Quicky

I still have not finished the second hat for Scott, nor have I finished his socks. Then today, I thought it would be fun to try rollerskating, and promptly fell on my ass (twice) messing up my left elbow something fierce. I haven't actually tried knitting yet, but I think I will be able to only in short bursts. Also, the yarn for Scott's scarf has been chosen- Ella Rae Classic, in Chocolate Heather (#111). Photos soon, once I've got a few inches done. I asked Scott to pick from a few stitch patterns, and he liked Mistake Rib the best. That's it for now. More later this week!

I Need a Nap!

It turns out that I was so over-confident in my ability to churn out a pair of men's socks in a short period of time, that I thought I'd have time to make a couple of hats as well. Yeah. That didn't quite work out, as Scott's socks are still not done. But he does have a hat that he loves:

And the mail lady got this hat:

Sorry that's such a crappy picture. It's ribbed with cables, in Patons Shetland Chunky. It came out okay for a last minute hat, but I wish I had done the decreases differently- they look a little too obvious in a couple places.

The biggest problem with the socks was that I ran out of yarn. I had two 50g balls of Patons Kroy Sock yarn, and the first sock still has about two inches (including the toe) to go. Of course, this all came to light yesterday afternoon- while Scott had our only car and wasn't due to be home until exactly when the stores closed. So I can't get another ball until tomorrow, but in the meantime I can knit the other sock (which is just past the gusset) until that one runs out. The socks are no longer a surprise, so I can knit them in his presence, and have him try them on to check for length.

If you're planning on knitting men's socks on size 1 needles (I cast on 72 st.) with the Kroy sock, be aware that you may need a third ball!

Now I am also working on a second tam for Scott. The first one (above) was knit up with Patons Classic Wool for the winter, and the next will be cotton for warmer weather. He also requested a scarf, and hopefully I can get the yarn for that this weekend.

Yeesh. I have been knitting nonstop since Friday night. I was so desperate to finish the socks that I pulled all-nighters Sunday and Tuesday. Yesterday I had ice packs and warm packs laying about, and my stomach lining was not thrilled with my diet of coffee and painkillers. Hopefully a few days of extreme knitting won't cause any irreparable damage. I did take a few breaks and stretched often, so I think my hands will be fine after some rest!

There Are Two Sides to Everything

Tonight was knit night, and I grabbed the opportunity to get some work done on Scott's socks. I had to start them over, because the original version was much too big. I did manage to cast one back on and knit a row, but that's as far as I got (due to a combination of working overtime and major slacking). So I showed up at knit night at about 6:30 with one row of one sock. By the time I left at 9:30, I had 2.5 inches of ribbed cuff done on BOTH socks. That's right. Five freaking inches of sock, total, in three hours. That's over 1.5 inches per hour. That means I can be done with the leg in about another 3 hours, which is encouraging. But I think I've also underestimated the amount of time it takes to knit a pair (I had guessed about 15 earlier this evening).

This also means that I am a total slacker every time I knit anywhere other than knit night. Why can't I be that focused at home? Maybe it has something to do with coffee? Or maybe I'm just too easily distracted at home. Oh, who knows. It could be anyth

My New Friend

Yesterday I had to venture out to the mall to get an outfit to wear to the office Christmas party. I had all but given up and was on my way back to the car when I saw a store with a bunch of balloons and signs all over the place. It was a B. Moss, which I had never heard of. Apparently the company is going out of business, so everything was 50% off. I went in, and found they have oodles of stuff that would be perfect for the occasion. I picked out plaid pants and a matching green sweater, and was still poking around a bit when I realized that one of the signs on an empty fixture was for the fixture itself. Looking around, they also had shelves, wooden boxes, small chalkboards, and this:



She was for sale for $20. How perfect would she be for my knitting room? I was stoked and dragged her over to the counter. Now she is mine. The store employees called her "Mossy" so that will be her name. It turns out that her measurements are remarkably similar to mine: her bust is actually a smidge bigger, waist is the exact same, and her hips are a smidge smaller. It also turns out that discovering your measurements are similar to a store mannequin does a lot for your self esteem. So does switching from junior's sizes to women's (the number drops by like 3 or 4). I try not to get hung up on stuff like that, but I'm only human and bombarded with the same advertising as everyone else.

