Lizzardie Knits

Summer of Socks 2008

2008-07-12T11:48:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the long absence, folks. Things have been a bit hectic for the last couple of months - I was in a new position at work, then the position got eliminated (figures), then I was out of work for the entire month of June, and now I've gotten through my first two weeks at a new job. Suffice to say, I have been knitting a ton, but not taking so many photos and just didn't feel like writing. I have four pairs of completed socks that have yet to be photographed (crazy, right?) plus a couple of completed scarves and a tank top. I will get to those things one of these days!

Anyhow, I decided awhile ago to join Summer of Socks 2008. It seemed like a good idea at the time, as I knit a lot of socks in the summer, and I figured it would be nice to set some goals. I decided that my goal, for the period of time June 21, 2008, to September 1, 2008, would be 8 pairs of socks, knit out of yarn from 8 different dyers from 8 different pattern sources. Here's what I decided on:

Cross Stitch Block, from More Sensational Knitted Socks, in Yarn Pirate Merino Sock, Rum Runner (finished!)
Bluebell Rib, from Sensational Knitted Socks, in Yarntini Variegated Sock Yarn, Gimlet (first sock seen above, with photograph taken right before I started writing this)
Merino Lace Socks, from Favorite Socks, in Araucania Ranco Multy, Aztec
Latvian Socks, from Folk Socks, in Mountain Colors Bearfoot, Moondance
Unst, from Knitting on the Road, in Mind's Eye Yarn Merino/Tencel, "Blackberry Chocolate Parfait"
Juta's Stockings, from Folk Knitting in Estonia, in Sunshine Yarns Superwash Twist, Deep
Salish Sea Socks, from the Blue Moon Fiber Arts 2007 Rockin' Sock Club, in BMFA Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Bella Coola / Nuxalk
Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern, from Knitting Vintage Socks, in Claudia Hand Painted Yarn Fingering Superwash, Peppermint Mocha

I am a pretty big Nancy Bush fan, if that wasn't clear. :-P

Anyhow, it was becoming clear that this would never happen, as I am already behind schedule. Then a couple of other things snowballed. The socks I'm currently knitting (toe-up, by choice, which I may never do again, I dislike it so) are coming out too big. I decided that since I was considering knitting another set of socks for my family (all six of them) and I think these will fit my mom, that's where I'm headed. While I think I can do most of it from stash and might align it up with my goals above, the patterns/yarns I chose might not fit the various members of my family. Second, I found out this week that instead of heading back to Chicago like I do every year for Christmas, everyone is going to Southern California (my ticket was purchased last night)! So I want to knit a shawl for each of my three aunts out there. They won't be big (about 700 yards of laceweight yarn will be budgeted for each) but I do want to take my time and not get overwhelmed right before the holiday (particularly because lace requires blocking).

There are still lots of socks to knit, it just won't be 8 pairs this summer, and not the ones I've already picked. That's okay, because laying out the order in which I knit socks never works for me, anyway. :-P

More Yarn Pirate

2008-04-24T14:44:00.002-05:00

Here's the April shipment of the Yarn Pirate Booty Club (I just got it yesterday because the executive assistant at my company doesn't feel the need to check the mail everyday):

The yarn is the NEW Bamboo/Merino/Nylon blend (no idea what the percentages are) in a colorway called Sweet Lime. Nearly all of the photos on Ravelry led me to believe this color was a pastel, so I was actually surprised yesterday when I opened the package to see how bright it really is. I think I did a good job of capturing the actual colors.

I was considering cancelling my Booty Club subscription after this round (which ends in June, so two more shipments). It's not because I don't like it, it's because I have way more sock yarn than I can knit any time soon, and even acquiring stash at 1 skein/month is ridiculous lately, because I've been wanting to work on other things (that are not socks). However, I know it's a great deal (greater than I thought even - skeins of the Merino/Tencel and Bamboo/Merino blends were selling for $30/skein + shipping yesterday in her Etsy shop, and I pay $80/3 months for whatever base yarn she decides to send us), so I'm conflicted. And this blend is awfully nice, I can't wait to make socks out of it! I'll probably make my decision at the last minute - definitely after the next shipment reaches me, at least!

Lutea Lace Shoulder Shell Is No More

2008-04-23T09:18:00.002-05:00

I had to frog it. :-( While I did swatch, I totally misread the gauge listed on the pattern, thinking it was 20 sts/4 inches, when it was really 17 sts/4 inches. While I could knit the Bamboo to that gauge, I don't think it would look good (it really wants to be 5-6 sts/inch). I'm considering knitting a larger size (48 inch bust) which would work out to the 40 inch bust in my gauge, but I'm not sure if I'll have enough yarn (860 yards required versus the 750 yards I have), particularly with my condensed row gauge (which is something like 10 rows/inch). So I'm holding off for now. Maybe I'll find a better project for the Bamboo or a better yarn for the Lutea Lace Shoulder Shell, but for now, I'm going to focus on the projects I already have on my needles (which I should have done in the first place).

WIP Update, April 2008 Edition

2008-04-22T14:42:00.002-05:00

More than a week later and I'm finally getting around to posting about my WIPs. I've really been neglecting this thing, huh? I've also been neglecting Ravelry and other forms of communication, and I'm still behind on my RSS feed. One day maybe I'll wake up and be caught up and ready to communicate again! Hopefully soon.

Anyhow, I have a gazillion projects going right now (or at least it feels like it). I'd like to get some things off the needles, but it's been slow going. I think it's the restlessness of spring. Come to think of it, most of the abandoned WIPs were cast on during some spring or another, so maybe there's something to that!

First up, the Cherry Leaf Shawl:

The pattern comes from Victorian Lace Today, and it's being knit with laceweight merino from The Plucky Knitter. I like the yarn and I like the pattern, and the 18 repeats of the main pattern went by quickly. I just haven't felt like doing the border, partly due to needing a modification, since there's no way I'm crocheting a picot edge on afterwards (I'd rather do a knit picot cast off). I think I'll finish it pretty quickly once I pick it up again, but I'm not in a hurry (since I don't wear lace shawls that often anyway, though I'm hoping to change that this spring/summer/fall as my collection grows).

Then, a Washcloth Trio:

Ugh. Why I ever thought knitting washcloths in cotton would be a good idea, I really don't know. These patterns come from Mindful Knitting, and while I like the final product, I don't like knitting with cheap cotton (Lily Sugar 'n Cream in this case)! I'm trying to make myself do 10 rows a day (err... most days) and so far that's yielded one washcloth and a little bit of progress on the second. I think this method will allow me to finish this very old WIP by the end of the year, which is the only goal I've set for myself. :-P

Next, some Stockinette Anklets:

I had one skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Baby Stripe, and since the stripey yarn doesn't really go with anything, I decided I would have to make a pair of socks out of the one skein, which meant anklets. Unfortunately, my US 1 (2.25mm) Knit Picks Harmony circs broke going through airport security a few weeks ago (I do not know how) and I've been forced to knit these on US 0s, which I don't really like. I'm going to do the second sock before I do the ribbing on the first (to make sure I have enough yarn) but I'm just not motivated to cast them on. I'm using the YO short-row heel/toe from Knitty's RPM, because I happen to like it.

Another "no pattern" project, a Continental Garter Stitch Scarf:

I'm going old-skool with this one. :-P I want to do some fair-isle garments, and to make them go faster, I want to use the two-handed stranding method (where you hold one strand in each hand). Only problem is that I don't really know how to knit continental! That's where this scarf comes in. It will be knit continental to force me to really learn and stabilize my gauge. I even went back to bamboo needles (better grip) and I wound the yarn by hand! My biggest problem with continental knitting is that tensioning the yarn is totally different than when I hold it in my right hand, and I'm really struggling with the first and last stitch of each row. I'm trying to remember to do a few rows a day and I'm hoping blocking will fix the tension issues once I'm done with the scarf. I'm thinking this will make a good scarf to give away for charity (the yarn is Handpaintedyarn.com Handspun Bulky in Cardenal, but it reminds me of Carnelian stone when knit up).

And a sweater, the Notre Dame de Grace Pullover:

I'm using Carodan Farm worsted weight yarn for this project, and let me tell you, it's not soft! My hands don't feel rough from using it, though, and my gauge swatch tells me that it softens up quite a bit after a nice bath. I'm hoping the tough yarn will lead to a very durable pullover. Also, if you like sheepy yarns, this one is for you, because it smells quite a bit like sheep! I think I'm a little more than halfway through (assuming I don't run out of yarn, which I'm starting to worry about), though I'm starting to get bored with the double seed stitch. Which is why I couldn't help myself and cast on for the next project last night....

Finally, the Lutea Lace Shoulder Shell:

It must be spring, because the call of the bamboo yarn was pretty strong. Also, I saw some pictures of this tank elsewear (*cough*Ravelry*cough*) that were much more attractive than the one pictured with the pattern in Interweave Knits (note that this pattern and the one above are both from the Summer 2007 issue of IK, so I must really like that issue!). Note that I didn't like the rolled edge on the bottom of this, so I'm doing a simple picot hem instead. I'm barely passed that point, and I'm going to try and focus most of my energy on finishing the above sweater before it gets too warm (this was supposed to be the big project I cast on AFTER that), so this one might only get a little bit of work in the short term. Another modification I'll make will be to adjust the decreases so that there are more of them and so that they fit my row gauge, which does not equal the row gauge in the pattern (as is typical of my knitting).

I have a couple other WIPs that are still being completely neglected, but that's okay. My goal still remains to finish all pre-2008 WIPs by the end of 2008, except for the Log Cabin Blanket (that's just to use up leftover sock yarn).

Also, thanks to the three-day weekend (yesterday was Patriots' Day here in Massachusetts), I got a good amount of stuff done around the house, including blocking two scarves and a pair of socks! So there will hopefully be some FO pictures/posts in the near future (assuming I remember to create entries here!).

Thank goodness for Sock Clubs

2008-04-15T10:50:00.003-05:00

My sock knitting mojo might have been slowed to a crawl (I don't even really have a sock on the needles right now, though that's more because I need to cast on for a second sock), and so has the sock yarn-purchasing, but that hasn't stopped me from getting some sock club goodness!

This is the March Yarn Pirate Booty Club shipment:

It's the Merino Sock yarn in Emerald City. As one of my friends said, it's themed for St. Patrick's Day, without being over the top in themeness.

Ohh, and while it might seem like I'm late posting this one (since the April Booty will arrive soonish, I imagine), I only just received the yarn last week due to another mail snafu (I seriously hate everything having to do with the USPS these days). Luckily, Georgia is awesome. :-)

I almost opted out of the sock club when it came up for renewal in March (it renews every three months) but decided I'd stick it out. Georgia has said that the April shipment will be a new base yarn, so I'm glad (as of now) that I've continued to stay in the club. Stay tuned for what the new yarn is!

The second package is not from a sock club, per say, but rather is a "consolation prize" for not getting into The Loopy Ewe Sock Club. I have to admit (which I might have said before), I was kinda relieved to not get into the sock club - I really do want to cut back on my sock yarn purchases given how much stash I have - but when Sheri offered a consolation prize (basically equivalent to being like a one-month sock club for those of us who did not get in - I couldn't pass it up. The kit became available Friday night, and I had it in my hands yesterday evening:

The kit contained a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy in Don't Be Blue (dyed special for this package), a body kiss from this Etsy seller, a notions bag, a key chain, Loopy kisses and a sock pattern called Ankle Biters. I'm still glad I'm not in the sock club this year, but maybe I'll try again next year!

Since I've finally uploaded some photos, I'm hoping to do a WIP post later this week....

I have a knitting blog?

2008-04-07T13:54:00.003-05:00

Ohh dear, I hadn't realized it had been over a month! I think a combination of not really finishing any projects, loss of my knitting mojo for a bit and vacation has contributed to my absence. In fact, I'm not sure if my knitting mojo is entirely back. That's not to say that I'm not knitting - I am. Not finishing any projects has made me incredibly bored, though.

And yet, I HAVE finished a few projects. In fact, a few weeks ago I decided I needed a quick project just for me (even though I've been mostly knitting projects for me lately) to cheer myself up.

I ended up making this:

Pattern: Stitch pattern taken from Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts
Yarn: Small amounts of Wollmeise Sockenwolle in Brombeere and Dream in Color Smooshy in Petal Shower
Needles: US 1.5 and US 0
Project Timeline: 03/19/08 - 03/20/08

I chose this because I wanted something quick (as I already said) and I'm planning on knitting the actual Endpaper Mitts with these two yarns, but wanted to see how they worked up together first (I love it). Plus, because the Wollmeise skeins are giant (550 yards) and I have so much leftover Smooshy (from both my socks and from my Loopy Ewe swap pal) that I figured I could fit in a small project. My iPod loves it. :-)

And I learned a new skill! I decided I wanted to try a tubular bind-off and I think it looks great. I used TECHknitter's Tubular Cast Off and it did turn out very nice. The only thing is that it's TIGHT! I'm shocked my iPod fits in the thing, but it does and it's secure, so that's all that counts (the iPod is inside the cozy in the picture above).

Lately, though? I cast on three projects from Thursday to Saturday (a sock I had to restart, a scarf I'm using to teach myself how to knit continental so that I can do faster colorwork and a sweater), which should give you an idea of how restless I've been with my knitting. I'm also working on finishing up old projects still, although the current one is a set of washclothes, and my fingers can only take so much cotton on small needles in one day. My trip to Atlanta a week or so ago did produce another FO (started at Logan airport the day I left, finished the day after I returned), but that's for another entry since the project did not turn out exactly the way I thought it would. Oops! (Don't worry, I found the project a happy recipient, so I guess it's a happy ending.)

Loopy Ewe Swap Goodness

2008-03-04T11:01:00.002-05:00

I have realized that in reading knitting blogs, I like succinct posts. A little about someone's life, a little about what they're knitting or finished knitting, a picture or two... more than that and my mind wanders a little (through no fault of the post author, I think it's just my short attention span). This post, though, will not be short, because I cannot think of a good way to break it up. I hope it's balanced with enough pictures, though!

Many months ago, someone put together a Loopy Ewe themed swap, where the only rules were that you knit something with yarn purchased from The Loopy Ewe, you include something that reminds you of home, and you mail in early- to mid-February. I had been curious, yet a little wary, of swaps, but decided to take the plunge and give it a try. And I must say, the experience was totally enjoyable and I hope it won't be my last swap!

First, what I knit for my "downstream" pal, Janice:

Pattern: Knitting on the Road, by Nancy Bush
Yarn: J. Knits Superwash Me, Boston, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 1/5/08 - 1/22/08

(Yes, I'm combining a FO post with this swap post, because it seemed the most natural thing to do. This is why this is going to get so long!) When I found out that Janice really likes blue socks, I knew that the Boston colorway from J. Knits (a Massachusetts dyer) would be perfect, so I decided to make a whole theme around my current adopted home. I also saw that Knitting on the Road was not among the books Janice had listed on Ravelry, so I was able to use the New England pattern to fit with my theme AND knit something for Janice that maybe she hadn't seen before. Luckily, I think the color went really well with the pattern!

I think the pattern was well-written, as is true for most Nancy Bush patterns. I also learned a new cast on (the name of which is escaping me) and a new heel (it has a little bit of extra padding in the heel turn, which I thought was really cute and sturdy). The yarn was okay - pretty soft, but also a bit splitty. Overall I enjoyed it, though not a yarn I'm going to start hording. :-P

Here's the whole package I sent Janice:

The New England Socks, with leftovers
Merino/Tencel sock yarn from one of my LYS, Mind's Eye Yarns
Boston Baked Beans candy, in a little beanpot
Maple Sugar candies, from either Massachusetts or Vermont (hard to tell from the package, it says both)
Stitchmarkers from Zero Markers (the only thing not in keeping with my New England theme)
Chocolate mice from Burdick Chocolate, a favorite of mine from this area

I received an email back from Janice, saying she'd received the package and was thrilled with the contents, so I thought I'd done okay! (And Janice, if you're reading, I still owe you a reply, I'll try and do that soon, I'm terrible with email these days!) That is, until I was totally blown away by what my "upstream" pal, Nadine, sent me. First, the shawl:

This the Forest Canopy Shawl, knit in Dream in Color Smooshy, Petal Shower colorway. I think Nadine did a wonderful job with this, and the Smooshy yarn makes a lovely lace shawl! Here's some up-close detail:

It's not a big shawl, but it will be perfect for throwing over my shoulders during spring/summer/winter when it gets just a tad chilly. So pretty!

And here's the rest of the package:

Umm... WOW is there a lot of stuff there! AND, I forgot to put the Maryland shot glass Nadine sent me into the picture! I'd list everything out, but I'd surely forget something. I think Nadine did a great job of totally spoiling me, and of including goodies from both the Maryland and the DC area. And everything was beautifully wrapped in pretty blue tissue paper with white dots and blue ribbon. Thanks so much! I cannot believe how much fun it was to put together Janice's package, and then how much fun it was to receive my own!

And did that Smooshy yarn look familiar to you? That's because I'm currently knitting socks out of the exact same colorway! Since I finished Tubey over the weekend, I've been able to devote more time to the socks and have made enough progress for an updated photo:

I'm so excited to be working towards socks that will match my shawl! Between the leftovers Nadine sent me and the leftovers I should have from Roza's Socks, I'm thinking I might make wristwarmers using the same brioche stitch pattern. It'll be a complete accessory set in Petal Shower Smooshy!

Update on Last Week's WIPs

2008-02-26T13:29:00.002-05:00

All I've been working on is the sweater, so I don't have much new to report. But! I did take more pictures last week. And while I'm not even farther on the sweater (I only have about 10 rounds to go on the body, and then I need to add the hems to the sleeves and weave in 4,000 ends), this one shows an actual sweater starting to form:

As a bonus, the finished mittens from last week are sitting there, as well!

Also, here's a picture of the Cherry Leaf shawl in progress:

I haven't touched it in more than a week (it still sits just as you see it in the picture, at 15 repeats of the Cherry Leaf pattern), but it's going to be getting some attention just as soon as I finish the sweater.

For my next sweater, I'm thinking of joining The Loopy Ewe Dream in Color Classy Sweater KAL, but Classy isn't available in any colors that I want right now, so I have to wait until mid-March. I'm still trying to find the perfect sweater pattern-color combination.

And in case you thought I was just going to tell you uninteresting things about projects I've already discussed in detail, here's some new(ish) yarn! The February Yarn Pirate Booty Club shipment arrived two weeks ago:

It's the Merino/Tencel blend, and the color is called I Want Candy, in case you cannot see it. It was totally perfect for February/Valentine's Day, but unexpected all the same!

Various WIPs

2008-02-19T12:49:00.002-05:00

I kept meaning last week to post a "here's what I'm working on" entry, but I never got around to it, and not much has changed. I do have one FO to report, but I'll wait until tomorrow on that one. It's the socks I made for the Loopy Ewe Swap, and now that they've been received, I'm in the clear to post about them. I might wait until I get my package from my pal, though, which should come sometime this week (I think - she emailed me to say that she was on vacation last week and would get the package out this week).

Anyhow, most of my attention lately has been devoted to just a handful of projects, all of which I'm trying to pay attention to. The first is a pair of mittens. I used two sources for my mittens - the first was Mittens 101 from Knitty to get the basic formula on what to do. I've used this before and it came out well, so I figured I would stick with it. I didn't want a plain mitten, though, so I flipped through some patterns and finally settled on Stansfield #11 from Sensational Knitted Socks. That gave me this:

Yes, the cuffs are incredibly long. I wanted them that way, because I always feel that mitten/glove cuffs are too short - when I move around, there's always exposed skin between where the cuff ends and where the cuff of my coat falls. I'm hoping these long cuffs will prevent that. I used Knit Picks Cadena, by the way, and I think the alpaca will make them nice and warm.

I didn't want just plain mitts, though, and so I had always planned to add a "fancy" cuff (directions given in Mittens 101) with Knit Picks Twirl. I actually picked the pattern stitch based on it going well with the nubby texture of twirl.

Here are the mitts with the cuffs on but not sewn up:

I did take care of sewing them up over the weekend, though, so now they're finished. I'll do a proper FO entry once I have a chance to wash and photograph them.

Once the mittens were near completion, I cast on for another project - another lace shawl! I have a nice little (I stress little and I like it that way) lace yarn collection, so I was itching to try something new. I turned to my favorite lace source, Victorian Lace Today and chose to match some single ply merino laceweight from The Plucky Knitter with the Shoulder Shawl in Cherry Leaf Pattern on page 134. Here it is after the first 44 rows:

I've now completed 15 leaf repeats. Because the pattern starts at the point and works up to the neckline, it doesn't look much different than before, just bigger. The pattern says to work 15 repeats (like I've done) but it looks a little small so I think I'm going to add in 3 more (I'd do 6 but I don't think I have the yardage - I've already put in a lifeline at 15 in case I have to go back) to make it just a little bigger. It will also have a knitted-on border. I just want something I can put over my shoulders and tie, and I think this will be perfect (maybe ready for my trip to Atlanta at the end of March? We'll see).

I've also been working on Tubey, my poor, neglected, oldest WIP. I finished the shrug part of the pattern about a week and a half ago, and it looked a little like this:

Sorry for such a shadowy picture. I'm using Knit Picks Swish Worsted, and I love it. And yes, I'm doing pretty much the same colors as in the pattern because I loved how they looked together so much! On Sunday I picked up the stitches for the body and I'm through about 4 inches. I tried it on and I *think* it's actually going to fit me and look good, which I'm excited about. This will be my first pullover with sleaves, as the other sweaters I've made have been cardigans (that look... okay) or tanks. I'm getting excited about finishing it and having something cute to wear.

And last but not least, I've been working on Roza's Socks. I would have taken another picture, but they look pretty much the same as before, just a little further along, but not to the heel yet. I plan on making nice-sized cuffs since the yardage is good and the pattern is stretchy. Plus I'm not feeling the sock love these days (maybe I did too much?) so it's nice to work on other projects. Socks will always be my portable project of choice, though, so I won't ever give them up completely (and I think they'll make a comeback over the summer when the only thing I can stand to knit made out of wool in the heat is socks!).

My Second Short Row Rib Scarf

2008-02-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

It's nice to know that a week of regular blogging was all it would take to get me almost back to up to date on FOs! Maybe I will soon be able to achieve my goal of posting more about what I'm doing NOW rather than what I did a few weeks (or even months in some cases!) ago.

