Sandal...Flip Flop Socks

A pair of sandal socks!

Sandal sock with my sandal!

Why didn't I think of these?  When you see a great idea like these, don't you wish you'd been smart and inventive enough?  Sandal socks weren't just invented though; the Japanese having been wearing them for many, many years.  I first spotted a pair on Pinterest.com 

I crocheted my pair using my own pattern and stitches and using my own feet for the fit.  They are comfortable and stylish! There are many free patterns for "flip flop" and "sandal socks" on the web.  Measure your mid-foot around.  Begin with a front post for the band and single and double crochet until you have your own pair of sandal socks! 

Knitting Needle Sampler for my Birthday

For my birthday, my daughter Candace, gave me a birthday card with an order confirmation from Knit Picks.  She ordered the sampler of the interchangeable knitting needle tips from Knit Picks.  I received one set nickel-plated, one set Harmony Wood and one set Zephyr Acrylic.  And two 24-inch interchangeable knitting needle cables with caps.  What a great gift! 

 

My First Pencil Roving

On the way home from our trip to the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival in May, I was lucky enough to be able to stop and visit Blue Mountain Spindle & Needleworks shop in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  While there, I purchased 100% Fine Merino in fabulous colors: spice, green and lilac. 

 On my homemade hackle (see post "Hackle DYI Discovery" on this blog or click link to see instructions for making your own hackle  http://yarnzombie.net/Travis/?page_id=87)
 

I placed each color across and then another across until the hackle was almost full.  Then with the fender washer a.k.a. "a diz",

I pulled the fine merino colors together to make a pencil roving, my first pencil roving.  It was not easy but eventually got the hang of what I was doing and made three very nice balls of roving.  

As the evening grew on though, I made a huge mess.  I got tangled up somehow and the merino would not slide out of the hackle as it previously was.  I'm ready to try again.  I hope to make enough pencil roving to spin a single ply with it to knit or crochet something pretty and unique. 

Berroco - Enter to Win

 http://www.berroco.com

 

Berroco yarns are wonderfully soft and of very good quality for your knit and crochet projects.  Click the Berroco link for your chance to win a Free Sweater Kit.  You'll take a survey with only 7 questions and then enter your contact information. It's that easy! 

I hope you win! If you do, please comment on this post to let everyone know.  

And don't miss the Friday Free Pattern for the sweater shown in the picture for the contest!