Sticks + Yarn = Knitting

I know you won’t believe it unless I post pictures. I knit. Even though I haven’t posted much in the past few weeks (months, years) I have actual photographic evidence of knitting.

First up is a sample sweater I’m knitting for Stitchjones aka Sharon. The yarn is her dyepot worsted in black cherry and it is wonderful to knit. The pattern is Ingenue by Wendy Bernard from her Custom Knits book. I hadn’t really looked through the book before and there are a lot of designs I’d like to knit. For more details, check out my ravelry project page.

Next, a lace scarf I haven’t touched for months, but I’m hoping blogging about it gets me moving again. The yarn is absolutely to die for (or knit for). It’s Sunshine Yarns Sunsilk in the color Dew. Me likey mucho. I’m using the Town & Country pattern from the trio of patterns entitled “Elizabeth” by JoLene Treace (available from Knit Picks). It’s a very simple design that shows off the yarn beautifully. It should be gorgeous once it is blocked.

For Cori I am finally knitting the Sweetheart Cardigan by Laura Brown. I’m using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport in Navy. I was thinking when I planned this project that the big fat sport weight would be a nice break after lots of socks and lace, but nope, to get gauge, I’m knitting this on US 2’s with 7 inches per inch. Oh well, I love small needles and Lorna’s so I can’t really complain. The pattern has had a couple little boo boos so far, but nothing that thwarted me for long. I’m stalled on the lace part right now simply because it isn’t graphed so it’s hard to watch tv while knitting it.

For my final project of this post (I have plenty more in various stages of completion that can wait for another day), my Over the Rainbow socks. These socks are from the first Oz kit from Woolgirl. The pattern is fun and the yarn is amusing (details on my ravelry project page). I just cast on for the second sock during True Blood’s season finale last night (how great was that episode?!?) so I still have a ways to go. Seeing as how we keep having these random 90 degree days here in Oregon, I’m not in a huge rush to put wool on my feet!

I’ve also been sewing a bit, but I’ll save that for later!

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Not Really Knitting

• Went to Colorado for my brother’s wedding. Wonderful time, beautiful wedding.

Step-mom, nephew, brother, new sister-in-law, & dad

• Got home and went to the Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival in Canby, OR. Lots of adorable fiberful animals. Showed remarkable restraint and only bought one skein of Socks that Rock!

Matt with sheep

Socks that Rock Rare Gem (dark green with some purple)

• Very little knitting due to teething 6 month old baby.

Momentarily happy teething baby

• Finished 1/2 a pair (1 sock). Had hoped to finish 2 pairs in September. 😦

A Swell Yarn Shop Skinny Duet in Candy Corn.

• Soon we will be leaving for another trip (Hello, Illinois!).

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September Baby Sweater

September Baby Sweater (link to Ravelry)

Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Cool Fire

Needles: Size 6

Start: September 7, 2008

End: September 8, 2008

Comments: Another quick little baby knit. I was hopeful that one skein of Classy would be enough and it was! I ended up with just a small ball leftover. I decided to knit this sweater without the lace as the yarn has such a pretty variegation. This is my first time knitting with Classy and all the while I was a bit nervous about how rough it was. I didn’t swatch (I know – gasp!) for this sweater because it’s a baby sweater, I only had the one ball, and it was going to be as big as it was going to be. The downside to not swatching is not knowing how the yarn will behave once washed. I was relieved, upon laying out the sweater after a quick dunk in a wool wash bath, that it was incredibly soft and fuzzy. The yarn bloomed beautifully too.

The directions for this sweater were, in typical Zimmerman fashion, rather on the lean side. I got a bit confused about the casting on 7 then later knitting 7 around the arms, but I think I did it correctly. Basically, you cast on 7 on either side of the arm stitches (adding 14 stitches), then, when you are knitting the whole body again you pick up 7 stitches in each of the cast on sections (4×7). Confusing? Yes!

I like how this sweater fits Cori like a fashionable little swing coat. Tres chic!

I have now cast on for a pair of socks* for my Chicago Knitting Group’s informal summer of socks. I’m hoping to get these done before the end of the summer (Sept. 22), but since we’ll be traveling in the last few days leading up to then I really need to get these done by next Wednesday. Time to get off the computer and knit!

*Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Lenten Rose, Pattern: Hedgerow by Jane Cochran

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Simply Perfect

Ridges and Ribs Redux Socks (link to Ravelry page)

Pattern: Ridges and Ribs (link to Ravelry page)

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in the Simply Socks 3rd Anniversary Color (I think she plans on getting more of this color, but I’m not 100% sure).

Needles: Hiya Hiya double point needles size US 0/2.0 mm, and Knit Picks options double point needles size US 0/2.0 mm

Start Date: August 3, 2008

End Date: September 6, 2008

Comments: Love these socks! I got almost through one whole sock using this pattern and some mediumweight Socks that Rock before I realized that the yarn was just too thick for the pattern. I decided to switch to the Lorna’s Laces and I absolutely love the result. This pattern had been suggested to me by Liz and I can’t thank her enough. I’m not sure I would have stumbled across this one on my own and I have a feeling it’s going to become a standby for a lot of my variegated yarns.

The pattern is clear and concise with a terrific heel. The ridges and ribs really show off the colors wonderfully. I was thinking as I photographed these socks how time after time my favorite socks are knit using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock. As much I enjoy other sock yarns, Lorna’s Laces is such a pleasure to knit and creates such a lovely fabric that I find myself so happy with the end result.

For the first time I decided to work a pair of socks at approximately the same time. I cast on and knit the leg of one on dpns then cast on and knit the leg of the next. Then did one heel then the next, etc. In some ways this made it seem to take longer than knitting them completely separately, but it was nice to finish them at almost the same time. I think I may do this again, but I might need to get another set of Hiya Hiya dpns. I love those needles!

Over the last two days, while I should be casting on for a couple socks with due dates (end of summer for one, end of the month for the other), I instead cast on and completed a February Baby Sweater for Cori. Pictures as soon as it is dry and I find some buttons. It feels like I am always looking for buttons…

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Scattered

I had every intention of posting photos two weeks ago. What happened? I feel scattered. I’m torn between mommyhood, wifehood, tv time, knitting, cooking, not cooking, reading, yoga, Wollmeise yarn hunting, (very rarely) cleaning, Ravelry, ebay, my walking group, Baby Boot Camp, the Twilight books, shopping, and staring off into space.

Summer of Socks is drawing to a close and I’ve just completed my 4th pair (see below) and I have 2 more pairs nearing completion. SOS officially ends today and then I want to knit a pair for the informal summer of socks my Chicago knitting Group is doing. September also brings the first solid and semi-solid sock knitalong and I already have the yarn and pattern all picked out. Oh, and I want to knit another little sweater for Cori.

Then there are the dozens of pairs of socks, more little sweaters for Cori, and lace scarves I want to knit. Am I delusional?

Even with all sorts of stuff going on I am so very happy. 🙂

Yarn Chef Socks

Pattern: Silver’s Sock Class toe-up sock on two circular needles

Yarn: Yarn Chef Minestrone In the Pond

Needles: HiyaHiya size 0 circulars

Comments: These socks were my second pair using the two circular technique. While it seems like a perfectly reasonable method for sock knitting, I’m heading back to my dpns, I think. I find it takes more time to slide the needles rather than just move from double point to double point. Plus I was getting some rather nasty laddering even though I was tightening stitches on the “corners.”

The yarn is some I picked up a couple years ago from the Yarn Chef’s Etsy store. I absolutely love the feel of it in the skein and it was very pleasant to knit. It softened even more after its bath. I love the slow fading stripes. I have another skein in my stash that may be knitted sooner rather than later.

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Third Down

Rugby Socks

Pattern: My own. Used Judy’s Magic Cast-on and a peasant heel

Yarn: sKnitches Syncopation in Rugby

Needles: Size 0 (2.0mm)

Start Date: June 21, 2008

End Date: August 2, 2008

Comments: These socks were my mindless knitting socks to take to knitting group. Overall I love the finished socks, but I did not necessarily enjoy the knitting experience. I found the yarn to be a tad splitty for my taste and I kept catching myself splitting stitches. Blech. I adore the striping so that makes up for the hassle.

This pair is my third finished pair for Summer of Socks 2008. I missed the last two week period due to the stall on the Ridges and Ribs socks I had started. I have since moved on. I cast on for another pair of Ridges and Ribs last night, but this time I will use a thinner yarn, Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Simply Socks 3rd Anniversary color. I really think this combination is working well. Hooray!

