Mom's Christmas Socks

Here they are, on my brand new spiffy sock blockers (thanks to my brothers!)
Pattern: 8 Stitches per inch Socks by Ann Budd
Yarn: Zwerger Garn Opal Harry Potter in Tonks
Needle: size 1.5, circular
Date Started: December 21, 2008
Date Finished: December 28, 2008
Comments: Love the pattern of the yarn. My first socks for someone else. I hope my mom enjoys them.

Finished Mom's Socks

I finished them yesterday. Only three days after Christmas, and I think she was willing to wait. Photos coming soon.

What's my next project? A pair of Monkeys for my trip to Kenya.

Christmas Eve Morning

And I have 3.75 socks done. Too bad that .5 of a sock is one I wasn't planning on knitting until after Christmas. Oh well, as long as I've finished the first sock for my mom and started the second, I'll be happy giving that to her tomorrow.

For now, my finished pair of Christmas socks. Sorry the pictures are so horrendous. The lighting is really bad right now.

Pattern: Holiday Lace: Candy Cane Socks by the Knit Picks Design Team
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential in Burgundy
Needle: size 2, DPN
Date Started: December 11, 2008
Date Finished: December 19, 2008
Comments: Love the yarn. Very fun, rewarding pattern. Might try a 1 or 1.5 next time, although they aren't as baggy as they look from the picture.

A detail shot of the candy canes:

Progress

Sorry, no pictures today, but I have been making progress on my 4 1/2 socks in 14 days goal. I have also finished the half sock and I'm past the gusset decreases on the second candy cane sock. I cannot wait to wear them on Christmas. We are supposed to get a whammy of a snowstorm today, so I'm pretty sure I can finish the second candy cane sock and maybe even start my mom's socks tonight.

mmm, knitting by the fire drinking a glass of red wine. I don't think there's a better way to spend a winter evening.

It seems like there are storms all over the country, so please stay warm and safe.

4 1/2 Socks in 14 Days

That's my goal. I started the 11th, and my goal is to finish two pairs of socks plus a half sock (I finished the heal lap) that's already on the needles I need for one of the other pairs of socks.

So far, I have completed one sock. It is the Holiday Lace Socks Pattern, Candy Cane Version in Knit Picks Essential. I do not know why, but I had it in my head I was not going to like this yarn. In fact, I love it. It is so soft and slides off the needles very easily, which is important for a tight knitter like me. The stitch definition is fantastic. My only complaint would be that it is a little too solid. My personal preference is hand-dyed over commercial yarns. That is not Knit Picks' fault though; it is a commercial yarn after all.

I am hoping to finish that half sock tonight and tomorrow. If I can do that, I might actually be on track to reach my goal.

I'm a Loopy Groupie!

I got my sixth package from The Loopy Ewe today, so I am now officially a Loopy Groupie! I highly recommend them. Not only do they have all the latest and greatest yarn, but the customer service is unbeatable. They really spoil you over there. Look what I got in my Groupie package:

Besides the cute bag, Loopy Kisses (Hershey's kisses), and a calendar there was also a skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn and a free pattern! The other skein of yarn is Yarntini, which is the only thing in the picture I paid for.

I Might Be Bored of Them, But I Finished Another Pair of Socks

Pattern: Super Simple Short Sock by Meghann Holcomb
Yarn: KUAS Fingering Weight Peruvian Wool, "Jellybean" colorway
Needle: size 1, circular
Date Started: November ?, 2008
Date Finished: December 10, 2008
Comments: Easy pattern. I made the cuff 10 rows instead of 5, and I prefer that. The heel flap is a little weird- rectangular. I would do a normal heel flap next time.

I'm Bored of Socks

Maybe it's because I have three pairs of socks on the needles and I have two more pairs that I want to get done by Christmas. Whatever it is, I don't want to make any more socks for awhile. The problem is that I want to start using my stash, and my stash is 80% sock yarn.

