Finished Objects & WIPs

I just realized that with work being so busy I hadn't gotten around to posting pics of some finished objects!

Work has been kinda crazed. I had a work conference in March/April so it means I was away for a week. So that always throws things off. On top of that, the time leading up to conference and the time after are busy. So this got lost in the shuffle. I am hoping that most of the post conference work is wrapped up so I can post more regularly again.

I did take pics of a baby sweater I made for my nephew and his wife (It isn't as weird as it sounds. He is mid 30s.) But I didn't seem to email them to myself. So I don't have them to post yet. Maybe Monday.

Though I swear I have been knitting! Here are some pics to prove it.

Woven Ridge Socks for DH

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Cast On:
March 6 2009

Completed:
March 22 2009

Pattern:
Woven Ridge Socks by Cat Bordhi
from New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One
http://www.amazon.com/New-Pathways-Sock-Knitters-Book/dp/0970886969

Made for:
My hubby Paul - 9 1/2" smallest point, 10" long

Needles:
US 1 / 2.25 mm Knitpicks Options & Harmony - 2 socks on 2 circs

Yarn:
Spirit Trail Fiberworks "Helen" ~ 100% Superwash Merino Yarn
~ 400 yards
Colorway - Harbor Fog
Purchased from The Loopy Ewe http://www.theloopyewe.com/


I decided I wanted to do a Cat Bordhi pattern for the March Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL. I hadn’t done one of her patterns since my Coriolis socks a year ago.

I confess that I forgot just how much math was involved. The spreadsheet I have definitely helps. But I nearly made a huge error when I miscounted the number of stitches & thought something was very wrong. Luckily, I realized my miscalculation before I did anything bad.

But on the flip side, because so much of the pattern is stockinette, it goes really fast.

I added some ribbing to the back side of the sock so it will have a better fit. I find that all stockinette legs have a tendency to slide down too easily.

The weird thing is that I goofed on the Woven Ridge pattern. I don’t know why. But after I finished the heels, I thought I remembered the pattern as it is really simple. But I goofed. I slipped the stitches without bringing the yarn forward. *sigh* It was about 2" into it before I realized the mistake. I asked my husband if he wanted me to rip back. He said it was okay. So I just switched back to the correct stitch. So there is the correct stitch on the foot, then the wrong one, then the correct one again. It almost looks like it could have been intentional.

My hubby is thrilled I made him socks. *grin* This is his second pair. They are definitely his colors. He really loves them.


Works in Progress

I have two real works in progress. I say real because I still have a purse that has been sitting around since before Xmas that needs a button & maybe some lining. It is for a friend I haven't seen since October. I hope to see her. And when I do I will finish it.

One is the long time alpaca sweater. It is from the yarn I bought at Rhinebeck in 2007. I finally cast it on in Sept. 2008 so I could justify buying more yarn at Rhinebeck. *laugh* The sleeves are done as well as about 6-8" of the body. Though I gained weight since I started it. So I am still debating what I will do with it. Given I am doing it in pieces, I can create panels at the sides to add in if I need it. I still pick it up now and again.

Also, I have a pair of Gothic Temptress socks on my needles. The Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL for April is underappreciated patterns or knee highs. This actually fits into both categories.

The pattern is free on Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gothic-temptress

It doesn't seem to be available elsewhere.

I have the feet and about 3-4" of the leg done so far. Again, lots of stockinette so they are going pretty quickly. I definitely like them. Simple but pretty.

Here is a pic of the one's made for the pattern:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8089512@N02/2960378155/in/photostream/

I am spinning too. I try to do a little each weekday morning before work. I find it calms me and sorta helps me focus for the day.

I was working on the luscious merino/cashmere/silk blend that winderwoodfarm.etsy.com made especially for me. It is yummy.
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=13566446

But I needed a break. It spins super thin and thus takes a long time to spin. I have about 3-4 of 10 oz. spun into a single.

I got this beautiful batt called That Old Black Magic from butterflygirldesigns.etsy.com. So I decided it needed to go on the wheel. It is superwash merino/bamboo blend. So it has a lovely sheen. It is only 3.7 oz. So it shouldn't take as long to spin. But I have found I need to pause when I am spinning. There are nubs that didn't seem to get blended. I probably should have just done more of an art yarn with it. But it is sooo lovely. Black & purple. My kind of colors. I do like spinning it though. It just takes a bit longer than I had anticipated.

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=14510202

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She seems to sell these batts now and again. She also has occasionally had similar colors in sock yarn which I need too.

