Saturday, January 19, 2013

First party! Will my blog match my socks?



When it comes to trying something new, two things tend to move me from pondering action to taking action:

a deadline, and a project that doesn't seem overwhelming.

Good gracious.  That makes me sound like both a procrastinator and a slouch, doesn't it?  Rats.  Oh well.  Now you know the worst.  Onward!

For example: Although I could knit, I never imagined becoming a sock-knitter.  I liked the idea of knitting socks, in a romantic, tribute-to-Louisa-May sort of way, but really...those teensy stitches?  Those many skinny needles, waving around like a demented sea urchin? Those heels??



Then, I had a very specific reason to try to knit exactly one pair of socks, right away.  Small socks, for a little pair of feet.  An experiment.  Not overwhelming.

And it was such crazy fun!  I knitted five more pair, then moved on to real socks, for big feet.  And I began to wonder why it had taken me so long to get started in the first place.





~~~
During several years of reading and commenting on blogs, I've often thought of starting a blog.  But...why?  For whom?  In the immortal words of the Mock Turtle, "With what porpoise?"

Still, I thought about it...



~Interlude~

This is my dog, Piper.  
Piper is a terrible procrastinator.
Mostly, Piper is a procrastinator about coming when she is called.


"I am NOT procrastinating!  I can't hear you calling!
I am BEHIND this TREE!!!"


So, aaaanyway.

It was the timing of two unrelated bloggy events that made me leap joyously off my Slouchy Fence of Procrastination and Overwhelmedness.

First, the lovely Vicki of Two Bags Full announced - fortunately for me, several months in advance! - that she would be hosting a non-commercial "Grow Your Blog Party."  It sounded like a lot of fun, especially for newbie bloggers.

And second, just a couple of weeks ago, after I'd been mulling for months about starting a blog so I could join Vicki's party, something happened.  Two of my favorite knitting bloggers, Ann and Kay of Mason Dixon Knitting, instituted a 15-Minute Lightening Round for their own blog posts.  Hilarity ensued, and I saw that it might be possible to blog in tiny little bits of time and have fun with it!

So...my first post was published a whopping four days ago, here (bear with me, please, this is my first blog post with linking and I'm kind of excited about it).  In that post I jotted down what I think this blog might become.  The jotted part may or may not be interesting, but I'll tell you what:
the goats are worth the click.
~~~

Because of other folks' blogs, I have developed valued friendships with people I may never meet in person, but who choose to share something with their readers that happens to be an important, or an unusual, or a just-plain-fun part of my life, too.  It's nice.  It's really nice.  And having my own blog to share already seems to make it much more of a 2-way street.  And who knows, maybe I will make more friends, and learn more things, and have lots and lots more fun!

And I'm beginning to wonder why it took me so long to get started.