I've decided to make a deal with myself. For every four projects I finish with stash yarn (three if one is a larger project that takes more than two balls/skeins of yarn), I can buy the yarn for one new project. The catch is that I have to cast on that project immediately so that it doesn't become stash. If I get through all my vacation knitting (which I doubt I will), it means that I'd be able to buy yarn for three new projects. I'm thinking there are some berets in my future.

Now that's incentive.

Some More Weekend Knitting

Well, I didn't make much progress on my final papers, but I did do a lot of knitting this weekend. Besides the black hat, I finished the first Garden KAL sock:

Next, I made another hat.

Pattern: Autumn Rush by Anna Peck
Yarn: KUAS Bulky, "Scarecrow" colorway
Needle: size 10.5 DPN
Date Started: December 6, 2008
Date Finished: December 7, 2008
Comments: Love the pattern, love the yarn. I made two modifications: I didn't add a pom-pom and I did one more decrease row at the crown.

I made a mini neck warmer with the leftover yarn:

Pattern: Cabled Neckwarmer by Jenny Kostka
Yarn: KUAS Bulky, "Scarecrow" colorway
Needle: size 10.5 DPN
Date Started: December 7, 2008
Date Finished: December 7, 2008
Comments: One less pattern repeat than the pattern called for because I ran out of yarn.

A Non-Sock Finished Object

I literally whipped up this hat last night. My hair is a mess, so my Teddy Bear graciously agreed to model.

Here are some detail shots of the spiral decreases (which basically lay flat- yay!) and the lace pattern.


Pattern: Windy City Cap by Jodi Haraldson
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk
Needle: size 7, circular (used magic loop)
Date Started: December 5, 2008
Date Finished: December 5, 2008
Comments: Yarn has awesome stitch definition, even in black. Very fun, easy project. Next time I'd probably go up a needle size because it's a little snug.

A Finished Object

I cannot believe I have not finished anything since the end of October. I guess my starteritis caught up with me.

These have been languishing for too long because a) I hate the yarn and b) I did not have enough of the terrible splitty yarn. I just wanted a pair of socks (they are very nice on) and I refused to spend money buying another ball of this yarn, so I made one of the toes a different color. It really bothers the perfectionist side of me, but no one will see the toes in my shoes, so I guess it is ok.

Pattern: TTL Mystery Sock by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Cotton Print
Needle: size 1, circular
Date Started: October 7, 2008
Date Finished: December 3, 2008
Comments: Fun pattern, terrible yarn. This pattern takes a lot of yardage. I think if I were to do this pattern again, I would make the leg a little shorter.

Thanksgiving Yarn

I indulged in a little stash enhancement over break. In my defense though, my stepmother bought me half of it. The green Cherry Tree Hill is going to be Baudelaire (Ravelry link) by Cookie A. The white Debbie Bliss will be the Grace Lace Beret I posted I've been dying to make. I think the taupe will be a Liesl unless I find something I want to make in the new Knitty. I'm not sure about the red yet.

Mystery Garden Socks KAL Clue 3

Progress! We have a heel. For that matter, a patterned heel flap and a German heel, two things I've never done before. Maybe next time I'll have something non-yellow to show you because right now this blog is in danger of becoming monochromatic.

Home for Thanksgiving

Let the knitting commence!

Er, after I write a bunch of papers.

Mystery Garden Socks KAL Clue 2

I am making progress! I decided to go with the clue for the patterned heel. No, my feet do not actually have that many blisters on them. Something with the shadows and veins sticking out.

I Want to Blog, But I Have Nothing to Show

I wish I had more time to knit, but with four papers to write this week, it is just going to have to wait. I'm looking forward to some dedicated knitting time over Thanksgiving break. Well, knitting, research, writing my thesis proposal, finishing applications, doing homework, and visiting with my family. Sigh, it never ends, does it? I went through my Ravelry queue and favorites today. All the yarn I have is assigned a project, and I think my favorites are realistic. I love looking at patterns and imagining what I could make. Knitting fantasies are a great way to spend a cold November day if you can't actually be knitting.