I am still in love with my Babe wheel. It definitely is a great little work horse. I picked up 4 more bobbins for it so I can switch around things if I want to put something else on my wheel.

I have to confess however that I do want to try out some wheels when I go to Maryland Sheep & Wool. I wanted to try wheels at Rhinebeck. But I didn't actually try any. So heaven knows I might not at MD either. But we shall see. *evil grin*

So I am ending this now so that I will actually post it today! *grin*

Hopefully, it won't be so long before the next post.

Woven Ridge Socks

I cast on a pair of Woven Ridge Socks from New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi. I always forget just how different Cat's patterns are until I am in the middle of one of them. They are ingenious and I love them. But since this is only my second pair, there are times when I have to really sit down and read the pattern. And reread. *grin*

I cast the socks on Friday night. And I was wizzing through them. Because the foot is stockinette, it is pretty quick. At the 2" mark, I measured the rows per inch. I did a couple times on Friday, then again on Saturday. I really thought it was 10.5 rows per inch.

I really thought I was done all the increases. I am looking at the number of stitches and kinda scratching my head. I should have 102 stitches. There were 51 on the instep needle. I am good to go. But wait. Why is it only 5 1/2" when DH's foot is 10"? *blink*

I am thinking that can't be right. I remeasured the rows per inch. Now I am getting 11. Hmmm. So I should have made the toe longer before starting the increases. But the difference is only .35". So I am figuring I can either knit that now or say the sock will be a bit more snug on the feet. It will be fine. But it really seems way too short to start the heel.

I am looking at it. Pondering. I decide I will move the wing stitches now in prep for the heel. Thank goodness I did. The instep needle does indeed have 51 stitches, half the stitches that I need for the foot. But there were no increases on the sole needle! That only has the 35 stitches. So instead of the 102 stitches I should have total, I only have 86 stitches! That is 16 stitches less than I should have! Thank goodness I checked.

Since the increases are only every 3 rows, that is still another 24 rows, so another 2"+ worth of sock! That makes a lot more sense. *grin*

So much fun with math! *laugh*

I have a spreadsheet I use to figure out the numbers. I am thinking I will the number on the top needle for next time! So in case it is a while before I do a pair again, I will actually remember this time. *grin*

The pattern is nice. There is just a simple 7 stitch pattern at the top of the foot. It is very easy but enough to keep it quick yet interesting. I definitely like the way it looks. Though the yarn might not feature it as well as a higher contrast yarn would.

I am planning on adding some ribbing up the back of the leg. I figure this way it will stay up better and fit Paul's calves better. I admit that I dislike that so many of Cat's patterns seem to have stockinette legs. I find that means they don't stay up as well. The Coriolis socks I have incorporate increases as you go up the leg which helps. But mine have a tendency to slide down as the day goes onward. So I figure that the ribbing will help these sock stay up on Paul. The question now is more about how wide a piece to do. Given there is a 7 stitch pattern on the front, the easiest mirror might be a 7 stitch rib on the back. But I am not sure that is enough. Have to look at what I want to do with the cuff at the top. I still have to finish the heels so I have time to decide.

Yarn Club & WIPs

I got into the Vamp Yarn Club that Fresh from the Cauldron is running. I am looking forward to it.

The interesting thing is that they already show the various colorways. I get to pick the ones I want. So I won't end up with colorways that just aren't my thing. So I am pretty happy. *smile* I am doing the bimonthly one, so I will get 3 shipments.

I know two of the colorways I want are Volturi & Fangstasia. I know, shocking. *laugh* Not at all my colors. *smirk*

I am waiting to see what the dyer comes up with for the three remaining Anne Rice vamp colorways. I suspect she is going to go with eye & hair color like she did with Claudia. But I am not sure. I also think the Michael Corvin colorway is something that Paul would like. So that might be my third selection.

I really wish I could do the RainyDaysWoolyDogs's GothSocks Sock Club. I might even do both but the RDWD one is pay upfront. And I can't really afford that right now. If it were a month by month, I would do it. I really need to order some of their yarn sometime though. I keep meaning to and by the time I get to it, the colorway I want is gone. They have a Romantic Goth colorway that I love. *smile* I would love to see them do that in roving! I think that would be beautiful.

On the knitting front, my Brigit socks are 99% done. Seriously. I have bound off half of each sock! *laugh* I almost finished them last night, but I knew it would take a while longer. And the last thing you want to do is rush a sewn bind off. I really want socks that will actually fit when I am done. *grin* So I was good and put them down. They should be off my needles tonight for certain.