"It's because you PROCRASTINATE.  Try to work on that, willyouplease?"

~~~~~


57 comments:

  1. piper is precious! love your photos and those SOCKS!!!!!
    I have a giveaway too...hope you stop by!

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    1. Piper would agree with you ;) and I will visit! What a wild day this is going to be!

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  2. Hee hee - this post really strikes a chord with me, as I'm a terrible procrastinator.

    I felt just the same before I eventually jumped into the sock knitting thing _ I'd yearned and yearned to try but kept putting it off - and now 50+ pairs later I cannot imagine what took me so long! I love the yarn you've used for your stripy socks - what is it?

    I love that photo of Piper's snowy face. What a beautiful girl :o)

    xx

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  3. You knit such lovely socks, and much faster than me - I'm all fits and starts. The stripey socks are Zwerger Garn Opal Zirkus, and believe me when I tell you: it did not look anywhere near that vibrant in the skein! Wow.

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  4. Replies
    1. Why thank you very much, Wilma! Do you have a blog I should be visiting?

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  5. I am in love with the socks in the first image - WANT!

    Piper looks a lot like my German wirehaired pointer, at least the face hair ...

    A co-worker is a sock knitter and very active on Ravelry.

    Visiting from Grow Your Blog hop.

    Give me a visit some time ~
    thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for the vote of sock-confidence; I planned to give those socks to my Physical Therapist as a thank you for being so amazingly wonderful, but I am hesitating because they are so very, very, VERY bright I am not sure she will wear them!

      Your blogname is fantastic :) Thriftshops are my main source of, well, most things!

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  6. I am glad you are here in Bloglandia! I love your easy writing style. Your socks look really good to me...and no, you won't ever find me knitting socks! lol! I can barely crochet!
    You are doing really super well for only just beginning blogging! It really took me some time to figure stuff out. I hope you receive many visitors to your party : )
    Welcome to blogging!
    Hugs,
    Terri
    artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for your kind welcome, Terri! I love your blog name :)
      Don't know how well I've been figuring things out...it's all been "by guess and by golly" so far! And I tried and tried to put Vicki's GYB Party badge on my blog, but just couldn't do it. Oh well, it's all fun!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thank you - I hope you will! Did you see the giveaway? It's in the post before this one!

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  8. I wondered why one would ever knit socks when they would only wear out! I wondered why one would pay for sock yarn when socks are ridiculously cheap and easily replaced. Then I knitted a pair in DK weight. And I was hooked! I've even tutored sock knitting, both cuff down and toe up, for the Knitters' Guild of NSW. Crazy? Probably -- but I still love it and always have a least one pair on the needles!

    Good luck with growing your very new blog.

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    1. "Then I knitted a pair"...famous last words! It's lovely that you teach. Off to visit your blog now!

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  9. Nice to meet you, and your seem to be doing a great job with your blog! I will most likely be back to watch the knitting of the socks, and whatever else!

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  10. When I first started, I used the same background. I can so relate to beginning this new adventure in blogging ... it's so gratifying! And you're from New England! Born and raised in CT but that was only the beginning! So another connection! Love the way you write and your interests and want to support you in this venture. Sooooo... drumroll, please.... I am your newest follower! Met you through the blogging party and would love to have you drop on by mine whenever you get the chance. This is so fun!!! See you soon!

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  11. Oh! Forgot to add that your four-legged child is so very precious! Such expression in those eyes!

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    1. She really knows how to "work" those eyes on any visitor! :) Visiting your blog now...

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  12. Love your socks! You have a lovely blog. I'm a new follower and participant of 'Grow your Blog'. Have fun at the party!
    Evalina, This and that...

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  13. Wild socks indeed. And a cool party. I like your dog, dressed for the snow. Lovely. I came here from Vicki's party, still going strong. Do stop by my blog too and enter the giveaway. See you there.

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    1. Yes, this is what happens when we allow our dogs to dress themselves ;)

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  14. Ha-Ha! You had me laughing out loud. Piper is a hoot! Yep, procrastination is my middle name. I'm trying to jump in with both feet now ... or is it head first? Anywho ... nice to meet you! I tried knitting but was all thumbs, so I crochet, cross-stitch and sometimes to paper crafting. Welcome to blog land! Have a great day. Warm wishes, Tammy

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  15. P.S. It looks to me like you are a natural at sock making. :)

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    1. Thank you for your lovely comment, Tammy! I will head off to find your blog in just a minute, but I wanted to be sure you know about the giveaway here. Well, not exactly right here, because I put in it a separate post. Before this one, actually. Because I am...new? :)

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  16. Hi Quinn. Piper seems like a real spitfire. My fur baby is a little "stubborn" also. I'm so impressed with your socks! I've been knitting for years but socks just seem so far out of my league. Those little pointy needles, and turning a heel..... Crazy! I'm now following. Maybe I'll learn from your socks :)

