into organizing something like this.
Looks like you had a really great mom’s day!
Sorry to hear about the admin postcard stuff - seems like stuff that starts out with the best intentions can go awry in the worst way sometimes. Gladly you have someome who did a great job fixing it!
The socks look great - I’ll have to look up that heel. There are so many toe options - I’ve been wanting to try the star toe because it looks so neat!
I’m with you on trying new sock techniques. It’s so much fun to see how it all works.
I’m sorry about the grumpy e-mails you got. I wanted to be part of the May swap but when I didn’t hear back I just assumed that you were busy and I didn’t want to add stress. I am so happy that Kris stepped in to help. I’ll definitely sign up for June! Thanks Kris!
It sounds like you had a great Mother’s Day. I think my mom might be into a little felting action. I need to take her to the yarn store. Sorry to hear about all of the problems w/ the post card swap. It sounds like you and Kris have made some good changes.
“started” another sock? i’d say you’re almost “finished” with said sock! i’m even considering the summertime sock-a-long, because, it does seem i’m always working on socks. thanks for all the information you provided. as i always say, if i want to see what’s new in knittinglandia, i just see what lolly is up to
[ps ... good for you kicking butt with the postcard swap! i have a suspicion that you never sleep ....] oh, and i’m terribly jealous of your garden …. whaaa !
The Sweet Georgia yarn (and your sock!) are adorable! I spy a new knitting bag in that picture of you and your mom! I’m glad to hear you figured out a better system for the postcard swap. I hate to see a good idea turn into an administrative nightmare.
Lolly–you look fabulous!!! Sarah and I are also working at decreasing our…um…winter coat. So glad you introduced us to Mama E. We’re lovin’ the yarns.
Aw, you and your mom are so cute! I love the new green sock…I’ve been hankering for some of Sweet Georgia’s yarn. This might have put me over the edge now to buy some!
Hi Lolly so sorry to hear you’ve had such trouble with the postcard swap I’ve really appreciated all the effort you’ve put into such a massive task (and Kris too) and I’m really enjoying the crafting and the postcard swaps - my green May postcard went in the post yesterday and it’s fanstastic having an international swap! I hope it doesn’t give you too much more of a headache because Project Spectrum Rocks!
Yay for June coming up! I haev a turquoise and silver beaded necklace in my mind, and June will be when I try to actually make it– once I get the right cord to string it, I’ll be ready to go!
Good luck on the rest of your postcard swap– sometimes people forget that projects like this are one more ingredient in your very busy life, and that patience is better than crankiness!
hey lolly! i think you should try out the star-toe method in ‘vintage socks’
its a whole lotta fun and looks great. and its unique (you dont see many socks with that type of toe floating around out there…)
I’m chiming in to say sorry thare are people in the world who just don’t get it and were so ungracious to you. This whole project, postcards included, have brought such fun, joy and a sense of connection with like minded folk. Thank you for sticking to it!!
Sorry to hear about your computer woes and swap admin nightmares! At least you have cute socks on the needles and lovely blue yarns and projects to look forward to, right?!
That’s such a fun picture! And wow look at all of the pretty green yarn. Life’s been complicated so I had to sit out PS a couple months but I’ve been curious about the Postcard swap and now that it’s month to month I am DEFINITELY interested.
And thank you Kris
Aw. How sweet. I wish my mom cared about knitting enough to even touch a skein without a weird look on her face. I wish my mom would KNIT!
Anyways, I saw you at the MD Sheep and Wool festival with your mother - I didn’t realize it was you until later.
I love your blog…
Your socks are beautiful and what great sock yarns. Thanks for the link to the hat it’s really cute and I have some stash yarn that would be perfect for it.
Thanks Kris for helping the Postcard swap continue - I have enjoyed doing it and even coordinated doing a swap with another PS participant this month because I kinda figured things were getting crazy with school, etc and we wouldn’t get an email. I’m glad it will continue now.
And I definitely recommend using the 40″ Addis for your magic loop. I promise you’ll love it once you get used to the loops and how to arrange them on the sides of your work!
What nice comments on your blog! We had such a lovely day on Mother’s Day! I have completed the pouch part of my bad and just need to do the i-cord. I am anxious to see how the yarn colors will felt.