My youngest sister, Emilee, turned 11 on Wednesday. When I was visiting for the holidays, I saw the first scarf I made her two years ago and decided it was time for a new one. After confirming with my mother that Emilee likes purple (her favorite color has recently switched from pink to blue), I dug into the stash and made this:

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com Merino Bulky, Klematis, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 1/22/08 - 1/25/08

I know that I've previously mentioned how much I love this yarn, and it's my default gift scarf yarn of choice. In fact, I don't have anything knit up in this yarn, despite having used to it several times in the past (I do, however, have plans to make this sweater, once I can get my hands on the correct number of skeins).

I also love this pattern - this is the second time I've made this scarf, and it goes by so fast. After 20 repeats of the main section, it feels a little short, but blocking gives it the right amount of length. I do think, however, that fringe is necessary, because otherwise the ends of the scarf don't really match. Luckily, the yardage in 2 skeins of this yarn is enough to do 20 repeats plus a respectable amount of fringe.

The package arrived yesterday, so I hope that my sister enjoys the scarf. If not, I threw a $25 iTunes gift certificate in there, figuring that at least that would please an 11-year-old.

More Sock FOs

2008-02-07T10:42:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I am finally up-to-date enough to post about 2008 FOs! Today there are two pairs of socks, both of which have made their way to their intended homes.

The first pair was originally intended for my friend Kathy as a birthday present. Her birthday is in late November, but when another friend asked if I wanted to go in on something for her birthday, I figured I could put off the socks until Christmas. of course, I didn't exactly finish on time, and then I ran out of yarn 7 rows from completion, but I was able to get more yarn and finish the socks in time for the Lost marathon we had a few weeks ago.

Kathy is a HUGE Pirates of the Caribbean fan, so I knew I had to make her these:

Pattern: Katydid Knits
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, Black Purl, 1 skein; Knit Picks Essential, Black, 1 skein (well, small part of one and small part of another); Louet Gems Fingering, White, 1 skein
Needles: US 1/US 0
Project Timeline: 11/19/07 - 1/22/08

This is the second time I've knit the pattern, so I knew what changes I would want to make. First, it's toe up, and I really love the squishy garter stitch short-row toe and heel, so I used that. Also, the stranding pattern is written for 64 stitches, but I've found that because of the inflexibility of stranding, it's not enough. So I extended it to 72 stitches by making the diamonds between the skulls bigger. The rest of the sock is done over 64 stitches, though - I increased right before the stranding pattern, and decreased right after. I also made sure to start the pattern at the back center, instead of the side, so that the "seam" would be in back. I think these were a little more successful than the first time I knit them (particularly because that time I had to reknit the cuffs since they were too small - oops). Kathy loves them and thinks they give her good luck, so I think I did well!

Ohh, one more thing - I'd forgotten how THIN Lorna's Laces is, which is why I went down slightly in needle size. After some of the other sock yarns I've used, this felt like string! I still love it, and still have lots of it to knit up, but wow does that take some getting used to.

The second pair of socks I gifted in January were knit in only a week! This was partly because I only had a week to knit them, but still - they went very fast. Things have been a little rough the past couple of months, and a friend was kind enough to send me a care package to cheer me up. I decided to thank her by sending her a hand-knit pair of socks for her birthday (hence the quick deadline). I chose to use the yarn I received from The Loopy Ewe as a customer appreciation gift when I became a "Loopy Groupie" - Gypsy Knits BFL in Mountain Rain (Cat likes the color blue). What pattern did I choose?

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Gypsy Knits BFL Superwash, Mountain Rain, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 1/9/08 - 1/15/08

Monkey, of course! I'd never knit this pattern, but decided now was the time to give it a go. I did widen it a bit, up to 72 stitches by extending the pattern. I also chose to do a picot cuff instead of a regular ribbed one. While this was fiddly on circular needles, I think the end result is nice.

I was a little worried about yardage on this yarn - it's only 360 yards, and Cat has size 11 feet! Yikes! Turns out I had just enough (few), and I did six pattern repeats on the cuff, which is exactly what the pattern called for.

I did like the yarn overall, though. While I have a few other skeins of BFL sock yarn, this was the first one I'd used, and I enjoyed the experience - soft, sturdy, shiney, good twist. I don't see a lot of Gypsy Knits BFL available, either on Etsy or The Loopy Ewe, but I hope there is more in the future, because I'd definitely buy another skein or two.

Socks, Socks, Sock, S....

2008-02-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

I have 2 1/2 pairs of socks to post about today. Why 2 1/2? You'll see later on in the post!

The first pair was knit as a birthday present for a friend of mine, Kim, whose birthday was in early September. I wasn't able to get them done in time, though, because of several birthdays right in the same time period and because of the Italy Sweater (plus the trip to Italy). That wasn't the biggest deterrent, though, because Kim moved to Switzerland for grad school at the end of August! I was waiting until I could mail them with something else, or to give to her boyfriend to give to her, but neither of those things worked out, so I just put them in the mail a fews weeks ago ($11 shipping wasn't terrible and she got them about five days later).

Pattern: Favorite Socks
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Moody Blues, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 9/9/07 - 10/21/07

First, I absolutely love CTH Supersock. I love the short color repeats, I love the twist, I love the softness, I love the twist, and since I have a pair of socks of my own knit with this yarn, I love that it wears well, too. This is definitely on a list of my favorite sock yarns. The color, by the way, was chosen especially for Kim, because she loves blue.

Second, I loved the pattern. It was super easy to memorize, and looks great, particularly with this hand-dyed yarn that gives a mottled look. The pattern gives two options - a ribbed cuff or a decorated edge, and I went with the decorative edge, which I think fits with this sock perfectly. I will definitely be making these socks again, maybe in CTH for myself!

Kim says she loved them, and that while I said she could machine wash them, she'll probably handwash them because she's afraid they'll wear out!

Here's another picture, this time of both socks, and maybe you can see the decorative edge a bit better here:

The second pair of socks was knit for me. I wound up four balls of sportweight yarn for my trip to Italy, but only got through two of them. For my trip to Chicago for the holidays, I decided I would use one of the leftovers (maybe I'll use the final leftover on my trip to Atlanta next month!) to make myself a quick pair of no-stress socks.

Pattern: Favorite Socks
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavyweight, Falcon's Eye, 1 skein
Needles: US 3
Project Timeline: 12/21/08 - 12/28/08

Note: I did not realize until I just put in the details that I was posting two FOs from the same book, Favorite Socks! Those are the first two pairs I've knit from the book, but so far so good, I guess!

Anyhow, this was another yarn that I really liked, though unfortunately STR Heavyweight is kinda pricey ($27.50/skein, I believe). The socks are nice and thick, though not too thick, and I like that unlike other STR colorways, this one knit up mottled (I like mottled, in case you couldn't tell). Also, sportweight sock yarn = fast!

There was nothing too special about the pattern (which I had to adjust for the sportweight yarn - I changed the number of stitches cast on and adjusted the placement of the cables, and I think maybe the number of stitches/rows for the cables, as well, but I don't completely remember off the top of my head), but it was easy to remember and execute. I did the cables without a cable needle, which was a little tricky here (it's sort of 2 x 1 x 2 with that middle stitch being a purl stitch) but since it was only 2 cables every 8 rows, not too bad.

You can see the cables open a bit more in this picture:

The third pair of socks is not really a pair, it's just a single sock. I keep all of my projects organized in a spreadsheet on my computer (which I started pre-Ravelry, but contains a lot of the same information). And because I'm a bit of a geek, I assign them all numbers, with the first project I ever did (a scarf made out of fun fur) as #1 and my latest project (a pair of mittens) as #106. The Cable Rib Socks above were project #99, and I wanted #100 to be special, but I've also been trying to minimize WIPs, so I didn't want to cast on for anything big.

Enter Loopy's Red Sock. This was a mini kit that I got from The Loopy Ewe after my fifth order, I believe. It contained a small amount a CTH Supersock (which you know I love, after I raved about it a few paragraphs ago) and a pattern for a mini sock. I decided it would make a good decoration for my car, made the mini sock in one evening, and hung it from my review mirror!

Pattern: The Loopy Ewe
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Wild Cherry (I think), way less than 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 12/28/07

I think it's really cute and special, and it makes my car recognizable to my friends. :-)

That pretty much wraps up the projects I finished in 2007. I have two more, and will hopefully get to them soon, but while I technically consider them to be FOs, they need a little bit more work (blocking for one, a button for another). Tomorrow (I hope!) I will start posting about projects completed in 2008!

As an indication that I have been knitting this year (even though this blog really hasn't helped show that lately), here's picture of one of my current projects, Roza's Socks from the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits, knit in Dream in Color Smooshy (colorway is Petal Shower):

Yum! I started these last week, and have been focusing my attention on some other projects in the meantime, but these are great to have for when I'm bored or stuck in line. I knit on them while waiting to buy a parking permit last week and while waiting in line to vote yesterday!

Rockin' Sock Club 2007 - The End, uhh, Was Near

2008-02-05T16:18:00.000-05:00

Work has finally died down, after a month plus of chaos, and hopefully that means I can post more often. This is very good, because I have a SERIOUS backlog of projects to write about. Also, it's either that I'm actually knitting faster or project monogamy makes it SEEM like I'm knitting faster, but I seem to be finishing projects a whole lot faster these days. I knit a pair of socks (on a deadline) in a week in the middle of January! Yikes!

Anyhow, in continuing the last post about sock clubs, I will today post about the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club for 2007. As you might remember, I did not re-up my membership. But, I have since last talking about it finished pair #5 from 2007 and received the last club shipment.

First, my Lenore socks, since I finished them before receiving the last kit (which I did 4 out of 5 times during 2007):

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club October pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Lenore, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 11/8/07 - 11/27/07

These had me cast on only 63 stitches, and I was unsure if this was going to be enough, but the Yarn Harlot (author of the pattern) assured us in the pattern that it would be fine. And she was right! I really like how these fit, since they are snug (not too snug) and stay up well on my leg. Also, I love the color - I can wear these with almost anything.

Both the color and the pattern were inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," which I also enjoy.

Here's another shot, this time with both feet:

Now onto the December package! Speculation started before everyone started to receive the kits that it would be a Cat Bordhi pattern, and we were not let down!

This one is the Mediumweight version of the yarn, and the color is Bella Coola / Nuxalk, and the color and the pattern (Salish Sea Socks) are related to each other, though I don't remember how. The pattern uses one of Cat Bordhi's new constructions from her new book. I can't wait to try these, and hopefully get the book at some point, because I'm really intrigued by a challenge. The color is very blue - I don't navigate towards blues usually, but I like this well enough. Hopefully I'll be able to knit these up soon (probably after the current pair of socks I have on the needles, which are being done in Dream in Color Smooshy!).

I'm sad the club is over, particularly because 2008 participants have already received their first kit, and it's very red, which is my favorite color. But I keep reminding myself that I have plenty of sock yarn, and that I can always buy that color sometime next year. :-P

Yarn Pirate Booty Club Shipment Update

2008-01-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

I realized I haven't done a post with pictures of Booty Club shipments in, uhh... three months. I am still in that sock club and it is the only sock club I'm in right now. I tried to sign up for The Loopy Ewe one, but I didn't get in, and I'm okay with that. I do like getting the surprises in the mail, and I love the colors of this one, the different yarn bases and the good price, so I'll probably stick it out for awhile still... even though I haven't knit a single skein from this club in the, uhh, 7 months I've been a part of it. I'm hoping to change that soonish.

November: BFL Sock in Solstice

I like this color well enough, and I just used a BFL yarn for the first time recently, and loved it, so I'm happy with the base. I need to check Ravelry to see some knitted up pictures, but I'm hoping it might have a bit of a "semi-solid" characteristic to it, though I think that's wishful thinking. I did realize, however, that I have two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Socknitter's Spring Sunset which has very similar colors. So either one pair of socks will get knit as a gift (at least) or maybe I could trade that away, we'll see.

December: Merino/Tencel in Icicle

I love this. I don't normally by much blue sock yarn, but this really is lovely. And because of the shine from the tencel, Icicle is a very apt name. I'm hoping to find a really appropriate pattern for this - maybe something with snowflake designs? I've only ever knit up one skein of Yarn Pirate yarn, and it stripes (or pools) more than it mottles, but I think if I pick the right pattern it will still be okay without hiding the design.

January: Merino Sock in Kalamata

I love this one, too. Not a combination I would have thought of, and though I hate olives, this is a perfect color with a perfect name. I want to find the perfect pattern for this one, too.

So there you have it. Three months of booty, all with very different colors. That's one of the things I really like about this sock club - I don't feel like I'm getting monotonous selections.

Maybe I'll have time for actual knitting content next week, though this post sort of represents my knitting style these days - accumulating yarn way faster than I can knit (or post) about it!

My ears require a hat!

2008-01-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

Last month, I was looking for a skein of yarn, for a project in which I've run out (and I'm still looking, but that's not the point). So I stopped into Windsor Button, but they didn't have what I was looking for (Classic Elite Cotton Chenille in Bourgainvilla - #07 - if you must know). And then I looked at Woolcott, and they didn't have it either (I guess it's too much of a spring/summer color of Cotton Chenille?). What they did have was another Classic Elite yarn, and it was too pretty for me to pass up - Waterlily. This yarn looks like it's a handpainted semi solid, and it has such a nice twist (which of course translated into wonderful stitch definition). I just had to have it. I grabbed 2 balls of it in the Bramble (1927) color, figuring I could make a hat to match my leather gloves (which coincidentally go well with my Clapotis). I figured out what pattern to make on my way home from Woolcott, realized I had the other component necessary for the hat, cast on as soon as I got home, and finished (after starting three times, ahem) the next day:

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Classic Elite Waterlily, Bramble (1927), 2 skeins
Needles: US 4/US 6
Project Timeline: 12/15/07 - 12/16/07

The beads are size 6/0 translucent peach seed beads in Translucent Peach, purchased from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads, and I just happened to have them in my (very small) bead stash. I used 120 of them.

The hat fits perfect (that's the three starts talking) and covers my ears well. Which is good, because it is COLD here in Boston the past couple of days!

This is not a good picture, but it's all I have, and gives you an idea of how it fits me. Hopefully it's a good representation of the color, fit and pattern.

Too bad I left it at home in my haste today, though!

More 2007 Purses

2008-01-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

I hate when work gets in the way of knitting... or knitblogging, as it were in this case, because I've been pretty busy knitting (I just finished a sock project tonight, but it's a secret until the recipient receives it!). There are, however, more 2007 projects to show (one of these days I'll be caught up). I got the last two purses off to my sisters (I might have knit one of them right before I gifted it....) when I was visiting family over Christmas.... and here they are!

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Recycled Sari Silk from The Hunger Site, about 1 1/2 skeins
Needles: US 7
Timeline: 6/27/07 - 7/4/07

This one went to my sister Christina. She bought me a skein of sari silk last year for Christmas, so I thought she'd appreciate this the most. The yarn was difficult on my hands, but the end result was worth it. If I were to make this again, I'd make it less wide and deeper, and it could definitely use a lining and a closure. I have never done a lining before, though, so it might be awhile before I get to it!

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Bulky, Wild Oak (M-08), 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Timeline:12/19/07 - 12/21/07

My sister Kim is a vegetarian, so I thought she'd appreciate a reusable lunch bag. This one I knit in front of my family, which was interesting, because they totally didn't get the idea of felting (my mom asked me to explain every time I said it and said she didn't understand my knitting language), and didn't get the idea of the bag until after it was complete. Ohh well! I think it came out beautifully, though. After I took the picture, I made my sister a handle for it with the leftover yarn, and I still feel I should send her a clasp. But, since I only see her once a year, I figured I should just gift it then.

2008 Completed Projects

2008-01-01T12:44:00.002-05:00

I will be updating this throughout the year. Please check back whenever you want to see what project I might have recently finished! :-)

Current Tally: 5 Completed Projects in 2008

#102 Monkey Socks

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Gypsy Knits BFL Superwash, Mountain Rain, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 1/9/08 - 1/15/08
Recipient: Cat
Blog Entry/Notes: More Sock FOs

#101 New England Socks

Pattern: Knitting on the Road, by Nancy Bush
Yarn: J. Knits Superwash Me, Boston, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 1/5/08 - 1/22/08
Recipient: Loopy Swap pal, Loopy Ewe Swap Goodness

#94 Jack Sparrow’s Favorite Socks #2

Pattern: Katydid Knits
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, Black Purl, 1 skein; Knit Picks Essential, Black, 1 skein (well, small part of one and small part of another); Louet Gems Fingering, White, 1 skein
Needles: US 1/US 0
Project Timeline: 11/19/07 - 1/22/08
Recipient: Kathy
Blog Entry/Notes: More Sock FOs

#103 Short Row Rib Scarf #2

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com Merino Bulky, Klematis, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 1/22/08 - 1/25/08
Recipient: Emilee
Blog Entry/Notes: My Second Short Row Rib Scarf

#108 Endpaper iPod Cozy

Pattern: Stitch pattern taken from Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts
Yarn: Small amounts of Wollmeise Sockenwolle in Brombeere and Dream in Color Smooshy in Petal Shower
Needles: US 1.5 and US 0
Project Timeline: 03/19/08 - 03/20/08
Recipient: Me
Blog Entry/Notes: I have a knitting blog?

My Work Shawl

2007-12-28T11:05:00.000-05:00

I was going to wait to post this FO until I had taken a picture with me wearing it, but I haven't gotten one, and, well, 2007 is quickly coming to a close.

I am always FREEZING at work. I'm also always freezing at home, so maybe I was always destined to be a knitter - that way I can wrap myself in warm wooly goodness. In the spring, I set out to knit myself a shawl to keep at work. Just something that throw around my shoulders when it got a little chilly in the office (which is every single moment I'm there these days). I also set about to knit something out of Victorian Lace Today, because I had just received the book and fallen in love with it. I had never knit a border onto a piece before, though, so I wanted something simple. I decided to go with....

Large Rectangle with Center Diamond Pattern. Yeah, the name could use a little work, but so could all of the names in VLT. This particular pattern is on page 20.

Pattern: Victorian Lace Today
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Anthracite, 3 skeins
Needles: US 7/US 6 (for the border)
Timeline: 6/5/07 - 10/26/07

I did make significant progress on this in June, but by the time July rolled around, I could no longer stand having all of that mohair and silk in my lap, no matter how soft, light and pillowy it was. So, it got put aside for awhile, but came back onto my radar as I became determined to finish old projects (which I'm still determined to do, and still working on).

I both enjoyed and loathed working with the Kidsilk Haze. It really is a lovely yarn, but is very hairy, and it can sometimes be difficult to see the stitches. The good news is, like with my very first knitting project, it's difficult to see mistakes, particularly in the border. :-P

It took me a few tries, but once I got through the first repeat of attaching the border, it went rather quickly. It used way more yarn than I thought it would, though! I still came a bit under the 750 yards called for in the pattern, though, and I knit it exactly as specified (I used about 2 1/2 balls of the KSH, maybe a little more, and now have 1 1/2 balls with no purpose!).

I'm wearing the shawl as I type this (because of course I am cold, so I guess this project was a big success!

Ecological Wool Scarves

2007-12-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

I was in Chicago for the last week (no, I didn't visit any yarn stores), and just returned yesterday. I realized that I really need to hurry up and get the 2007 FOs posted before it becomes 2008. So this will be a double FO post, but at least both things have multiple things in common: they are both scarves and they are both made out of Cascade's Ecological Wool, which I now love. :-) I also failed to get FO pictures of either of them before they were gifted, but since they are scarves, the WIP photos are good enough I think.

Pattern: Hello Yarn
Yarn: Cascade Eco+, Black (0050), 1 skein
Needles: US 9
Timeline: July 2006 - 11/18/07

Yeah, I started the Irish Hiking Scarf a really long time ago. And not with this yarn. Whatever I had wasn't enough and produced a three-foot scarf. Clearly not enough for my dad (which is who this scarf went to). So, I went in search of another skein, only to not even know what the other yarn was. No big loss, enter Cascade Ecological Wool (or the colored version, in this case)! This yarn seemed scratchy in the skein, but was really a pleasure to work with. And the yardage! In the end (once I made myself work on it), I did enjoy this project to some degree (hated the pattern, I don't know why, even though it turned out well).

I enjoyed the yarn so much that a few weeks later, I started this...

Pattern: Knitting Nature, by Norah Gaughan
Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool, #8049, 2 skeins
Needles: US 7/US 8
Timeline: 12/2/07 - 12/19/07

This scarf I loved the pattern. I loved it enough that I want to make one for me. After a slight misstep, where I could not figure out where the pattern was shifting, I got the hang of this one very quickly and was able to knit nearly the whole thing by touch. The first half went very fast, and then the second half dragged a little, like most scarves, because, well, I was dragging the scarf (which it turned out was worse than normal, because it was knit in the round). But I did finish it and I think it came out well. This one went to my grandfather because I had him in the annual family Christmas exchange. I'm not sure that he'll ever wear it, but he did seem to like it, and that's what counts (and I got him some other things, just in case!)

I must use this yarn again. Maybe in another scarf (though I might take a breather for a little while)!

Summer of Love Lace in Winter

2007-12-14T15:51:00.000-05:00

Why not avoid work by posting something I finished knitting more than a month ago! Whee!

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club August pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Flower Power, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Timeline: 10/27/07 - 11/6/07

These were a relatively quick knit, and as I've already said, I don't love them for me, but I would for a little girl. So, I haven't worn them yet. Whenever I go to grab a pair of handknit socks, I just think these aren't appropriate. I want more than my ankles covered in wool, typically. Hopefully I find some use for them.

Here's an up close picture of the cuff:

That really was the only difficult part of the sock, so these went relatively fast (less than two weeks). In case you're curious about construction:

This was the only Rockin' Sock Club package that I was not able to finish before the next arrived. I already have the October kit finished, it just needs to be photographed, so that is complete before the December kit arrives. And since I didn't renew, not finishing the December kit in time won't be a problem! Hopefully it'll be something that I love.

A Little MIA But Still Knitting....

