Holiday knitting

So what does 10+ hours in the car get you?

pattern: Tang from Custom Knits (this and all other links will be Ravelry links) by Wendy Bernard
yarn: Twist by Laines du Nord

I am loving this pattern. All the sweaters in this book are done from the top down. Some are yoke/raglan type sleeves and some are set-in sleeves but are done by picking up the stitches at the arm holes and knitting down. That’s right! No seaming!! There are so many beautiful sweaters in this book. Its been a LONG time since I have picked up a book and wanted to knit nearly everything in it NOW!! Tang was not going to be my first knit. This was not because I didn’t eventually want to do it but I was just in love with Ingenue (love the shape!), Jewel (yarn in stash), and Slinky Ribs (just love it!). A KAL was started on the Knit and Tonic Knitters Group so I thought this would be a great way to start knitting from this book.

So, I had casted on and gotten part of the back of the top of the sweater done (too much to try to explain here!). In the 10+ hour drive, I got the back and front finished to the armhole and the sweater joined in the round. I would have gotten more done but it got dark and I didn’t bring my reading/knitting light. I put the stitches on scrap yarn and tried it on. It is going to be a great fit! Since then I am now to the waist…finished the decreases and have chosen to add an extra inch to the waist (I’m a little long waisted). I can’t wait to get to the arms!! I am thinking that this technique that she uses might just work for my Minimalist Cardigan, too.

Also finished over the holidays:

pattern: Eyelet Yoke Cardigan by Lionbrand Yarn
yarn: Jeanne by Plymouth
This is the one for my 2 yo niece. I began another that will be identical except that it is ina 4yo size for my other niece.

I feel very productive!!

But I have been creating…honest!

Even when my knitting seems to be on the wane, I still find that I create in other ways.

Consider the following:

This is a Cut Leaf Gourd. Isn’t it fantastic?!? This class was so amazing. I would have never thought I had it in me. AND I got to use POWER-TOOLS!

Then:

A little gourd fun!! I was going for the sassy look.

Listing these in the order of completion, I did get a little knitting done:

Jennifer’s Socks
pattern: Roza’s Socks from Interweave Spring 2007
yarn: Tofutsies #733
needles: 40″ Inox Express 2.5mm
mods: none!

I rushed to finished these so they could be my September socks for Sock A Month 4.

And then this little ditty:

I don’t think I have posted about this since here. Quick knit, although a little tedious with the stst.

And its twin:

Both are from “Knits, Knots, Buttons, and Bows” by Lynda Schar using Cascade Sierra or Sierra Quatro.

Last but not least:

This is called a Cabin Boy basket and I made it as a gift for my mother-in-law.

So, never fear, I am staying busy in the creative world, even if it isn’t always knitting!

An Embarrassment of WIPs

I’m taking a break from all the cleaning to share my latest pictures of WIPs.  I will say that so far I have gotten quite a bit done (on the housework).  Kitchen clean, 4 loads of laundry done (2 folded and put away), vacuuming, sweeping, dusting done.  I’m going to be honest, I know that sounds like nearly everything and certainly the house looks better but it just needs so much more.  Cindy and Bethany have heard me say this before, I just need someone to come in and help me do all the really deep cleaning stuff.  And then I need an organizing specialist to come in and help with that mess!!!  Ugh!  This is why I don’t like to clean…it never ends up making me feel any better!!

Now onto a better subject:

I’ll begin with the oldest:

Work has not gone quite as planned on this but I am still determined to finish it. I have a new goal of having it done before Stitches East in October. We’ll see.

Then we have the Hufflepuff socks for Hogwarts Sock Swap II:

Trying to teach Lucky to knit them up but he is all hooves.

Socks That Rock June Kit (The Solstice Slip Socks):

The August kit is getting mailed off this week or early next week and I really want to be finished or nearly there by the time it arrives. I have cast on for the second sock and am going to catch it up to the first sock so that they are the same length having used as much of the yarn as I can.