I wound the Spirit Trail Fiberworks Helen yarn in Harbor Fog this morning. I suspect it will be a good yarn. I am worried it might be a bit splitty, but it is hard to tell yet. It is going to be socks for my hubby Paul. The designer for the March KAL for Sock Knitters Anonymous is Cat Bordhi. I have been wanting to try another of her sock patterns from New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I did the Coriolis socks from that and they were interesting. I figure the beauty of the book is that I can always figure out the exact right size for the socks which is nice.

I also cast on a Chevron Lace Scarf from this pattern. I am using the Tempted Hand Painted 80% superwash merino/20% Cashmere Fiber I spun for it. I think it will look nice with the color changes. It is a simple 2 row repeat. So that makes it pretty quick. I should have this done for spring, should it decide to come anytime soon!

WIPs & Spinning

I cast on the Brigit socks by Monkey Toes/Gigi Silva last night. The February Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL choices are Socks for a Cause or Gigi Silva or Entrelac. I like the patterns Gigi created. There are some really nice ones. Despite how much I swore at the Kaylee socks, I do like them. *chuckle* (With those, it was just about having difficulty visualizing how to do a certain stitch that is unique to that pattern, not a badly written pattern.)

I have been wanting to do something with an interesting cable design for a while. But I tend to skip it as I am more drawn to handpainted yarns that really don't show up patterns well. So while looking through Gigi patterns, I recalled just how much I wanted to try the Brigit socks.

I remembered I had the Colinette Jitterbug in Vatican red. It isn't solid, but has some subtle color shifts. But I think that will work well with the pattern.

I can't recall where I heard that Jitterbug is kinda short on yardage. So I decided to do them toe-up. The pattern isn't directional, so it should be fine. (Of course, I checked Ravelry and someone else did them toe-up. *grin*)

Here's a pic of the pattern in case you don't have Ravlery:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knitmommy/2624287935/

The woman who designed the patterns passed away last year. Luckily someone in her family was kind enough to post the patterns on Ravelry. She had posted them for free on her own site. But when she passed away, the website was closed.

I think they will be really lovely in the red.

I am not sure what heels I will do. I need to look at the Kaylee socks to see if I liked that heel. But I might use the one from the Toe Up Feather and Fan Socks by Wendy Johnson. I really like the way those came out. She does this neat wrap while picking up the stitches so there aren't any holes. I like the way it looked for the other socks. Not sure. I figure I can see what I want to do when I get there.

BTW, if anyone is interested in some heavenly fiber in purple & red, winderwoodfarm.etsy.com listed the remaining fiber that he made.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20473704

These pictures really do not do it justice. It is a deeper purple and a nice red. It looks really pink in the pics and it isn't at all. I am sorely tempted to grab the rest myself. But I am resisting.

I did however decide I need to get the gauge card. I have been saying I would get one for a while now. So I broke down and ordered one. I went with the Woolery.com. Their price was good. I also broke down and got an umbrella swift. I adore the ones my darling hubby made. But the wood wasn't very hard and they have warped. When I was winding my yarn last night, the cross piece kept hitting the upright. It is chipping the wood. The Woolery had a nice wood one for $65 which is a good price. And I realize that given just how much I use the ones I have, it is well spent money.

Of course, I do know in my heart that the money would be better spent on new tires for the car or taking the cat to the vet. And I also know those are $500 and $350+ respectively. (It stuns me that the vet costs more than my doctor's appointment even if I didn't have insurance!) So they will wait a bit longer.

I have been plying the Twisted Fibers Roxanne colorway. It spun up nicely. Though I suspect I really should have spun it thinner. But I wanted to keep enough loft in it to make it nice to touch.

I am Navajo plying it. I did it on my lowest ratio bobbin & have been going slowly with the treadle. I don't want to overtwist it so that it loses all the soft goodness. I think it is going pretty well. It is always hard to tell while on the bobbin. I will have to see how it comes out.

I don't really think it is thin enough for socks. Given it is 80% superwash merino/20% cashmere, there was some hope that might work. I will see what I get for WPI after I have set the yarn. But I really suspect that it will be too thick for anything except house yarns.

I feel like I have learned a trick/technique to avoid the bumps I had been getting while Navajo plying. If I pull the yarn back & taunt when I am transitioning from one loop to the next, this smooths out the transition. In many cases I can't feel it at all. The exception is really when the thickness of the single at the transition point is is thicker than the yarn that is coming up. Then I get a bump. But I think with the slow treadling and all that the yarn won't be too harsh.

