retreat!

when the other knitting isn't working, i often fall back on something that's a sure thing .....

though this may look complicated, the pattern is very easy to follow. it's triinu's scarf from nancy bush's _knitted lace of estonia_.

in the beginning, i felt the nupps were a total pain. they're not exactly enjoyable now, but they're not as time consuming either. so far, i only found one mistake which i was able to fix (i had not caught all my loops from a nupp and was able to drop down and pick it up).


i am about 1/2 way through this scarf now. i hope i continue to knit on it as it's mindless, and small enough to stash into my purse.

negative knitting

that's what i call it when i've done more ripping than knitting. but, it's a necessary evil ... sometimes. sigh. i have been doing a lot of ripping.

first up, a beautiful lace shawl ....


... knitted with a beautiful beautiful silk yarn, schaefer's andrea. i found this yarn at a new to me yarn store in hickory, nc, ... a strand of purls. i would not had found this yarn store w/o the yarn store shop directory on ravelry (just under the list of popular yarns on the left side of the screen).

the yarn is a 2ply lace weight silk, dyed semi-solid in a shade of almond. there's plenty of yardage, but i seem to be having a hard time at figuring out which size needle to use. the pattern calls for a US4 (if knitting their cashmere).


i tried the 4. and i felt it was a little too open. so, i switched to a size 2 needle (3mm) and now it's too small. it seems, the US3 will be just right. which means, i must rip again. (both photos feature the size 4 knitting)

also, i have a printed copy of this pattern (plymouth 1486), which has mistakes. as far as i can tell so far, the online version via vogue's site is error free. i will also note that you should slip the first stitch of each row (as the pattern says), but it doesn't say to slip with yarn in front, which you should do too.

so, i have to rip it again. but not today.

something else i ripped ....


.... awwww ... a sock ! mom picked out a ball of plymouth's sockin' sox for me to knit for her. though i know that a plain stockinette sock would pacify her, i wanted something more of a challenge. i found the pattern brainless via ravelry. don't be mislead, it's not as mindless as the pattern name indicates.

special notes: the cables are twisted stitches, even though the chart does not indicate that. the increases in the gusset are purled though the chart doesn't indicate that as well. just sayin'.

i am just about back to where i was last night ... getting ready to start the increases for the gusset. sigh.

these were a breeze ....

what a fun fast knit! this might be a new thing for me. making footies ='s one sock, but it's a pair. i like that!

this yarn (sandnes garn sisu) was leftover from a friend's project. she did not use much at all. i was very surprised to get the pair from a mere 46 grams.

i think i want another pair ... in yellow !

lace sockens

since finishing hats, the weather had turned a bit warmer. it actually is warm enough to have windows and doors open (if, you like the wind tunnel effect on a breezy day).

i was trying to upload my information on flickr and ravelry, with yarn labels, tissues and patterns all blowing about. thus, at least one window was closed.

but, that does not sidetrack the breeze !


this pattern has been on my queue for some time. last year, i was often picking my sock patterns based on the parameters of the ska group on ravelry. it's not often they allow "almost socks". but, that doesn't matter, since i've pretty much fallen way from that group and started to knit more on what i want and orphan rescues.

that said, i finally finished my marigold socks. i started these in the summer of '07. i picked them back up recently, and i was pretty monogamous through the process.


so, two pretty lace things on or off the needles. i'm not sure which orphan will be rescued next, but i have some ideas (like more than 15 !).

specs:

pink sockens knitted in sandnesgarn's "sisu" superwash, col. 4627, size 2.25mm needles.

green sockens knitted in lorna's laces "shepherd sock" in 'carol green' 47ns, size 2.5mm kp's circs.

how about some hats?

i haven't touched sock knitting since i finished my last pair. instead, i have been knitting on a vest that might not fit, and crocheting hats. i'll say the hats have been my instant gratification knitting handiwork over the last few days.


i had trouble in the beginning. i kept adding extra "spokes" when i joined my rounds and started the new round. i went into ravelry to check out everyone else's hats, and saw that i was suppose to be maintaining the 15 spokes. special note: it's awfully frustrating when one cannot figure out a pattern when over 400 nitwits have already done it ! i often think there is even less continuity in writing crochet patterns than knitting patterns.

but once i got rolling, the pattern became a virtually mindless project, allowing me to watch more episodes of heroes. there's nothing like acrylique and superhuman powers!


