Finishing Stuff

I am really trying to finish stuff.  It is unlike me to have so much on my needles and so little finished.  So I am trying to get things off my WIP list.

Of course, if it were anyone one but me, I would just add freaking buttons to the four WIPs that are missing buttons.  Though kudos to me for adding more beads to the fringe on a scarf.  It has been sitting in limbo for a while with no excuse other that *it is freaking time consuming to add beads to fringe!*  Add the beads and then double knot the edge so said beads don't fall off. 

The scarf/neckwarmer was knit in 2010!  I kid you not.  But it has been sitting in my WIP pile waiting for the beads.  I did some when I got the beads back in spring of this year.  But then it got moved out of my WIPs next to the couch to a bin in the craft room.

If I weren't so desperate for Xmas pressies this year, I fear it would have languished there even longer.  So now out of 18 groups of 4 strands, 13 are done.  But given I did five sets of fringe over the course of three hour long shows, I fear it will take about three more hours of work to complete.  Maybe longer.  The beads I got were on strands.  So I was easily able to thread them from one strand on to the yarn with a specialized beading needle.  In the course of the beading, the ends got undone and the beads spilled.  So I now have loose beads, which take longer to string.  Whee.

Hope the recipient really likes the beads.  'Cause I am sorely tempted to just cut the freaking fringe off!  But given I am over half way through, I can't do it.  So I press on with it.

I finished my Lady Bianca socks I started in March!  They aren't hard.  But I love using the Chic-a double yarn keeper when knitting two socks on two circs.  It keeps the yarn from becoming a tangled mess.  I decided to participate in a Downton Abbey KAL so then I was done with the beading on the legs of the Biancas, I snipped the yarn & took them out of the Chic-a so I could use it for the DA KAL socks.  Then the Scylla socks went into the bag next.  So the poor Lady Bianca socks languished. 

But I am happy to report they are done.

Lady Bianca Socks

Set of pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/akkasha/sets/72157631829774413/with/8113516631/

Cast On:
March 13 2012

Completed:
October 20 2012

Pattern:
Midnight Sky by Renee Leverington
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/midnight-sky
Got during my run in the Decadently Dark Sock Club

Made for:
Me & my size 9 tootsies

Needles:
US 2 - 2.75 mm & US 0 - 2.0 mm

Yarn:
Storied Yarns Superwash Sock
~ 0.75 skeins = 346.5 yards (316.8m)
Colorway Lady Bianca (dyed specifically for me by the wonderful Jess for a
Purchased at Storied Yarns - http://www.etsy.com/shop/storiedyarns
Though I was happy to see she posted the colorway in worsted - http://www.etsy.com/listing/111953158/superwash-merino-worsted-yarn-100g-lady

I confess I seriously debated trying to change the pattern to toe-up as that is my preferred method. But I decided to stick with cuff-down as written because of the lovely pattern that goes down into the top of the foot.

I ended up doing six repeats on the leg instead of 2. I like longer socks. Also, more beaded beauty. I was worried I might run out of yarn, but there was a ton left when I finished.

I love the pattern. I got it back when I was in the Decadently Dark club. I seem to have lost it, but Renee was sweet enough to resend it to me! She is so wonderful.

I debated long and hard about what pattern I wanted to use for the lovely Storied Yarns Superwash Sock Lady Bianca that was dyed especially for me. Something about it cried out for beads. So with that in mind, I started looking at beaded socks. There were a bunch in mind, some more vampire geared given Lady Bianca, but I kept coming back to this pattern.

I am hoping they will be a lovely pairing of pattern & yarn.

I added an extra pattern repeat to the top. The pattern is for a medium foot. I have a size 9 foot and large ankles, so I figure it is better to have a larger sock.

For the pattern on the top of the foot, I added a repeat that made sense so the pattern continues further down on my foot. But I think it works well.

All in all, I love these socks. Only bad part is I did my cast on too tight. So they are a bit tight at the top of the leg. Not thrilled with that. But otherwise they are beautiful socks.

I also hadn't posted pics of the aforementioned Scylla socks!  That is because I hadn't taken any until I took the Bianca pics.  So here is that.

Siouxsie the Scylla

Set of pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/akkasha/sets/72157631836758327/


Cast On:June 27 2012

Completed:September 30 2012

Pattern:Scylla by Fiona Lucas
http://glassoffashion.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/scyllasocks.pdf
Made for:
Me & my size 9 tootsies

Needles:US 0 - 2.0 mm
US 2 - 2.75 mm

Yarn:Tri'Coterie Sock BFL SW (self-striping) in Siouxsie Colorway
1 skeins = 437.0 yards (399.6m)
Purchased from a destash

I love this yarn.  It is beautiful.  I also love Siouxsie Sioux.  I spotted the yarn in a destash and needed it!  I am so glad I got it.

Maylin at Tri'Coterie is one of my fav dyers.  Her colorways are beautiful.  The colors here aren't quite as obvious as just black & red.  The reds run from scarlet to a deeper red, not burgundy, but there are three different reds in the stripes.

I confess that I am actually a bit disappointed that I didn't just knit a vanilla sock to really show off the colors.  But the Scylla pattern is great and really does accentuate the yarn in interesting ways.  I think it is fitting for Siouxsie.

I increased the number of stitches in the foot to 72. I didn't get gauge. The yarn seems more like a light fingering, so I need to do it on 0s to get a good solid foot. With the toe up and the four stitch repeat, it was an easy tweak.

I wanted a looser leg with more give than the foot. So I went up to a 2 1/2 needle. I broke one of my size 1s needles so I didn't have the pair for two socks on two circs which is my preferred method. I think the looser gauge is nice on the leg.

Overall I like them and hope they will wear well.

Other WIPs

In the stack of WIPs was the Cover Your Eyes for Peek-a-Boo shawl/ette.  I picked up some Knit Picks yarn to finish it because I ran out before I could cast off.  And guess what?!  I think I did it again.  I think I didn't stop in time to do the bind off.  *laugh*  I am nothing if not consistent with this thing! 

I did buy two different DK yarns from Knit Picks to see which worked better.  So now I am debating if I want to do the edge in the black Gloss I picked up (SW & silk blend).  Or if I want to take some of the leftover Lady Bianca yarn & double it for the edge.  That might look really cool.  I am thinking it could be interesting to add some of the beads to the edge as well.  Much like blood droplets...  Given it is the Reaver colorway.... 

Decisions decisions...  *grin*

In the same Knit Picks order is yarn to finish the Spring into Style shawl.   The yarn is a decent match.  I just have to get the last rows done.  Because it is another gradient yarn, I think the different yarn will look fine.  So that is good. 

I think I have nine more rows to complete with that one if I am remembering correctly (and if I didn't do more after my notes on Ravelry.)  It really should be a beautiful piece when it is done.  I just need to *get* it done.  But at least I have the yarn. 

The yarn is by the same dyer as my Siouxsie yarn.  I asked if she could dye some more for me.  But the yarn I got is only available in 150 gram skeins.  She buys that yarn pre-cut.  She even was kind enough to offer to do 100 grams in another colorway.  But honestly, I wasn't as taken with her Sock BFL Silky as I am with her Sock Silk.  The Sock Silk has a bit more twist so I personally like it more.  It is just my preference.