2007-12-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

I know I've taken a little bit of a break (oops), but that's mostly because I've been keeping busy (and that includes with a lot of knitting!). The unfortunate part of that is there are a lot of things I want to blog about and now have to work through a backlog! This one will be short and sweet, though, because I want to keep my eyes on the Pats game as much as possible. :-)

I decided this year that I wouldn't be doing a lot of Christmas knitting. Last year was way too stressful, and I started my Christmas knitting in August (or thereabouts). Birthdays are spread out, though, so I can do knit gifts then (I hope my friends and family love receiving handmade gifts as much as I like making them!). So there's one Christmas gift I'm knitting because it was originally going to be a November birthday present, but I had to switch things around. And then I decided to pick up one more - while it's taking quite a bit of time (and yarn), I think it's totally worth it!

I have my grandfather in the annual family Christmas gift exchange, and he is notoriously hard to shop for. I will be picking up a few things (we're supposed to keep it to around $100), but I wanted to see if I could get a scarf done to go along with the gift. My grandmother is a knitter, after all, so hopefully he'll like it (even though I have a feeling he's not a scarf person, like my dad).

This is the Phyllotaxis Scarf from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature. I love this book, even though this is the first thing I've knit from it (and while there are other things I do like from the book, of course, I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to them!). It's knit in the round, which means twice as much yarn as you'd expect to need for a 6-foot, 8 1/2-inch wide scarf (which is pretty big as it is). So, I decided to go with a behemoth... Cascade Ecological Wool! I recently finished my dad's Irish Hiking Scarf in this yarn, and loved it more than I thought I would (even if I didn't love the pattern). So I picked up two skeins last weekend at Mind's Eye Yarns in Porter Square, and I'm already through the first skein!

I'm loving the pattern, and am still in love with the wool. I'd really like to make a sweater out of it, because while it's not merino soft, it's much softer than expected, and very hearty, plus has the amazing yardage (and at an affordable cost!). Here's a picture of one of the yarn cakes next to a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy (450 yards, fingering weight):

I need to not put too many skeins of this on my ballwinder, because I think I'll end up breaking it!

Warmth

2007-11-21T16:18:00.000-05:00

It started as a comfort project. The plan was to work on it every Wednesday night, in an effort to fill a giant void. It didn't really work, and in the end, summer proved to be too hot for working on a wool/alpaca blanket. But, I recently got a second wind, a newfound love, and my throw/afghan/blanket/whatever you want to call it is complete:

Pattern: Knit Picks
Yarn: Here goes (all from Knit Picks)... Wool of the Andes Bulky Hand-Dyed, Storm, 1 skein; Shamrock, Fitzpatrick, 2 skeins; Shine Worsted, Sea Spray, 2 skeins; Suri Dream Hand-Dyed, Stucco, 2 skeins; Sierra (now Cadenza), Natural, 1 skein; Quarry, Empress Green, 2 skeins; Shine Worsted, Cream, 2 skeins; Suri Dream, Stone, 2 skeins (and that's in order of the stripes)
Needles: US 10.5
Timeline: 4/11/07 - 11/14/07

Of course, weaving in the ends was a big pain on this project - I couldn't think of a way to carry all of those yarns up the side, so I had to cut every 2-5 rows. :-( Once I got in the habit of weaving in the ends as I went, things went much, much faster (or at least it felt like that). In my last repeat, I had about 5 inches of Sierra/Cadenza to spare.

I don't particularly like how the bottom and top edges curl. If I were to do it over again, I would start and end with 2 rows of garter stitch, instead of going straight into the pattern. But... I probably won't be making this again, or at least not for awhile (who likes to weave in ends?).

I did want to at least attempt to block it, and it definitely needed a bath (I think all knits do) before I considered it done done. But... this was not going to fit in my bathroom sink, where I normally wash my handknits. So, I put it in the washer (gulp), put in some wool wash, made sure it was on cold water, and put it on a soak and spin cycle. Worked like a charm! When it was done, I laid down a few towels on my dining room table, and let it dry overnight.

The finished blanket is about 40" by 60" and is the perfect size to curl up on the couch with (which I do frequently, now that the temperatures have really taken a fall). It's soft, it's warm, and I guess in the end it provides some comfort, even if it failed to meet what was probably a totally unachievable goal in making me feel better.

Loopy Ewe Swap

2007-11-16T10:52:00.000-05:00

It seems that there are a lot of different swaps out there, and I've always been curious about them, though never participated. That is about to change! I joined The Loopy Ewe Swap (okay, I joined more than a month ago) and I'm really excited about it!

The rules have us knitting something for our swap partner with yarn purchased from The Loopy Ewe. We also should send along something that reminds us of home. Well, I have big plans for the "something that reminds us of home" (Boston Baked Beans - the candy - and a skein of sock yarn from Mind's Eye Yarns come to mind first), but I decided to stretch that theme to the limit with my knitted object selection.

First, the yarn:

The yarn is from J. Knits, a Massachusetts dyer (which is the state in which I live). The color of the yarn? Boston. :-) I'm not sure if I'd say that Boston is blue, but hey, who am I to judge, particularly since my swap partner likes this color. :-)

And the pattern comes from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road, and is titled "New England". I think it's a really cute pattern, fits with my theme, and comes from a book that I don't think my swap partner owns.

I really can't wait to start working on these, but I need to finish Lenore first (first sock will be done tonight, maybe a picture next week)!

Southwestern Socks

2007-11-15T10:56:00.000-05:00

Last week my camera was dead, and this week I've just had too much to do! But, there are several things to talk about around here, and I'll start with another FO. :-)

Pattern: From The Loopy Ewe by Wendy Knits
Yarn: Fiesta Boomerang, Misty Morning, 1 skein
Needles: US 3 (US 2.5 for the cuffs)
Timeline: 9/13/07 - 10/27/07

If you remember, I started these socks in Italy. I bought Brittany Birch DPNs especially for the trip (after some I ordered didn't arrive on time, thanks to my own stupidity), and one of them broke before I even got to my hotel. That was okay, right? Because I could still make socks using only four needles. Well, while working the gusset increases on the second sock, ANOTHER needle broke. I had to put these aside, but the people at Brittany Needles are great - I emailed them once I returned, and I had three new needles within two weeks. So, these socks took awhile, but I was eventually able to complete them!

I really, really love this yarn. It's almost... velvety. The colors were really great, too, with no noticeable pooling. Next time I'd like to try something a little brighter and richer, but this was nice because it was outside the colors I normally knit with. This yarn is technically worsted weight, though it knits up to a good sport weight tension. They also have a new sport weight version out, and I'd love to try that one, too. Ohh, and these socks are a pretty good size and I had plenty of yarn left over.

I had someone ask me on Flickr what I thought of the heel. I really like it, actually. It was easy to execute - gusset increases along the foot (these were done toe-up, by the way), and then you turn the heel... and you're done! So, it certainly seems like a combination of short-row and gusset heel. Short-row heels can definitely be kinda shallow.

I photographed these socks on Sunday, and then proceeded to wear them for the rest of the day. They were definitely very comfy. I'm very happy to now have enough pairs of hand knit socks that I can wear them whenever I want. :-)

Making New Friends

2007-11-05T13:52:00.001-05:00

I went to a Stitch 'n Bitch Thursday night at Bloc 11, which is in Union Square, Somerville, MA (near where I live). The SnB was organized on Ravelry, and there were about nine people there, including Shauna, who comments frequently. I had a really nice time, which was a little surprising to me, mostly because I have a lot of trouble meeting new people. This was really comfortable, though - it was nice to meet people I only know from the internet (who are not axe murderers!) and to be able to talk about knitting things in a place where people actually understand what I'm saying! There was also a lot of knitting happening, too, which was nice, because that's what I would be doing at home anyway! I will definitely be going back.

In other news, I've made some good progress on the Colorful Waves throw, and I think I'm about two-thirds done (or more, depending on where I run out of yarn). The pictures are not very interesting, because it just... gets bigger. At one point last weekend I wove in all of the ends so far, and since then have been weaving in as I go - weaving in a set of ends every time I finish a color repeat (25 rows). This is making me feel much better about my progress! The nice thing is that the afghan is big enough now that it keeps me warm while I'm knitting it, and I sometimes throw it on me even when I'm working on something else, because it's so cozy! Who cares that I have live stitches! :-)

Also in progress: I'm about 75% done with the Summer of Love Lace socks and about 50% done with my dad's Irish Hiking Scarf (that moves pretty quickly when I actually work on it). I also have a couple of recently completed projects that just need some nice photographs (the rectangular stole from Victorian Lace Today and my Southwestern Socks). Hopefully I'll be able to get to those soon!

Last Blue Plate Special Shipment

2007-11-01T14:28:00.000-05:00

The Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special Sock Club was only three months long, so October meant the last shipment:

We got a skein of Chewy Spaghetti Spaghettoni in Nostalgic, a clear plastic notions bag, a stitch marker from zerO markers, Vanilla Nut lib balm from bath life and a little bag of coupons from the vendors that provided the goodies throughout the club. I'm already planning a purchase from both bath life (the lip balm is awesome) and zerO markers!

This club was certainly fun, and probably the best club I've been a part of in terms of goodies. I may join one again (Khris has new ones coming up all the time, it seems), but I'm holding off for now - I already have enough sock yarn to knit!

Once upon a midnight dreary....

2007-10-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

The October shipment of the Rockin' Sock Club came last Wednesday, and it definitely met expectations:

The color, the first anyone has seen of the new Ravens series (except the little teaser in the adds Blue Moon has put out) is wonderful, and it marks the second color of this club that I have absolutely adored (the first was Firebird). Also, it's in the Lightweight version of Socks That Rock, which makes me happy (I was afraid it would be in Silkie, which I do not care for).

Both color and pattern are called "Lenore" (guess where from), and the pattern was designed by the Yarn Harlot herself. I love it, and do not actually understand those people who don't. :-P I'm really looking forward to this one (though I am a package behind, and this one will have to wait a bit).

The spiders were a nice touch.

Here's a better shot of the beautiful black and red colors:

This ALMOST broke my resolve about not joining the club for 2008. But I'm a good girl, and I realized I could buy the entire Raven series (and maybe a skein of laceweight?) for less money. At least I've enjoyed my time this year!

Openwork Rib Socks

2007-10-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't seen enough finished projects from me lately...

Pattern: Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Chewy Spaghetti Spaghettoni, Frivolous, 1 skein (from the Blue Plate Special Sock Club)
Needles: US 2.5
Project Timeline: 9/24/07 - 10/6/07

This pair of socks was finished more than three weeks ago, lest you think I finish projects that quickly. If you recall, I completed almost the entire first sock traveling from Italy back to Boston. Because it's sportweight yarn, it knits up pretty quickly.

I'm reasonably happy with these. The yarn is nice and soft, which makes for cozy socks. I'm starting to really love socks where the pattern starts right away, and there's no separate ribbing section (which happened with these, only because I didn't have US 1.5 needles with me on my trip). I used most of the skein - there was a little left, but not much, which is impressive for top-down socks (and I never separate the yarn into two equal balls). These aren't my favorite colors, and that's really my only complaint, but that's what you get from a sock club!

Here's another shot, up close on the stitch pattern and gusset:

In other news, I'm wearing my Knee High to a Grasshopper socks for the first time today. The verdict is that while they don't fall down right away, they definitely don't want to quite stay up. SO... I think I might get some elastic thread, and weave it into the top ribbing, to see if that helps. When I get around to this, I'll let you know how it works out!

Mystery Stole #3 - The Epilogue

2007-10-25T11:27:00.001-05:00

Well, the adventure that was Mystery Stole #3, now known as the Swan Lake Stole, is over. The stole was blocked this weekend, and I must say that I'm really happy with the experience. I hope Melanie at Pink Lemon Twist does it again (even though it seems as if it was a ridiculous amount of work to run!).

Here's the stole before blocking:

And during its transformation:

This is one of my favorite blocking shots:

And then, finally, I got this:

Pattern: Swan Lake, from Pink Lemon Twist (aka Mystery Stole #3)
Yarn: Lane Borgosesia Cashwool, White, 1 skein
Needles: US 4
Project Timeline: 6/29/07 - 10/7/07

I wasn't sure what I would do with a white merino wool stole, but I do really love it, and I think it will be great with jeans and a t-shirt, when I just want a little something extra to keep my arms warm. I'd love to knit it again, either in its pure form or the Wings of a Dream version (I will eventually purchase the pattern), and definitely in a silk blend with beads. There are lots of lace projects ahead of it, though!

Here's one more shot, this time of me wearing it, conveniently with jeans and a t-shirt!

Diagonal Lace Scarf

2007-10-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

I knew my roommate's birthday was in October, but it wasn't until we were on our Italy trip that I found out it's at the BEGINNING of October - the 8th, to be precise. My typical "first knitted gift" is a scarf, but time was short. Luckily, I was able to order yarn from Handpaintedyarn.com (the Merino Bulky, one of my absolute favorite yarns), pick a pattern, knit the scarf and block the thing to 9 feet with about a day to spare (though luckily her shindig was a week later, giving me time to wrap it and improve upon the presentation of shoving it into her arms).

Pattern: Midnight Purls, found courtesy of Ravelry
Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com Merino Bulky, Verde Marino, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 9/29/07 - 10/4/07

The color was chosen to match a handbag she bought in Italy. I think it might have ended up being a little too dark, but she says it's a great match, and I think she really loves the scarf.

I was a little apprehensive about making a scarf with bulky yarn that has so many yarnovers, but since it's so long (yeah, 9 feet) and can wrap around her neck three times, it seems like it will be good for all but the bitterest days in Boston (and we don't get that many of them).

This was a stealth project, which is hard to do when you live with someone. Luckily, Steph was really busy the week I knit it, so she wasn't home a lot, and the one time she came home while I was working on it, she didn't even notice!

Here's another shot (one of my all-time favorite shots of my knitting):

Have I mentioned how much I love this yarn? It is so soft, and the colors are fantastic. Plus, it's a 6-ply, so it's nice and even (not always a feature of the yarn from Handpaintedyarn.com). This pattern appeared in the most recent issue of Knitty, which has been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I definitely intend to knit this someday, and a curse because everyone else seems to have the same idea - there isn't much of this yarn available on the site anymore! Luckily, they do custom orders (shipped directly from Uruguay at $9 for up to 10 skeins), and I definitely will be taking advantage of that once I get rid of some of my current sweater yarn stash!

Sock Club Stuff

2007-10-23T15:15:00.000-05:00

First, last week I received my October installment from the Yarn Pirate Booty Club:

The yarn base is the Fingering Superwash, and the color is Killer Bees. These are not really my colors, but I have a friend that I think will love them. She may eventually get a pair of socks. ;-) The needles are also super pointy and the cables are nice and flexible - plus I don't have needles in that size (my Knit Picks needle are US 1.5 and US 2.5, and these are US 1 and US 2, respectively). The button is probably going to a friend who loves pirates, because I already have a button.

If anyone is interested, the Yarn Pirate is going to open up club subscriptions again in mid-December.

There will be more sock club packages arriving this week, I think. My last installment from the Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special club has already shipped. I have loved the first two installments (I even have a complete pair of socks from the first skein, which hopefully I will have photographed and up here soon), so I'm looking forward to the final one. And also shipping this week is the October installment of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. It's supposed to be something from the Raven series, which is exciting.

The bad news... I am poor (new car, recently completed expensive vacation), so I need to cut back back on the sock/yarn clubs. I'm keeping the Yarn Pirate one, because I think the cost is right, but I probably won't be signing up for any more clubs, and... I hate to say it, but I will not be renewing my Rockin' Sock Club membership. That one was a tough decision, but I think it's the right one. For 2008, they have said the base yarns will be the Lightweight, Mediumweight and Silkie. I love the Lightweight and the Mediumweight, but I'm not so enamored by the Silkie (in fact, while I'm looking forward to my Raven yarn, I am hoping it is NOT in the Silkie base). I just don't like the different colors in the different plies, normally. Also, BMFA makes sock club colors available after a year, so it's not like I couldn't purchase the club colors at a later date (and in the base yarn that I want). Plus, while I have generally liked all of the club colors to date, and there are two more to come, I have only LOVED one of the colors (Firebird).

If I was going to join another yarn club right now? It would totally be this one. In Autumn. :-) Again, I realized I cannot justify the cost, but it seems like so much fun.

Ohh, and speaking of my expensive vacation, if you're interested in pictures, they're here. I have only labeled a handful of the pictures right now, but they sure are pretty. :-) There are about 650 of them spread out in 11 different sets by location in Italy.

Gryffindor Stripe Socks

2007-10-22T10:56:00.000-05:00

Work has been getting in the way of blogging. I hate that!

Anyhow, I actually have a good number of things to show you, it's just a matter of how much time I'm going to have for blog show and tell! Hopefully I'll be able to sneak in a post here or there, though, like I am now. ;-)

First: these are my version of Gryffindor Stripe Socks:

Pattern: My own; Mostly 3x1 rib, switching colors, with a short-row garter heel and a garter toe
Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering, Burgundy, 2 skeins, Mustard, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5/US 0 for the top ribbing
Project Timeline: 7/27/07 - 8/29/07

I made these for my friend Jeff who loves maroon and Harry Potter. I really wanted to get some of Sunshins Yarns' self-striping yarn, but it goes so quickly! I made do with the Louet Gems, though, and it really is nice yarn. I hope it holds up well. I didn't bother to try and fix the jog when switching colors, because of the ribbing.

Ohh, the ribbing... when I started out, I didn't use ribbing, but they looked HUGE. I know Jeff has big feet, but I wasn't sure how big, and I didn't want to make something that wouldn't fit. I figured a nice 3x1 rib would look nice - wouldn't break up the stripes too much, but would make the socks nice and snug. And they are - they fit snugly around my legs but hopefully stretch big enough to fit Jeff.

I haven't heard if they fit or not. When I gave them to him, he said he would use them as mittens (I hope he was joking). I was too tired to argue - it was when he and Kristen brought Steph and I to the airport for our trip!

While I was gone...

2007-10-09T14:47:00.000-05:00

... yarn came! Yes, I couldn't go two weeks without receiving an order of yarn, even when I was out of the country!

The first thing I saw was the latest shipment from the Yarn Pirate Booty Club, a skein of Merino/Tencel in Butternut:

Then, when I returned to work, I was able to open my latest order from The Loopy Ewe, which was four skeins of Wollmeise!

From left to right, we have Amazonas, Brombeere, Zenzi and Granatapfel.

I'm really excited about knitting with the Wollmeise, because I've heard such great things about it (the colors, which I agree are splendid, stay that vibrant, plus it's super squishy and has a ton of yardage), but it will have to wait until I get some other projects finished up. :-( (But I love my current projects, really.)

Speaking of, I finished Mystery Stole #3! It's not blocked yet, so hopefully I can get that done next weekend and I'll have pictures next week! Woohoo!

I'm Back!

2007-10-05T11:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've been back for over a week. What can I say, I've been busy! I didn't want to do a post without pictures, and I have A LOT of pictures to get through. But I couldn't stay away forever!

The trip was fun, very busy, though. Details will eventually be on my personal blog and pictures will be up on Flickr, so I won't bog this blog down with details. One thing I will say is that I got way less knitting done than I thought I would. The trip was very busy, and when I did have down time, I just didn't feel like knitting (shocking, I know!). But here's what I did accomplish:

The sock on the left is the Openwork Rib Socks pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, done in Chewy Spaghetti Spaghettoni, Frivolous colorway (my first Blue Plate Special skein), and the sock on the right is Wendy's Southwestern Socks, available from The Loopy Ewe, in Fiesta Boomerang Misty Morning.

In order to knit on the airplanes without worrying about getting in trouble, I ordered some Crystal Palace Bamboo DPN from The Loopy Ewe before I left. Sadly, they did not arrive in time (my fault, not TLE's, because I entered my zip code wrong), so I bought some needles last minute at Woolcott and Company in Harvard Square (my default LYS). I went with some Brittany Birch 7in DPN in US 3 and 32inch Addi Naturals in US 2.5. I would have finished the Southwestern Socks, but I broke not one, but TWO of the Brittany's (one on the first day, ugh) and was unable to continue. I have emailed about replacements (their policy says they will replace them for five years free of charge) and hopefully I will have those replacements soon. In the meantime, I started work on the Openwork Rib Socks with the Addi Naturals, which I LOVE. Nice pointy tip with all the benefits of bamboo AND magic loop, yippee!

The picture lies a little. I did finish the first Openwork Rib Sock before I got back to Boston (that one was started in the Rome airport)... except for grafting the toe. Also, the next day, I took out the toe and added four rounds, then did the toe again and grafted the toe before taking the photo. But it's BASICALLY what I did during the trip. :-P

Next week: pictures of yarn received while I was gone, plus I will get back to showing completed and ongoing projects. Since returning, I quickly ordered yarn, received yarn and knit a scarf, all for my roommate's birthday (which it turns out is Monday). Now, I'm on a mission to finish a good number of the projects shown in my sidebar! Let's hope this turns out well!

One last post before I leave....

2007-09-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, my flight is at 10:00pm today, and I leave work in an hour and a half, which is when I'm shutting down my computer. BUT! I promised two things before I left for Italy, and here they are.

First, Mystery Stole #3. Remember that? I finished Clue #6 before Clue #7 (the last one) was published, but haven't gotten to Clue #7. That's on my list for when I get back (and things are hopefully less crazy). But I have been taking progress shots after each clue, so here is the wing of the shawl after Clue #6 has been complete:

Also, A Cardigan for Arwen. I finished weaving in the last end last night, can you believe it? I did block each piece before sewing it all together, but I kinda wish I could steam it before I leave - not sure if I'll get a chance. At any rate, here's me wearing it, with a silly grin on my face:

I hope to get some better shots of me in it during the trip (and there are a few more on my Flickr page). I'll be back the evening of September 24th, so expect to here from me some time that week!

Even more yarn....

2007-09-12T19:21:00.000-05:00

I still have packing to do, so this is going to be short. :-)

My September package from the Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special Sock Club was even nicer than the August one!

The color of the yarn is Alluring, and I really, really love it (and the first color from this club could potentially be knit up during my trip, which starts tomorrow night!). We also got a sample of Soak, a tin of mints, a sheep bath fizzy that smells like coconuts from Daisy Cake Soaps (which I love), and a lingerie bag for washing hand knit socks. So cute! (The plastic bag has the sheep bath fizzy - it broke in half and was getting white powder all over the place, but trust me, it's cute.)

I also managed to snag 4 skeins of Wollmeise at The Loopy Ewe yesterday (my budget did NOT need that), but those will be arriving while I'm on vacation, so pictures when I get back!