After finishing my niece’s Wrap Dress I got gung-ho to work on her brother and sister’s October birthday gifts and casted this on:

Nearly done! Refer to this for the details but notice that I changed the colors.  J helped there and it is now refered to as the Mint Chocolate Chip Vest.

I joined Sockknitter’s Anonymous on Ravelry and they are doing a sock a month kal (you actually have 2 months to knit them, thank goodness) and every month you have the choice between a different technique or designer. This month was lace/Sockbug so I chose the lace and I chose Early Spring Socks. I’m doing them out of HipKnits 100% Cashmere.

Love the pattern and the yarn is heavenly!

The August pattern on Socktopia is a Mystery Sock. I originally picked Jitterbug yarn in Copperbeach to do this but soon discovered that the pattern gets completely lost in it. I switched yarns and this is where I am.

Sorry, not much to see. The yarn I’m using now is KP Essentials Tweed in Inca Gold.

And, as if this all wasn’t enough, I started a new project on Tuesday. Its the Minimalist Cardigan from IK Fall 2007. I’m using some stash (YES!!!! YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT!!!) Cascade Sierra in a Chocolate Brown color.

Only 1.5″ until I decrease for the armholes!

OK, I just heard the dryer stop so I have better go take care of that and do another 45 minutes of housework! On my next break I am knitting!!!

Incommunicado

Sorry about the brief silence.  I know, not like me at all!!  I think sometimes when you take a break and get out of the habit of reporting in you just find it hard to get it all going again.  Well, I’m back now.

What was I doing while away?  I picked up HP7 on Saturday morning with every intention to begin reading it right away at my hair appointment. 

I have issues with reading when there is a lot of noise around me, though, so I could forget about being able to concentrate there!  I gave it up for a bad job (cute little British saying I picked up from the books) and continued listening to the end of Book 6.  We went out on the boat Saturday night and then I hung out at the LYS Sunday before a round of golf (got my first bogie!!!  NOT the British term you think and, yes, I am proud of making a bogie!).  Sooooooo, I spent ALL day reading Monday.  I wouldn’t let myself on the computer for fear of spoilers and we all know I am addicted to my PC.  I finished around 4pm and was so emotionally drained that I just vegged the rest of the night.

Knitting resumed on Tuesday and I have been working on my Pomatomus Socks which I finished Tuesday night!  Woohoo!

LOVE EM!  Definitely one of my favs that I have knitted!

Pomatomus by Cookie A

Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Spirit #3008

mods:  I think the only thing I did differently than the pattern was to cast on using the method from Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt (Favorite Socks).

I am also happy to announce that I have finished, washed and blocked my Sockapalooza 4 Pal’s socks!! 

***Which also qualify for Summer of Socks 07***

Yes, that’s right, they are Monkeys!

J-Knits yarn in Louisiana (1 skein…I know they look sort of different but it is just one skein!  Weird, huh?)

mods:  I think the only thing was the heel…I did partridge eye.  I love it cause it looks like fairisle.

Finally, I have been working away on my Embossed Leaves and should have them done before the end of the month.  That will be 3 pairs of socks for the month of July for SAM3.  Amd I’ve signed up for SAM4, too!  (surprise!)

Don’t worry, I’ve not forgotten about my niece’s dress.  I plan to work on the neckband tonight and get it washed and dried so that I can get it off in the mail no later than Wednesday.

I apologize if you are sick of seeing this:

but I live with him and I’m not.  I looked up from my afternoon of knitting and thought this looked like the definition of happiness.

Take 2

This never happens to me.  I’m a loose knitter (that doesn’t sound good, does it?) and almost always have to go down a needle size to get gauge.  Can’t go into specifics on the pattern/yarn, but I had to start over today on my Sockapalooza Pal’s socks.  I did a gauge swatch in stst but I guess I was much tighter when knitting the pattern.  Ugh!  I was over 5″ into the cuff (top down)!!

ETA: On the brightside (and you really have to look for one when you rip out two 5″ sock cuffs), these socks now qualify for SOS 07.  Hee.

I now have pictures of my June socks:

These are the Hogwarts Sock Swap socks.  I gave details here.  Very pleased and am looking forward to getting it all off in the mail.

