Much has been accomplished, just not blogged!

It has been a long time since I last blogged (I feel like maybe I should go to confession, but I’m not Catholic, so nevermind). The Christmas holiday same and went a long time ago, but resulted in a number of hand knit gifts – not all of which I took pictures of. I am going to go through what I’ve completed since the last entry, and what it OTN right now.

For Christmas, I completed a pair of Lombard Street socks for my mom. She brought me the yarn from her own stash, because with failing eyesight, she didn’t think she could knit with sock yarn. I really messed this project up though. I knit one sock, according to the pattern, but way too big for her size 5.5 foot. So I knit the second one shorter. It was the right length, but the heel looked freakishly long on such a tiny sock, so I tried again. I frogged all the way back to the start of the heel, and knit a short row heel. However, I forgot to make the 8 stitch adjustment to line things up properly for the patterns to flow nicely into the toe.

By this point, I was fed up with frogging, and just fudged what I had to make it look nice. The second one (which was originally the first one) came along with no problem, as I kinda knew what I was doing by this point.

The color is a bit washed out, but it shows the detail better than the true color photos. They fit Mom like a glove, and I hope to make a pair for myself soon (with the correct foot pattern of course)!

I also made a scarf for my MIL, using Lion Brand Wool in Winter White and the ?? leaf pattern from the ?? issue of KnitSimple. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of it, but it turned out very nice. While the scarf was in progress my MIL expressed an interest in a pair of socks. So, I sacrificed the Trekking XXL yarn I had bought for myself back in August, and knit her a pair using the Oriel pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. These turned out great as well, but in the hurry of finishing them up 15 minutes before MIL’s arrival, I forgot to take a photo as well.

I guess that was it for Christmas gifts, it felt like I was doing a lot more than that at the time.

Since Christmas, I completed a pair for my youngest DD (4yo) from Knit Picks Dancing.

I used a slipped cable rib pattern, and they came out nicely.

The pair only took one skein, so now I have one lonely skein that I don’t know what to do with. I might pair it up with the purple that is left over from doing the toes and heels of the last pair I did for her.

I currently have to WIPs, both for DH. The first is a cardigan sweater (the one in the middle), which I complained about here, out of Dale of Norway Falk Dalegarn in a chocolate brown color. I received much input about harvesting crinkled yarn, and put one of the suggestions to use. It worked perfectly. So after winding what seemed to be about 30 balls of yarn, I started work on the sweater again. I made sure I got guage before I went anywhere, and this was a good thing, because I needed to drop a needle size. I also dropped a size in the pattern. My husband wanted me to make the 44/46 inch chest pattern, which results in an actual size of 54 inches. After the fiasco of last time, and with a little more logic, we decided on the 40/42 size which results in an actual size of 49 inches. This seemed a little more reasonable.

The second WIP for DH is a pair of socks. He kept stating that he didn’t want a pair, he just wanted his sweater finished, but I knew he really wanted a pair, so I went out and bought some Regia Silk in Dark Blue. When he saw the yarn, he immediately agreed to a pair. I don’t know what it it about knitting for DH, but I guess it just shows how much I love him that I am willing to put so much energy into these projects. I started knitting the socks 2 at time, toe up on 90 stitches ( I forget where I got this number from) and I got about halfway up the foot when I decided to try them on him – he was travelling and unavailable earlier. Of course, wouldn’t you know it, they were too large around. So I frogged! And started again, two at a time, toe up on 80 stitches, and again he was travelling. So, again at about halfway up the foot, I tried them on again, and again (sound familiar?) they were too big. Finally, I decided I was tired of tempting the knitting gods, so I took a careful measurement of his foot – why I didn’t from the start I have no idea, and using the turkish cast-on, I cast on 10 stitches (makes 20 to start), and increased to 72. Luckily DH was in town for the remainder of the foot, and I got it completed with only ripping out the heel twice. I tried a true gusset heel, but that didn’t work (too long) and then went with the eclectic heel (too short). So, I added 4 rows and carried on with the eclectic heel. I would like you to know, that sock one is finished, and fits! I took very careful notes, so I could repeat this accomplishment with the second one. The second is at the decreases of the heel, and looking good so far. I just can’t wait to finish this pair. I could probably have made 3 pairs by now with the time I’ve invested in this one pair! You may notice the red thread running up the side – well I kept track of the rows I had knit by weaving it back and forth every 10 rows, I did the same on the foot, once I had finished increasing for the toe. I really like the eclectic heel. I like the simplicity of the short row heel, but I have high arches and as such I have a hard time tugging the sock over the bend in my foot. I plan to try this heel on the next pair I make for myself and see if it works.

I have a bunch of sock yarn in the stash that I am anxious to knit up, but I have not decided on a project yet. Although I do like the look of the SWTC Tidal Wave socks for ToFutsies.

Off to get kids off the bus. Hopefully the WIPs will have changed by the next time I blog, and hopefully 4 months wont have passed by then.

Believe it or not…

These really are socks! OR more accurately, they will be socks. I am using up some leftover Regia self striping, and making a pair for my 3yo DD. I decided to start at the toes, since I didn’t know how much yarn I had, and could adjust the cuff as necessary. Well, after about 5 starts at the toes, I gave up. I just could not get anything that looked reasonable. I tried the Knitty magic cast on, Wendy’s short row toes, the Knit Picks two at once toes, but nothing worked. But I decided since I was going to do the Knit Picks Two At Once, Toe-Up Sock, which includes an afterthought heel, I would also do an afterthought toe. That way, I could do the toe from the top down (which I can handle) and I could choose a coordinating color if I didn’t have enough yarn.