Mystery Garden Socks KAL Clue 1

A work in progress! This is the yummy yarn I am using for the Mystery Garden Socks KAL, hosted by Melly A. Matthews.

It is ShibuiKnits Sock. So far I am loving this yarn. It is really soft and the stitch definition is amazing. Almost like Colinette Jitterbug. I'm a little concerned about yardage because of the lace pattern and the fact that I ran out of yarn on my last sock. I will just have to knit faster so I am not in suspense too long.

This is the first clue. Sorry it is so fuzzy- I did not finish until it was dark out and it is supposed to snow all week so the outlook for natural light is bleak.

My first picot cuff! I like to try something new on every project, so I was really happy that it started out with something I had never done before. It was a little fiddly, but I love the look. I am behind, so I already know that the heel is a German heel, another new technique. The chart was very easy to follow. So far, I would definitely recommend Melly's patterns!

I Want to Make This Now

Isn't it adorable? It's the Grace Lace Beret (Ravelry link) by Elizabeth Eisenstein. The pattern is available on her website. Alas, I have six things on the needles, so I can't start it yet. I think it'll be my reward for finishing 4 of those 6 projects.

Yummy New Yarn

These arrived in the mail this week. The blue Plucky Knitter yarn is destined for a pair of Monkeys by Cookie A. The pink J. Knits will by Candy Twist Cable Socks by Leanne Brown. I'm probably not going to get to either until at least winter break, so for now, they are sitting on my bureau where I can enjoy looking at them.

I've Progressed to Single Sock Syndrome

Actually, I finished the first sock last night, so I do not think it qualifies as a syndrome yet. I ran out of yarn at the toe. boo! I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do about the second sock yet. I might try to make it a little shorter (which will hopefully not be noticeable), and I have a sample of yarn that is close enough in color and texture that only a knitter might notice the difference. Otherwise, I'm going to have to buy another ball of a yarn I do not like knitting with, just so that I can use ten yards or so.

VOTE

Seriously, there is almost nothing more important that you can do today. Bring a book or your knitting in case there is a long line. Just don't forget to vote!!

Half-Sock Syndrome

I'm afraid I do not even have single sock syndrome. I have two socks to the heel flap, and no motivation to finish them. I'm not quite sure why. I like the patterns. I like the yarn. I've been wearing handmade socks a lot lately and I can use more pairs. I'm just too tired at night to knit. Maybe I'll at least pick up the gusset stitches while I watch the second disk of the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice tonight. I want to finish at least one of each sock soon because another sock KAL started last week and I need the needles to start that.

A Non-Knitting Post

I must be a really knitter if I'm posting pictures of my cat...

Now, I normally do not allow Fenway to sit on my coat because he leaves white fur all over it, but a.) it is my own fault for leaving it on the couch where it would make a perfect bed and b.) he is just too cute.

My Inner Linus

Meghan from the Stitch It! Podcast started a shawl knit-a-long on her Ravelry group. I've decided to make the Forest Canopy Shawl. This is the yarn that I'm using:

Yes, I know that the yarn was not in my stash photo from last week. This is Blue Sky Alpacas 100% Alpaca. It is soo soft and yummy to knit. This is what I have so far. It's 120 or so stitches. The pattern says to go to 199, but I think I'm going to make it larger. The color in the top photo (dark purple) is more accurate.

It's Getting Cold Outside

So I thought I better make a hat.

Pattern: Banana Republic Hat Knockoff by metaphysical_muse
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick
Needle: size 8 straight, size 10.5 DPN
Date Started: October 11, 2008
Date Finished: October 18, 2008
Comments: 8 rows for the band and 16 before the decreases. The hat is a smidge too big, but very warm.

State of the Stash

Lots of inspiration there. My Ravelry queue keeps getting longer and longer. I'm also planning on buying some DK yarn this weekend for a Forest Canopy Shawl. Something about colder weather makes me want to start a lot of projects all at once.