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    1. I really recommend knitting a pair of toddler socks on big needles. Well, US4 or maybe 3, and NOT sock yarn - more like DK or even a thinnish worsted. You can rip back an entire leg and laugh about it, because it will only take a half hour to knit it again! If I hadn't started that way, I would not be a sock knitter. (Gasp!)

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  17. Have fun with blogging, once you've started you can't stop. I too love Mason-Dixon and the hilarity of Kay and Ann with their blogging. The lightning rounds have me mesmerized. I love it!
    Great that I got to meet you via the GYBP event. So glad I stopped by to meet a fellow knitter.
    Hugs,
    Karen

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    1. Thanks so much, Karen! I'm off to visit your blog now :) By the way, did you see my little giveaway? It's in the post before this one :)

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  18. Great blog Quinn! Love your socks!!

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  19. The socks rock. I enjoyed reading through your blog start! I procrastinate too. My blog has gone through periods of gathering dust but I'm still plodding away.

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  20. Replies
    1. Obrigada! Are you in the Açores?? I dream of visiting the islands one day :)

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  21. Well you've inspired me. I bought one of those sock looms to make socks..not so much fun. I'm contemplating trying to actually knit some (I'm more of a crochet person, having never knitted more than a few inches in my life) but have been terrified of the switching one needle to another thingy. But I'm loving those socks you are wearing! I'll be back for more inspiraton ~ Laura

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    1. If you'd like to try crocheting socks as well as knitting them, you might want to join ravelry if you aren't already there. It's a fantastic (and free) community for knit/crochet and a few other fibery skills. I just did a search for free crochet sock patterns and there are 141! Here's the page - not sure if you can get there directly from here, but worth a try :)
      http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=crochet&view=captioned_thumbs&query=socks&availability=free&sort=best&pc=socks

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  22. I so get Piper...life has way too many distractions to come home at a specific time. LOL So glad I found your blog via Grow Your Own Blog Party.

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  23. Really gorgeous socks Quinn! I LOVE them!! xx

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  24. I don't know if it's appropriate to say I almost peed my pants laughing while reading this post... well, it is true and I had to say so. I for one am terrible glad you finally decided to jump into the deep end of the pool and paddle around with the rest of us in arty blogland. It will be so much the richer with a gifted knitter and writer such as yourself! :D I am your newest follower and will most certainly be back often to see what you're up to...
    For now...
    Hugs,
    Beth P

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  25. Oh, just one more wee thing, I also live in New England!
    Hugs again,
    Beth P

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    1. Hi Beth, and thank you for your very kind comments! I'm off to find your blog now :)

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  26. Love the dog in the snow, it looks exactly like one of my dogs this afternoon!

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    1. I have often thought one of your dogs looks very much like Piper. Is it Roobarb?

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  27. Quinn-Thank you for visiting my blog earlier. I came over for a visit and your blog just drew me in. I'll be following you now. Oh wait, can I have Piper?

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    1. Ha! Some days, you sure can! Leave your number ;)

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  28. So glad I got into the "Grow Your Blog" party. Otherwise I may not have ever found your blog. I love what you're doing here, and I'm now your newest follower.

    I too have always wanted to knit socks. There are many people, such as yourself who have braved the multiple needles and small needles at that along with the thin sock yarn. When I saw your blog, I thought that I just had to get to know you better.

    I was born and raised in Dover, NH, and I saw that you're from New England. What state are you in?

    I'll be back to visit soon. Oh! Do you have a pattern that's quite easy for my first pair of socks? I would love a copy of it.

    LindaLee from
    CrossN' My Stitches

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    1. Hello, Miss LindaLee! I just left a long comment on your blog :)

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  29. Hi there - came here via Kath's blog and the comment you left about sprouting lentils for your hens...can you give me some information as our hens dislike the snow so so much and any lovely recipes will be much appreciated.
    Denise, North Yorkshire, UK.

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    1. Welcome, Denise! Yes, indeed, I will write a little post about sprouting for the hens. Stay tuned! :)

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  30. Waving to you from the procrastinator couch!! I want to learn to knit socks. But I got to get off this couch!

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    1. But you can do a lot of excellent sock-knitting from a couch! :)

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  31. What an awesome post and your socks , well just lets say I love them, Heck open up and Etsy Shop as I'm sure they would sell.
    Have a great week and make lots of socks!
    Hugs Marilou

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    1. Welcome, Marilou, and thank you for the nice compliment! It's certainly going to be "knitting weather" here...maybe I should shift into afghans!

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  32. those are some of the most fabulous socks I have EVER seen, Quinn! I'm so happy to, finally, be here and am going to click on the follow button as soon as I click on the publish button.

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