A Different Kind of Calamity

2007-09-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

My Yarn Pirate Booty Club package for August finally came! Or, okay, it's the replacement that Georgia so very kindly sent me. I have emailed her several times to thank her, but it bears repeating - it's unbelievable that she sent me a replacement skein, I really appreciate it, particularly since it meant her dying up a new skein in a color she had just done about 300 of - crazy!

Anyhow, here it is:

The yarn is SO FLUFFY! I might have to move this up the project queue, once I find a project for it. I'm so happy to finally have the skein, too, because it was driving me crazy that I never got it. Yay for the Yarn Pirate. :-)

Too busy knitting to write....

2007-09-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

I have a good reason for not writing in awhile, really. Remember this sweater, the one I want to take on my trip to Italy? Well, I leave in 6 days (!) and I. am. not. done. Yikes!

I have been furiously knitting, and I finished the right front/sleeve/hood last night. I'm going to graft the hood together tonight, and then block the whole thing while I knit the back (which should be pretty simple, it's all stockinette, though I do have about 140 rows to do). At this point I have CONFIDENT I can get the knitting done, but putting it all together? It's going to be close, that's for sure.

The gift socks that were taking me away from that project? Finished and blocked, but not gifted or photographed. I'll post a picture of them once those things are done.

Next week, I will DEFINITELY show you the Mystery Stole through Clue 6. It's funny that I did those clues all on time, and then just haven't done the very last one yet. But the sweater is more important!!! :-) And finish or not, I'll post a picture of the sweater in whatever state it's in before I leave. Hopefully the state will be DONE!

Swatches!

2007-08-28T12:47:00.000-05:00

I had far less knitting time the past couple of days than I was hoping, so I don't have much to show. I did, however, get three of the four skeins of yarn that I'm bringing on my Italian vacation swatched AND I figured out what they are all going to be!

Clockwise, from the top left:

BMFA STR Heavyweight in Falcon's Eye, purchased at The Fold when I was visiting my family at Christmas. I swatched this one on US 3's at 6.5 sts/inch. I've decided to make the Cable Rib Socks from Favorite Socks, with modifications for gauge (of course) and to make the cables line up on the cuff AND the instep.

Fiesta Boomerang in Misty Morning, purchased at The Loopy Ewe. These also swatched to 6.5 sts/inch on US 3's. I'll be making the Southwestern Socks from Wendy Knits.

Mountain Colors Weaver's Wool Quarters, in Clearwater, also purchased at The Fold. This is the only one I haven't swatched yet, but I'm going to guess that it'll knit up to the "right" gauge on US 2.5's. I'm going to make the Heelless Sleeping Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks.

And finally, Chewy Spaghetti Spaghettoni in Frivolous, from the Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special Sock Club. This yarn I did on US 2.5's and got a gauge of 7 sts/inch. I'm going to make the Open Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks.

So, all sportweight socks for this trip. I'm also going to ditch my beloved Knit Picks circulars in favor of some bamboo DPNs, because of the international flights. I'm not flying through London, and I haven't found anything forbidding knitting needles on the Frankfurt, Germany, or Rome, Italy, airport websites, but I figure better safer than sorry.

I don't expect to get through ALL of these in the 12 days I'm gone, but I want to have enough to knit on, without running out and without bringing my entire stash. Hopefully this puts me right around where I want to be. There is going to be A LOT of time in airports, on planes and on a bus.

Now I just have to decide which ORDER I'm going to make these in. :-)

August Shipment of Rockin' Sock Club

2007-08-24T15:35:00.001-05:00

Apparently my yarn thief has not learned just how often I have yarn delivered, because my August shipment from the Rockin' Sock Club arrived unscathed. :-P Here's the whole thing:

We got a skein of Socks That Rock Lightweight (my new favorite) in Flower Power, the emergency skein keychain, the Love Lace pattern, Dyer's Notes (of course), a few pages on sock history and a couple of temporary tattoos to complete the Summer of Love theme.

The colorway...

... is not one that I would have chosen for myself, and not one of my favorites. In fact, I think it's my least favorite of the four we've gotten so far (it's the orange, it's just not a great shade). But I don't hate it, and I will knit with it.

As for the pattern...

... I have mixed feelings. It's not something I would have picked or my favorite FOR MYSELF. I think it would make a fantastic pattern for a little girl, though, and I also think it's going to be a fun knit... it's got a somewhat unique construction, at least as far as the cuff is concerned. So I will knit it for myself (since that's what I have decided to do with club patterns), and I'm sure I'll enjoy the process, even if I don't love the finished outcome. But I do hope one day there's a little girl I can modify the pattern for, because they'd be ohh so cute on little feet. :-)

Loopy Groupie Goodies

2007-08-23T11:35:00.000-05:00

Well, my package still hasn't shown up, but Georgia is being wonderful about it and sending me a new skein. I just might have to buy some more of her yarn. ;-)

Speaking of yarn, I said yesterday that I got a free skein of BFL for becoming a Loopy Groupie, but that's not all I got:

I knew the tote was coming, and I figured there would be a few other goodies in there, but a whole skein of sock yarn! Wow! The yarn is from Gypsy Knits, and it is BFL Superwash Fingering yarn in Mountain Rain. It's really soft and shiny, as BFL has always promised to be.

So yeah, it would have been a very BFL-filled few days if the USPS didn't suck so much (ohh, I placed a formal complaint yesterday and they were supposed to call me back within 24 hours - that was more than 25 hours ago - I hate them and will probably call to yell at them again tomorrow).

A Calamity, Indeed

2007-08-22T10:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture Georgia posted of the Yarn Pirate Booty Club packages going out last week:

Booty Club Packages Leaving with the Mailman

And here is a picture of MY Booty Club package that arrived on Saturday:

Yeah, the package never got to me. :-( My tracking number says it was delivered at 12:50pm on Saturday, August 18, 2007. I was out of town this past weekend, but my roommate was home (though not at the time) and she never saw it. I have called the USPS and my post office in Somerville several times, and it seems there's really nothing that can be done - they claim they did their job (I beg to differ - I don't have my package, therefore their delivery confirmation is a lie).

I emailed Georgia to ~~beg~~ ask for a replacement, and hopefully at some point I will have a skein of superwash BFL in Calamity (yes, that is the name of the colorway this month) in my possession. Ironically, I have never had any BFL in my stash, and I received a FREE skein from The Loopy Ewe on Friday for becoming a Loopy Groupie (that's coming in a later post, along with my other loot). Maybe it's a balance for having to pay for a second skein of Calamity, when I didn't get the first?

A Cardigan for Italy

2007-08-20T16:54:00.000-05:00

I think I mentioned my trip to Italy next month - 12 days (well, I guess it's more like 11) touring around Italy with my roommate - we're going to Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Milan and Venice, with a few stops in between (Isle of Capri, Pisa, Verona, etc...). I'm really looking forward to the trip, because I've always wanted go. I'm REALLY looking forward to all of the food and wine we'll be having (both my roommate and I are kind of wine snobs).

I decided that I was going to make myself a sweater for the trip, and the lucky winner was A Cardigan for Arwen, by Kate Gilbert, which can be found in the Winter 2006 edition of Interweave Knits. I'm not sure I'm going to make my deadline, as the cardigan is on hold (!!!) right now, due to a friend's upcoming birthday and the socks I'm way behind on, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

I've finished the left front:

And I am up to the sleeve cast on for the right front - that leaves the rest of the right front and the back (which I imagine will be pretty easy), plus a lot of seaming, to go! The left front took me a little over a week, and I leave in 24 days (I'm not counting or anything...), so I think I can do it, even with the devil socks needing to be completed beforehand (the socks are lovely, they are just taking forever - I'll of course show them once they are done and gifted).

The sweater is being knit out of Cascade 220 in the Pistachio colorway (#8234). I think it's a lovely shade of earthy green (my friend says the sweater looks very hobbity, particularly with my chosen color). I am again cabling without a cable needle, like I did with The Solstice Slip, and that is going along swimmingly. Look at this closeup of the cable:

I'm almost (ALMOST, I say) as excited about the sweater as I am about my trip!

Sock Club Goodness

2007-08-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't really mentioned the sock clubs I'm in lately, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been any sock club goodness going on around here!

For instance, last month I received my first shipment from the Yarn Pirate Booty Club:

The colorway is called Rum Runner, and it looks like a lot of fun. I haven't figure out what it will be yet, but I'm looking forward to knitting it up.

And that little package next to the skein of yarn? That's a limited edition soap from Good Soapworks of Athens, created just for the Booty Club! I heard Georgia asked for something spicy - to me, this smells like cinnamon. I'm also loving seeing my first Moo Card - I see why people have raved about them!

My next package from the Yarn Pirate Booty Club is in the mail, traveling across the country as we speak.

In the meantime, I received my first shipment from the Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special Club last week:

The colorway is Frivolous. I love the matching sock bag - I didn't think I'd like one of these bags, of which there are many variations around the web (this particular one is by an Etsy seller whose name I do not know off the top of my head), but it turns out it's very convenient! If I'm bringing knitting with me somewhere, it's usually a sock in progress, and I found out that it's much easier to bring this and my purse than to pile everything up in the big corduroy bag I use as my knitting bag. But my knitting bag is happy to have another button (the Yarn Pirate button is already in place on the bag).

I haven't decided what this yarn will be yet, either, but I do know that I will probably pick a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks or More Sensational Knitted Socks, and that it will be part of the sock queue I bring with me to Italy next month. :-)

In addition to my new Yarn Pirate shipment, the August shipment of the Rockin' Sock Club ships out next week, so there will be no shortage of sock club yarn around here!

Mystery Stole #3 - Nearing the End

2007-08-16T16:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a shot of the first part of the "wing" on my Mystery Stole (a.k.a Clue #5), finished more than a week ago:

I really like that the wing actually looks feathery!

I have finished Clue #6, and Clue #7 (the last one) gets posted tomorrow. I will try and get one last progress shot of the shawl before I begin Clue #7, but since I'll be away this weekend and I need to move the shawl to a bigger circular, this probably won't happen until next week.

I'll miss this shawl - I've really enjoyed working on it. Luckily, I have several projects lined up (and the yarn to go with a lot of them) that will be of the lace variety, most of which are from Victorian Lace Today. I can't wait!

The Solstice Slip

2007-08-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

And here's another pair of socks! I don't actually finish projects as quickly as my posts this week would suggest, I'm just behind. :-) I am happy to be posting this one now, because the next club package should be shipping out next week, and I need proof that I finished these socks before that package.

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club June Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Firebird, 1 skein
Project Timeline: 7/11/07 - 7/26/07

This is probably my favorite of the BMFA club colors so far - I just love anything red. I do wish my particular skein had more white in it, but that's okay - plus, this may be the only color I buy an EXTRA skein of, just because I love it so much.

I thought that of all the Socks That Rock weights (Lightweight, Mediumweight, Heavyweight), I was going to like the Mediumweight the best. This was my first skein of Lightweight, though, and it turns out I was wrong - I ADORE the Lightweight. It is slightly heavier than than most other sockyarns I've used, but still works up well on my Knit Picks US 1.5 circular (which I use for pretty much all of my socks). It's tightly spun AND supersoft. Plus, there are yummy Blue Moon colors at a price point lower than a lot of the indie dyers (that I still adore, of course). I have a couple more skeins of the Lightweight in my stash, and I can't wait to knit them up.

This pattern was pretty simple, and worked up quickly. We were given a toe-up and a top-down option, and I chose to go toe-up, since that was the original intention of the pattern designer (at least according to the Dyer's Notes). I really enjoyed the mini-gusset with the garter stitch short-row heel. I'm happy that so far in each of three club patterns, I've learned something new (garter-stitch short row heel and toe, toe-up with gusset, mini-gusset with short-row heel).

Each of these socks has a mistake, although they are hard to spot. On the first sock, I didn't cross one set of stitches on the first half of the first repeat. I didn't notice it until I was already all the way up the foot, and it just wasn't worth dropping all the way down and fixing. On the second sock, I left out the last row before the heel, but didn't realize until after I was done with the heel, so... yeah, not going back to fix that, and just did all of the cable crossing one row early. But there's also a little design feature that I added in myself - the cables actually zig in opposite directions on each sock, so there's sort of a left sock and right sock. Neither my two mistakes or my design feature are noticeable, though, even in a close-up shot.

Pomatomus - It's About Time

2007-08-14T10:05:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been promising an entry about my Pomatomus socks for quite awhile now, and here it is. These socks have been a long time in the making. The skein of STR Mediumweight in Seal Rock was actually one of the very first skeins of sock yarn I bought, if you can believe that. I knit my first pair of socks last May and June - they were just plain stockinette, using stripey yarn from Knit Picks. I decided I was going to do Hedera next, for a little bit more of a challenge, and then Pomatomus, using my very first skein of Socks That Rock.

Well, I didn't even get to Hedera until January, after I had knit SEVEN pairs of gift socks, including one with a skein of STR. Yeah, I was way off schedule. And I would have done these right after Hedera, but I thought they would require far more concentration than they did, and most of my sock knitting at that time was done on the T. So Pomatomus continued to be put off (and I continued to knit more socks in STR, because of the Sock Club). Finally, though, I got around to knitting these, and now I'm posting about them.

The socks, I gotta say, were a pain to knit. All of those knitting through the back loop, using needles that were slightly too small for the yarn (at least in this pattern). I was also worried about running out of yarn - I had seen other blog posts from people using this yarn for this pattern, and they said they only did 2 repeats on the cuffs instead of 3, and I wanted 3. But running out of yarn was not a problem for me. I had just enough to make it through the socks.

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Seal Rock, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 6/16/07 - 7/10/07

The socks are nice and snug - I really think they fit me well, and I love love love this color (which is not currently on the BMFA website - not sure if it's discontinued or just not available). I am particularly happy with the way they stripe on the cuffs (which is hard to see in these photos, I realize), though the pooling on the foot is not my favorite look.

So in the end I'm very happy, but I will probably never knit this pattern again. :-)

Purses for My Family

2007-08-13T12:16:00.001-05:00

I have four sisters plus my mom as far as knitting for women in my family goes (let's not even get into my dad - I have no idea what to knit him most of the time). I decided this year I would knit them all purses for their birthdays - but I have had quite a time getting them into the mail. Finally, last week, purses for my mom and two of my sisters went out and arrived on Thursday (which was ironically my birthday and nowhere near theirs, which are in January, February and July). So, here's a parade of purses!

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Cascade 220 Quattro, #9433, 1 skein
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline 1/8/07 - 1/13/07

This is the second Sophie Purse I have made, and since I love mine, I thought my mom would like one, too. One thing I did on this one that I don't like is I overtwisted the handles - I thought I'd want it more twisty, but it turns out I like the twist on mine much better!

Pattern: Black Sheep Bags
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, #194, 3 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline 1/21/07 - 1/24/07

My sister Emilee is 10, and she loves pink. Finding a color of Noro Kureyon with enough pink was quite a challenge, and I'm still not sure that I did a great job, but it is what it is. This one annoyed me with the felting - it got little lint things all over it (you can see in the picture) and I just couldn't get enough of them off. I doubt a 10-year-old is going to notice, but it bugs me!

Here's another shot of the purse close-up:

And the last one:

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Lily Yarns Sugar and Cream, Black, 2 skeins
Needles: US 15 and US 10
Project Timeline: 7/4/07 - 7/5/07

I just love the Saturday Market Bag - I think it's the perfect beach bag where you can fit a lot of stuff; the Sugar and Cream yarn is cheap, easily accessible and comes in lots of colors; and it only takes a couple of days to make! I have already received a note from my sister Rebecca that she loves this one.

Up-close, since black is hard to see:

I have one more bag to send (one sister is in limbo right now as far as address is concerned) and one more to make, but luckily those sisters haven't had their birthdays yet this year!

Remember Mystery Stole #3?

2007-08-08T09:11:00.000-05:00

I am once again behind on photographs for Mystery Stole #3, but I have yet to fall behind on the knitting. Clue #4 was extra long - 135 rows, when the previous two clues had been 50 (the first clue was 100 rows, but we increased up from a point, so the knitting probably works out to be the same). Clue #4 was also pretty monotonous - the center pattern of the shawl didn't change. Since we had two weeks to knit it, I spread it out over two weeks, but was finished last Monday, a good four days before the next clue:

Right now I'm kinda regretting my decision to keep the stole the length it was intended, because it looks kinda small (it should be 50 inches long and 20-something inches wide - it's 40" by 16"), but I'm hoping wet blocking will fix this - lace is stretchy, right?

Things did get intriguing towards the end of the fourth clue:

A row of eyelets! I knew the pattern must be drastically changing in the fifth clue because of this, but I had no idea what was coming.

Here's another up-close shot of the lace:

In case you haven't heard (it's been almost a week now, I don't mind revealing it here), the theme of the shawl is Swan Lake - white shawls like mine represent Odette, black shawls represent Odile. And for the last third of the shawl (the last 3 clues, as it were), we'll be knitting a wing. Yes, a wing, complete with short rows (which are more like attaching a border to a shawl at this point than short rows, but really I guess it's all the same thing). I have Clue #5 done, and will photograph when I get a chance. I'm still having a ton of fun with this, and will be sad when the shawl is done!

Looking Back at Convertible

2007-08-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

You might remember that I finished Convertible awhile ago. It was actually the first time I posted one of my finished projects on Knittyboard, and I got a few questions about the wearability of the shawl. So, I posed the question to my sister, who sent me this:

It looks to me like the shawl stays on by itself, and her feedback was that it works pretty well as a shrug. She also said the only problem she's noticed so far is that the button holes have a tendency to stretch out, and then the buttons sometimes slip out, but otherwise it's great. She says she likes to wear it as a poncho, and sometimes she wraps it around her waist like a skirt.

I hope that information is helpful to anyone looking for it!

Finished Socks - A Preview

2007-08-02T11:15:00.000-05:00

I have two recently completed pairs of socks to show here, but I haven't had a chance to get modeled shots, because of one thing or another. So, I'm not going to go into detail about either pair, but I will give you preview shots of the socks lounging in my living room. They are Pomatomus and The Solstice Slip:

More details about each pair once I get a chance to model them (which will hopefully be this weekend unless I am overburdened by work).

The LAST Patriots Tychus

2007-08-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

Last year around this time, I got this idea in my head that I would knit hats for my guy friends who love the New England Patriots. There are four of them. Four hats. The same hat pattern. I never want to knit this pattern again. In fact, I never wanted to knit it again after the THIRD hat, and so it took me forever to knit poor Patrick his promised hat. But I finally sat down one week in June (yes, I know wool hats are pretty useless in New England in June) and cranked out the hat.

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Red Pepper, 1 skein, Dark Navy, 2 skeins, Coast Gray, 2 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: 6/17/07 - 6/21/07

Interestingly, despite how much I hate this pattern now and never want to knit it again, this was my favorite of the four Patriots hats. I finally got the sizing right (the directions in the pattern give you a hat that is way too big, so I had to make some adjustments). In previous versions, I modified the hat to have a provisional cast on with a three needle bindoff - this time, I used a provisional cast on and then GRAFTED the stitches (I recently learned how to graft in garter stitch, thank you Victorian Lace Today), meaning no seam AT ALL. And I really like how the hat looks with the gray dominating (all four hats actually had slightly different color patterns, but always using these three colors).

But really. I'm never knitting this hat again. I mean it. :-)

Getting back on track....

2007-07-31T14:59:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit negligent lately (just the past couple of weeks, I guess). There are two reasons for this: a ton of work (which means less knitting, blogging and photo time) and Ravelry - my invite came last Friday. So I've been busy putting my stash and my projects in there - and I'm still nowhere near done! The stash is going to take F.O.R.E.V.E.R. - and I'm sort of afraid of what I'm going to find going through all of my yarn. So that will probably slowly evolve. I'm not going to forget my blog, of course, but Ravelry is fun for cataloging things and getting inspiration. So, if you're on there, look me up under Lizzardie. :-)

Ravelry also gave me the final push on upgrading to a Flickr Pro account - I did that this morning, and I'll have some organizing to there, too. The organizing really never ends it seems (let's not talk about the organizing I conveniently ignore in my apartment)!

My absence has led to a slew of FOs, though (okay, maybe not a slew, but there will be several that I'll be posting about this week and next). And I've been chugging along on the Mystery Stole - I finished Clue #4 yesterday, so I'll try and snap a picture sometime this week.

And here's the first FO: Dublin Bay socks for my friend Corinne.

Pattern: Mossy Cottage Knits
Yarn: Yarn Pirate Merino Sock, Primrose, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 5/29/07 - 6/16/07

While Corinne's birthday was in early July, I didn't have a chance to give these to her until last Friday, hence the late posting on them.

Initially, I wasn't overly impressed with the Yarn Pirate yarn (which everyone raves about). It has four distinct color repeats (and this seems pretty typical of her colorways) and it took me a bit of time to find a pattern that showed off the yarn but didn't blur the pattern, AND didn't bore me to tears like plain stockinette would have. The Dublin Bay pattern wound up being perfect (and fit in with a nice flower theme), particularly because the socks wound up striping so nicely.

The yarn was pretty stringy to work with. It has nice stitch definition and a good amount of twist, but I wouldn't consider it all that soft to work with, even though it's merino. It softened up considerably after a bath, though, and I really love the nice, cohesive fabric it made once it was washed.

The biggest problem I had, though, was that the yarn bled an INSANE amount in the wash. I use SOAK with warm water, and the color of the water in the first wash was very dark. And there was still bleeding in the second and the third AND THE FOURTH washes, as well. Finally, after a fifth full sink of water, the water ran clear. But the color had faded considerably from its original intensity:

I emailed both Georgia of Yarn Pirate and Sheri at The Loopy Ewe where I purchased the yarn. I didn't want to sound like I was complaining, but I did want to let them know, because this really shouldn't happen (at least, that's my understanding). They both sent very lovely responses back, and it's nice to know that they care. Since the socks were definitely still in good enough shape to gift (and Corinne seemed to like them), I'm satisfied overall. I just hope it doesn't happen again - I have several more skeins of Yarn Pirate in my stash (with some that I bought this weekend on the way)!

More Mystery Stole

2007-07-17T12:24:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is a shot of my stole after the third clue:

I still have NO IDEA what the theme is. I see curly things at the bottom, and then what looks like a honeycomb pattern, followed by what may be little flowers (they look like crabs on the chart, but flowers once knitted up, I think). So what does that have to do with something that will only fit the theme perfectly in white/off-white or black/off-black yarn?

