Looking for a hobby

Don't get me wrong--I LOVE quilting. Really, it's great. But it's no longer a hobby, it's more of a job. So lately I've been on a quest to find some new things to do--things that are just for fun. Where someone else has written the instructions.

Crocheting is fun; I'm enjoying learning that, and it's been great checking out yarn shops. I had no idea there were so many cool yarns! It seems that most shops, at least around here, tend to focus on knitting. So that seemed like a good thing to try as well. I picked up a kit to make a garter stitch scarf--it had little balls of lots of different fancy yarns. While it was easy to knit, I was having tension issues; I think due to the difference in weight of the various yarns and that caused other tension issues. It's at its best in a pile as shown.



But the knitting part was fun! I've seen so many people blogging about knitting socks. Seems like an impossible task, but there they all are creating beautiful and practical socks. So why not give it a try, right?
So I picked up this book and some really cheap yarn to start with. I have to say--it's a good book. I now have a sock. One sock. And it really kind of does look like a sock. Wanna see it? Promise not to laugh? Oh, go ahead. Laugh. My sock and I deserve it.



I was following the instructions for the super large size sock based on my super large size feet. This was not a good idea because only the foot part needed to be longer. Oh, well, no big deal, it's practice. Double pointed needles are NOT fun, but once Pam
showed me how to hold them, that became easier. Making the heel was so cool! I was spurred on to continue as I saw my sock becoming quite sock-like. By the time I got to the foot part I was finally used to those 4 needles and got into a zen-like state of knitting. Completely forgetting about stopping when the sock reached a certain length.
Oh well again. So here's my sock. I don't have a camera lens that can quite take it all in...and it certainly won't fit even me. Jeff thinks his friend "Big Ryan" could possibly wear it, but I'm not making a second one.
But oddly enough I had a great time doing it so may try to make a real pair. With sock yarn. Anyone out there have any advice?? I'd really appreciate it.

Maybe I need a more active hobby. Our family plus some assorted additional teens went to this fancy go-kart place yesterday. For Family Day. Anyone who has been in my car when I'm driving would naturally assume this would be right up my alley. That assumption couldn't be more wrong. There were 8 of us and I came in 7th. The only reason I beat my husband was because he became so dizzy he had to stop.

I was pleased that Jeff beat everyone else by a considerable amount--especially since he's the only person of the group who does not have a driver's license.
He also does not have a quilt. And how horrible is that?



So in a hobby-ish fashion, I've begun making a version of At Home for him, in the fabrics he's chosen. Gotta love those roses--the rest? Uh...not so much. I'll let you know how it looks as it progresses. Maybe.