I had loads of fun dressing her up in my clothes. Here she is with my shawl:

I absolutely love her, and hope she will come in handy, but even if she just sits there and adds to the ambiance it will be worth the $20.

I'm putting Cass's sweater on hold and decided it will likely be a birthday gift instead. With all the overtime I've been putting in I don't think I'd have time to finish a sweater in just a couple weeks. But I might be able to handle a pair of socks for Scott, so that's what I'm planning. I picked up some "Scott colored" Paton's Kroy Sock by accident when I went to Joann's for cookie tins. I think I can get a fair amount done (hopefully both cuffs) by the 24th. I have that day off, Scott does not. So my plan is to get up as soon as he leaves and finish them in one day. I'll have nearly 12 hours, unless they let him leave early (a very real, and frightening possibility). I think I can do it as long as they are plain, basic socks.

I started a pair of socks for myself with the Zoe sock yarn. I like it bunches, and wish I had more time to dedicate to another project. This whole "work" thing is putting a serious crimp in my knitting.

And if you're curious, I've swatched for the Bohus but that's it. It's just going to have to wait until I have some real time to work on it. Plus (and I swear this isn't just me procrastinating) I really want to finish up some of my WIPs before I start new things. Specifically, Cass's sweater, the Zoe socks, and that cotton Clapotis from way back. I've also got a sweater that only needs arms, and my peach sweater. Hopefully I can power through some of those during my time off over Christmas. Which is also probably going to be the next time I have a chance to update this blog! Until then...

It's Here.

It came yesterday. I saw the mail truck pull up, and watched as the mail carrier approached... Is she coming here or going to the neighbors? Could it really be here so fast?

Yes, the Bohus kit had arrived. It only took about a week to get here from Sweden, which is pretty impressive.

The yarn is a gorgeous wool/angora blend, all hand dyed by Solveig Gustaffson. You can see in the first picture that she includes a handy color sample thingy for the chart- which is very nice as some of the colors are pretty similar. I've read through some of the instructions and the translation is awesome, so there shouldn't be any problems there. Now I just have to get used to the idea of making an entire sweater with sock weight yarn on teeny needles.

Speaking of the needles, I didn't have the right size so off to the yarn shop I went. They don't carry the size 1.5 suggested, so I picked up the size 0 needed for the ribbing and size 1. I'll see if I can get gauge with that, and if not then I'll try 2's and if that is too big I'll suck it up and order the 1.5.

While at the store, I may have accidentally got more yarn:

Classic Cotton, which I am presently attempting to make into something presentable for Cass. And this:

Shalimar Yarns Zoe (100% superwash wool, hand-dyed) in Juniper Berry. It's very smooshy and soft, and will probable become a pair of socks when the cotton top is done. Or before, if I get frustrated. And yes, I'm totally procrastinating starting the Bohus. I have to work up some courage just to swatch for it...

Practice Shmactice

For the past several weeks, I've been saving up my overtime $$ for Stitches East, but I found something I want more. A Bohus kit. Don't ask me how I got this particular bug up my ass, but I saw one somewhere (maybe the Yarn Harlot's blog?) and now I have to make one. So I'm skipping Stitches this weekend, and have ordered the Wild Apple sweater kit. For a minute, there was a little voice in my head saying, "You've never knit with two colors, let alone many. What if you hate it? What if you can't do it?" and other such things. I told that voice to shut the hell up and I'll do whatever I want. But eventually, like an indignant teenager, I realized that perhaps this voice was on to something. Perhaps I should crank out a practice fair isle project just to make sure... And so I give you my very first stranded knitting:

It's not perfect by any means, but it's not bad for a first try. My tension was much too tight with the white yarn on the first few rows, so those stitches don't have a lot of definition. But it was surprising to see how quickly my right hand picked up holding the yarn. The whole hat was done this afternoon- those little charts make you feel like you're making a lot a progress and keep you motivated.

The two chemo hats are done:

Try not to make fun of my weirdly shaped head- I just don't look good in most hats. It's a curse handed down from my mother's side of the family. And is it me, or do I have googly eyes in the second one? Anyway, they are done and hopefully will fit the intended recipient. The top one is the same from my previous post, and the second one is done in supple rib (it did wind up getting easier as it went) with Moda Dea Bamboo Wool.