I think the clue we get on Friday will be a little longer, and I'm hoping I'll have a better idea of what I'm knitting then. I really like how it's turning out, though, and do plan to one day go back and knit it again with beads.

Mystery Stole #3 - Clue 2

2007-07-16T13:35:00.000-05:00

I don't actually like posting WIP pictures. It's not fun for me to take the time to lay out the project so that what I'm doing is visible. And typically by the time I get the pictures uploaded, I'm way past the point I was at, anyway, and I don't want to write about things that may or may not be relevant anymore. :-)

I did commit myself to posting pictures of the Mystery Stole #3 (which is the first one for me, so it's a little weird to write that all the time). But... I'm behind. :-) I didn't "pose" the shawl until Saturday, when I was getting ready to start knitting Clue #3. But now I'm all caught up, and I took the time to get a shot of the stole yesterday (after I finished knitting Clue #3), so I will post that one tomorrow.

So, after two clues we have:

I took the time with this shot and the one I have tomorrow to not only use the blocking wires, but also to put the stole on a darker background. I am not sure if that background will be available much longer, though, because it's a chair! I'm thinking that next time I'll throw a dark blanket on my bed, because the shawl just didn't show up well against the light green sheets.

I am still enjoying the shawl. Both last weekend and this weekend I alternated knitting on the shawl with work, which made the shawl a nice break for me. The last two clues have consisted of 50 rows, so I broke that into 5 "sections". Each section took me a little less than an hour (my knitting probably would go quicker if I didn't watch TV while doing it).

I'm also making quite a bit of progress on The Solstice Slip socks - I'm partway through the cuff on the first sock. After about five inches of cuff (I think I'm at two), I will probably set the first sock aside, and knit the second sock to that point, and THEN decide exactly how high I want these to go. The pattern is not as much fun as before now that it goes all the way around the sock - this week I may alternate pattern repeats on the socks with pattern repeats on the shawl I've been neglecting since I started the mystery shawl. :-)

And the Pomatomus socks are washed and blocked - I just need to get up early enough one of these mornings to take pictures before work.

How About More New Yarn?

2007-07-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

I recently placed an order with Blue Moon Fiber Arts - it was a reasonably big one, given that I was using my 10% off coupon from the Rockin' Sock Club, and I wanted to get my money's worth. My order came today, right before I left for work, so I quickly snapped a picture:

From left to right we have:

Kidmo in Backstabber
Socks That Rock Lightweight in Titania
Socks That Rock Lightweight in Metamorphic
Socks That Rock Lightweight in Pebble Beach
Socks That Rock Mediumweight in Lucy
Socks That Rock Mediumweight in Pink Granite

I also bought two patterns, Marble Arches and Titania's Revenge, which were my favorites from last year's sock club (that I did not join). This is why I bought Titania and Pink Granite. :-) I was happy to see that just like with the sock club, these patterns came in protective plastic sleeves, so they went right into my Rockin' Sock Club binder. I'm going to have to get some plastic sleeves of my own, so that I can file away other loose patterns I have.

I started The Solstice Slip last night, as I was hoping. I'm getting a gauge of 9 spi, instead of 8 spi, but I don't want change needle size (I'm using a US 1.5 circular from Knit Picks, as usual), so I was hoping to just choose my sock size accordingly. I started with the large, and got through the toe and two pattern repeats before realizing the sock was way too big, and I KNOW that if 75 stitches is too big on my foot, then 85 stitches are going to flood my ankles (but then I'm sure will be too small just a little ways up on my calves). So I started over - I've now got the toe complete on a medium-sized sock (65 stitches, much more like it), and I'll start pattern repeats tonight. I am really liking the pattern, though, and cabling without a cable needle is nice, at least for these 1-2 cables. I'm not sure I'd want to do it quite yet for more than a 2-2 cable, but who knows how I'll feel with practice. I used Grumperina's tutorial, and I found it really easy to follow.

Maybe now I will try to focus on work instead of knitting for the next several hours. :-)

Another Pair of Socks Finished

2007-07-11T11:17:00.000-05:00

I finished my Pomatomus socks last night during the All-Star Game (I found myself really conflicted on who to root for in this one - great job by both the Cubs and Red Sox players, and the Cubs have been doing well lately, but the Red Sox are running away with their division right now, what to do, what to do). I ended up knitting five more rows on the second sock before the toe decreases, and then going back to redo the toe on the first sock, and I'm glad I did. In fact, I think I could have done even more rows and it would have been good - for some reason with this pair, I just couldn't get a good read on when the sock was long enough. I wound up with plenty of yarn to spare - not a lot, but enough - and I knit the sock as written for my size 9 feet. I had been worried, because I'd read about people only knitting two pattern repeats on the cuff, instead of three, with the Socks That Rock Mediumweight, but I didn't have any problems with yardage.

Hopefully I'll be able to wash and block the socks in the next coupla days, and take pictures by this weekend.

And I can't be without a pair of socks on the needles, so I swatched Firebird for the Solstice Slip socks. This is my first time using Socks That Rock Lightweight, and I'm really liking it. More like sock weight than the mediumweight, but with the Blue Moon colors and that night tight twist. Hopefully I'll be able to get those started tonight.

I won a very special contest

2007-07-10T13:31:00.000-05:00

I recently won this yarn in a contest:

I have quite a few knitting blogs on my RSS feed, and several of them started talking about Claudia's MS Ride. She was trying to raise as much money as possible to show how generous knitters can be. As incentive, she offered a TON of prizes that would be raffled off after the bike ride. Well, I finally got around to donating sometime in mid-June, and I ended up winning something!

This skein of undyed, 75% wool, 25% bamboo sock yarn is courtesy of Holly and came all the way from Germany!

And even better than that, Claudia raised more than $40,000 for Multiple Sclerosis. Thank you, Claudia, for doing the ride, and thank you, Holly, for the wonderful prize. :-)

So many WIPs....

2007-07-06T12:23:00.000-05:00

Work is interfering with my knitting time lately (I didn't get to stop working until 10:20pm last night, and I try to go to bed around 11pm), so I haven't had as much to show lately (and probably won't for awhile, though I finished some bags this week - if I get them in the mail next week, I'll post pictures). In the absence of FOs, here are shots of my current high priority WIPs:

These are Pomatomus socks in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Seal Rock. I've had the yarn in my stash for these socks since last summer (I think), and I'm finally getting around to them. The pattern is great, but it sure is hard on my hands! I love the striping on the cuff, but on the first sock, I had major pooling on the foot. I assume the second sock (which I'd like to finish sometime next week) will do the same thing.

This is the "Large Rectangle with Center Diamond Pattern" from Victorian Lace Today (page 20). I'm using Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Anthracite (my first time with this yarn) and I'm 2/3 of the way through the main rectangle - after that I'll have to knit the border. I chose something simple for my first VLT project, because I've never knit on a border before, and I'm still pretty new to lace. This is then going to work to keep my warm on chilly days (which are most days).

Ahh, Mystery Stole #3, courtesy of Melanie at Pink Lemon Twist. I'm using Lane Borgosesia Cashwool in White (Melanie said that only whites and blacks are authentic to the theme, which we don't know yet) - no beads - and this is my progress after Clue #1 (Clue #2 came out early this morning, and I have not gotten to it because I have a job). I'm enjoying this - Clue #1 was done in just a few days (I alternated some rows of it with some rows on Pomatomus), so I'm hoping it can be a "side" WIP - work on it a couple days after the clue comes out, and then put it aside because I don't know what to do next!

I know there is a long list over there of other WIPs, but, uhh, yeah, I don't really mess with those. :-P

Sunshine Yarns Sock Club - Last Package

2007-07-05T11:52:00.001-05:00

It's been more than a week since my last post, huh? Yikes! The thing is, I do most of my posting at work (because I want to do mostly knitting at home), and work is busy during July. So, maybe less posts this month (or not, depending on the number of FOs I have).

Anyhow, I received my last skein from the inaugural Sunshine Yarns Sock Club:

The color is called Daring (and it's in her Soft yarn), and it might be my favorite, at least in the "I would never buy this but I really like it" vein.

Here are all of the colors from this sock club:

In case you need a memory refresher, the colors are Sweet, Fresh, Deep, Airy, Colorful and Daring. The first two were in the Soft yarn, then two in the Twist, and the last two in the Soft.

Now, I KNOW that when you sign up for a sock club and you're getting mystery skeins, you don't get to be picky. So I'm not complaining, really, I got exactly what I paid for (which included some goodies, and I love my sheep notepad).

But. Do you notice the amount of blue in the skeins? All but the second skein had some blue in it. Two of the skeins are predominantly blue. I like blue (and pink for that matter, because there's a lot of that, too). But I also like red and green and purple and neutrals. I just would have LIKED some more variety, that's all I'm saying.

I still love her yarns. I'll still probably buy more (though right now, unless I see a must-have colorway, I'm holding back, because I currently have 16 skeins of her yarn, in addition to a ton of other sock yarn). And I bet there's someone out there who loved all six skeins and was absolutely thrilled. I just wanted to give my opinion.

I have the Yarn Pirate Booty Club starting up this month (this week, hopefully) and the Chewy Spaghetti club next month. And I still have the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club, which I have just loved being a part of. We'll see what those bring me - I do love getting the surprises in the mail, so at least there's that. :-)

My New Yarn Came!

2007-06-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

I have been spending most of my time lately working on the "Large Rectangle with Center Diamond Pattern" shawl from Victorian Lace Today (is it just me, or do the shawls in that book need better names? This particular one is on page 20, if you own the book) and my Pomatomus socks (first one was finished Monday, hopefully casting on the second sock tonight - I love how they look in the STR Seal Rock). This means there aren't really knitting pictures to share. But my shipment from The Loopy Ewe came and I can share those pictures!

Lane Borgosesia Cashwool in White for Mystery Stole 3 (off of the ballwinder at this point)

From left to right: Apple Laine in Vanilla, Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering in Peppermint Mocha, Louet Gems Fingering in Burgundy

Again, from left to right: Dream in Color Smooshy in Petal Shower, Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Peridot

Additionally, I received my skein of Vesper Sock Yarn in "Knit and Tonic" from Knitterly Things (I had been around for a couple of updates, but had been trying to not break my yarn diet - since it went out the window last week, I figured why not with this one). Plus the yarn for some bags for my sisters either were purchased or arrived. I may start those soon.

So, lots of yarn for knitting (not that I didn't already have enough)! Tonight will be another night of sitting in my air-conditioned room (I put in the air conditioner for the first time in 3 years, due to the heat wave we're having right now), listening to music and knitting. I just have to get through the rest of the work day....

Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties

2007-06-26T14:00:00.001-05:00

The cardigan is not cropped. And I didn't get a picture of me wearing it. I do however have a picture of it with the dress I wore:

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk, Cream, about 8 skeins
Needles: US 7 (and a 3.75mm crochet hook)
Project Timeline: 4/27/07 - 6/19/07

It wound up being everything I wanted it to be - a nice cover-up that did not hide my dress. I hope to get a lot of future use out of it, too, because it is so cute, soft and warm. I may have to purchase Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits, which is where the pattern really comes from.

As I already said, I did not make it cropped. I lengthened the body and the sleeves to be, well, full-lengthed. Because of the extra length on the body of the cardigan, I had to figure out something to do with the edges, and I wound up using a crochet border. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably add a few stitches on either side as I knit to create a garter or seed stitch border, or picked them up BEFORE fastening the ties to do one of those things. But this did the trick.

This sweater was several first for me - my first cardigan, my first sweater with sleeves, my first real seam (the ipod cozy that's still in progress doesn't really count, my first hemmed edges, and my first applied i-cord edging. Wow.

I haven't decided what my next sweater will be - a summer tank (I have the yarn and patterns for several) or A Cardigan for Arwen, from the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits. I'll let you know when I decide. :-)

More Sock Yarn

2007-06-21T10:47:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure that many people read this, but in case people do, and in case those people are in the BMFA Rockin' Sock Club, I have pictures of the June kit later in the post. I figured I'd give fair warning.

The yarn diet is completely out the window now. Whee!

Here's the thing. I joined Mystery Stole 3, because I've been wanting to knit more lace (and Melanie's patterns are gorgeous - I will eventually be buying Scheherazade and Hanami). She recommended either white or black laceweight, and since the shawl I'm currently knitting is in charcoal (KSH Anthracite, to be exact), I thought I'd go with white. The Loopy Ewe carries Lane Borgosesia Cashwool in White, so that was to be my yarn of choice. But ohh, a $75 order gives me free shipping, and new products went up last night. In the end, I spent about $120 and got several sock yarns that I've been meaning to try, in addition to the laceweight:

Claudia Hand Painted Yarns in Peppermint Mocha
Louet Gems in Burgundy (destined to be a gift)
Apple Laine in Vanilla (also destined to be a gift, and not socks)
Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Peridot (the name of my birthstone!)
Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Yarn in Petal Shower

I'm a sucker for pretty colors.

But! At least I received sock yarn yesterday that I have already paid for! I really do like the June kit from the Rockin' Sock Club. The color, called Firebird, is gorgeous (pretty much anything with reds in it will get my attention), and the pattern - The Solstice Slip - looks interesting enough. Even though options appear for knitting the sock toe up or cuff down, the Dyer's Notes say it was originally written just toe up, so that's how I will knit it. I am not entirely sure, but I MAY add calf shaping, and knit until the yarn runs out. It would be my first modification of that sort. Ohh, and I'm also going to learn how to cable without a cable needle, probably using Grumperina's tutorial. That will be the next pair of socks on the needles (after Pomatomus, and I'm only on the leg portion of the first sock). The kit also came with a card that shows pictures of lots of skeins of Firebird in various poses - I love it!

Here are some pictures (some have flash, some don't, and I can't decide which show the colors better):

That last one is my favorite. :-P

Ohh, and the inside of my ball band says "Indian".

I Can't Help Myself

2007-06-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I went and signed up for the Chewy Spaghetti Sock Club as well. At least I'm spreading out my sock club love, signing up with different indy sellers. This one is only three months, and the price was reasonable - so even though I've never used her yarn, I think it will be fun. I totally don't need more sock yarn, though. :-)

The Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties is done as of yesterday. I am not entirely happy with the crochet edging I did, but I think it will help with the curling (and blocking should help, too - that's what I'm doing tonight. I kinda wish I'd made the last couple of stitches either seed stitch or garter stitch. Or that I'd picked up stitches, did a seed stitch edging, and THEN added the ties. Live and learn - I still love the cardigan, and if blocking helps the edges, it'll be fine. Pictures will probably come next week, since I'm wearing the cardigan for a wedding this weekend.

My sister received Convertible, and sent me an email - she said that it's "really cute" and "so soft". Works for me. I emailed her back, asking her to send a modeled picture, but we'll see if she ever does. I'm glad she likes it, though.

I should probably get back to work now....

I Broke My Yarn Diet

2007-06-18T11:57:00.001-05:00

*Sigh* I guess it was bound to happen. I signed up for the Yarn Pirate "Booty Club". I told myself I was done with sock clubs, because while it's nice to get surprise yarn in the mail, yarn diets aren't any fun, and it would be nicer to shell out $20-$30 for a sock yarn I know I will like each month (not that I'm really all that picky - besides, if I don't like a color, I know I can always find someone who does like it). But the Yarn Pirate club is a good deal I think - $80 for each three months - and I figure that if I'm really disappointed by the first set, I can always cancel.

At least I've decided that I'm NOT going to sign up for the Sunshine Yarns Harry Potter Sock Club. While it might be my only opportunity to get Gryffindor self-striping yarn (I was hoping to make a friend a pair of socks out of it - might have to just see if I can find yarn in those two colors), I just can't justify the cost.

Ahh well. I'm just going to have to work $80 every three months into the budget. :-P

Convertible (Finally)!

2007-06-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

I remembered to bring the package for my sister, which will go out in the mail (all the way to Los Angeles!) later today, so I can FINALLY write about Convertible.

I. Hated. This. Project. :-) Don't get me wrong, the wrap came out beautifully. In the end, all the work was probably worth it. But it took me forever to get the yarn (I had to special order it from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and it took awhile to figure out what my color options were). The color was not what I expected it to be. The first skein of yarn (wound by hand) ended up a tangled mess. The yarn was splitty. The lace pattern was difficult to memorize. I was always forgetting to add the button holes. And on and on... it's no wonder that this project took me forever!

But now it's done, and it's beautiful:

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Bambu, Lucy in the Sky, 2 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: 10/06 - 4/29/07

The only changes I made were that I added 13 stitches in width, and therefore only had enough yarn to complete a total of 16 pattern repeats, instead of 17.

I even found some nice silver and mother of pearl buttons to create the "cufflinks":

The bamboo yarn is very drapey, but as I already said, very splitty. This project reinforced my belief that I am a process knitter (much like everything else in my life), and if it's not fun, I don't want to knit it.

Here's an up-close shot of the lace pattern:

I hope my sister likes it. I, for one, am glad to have it out of my house, and if she doesn't like it, well, I never have to know. :-P

Knitting Books Don't Count in a Yarn Diet, Right?

2007-06-13T11:01:00.001-05:00

I bought a knitting book yesterday. I had vowed not to buy anything knitting related while I wait for my passport, but I couldn't resist! I bought Folk Knitting in Estonia from an Amazon Seller. It says the book is in new condition, and the price is right, plus I have developed a strong love for anything Nancy Bush (I already own Folk Socks, Knitting on the Road and my favorite, Knitting Vintage Socks). I can't wait for it to arrive - the patterns I've seen from it are beautiful, and folks on the internet seem to think it's a real treasure to read.

Yesterday and Monday I seamed up the sleeves on the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties (which is not cropped, and has full-length sleeves). I probably should have blocked my swatch before knitting this, because it definitely grew with a washing. But I think it'll work. I had done very little mattress stitch up until the other night, and I must say, I'm really happy with my seams. Tonight I'm going to start tacking down the hems - not sure how much I'll get through - and then the next step is the leaf ties/i-cord edging. I'm hoping to add a crochet edging to the two unfinished edges in time for the wedding I'm going to next weekend (which I should probably try and book a hotel room for...). Success with mattress stitch makes me want to knit more sweaters - it really wasn't that scary!

Assuming I remember to bring it to work tomorrow and therefore get it in the mail, there will be pictures of Convertible tomorrow (everything is all set to go, I just forgot it this morning).

Knee High to a Grasshopper

2007-06-12T10:49:00.001-05:00

I need to get these posted before the new shipment arrives (which I think is sometime next week)!

I finished the Knee High to a Grasshopper socks a few weeks ago, but just got around to taking pictures this past weekend. I decided that I would knit until I ran out of yarn, and what do you know, I ended up with (nearly) knee highs from the one skein! Woohoo!

Pattern:Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club April Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silkie Socks That Rock, Walking on the Wild Tide, 1 skein
Needles: US 2.5 (US 1.5 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: 5/18/07 - 5/29/07

I made a few modifications to the pattern, of course. I knit the medium size, and knit an extra 6 rows after I finished the toes. I now kinda wish I hadn't done this, because with the amount of stretch in the socks, it looks like too much. Not a huge deal, though.

The knee high part of the pattern called for a whopping 7 calf increases - I only did four. I think the medium size was actually too big for me, but the extra width on the sock ended up being good for stretching lengthwise, so I'm happy that I chose that size. I only got 13 rows of ribbing out of the yarn - I probably could have done another - but that's okay (my goal for 15).

Here's another shot of the socks, which show the pattern a little closer (and you can sorta see the seam down the back):

The pattern went by pretty quickly, as the 11 day knitting time shows. I didn't even mind that it was mostly purl stitches, and I love how the seam looks going down the back. I knit the socks SORTA two at a time... I did one sock up until the regular size point (2 calf increases), then put the stitches on a holder and knit the other sock from the other end of the yarn ball. After that, I went back and forth until I was running low on yarn.

Here's how much yarn I had left (and this is after I wove the ends in and cut off the rest):

The Silkie yarn was fun to work with. I am not really a fan of the two-tone nature of the yarn plies, but you can't really see that in the knitted fabric, so it's fine. I think the silk content and open pattern will make these socks good for many seasons. I'm happy that the Walking on the Wild Tide color striped for the most part (and the pooling from the calf increases is fun), and in general had a pleasant experience with the new yarn base.

Here's hoping the next pattern/color combination are just as fun. :-)

Only one more to go....

2007-06-11T15:12:00.000-05:00

Here's the May shipment from the Sunshine Yarns Sock Club:

The color is called "Colorful" (which it is) and it came with a set of Size 0 DPNs. I am glad that this was another skein of the "Soft" base yarn. Not that I've tried out the "Twist" yarn yet, but I really do love this yarn.

Since this was a six-month sock club, there's only one more shipment to go. Since I haven't knitted up any of the skeins yet, I'll be able to show them all together! Once I get that last skein, I'll probably give an overall view of what I thought of the experience.

Baby Things!

2007-06-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started knitting, I've been hoping my friends would hurry up and have babies, so that I could make them cute tiny things. Well, FINALLY, in December I found out my friend Jaime (from high school) was expecting! I was back home in Illinois later that month, and got a little bit more scoop (due middle of may, they didn't know what they were having, decided to go with green for decor since Jeremy, her husband, didn't like the idea of yellow), and made up my mind to make a baby blanket and hat.

I started the blanket in January. I was SO SURE I'd be finished by mid-May, which would give me plenty of time to mail out the presents before the baby was born. After deliberating, I went with the Pinwheel Blanket I have seen all over the internet, in Shine Sport, because cotton is washable and cool for summer. Six ball of green for the body, two balls of cream for the garter ruffle, no problem.

Then I remembered that I. Hate. Cotton. Ugh. It hurts my hands so much. And this blanket? It grows faster than you think. By the end, I was lucky to get two rows done in one night. TWO ROWS! Before I started that garter stitch ruffle, I had 740 stitches on a 60-inch size 4 circular that was very much under duress (enough that I broke the joins on not one, but TWO of my 60-inch Knit Picks cables). Six balls the green was not enough, either - I had to order three more midway through the project, and even that didn't give it that much extra diameter (I was getting less than 8 rows per ball of yarn by the end). I ruffled only once - bringing the stitch count to 1480 stitches. Originally I wanted to do two increase rows, but there was NO WAY 3000 stitches would fit on one of those cables.