Well, this is all for the good, becuase little DD is going to have ankle socks, and I am heading off to the LYS today to find a solid color coordinating sock yarn for the heels and toes – my stash only includes patterned sock yarn. Oh well, I was looking for an excuse to get a solid color sock yarn anyway…

On a FO note, I finished my DS’s camo colorway striped socks. He liked them so much he wore them to school the next day with shorts! I tried to tell him that they weren’t really appropriate with shorts, but he didn’t care. I had to draw the line though when he tried to wear them with his Tae Kwon Do uniform and his TKD shoes! I think I have already had to wash them three times, each time I get them clean he wears them immediately! I guess this is a testament to how nice they are – I feel the same way about my one pair.

After I finish this pair for DD#2, I am going to try the Lombard Street Socks for my mom – she brought some sock yarn she had purchased about 4 years ago, and her eyesight is too far gone to knit with such small yarn.

Then, I think I’ll be able to make another pair for myself!

Wow, September has flown by

I just realized I didn’t post anything for the whole of September. I finished my Icarus and then got caught up with the kids going to school – I now have 5 hours a week when I have all 3 in school, and I still haven’t gotten much done.

I did finish up a pair of socks for my daughter using the Cherry Tree Hill yarn in Brights. They turned out nicely, but were as much work as making a pair for myself. I thought that making socks for my kids would go faster, but my just barely 8 DD has Size 7 Womens feet. When I bought her new sneaks for school in August, I about fell over when I had to buy her size 7s. I wear a 10, but I didn’t get to that size until near high school. I think this kid will be in 10s by 5th grade at the rate she is going!

I have been having to deal with the fact that my husband feels I should be spending the 5 hours a week I have to myself working on improving the appearance of my house, or getting laundry put away (Hey, I get it washed and folded!), and NOT on knitting. I have to figure out how to get the house stuff done while the kids are around, and save that 5 hours for knitting! In hopes that I accomplish this feat, I have signed up for Soctoberfest 2006.

My mom is coming to visit on the 4th and she is bringing me a bunch of circular needles. She won an Ebay auction for Clover circulars, with all bunches of sizes. She is losing her vision, so the bigger needles are more what she needs, and she is willing to give me the littler sizes. I seem to add more needles to my collection than I do yarn. I have a hard time buying yarn without a specific project in mind, and a knowledge of how much I will need, so my yarn stash is pretty small.

I am working on a pair of socks for my DS (6yo) in a self striping camo colorway from Jawoll. I made one sock, and when he tried it on he complained that it didn’t go up the leg enough, and the foot was too small. So, I started another sock, made the leg part longer, and made the foot part longer – it fits perfectly, and then I ripped out the first one, and am re-knitting that! I am just doing a basic stickinette stitch for these. I thought about doing a 2×2 ribbing down the leg, but bagged on that idea. This pic gives a pretty good idea of the socks. Pardon the flash reflection. I like the appearance againgst the wood, but the reflection is a PIMA.

I have started using the Socks Soar method of two circular needles that Cat Bordhi uses in her book. I love this method, and have started to soar. The second sock was so quick to do. I plan on finishing the second (or is it the first/third?) soon – maybe Monday during my 2.5 hours at gymnastics while two of mine do their stuff.Okay, enough boring stuff. I am off to knit on a very boring baby blanket in not so nice acrylic, that I need to get out of the way before I start my next non-portable project.

Photos of some projects

Well, I am finished with Chart 1 of Icarus. Here is how it looks as of right now.

I am using a yarn by Filatura Di Crosa called Baby Kid Extra, which is 80% kid mohair and 20% Nylon. It is kind of fuzzy. I love the feel of it, but am afraid that the fuzziness might hide some of the georgeous detail. I hope that with the blocking, the detail will show up better. I don’t know how well the next photo shows the detail, but it does show how irregular my stitches are. 

This is my first ever lace project. I have hope from all the other blogs I have read that the blocking will even out my stitches. I also have plans to add beads to the edging, but have not figured out where in the pattern to put them.

If there is anyone who has put beads on their Icarus is willing to tell me exactly how/where they put them, I would be most appreciative.

I am also about ready to start the cuff ribbing for my sock. Woo Hoo, I am almost done with a sock! I can’t wait to get started on the next one. I got about 1″ completed today during swim lessons.

I am using the Toe-Up sock pattern in Wendy’s Wendy Knits book. I think I really like this method, but am going to play around with top down, and also using the Knitty Magic Cast-On for toe-up socks.

I took my kids with me yesterday to the LYS and got some Clover bamboo needles, in size 1 because I really wanted to use 5 needles, and the set I was using only had 4 needles. I also made a couple of purchases of yarn.

I bought a skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in Brights (an end-of-day skein) to make a pair for my oldest DD and a skein of Trekking XXL in a beautiful purple/plum colorway for another pair for me. I also got a Wonder Knitter (spool knitter) from Clover for my kids to use. And of course I will be using it too.

First Posting

Well this is my first blog. I am currently working on a number of knitting projects – my husband has asked me to limit them to one at a time – he just doesn’t understand. My father always boasted that I could multi-task as a kid, and I am just trying to live up to it!

My current projects include:
1. A pair of toe-up socks with Regia sock yarn – my first pair – one is almost finished
2. Icarus shawl for my mom’s birthday – just about to start chart 2 – her birthday is in 2 weeks
3. A sweater for my husband – the second time I have knit it (don’t ask)
4. A baby blanket for a future neice/nephew – due in early Sept
5. A prayer shawl for a neighbor
6. A shrug for my youngest daughter – just needs the ends woven in
7. A little clutch for those oh-so-infrequent dressy evenings out.

okay…maybe that is just a few too many projects at one time!

Pictures with more details will follow as I dig out the projects and the camera at the same time.