Things are busy around here and Cori keeps me moving. She has had a bit of fussiness lately, but she just has to giggle and it makes it all worth it. 🙂

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Summer of the Sock Curse

I seriously feel like the Summer of Socks has been cursed for me. Prior to this summer I’ve frogged maybe one or two socks. Since Summer of Socks 2008 began I have frogged two, soon to be three, socks. First, I made that stupid mistake when I placed the peasant heel in the wrong spot, then my Spring Forward socks were too tight, and now I just don’t love how my Ridges and Ribs socks are coming out. I absolutely adore the pattern and the yarn, but not together. This pattern really needs to be done in a lightweight sock yarn, not Socks that Rock Mediumweight (Torridon colorway). I knew that before I started, but I tried it anyway. Doh!

ridges ribs

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Second Down

Little Bunny Foo Foo Socks

Pattern: Toe Up Sock on Two Circular Needles by Kristin Bellehumeur (Silver)

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight in Little Bunny Foo Foo

Needles: Two Knit Picks Options Harmony Wood Fixed Circulars size US 1.5 (2.5mm)

Start Date: July 12, 2008

End Date: July 17, 2008

Comments: Second sock for Summer of Socks 2008.

This yarn started its life as Spring Forward, but after completing one sock and realizing it would never stretch enough to comfortably go over my heel I knew I had to start over. I’ve been wanting to try socks on two circulars for a while (Lynae and Jen are both big proponents). I looked up online instructions and found the tutorial at Silver’s website. (She also does a two socks on two circulars toe-up tutorial that I think I’ll try soon). The instructions were so clear and easy to follow that I got the hang of it in no time at all. I flew through this pair of socks. I like the two circular method so much more than the magic loop one that I had been trying recently (and have since abandoned…).

Of course the yarn was also lovely to knit. I will never grow tired of Socks that Rock. Even when it decides to pool completely differently from sock to sock (how does that happen?). I was pleasantly surprised that I did not hate my Harmony circular needles. Having disliked the Harmony double points I was prepared for an unhappy time with the circulars (they were the only ones I had two of in a smaller size), but happily the points were much better. I’m not sure if I’ll ever buy more, but at least I know I can use these without irritation.

Next up? I’ll be maybe actually finishing my first sKnitches socks and casting on for Ridges and Ribs (as suggested by Liz) using Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Torridon. I think I may try knitting those top down on two circulars.

And here’s Cori (slightly blurry, but happy)!

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And now for something completely different

Spring Forward is gone. I made it past the guesset and had to come to terms with the fact that it was a pain and a half to fit over my heel. Oh well. I decided to try something different with the yarn. A new technique! I found Silver’s Sock Class on knitting toe-up socks on two circular needles and away I went. I decided to add a little 2×2 ribbing for interest. Nothing too exciting, but I like socks on two circs way more than magic loop. Much less fiddly. Still not sure it’s enough to abandon my beloved dpns, but it’s fun using a new method.

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First Down

Zombie Socks

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Pattern: Zombie Socks (links to Ravelry project page)

Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle in Poison Nr. 5 dunkel

Needles: US 0/2.0mm

Start Date: June 21, 2008

End Date: July 4, 200

Comments: This pair is my first completed pair for Summer of Socks 2008. I was knitting down to the wire to make the first two week cut off, but I got mine posted with an hour to spare.

The Zombie Socks pattern was fantastic. I did modify it by adding one extra repeat and I did not do a purl edged heel flap. The pattern involves dropping stitches which is always fun to do intentionally and the Wollmeise is just a dream to knit. The yarn has a stiffness while you knit it that just makes it so pleasant, even when knitting nearly black yarn in the evening. I’m glad I have a couple more skeins in ye olde yarn stash.

I would absolutely knit this pattern again and I have plans to before the Summer of Socks 2008 is over. But first I want to finish up my plain vanilla socks (that caused me so much trouble when I put the heel stitches in the wrong place) and for some reason I have the urge to knit burp cloths (Cori’s becoming an excellent spitter upper as she is starting to teethe). Oh, and I cast on another pair of socks, Spring Forward using Socks that Rock in Little Bunny Foo Foo.

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