The socks for Cass's little sister are coming along nicely, except for the part last night when I picked up stitches for the gusset before actually turning the heel. And I did that to both socks before I realized it. Awesome. But they are fixed, heels are turned, and I'm decreasing the gusset on one. Tofutsies is super splitty, but if you're just knitting along and not doing anything too tricky (or ripping back) it's not that bad. Which is good because I have two more skeins of it sitting in my stash.

These are just plain ol' simple socks... 2x2 rib down the cuff and on the top of the foot. Nothing crazy, as the recipient is 6 and will probably grow out of them quickly. Although I'm thinking of sending them with some literature on Chinese foot-binding practices...

Woot!

Cass got her socks, and she likes them and they fit. I can now breathe a sigh of relief. But only for a minute, because her little sister has requested a pair. I think I'll finish up that second hat first, though. Luckily Cass's little sister is only 6 (I think, maybe 7) so she has little feet. Her socks shouldn't take too long. :)

Cass's socks have been finished and sent off to her. And of course I was in such a rush to get them to her that I didn't think to take pictures. Oh well... they look pretty much like the previous pictures, but with feet. You'll have to use your imagination.

I finished one of two hats for my mother-in-law's sister. She has breast cancer, and this is the second time it's come after her. Totally sucks. My MIL says she'll have to go through chemo for a year to 18 months, so it's pretty likely she'll lose her hair. So I'm making her a couple hats so her head won't get too chilly during the cold Chicagoland winter. This one is the Lace Edged Hat, knit with Paton's Silk Bamboo. I don't know if silk/bamboo really blocks or not, but I wanted to try to get the lace to at least lay flat.

Now I'm working on the second one. I started it in Supple Rib, but frankly Supple Rib is sort of a bitch. It took me two hours to get about an inch and half of hat done, which is a bit much. But I like the way it's coming out, so maybe I'll stick with it.

Scott and I went to the pumpkin patch this weekend, and there was an alpaca tent sent up at the farm. It took all my willpower not to enter the tent and buy all of the yarn she had (only a basket or two from what I could see at a distance). I also forced myself to stay away from the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival this weekend. I'm saving up all my yarn allowance for Stitches East in a couple weeks. I figured Shenandoah will be in the same place next year, but this is the last time (at least for a long while) that Stitches East will be held in Baltimore. So I have to go, and make it count. So that's my plan.

Over-socked

After making the Pomatomus Socks too long and narrow for Cass, I started another pair for her. These were just sort of made up as I went along. I did 1x1 rib for about two inches, then switched to 4x2 ribbing. I added some twisty not-quite-cable things that sort of spiral around the cuff, but left them off the top of the foot. I was afraid cables on top of the foot might become a comfort issue. They're not quite done yet- I've just gotten started the foot area on both.

The color is most accurate in this photo:

And here is a close up of the twisty bits:

I started with two cables, spaced even apart on the cuff. Then every four rows I would shift the cables one rib further.

Sock boredom hit me again partway through these socks, so I started a shawl. Just something simple and quick for some sense of completion. It was knit with two skeins of Dancing Leaf Farm's Slubby Nubby on size 11s. It took me about a week, but someone less distractible could make it in a weekend.

I'm still a little over-socked, so maybe I'll work on that Boyfriend sweater from way back for a little while.

It took a while, but I finally spun some yarn:


That's a nickle in there, for reference.
And a close up of the color:


It's 100% merino from Cloverleaf Farms, bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool. The merino was a little bit more slippery than the colonial I spun before, and while it wasn't too much trouble it did make me look nervously at my two pound bag of alpaca fiber (which is even more slippery).

And I learned a new spinning lesson! I have three bobbins, which means that I can fill up two and ply them together on the third. Unfortunately, I also have rather terrible spacial-relations skills. I tend to forget that if I fill (or nearly fill) two bobbins, it is not likely that the contents of those bobbins will fit together on the third. So next time I will be sure to only fill the first two bobbins about halfway.

Anywho, the Pomatomus socks are nearly done as well. And in an interesting turn of events, I'm keeping them. They were too small for Cass, so I was going to give them to my niece. But when I finished the first sock and tried it on, it fit. Despite the fact that I knit them to fit her much smaller feet, they fit me pretty well. And honestly they might be too long for her or Cass. Plus after further rationalizing, I decided neither of them can be trusted to care for lace socks properly. So now they're mine! All mine!!