Here is the blanket before I sent it through the washer and dryer:

Pattern: KnitList
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport, Grass, 9 skeins, and Cream, 2 skeins
Needles: US 4
Project Timeline: 1/26/07 - 5/21/07

It shrunk up a little in its wash (one trip through the washer, in the dryer until it was damp, laid flat to finish drying), and while I didn't get another picture, it was a little cuter. The ruffle firmed up enough to not look so floppy, and it ended up being almost exactly 36" in diameter. Perfect for the little boy Jaime had on April 22nd named Cathan Jeremy (yes, that was three weeks early).

I also made a hat, somewhere in the middle of all the blanket nonsense (on a, I just want to finish a project, damn it, day, and decided I'd have to START something in order to FINISH something):

Pattern: Stitch n' Bitch
Yarn: Dale of Norway Stork, Light Green, 1 skein
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: 4/14/07 (1 day!)

I mailed everything out last Wednesday via Priority Mail, so Jaime must have received the package by now. I hope she loves it.

The next friend who has a baby? Definitely getting the blanket from Stitch n' Bitch, which I love and is knit on US 8 needles - I don't care how much I have to pay for all that Koigu.

Waterfall Rib Socks

2007-05-31T09:05:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned my addiction to Sunshine Yarns once or twice, yes? :-) It all started with that first skein of Stones Throw that I stumbled upon and used to make socks for my dad. So soft, with short color repeats. The whole knitting process was a dream. And I was jealous of the socks I gave away. Same thing with the socks I made for Herb the next month. But Herb informed me that they don't wear well, with bad pilling, and I had to test whether that was actually true or if it's because he abuses them (I TOLD him not to throw them in the dryer). So I made my own pair of socks with Sunshine Yarns:

Pattern: Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Superwash Wool Soft, Violets, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 3/24/07 - 5/17/07

Once again, this were a dream to knit. The pattern was easy to memorize, and I just enjoyed the process. They started out as subway knitting, before I switched jobs, and then I was having trouble fitting them in to my knitting queue, hence the almost two months it took to make them. But now they are done, and it's too warm to wear them!

I decided to use Sensational Knitted Socks for the stitch pattern more than anything. I cast on 72 stitches, worked K1P1 ribbing for 20 rounds, then did 12 pattern repeats. I took more than half the stitches (39, to be exact, decreasing one on the first round to get an even number) and then worked an eye of partridge heel (which I LOVE). I decreased down to a total of 65 stitches for the foot, which works perfectly for my feet. For the toe, I worked a standard wedge toe until I had half the stitches (32), then I decreased every round until I had a quarter of the stitches (16) and kitchenered. I gotta say it's one of my best toes ever, and it fits really well.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern, gusset and eye of partridge heel:

I know I should probably throw a little bit of abuse at them, but I kinda don't want to. :-P I have a ton of left over yarn, so maybe I'll make a few swatches that can be tested. We'll see.

Finishing Old Projects

2007-05-30T13:26:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a project really gets away from you. Take for instance the camisole you are about to see. I started this last summer (early summer, too, in June sometime) and I'm sure I did most of the knitting in a short amount of time. The yarn, Knit Picks Main Line, was easy to work with because of the wool content and it's a color I love. But I got all the way to the decreases, to the point where I had only 12 total stitches left and just needed to do some i-cord straps, when I realized the top was huge. I was ready to frog it and start over, this time with smaller needles, but I just threw it in a bag and forgot about it until a few months ago. I took out, this time definitely planning on recapturing the yarn, but decided to try it on again just to make sure. And this time, well, maybe it wasn't so big (gaining weight will do that). It certainly seemed wearable enough, and while maybe not the best fit, better than the prospect of frogging, washing the yarn and then knitting a whole new top. So I finished it, and wore it for the first time this weekend. Here's the "Honeymoon Cami":

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Main Line, Red Velvet Cake, 8 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: 6/06 - 4/7/07

I knit the large size, and I used a different lace pattern for the bottom edge - I'm not sure what it is at this point, but it was from my knitting pattern a day calendar from last year. It wore well during the day - I barely noticed it (I'm not a fan of the bagging in the armpit area, but what can you do - if I make the straps longer it will be too low cut for what I want). The wool/cotton blend was nice on a pretty muggy day. This is my second honeymoon cami, and I think for now I'm going to move on to different knit tanks. Still a pretty nice pattern, though.

I took this picture using the self-timer option on my camera. I look ridiculously silly, and tried a few more times to get a shot where I wasn't looking so high up, but those cut off my head, and I grew tired of trying. Maybe next time.

I want to make lace!

2007-05-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

I keep staring at the pictures in Victorian Lace Today. It's such a pretty book. I started dreaming last night about making every single shawl in there (okay, almost every single one - I'm not loving the collar things toward the end of the book), and then making VARIATIONS of the shawls with different center motifs and borders. I could get very, very addicted to lace it seems (just like socks!). Maybe lace will be preferred summer knitting and socks will be preferred winter? Who knows.

I have yarn, too. I have four skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Anthracite. That is destined to be a rectangular shawl for me to keep at work ( I get cold easily). I also have three different cones of 2/28 silk laceweight from Colourmart (the colors are wine, camel and Melissa - a very pale green, as they say), and one of them is destined to be that half-moon shaped shawl. And just this morning I was thinking that I certainly have a skein of two of sock yarn that I wouldn't mind making a shawl out of, possibly one of those wide-bordered scarves that have the fun construction (knit edge border, turn, knit body, turn, knit edge border).

I have promised myself I will finish the pinwheel blanket first, though, before I start a lace project. It's just getting harder to hold myself to that.

Perfect Yarn Color

2007-05-08T09:44:00.000-05:00

I have a bit of a hand-dyed sock yarn buying habit. :-) Lorna's Laces, Socks That Rock, Schaeffer Anne, Mountain Colors Bearfoot, and of course Etsy. I may have found the PERFECT sock yarn color for me though:

The yarn is Sunshine Yarns Superwash Twist yarn in Black Rose Triple Dye, and as you often here with these things, the photo does not do the yarn justice. It is way more subtle and just absolutely perfect for me. This is destined to be Mata Hari Socks, which I've been on the hunt for yarn for a long time.

And with that, I'm back to a yarn diet. I'm going to Italy (!) in September, and I really need to start being frugal. I have enough sock yarn for at least 40 pairs of socks (more I'm sure, plus the more leftovers I have the more the options keep building), plus plenty of yarn for other projects (4 summer tops, another cardigan, a short-sleeved sweater, the afghan WIP, some fingerless gloves, a fair isle mittens/hat/scarf set, other scarves, lace) that I really don't need any yarn or patterns for awhile. So, no yarn until my passport arrives (I applied this past Saturday, so 6-10 weeks from now). Once my passport arrives, I am allowing myself to treat myself to enough yarn for a sweater (probably Eiffel) and a few skeins of yarn for birthday presents (some presents can hopefully be done from the stash). And then no yarn until Italy. I can do that, right? I managed to get through all of Lent, so I'm sure this will be fine.

Sunshine Yarns Sock Club - April and Weekend Knitting

2007-05-07T11:04:00.000-05:00

Here is the April shipment of the Sunshine Yarns Sock Club:

The color is called Airy Triple Dye, and I think it's my favorite of the four I've received so far. It's mostly light blue with little flecks of brown. The pattern is a nice bonus, because I wasn't expecting it when I signed up. Dani said in a note that there will probably also be a pattern with the last shipment as well.

Weekend knitting was spent working on the three main projects. I made some progress on the baby blanket - I'm on to the 7th of 9 balls of green yarn. At this point each ball gets me no more than 10 rows (and that could go down) and I have over 600 stitches on the blanket, which should mean a diameter of 30". I also worked on the cardigan - the body is finished and I've moved on to the first sleeve. This is going rather quickly - I think I overestimate how long it takes to make a garment sometimes (thinking back to the tops I knit last summer). And I did a few pattern repeats on the sock - I was hoping to get more done but that was not to be. It will probably become a priority if (when, really) I finish the main cardigan knitting before the sock is finished. I can only really do two rows on the baby blanket at a time (weekends I can get 4 rows done in a day if I do 2 rows in the morning and 2 more at night).

Another WIP

2007-05-04T12:54:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I forgot a WIP! I am not sure where this one goes... on the one hand, I started it a few weeks ago. On the other, it's not really on my radar.... it's the Colorful Waves Throw, using Knit Picks' Mix and Mingle Kit in Storm. I'm throw 3 full color repeats, but like I said, not on my radar. Probably a long-term project that I only pick up occasionally. I started it as a "I'm feeling sorry for myself" thing, and maybe I'll keep it limited to times when I need some comfort knitting.

Just Knitting Away....

2007-05-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

Now that I finally have this thing all updated and ahem, backdated, hopefully I can start doing regular posts. It would figure that when I finally get around to starting a knitting blog, my life kinda goes a little haywire. I think that I've finally settled back into a routine (maybe not one that I'd like, but it is a routine and it is rather stress-free).

I was going to show a picture of a new yarn purchase that is the most beautiful and perfect color for me, but I forgot the cord to my camera. Instead, I'll just talk a little bit about ongoing knitting projects.

There are three that I'm really working on right now...

Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties I'm doing this in Knit Picks Andean Silk - Cream, as I mentioned (and showed) in earlier posts. I'm enjoying it, although I am to the point on the body where all the increases are done, so it's rather boring knitting. Still, after so many socks, it's nice to see the fabric grow quickly (about 6 rows an inch). I have a total of 9 balls of Andean Silk in one dyelot, and 3 in another - I'm hoping it won't make a difference with the cream, and that will allow me to extend the cardigan to a longer length and longer sleeves.

Pinwheel Blanket This is being done in Knit Picks Shine Sport - the body is in Grass and I'm going to put a garter-stitch ruffle on the edge in Cream. It is taking F O R E V E R. I had originally ordered 6 balls of Grass and 2 of Cream, but it became clear that wasn't going to make a big enough blanket, so I ordered 3 more in Grass and 2 more in Cream, and that's it, I swear (not sure how much Cream I'll need, I just want to make sure it's enough). The blanket is for my friend Jaime's baby - she's the first of my friends to have a baby, so I wanted to do something special. She was due around, well, now, but the baby came 3 weeks early! Yikes! She had a healthy baby boy, though, named Cathan. I do have a hat that I made for him, and hopefully I can get that out this weekend and get the blanket done by the end of the month. Cotton kills my hands, though.

Waterfall Rib Socks The stitch pattern for these socks is from Sensational Knitted Socks, and I'm using Sunshine Yarns Superwash Wool (not the new Twist yarn) in Violets. I cast on 72 stitches, did 1x1 rib for 20 rows, 12 pattern repeats, Eye of Partridge heel (my first one!), knit to fit my size 9 feet, and ended with a wedge toe. The first sock is done and I'm on the cuff of the second. I haven't been motivated to work on this for some reason, but I would like to finish the socks before I start my April Rockin' Sock Club kit, and I'd like THOSE done before I receive the June kit, so I guess I'd better pick up the pace!

I also have the hat I knit for Cathan, which just needs to be blocked, and Convertible for my sister, which I finished last weekend, that also needs to be blocked (and it needs buttons).

Other projects that are sort of... thrown aside for now:

Tubey When I started this, I thought the first time I knit it I would use really cheap yarn, because I'd never knit a sweater before. So, I bought a ton of Lion Brand Wool-Ease, and, well, I've learned I hate knitting with Wool-Ease and I will probably never wear a sweater knit in it. So, I may abandon this one, and start Tubey at a later date with nicer yarn (Knit Picks, at least!).

Worsted Weight Socks These were my first socks. I used some black Wool-Ease that I had and that's how I learned how to make socks. The only problem was that I ran out of the black Wool-Ease somewhere on the foot of the second sock, and I don't really want to buy more. So these will probably never get finished, unless I decide to take out the toe on the first sock, finish the foot on the second sock, and then knit the toes in contrasting Wool-Ease (come to think of it, I might do that just to get them off my WIP list).

iPod Cozy This is basically done - I had just left 2 stitches live so that I could make an i-cord chain and attach a little pocket to store the headphones in. It wouldn't take too long to finish, but it's usable as it is (the live stitches are on a safety pin) and my iPod is broken, so why bother? I used Cascade Fixation in a striping sage green color.

Washclothes Lots of washclothes, actually. One set in cream-colored Sugar and Cream, and another in Classic Elite Cotton Chenille. Each set is supposed to be 3 washclothes. I think I have MAYBE 2 total washclothes done, and I haven't touched these since last summer. I'm really not all that found of working with cotton, so if I'm going to, I'd rather it be for something nicer than a washcloth.

Irish Hiking Scarf Oy. This one should be done. The problem is, I ran out of the wool I was using (and the scarf is way too short), and I couldn't find more. So, I bought some Cascade Eco Wool, which has plenty of yardage and is softer than the other stuff I had. I will restart this soon, but it's for my dad and he'll never wear a scarf anyway, so I haven't been in that much of a hurry.

To Dye For (From Stitch n' Bitch) I really liked the idea of doing this one, and I still do - I have one sleeve done, and it's a quick knit (using Knit Picks Suri Dream in Lilac). Hopefully I'll be motivated to pick this one up so that the sweater is done by fall.

Stockinette Scarf This one is pretty simple - done in a beautiful skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Kidmo (Periwinkle) that I picked up at The Fold while I was home visiting my family. It's for me, it's supposed to be for fun (it's going to have swarovski crystals at both ends) and I'm in no hurry. I work on a few rows here and there (though I lost a stitch somewhere and will probably have to take part of it out).

So that's it... 3 real WIPs and 7 (err, 8, really, if you count the washcloth projects separately) abandoned WIPs. I'd love to work to narrow this down so that I never have more than FIVE WIPs at a time. That's reasonable, right?

Now if only the work day was over so that I could knit...

New Slippers!

2007-05-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

What happens when you start wearing holes in your slippers? You knit new ones!

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, Periwinkle, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 4/15/07 - 4/17/07

I had been wanting to knit these for awhile, but just hadn't gotten around to buying the yarn and doing so. But, I had been so good and did not buy a single skein of yarn during Lent (so I got Sock Club shipments, that doesn't count) - so I decided to use my store credit at Spark for yarn for new slippers. I got 1 skein of the Lamb's Pride and 5 skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic, and after store credit, it only cost me a few dollars. That was great, except... I ran out of yarn four rows before the toe decreases started on the second slipper. :-( I ended up buying 2 more skeins of the Lamb's Pride, so that I could make a second pair of slippers, either as backup or when these wear out. They were such a quick knit that I might just knit them, felt them and put them away sometime when I'm looking for a fast project.

The Lamb's Pride felted super fast - just one trip through the washer (Cascade 220 usually takes a few trips). And they are really warm and cozy, too. The only thing I miss from my old store-bought slippers is the extra padding on the bottom. I may look into slipper bottoms for the next pair. I was going to put puff paint on the bottom of them, but there is minimal slipping and sliding on my hardwood floors, so I probably won't bother with this pair.

Following through....

2007-04-30T15:29:00.000-05:00

I started a cardigan!

Rockin' Sock Club

2007-04-28T15:45:00.000-05:00

I finished my Monsoon Inside Out socks several weeks ago:

Pattern: Inside Out, from Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club February Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Monsoon, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (toe, sole, heel, first repeat of cuff) and US 2 (rest of cuff)
Project Timeline: 3/10/07 - 4/5/07

In both the above picture and the next one, I have shown one sock right side out and one sock inside out. Here they are on my feet:

I liked this pattern, and I'm happy with the color. I really liked the garter stitch toe and heel, and the ribbing all the way around the sock. The cables I'm not entirely sure on, but they look nice on this sock. One thing I did that I may go back and change later on is that I knit the first pattern repeat on the cuff on Size 1s before going up to Size 2 needles. They are nice and snug on, but it's hard to get to that point (and hard to take them off). I'll probably leave that for the fall or something, though (I think I have enough yarn left over to do that and keep them with the same number of cables).

I attempted to do these two at a time, using Magic Loop. It was going pretty well, until towards the end of the sole when my yarn ball fell apart (I knit from both sides of the skein) and I had to start knitting them one at a time. Since I don't have a scale, and don't feel like investing in one, I will probably have to do socks one at a time with one-skein projects, since I wouldn't be able to evenly split the skein. No problem, at least I tried. I think that while doing the socks two at a time is nice in that you don't have that "I finished a sock! Ohh, but now I have to make second one. :-(" feeling, it went slower than my normal knitting.

My goal with the club was to knit all of the club colors with the patterns they come with. I do not think it's cheating to use Magic Loop instead of DPN or 2 circs, and there are some (minor) modifications that are necessary (sewn bind-off on the Inside Outs, for example). But all in all, I want to try different things and be exposed to new methods. I had not planned on finishing any of them in any sort of timeline, but since I did finish these so quickly, I am now making it a goal to finish each club kit before the next one comes.

And yesterday I got this:

I haven't seen anyone else post a picture of this yet, so here's the skein of Silkie Socks That Rock in Walking on the Wild Tide opened up:

I think the new base yarn is really soft, and I like the color... I just don't know that I'm a fan of the different colors of the different plies. Ahh well. The pattern looks easy but challenging (toe up, with a reverse heel flap) and has a knee high version. I've been wanting to make knee highs, but haven't found a pattern I like enough to take the plunge. So we'll see how I'm liking the sock at the end of "regular" height, and maybe I'll wind up picking up an extra skein of this to make knee highs.

New Project: Cropped cardigan with leaf ties

2007-04-27T09:03:00.000-05:00

I am making this sweater to wear with a green dress I have to Scott and Julie's wedding. I say I'm going to knit things all the time, and, well, if it isn't a pair of socks, it probably doesn't get done (and even then, I have TONS in queue). A lot of times it's a matter of acquiring yarn, and then having enough things off the needles to put something new on. But! I'll probably finish my sister's shawl this weekend (at least the knitting part, I still need to acquire buttons). And I have 12 skeins (meant for two different projects that I may or may not one day go back to) of Knit Picks Andean Silk in cream that I think would be perfect. So this one is getting swatched and casted on this weekend.

I'm hoping to make a few modifications. Nothing major - I want to lengthen the sweater (I think short things make me look too boxy) and make the sleeves longer, maybe full-length, I'm not sure. Here's hoping I have enough yarn!

Friday Harbor Socks

2007-04-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Kristen's birthday was yesterday, and I am continuing to fulfill my promise of knitting socks for all of my friends as birthday presents this year:

Pattern: Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Schaeffer Anne, 1 skein (The Loopy Ewe called this color Summer Afternoon, but it's potluck, like all Schaeffer Anne)
Needles: US 2 (yarn held doubled)
Project Timeline: 2/24/07 - 3/8/07

It took me awhile to figure out what to make for Kristen. I had wanted to use a skein of Sunshine Yarns that I had (which is now currently in progress as a pair of socks for me), but Herb said his fuzzed up quite a bit in the laundry, and I want to see if it's him or the yarn before I give someone else a pair of socks from that yarn. So I thought Schaeffer Anne would be a good choice for Kristen - it comes in lots of bright colors and the Schaeffer Yarn Company is located in Interlaken, NY (Kristen went to RIT so she has an appreciation for the Finger Lakes region, as I do).

Now for a pattern for the lovely skein of yarn I got... Anne is both bright and made of mohair, so something complicated was out (no use spending all that time on a pattern that will be obscured after a few washes). But I didn't want boring. I thought the Friday Harbor pattern would be good, but it called for a much thicker yarn, and I did not feel like totally adapting the pattern... and it occurred to me that I could double the Anne! Now, this whole thing was an experiment, because the whole time I thought I was going to run out of yarn and have to start over. But, the yardage on the Anne held up (550 yards means 275 yards doubled), and the socks knit up really fast.

There is a nice little lace pattern on the sock:

The sock was easy enough that I'm not going to care if you can't see the pattern after awhile, though.

The one thing I will change when I do these socks again (because I will make myself a pair - I even have a great skein of Anne for it) is the toe. I do not have elf feet, and the toe of the sock just wasn't comfortable on my feet. I told Kristen I would reknit the toes if she wanted me to (she wears the same size shoe as me, but her feet are a little wider) but she says the socks fit great, so I'm not complaining. I think this one was called a rounded toe and the one from the RPM socks is called a pointed toe - maybe it's the other way around, but I would definitely substitute the RPM toe on these socks.

March Sock Club Yarn

2007-04-07T10:58:00.000-05:00

Only one skein of yarn this month, from Sunshine Yarns:

Of the three skeins I've received (halfway through the club), this color (Deep) is my favorite. However, the one thing I am unsure of is that she has introduced a new base yarn - it's still superwash, but it has a tighter spin, making it both thinner and shorter on yardage (395 yards compared to the 450 from before). I'm happy to try it, I just hope I like it as much as the other yarn (and right now I'm kinda hoping future shipments will be with the old base yarn, since she's planning on keeping both, it seems).

The sheep notepad is really cute. :-)

RPM Socks

2007-03-31T10:53:00.000-05:00

Another pair of socks for me! This knitting socks on the T thing is sure paying off.

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Peacock, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 2/18/07 - 3/24/07

These ones I love. The yarn is nice and squishy and soft, the colors are dark but there's no pooling, the pattern is interesting but not terribly complicated. I had read somewhere (probably the Knitty Coffeeshop) that if you took one stitch out, you could just K6P3 around, so that's what I did - knitting the last stitch of the first round and the first stitch of the second round together after the cuff. I really like how that worked out (compared to the first time I knit these socks).

The dark socks make wardrobing matching really easy.

February Sock Club Shipments

2007-03-10T10:37:00.000-05:00

February was a wonderful month where I received TWO sock club shipments (which is great, because I gave up buying yarn for Lent, but yarn you bought before Lent started clearly does not count). :-)

The first one I received last week was from the Sunshine Yarns Sock Club:

I am not loving the color (called Fresh), but that's how these things go, right? The green is just too bright. Still, I do love the soft yarn, and I'm sure I'll eventually find a use for this skein. Plus, Dani is totally sweet (and local).

The second shipment was from the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club:

This one I like more (the picture I took is hard to see, but that's okay - the color is called Monsoon, in Socks That Rock Mediumweight, and it has lots of purply steely gray and olivey green with different shading in between). Not my favorite colors, but the socks will go with everything.

I am determined to knit all of the RSC shipments in the patterns they come with, just for the experience (and before the next club shipment arrives). This pattern is called Inside Out, because it's reversible. It's toe up, with a short row garter stitch heel and toe, ribbing on both the instep and the sole, and cables up the leg. I think the heel and toe are going to be nice and squishy, and the ribbing all around should make for a really comfy sock. I'm not sure about the cables, but I guess I'll see how they go!