Little pink Move Your Fanny knit in Tofutsies #730.  Lots of fun and the first socks I’ve knit for someone else where I’ve had the chance to let them try them on as I knitted to see how well I guess at where to start the toe, etc.  Good practice for all these gift socks I’ve started.

So I think that has me down to 5 socks on the needles (most of those are first socks) and 3 singles waiting for me to cast on their twins.  Progress, people!?!  Oh, dear.

Quick note

I have 2 pairs of socks to report finished…my Hogwarts Sock Swap pair and the pink Tofutsies socks…more on that later with pictures.  I need to get those up on SAM3.

Anyhoo, the real reason I am popping in:

Dear Sock-Pal Gal,

Thank you for all the comments you have left on my blog.  Its fun to know that you are keeping up with me!!!  Just a note that I have replied to the email you have left a couple of times.  Unfortunately, it must not be the right email because another knitter was sweet enough to let me know that she was receiving my replies in error.  No biggie, really, except that I didn’t want you to think I was ingoring you.

Your pal,

T

Sorry so boring…

Takes me away…

Although I intended for this blob to be about sailing as well as knitting, I’ve never been very good about including very many pictures of our boat or our adventures.  I hope to change that this summer.  I’ve always gotten some of my best knitting done on the boat and with the Summer of Socks 2007 KAL (SOS) having started on Thursday, I thought what better way to incorporate 2 of my favorite things to do!

We set out on Thursday to meet up with my in-laws who are on their boat heading north.  The weather was not in our favor but INDIGO performed beautifully and got us through the 40+ knot gusts.  We rafted up for 2 nights and I was able to get work done on three different projects. 

I cast on for Jennifer’s socks after casting off the lines at the dock.  It’s Roza’s Socks from Interweave Knits Spring 2007.  I’m using Tofutsies #733 and I am loving it!!  I probably got through the ribbing before I had to put them away so they wouldn’t get wet from all the water we were taking over the bow.  It was crazy!  I have now just turned the heel on sock #1.  If you want something quick and easy but that looks (but isn’t) a little more complicated than plain rib, give this a try.

I also worked on my Sockapalooza Pal’s socks but I can’t report on them due to my inability to keep my mouth shut.  She said that she wouldn’t go looking for my blog but I think she is just trying to be nice (not saying she isn’t telling me the truth…just that she wants to make me feel ok about my blunder).  So I’ll wait until she has received them before posting a pic.  Anyway, I am doing 2 at a time and am 3 1/2 ” into the cuff.

I also worked on another friend’s socks (the pink Move Your Fanny socks) to get them to the point that she can try them on for sizing.  I think I will see her today and maybe get sock #1 off the needles!!

I have split and caked the STR June Kit but have not done anything with it yet.  Even though the other socks (the ones cast on before June 21st) don’t count in SOS, I’m still going to keep working on them.  I never expected to enter the “most socks” contest or any of that.  I really don’t have any goals for SOS other than to take some pictures of my socks with me on vacation, etc.

Off to work on my pal’s socks….

Golf and knitting…

Introducing Fanny, otherwise known as my new golf socks!!

pattern: Get off Your Fanny…oops, that’s Move your Fanny.  Freudian slip?

yarn: Tofutsies color #723

mods:  A few.  I followed the heel as written, although I couldn’t get it to work exactly as written for me.  I’m sure there is nothing wrong with the pattern.  I chalk it up to operator error.  But I got it to work in general and I like the way it looks.  I kept the 1×1 rib going all the way down to where the toe began and then I used a regular wedge toe.

I really like em and plan to start some for a friend soon. 

*ETA:  I used a little less than 50g to make these socks and I have big feet!  You could definitely get 2 pair of these socks out of a ball of Tofutsies.  At $16 a ball, what a bargain!

Played my first round of golf (12 holes with Mr J) and had a great time.  No, I didn’t take my knitting in my golf bag, but it did cross my mind!!  Lesson four is next week…we’ll see how much he’ll have to reteach me, huh? 

Grasshoppers are done!