I am hoping to finish spinning that this weekend and get it soaking. *crosses fingers* With President's Day it is a 3 day weekend for me, so that may actually happen. Woohoo!

Reptilian Lace Socks in Handpainted Yarn

I finally got around to taking pics of these socks! I had been meaning to for nearly a week. But my darling hubby had been tender from having two cysts removed. So I didn't want to trouble him to help me. It is kinda funny doing them myself. Propping the camera up on something and then bending over to snap the pic. *laugh* So the pics aren't as good as they usually are. But hey, they are done! *grin*

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Cast On:
January 11 2009

Completed:
February 4 2009

Pattern:
Reptilian Lace by Sivia Harding
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTreptilianlace.html

Made for:
Me - 9" circumference, 9 1/4" long

Needles:
Knitpicks Options & Harmony needles in US 3 / 3.25 mm, US 2 / 2.75 mm & US 1 / 2.25 mm
2 socks on 2 circs


Yarn:
Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock in Black Orchid - Dyed by me, not Dharmahey
0.9 skeins = 346.5 yards (316.8m)
Purchased at Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers http://cosmicfibersyarn.etsy.com


I was debating what to do for the January Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL. I could do either socks with beads, an online pattern or the beaded mystery sock. I was tempted by the mystery sock. But that would have required going out and buying more beads. I really didn’t want to do that given I have a lot of beads sitting around unused.

These are socks with beads strung onto the yarn. So they are smaller than the ones I would have needed to the mystery sock. Though I want to do those some other time.

This actually fits in the KAL in two ways. It is a beaded sock & it is an online pattern. *grin*

I did write the moderator to make sure bead knitting was also okay. From what I have read, beaded knitting can mean that the bead is slid onto the stitch vs. bead knitting where the beads are stung onto the yarn. She said any sock with beads were fine.

I was curious how these will fit. The gauge says 36-sts, but then only has you cast on 66 sts. I started with a size 3 needle in hopes they would fit okay. With all the yarn overs & such, I think they will fit just fine on the leg. I went down to a size two as I got closer to the heel. And then I went down to a size one needle for the foot so it would be a tighter fit.

The funny part is that I actually wound my Schaefer Heather into balls with the intention that I would use that for the January project. But after looking at some patterns, I decided I really liked this one. I went looking in my stash for a yarn that could work well. And this one grabbed my eye as a great match.

I suspect I should have done silver beads instead of gold/copper ones I used. But I like the way the beads play off the purples. I think it does make the black look more brown. But I think they are nice.

I wish the beads had been a larger size though. The pattern said to use a larger bead size, but I have a lot of beads and didn’t want to buy more. So I used seed beads. They don’t show up a lot, but there is a nice shimmer there.

I like the way they came out. It is a nice pattern and was pretty easy.

I didn't notice until this morning that these socks match my handspun shawl pretty well! *chuckle* It is the black, purple & burgundy combo I like so much. I really think I dyed this yarn before I ordered the fiber that I used for my shawl. Too funny!

Works in Progress

This morning, I just finished plying the lovely alpaca I bought from northstaralpacas.etsy.com. It is a deep chocolate brown plied with black. It is for my friend Meredith's present. (Started off Xmas, but switched to her birthday which is on the 28th of this month.) I will soak it to set the twist when I get home. I hope it doesn't take too long to dry. I need to get to some knitting.

Of course, I haven't decided *what* exactly I am knitting with it yet. I know some sort of scarf. But other than that, I am not sure. I also have a single of spun silk that I did with my spindle. I am thinking about using that as trim on the scarf. I need to place them side by side now that the alpaca is plied to make certain it is the right choice. But I think so.

So I think there is another scarf in the future. I am not sure if I will just design something simple myself or if I want to find a pattern to use. Though in perusing patterns I have favorited on Ravelry, I came across the Yarn Harlot One Row Handspun Scarf. I am thinking that could be a good choice. Hmmmm.

Of course, I have to have socks on my needles. Things wouldn't be right unless I did. *chuckle*

Reptilian Lace Socks in Handpainted Yarn

Cast On:
January 11 2009

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Pattern:
Reptilian Lace by Sivia Harding

Made for:
Me - 9" circumference, 9 1/4" long

Needles:
US 3 / 3.25 mm Knitpicks Options & Harmony - 2 socks on 2 circs

Yarn:
Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock in Black Orchid Dyed by Me
Purchased at Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers


I was debating what to do for the January Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL on Ravelry. I could do either socks with beads, an online pattern or the beaded mystery sock. I was tempted by the mystery sock. But that would have required going out and buying more beads. I really didn’t want to do that given I have a lot of beads sitting around unused.

