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.
