Moving right along

I've migrated this blog to wordpress. It can now be found here.

Sockapalooza busted?

I'm sitting and waiting for a flight -- delayed 3 hours so far, and making great progress on sock 2. However, I'm afraid I've been busted by my pal - I have no idea how it could have happend, and I'm afraid to say what the slip was incase she's still not sure who I am.

Regardless, I'm afraid to post any pictures! I absolutely love this pattern and yarn, even though it took me three starts to get the gauge right. The first sock is done, and I put the second on the needles 2 nights ago in preparation for this trip. I got on the flight home.

So if anyone knows how google user names works, I'd love to hear from you to see if I've been busted.

Pattern? Check!

Okay, I'm pretty sure the yarn is going to be the Crystal Palace Panda Wool, and this pattern, Garland Lace Socks is what I'm going to knit. I bought it from The Loopy Ewe and it arrived today!!!!

I also got some new cool yarn, but don't have a picture yet.

However, I have a second sock on the needles that needs to come off before I can begin. I must say this is certainly a good preventor of the Second Sock Syndrome.

Sockapalooza Yarn

Okay, I got some yarn today, and I think its the yarn for my pal. It's the Crystal Palace Yarns "Panda Wool" in the red cinnamon colorway. It's 46% Bamboo, 43% wool and 11% nylon. I've been intrigued with this yarn since I first saw it (of course I don't know where). I got it from my local yarn store.

For some reason, I've been drawn toward reds and oranges for this person. Don't know why. Based on some feedback I've gotten from her, it may not be her first choice, but I really like this stuff. I think I may just have to start knitting and see. Of course I don't have a pattern fully set yet. I'm thinking something kind of lacy....

If you have a minute I'd love some input.


Tangentally, or in the "Am I Crazy?" category, I found out today that my county fair's knitting section's theme this year is socks. I'm thinking about submitting a pair.

Cutaway progress

Cutaway is moving along nicely. I really like this yarn and pattern. I did have some trouble withe the cable cast on for the right front, but the left front went very smoothly. I think it will work out when I add the ribbing, and am totally prepared to rip and retry if it doesn't work. I'm continuing to worry about my size choice, but will keep going as I tend to over estimate and I did measure. One thing that continues to amaze me is my gauge. It's perfect! At this point I have started the left front, but have pictures of the back here:


And close ups of the armhole shaping. I had to work a bit to figure out the decreases, so they would mirror appropriately:


This one's a little fuzzy (after three shots)

Man, I've been knitting a long time

I realized this weekend I've been knitting for 20 years now, with a 3 year break for graduate school. In that time I counted 16 adult sweaters knit, at least 7 kids, and a full layette set. I have no clue how many booties and hats I've knit. So, this blog should be good for me to start tracking stuff. When we're back in the house, my goal will be to back track through my storage bins and try to log past projects.

Obviously I am more of a sweater knitter than other items. I've always enjoyed sweaters because I enjoy the process & the product (I've always been a sweater girl). I'm relatively new to the world of socks, but am having fun with them too. Unfortunately, I find them like sleeves, I really have to push myself to finish the second. However, since there is a name for that "second sock syndrome," I know I'm not alone.

Current work in progress: I'm really moving along on the back of cutaway. I love the yarn and the pattern. I usually shy away from stockinette, but this is really enjoyable to knit. I'll try to get a progress shot. I've finished the sleeve shaping and am working my way up to the top.

I also have a second sock on the needles, but don't seem to have a photo. It's a fun yarn that I got two big skeins of. E picked out the color for us to have matching socks. Goofy, yes, but it doesn't hurt anyone.

A new project and a completed project

I finished C's socks. Of course I don't have the yarn information with me, so I'll have to update this. But here they are for now:



I'm happy with them. The yarn was a little splitty, so they weren't a particularly fast knit, but he likes the color and they fit, so that's good. These are the first socks I knit for him. I think there will be more.

I would have liked to have made the stripes line up better, but there's always next time.

I started my "Cutaway" from ChicKnits this week. I checked my gauge and found I actually had to go up a needle size -- this is a new thing for me, I usually go down a needle size, so it was quite the scramble through my needle box looking for the right sizes. With my inventory, it's usually not a problem. The yarn is Berocco Ultra Alpaca in the Marsh Mix. So far it's a really nice yarn to knit with. I'm new to the fitted sweater concept, so it seems really small so far, but I'm going to trust Bonne's sizing and not my own judgement, considering my judgement gives me sweaters that could carry me through the full term of a pregnancy. I've knit about 36 rows so far, but here are some pictures of the swatch and yarn:

Matching!

The calorimetry are finished. I'm still not sure about the gauge (you can see my gauge trauma here). I checked three times, and finally went with the size 9 needle, resulting in an enormous piece. I did E's with 88 stitches cast on (size 9 needles), doing short rows until there were 26 stitches on each side. I then ripped mine out and reknit it on size 8 needles. It's still pretty big. I'm thinking fewer stitches may be the way to go, but we are pretty happy with the finished products:


I need to dig through my bag to find the yarn information.

Warm feet, warm ears

I finished the socks for the little one. She really likes the feather and fan pattern on the leg which I got from Wendy's toe up pattern.


These were made from some leftover Fortissima Colori (75% Superwash wool & 25% Polyamid)Color #2402. I'd made her a pair two years ago, but they'd gotten "too tight, mama!"

So I made these with a 52 stitch foot on 2.25mm needles, increasing 2 stitches and switching to three needles, so that I could work the 18 stitch feather and fan repeat.

I'm also working on the Calorimetry. I checked my gauge three times, finally settling on a size 9 needle, which still seemed a little small for the gauge. However, it got big. Here's what I've got so far.