These are socks with beads strung onto the yarn (aka bead knitting). So they are smaller than the ones I would have needed to the mystery sock. Though I want to do those some other time.

This actually fits in the KAL in two ways. It is a beaded sock & it is an online pattern. *grin*

I did write the moderator to make sure bead knitting was also okay. From what I have read, beaded knitting can mean that the bead is slid onto the stitch vs. bead knitting where the beads are stung onto the yarn. She said any sock with beads were fine.

I am curious how these will fit. The gauge says 36-sts, but then only has you cast on 66 sts. I went with a size 3 needle in hopes they will fit okay. With all the yarn overs & such, I think they will fit just fine on the leg. I might have to go down a needle size for the feet or even sooner. I will see how loose they are after the first repeat and then again for the feet.

The funny part is that I actually wound my Schaefer Heather into balls with the intention that I would use that for this month's project. But after looking at some patterns, I decided I really liked this one. I went looking in my stash for a yarn that could work well. And this one grabbed my eye as a great match.

I suspect I should have done silver beads instead of gold/copper ones I used. But I like the way the beads play off the purples. I just fear it might make the black look more brown. But I think they will be nice. *crosses fingers*


Beaded Evening Bag/Purse

So I am putting this with my WIP as there are still some things I really need to do before I see my friend.

Cast On:
December 6 2008

Knitting Finished:
December 21 2008
Still needs lining, closure, etc.

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Pattern:
Designed by me

Made for:
My Friend Karen

Size:
6 3/4" x 9"

Needles:
US 2 1/2 / 3.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:
Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver in Tuxedo Colorway
Around 1/2 skeins = 200 yards
Purchased at The Point in New York, New York

This one has been nearly done for ages now. I just need to add the bead to close it & some internal stuff. But the knitting was done on Sunday, Dec. 21st. Don't think I block it until a week or so later. Just so lazy. *chuckle*

I wanted to make a beaded evening bag for a friend as a present.

I didn’t want to do the super fine seed beads. I wanted something that was knit but with beads as an accent. I couldn’t find anything that I thought would work for my friend.

I came across the Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver yarn at my LYS. I knew it would be perfect as my friend loves black & silver.

I picked up some beads to work into the project. Then I sat down and started trying to chart something I thought would work. I have tweaked the pattern several times.

I need to make the changes to the chart & share it. I think it looks good and could work well for others. The thing I like was that I could use different beads I have had around for a while.

Dyed Yarn & Xmas Knitting

Here are some pics of the Lily Elite Cotton yarn I dyed over the weekend.

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Some are much lighter after they dried than I anticipated. But I am pretty happy overall with the colors. Other than the red. It is a bit too light for my tastes. Problem was I ran low on the Fire Red dye that I was using. I added some fuscia red dye to it. But it still seems to pale. But it is bright enough that I think it will be good as a Christmas red. *crosses fingers*

I dyed it with the intention of creating dish cloths/towels for some people as Xmas presents. I hope that will be enough. I confess I am feeling tapped out money wise. So that may be all some people get. Though I am betting other people are in a similar situation this year. So I am not going to stress it.

(I can post this on here because non-knitters I know do not read this. And if you are a knitter who will be getting a present from me, you should know this won't be your present! *grin*)

I started with one for my sister-in-law. Only to rip the entire thing out and pick another pattern.

The first pattern I picked was:

http://www.jimsyldesign.com/dishbout/kpatterns/smocked.html

Pretty, but I realized the carried over strands that are picked up are a terrible idea for a dish towel! It would get caught on anything like utensils and such! Not sure why so many people have made that one on Ravelry. I think it would be fine as a washcloth, but not a dishcloth in my opinion.

I end up doing this one instead:

http://www.jimsyldesign.com/dishbout/kpatterns/ostplume.html

It is simpler than it looks but pretty. I think my sister-in-law will like it. *crosses fingers*

Ostrich Plume Dish Towel Xmas Present

Cast On:

November 4 2008

Pattern:

Ostrich Plume Dishcloth by Edith Taylor

http://www.jimsyldesign.com/dishbout/kpatterns/ostplume.html

Made for:

Sister-in-law J

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton - Dyed by Me

1 skeins = 184.0 yards (168.2m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns in Woodhaven, New York

The purple, brown & mixed grey and other colors are for some of my other in-laws. The brown & grey were to compliment their kitchen colors. (Though I am not sure about the grey one. I will knit it up, but it may end up getting redyed or some The purple is just because I know my sister-in-law likes purple. I am figuring the red & green for some Xmas towels.

