Here are some great hiking sox

I should really call these "Two-fers" as they were done two-socks-two-circs in a 2x2 rib for all but the sole and the heel and used the better part of two skeins of yarn. The heel is a short-row heel which is so very elegant and I love knitting toe-up as you can make the legs as long (or short) as your yarns allows -- I could have made these much longer, but a 7-inch leg is my comfort-one.

These will be perfect for hiking the mountains around here -- especially as they're done in Lion Brand's Lion Wool which even in the summer is a good choice for hearty socks!

I'm back ...

... and BOY did I get some knitting done!

We were on a family road-trip to the east coast -- visits to family and friends in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and pits stops at all the states from Colorado there and back again! DH did all the driving and since the littles were pretty well occupied, I actually got tons of knitting done!

First, I was able to complete the knitted armor set -- a custom-fitted scabbard with a cord belt. Here's Bam-Bam showing it in action:

Next, I knitted a cozy warm stocking cap for String Bean; when you're driving in an airconditioned van, this doesn't seem so crazy!
Then, since I was on a hat kick, I made an ear-flapped hat for DH's walk thru the potential snow and wind of Front-Range winters. This hat really brings out his beautiful blue eyes!
After last winter, I realized we can NEVER have too many mittens. These are super warm and will work for either dh or me ... That was the knitting during the road-trip east and some of the visiting times too.

Once we headed back west again, I decided I could handle a larger project. Here's a 3-buttoned wool cloak for String Bean -- she's a tall 7yo, so this cape hits her about knee-length. The mindless knitting was getting to me somewhere in Kansas, so I decided to add an eyelet pattern at the bottom hem to get me the last few inches. I literally broke the yarn as we pulled off the interestate! Talk about perfect timing....