There's just something about those creatures we call boys:
They are so full of this crazy energy. Trying to take pictures of 5 of them, all at once, on a playground, in between all their fidgeting, and lots of "hold stills!," takes 2 photographers (thanks Matt!):
Last month, when it was raining so much, my boys and their friends were playing inside and found 2 skeins of my Socks That Rock Heavyweight in Terra Firma. They promptly asked to have matching socks. These went beyond matching - they were the same sock over and over and over again. Yay me??:
Fortunately, they just wanted ankle socks. I think they really just wanted socks to slide around on the hardwood floors with. At least it was heavyweight yarn knitted on US #5 needles. I really didn't think it would take me so long to knit 10 simple stockinette ankle socks. In fact, these were suppose to be the end of my Project Spectrum Earth, which was over last month. But then my life exploded into a blur of busyness and I ran out of yarn. I found the wonderful Linda on Ravelry willing to send me her leftover yarn to complete the project. Thank you so much Linda!!! Ravelry is the coolest.
I was glad to have simple socks to knit while trying to get through all of the other stuff needed to be done at the end of the school year and gymnastics and baseball season. These socks didn't take a lot of brain power and the boys seemed to really like them:
I do have to laugh at the wildness of boys! They just couldn't wait for the photo shoot to be over so that they could run off:
I think it all the time, and I hope I say it enough - I am grateful to the generosity of knitters like Linda and knitbloggers, like Ami. I won a contest on her lovely site that I didn't even realized that I entered. I am so happy to have won though! Thank you so much Ami! If you haven't checked out her site, you should. She does gorgeous work and takes beautiful photos of it. Look at all the goodies I received from her. Ahem... there may have been more chocolate that didn't make it to the photoshoot:
Here's to the end of my Project Spectrum Earth (albeit a little late!) Bring on Summer and Project Spectrum Air!
How cool it must be to have matching socks!
Great photos.
Posted by: Hege | June 16, 2008 at 11:40 PM
You are an amazing mom for doing that!! That will probably be a memory for all five of those boys!
Posted by: rose | June 16, 2008 at 11:50 PM
Seriously cool!! Those are some great photos of some happy feet! Fabulous socks! I love that the boys picked the yarn out and asked for matching socks :)
Posted by: irishgirlieknits | June 17, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Those are great pictures! I love that they actually wanted to match.
Posted by: Nell | June 17, 2008 at 12:56 AM
oh my word Tiennie! What a fantastic mum you are! Lucky, lucky boys. And lucky you too for winning such a lovely prize.
Posted by: amanda | June 17, 2008 at 01:14 AM
That first photo cracks me up - very typically boys!
Posted by: Cybèle | June 17, 2008 at 01:43 AM
love the photos of the boys...cool matching socks!and congrats on your lucky win!
Posted by: Theresa/tdoeswool | June 17, 2008 at 02:36 AM
Yes I think they just wanted them to slide around the hardwood floors too! Haha!
I am not sure what that colorway is called, but I am going to say "Tiger!" just for the effect of boys being boys! :o)
Please tell me that only 2 of the 4 of them are yours and the others are friends! LOL
Posted by: Stacey_CrimsonPurl | June 17, 2008 at 03:08 AM
You do have a knack for making sets of things don't you? Yay you indeed! I don't envy you 5 pairs of anything. My boys are 21 and 17 and I can tell you they still haven't slowed down. Photo shoots will not get easier anytime soon ;)
Posted by: Julie | June 17, 2008 at 03:38 AM
How perfect to knit them a pair each! I love the colourway. I cannot imagine knitting 10 same socks....but I admire your perseverence! Glad they are happy with them.
Posted by: lucy | June 17, 2008 at 03:44 AM
The matching socks are very cool. What a great idea and right up your alley! I think the blog prize is a really good one. I love those yarns!
Posted by: bea | June 17, 2008 at 03:45 AM
The coolest!
Posted by: wiscjennyann | June 17, 2008 at 03:46 AM
You guys take the best photos! I KNOW I wouldn't have had the stamina for five pairs of the same color sock. You are a very brave woman! lol
Posted by: Julie | June 17, 2008 at 03:49 AM
those are fantastic! and i LOVE that you obliged when they asked you to make them. such a great mom!!!
Posted by: leslie | June 17, 2008 at 03:56 AM
How fun! You are a much more patient person than me. I never could have gotten through them all!! Love the photos! (As always!)
Posted by: Kirsten | June 17, 2008 at 04:01 AM
The boys are lucky to have such a willing knitter! :-) I love that they found yarn and requested socks from you. How cute!
Posted by: Stacee | June 17, 2008 at 04:05 AM
What a cool project - even if it was 10 socks! I love that first photo - you should frame it!!!!
Posted by: Chris | June 17, 2008 at 04:15 AM
completely adorable. what a great project all around. the brotherhood of the socks??
Posted by: kv | June 17, 2008 at 04:25 AM
Count me as another amazed commenter. I have no idea how you do it! The socks are adorable, and that stuff from Ami? wow!
Posted by: lolly | June 17, 2008 at 05:00 AM
I think the funniest part of this is that they found sock yarn lying around the house. Sounds like a familiar scenario to me!!