Knitting Gloves Is Not That Bad, Actually

A friend of mine asked if I could make a pair of gloves for her friend's son, who was born with two fingers fused together (so he obviously can't wear store-bought gloves). I'd never done gloves, but agreed anyway. The whole thing was a lot easier than I expected, and the fingers were much less fiddley than anticipated. It probably helped that the boy is not quite five years old, so the gloves are small and knit up quickly. Here they are:

They are still damp from the wash in the photo. They're not bad... They're knit up with Austermann Step, which is a self-patterning yarn, and it makes the fingers look a little goofy, but I don't think it's a bad thing. I might knit myself a pair someday.

Still no progress on the Pomatomus socks, but now that the gloves are finished I will probably pick them up again.

Fail Socks

I have failed the Ravelympics. The deadline is about 14 minutes from now, and this is all I have:

I finished the gusset on one sock, and the other is a few rows behind. I have only myself to blame... I spent too much time screwing around online, I forgot my socks at work, and I may have spent an inordinate amount of time watching for an accident at the intersection in front of my house when a new stop sign went up. If you're wondering, there was a lot of honking and slamming on brakes, but no accidents.

The socks are pretty narrow, and will be sent to my 11 (almost 12) year-old niece upon completion. They're pretty tough to get over my heel and my stepdaughter's heel (the original recipient). My gauge swatch was a filthy liar, and told me I should knit these on size zero needles. Stupid swatch.

And now it is 8:07 and I have officially failed. Oh, well. Maybe next time.

My Ravelymics Plan is No More

The plan was to knit the Pomatomus Socks like a fiend before my stepdaughter (the intended recipient) arrived, or at the very latest before she left. Well she left this morning, and this is where I am...

That's two out of three chart repeats on the leg complete. Not even half way done. And you know what else? They're too small. I had Cass try one on and she could barely get it over her heel... neither could I. So these socks will likely find themselves on the feet of my niece, who is going into 6th grade so they should fit her. Should. Then I will knit a different pair for Cass, remembering my hard-learned lesson: smaller feet do not necessarily mean narrower feet.

Other than the size, the socks are coming along nicely. The yarn/colorway is perfect for the pattern, the chart is less complicated than it appeared, and the pattern is written very clearly. There are more Cookie A. socks in my future for sure.

Super Secret or Super Sucky?

In the last post I said something about a super secret project... well it was supposed to be an awesome pair of felted slippers, made to look like those of Dr. Henry Killinger (a character from my favorite show, The Venture Bros. who wears skully slippers).

Well, the slippers came out looking absolutely nothing like they were supposed to...

THEIRS:

MINE:


Note the hideous ridge running up the top of the foot on mine. I'm pretty sure that's due to the instruction to keep the first and last two stitches in garter for the entire slipper. So where's their ugly line of felted garter stitch? Gah. But honestly, I'm a little glad they came out jacked up because that Slate Gray yarn looked a lot less blue on the website. I'll try again, but not until the stench of defeat leaves the air. And next time I'll make up my own pattern.

Right now I'm working on a sweater with the Brooks Farm yarn I got from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It's the Boyfriend Sweater from Design Essentials by Suss Cousins. I decided to knit it at a tighter gauge though, so it will be a little smaller (closer to a 34" bust instead of 38") and added some waist shaping. So I guess it's not much of a boyfriend sweater anymore, haha. I'm only halfway up the back so far, but it's going well and I love the yarn.


Last week I was aimlessly perusing the Jimmy Beans Wool website, and noticed this among their clearance yarn:


That's Regia Stretch sock yarn in their Royal Bristol colorway- it's red, black and yellow... Maryland colors!! Okay, so the Maryland flag also has white, but it's pretty close. So I've promised Scott a pair of Maryland Socks, and there's enough for a second pair for myself.

The Ravelympics are approaching, and I am now faced with a dilemma. The plan was to do the Pomatomus socks, which would become a gift for my stepdaughter, Cass. Only now she is coming for a visit (yay!) right in the middle of the Ravelympics. So should I knit feverishly and attempt to finish them in about a week, so that they're done before Cass arrives; or should I just start them now and do a different pair of socks for the Ravelympics? Hmm. I think I can finish them in time- it's not like they're knee socks, and Cass has small feet. Maybe I'll just knit up a swatch and go from there.

