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.