Hedera Socks

2007-02-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

I finally started and finished a pair of socks for me:

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential, Burgundy, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 1/11/07 - 2/18/07

I don't LOVE them, but they're all right. The pattern sorta grew on me, but the yarn isn't that fabulous. I had bought it back when I was still really new to sock knitting - I had wanted to build myself up to working with nice yarn and fancy patterns. Of course, Christmas knitting changed all that, but this was the pattern meant to go with this yarn, so I did it. Still, it's nice to have them over with, and a new pair of hand knit socks is still a new pair of hand knit socks.

Plus, most of the knitting was done on the T going to and from work, so it was a good use of my time.

Here's a close up of the lace pattern:

Charity Knitting?

2007-02-19T10:12:00.000-05:00

One of the things I've been wanting to do for awhile is charity knitting - nothing too fancy, of course, but nice things made with decent yarn to give to people who need warm things. I just haven't really gotten around to it yet.

BUT! At my new job, they have this big United Way campaign every December. In addition to donating some time, participating in the charity poker tournament, and giving a monetary donation, I donated a custom knitted object to the silent auction.

My knitting only brought in $35, but hey, that's something, right? I had said I would knit either: a hat and a scarf, mittens or socks. Laura, who won the auction, chose mittens. When I asked her what she wanted with her mittens, she said she just wanted cream. *sigh* BUT, we did put a fancy cuff on them (though also in cream), and I do love how they came out. Plus, they were FAST! I'm now itching to make my own mittens in lots of pretty colors. :-)

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare - Superwash Worsted Weight, 1 skein, and Knit Picks Twirl, Cream, 1 skein
Needles: US 10.5 (I think), with Bare doubled, Twirl single
Project Timeline: 1/28/07 - 2/10/07

One thing I changed from the basic mitten instructions is that the cuffs are knit with the purl side showing - I really wanted you to be able to see the texture of the Twirl. I'd say I knit them in reverse stockinette stitch, but that would be a lie - I picked up the stitches (be forewarned: do this loosely, otherwise it takes away from the elasticity of the mitten) in a way that allowed me to knit the whole way. And I LOVED how the join between the edge of the inside cuff and the outside cuff turned out - I wish I had gotten a picture.

I've been trying to make an effort to package my gift knitting to increase the quality of the product - presentation tends to make a big difference with food and objects, it seems. At some point, I want to get a lizard stamp and stickers, but for now I've been making pretty handwritten cards with care instructions on them, and tying everything up with ribbon:

It's still not exactly what I want, but I do get to customize colors with ribbon and handmade cards, and hopefully it's appreciated.

Socks!

2007-02-03T20:48:00.000-05:00

I love them. I love making them. I'm not sure when it started, but I am now obsessed with making socks and sock yarn. I just can't get enough! Sometime last summer, after I had made myself two pairs of socks (simple stockinette with Knit Picks Simple Stripes - Vineyard, Jaywalkers with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock - Tuscany), I decided that I would make my whole family socks for Christmas. That would be 6 pairs for my mom, my dad and my four sisters! Yikes! Despite starting in August, I finished on December 23rd, which barely left enough time for blocking. Now I'm (slowly) working through friends.

There are two things that make me really love socks. The first is how perfect they are for knitting on the T - they are totally portable, so at whatever point I'm at, I can knit socks during my commute. The second is the hand-dyed colors. They look amazing, but I'm not really into the variegated sweaters or other things (scarves are good, but they bore me most of the time). Plus, that must yarn is expensive! So I get lots of hand-dyed sock yarn - Lorna's Laces, Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Sunshine Yarns, Black Bunny Fibers, Fearless Fibers, The Spinning Bunny, Mind's Eye Yarns, Cherry Tree Hill, Schaefer, Mountain Colors... ahh, I love it all.

I don't have another pair of hand-knit socks, though, due to the family knitting project. But the yarn? I have plenty of that! In fact, I have enough sock yarn to make 35 pairs of socks, and that doesn't count odds and ends from past projects (including lots of single and not quite whole skeins of Lorna's Laces). I even joined TWO sock of the month clubs - Sunshine Yarns and Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Yes, that was a lot of money to put down in January (right after Christmas, yuck), but I hope it'll be worth it. Case in point - it's been nearly 2 weeks since I purchased yarn, but I got my first Sunshine Yarns package in the mail on Thursday! Look:

The color is called Sweet, and Dani even included a little card with the definition of Sweet and a quote! So cute! It's not a color I would have chosen for myself, but I love it nonetheless. I can't wait until next month when I get my second Sunshine Yarns package AND my first BMFA package! Yay!

Center Square

2007-01-31T11:28:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Black and Dark Navy, 2 skeins each (2 strands held together)
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 1/16/07 - 1/19/07

I missed Dan's birthday, because of Jeff and Kristen's wedding. So I sent a card, except I didn't send it until AFTER his birthday (couldn't track down an address). I wanted to knit something for him, but obviously didn't get to that before his birthday either, so I promised him something in his card. But then I couldn't think of anything. Dan was kind enough to tell me that he would like a hat in navy blue and black, and to give me measurements. I was then tasked to come up with something that made sense in those colors (which are hard to put together, sometimes). I didn't think this pattern was right at all, until I read a blog post somewhere about how a woman made one for her husband. Then it clicked! I think this came out really well, and hopefully it fits Dan's head.

I also like how the decreases are done at the top of the hat:

Argosy

2007-01-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, #208, 2 skeins
Needles: US 6
Project Timeline: 1/4/07 - 1/7/07

I made this scarf for my grandmother. I have been wanting to make something for my grandmother since I started knitting - she is the only person I knew who knitted when I was growing up, and I have received many things from her through the years (including 2 scarves that are still in my closet now). She also has supplied me with plenty of yarn since I started knitting, and is always asking me about my projects. She has a January birthday, and when I saw this pattern pictured in the Silk garden, I just knew I had to knit it. The pattern was quite easy, once I memorized what was going on, and the whole thing knit up quite quickly. I would definitely be willing to make one of these again.

Gentleman's Fancy Socks

2007-01-18T11:27:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Superwash Wool, Hungarian Horntail Dragon, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuff)
Project Timeline: 12/23/06 - 1/11/07

I made these socks for Herb for his birthday, and I think they came out really well. My second experience with Sunshine Yarns was as wonderful as the first - no pooling, just beautiful variegation in wonderful colors (in a manly way, of course). This is good, because I have so many more skeins of this yarn (including one in this color, that will be for me). The pattern was great - the whole book has these wonderful patterns that are so well written, down to every last detail. I really liked how it looked in the photo, and was pleasantly surprised to see how deceptively simple it was. And Herb says he likes the socks, and that's the most important part!

Something for Me

2007-01-08T11:26:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of yarn. This is not unusual for a knitter, lots of us have huge stashes. I have two underbed containers stuffed (they live under the bed, of course). I have too smallish containers in the living room, filled mainly with sock yarn. I have a basket overflowing, basically taking up a whole corner by the couch. And of course, there are skeins here and there, WIPs thrown on the floor, on the couch, in a bag. I really need to stop buying yarn.

One of the reason's that I have so much yarn is that it's the yarn I buy for ME. There are projects I want to make for myself, but never get around to, because gift knitting has taken up so much of my time. So the yarn sits there, and I keep buying more. And maybe one day, those projects will get done (and will still be somewhat in style).

An example of buying yarn for me came while I was in Illinois visiting my family for Christmas. In order to get the car one day, I had to drive my mom to work, which put me halfway to The Fold, in Marengo, and I thought I'd go, since it was the best opportunity I'd have. I was really interested in picking up some Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarns. Unfortunately, the selection of Socks That Rock was low (no lightweight, mainly tonal colors - I picked up a skein of the Heavyweight in Falcon's Eye), but it was really great to just see all of the different BMFA offerings. In addition to the skein of Socks That Rock, I also got a skein of Seduction in some unidentified color (but it's got light blues and purples) and a skein of Kidmo in Periwinkle, which is absolutely stunning.

I immediately knew what I wanted to do with the Kidmo - a simple, open stockinette scarf with Swarovski crystals! It will be lightweight, airy and dressy - the perfect spoil-me present to myself. :-) Here's the start:

Unfortunately, the crystals I got a little small for the yarn, and I found they weren't moving along as well as I'd like. So, I decided I would just put them in a row at the very beginning and the very end of the scarf - this way I don't have to carry the beads very far (once I run out of yarn, I can slip beads onto that end). Here's a closeup of the beaded portion:

I'm not working on this very often; I have other projects on the go that are more pressing. But once this is done, I think it's going to be a lovely addition to my wardrobe. :-)

2007 Completed Projects

2007-01-07T21:30:00.000-05:00

I will be updating this throughout the year. Please check back whenever you want to see what project I might have recently finished! :-)

Current Tally: 42 Completed Projects in 2007

#59 Sophie Purse with Felted Flower

Pattern: Magknits for the purse, Patons for the flower
Yarn: Cascade 220, #9407, 1 skein, Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed, #281106, 1 skein
Needles: US 11 and US 10
Project Timeline: 12/30/06 - 1/1/07
Recipient: Me!
Notes/Blog Entry: New Year, New Blog

#58 Gentleman's Fancy Socks

#61 Argosy

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, #208, 2 skeins
Needles: US 6
Project Timeline 1/4/07 - 1/7/07
Recipient:Grandma
Notes/Blog Entry: Argosy

#62 Sophie Purse #2

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Cascade 220 Quattro, #9433, 1 skein
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline 1/8/07 - 1/13/07
Recipient:Mom
Notes/Blog Entry: Purses for My Family

#64 Center Square

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, 2 skeins each of Black and Dark Navy
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline 1/16/07 - 1/19/07
Recipient: Dan
Notes/Blog Entry: Center Square

#65 Booga Bag

Pattern: Black Sheep Bags
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, #194, 3 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline 1/21/07 - 1/24/07
Recipient: Emilee
Notes/Blog Entry: Purses for My Family

#67 Mittens with Fancy Cuff

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare - Superwash Worsted Weight, 1 skein, and Knit Picks Twirl, Cream, 1 skein
Needles: US 10.5 (I think), with Bare doubled, Twirl single
Project Timeline: 1/28/07 - 2/10/07
Recipient: Laura at Dove (United Way Silent Auction winner)
Notes/Blog Entry: Charity Knitting?

#63 Hedera Socks

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential, Burgundy, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 1/11/07 - 2/18/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Hedera Socks

#69 Friday Harbor Socks

Pattern: Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Schaefer Anne, 1 skein (The Loopy Ewe called this color Summer Afternoon, but it's potluck, like all Schaefer Anne)
Needles: US 2.5 (yarn held doubled)
Project Timeline: 2/24/07 - 3/8/07
Recipient: Kristen
Notes/Blog Entry: Friday Harbor Socks

#68 RPM Socks

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Peacock, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 2/18/07 - 3/24/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: RPM Socks

#70 Inside Out Socks

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club February Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Monsoon, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (toe, sole, heel, first repeat of cuff) and US 2 (rest of cuff)
Project Timeline: 3/10/07 - 4/5/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Rockin' Sock Club

#33 Honeymoon Cami #2

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Main Line, Red Velvet Cake, 8 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: 6/06 - 4/7/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Finishing Old Projects

#73 Umbilical Cord Hat

Pattern: Stitch n' Bitch
Yarn: Dale of Norway Stork, Light Green, 1 skein
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: 4/14/07 (1 day!)
Recipient: Cathan, my friend Jaime's newborn son
Notes/Blog Entry: Baby Things!

#74 Fuzzy Feet

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, Periwinkle, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 4/15/07 - 4/17/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: New Slippers!

#50 Convertible

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Bambu, Lucy in the Sky, 2 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: 10/06 - 4/29/07
Recipient: Kim (my sister)
Notes/Blog Entry: Convertible (Finally!)

#71 Waterfall Rib Socks

Pattern: Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Superwash Wool Soft, Violets, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 3/24/07 - 5/17/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Waterfall Rib Socks

#66 Pinwheel Blanket

Pattern: KnitList
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport, Grass, 9 skeins, and Cream, 2 skeins
Needles: US 4
Project Timeline: 1/26/07 - 5/21/07
Recipient: Cathan (Jaime's son)
Notes/Blog Entry: Baby Things!

#76 Knee High to a Grasshopper

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club April Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silkie Socks That Rock, Walking on the Wild Tide, 1 skein
Needles: US 2.5 (US 1.5 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: 5/18/07 - 5/29/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Knee High to a Grasshopper

#77 Dublin Bay Socks

Pattern: Mossy Cottage Knits
Yarn: Yarn Pirate Merino Sock, Primrose, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 5/29/07 - 6/16/07
Recipient: Corinne
Notes/Blog Entry: Getting back on track....

#75 Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk, Cream, about 8 skeins
Needles: US 7 (and a 3.75mm crochet hook)
Project Timeline: 4/27/07 - 6/19/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties

#80 Tychus #5

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Red Pepper, 1 skein, Dark Navy, 2 skeins, Coast Gray, 2 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: 6/17/07 - 6/21/07
Recipient: Patrick
Notes/Blog Entry: The LAST Patriots Tychus

#81 Unbiased

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Recycled Sari Silk from The Hunger Site, about 1 1/2 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: 6/27/07 - 7/4/07
Recipient: Christina
Notes/Blog Entry: More 2007 Purses

#83 Saturday Market Bag #3

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Lily Yarns Sugar and Cream, Black, 2 skeins
Needles: US 15 and US 10
Project Timeline: 7/4/07 - 7/5/07
Recipient: Rebecca
Notes/Blog Entry: Purses for My Family

#79 Pomatomus Socks

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Seal Rock, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 6/16/07 - 7/10/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Pomatomus - It's About Time

#84 The Solstice Slip Socks

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club June Pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Firebird, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 7/11/07 - 7/26/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: The Solstice Slip

#85 Gryffindor Stripe Socks

Pattern: My own; Mostly 3x1 rib, switching colors, with a short-row garter heel and a garter toe
Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering, Burgundy, 2 skeins, Mustard, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5/US 0 for the top ribbing
Project Timeline: 7/27/07 - 8/29/07
Recipient: Jeff
Notes/Blog Entry: Gryffindor Strip Socks

#86 A Cardigan for Arwen

Pattern: Interweave Knits, Winter 2006, by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Cascade 220, Pistachio (#8234), 7 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: 8/1/07 - 9/12/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Made for my trip to Italy; One last post before I leave...

#90 Diagonal Lace Scarf

Pattern: Midnight Purls, found courtesy of Ravelry
Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com Merino Bulky, Verde Marino, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 9/29/07 - 10/4/07
Recipient: Steph
Notes/Blog Entry: Diagonal Lace Scarf

#89 Openwork Rib Socks

Pattern: Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Chewy Spaghetti Spaghettoni, Frivolous, 1 skein (from the Blue Plate Special Sock Club)
Needles: US 2.5
Project Timeline: 9/24/07 - 10/6/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Openwork Rib Socks

#82 Mystery Stole #3 or Swan Lake

Pattern: Pink Lemon Twist
Yarn: Lane Borgosesia Cashwool, White, 1 skein
Needles: US 4
Project Timeline: 6/29/07 - 10/7/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Mystery Stole #3 - The Epilogue

#87 Waving Lace Socks

Pattern: Favorite Socks
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Moody Blues, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 9/9/07 - 10/21/07
Recipient: Kim C.
Notes/Blog Entry:

#78 Large Rectangle with Center Diamond Pattern (pg. 20)

Pattern: Victorian Lace Today
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Anthracite, 3 skeins
Needles: US 7/US 6 (for the border)
Project Timeline: 6/5/07 - 10/26/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: My Work Shawl

#88 Southwestern Socks

Pattern: From The Loopy Ewe by Wendy Knits
Yarn: Fiesta Boomerang, Misty Morning, 1 skein
Needles: US 3 (US 2.5 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: 9/13/07 - 10/27/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Southwestern Socks

#91 Summer of Love Lace Socks

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club August pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Flower Power, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 10/27/07 - 11/6/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Summer of Love Lace in Winter

#72 Colorful Waves Throw

Pattern: Knit Picks
Yarn: Here goes (all from Knit Picks)... Wool of the Andes Bulky Hand-Dyed, Storm, 1 skein; Shamrock, Fitzpatrick, 2 skeins; Shine Worsted, Sea Spray, 2 skeins; Suri Dream Hand-Dyed, Stucco, 2 skeins; Sierra (now Cadenza), Natural, 1 skein; Quarry, Empress Green, 2 skeins; Shine Worsted, Cream, 2 skeins; Suri Dream, Stone, 2 skeins (and that's in order of the stripes)
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: 4/11/07 - 11/14/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Warmth

#38 Irish Hiking Scarf

Pattern: Hello Yarn
Yarn: Cascade Eco+, Black (0050), 1 skein
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: July 2006 - 11/18/07
Recipient: Dad
Notes/Blog Entry: Ecological Wool Scarves

#92 Lenore

Pattern: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Rockin' Sock Club October pattern)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight, Lenore, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 11/8/07 - 11/27/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: Rockin' Sock Club 2007 - The End, uhh, Was Near

#97 Odessa

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Classic Elite Waterlily, Bramble (1927), 2 skeins
Needles: US 4/US 6
Project Timeline: 12/15/07 - 12/16/07
Recipient: Me
Notes/Blog Entry: My ears require a hat! (Also uses 120 translucent peach size 6/0 seed beads from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

#96 Phyllotaxis Scarf

Pattern: Knitting Nature, by Norah Gaughan
Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool, #8049, 2 skeins
Needles: US 7/US 8
Project Timeline: 12/2/07 - 12/19/07
Recipient: Grandpa
Notes/Blog Entry: Ecological Wool Scarves

#98 Brown Bag

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Bulky, Wild Oak (M-08), 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline:12/19/07 - 12/21/07
Recipient: Kim
Notes/Blog Entry: More 2007 Purses

#99 Cable Rib Socks

Pattern: Favorite Socks
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavyweight, Falcon's Eye, 1 skein
Needles: US 3
Project Timeline: 12/21/08 - 12/28/08
Recipient: Kim C.
Notes/Blog Entry:

#100 Loopy’s Red Sock

Pattern: The Loopy Ewe
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Wild Cherry (I think), way less than 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: 12/28/07
Recipient: Kim C.
Notes/Blog Entry:

2006 Completed Projects

2007-01-05T21:30:00.001-05:00

Looks like I completed 42 (err… 43) projects during 2006. Once again, I wasn’t keep track of project timelines until a little while ago, so most timelines are guestimates.

I noticed while putting this together that at times, particularly with gifts (I guess it’s the rush), I forget to take pictures. Hopefully this year, with this blog, I will be better about that!

#10 Wine Cozy

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease, Forrest Heather, 1 skein
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: Last week of December 2005 – first week of January 2006
Notes:I didn’t take a picture of this (accidentally). I wanted to make Herb something for his birthday, but didn’t have enough skill to make something terribly useful. So I made this wine cozy with some leftover yarn and put a bottle of Wyatt wine in it. This way, I had something useful but that wouldn’t be a crappy present because of the wine. I like this pattern, and would consider making more in the future.

#13 Garter Stitch Hat

Pattern: None; Cast on enough stitches, knit first row, purl second row, repeat until long enough, decrease when the hat is the right size.
Yarn: Bernat Envy, Luscious Red, 2 skeins
Needles: US 15
Project Timeline: One night in early January
Notes: I made this hat to match my red scarf. The first time I tried, it came out WAY too big. But this time, I managed to find the right number of stitches to make myself a nice little beanie. Susan says it makes me look like a raspberry! :-)

#7 Latifa

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Garnstudio Silke-Tweed, 1 skein each of 1, 2, 15, 21, Koigu KPPPM #P157 (also 1 skein)
Needles:US 3
Project Timeline: December 2005 – January 2006, I think
Notes: When I saw this pattern, I loved it, and had to knit it exactly as pictured. It looks like Neapolitan and Spumoni ice cream! It was a gift for my cousin Tricia, and I never got a picture, but I do have the yarn somewhere to knit it again for me!

#11 Marley’s Ghost

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Cascade 220, #8400, way less than 1 skein
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: December 2005 – January 2006
Notes: When I saw this pattern, I just had to try it. I love the construction, and felting seemed all the rage. Unfortunately, while it turned out fine, my links don’t look nearly as big as the ones in the picture, and this has just hung in my closet since then. I might try again someday, this time making giant links that would actually come close to producing a scarf-like garment.

#4 Windy City Scarf

Pattern: Stitch ‘n Bitch
Yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool, #00230 (Bright Red), 1 skein, and some brown color, also 1 skein
Needles:US 9
Project Timeline: December 2005 – January 2006 (I think)
Notes: I had decided on this scarf for Susan, but when I went to Michael’s to buy wool (I also wanted 100% wool, the snobbery started pretty quickly), the color choices were limited. So I chose these, and made the scarf, in the end abandoning it halfway through, realizing Susan wouldn’t like the colors. I eventually went back to finish it, though my gauge had drastically changed, so I don’t like the look of it and have never done anything with it. I do plan on one day frogging it and reknitting it – I’m sure someone will like the colors.

#12 Rockstar Scarf

Pattern: Stitch n’ Bitch
Yarn: Brunswick Yarn La Laine Superwash Wool #6220 (Rice Paper), 1 skein, Lion Brand Fun Fur Prints, #205 (Sandstone), 4 skeins
Needles: US 15
Project Timeline: January 2006
Notes: My grandmother gave me the wool and 1 skein of the Fun Fur, and I had no idea what to do with them. I thought this scarf would be good – just like my first scarf, only with the addition of the wool a little warmer. I haven’t used it this winter, but I did use it frequently last year (it’s 9 feet long, so very long – the picture shows it wrapped around a column in my living room).

#14 Clapotis Scarf

Pattern: Knitty, with scarf modifications found somewhere
Yarn: Ornaghi Filati Bazar #500, 2 skeins
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: January 2006, probably
Notes: I really liked the Clapotis pattern, but wasn’t ready to knit the whole thing (I also didn’t have the yarn for it). So I made this mini scarf. I’ve never used it – I don’t have much need for an airy cotton scarf – but it’s still pretty.