And I couldn’t be more pleased!  They fit great and they are SO SOFT!!!  You can refer back to this post if you want the details.  I’ll just show you the pretty pictures here:

I was really beginning to worry that I wouldn’t get any pairs of socks out for May for SAM3 because I kept just doing one of a pair and then moving on to the next.  I have 3 pairs in various states on the needles right now.  Hopefully one pair will be done in the next few days.

My sock pal knitting for me in Sockapalooza 4 has asked me about the ribbing I add to the bottom of my socks.  For top down, I have used the center 18 stitches or so that are left after you turn the heel before you pick up the gusset stitches (for heel flap, obviously) but have used that as a guideline on socks that are toe up and/or short row heels.  I just do a P2, K2 starting either right where the turn is finished (and the gusset increase rows begin) or where the pattern row begins on the instep (for toe up).  Does this make any sense?  Again, I feel this is a great way to get socks to fit better.

OK, now I REALLY have to cast on my second Hogwarts Sock Swap Sock!!

Swap Updates

About a year ago I did a secret pal swap where I was the pal to Paper Tiger Knits and my upstream pal was Beautiful Plumage.  It was a very good experience but I didn’t join up for another basically because of the stress of coming up with things for people you don’t really know and are you spending enough and will they like it, etc.  Well, never one to learn from past experiences…I am now in 2 sock swaps: Hogwarts Sock Swap and Sockapalooza 4.  And in these not only do you buy a few things for them but you have to come up with a sock pattern, yarn and actually KNIT them!  Oy! 

Hogwarts:  This one has been going pretty smoothly.  I contacted my victim pal and she has gotten back to me.  She is a Gryffindor.  I finally gave up trying to find yarn in a brick and mortar and just ordered what I wanted in the appropriate colors online.  I’m on the second incarnation of the sock having completely ditched the first one (its lying around here somewhere).  I am very happy with this sock (about an inch or so past the heel on sock 1).  The heel bothers me a bit–when it isn’t on the foot it is rather ugly.  However, on the foot I think it is very nice.  My pal’s foot is a little short and a lot less wide than my foot and this sock is very tight on me.  I think it wil be juuuuust right on her.

Its probably hard to see, but on top is the a “dragon scale” pattern.  Its Wyvern.  It was written for sock weight, I think, but I’m using fingering.  I just figured out what my gauge was on 2.25mm needles and did a few calculations to determine that I can just follow the large size as written and it should be ok.

I have also been contacted my my upstream pal (sock knitting angel) and she seems very sweet.  She sends me all kinds of greeting cards and little emails to just say hi.  I feel very lucky (and a little guilty that I’m not more like that downstream–but you are what you are).

Now, for Sockapalooza 4.  I got my downstream pal’s info off the site and contacted her.  She seems very nice and has given me complete creative control (poor girl!).  I have sent a few emails to learn a bit more about her.  I’m pretty sure I know which pattern I want to use but I’m still debating about the yarn.  I’m not in too big of a hurry because, while Hogwart’s guidelines say you can ship out your socks anytime before July 21st, Sockapalooza wants you to wait until Aug…uh, well, sometime in Aug.  So, I have plenty o’time.

However, my upstream pal has not contacted me.  In someways I don’t mind.  But I sort of want to know if they have had issues and had to back out or something.  I guess it isn’t any big deal.  I’m not really doing it JUST to receive….

Non-swap related knitting:  I’ve cast on Kneehigh to a Grasshopper (STR club) and am really loving it so far.  I’m not very far into it because I’ve been working a bit more and trying to concentrate on the Wyvern sock just in case I change my mind again.  I should have pics soon.

I want to start a pair for my friends Nicky, Jeane, and Jennifer.  Nicky and Jeane are gardeners and have said that they will keep me in asparagus, spinach and yellow tomatoes if I knit them socks.  Good deal if you ask me!  Jennifer expressed interest in receiving handknit socks while we were in CA.  I found a yarn she likes and I’m thinking of doing Monkey or something of that nature.  I’m just waiting on foot measurements (HEAR THAT!!??!!). 

That’s it…back to the needles.