Flighty, much?

I'm already sick of crochet. I made a dishrag, and hated every minute of it. Cotton is absolutely no fun to crochet with- the non-stretchy factor makes it a real bitch to get that little hook through the stitches with any sort of speed. I don't hate crochet, and it's obviously a useful skill to have, but I'm sure as shit not going to be crocheting any more cotton dishrags.

I finished a square for another Obama afghan:

This afghan will look like the flag, and be made up of squares representing each state (except the star section, which is just solid blue with stars). I did West Virginia (IL and MD were already taken) and I actually made two- the first one was about an inch too big. Not sure how I didn't notice that, but whatever. They're quick. Second square came out just the right size, and is on it's way to be sewn up with the others. Just like the other afghan, this one will be raffled off by the Ravelry group Knitters for Obama. If you're on Ravelry, check out the group for more info. If you're not on Ravelry, and you want the chance to win a hand-knit Flag afghan, contact me and I'll tell you how to do it. Either way, go here and give him $$.

I managed to squeeze in a few more rows on the Clapotis, but it's still largely neglected. Now I'm pounding out a small bag for Scott's toiletries (for when he travels), per his request. It's in cheap, easy-care Red Heart so it can take a beating.

I ordered a little yarn. I'm going to make a super-secret project. It's small, so when the yarn arrives, it shouldn't be too much longer before the big reveal. Stay tuned.

It's Not Just Knitting Anymore!

That's right bitches. As of last Thursday, I am officially a crocheter. I took a class at Eleganza Yarns, where I made this sad little coaster:

Which really isn't all that bad for a first attempt, but perfectionist that I am (hahahahahaha!), I went straight home and tried it again. My second attempt went way better- it actually looks like it's supposed to!


Then I went balls out and tried an Amigurumi elephant:



Just look at that little fucker! He's awesome! My next project is going to be a dishrag, so I can see if crocheting really is faster than knitting. If it is, I could see never knitting another scarf for as long as I live, but knitting still has a lot of advantages. The crocheted fabric is thick and more holey- I don't see using it for sweaters. It seems like they'd make me feel fat and drafty. I think crochet is better suited to blankets, wraps, scarves, and anything else that doesn't necessarily need to have awesome drape or the ability to cover a bra (see prime example here). I would like to try crocheting a shrug, though. I got some cheap yarn to try it out; I need something for walking the dog at night, when it gets a smidge chilly:



Speaking of knitting... I have been churning out a few dishrags. Guess what everybody's getting for Christmas this year?


And I ordered some sock yarn from Lion Brand, because I'm really curious to see what's it's like. If I ever knit socks again, I'll find out!



The colors don't suck, and it feels soft. My biggest concern is that it will pool funny. Maybe I'll use it for the Knitting Olympics! I've tentatively decided on making socks. Possibly the Pomatomus socks from Knitty. It's still sort of up in the air.

OMG I Finished Something

I actually finished something! And not just one thing, but TWO. Two whole things! First I finished the Obama hat:

The logo came out a little oval, but it's not too bad. And the duplicate stitch really holds the shape, so it doesn't stretch way out of shape when I put it on. I tried to take a picture of it on my head, but I didn't like the way they came out so you only get it on the table.

The scarf I knit up from my handspun is done too. I like it bunches. There was some creative yarn measuring toward the end, in order to make sure there would be enough yarn to make the ends match. It was close, but I didn't run out!


Last Monday, Scott sold one of his bikes and gave me some gifty cash to blow on yarn. I decided to try out Keep Me In Stitches, another local yarn shop in Frederick. They did not disappoint. I'm not sure how the owner crams so much yarn into such a tiny shop, but she does. And it's a good range of yarn- I saw a bunch of budget-friendly yarn, and also noted the display of Jade Sapphire. Mmmm... Jade Sapphire...