#15 Edgar #2

Pattern: Edgar
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease, Blush Heather, 1 skein, and N.Y. Yarns Spike, Lt Pink, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: Late January 2006 (2 days)
Notes: This was Emilee’s birthday present last year. As I already mentioned (on 2005 projects), I really love this pattern, but was looking for something with a little more oomph to it (9-year-olds don’t wear decorative scarves). I also needed something washable, something pink, and something a little flashy. When I bought the Spike, I thought it was eyelash throughout; turns out, it’s sort of self-striping in eyelash – parts with and parts without. I like the effect.

#9 Large Seed Stitch Scarf

Pattern: None; Cast on a number of stitches divisible by 4; K2P2 for 2 rows, P2K2 for 2 rows; repeat
Yarn: Cascade 220 #8013, 2 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline:December 2005 – February 2006
Notes:I made this scarf for my uncle, and I never took a picture of it. It felt like it took forever, all those stitches and the switching between knit and purl, but I eventually finished. My aunt said he started wearing the scarf right away, so I guess I succeeded with this one.

#16 Clapotis #1

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden #88, 8 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: Late January 2006 – Mid-February 2006
Notes: Ahh, my Clapotis. This is the scarf I wear all the time now, because it’s so big and warm. I found a nice neutral color of Silk Garden, and does it ever become soft after washing. Love it. And I had someone recognize it for the first time in Woolcott the other day (or at least, tell me they recognized it)!

#17 My So-Called Scarf #1

Pattern: Sheep in the City
Yarn: Noro Transitions #1, 2 skeins
Needles: US 11
Project Timeline: January 28, 2006 – Mid-February 2006
Notes: Christina’s birthday present last year. I had really been wanting to try the Transitions, so I bought two skeins in two colors to make this scarf. It’s a cool scarf, but hard on the hands. I wish I’d gotten a picture of this one.

#18 Velvet Oblivion

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Muench Yarns Touch Me Due, #5409 (Rosso), 1 skein, and Bernat Boa, #81040 (Raven), 1 skein
Needles: US 6
Project Timeline: February 20-21, 2006
Notes: I have no idea why I HAD to make this, but I had just found out my grandmother had died and I was flying back to Chicago for the funeral... my whole day was shot, so I went out in search of the yarn. It’s a pretty quick knit, and once I get the strap sewn on, I might actually use it – it’s nice and cuddly. No straps as of yet because it took forever to find the right elastic (finally purchased in December).

#19 Cleaves

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Company Lamb’s Pride Bulky, M175 Bronze Patina, 4 skeins (or 1 cone, which is what I had)
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: Week of February 20, 2006 – Sometime in March, 2006
Notes: Love this one in theory, but not so much in practice. It is nice and cuddly, and the yarn is wonderful, plus it was my first garment object. I just often forget I have it, and wear so many sweaters in the winter it doesn’t help. I’ll try for more use this spring.

#20 My So-Called Scarf #2

Pattern: Sheep in the City
Yarn: Noro Transitions #5, 2 skeins
Needles: US 11
Project Timeline: February 2006 – March 2006? No idea, really
Notes: And here’s MY so-called scarf. Again, Noro Transitions. I do love this yarn, but I can’t think of anything to do with it, and I always feel that two skeins of Noro isn’t enough, because you can’t necessarily match up the colors repeats perfectly (yes, perfectionist here).

#23 Wavy

Pattern: Wavy
Yarn: Cascade 220, #8422, 2 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: Finished the end of March 2006
Notes: This scarf was fun and easy, and I like the way it came out. I might wear it more if I had a matching hat or something.

#29 Tychus #1

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, Evergreen, 2 skeins, and Snickerdoodle, 2 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: April 2006 (whenever it was, it only took a weekend)
Notes: I don’t remember why I made this. I remember thinking the colors looked good together, and then changing my mind when I made the hat. Also, the hat came out HUGE. So it sits in my yarn basket. Maybe one day it’ll find a home.

#26 Honeymoon Cami

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Newport Light, #3379, 6 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: April 2006 (with some adjustments in May)
Notes:Ahh, my first knitted garment. :-) I thought this was pretty, but didn’t have the yarn. But when I was in Illinois in February, my grandmother gave me a bunch of yarn from her staff, and it included this wonderful mercerized cotton! I love the top; I want to make more of them!

#24 Spike

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Rowanspun DK, #749 (Mouse), 2 skeins, and Rowan Rowanspun 4pl, #707 (Blood), 1 skein
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: April 2006 – May 2006
Notes: I made this for my sister Rebecca for her birthday present. I like to call it the dead mouse scarf, due to the blood and mouse colors. It looked GREAT after blocking, but had shrunk up by this December (when I brought it to Chicago after failing to mail it). If I had known, I would have reblocked before gifting.

#31 Lacy Tank

Pattern: Tahki Cotton Classic Spring 2006 Collection
Yarn: Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic, #3931, 4 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: May 4, 2006 – Week of May 8, 2006
Notes: Susan was working at Spark, and she told me that none of their knitters were interested in making samples; would I be interested? Next thing I know, I’m making a tank top in exchange for store credit. This went super fast, even though the pattern got a little tiring; I think I was excited. I also accidentally made the extra small size, but blocked it to a small/medium. At first, I thought it was something I would never wear, but once I tried it on, I realized that if it was the right size, it would be a great top. I was very proud of this one.

#30 Clapotis #2

Pattern: Knitty,
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, Gold Hill, 3 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: April 2006 – May 14, 2006
Notes: I decided my mom needed a clapotis, like mine, and I decided the Shepherd Worsted was perfect, because it’s superwash, and comes in so many colors (and so soft!). Except... I had no idea what colors! I asked my sisters, they said Mom likes lots of colors (which is true). I finally settled on the Gold Hill. It didn’t come out as nice as I thought (a pattern I think that might continue with my mom), and one skein was way more green than the others. But Mom didn’t seem to notice, and she said it matches her coat, so I guess a job well done.

#27 Simple Socks

Pattern: None; used some calculator that was wrong and eventual figured out how many stitches to cast on; found some heel/gusset/toe instructions somewhere
Yarn: Knit Picks Simple Stripes, Vineyard, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1 (US 0 for the cuffs)
Project Timeline: May 2006 – June 2006
Notes: My first socks! Okay, to be fair, I found a sock tutorial somewhere that recommended worsted weight yarn. I had some leftover black wool-ease, and used that – and made 1 1/2 before running out! But I understood the construction and was ready to move on. I ordered yarn and needles from Knit Picks, and I was off and running! The first time I cast on, they were huge, and I started again (after having a pretty decent cuff). But these fit fine – so the cuff is a little tight on my calves, and the toe feels funny – I don’t wear them much, but they’ll always be my first (and notice how well I lined up the stripes!).

#28 Ribbon X-back

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Katia Ola, no idea what color, 5 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: April 2006 – June 2006 (I think)
Notes: Another thing I HAD to make. Only problem – Katia Ola is discontinued. I found this on eBay, a wonderful, garish orange. The straps are a little big – I might fix this summer – and I really don’t like ribbon yarn or seed stitch. At least I got a top out of learning those lessons!

#36 Saturday Market Bag #1

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Lily Yarns Sugar and Cream, Sage Green, 2 skeins
Needles: US 15 and US 10.5
Project Timeline: June 2006 (one weekend)
Notes: This was so easy, I knit it in a weekend (though the handles took several rounds of modifications). I think that I just stumbled upon the pattern, and started to knit it right then and there with some Sugar and Cream I had. It’s a great beach bag (and perhaps you can see that I ended up using 2 different dye lots).

#34 Jaywalker Socks

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Tuscany, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1 (US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: June 2006
Notes: My second pair of knitted socks, and these are the ones I love (and wear the most often, since I still only have the two pairs). They are perfect Liz socks, since the color is Tuscany (my dream vacation spot and home to my favorite wine), and Grumperina’s pattern notes say that they are named because they remind her of jaywalking in Boston (my adopted city). Love this pattern (though I may never knit it again), love this yarn, love this color.

#41 Saturday Market Bag #2

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Lily Yarns Sugar and Cream, Beach Ball Blue, 2 skeins
Needles: US 15 and US 10.5
Project Timeline: July 2006 (again, only a couple days)
Notes: Part of Corinne’s birthday present. Since I also ended up making her a scarf, I’m glad I made this, because scarves are not useful in the middle of summer. I used the fun colors, because that’s what I think of when I think of Corinne! Again, fast project, and I may have to make everyone under the sun one of these.

#43 Not Quite Strait Scarf #1

Pattern: All Buttoned Up
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted, Little Lovely, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: July 22, 2006 – July 26, 2006
Notes: Originally I was going to make the market bag and a set of hot pink dishcloths for Corinne in yummy cotton chenille. Turns out, while cotton chenille is soft and makes a lush fabric, it’s quite a pain getting there! After weeks of little progress, I abandoned the dishcloths, but needed a new present quick! I was originally going to go with Manos, but Spark didn’t have the colors I wanted, so I wound up with the Malabrigo (causing me to fall in love immediately) – I held it double and made this awesome scarf in just a few days. Corinne couldn’t wait to wear it, but ended up having to, since it didn’t get cold until this month!

#42 Calla Lilies

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: DMC 3, 2 skeins each of B5200, 436, 498, 699, 700, 742
Needles: US 1
Project Timeline: July 2006 – August 4, 2006
Notes: When I saw this pattern, my first thought was, Kristen! – they are her favorite flower. I got rather ambitious, thinking I could knit a whole dozen for her bridal shower. Turns out embroidery floss is expensive, and the thin inelastic cotton was really tough on my hands! So she got 4, in the colors of her wedding – red to match the bridesmaids dresses, gold to match her dress, mango to match the calla lilies she would be carrying in her bouquet, and white because that’s what color calla lilies normally are. I do hope she loved them, because I wanted it to be a very special gift.

#44 Not Quite Strait Scarf #2

Pattern: All Buttoned Up
Yarn: Handpainted Yarn Pure Merino Wool Bulky 6 Ply, Wonderful, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: August 2006 (finished on the 25th)
Notes: I thought, since the pattern was so much fun for Corinne’s scarf, I’d repeat for my roommate Jamie! I ordered this color especially for her, and proceeded to knit in secret. This one didn’t go as fast – for one, I didn’t hold the yarn doubled. Two, I could immediately tell that there were slight variations in the two skeins, so I had to alternate skeins, and that adds time. I also did a crappy job of blocking it, due to being in a hurry the weekend before her birthday, so she received it still damp. She said she loves, she has told me other people love it, and I see her wearing it pretty frequently, even when we weren’t really talking, so I guess it was a hit!

#46 Short Row Rib Scarf

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Handpainted Yarn Pure Merino Wool Bulky 6 Ply, Alpine Pearl, 2 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Project Timeline: September 9, 2006 – September 14, 2006 (I think)
Notes: Normally when I knit a gift for someone, I pick out the yarn with that person in mind – since I buy so much yarn online, gift knitting can sometimes be a very long process. But I forgot my friend Kim’s birthday. The day after, I thought, gee, I should knit her something, but I don’t have any yarn. Wait, here’s some bulky merino from handpaintedyarn.com (ohh, how I love this stuff) in this blue-purple-green color – I can make a scarf out of that! The pattern went super quick, I applied fringe for the very first time, and when I gave it to Kim one week later she said, my favorite color! How did you know! Job well done, I think.

#39 Kiri Shawl

Pattern: All Tangled Up
Yarn: Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud, Tide Pool, 2 skeins
Needles: US 5
Project Timeline: Early July 2006 – September 24, 2006
Notes: At some point, I decided that for Jeff and Kristen’s wedding, I was wearing a brown dress with a turquoise shawl that I would make myself. So I got Kiri. This would be the knitted item I am currently most proud of – it was a lot of work, but the end result was well-worth it. The picture shows it a little out of whack – after the wedding I shoved it in my suitcase – but when properly blocked, it is a work of art. I was also able to find the PERFECT shoes to match it (and a great brown dress), and Kristen and Susan found beads for matching earrings, making it one of my most successfully planned outfits to date. I hope I have this forever and ever.

#49 Tychus #2

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Red Pepper, 2 skeins, Dark Navy, 2 skeins, Coast Grey, 2 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: September 24, 2006 – October 8, 2006
Notes: I got it into my head that I should knit hats in Patriots colors for my four guy friends who love the Patriots. The first one went to Jeff, and despite everyone telling me I would have trouble knitting a hat for his big head, this one is more than big enough. Plus, it let me have all the other guys try it on so I could make modifications to fit their heads.

#45 Mata Hari Socks

Pattern: Craftoholic
Yarn: Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Sock Yarn, Midnight Passion, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (and US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: August 2006 – October 8, 2006
Notes: Pair #1 of 6. I decided to knit my entire immediate family socks for Christmas, and this was the first pair, given to Kim. I think this pattern is really pretty, and the rainbow-dyed yarn is perfect for it – the pattern shows off the yarn, and the yarn shows off the pattern. I wish I’d gotten a picture! I loved the service from Fearless Fibers, too, and look forward to buying more. These socks fit Kim, except the cuffs were a little too tight, and so I took out the cast-on edge and used a sewn bind-off, which I think fixed them just enough.

#51 Tychus #3

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Red Pepper, 2 skeins, Dark Navy, 2 skeins, Coast Grey, 2 skeins
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: October 30, 2006 – October 31, 2006
Notes: Patriots hat #2 went to Ron. I wanted to get his done in time for the Pats game he was going to. I made this one pretty much the same, though slightly different, than the first one, though I took it down in size.

#32 Cozy

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk, Sangria, 9 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: May 2006 – November 5, 2006
Notes: This was part of Marilyn’s Christmas present. I wasn’t sure if she’d like it, but she says she did. I started it in May, when I thought I would have plenty of time to knit Christmas presents – turns out you should start in January! It was a pretty pattern, and I love the yarn, but I did have my fill after awhile. Maybe one day I’ll make one for myself!

#48 Thuja

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Superwash Wool, Stones Throw, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (and US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: October 9, 2006 – November 6, 2006
Notes:Pair #2 of 6. These socks went to my dad, and I loved them. This was my first experience with Sunshine Yarns, and I have now bought a ton of skeins, including another in this color, and joined her sock club. The socks came out so soft and pretty, but still manly enough for my dad.

#53 Tychus #4

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash, Red Pepper, 2 skeins, Dark Navy, 2 skeins, Coast Grey, 2 skeins
Needles: US 7 and US 8
Project Timeline: November 11, 2006
Notes: This Patriots hat went to Herb. I knit his up in one evening, a week after he asked when he would be receiving it. This time I took down the number of cast on stitches, as well as reducing the number of stripes, and that seemed to make the perfect hat. Again, I modified the stripes ever so slightly, this time making blue the predominant color.

#54 Whitewater Wristwarmers

Pattern: Magknits
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk, Hyacynth, 3 skeins
Needles: US 4
Project Timeline: November 12, 2006 – November 18, 2006 (had to be that week)
Notes: These came about because Susan’s sister Sarah asked her to make a pair of wristwarmers. Susan’s solution was to ask me! The yarn and pattern were chosen by Susan and Sarah, and I was left to do what I would. I made adjustments to account for different yarn and to make them a little longer (I still wish I’d done one more repeat before the thumb gusset and had made the top ribbed). Apparently Sarah loves them, so mission accomplished.

#52 RPM

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight, Garnet Dreams, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (and US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: November 6, 2006 – November 22, 2006
Notes:Pair #3 of 6 for Christmas – these ones went to my mom. The pattern was a lot of fun, and the yarn was really squishy – as a yarn, I really love Socks That Rock. And the color in the skein was gorgeous (as are a lot of their colors) – it was chosen because my mom is obsessed with garnets – but I didn’t like it knit up. It did this weird striping thing, and it just made the yarn look kinda ugly. My mom liked them, though, so I guess it doesn’t matter what I thought. I hope future experiences with Socks That Rock are different, because the colors are so pretty, and I’ve seen some fun patterning online.

#40 Klein Bottle Hat

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, #88, 3 skeins
Needles: US 7
Project Timeline: July 2006 – November 25, 2006
Notes: This is my incredibly dorky hat. When I saw the pattern, I just had to make it, and I figured I would use the leftover Silk Garden to make something that matches my Clapotis. Of course, I had forgotten how much I HATE 1x1 rib, and I set it aside for quite some time. But finally, I finished it (partly in an effort to once and for all, get projects off of the bamboo needles and onto my Options set). Definitely incredibly dorky, but I love it anyway, and I love explaining it to people!

#55 Dancing Lady Socks

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Flames, 2 skeins, and Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Sock Yarn, 1 skein (leftovers)
Needles: US 1.5 (and US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: November 22, 2006 – December 1, 2006
Notes:

#56 Jack Sparrow Socks

Pattern: Katydid Knits
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Black Purl, 1 skein, Knit Picks Essential, Black, 1 skein, Knit Picks Palette, White, 1 skein
Needles: US 1.5 (and US 0 for cuffs)
Project Timeline: December 2, 2006 – December 17, 2006
Notes: Pair #5 of 6, which I did have to put down for a short period because I was so sick of plain stockinette. These are for Christina, and are my first toe-up socks! The pattern is cute, and so far used only one skein of Shepherd Sock, which is great, but there’s just one problem: they don’t fit. So I’m in the process of re-knitting the cuffs to make them a little bigger. I hope that works out well!

#57 Fancy Silk Socks

Pattern: Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Pale Pink, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1.5
Project Timeline: December 11, 2006 – December 23, 2006
Notes: Pair #6 of 6 for my family, and maybe my favorites. These went to Emilee, who loves pink. I love the subtleness of the nearly solid color, and the pattern is just beautiful. I hope to make a pair for myself one day, again in Shepherd Sock.

Boris’s Cape

Pattern: None; it’s stockinette with a garter stitch border and two yarnover button holes (I don’t think it ever got buttons)
Yarn: Lion Brand Thick & Quick, #145, 1 skein, and Flutter, #69, 1 skein
Needles: Uhh... maybe US 11? US 15? No idea anymore
Project Timeline: July 15, 2006 – July 16, 2006
Notes: This silly little project didn’t even get a project number. Here’s the story: Kathy was going to Chicago to visit Scott. I had things that needed to go to Seth. Kathy had a brilliant idea. SO... I made this cape, gave it to Kathy, who brought it to Chicago and gave it to Scott, who brought it to New Jersey to give it to Julie, who gave it to Seth, who brought it to Ithaca. I had to make a silly item in silly yarn (hence the garish gold eyelash yarn) for the stuffed boar that lives in the fraternity house. Hence Boris’s cape.

2005 Completed Projects

2007-01-04T20:22:00.000-05:00

I started knitting mid-November of 2005, so the number of 2005 projects is limited.

Until today, I wasn't keeping track of the dates I started/completed projects, so all dates are estimates of what I remember.

#1 Garter Stitch Scarf

Pattern: None; cast on 25 stitches, knit every stitch
Yarn: Bernat Envy, #66530 (Luxury Red), 6 skeins
Needles:US 15
Project Timeline: 11/14/05ish – Week of 11/28/05 (I think)
Notes: This was my first project EVER (unless you count the random scarf I was taught how to knit on). I know there are random dropped stitches, and random increases, but the fuzziness of the yarn hides it all. I still love this scarf, it’s such a pretty color.

#2 Magic Scarf

Pattern: Crazy Aunt Purl
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Black, 2 skeins, and Forest Heather, 1 skein
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: Right before Thanksgiving, 2005, until sometime in December, 2005
Notes: At the time, this project was terribly complicated for me. I had to teach myself how to purl, which was slow going. But in the end, I really like it. It still sits in my apartment, waiting for the right recipient. And now, after cables and lace, the scarf isn’t so daunting (or so tempting to make) anymore.

#3 Coif

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Ornaghi Filati Bazar, #500, 1 skein
Needles: US 9/US 7
Project Timeline: Sometime in December 2005, I guess?
Notes: My first Knitty pattern! My first increases and decreases! This was a gift for Kristen – I’ve never seen her wear it except the day I gave it to her, but I hope she likes it.

#5 Windy City Scarf

Pattern: Stitch n’ Bitch
Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic, #828 (Feather), 1 skein, and #845 (Batter), 1 skein
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: Again, sometime in December 2005
Notes: Susan’s Christmas present (Susan and Kristen were the first recipients of knitted gifts from me). This yarn was really cozy – it must be my aversion to scarves and sweaters that has caused me to not use it again. I also liked the Chicago connection with the scarf pattern :-)

#6 Edgar

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, #157, 2 skeins
Needles: US 9
Project Timeline: AGAIN, December 2005
Notes: I think this is one of my favorite scarf patterns of all time. Despite its simplicity, the knitting goes really fast, and with the color changes and the different stitch counts, is always interesting. This scarf was gifted to my aunt Chris, but one day I might have to make one for myself using the wonderful Noro yarn (particularly since it would probably only take a day to make).

#8 Toddle

Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Princess, #3493 (Cobalt), 2 skeins (I think)
Needles: US 8
Project Timeline: December 2005, it seems – I remember finishing this on the plane the day after Christmas
Notes: I made this for my godson, Daven. It was my first experience with cables, and I decided that I didn’t need a cable needle, and would just use a double pointed needle. Well, it worked, but never again! I’m pretty sure I never told my cousin that this yarn was called Princess, because I think she would have been unsure of having her son wear the scarf! I left out the keyhole, because I just didn’t feel like dealing with it. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of it.

New Year, New Blog!

2007-01-01T19:06:00.000-05:00

So I've had a blog for 5 1/2 years now, but I felt I needed something specifically dedicated to knitting (so as not to bore my non-crafty friends). Plus, I would like to explore more of the online knitting community, which means putting my name (and life) out there!

So, to start things off, here's my first finished item of 2007, the Sophie Bag:

Okay, so most of this project was completed in 2006, but it finished blocking this afternoon, and I sewed the flower together today, too, so it is officially the first finished item of the year.

The story of this bag is that my dear friends Jeff and Kristen brought me back a skein of Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed (in bright magenta) from their honeymoon in Ireland. I was at a loss for what to do with it. Do I buy more skeins? Do I find something for just the one? What on earth would I do with something magenta? Finally, I decided to make a purse out of it, but when I saw this pattern, I knew that the tweed yarn was destined to become a big ol' flower on a cute spring green bag.

Purse pattern: Magknits
Purse yarn: Cascade 220, #9407, 1 skein (I used the EXACT yarn from the pattern, on a nice accident)
Needles: US 11

Flower pattern: Patons
Flower yarn: Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed, #281106, 1 skein (and a small amount of Knit Picks Elegance in Grass)
Needles: US 10

Here's a closeup of the flower: