MORE socks?!

Seriously? The last ones sat on the needles hibernating for over a year. These? Four days start to finish. =)

 

Okay, sure, they're knit on much larger needles (US sz6 rather than sz2), but still. Working them two-at-a-time was definitely the right idea and I have every intention of doing socks in this manner in the future. 

Love finishing one sock only to have a finished pair! The self-striping was fun too.

I love the afterthought heel with self-striping. My heel needs a bit of fine tuning, but these are meant as slipper socks so it's all good. =)
(Ravelry project link)

So... what's next? The crochet bag I haven't really touched since March! I've been working on it a bit since finished those socks and am nearly done with the 2nd skein now.
(Ravelry project link)

That leaves only one other project on the needles and that's going to have to wait until it cools down... a LOT. Alpaca and 95+ temps? Not gonna happen!

an afterthought

This morning, I set up my little loom as a 7" square to make some dish/wash cloths:

I used a strand of Lily Sugar 'n Cream in "country stripes" along with a strand of white. I really like how they turned out! Super quick, super easy... and a great way to use up some of my dishcloth cotton. =) I could easily get 5 of these from one skein of the stripes held along with a solid and have extra for another project.

(Ravelry project page)

The project I mentioned winding yarn for in my last post? I started these on Friday and they're coming right along!

These are my first socks done two-at-a-time... also my first afterthought heels... AND my first time working with my own hand-dyed self-striping yarn! =)

(Ravelry project page)

FOs! knitting and weaving

Yes, really! I finished multiple items!

First up, socks that I started back in March 2011!

I finally pulled these out this past Sunday (they looked just as they did in this post) and started working on them, finishing them up this morning. =) LOVE them!

(more pics, yarn and pattern details on Ravelry)

I also tried out my new loom kit!

I set this up as roughly an 11.5" x 18" rectangle and got to work. I followed the instructions in the included booklet and while this process was okay, I'll do things a bit differently next time and probably be happier with the results. I'd intended to make two of these and send them to my mother to be used as place mats, but I think this is a little loose for that and I'm not loving the edge. The drapiness of this fabric makes it a good towel though so I added a loop to hang to dry and it's now living in my kitchen with my sheep towel.

I doubled this yarn up, but I think a thicker yarn would make a nice fabric using this method. I will place the pegs on the right side as I go next time rather than setting it all up beforehand. There just isn't much space between pegs for the tool to pull the yarn through with them in place.

(process pics and yarn info on Ravelry)

While winding the linen for the towel, I also wound a skein of my hand-dyed self-striping yarn for my next knitting project... =) 

socks! and baking

Well, sock and a half... almost. =)

After I posted Sunday, I finally pulled out the sock that's been hibernating for well over a year (since mid-April 2011!) and started working on it! 2 days and I'm to the heel. =) Should have that finished tonight and then it's the home stretch! Woo! Still a super easy pattern to memorize (Ravelry link) so it's pretty brainless which is good since it's still pushing 100 degrees here every day.

What else have I been up to in this unwanted heat? Baking. No, not me thankfully. My new-to-me a/c is keeping me almost comfortable, but weirdly I've been itching to bake. Could be the three eps of Cupcake Wars I watched yesterday. lol Anyhoo, as long as I bake early in the morning, it's not a big deal. So, this morning, I made up some bread dough and while that was rising, I made up a batch of cupcakes!

These are the "Chlostess" Creme-Filled Cupcakes from Chloe's Kitchen:

Next time, I'll thin my creme filling out a bit more, but these are yummy as is!

That bread dough?

That became cinnamon swirl bread! This one's a bit more wonky than usual, but tastes just as good. =)

Let them eat (cup)cake!

Anyone want a cupcake?

It's my mother's birthday today so I whipped up a cupcake for her. Cute, isn't it? No fat, lots of fiber, much less messy than a traditional cupcake. Can't go wrong with that!

(Ravelry link)

I've been looking through some of my many, many queued projects (seriously, way too many on there!) and chose one to knit one up over the past couple days.
 

Super simple and pretty brainless knitting - I barely had to glance at the pattern. I'll have to get a better shot on a day that's not windy and rainy... even if the name of the pattern is Hurricane. lol

(Ravelry link)

I also started a sock for my iPad.

I've had this pretty, elasticized cotton in my stash from the charity knit shop in Seattle, but only one ball. Not enough for a pair of socks... but should be enough for this... I hope!

(Ravelry link)

I'm planning to cast on for my own Saroyan scarf/wrap. Just deciding which yarn to use. Looking through the projects, it looks good in just about anything as long as the yarn isn't too textured. Even variegated yarns look great as long as they're not too loud. Time to dig through the bins and see what calls to me, I suppose...

Where have YOU been?

Hmm?

Oh, wait. I'm the one who's been MIA. =)

Not a whole lot of yarny progress has been made recently and no exciting news otherwise to share. I did pick up snaps and ribbon for my sweater, but haven't yet pulled it out and finished those little details so I can take proper project pics. The temps haven't been in a range to really motivate me to finish a wool sweater.

I did crochet up a couple tiny baskets out of the same odd yarn I used on one of the kitty's snakes. I just free-handed them and amazingly ended up with just a few inches left over. One more odd ball gone. =)

Handy for organizing a shallow drawer. =)

(Ravelry link for yarn details)

I flew out to Portland a few weeks ago and started a pair of socks on the way.

I have one sock... and a toe. *sigh* They've been stalled since I returned. Pulled them out for a pic today and managed to get a muddy spot on the light pink heel even though I chose a spot in full sun, checked for wet spots and only put the one on once I got out there. Sheesh, they're not even done yet! I got most of the stain out and will put them through the wash when #2 can join the bath. I received this ball in a grab bag. I was happily surprised with the contents of the bag - 19 balls of yarn for $25 (DBNY)... and I only gave two skeins away that I knew I'd never use (ugh, fun fur with multi-colored metallic bits?). What a deal! I decided I didn't care if the socks were mirror images of each other so I just started #2 where #1 left off to avoid yarn waste. I'm using one long circ in place of my usual dpns. MUCH easier on a plane! No worries about dropping needles or stitches falling off as the sock goes in and out of a bag. Love the socks! It's such an easy pattern to memorize, it only took one repeat and I could put the pattern away.

(Ravelry link for pattern/yarn details)

I did whip up a small project last Friday. Had a book stand that needed a bit of padding...

Pulled out a cheap ball of acrylic and worked up a simple cozy.

Now my new toy has a soft place to sit while I watch movies on Netflix or one of the great photography workshops online (as I did this past weekend). =)

(Ravelry link for details)

We're still down at work so I've had way to much time to kill, but haven't been playing with yarn. The apt search in Vancouver (WA, not BC) didn't go so well so I'm still stuck in IN a bit longer. Rethinking some plans to make this all work. I did find out today that I'll definitely be working again in a couple weeks though! WOO! It's nice having some time off, but I sure do miss the paychecks!

So... what have YOU been up to?

Twisty Fun!

Socks! Finally. Here's pair #3 for the year. Yeah, I'm not exactly prolific. heh I started these back at the beginning of February in Indiana. They went to Seattle with me... then to Arizona... and more recently, to upstate New York. Do socks earn frequent flyer miles?!?

Gotta say though, now that they're done... I LOVE them! They're so bright and fun and so very comfy!

The yarn is Beyond Basic Knits Superwash Sock in Lemonade Twist. I grabbed the skein on the way to Knit Night one night, needing something to work on. I cast on, not knowing where I was going with these. After finishing the first toe, I realized this colorway just screamed for cables. I worked out a simple cable pattern that worked with my stitch count and off I went. The first sock went quickly. The second... not so much. =) I didn't keep any notes on the first sock and realized once I got an inch or so into the cuff on sock #2 that I'd begun the cuff ribbing too soon. I hate ripping back! So I put it off. Finally picked these back up on Sunday, ripped back the rows I needed to and off I went, finishing up and weaving in ends Monday night. Now I have one more pair of handknit socks to brighten up my sock drawer. =)

Current State of My Knitting

The perfect excuse to stay in and knit:

That, and I've been sick the past few days. =( I have a few projects to keep me occupied in the a/c...

Those are the three currently in the works. I finished the bottom and the sleeves last night so now my 1st sweater is ready for me to pick up the stitches for the button bands - so close to being finished! I'm on the 2nd sock of my 3rd pair for the year. And I've started the 1st block of my 25-block afghan. =) It's all in the numbers. haha

I headed to Trader Joe's for groceries yesterday (and to avoid the unbearable heat). Wandered around a bit more than usual and discovered a few (new to me) items!

Mmm, mango and peach! (and contains no gelatin) =) Love me some mango! I came out with my usual salsa - mango/papaya - and some frozen fruit bars - mango, of course! Then, I found the perfect-sized bag of small potatoes... in red, gold and BLUE.

Num! Great with the (vegan) Indian fare I picked up there as well. Gotta love a store with so many vegan/organic/whole food choices! =)

Socks with a Twist!

When I saw this yarn at the non-profit shop in Seattle, I thought, WOW that's bright! And I had to have it!! I'm so glad I did now. I spent some time Monday afternoon browsing patterns trying to find some inspiration for a new project and wasn't having much luck. Then, as I reached into the suitcase for a skein of self-patterning sock yarn... I caught a glimpse of this. Grabbed it along with needles and headed off to my first Knit Night in Indiana. Such fun colors! So bright and Spring-y! Finished the toe and was trying to decide how I wanted to knit these when I thought about the colorway (Lemonade Twist). How could I possibly not include cables in these?! This was just what I needed to cheer me up. I'm home for awhile now with minimal work and way too much time on my hands and was thinking maybe I'd left my will to knit in Seattle. I think I found it. =)

Socks, socks, socks!

Finished these sitting on the tarmac in Philly waiting for takeoff coming back to Seattle. =) I hate to waste yarn, but this one was a little close for comfort. Cast-off with less than 2" to spare!! Love the socks. They were so quick and came out so soft and comfy. Great for keeping the toes toasty in my chilly hotel room!


Finally finished these too! I started the 2nd sock on the plane just after casting off the pair above and knit all the way from Philly to Seatac and got midway through turning the heel. Kinda got stalled after starting on the cuff though. Started a couple other projects in the meantime, but decided I wanted to finish these up today... and here they are!


Hmm, maybe he needs a pair of handknit socks too...

Again with the green...

Yep, more acid green. =) This time around, it's slipper socks!


These are turning out great - so comfy and quick to knit. (Thicker yarn and bigger needles help.) =) I started these before heading back to the airport to head home for the weekend. Finished the first one at home and cast on #2. Should have that one finished well before I arrive back in Seattle.


Notes for me for the future:

Magic CO 16 st on US6 dpns, work toe inc kfb to 48 st, work bottom in stockinette and top in 2x2 rib (k1, p2, k2, etc), work short row heel (7 sp) followed by few rounds in continued pattern then about 2 1/2" of 2x2 rib for cuff

Toe-Up Socks!

This is definitely a practice pair of socks! It's been a looong time since I knit a pair of socks, so I'm basically starting from scratch again and learning SO much along the way. After a couple tries with a couple different methods, I ended up using the magic cast-on method and cast on 10 stitches per needle (20 total) on US size 2 dpns.

I worked increases every other row (kfb) to 56 st, then began working the foot of my sock.

For a better fit, I worked increases in the foot to 64 st and the length within 2" of my heel, then began my short row heel.

I worked my short row heel in this method (10 st each side).

After a few rows of stockinette, I began a 2x2 rib for the cuff and bound off just a hair past 4". I would have made them a bit longer but I was getting nervous that I wouldn't have enough yarn for the entire second sock from this skein and I was approaching the point in the pattern repeat of the yarn where I'd be starting the second sock so I just bound off. That's what I get for having big feet, I suppose. heh I'm ordering a small scale so I won't have to eyeball it after this. One sock down... one to go! =)

Changes for next pair: cast on more for a wider toe and decrease less for a wider heel

And no worries, I won't be subjecting you to a ridiculous number of sock photos after this. Just so excited to be knitting my second pair of socks after so many years. =)

Back Knitting in Seattle!