Posted by: Mandy | June 17, 2008 at 05:12 AM
Fantastic! I love that you knit all those socks for 5 very lucky boys. :)
Posted by: Phoe | June 17, 2008 at 05:19 AM
You are crazy in the best possible way!
Posted by: Whistlepea | June 17, 2008 at 05:44 AM
how adorable that they asked for matching pairs! you're so great to have made them all.
Posted by: Mintyfresh | June 17, 2008 at 05:55 AM
Now how cool is that! Five pairs of matching socks! And no sighn of TENTH sock syndrome, huh? :-)
Posted by: Mari | June 17, 2008 at 06:26 AM
Hee hee - I knew you wouldn't stop making matching sets! They are gorgeous, and I think it is so cool that your boys and their friends are interested in yarn and have sock requests!
Posted by: Ruth | June 17, 2008 at 06:31 AM
Just precious. All those happy little feet. Wonderful memories for these boys.
Posted by: MrPuffy | June 17, 2008 at 06:36 AM
It must have felt like ground hog's day, hee hee. Glad your boys like them!
Posted by: yaiAnn | June 17, 2008 at 06:38 AM
Tiennie, what pattern did you use for the socks, and what size are their feet? I want to knit my daughter some plain st st socks but never know how many stitches to cast on? She's a size 1 shoe!
I like the idea of using #5 dpns and I need some simple 'pool side' knitting to do?
Any info would be appreciated :)
And of course I love the photo shoot.
Congrats on the win too.
Posted by: Denise | June 17, 2008 at 06:42 AM
Heh. I thought you would make multiples again sometime soon :) They're lovely socks, and yay to you for getting through them!
Posted by: Kristy | June 17, 2008 at 06:42 AM
I love it!!! LOL
Posted by: adrienne | June 17, 2008 at 06:55 AM
how sweet. i love (and admire) that you made 10 of the same socks! makes for a great photo.
Posted by: rebecca | June 17, 2008 at 07:16 AM
Nice socks! I've got two boys and they like to have matching socks with their friends too sometimes. :)
Posted by: Pensguys | June 17, 2008 at 07:33 AM
LOVE your multiples. Makes me smile every time!
Posted by: Cynthia | June 17, 2008 at 07:36 AM
as always, great knitting, wonderful shots, and a fun story. hope you're able to enjoy the sun that's finally showing in seattle!
Posted by: jen | June 17, 2008 at 07:40 AM
Seriously, 5 pairs? Holy crap woman! Knitter of the year!!!
Posted by: Annie | June 17, 2008 at 07:55 AM
still the photos you take... are incredible :)
Posted by: stinkerbell | June 17, 2008 at 10:02 AM
That's just crazy...10 of the same sock! I love that the multiples are back! And that photo set is great of the boys!
Posted by: Rachel | June 17, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Ten. All the same. Over and over again. Oy. :-) Cute!!
Posted by: Dave | June 17, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Awww! The boys asked for matching socks? Can't take the cuteness. And the socks are beautiful, too. I admire your patience. I would have given up at Sock 3.2.
Posted by: Sue | June 17, 2008 at 12:20 PM
You are such a great mom! Those socks are great, and you are right, boys will be boys, I know that so well, and Robby is only 18 months!
Posted by: Bea | June 17, 2008 at 01:38 PM
oh Tiennie, your commitment to those socks was amazing and the photos are a joy! Glad you managed to keep them still for the shoot! Well done on winning that beautiful package too!
Posted by: Marianne | June 17, 2008 at 01:42 PM
Great socks and adorable photoshoot! 10 of the same sock... that's ... wow. I hope the boys appreciate it!
Posted by: Sourire11 | June 17, 2008 at 01:47 PM
WOW!!! Tiennie, you are amazing. The stamina to knit so many of the same sock...the mind boggles. Such cute pictures!
Posted by: robin | June 17, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Wow! That's a lot of socks! They look great! Glad you got some 'extra' to finish them up! :)
Posted by: cactusneedles | June 17, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Geez! You are too sweet. Five pairs? Wow. They're great. Lucky kids!
Posted by: Jeanne B. | June 17, 2008 at 03:25 PM
I saw all those socks on the activity page and wondered whose they were. Love the stripes, they remind me of tigers. Congrats on winning such a great prize too.
Posted by: sue | June 17, 2008 at 04:20 PM
So cute! Both the fact that they wanted matching socks in the first place and the finished socks pics. You're too cool!
Posted by: Nonnahs | June 17, 2008 at 04:48 PM
You are a terrific mom - to knit socks not only for your own boys but for others as well. The socks look great!
Posted by: Ann | June 17, 2008 at 05:27 PM
How absolutely adorable. I love seeing your FO's with the gorgeous photos and how you tell the story of the knitted item(s).
Posted by: ~Kristie | June 17, 2008 at 05:54 PM
How special for them! Great photos too - well done. It really is hard to keep boys still - and especially when they are in a group!
Lovely prizes -- how fun to win when you are least expecting it. :-)
Posted by: Miss Scarlett | June 17, 2008 at 06:41 PM