I still have 4 balls of the Lily Elite Cotton that isn't dyed. I am debating what I will do. One of my sister-in-laws like cows. So I was thinking about doing something about that for one of them. But I didn't dye that up. I was originally thinking about knitting it first and then dyeing it. But now I am thinking it would make more sense to dye it first.

I will see if I have any left over brown from the one. Also, there is a Smiley sale the first week of December. So I can check if they have more of the cotton in other colors.

I used up all my black dye, the fire red and some others during the dyeing over the weekend. So I either need to replenish it or just go with what I have for the time being. I have plenty of knitting ahead of me. So we will see. *smile*

Also, here is a pic of the Panda Cotton sock blank I dyed over the weekend.

Sock Blank Purchased from Whimsy Pimsy etsy shop:

http://WhimsyPimsy.etsy.com

I am honestly not sure about the colors. They aren't what I was expecting. But I think it will be interesting.

I am leaning towards doing something like a chevron to get movement to the stripes. But I also do not want anything too complex given this will be my first time knitting with a sock black.

The Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL for Nov. is either a Wendy Johnson pattern or mosaic knitting. I am very tempted by mosaic knitting but do not have yarn for it. I was thinking about using one of the Wendy Johnson toe up patterns and adding a chevron to it. I am a bit tempted by her toe-up feather and fan pattern. But I suspect that would be too busy for the yarn.

Productive, Yet Sad Weekend

I really am feeling like this was a productive weekend.

Friday, I finished the Falling Snow Stocking. My first piece with a lot of fair isle knitting. I think it came out pretty well.

Falling Snow Stocking

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Pattern:

Falling Snow Stocking by Jennifer Hoel

http://jenniferhoel.wordpress.com/2008/01/25/paiges-christmas-stocking/

Made for:

Xmas Present - Millie Maybe

Needles:

US 8 / 5.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Bernat Lana in Marine - 09135

0.4 skeins = 86.8 yards (79.4m)

&

Bernat Lana in Denim Blue - 09116

0.4 skeins = 86.8 yards (79.4m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Decided to do this as part of the Oct. 2008 Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL. I figured it would be interesting and get me to do a good deal of fair isle work. So I learned a lot.

I cast this on in the car on the way to Rhinebeck. I am definitely learning that doing one strand continental helps a lot. So I am glad I learned how to do it. Not speedy with continental by any means, but I am able to do it.

I am not sure who I will give this to for Xmas honestly. Probably my sister Millie as she likes blue.

Because I used a thinner yarn that the pattern called for, it isn’t as large as the original pattern. But it is still a good size stocking.

There is a bit of puckering when I pulled the yarn too tight. But overall, it looks good. Not bad for my first fair isle project. *smile*

Saturday was spent dyeing yarn. I picked up 12 balls of Lily Elite Cotton at the Smiley sale in NJ. I figured I could make dish towels out of it for various people for Xmas. So I stirred up a lot of different dyes.

Alos, I dyed the Trellis sweater I did for my niece, who I thought was a nephew when I knit the light blue sweater. *laugh* I have to take some pics after I have washed it. I want to machine wash & dry it before giving it to them. I have only handwashed it with the dyeing.

I also dyed the Panda cotton sock blank I got from WhimzyPinzy on etsy.

http://WhimzyPinzy.etsy.com

The yarn 50% Bamboo 24% cotton 21% elastic. I really like dyeing the sock blanks. It is much easier than the long skein method! I am curious to see how this knits up.

I spent Sunday rinsing... And rinsing... And... *sigh* I do love the colors in the Procion dyes. But it does mean a lot of rinsing. Ah well. They did come out well I think.

I sat down to do some spinning in between soaking yarn. I got the Three Bags Full plied. I am happy with it. It is super soft.