I'm back in Seattle at last! I headed onto the plane with three WIPs to keep me busy. =) I finished Tito's dog sweater (other than finding buttons) and had mostly finished the scarf on the plane. I like the look of ribbing, but geez, that's a lot of 1x1 ribbing! It is finished now though.


Not so sure I'm loving this yarn though. It's Moda Dea Tweedle Dee. Seems like it might pill badly and look kinda ratty rather quickly. Too bad. It's so pretty. I have another skein of this yarn too.

The socks have made it past the heel finally! Took a few tries to get it right, but I finally got the hang of the short row heel. Had to try a couple different methods to find one I liked the look of. I'm now about an inch into the ribbing for the cuff. =)

How many do I need?

Just how many WIPs do I need? Apparently, FOUR. heh

There's a ruffly scarf that I ended up frogging last night. (Soon to be replaced on the needles by a cabled hat to match... this scarf:

Sort of. The yarn's the same, the pattern doesn't really match, but whatev. =) Different ruffly scarf pattern from the first, turning out better due to a more appropriate yarn choice. I'll definitely try that first pattern again... with completely different (much less droopy) yarn. =) Then, there's the dog sweater that I still need to finish:
Kinda stalled on that one a bit. I'm about up to the shoulders and need to figure out how I want to do the front portion. I'll have to go in search of buttons in Seattle. Luckily, there's a yarn shop just half a mile from my hotel!

And last, but not least (def. the one I'm most excited about!), my socks! Here's my second (much better) attempt after frogging the first. It's actually an inch or so longer than in this pic now. =) I'm starting to get the draw of socks. It's fun knitting round and round and seeing something wearable come of it (that's not a hat)! And so small and portable too! I see many socks in my flying future...

Love, love, love the colorway! It remains to be seen how many of these will need to make the trip to Seattle this weekend to be finished. The socks, surely. The sweater, possibly. The hat, probably. The scarf, doubtful. =)

Toe-Up Socks!

I decided I wanted to knit a pair of socks this year. No time like the present! =) I'm using the tutorials from Denise Powell to learn toe-up socks. (The advantage to toe-up rather than the reverse is that you don't need to swatch to determine gauge or try to guess at the amount of yarn you'll need to finish the sock and run the risk of running out on the second sock... or having way too much left over. You could split the ball in half by weight and just knit until you run out of yarn!) After a few attempts working from the cast-on on her site, I tried out the Magic cast-on from knitty.com (16 st, 8 st per needle) and stuck with that one and I'm using the right/left twisted loop increases for the toes. I'll have to play around with the different increases to see which one I like best for the future, but this one works for now. =)

These will be only my second set of socks ever. My first pair was knit cuff down with variegated Red Heart acrylic. I still have the first pair, but they're definitely more slipper-sock than sock-sock. haha

An FO... and SOCKS-to-be!

I finished my paw cozy last night! Took a little longer to finish than planned, but I got distracted with the Branching Out scarf (that's about halfway finished now). I was inspired by this pattern, but had to put my own twist on it, of course. I knit an allover cable pattern and closed up the bottom, other than a small hole at the end for the leash to pass through. The large part of the retractable leash will fit through the top, eliminating the draftiness of the original design. I knit it a little large so I can felt it just a bit to add even more to the warmth. The cables started getting boring about halfway through, but I like the result. Not the greatest photo, but hey, gotta work with what ya got. =)

I stopped by Jo-Ann Fabric tonight on my way back to the hotel looking, yet again, for yarn to make the scarf/hat combo my mom wants. Still no luck finding the right yarn, but I did find something else:

I've been thinking I want to try my hand at socks again (and use better yarn this time), so I've been checking out sock yarn at every yarn shop I visit. It's always either too expensive ($15-20 for a pair of simple socks?!) or they only have one small skein of the color I want. Finally! This is only carried by Jo-Ann's and is self-patterning sock yarn! Yay! I can knit a basic pair of socks without them being so plain or worrying about color pooling like with regular variegated yarns. SO excited to try this out! There are a few projects ahead of this, but it was meant to be. They only had two skeins of this color left and they were the same dye lot. From looking around, it looks like I should have enough for an adult pair of socks and probably a small pair for a child as well. Not bad for $8. =)