I think I'm going to sew it together and skip the button detail. The plan was to make one for me and one for E out of matching yarn (I stole that idea from Scoutj). I'm making hers with a 90 88 stitch cast on. We'll see how it goes. I have now cast on three times because I can't estimate yarn needed, can't count, and can't divide by 4. Oh well.

Great Weekend

So I finally had a really good weekend. Unfortunately it did not really include knitting. E & I got to spend some fun time together rather than just driving and arguing. We made her valentines for class and yesterday we skied. I wish I had pictures. It was a lot of fun to have a mommy/daughter ski day. It did take a couple of runs to convince her that we could chat on the lift, and just ski on the hills. And we got hot chocolate at the top of the mountain!

It's in the mail!

Okay, 3 days later than I said it would be, but I didn't miss the deadline (I hope). No pictures today, but I did finish the first of E's new socks, and she picked out some new yarn for me to make matching socks for the two of us. So I'm not short of things to do. I'm still working on the gauge swatch for my Icarus shawl, and now, I've decided I really want to make this. The Subway Knitter is making one and I'm definitely intrigued.

One finished square for the knit along!

My first knit along completed project! I'm so excited. It isn't much, just one square, and according to the Stitchmarker site, quite a few people are doing many many squares, but I didn't want to bite off more than I can chew the first time out.

Heree's a picture of the square pre-blocking:


And post-blocking:


I wish I could record the yarn details, but this was left over from a pair of socks I knit last year.

So off to the post office we go tomorrow!

Baby Hat & Socks

A friend of mine from work is having a little boy soon, and I knit this hat and socks for her in November.


Don't ask me how a feather got in the picture.

Details
Yarn: Zara Merino extrafine
Hat Pattern: Yarn Girls Guide to Kid's Knits -- Jester Hat
Sock Pattern: Modification of Yankee Socks, knit from the toe up

Stitch Markers!

Okay, so I guess it's not always about knitting. I'd been seeing the beaded stitch markers all over the web, and had definitely been coveting them. Well, during a routine web search I found this page. It was especially serendipitous, as I'd been at Wal-Mart earlier and had been thinking the clasp rings would make great stitch markers. The frugal part of me shied away from the purchase not because of the cost of the rings, but the tools necessary to make the pretty stitch markers... Lo and behold, my handy mother-in-law has the most amazing craft room with the most amazing stuff including beading tools and some glass beads to try out. So I played a little, and the next day went and got some pin wires and ring clasps to try some more.

Tonight E helped me put together some stitch markers. She assembled the beads -- all but two on the rings are her own designs -- and I crimped the wires. I'm still learning, but it sure was fun, and now I have 7 nifty and pretty stitch markers!


Well, I have to finish casting off my square, and make some new pom pons for a baby hat I knit last month for a friend who's little guy is due at the end of the month.

Now some pictures

I started some socks for Eliza. I love this toe-up pattern from Wendy. I've got 52 stitches on the needles for this. Eliza needs to try them on before I go much farther, I'm not sure if these are small enough for her feet.


And the square is nearly complete. I actually started casting off last night, but here's an earlier picture of it:


I think it's looking pretty good. I'm excited to see it off the needles.

Starts and stops

So, I cast on for my square last night, but realized soon into it that the yarn was too tangled. so instead of knitting, I untangled a mess all evening. It was worth it, though. I think the square will knit up quickly once I start it.

Right now I've got two other projects on the needles. A pair of socks for E. I need her to try them out, they may be too wide, so those might get frogged too.

And more frogging on the forefront.... I cast on for the Icarus shawl, and have been moving along, but forgot to check my gauge. I'm so excited, Wendy of WendyKnits responded to a comment I left her and reminded me how important gauge is. So that will have to get redone too.

Fortunately, I'm more interested in process than product.

My first knit along

I like to read knitting blogs. I should put links to the ones I frequent up soon. Today I followed a link from Mason Dixon Knitting to here.
So, I've decided to join in. I'm going to commit in typing right now, so I can't back out of it. I printed the pattern, and know what yarn to use. I'll start the square tonight.

I may even try to add the button on my side bar. But that may be asking a lot of myself.

Noni Bag pre-felting

I'm making the medium size Noni Market Bag right now. I've finished
knitting the bag, and two flowers. I think I'll put three small Camilla
flowers on there, but I'll know better after the flowers are felted.
Here's a picture of the bag pre-felting:


And a close up of one flower:


I'm always curious about the felting process. I've read it can only take
two cycles in the machine to get a good felting. I lost count after 7
the other night. All I know is it took me more than 2 hours of running
back and forth to the machine. I'm curious to see how quickly the
flowers felt.

A spot to record my projects

I've found myself visiting a number of blogs recently, and thus have caught the blog bug to create my own spot to record my progress. After starting our home improvement blog, I realized it isn't as hard as it may seem, and it's a great way to record what I'm working on.

I also have selfish reasons as I'd like to leave comments on other blogs, but am concerned about throwing my email address out there for spam harvesters. With a blog, I can create a signature (and hopefully some credibility) for notes I leave.

I am a knitter, have been knitting for about 20 years now, so I'd have to say I'm pretty good. Like many knitters I tend to downplay my abilities, but have been trying to make a concious effort not to do that without being annoying.

I also spin, a little, and want to do it more.

Why the title? I'm not sure, it popped into my head. Watching the blog-o-sphere of knitters it seems that many people are part of groups in there area. While I think I'd like to find one, I also realize that if I really wanted to I would try harder to find one. I find myself enjoying my solitary knitting time.