i was quite impressed with how pretty this hat turned out. i love the swirling spiral, and the stitch definition with this cheap cheap yarn is fabulous.


so, what next? well ... make another one .... but this time, i wanted to do something different. i have long been curious about the camouflage yarns. lots of times in crochet, ombre type yarns crochet up with horrible flashing ... and they're not that much better knitted.



as it turns out, this too made a very nice hat. i was surprised that the yarn didn't hide the stitch pattern, and still maintained that splotchy camouflage look.




i only managed one picture of me wearing one of the hats because ... self portraits are kinda hard w/o a tripod ... and i got tired of being on display for all the onlookers in their cars, waiting for the light to turn green.

specs:

first hat
yarn: red heart's soft yarn in colorway "dark leaf"

second hat
yarn: bernat's camouflage in colorway "mash"

both hats: divine hat crocheted with J hook for the body, and H hook for the "ribbing".

more socks?!

yes. i cannot help it. and i want to start another pair. i did pull an orphan out, found the second ball of yarn, and i think i found my pattern copy too. but, i think i'd rather knit another mindless socken ...


... mindless like these. the kind where you just cast on, pay a little attention to the ribbing, and just knit and knit through a few good movies.

these too are kroy stripes, in colorway 'mulberry stripes'. i think they're very pretty. i like the colors very much. i started them last tuesday, and finished them by saturday. i don't usually knit socks that fast, but i had just gotten hooked on life on mars. abc still had all the episodes on their site, so i had a mars-a-thon and sock-a-thon.

a wee sockenfest

YAY! two PAIR! ... yes, i have finished two pairs of socks, which really is 3 socks. one is a fresh pair, and the other, a rescued orphan.

first up, the very basic mindless fresh sockens ....


i made mom some kroy sockens at christmas. while home for christmas break, we went shopping at the local yarn store ... a craft store a couple towns away. over the holiday, the kroy sock yarn was on sale for $3/ball. 2 balls ='s a pair. i picked this colorway out for myself. i like the kroy because it's a basic socken yarn ... the wool/nylon/superwash variety. also, it's a little thicker so i can knit a sock with a wee 56 sts.

regardless, a yarn like this is perfect for the mindless knitting and netflix watching.

next up, is almost mindless, only because i have knitted this pattern many times ...


monkeys!
the only things i change about this pattern is the cast on ... i used a tubular cast on (it's very stretchy, and invisible), and i used my regular k1 sl1 heelflappen. the cast on is not that important, but i don't care for a stockinette heelflap. regardless of your knitting preferences, i still love the monkey sock pattern, and i think it's a great intro for a first time patterned sock.

this pair is a long time coming ... the first sock was knitted in summer '07. i do have orphans much older. i will dig in the pile and choose the next rescue.

but, in the meantime, it is still winter, and i will be wearing either of these pairs tomorrow.

specs:

top socks
yarn: patons kroy socks stripes in burnished sierra stripes, 2 balls.
needles: 2.75mm rosewood dpns by lantern moon (not sox stix).
pattern: basic top down 56st sock with heelflap and wedge toe.

bottoms socks
yarn: colinette's jitterbug in slate.
needles: kp's 2.5mm metal dpns.
pattern: monkey by cookie a. (available via knitty).
modifications: knitted only 5 repeats of pattern in leg, used a tubular cast on, knitted a slip st. heelflap, and knitted toe of choice.

so, though it appears to be a wee sockenfest, i really REALLY want to knit a sweater or something. but, i cannot concentrate or focus ... so i keep knitting socks.

socks with holes

... that's what my mom would say, holes. i call it lace. but it feels like holes when it's cold and breezy.


i have been pretty good at keeping my new year's resolution of trying to not knit orphans. i did start these socks the day after christmas, so they're not that old ... not like some others (orphans).

these are the waving lace socks from _favorite socks_. they're designed by evelyn a. clark. i guess when i'm not busy knitting her lace shawls, i am knitting her lace socks.

the yarn (ONline's linie 2 supersocke silk) was a gift (thank you yarn faerie!). i had spotted it awhile back, but didn't get it. someone else was paying attention and making 'note to self', and snatched it for me later. it's pretty stuff ... smooth and lustrous. it's a little harsh on the hands though, like knitting with cotton. but, i would knit with it again, as the fabric is silky soft.