Tangles

More sock news

The Blue Moon Fiber Arts heavyweight yarn works up so quickly.  I have already finished the first Thuja sock after just starting it last night after dinner.  Sport-weight yarn may be my new favorite thing.

Now for the bad news--the Ravenscroft dye rubbed off on my fingers, my nails and my Brittany Birch needles.  I hope the colors don't fade too much in the actual sock.   Here's a photo of the 4 stained needles and the 5th needle of the set that shows their original color:

The intended recipient seemed happy with the first sock, but he hasn't yet been home to try it it on.

Finally Friday!

Last night, I finished the first blue Shibui sock.  The toe turned out great--I hope it wears as well as the usual techinique for toe-ups.

My skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Ravenscroft arrived in today's mail.  I had no real plan for this yarn and went looking on Ravelry for ideas.  Have I mentioned how much I love that place?  The Thuja socks from Knitty seem like a great choice.  The mostly black yarn should make some nice guy socks.

Back to the sock

My hands are achy tonight, so I'm going back to the blue Shibui sock instead of casting on with the Peace Fleece.  I need to use some small needles for a few days.

This sock pattern is different. It's worked toe-up, but has you start working in the round as if you were working top-down.  The toe seam is whip stitched after the sock is finished.  The direction for the heel were very confusing and I gave up on that and just worked the heel from Wendy's Fingering Weight toe-up socks.  The leg of the sock is a simple K3P1 rib.  That's where I am on sock #1. 

Quiet day today

I felted the ornaments this afternoon.  No pictures yet, but maybe tomorrow.  I'm almost finished with the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf and may have a photo of that one, too.  Next on the needles will be some Peace Fleece socks for CIC.

Yarn in the Mail

Today's mail brought the latest kit from the Woolgirl.com sock club.  I am linking to the photo I took on the off chance that a member of the club might be checking out my blog.  Click right here to see the goods.  Here's a closer shot of the yarn--it's by one of my favorite independent yarnies, but I'm not naming names.  The yarn is really pretty and very soft. Sorry for the flash-lit photos, but it gets dark too early.

Future Felting

I finished the two pot holders. The garter stitch goes quickly, which is a very good thing.  Using the Peace Fleece doubled on size US10 needles was hard on my hands.  I pressed onward, though, so I can felt everything at once later this week. 

Here are progress photos:

This one is the size you get when following the pattern exactly.  Pre-felting, it is about 7 x 8 inches.

This is what happens when you think that casting on 38 stitches instead of 25 would be a good idea.  I was too far into the thing to change my mind when I realized just how wide (11 inches) this thing would be when finished.  Actually, having it larger for me is a smart pattern revision.  I have "hot oven rack" issues and still have burn scars on each forearm to prove how much I should stay away from the oven.

These three cuties are the ornaments I worked on last week.  I have a hard time believing that they will turn out to be the cute little things pictured on the pattern, but am keeping an open mind about the whole thing.  I will be working on a couple of white hats and stockings to round out the collection.  The mitten was no fun and reminded me of how happy I am that mittens are not weather necessities here in might-be-rainy-later Orange County.

If you have some good thoughts to spare, you should wish for a gentle rain this afternoon instead of something strong enough to flood the areas that were just burned.

Yarn shopping

Don't you think that the Alamitos Bay Yarn Company has a wonderful view behind their store?  Technically, you have to walk a short distance to get to the back of the shopping complex, but still...

I bought the latest issue of Interweave Knits and a skein of yarn for my Secret Pal.  Next, we moved on to the zoo that is Wild Oats on a Saturday morning and then to Ruby's Diner for lunch.

I ordered some Peace Fleece that arrived this week.  I started a felted pot holder this morning and will use the rest of the yarn for CIC socks.  One of my first felted wool pot holders was recently blackened on the cooktop and had to be trashed.  At least it was wool and didn't burst into flames when overheated on the stove top!

I'll leave you with another photo from the bay--hope you are enjoying your weekend:

Knitter of the Year 2007

The Knitter's Magazine web site has been updated with the article about their Knitter of the Year, Karen Porter of Children in Common.

This weekend I'll be working on some more little socks for the cause. 

I'm very happy that today is Friday.

Day 2

Here we are at the end of the week, but the beginning of the blogging month challenge.  I'm already having a hard time putting two thoughts together.  I've been sick with a head cold all week and still feel very tired.

I'm taking the easy way out and listing a couple of my works in progress.  If I don't find some more energy by this time tomorrow, then you'll see a couple more WIP's.

Call me crazy-go ahead, it's o.k., but I've started two shawls at the same time.  The Dream in Color Smooshy is my current favorite yarn and I just had to get it on the needles.  I'm doing Evelyn A. Clark's new Hyacinth Lace Shawl on size 5 needles.  The chart is easy to follow but written-out instruction are also provided.

Ravelry has been very rough on my bank account.  I saw lots of Kauni Multicolor yarn in other people's stashes and had to get some of my own.  I liked the idea of a big shawl to wrap up in and found Sarah Bradberry's Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl.  The pattern is easy and can be made as large as you like.

I know, they look the same.  Sorry, can't explain that one.

Another Sunday

Here we are with another Sunday rolling around quickly.  The summer has been short, hasn't it?  During the week, Mom and I made our travel reservations for a vacation at the end of September.  It's been two years since I saw the far-away family and I'm looking forward to a fun trip.

I forgot to post a photo of the finished Garter Rib socks, but here they are:

 

 

Here is a Public Service Announcement--buy a scale capable of precise measurements!  I put these socks away  for months when I became convinced that the yarn was going to run out before I could finish the knitting.  After buying a scale and figuring out that there was enough yarn left, it was easy to get motivated and complete the socks.  That's not the exact scale I found in the store, but very close.

I'm working on my Jaywalker Scarf while trying to decide what is next on the needles.