Vacation Mitts

It's Fall Break, so I have a little (very little) free time to knit. I cast on for a couple of small projects. First up, fingerless mitts:

Pattern: She-Knits Magical Fingerless Knits by She-Knits (Sharon)
Yarn: Brown Sheet Lanaloft Worsted
Needle: size 7 circular
Date Started: October 10, 2008
Date Finished: October 12, 2008
Comments: Kit from She-Knits' Etsy Shop. Fun little project. The yarn is nothing special, but pretty warm. I never really saw the point of fingerless knits before, but it sometimes gets cold in my apartment and I want something to keep my hands warm while still allowing me to hold a pen or type.

Socks, Sock, and Sox

Yup, lots of socks around here. First up, two finished objects:
Pattern: Vamp City Socks by Anna Peck
Yarn: KUAS Vamp City
Needle: size 3 DPN
Date Started: September 5, 2008
Date Finished: September 29, 2008
Comments: Messed up the pattern around the ankle on both socks, but as this was my second pair of knee socks in a row, I did not care that much. This yarn is soooo soft. I know I am going to love wearing these in the winter.


Pattern: Loopy's Red Socks Kit by The Loopy Ewe
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino
Needle: size 1 circular
Date Started: October 3, 2008
Date Finished: October 4, 2008
Comments: Fun little project for ALDS game 2, which brings me to the "Sox" part of my title...

The Red Sox are back in the playoffs again, yay! I'll be (hopefully) watching a lot of baseball in the weeks to come. Go Sox!

Starteritis

I have a major case of Starteritis. I just got a bunch of yarn from The Loopy Ewe and I just want to cast on for everything at once. Currently, I have a pair of fingerless gloves and a pair of socks on the needles. I want to start another pair of fingerless gloves, my first cabled project, and another pair of socks with yarn a Ravelry friend gave me. I have a lot of work to do this weekend, so we'll see what actually gets accomplished.

Cat + Lace = Disaster

So here is my lace stole, minding its own business, being blocked. Along comes Fenway and before I could stop him, he'd landed on my stole and pulled the stitches out in three places. Grrr! I think the whole building heard my frustration.

I did the best that I could fixing it, but I'm not a master knitter, especially when it comes to fixing mistakes. Here is the final, finished object:

Pattern: Traveling Vines Scarf by Cari Luna
Yarn: Dream in Color Baby, 1/2 skein
Needle: size 5 circular
Date Started: July 27, 2008
Date Finished: September 4, 2008
Comments: Pretty fun pattern. I need to learn how to block better. Maybe I need to invest in blocking wires.

Next Project

Vamp City socks from Knitting Up A Storm. The colorway is Vamp City from Anna's KUAS "Reading the Classics" sock yarn club. You can check out her awesome yarns at her Etsy shop.

How did THAT Happen?

I was shocked and confused when yesterday I realized that I have NOTHING on the needles. That has not happened since the days when I was an occasional scarf and hat knitter.

I guess I should not admit that it was a wholly unexpected. Sometime over the summer I decided that I only want to have two projects going at once- a pair of socks and something else. I think that is a good balance. Two different projects for different moods.

Before I started my new knitting agenda, I wanted to get rid of all languishing projects. I do not understand how people can have incomplete projects for months or even years. Either you still like the project and it is fun to knit or it is not. If it is not, you should frog it.

I finished all of my long-term projects before I went to DC this summer, but I wanted a fresh start in the fall. That means that when I finished the spiral boot socks I talked about in my last post, I did not immediately cast on for another project. After I finished my next project, I realized that meant that I did not have any ongoing projects at all.

The bright side of having nothing on the needles? I have a finished object. I need to block it, but then I will post about it.

I'm Back

And I have a finished object.

Pattern: Spiral Boot Socks by Veronik Avery
Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK, 4 skeins
Needle: size 2, set of 5 DPN
Date Started: July 28, 2008
Date Finished: August 31, 2008
Comments: My first knee socks! Fun pattern. Veronik Avery was great about answering my questions. The yarn is probably too thick for the pattern- I think these are going to be very warm. Note, the spirals are the same; I guess I just pulled the socks up differently for this picture.