Then, I sat down to start some new fiber that I got at Rhinebeck. I was just starting it when snap! The bracket that attaches the rodman to the wheel broke!! *whimper*

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I wrote Babe immediately. I am really hoping that Neils will reply soon. I have heard he is great about repairs. My biggest concern is because I bought the wheel used, I am not sure if that will apply to me. *sigh* I can only hope it will and that it will be repaired quickly. I try to spin a little each day. I find it is a good way to relax. *sigh*

Finished Baudelaire Socks in Dharmafey Bamboo Dexter

Cast On:

January 26 2008

Finished:

February 14 2008

Pattern:

Baudelaire by Cookie A.

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTbaudelaire.html

Made for:

Me - Size 9 shoe, 9" at ball, 9 1/4" long

Yarn:

Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock in Dexter Colorway

http://dharmafey.etsy.com

60% superwash merino/30% bamboo/ 10% nylon

1 skeins = 385.0 yards

Needles:

US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm

Knitpicks Options and Harmony

2 socks on 2 circs method

I wanted to do something interesting with the Dexter yarn I got. The batch I got is mostly grey with some flecks of red. I had been looking at the Cookie A. patterns for the Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL for January. So when I went to my ravelry queue, I spotted the Baudelaire pattern. It is a beautiful pattern.

I wasn't sure if the flecks would obscure the pattern. But I don't think the flecks detract. I think the yarn works pretty well with the pattern.

I *love* the Bamboo Sock yarn. It is very soft yet nice and smooshy. I liked it so much I ordered a couple blank skeins to dye myself. They just arrived today, so I think it might be a weekend for yarn dyeing... Mmmmm....

I really like the Baudelaire pattern. It was definitely a good pattern and a pleasure to knit. The only part I loathed was the Front Cable Increase & Back Cable Increase for the larger size. You have to create 4 stitches while simultaneously doing a cable. I think it should have just had the increase without trying to twist them at that same time. There was a ton of swearing involved. But it only happens once in the pattern. So two sets of each and then no more. If I had to do it more than that, I wouldn't knit the pattern ever again. *laugh*

Overall, I like the socks. They are very pretty, yet the coloring of the yarn doesn't make them super girly which I like. *grin* Though Paul keeps saying the color is pink not red. *growls* I do not do pink! It is red. *chuckle*

Monkey Socks in Lisa Souza Sock Yarn

Cast On:

Saturday, January 5th.

Finished:

Tuesday, January, 22nd

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Pattern:

Monkey by Cookie A.

http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html

Yarn:

Lisa Souza Sock!

75% Superwash Wool/25% Nylon

http://www.lisaknit.com/yarn/animalfibers/sock.html

Needles:

US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm - one Knitpicks Options & one KP Harmony

Done 2 socks on 2 circs

I decided to do a Cookie pattern for the Ravelry Socks Knitters Anonymous January KAL. I think it was a good match with the yarn.

I was worried however about the size. I had read in someone else's comments that they did this pattern for a size 9 foot and it worked fine. I did not find that to be the case.

The leg of the sock is pretty tight over my foot when I pull them on. So I was kinda worried. But my gauge was dead on according to my swatch.

I ended up tweaking them as I went along.

I turned the heel, but instead of reducing to 32 stitches for the bottom of the foot, I decreased to 40 stitches. Then around midfoot, I decreased again, and so on every 1/2" or so til I got down to 32.

I found they fit the foot well that way. They are snug enough, but not super tight. They are still challenging to pull the leg over my heel. However, they are nowhere near as bad as my Jaywalkers in that regard. I am beginning to think I just have a massive heel. laugh

I definitely like the pattern a lot. I am tempted to make another pair but do a different increase so there isn't a hole from the YO.

Pattern Thoughts and Suggestions

I am trying to figure out what to do with the Lisa Souza hand dyed superwash wool I have. I have knit a swatch but can't seem to determine what pattern to do. I am leaning towards the doing something with the Wild Things color way first:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=wild%20things&w=11372712%40N04

It is some really pretty dark colors. Purples, blues and some lighter greens. All very pretty.

I also have the Mars Quakes colorwar:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=11372712%40N04&q=mars+quake&m=text

I like both a great deal. They are beautiful yarns. But I realized that I have already knit two pairs with reds and blacks. So I figure it is time for another color. *chuckle* (Mind you, I wear the ones I have all the time. I have my Ravishing socks on today that are the cotton/lycra self-patterning yarn I dyed.)

I am having a hard time finding sock patterns that don't have lacey bits!

There is a knit along this month in one of the Ravelry groups for Cookie A. patterns - http://www.cookiea.com . I am really thinking about trying one of her patterns. She has some amazing ones.

I keep looking at the Monkey pattern from Knitty:

http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html

Have anyone tried this one?