I decided gifty yarn money should be spent frivolously, so I got a couple skeins of silk. Schaefer Andrea (colorway is Margaret Mead):

And Blue Ridge Silk Shimmer in Ocean Wave:

I also got this Wool In the Woods (color is Uptown) on sale... it's hard to see in the photo, but there's the slightest bit of sparkle in the yarn. I love the muddy, earthy colors paired with a smidge of glitz- like it can't decide between swanky or rustic.
And last but not least, I got some Cascade Heritage sock yarn. This may become socks for my stepdaughter. I've wanted to make her socks, but wasn't sure about what color she'd like. Blue seems pretty safe, right?I've been churning out a few dishcloths too. They are great for instant gratification, and for knitting on the deck. Small cotton things are much more pleasant to knit in the heat than large wooly things.

My next task is to pick out a project for the Knitting Olympics. The idea there is that you pick project that will challenge you, cast on when the Olympics start, and finish by the time the Olympics are over. The Venture Bros fan group on Ravelry, The Guild of Calamitous Intent, is starting a team for this which should make it interesting. A small bit of research tells me the games are from August 8-24, which isn't a lot of time. What the heck can I do in just over two weeks that will be challenging?

Freaking Hot

According to Weather.com, it is 96 degrees outside right now and it feels like 104. With that sort of heat, the idea of doing anything with wool becomes ridiculous. But who can resist? So I started two small projects:

A scarf from my handspun

And an Obama hat

Since the yardage is low for the scarf, I'm knitting it on size 15 needles, and threw in a few rows of elongated stitches and yarn-overs. I've got about three feet done, and it looks like there will be enough yarn to make a scarf of respectable length. The hat is going to be knit all in navy, then I'll use duplicate stitch for the logo. I can't figure out how to do it any other way and still knit it in the round. That's all I can give you, the heat has begun melting my thoughts.

My New Addiction

My first yarn is done, and I couldn't be more proud.

It's not too bad... it varies from chunky to sportweight (or thereabouts), and it's about 85 yards. I think. My measuring method consisted of opening my swift to one yard in circumference, and winding the yarn onto it, counting the number of rotations.

I tried photographing the yarn in about a thousand types of light, but nothing seems to do the color justice. The skein contains just about every color you can imagine... it's awesome. The fiber (colonial top) is from the Cloverhill booth at Sheep and Wool. If I can't find more online, I'll be hoarding it next year for sure. Next up is the merino top from the same place, and I'm going to try to get a more uniform weight. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm Doing It!

I'm spinning! I'm a spinner!

And it is awesome. I lurve it. I briefly considered using up all my vacation time to sit there and spin for several days nonstop, but my achy fingers didn't think it was such a hot idea.

The first bobbin full was pretty tough to spin up. I had divided the wool in two, watched the How To video from Kromski, and went to town. But I every time I tried to treadle slowly (as to not over-spin the yarn), the wheel would get stuck at the very top or bottom. It was uber frustrating. But after a bit of reading I learned the drive band might be too tight. Mine was as loose as I could get it, so I switched to the other (slightly larger) band that came with the wheel. The second bobbin sent soooo smoooooth...

I heart spinning. Now I just have to think of a good name for my wheel... maybe I should go spin some more and think about it.

Here It Is!

Okay. The plywood table top is not going work either, but I don't want to be a tease... so here it is (a bit incomplete). This is the view when you walk in the room:

I love that cabinet! The upper cabinet is the perfect size for my stash (although it doesn't leave much room for growth).

The lower cabinet is full of UFOs, leftover yarn, and more UFOs. Moving clockwise brings us to the wheel. Yay!

Also note the spankin' new switch plate and the not-brass doorknob. Close-up of the wheel:

For now I'm still just practicing treadling- no yarn yet. Moving on, there is the basket (full of knitting magazines), sheep picture, and my not-quite-finished sewing table.

Scott and I are going to try to find some sort of "wood guy" this weekend to make a better top for my table. The plywood is too rough, and I don't have the right tools to make it work. Someone who knows what he or she is doing will be able to make a nice routed edge... maybe even a hinged top... hmmm... Well, either way it will look better eventually.

Above the table is the sheep drawing I got at Sheep and Wool (I think I forgot to mention it in the other post). It's an ink print, and it was just $20 (sans frame).

And continuing around to the right of the sewing table is the window (next to the rocking chair), which brings us full circle. I really like these curtains; they have a great sheen:

So there it is! I have to go to bed now, but feel free to drool without me. :)