Mini Hiatus

Things are going to be a little up in the air around here for the next couple of weeks. I don't think there will be a lot of knitting. So for now, here is some of the yummy yarn I get to work with when I have time to knit again:

5 DPNs

I'm half way through my first pair of socks using 5 double pointed needles (DPNs). I'm still not sold on that method's superiority to using 4 DPNs, although it does have its benefits:

• The toe decreases are a million times easier
• Pattern repeats split better
• The needles aren't strained by too many stitches
• They make it easier to try on the sock while you are knitting it

However, there are also drawbacks:

• It feels like it takes longer to complete a row
• It is one more needle to have to hold together, especially when you are just starting your piece
• If you lose a needle (or sit on one and break it), you are in trouble
• They mean more ends to poke yourself with when you put down your project

I think for now I'm going to stick with the method outlined in the pattern. I'm not nervous about using 5 DPNs, but I don't feel the need to use them on every pair of socks I make with DPNs.

Oh yes, I finished my first spiral boot sock:

Summer Makes You Forget Reality

These are my Spiral Boot Socks:
Aren't they cute? I really like how the pattern is going so far. But there is a problem. Do you have any idea what the problem is? (If you notice a knitting mistake, please let me continue in my blissful ignorance). The problem is that they are black.

Why is that a problem?
Meet Fenway.

Fenway is very adorable, if I do say so myself. He is spending the summer with my mom, her two cats, and her dog while I'm living somewhere where I can't have a cat. This absence has made me forget about how much Fenway sheds. My pretty spiral boot socks look pristine now, but after 5 minutes around Fenway, they will be an absolute mess. I'll never get the cat fur out of the yarn overs.

I guess that's an incentive to hurry up and finish the socks so that I can wear them once while they are still black and fur-free.

Work in Progress

No, I'm not talking about my knitting. However, now that you mention it, I have two projects on the needles: Traveling Vines Scarf by Cari Luna and Spiral Boot Socks by Veronik Avery. Both designers are amazing. I sent them questions about their patterns, and they both replied to me very quickly and were friendly and helpful. I only have a couple of inches of each project, so after I have knitted a bit more I'll take some pictures.

The WIP that the title of this post actually refers to is the blog itself. I've changed the template for now. In the future (possibly not until the start of next semester), I'll be adding more content in the sidebars. Please be patient with me as I slowly get this blog exactly how I want it.

I apologize for two posts without pictures. I don't plan on that being the norm.

First Post: Stash

Welcome to my new knitting blog! I decided to separate it from my regular blog so that I can focus on other things there.

I think it is only appropriate that the first thing I talk about here is stash. Stash is a big topic in the knitting world. It seems to me that everyone on Ravelry has a stash. Me? I've decided that I want to get rid of my (comparatively meager) stash.

I can almost hear the collective gasp that came from everyone reading that sentence. Hear me out first before you decide that I'm completely nuts, although that characterization probably isn't that inaccurate. I have quite a scrapbooking stash. Do you know what I do with it? If you have any sort of stash, you probably know the answer- it just sits there. I hate looking at my huge stash because it reminds me that I do not scrapbook very often anymore. It stresses me out. I want to get rid of some of it, but then I feel guilty because it represents so much money.

I want to kick my yarn stash in the butt before it stresses me out. I'm not 100% sure what I have in my stash at school, but I believe that I have less than 20 skeins. That's not too bad. When I get back to my apartment and am reunited with my entire stash, I plan to go through it all, get rid of everything I don't like, and put projects for the remainder of my yarn in my Ravelry queue.

I was listening to the Knit Picks podcast with the Yarn Harlot (Episode 58), and I totally agree with what the Yarn Harlot said about stash:

If we think of the stash as like a collection. If we think of ourselves as collectors, and think of this as a collection of inspiration and resources, then it only makes sense to have the stuff in there that you love.

I love this idea of stash as the best of the best. I don't want a stash; I want an inspirational collection that will become projects sooner rather than later.