Lol, you look so good in the picture of you and I. You are an inspiration to me for exercise and diet.
XXOO
You and your mom look so cute knitting together!
Hey, Lolly…I just don’t know how you do all you do! I am sorry that folks have given you grief - Yeah for Kris!
I LOVE Mamma E’s yarn and am done with May sock #1. The HYC yarn is, of course, fabulous. How fun to sit and knit with your mom on mother’s day. You always look so peaceful and happy when you two are together. Since one of Yarntopia’s colors is blue, I am already planning ahead. We are doing a Yarntopia Sock Posse with our own colorway from Fleece Artist. Since there is blue in that it may have to count for June. Magic loop is on my sock list too. Have a great weekend!
That Cloche will be absolutely adorable! And in that green it will be so perfect with your blondie hair.
I feel you pain on the postcard swap. I helped out with the last SP swap, which was good and bad. People can be so rude and inconsiderate. I guess that’s just the nature of life but it’s a sad side of people to see.
Hey Lolly! I hope you get this. My hubby and I are coming to DC next week and I was hoping you could point me in the right direction for places to visit. Where do the locals hang out? Where do the crafters hang out - or shop? We’re going to visit all the must-have’s (monument, white house, museums, etc…)…but I also want to see things not mentioned in the guide books!
Thanks in advance for your help.
you and kris really came up with a great solution to what must have become an impossible endeavor - best of luck with school and enjoy your frog pond and take a breather!
You and your mom look adorable!
The ankle socks are coming out so nice (bet they’re done by now *S*) Making it sooooo hard to stick to my plan to finish up one set of baby gifts before moving on to the STR from MD for me….
Have a great weekend!
I am sorry to hear about all of the problems, it sound like you have a great fix for that though! Your green socks are so very bright and beautiful! I love that yarn! Your mom looks so very happy sitting there knitting. I wish that I could do that with my mom, it looks so wonderful.
so glad you had a good mother’s day! I’ve caught the felting bug, too. I have lots of felting stuff to share the next time I post.
I knitted a bag the exact same coloway as the socks you are working on. But my yarn is, I think, bamboo. It’s kind of a “mystery yarn” thing
What a sweet picture of you and your mom!! Felting is so very addictive, almost as bad as socks.
I absolutely love your anklets! Lovely!
Sorry to hear about the disgruntle postcard swappers! Kris is wonderful for helping you out. I can only imagine all the work that you (and now Kris) have put into this project.
Hope your having a great weekend!
OOOHHH! I can’t wait to receive my June bug yarn.
I am liking that color way.
You look great! Congradulations on your new healthy life style.
Lolly dear– First of all, you (& your mom) look so lovely in the top photo (I mean, look at you! All that work has so paid off). Sounded like the perfect Mother’s Day. The green sock is looking scrumptious! I can’t wait to see the finished pair. AND the yarn. I’m so sad…I haven’t knitted anything in 6 weeks (I’ve really lost my zest currently…I hope I find it again). The cloche, which I hope I see the final product here, will be divine…that’s a nifty pattern! BUT…planning ahead, I love it. The blue yarn, turning into all those thoughts soon, I can’t wait to see how (whatever it will be!)it/they will turn out, as that yarn is so pretty! XO- anjo
PS. I am very sorry for the headache of the PS Postcard swap. UGH. Kudos to you. I am so amazed by you all the time, how you take all this on (for FREE, I might add), when you have school and life to attend to also. I personally don’t know how you do it, but thanks to Chris, you will be able to carrying this portion on much more smoothly for the next few months (we’re half way through!). It looks perfect! Hang in there, sweet gurl!
I’m really sorry that people were/are attacking you for postcard swappee bad behavior. My first postcard from my swap buddy is lost somewhere in the international mail. It is a disappointment, but I consider the possibility that it ended up downtown at the Japanese restaurant which has the same address minus one digit (they’re still mad at me for appearing on their doorstep to pick up an package that was mis-addressed, and probably wouldn’t take the time to forward a postcard). Am still waiting for the second postcard, but is it likely that two will go missing? Ya gotta have faith, folks.
Kris thanks for saving the postcard swap!