I also like her Pomatomus pattern:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTpomatomus.html

I think that would be next to impossible with the 2 socks on 2 circs method I love so much. And I fear second sock syndrome a lot.

I am seriously tempted by her Twinkle Toes pattern that is from a Knitty Gritty episode:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_5419748,00.html

The beauty of that one is that it is toe up so I can use all the yarn and not have a lot left over. I am still *terrible* about judging when I need to start the foot when I am doing top down. With Jennifer's top down Xmas socks, I had 1/3rd of the yarn left because I started the heel too soon.

I admit, I am also still sorely tempted to do a Cat Bordhi pattern from the New Pathways book. there are some great patterns. There just aren't any I can clearly see in the yarn I have. Or the gauge I am getting. So it is hard. Suppose I should go home and knit yet more swatch. I was knitting on 2s, but it seems that it might be better on 1s. Not sure.

Though I was confused to discover that my 1s and 2s are actually 1 1/2s and 2 1/2s according to what I read. I thought I was getting 1s & 2s. But Knitpicks list 2 of each size. So I picked up the 2s to match the bamboo needles I got for Paul's socks before switching over to 2 socks on 2 circs for his socks. They are labeled size 2 - 2.75 mm. So that is what I got. *shrug*

Decisions decisions. So many patterns. So little time. *grin*

Either way, time to get home. Paul is probably beginning to wonder where I am and I haven't even left the office yet. It has been one of those days. Way too long!

Alpaca Drops Cabled Socks Finished!

I am a very happy gal. I finished the Alpaca Drops cabled socks last night!

Cast On:

Sunday Oct. 7th.

Finished:

Tuesday Oct. 30th.

Pattern:

100-19 Socks with cable pattern in Alpaca

http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=100&d_id=19&lang=en

Yarn:

Catalina Yarns Baby Silk in Claret

70% baby alpaca/30% silk

http://www.catalinayarns.com/pages/babysilk/babysilk.html

Needles:

2 circs - 5 size for the leg & a size 4 for the heel & foot

Used my Knitpicks and the Boyds. Like having the two different ones as I can tell them apart.

If you want to see the pictures larger, click on them. I have very large images on Flickr. But I didn't want the page to take eons to load.

Front View:

Side View:

Flat View:

I have posted the rest of the pics as links. I really don't want to overload anyone's connection. Paul took a lot of pics for me.

You can also click on the Flickr set and browse them that way.

Side Close Up

Flat View 2

Flat Single Sock

Front View 2

Back of Calf

Back of Calf 2

Top of Foot

Flat Single

I did these socks as part of the Ravelry Sock Knitters Anonymous Oct. sock knit along. (The ravelry links only work if you are on ravelry. But they will be opening to the public someday.) Happy to report I finished on time.

The cool thing is that the KAL has 2 months to complete the monthly challenge. So I could have taken until the end of November. I don't think I would have taken on this pattern if I had to get them done by today. So I took on something more complex as I knew I had the time to finish it.

It took nearly an hour to transcribe the chart & lay it out in Excel. However, I think it was well worth the time.

I was a bit intimidated by the complexity. However, it wasn't too bad. I just had to stay focused. So they weren't really mindless knitting.

The pattern is really beautiful. I love the color and they should be pretty warm.

I think there are a couple flaws in the pattern. In the M.3 chart,it says 16 rows. In fact it is 18, just like the M.1 pattern right beside it. It also appears that in the 11th row from the top of M.2, one of the knit stitches is in the wrong spot.

I should post the chart & the written out directions I made for this soon. It could be helpful to others. Though I should modify the pattern a bit with the notes I made. I tweaked it for two socks on two circs.

I picked up the yarn at Adirondack Yarns in Lake Placid, NY. I got it while I was up there. Tee had mentioned that there was a book store in Saranac Lake that had some alpaca yarn. The guy at the store said alpaca shouldn't set off allergies. So I stopped by when I was up there. I did a test swatch and it didn't bother me after having it on for 3-4 hours. So I was thrilled to find I am not allergic to alpaca.

I confess, I think the yarn was a bit too fluffy for the pattern. It would probably have shown much better with a different yarn. However, I really do love the yarn, the color and the way they came out. So I am happy with the socks.

I don't know if these socks will wear well at all. It may not be plied tightly enough. Also, they may not have enough memory to stay put. But I don't care. I like the way they came out. I will just have to be sad if they wear out.

I really want to find some good alpaca sock yarn! These feel wonderful.