mommysew

Spring Break Knits

First, thank you for all the well-wishes - we are very excited here.

We did manage to finish quite a few projects over spring break, and I'll lead with what you really care about - the knitwear.



Pattern: Zombie Socks from Sock Madness
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight in Lenore
Needles: Chiagoo DPNs 2.75mm
Dates: Thursday March 13-Thursday March 20
Mods: none
Thoughts: very stretchy sock. Even though my gauge was perfect, these are a little big. But they turned out fine besides that, and I'll still wear them. The yarn bled all over my needles and my fingers, so I'll be careful washing them.


Pattern: Log Cabin Blanket
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in 5 colors
Needles: Sz 8 Susan Bates Circulars
Dates: Um, August 2006-March 2008. Yikes
Mods: none
Thoughts: This didn't turn out as big as I had originally envisioned, but I just needed it to be done. It was gifted to The Girl for her 10th birthday on Friday, and she seems to really like it, so that's good.


Pattern: Devon from Magknits
Yarn: Rowan Cotton Glace - 1.5 balls in white, purple and green and just over 2.5 balls in brown
Needles: Sz 3 Susan Bates Circulars
Dates: September? 2007-March 2008
Thoughts: This has been mostly done since the end of January - I ran out of brown and kept forgetting to buy another ball, and then I had to spend 3 hours weaving in ends. Ugh. But it fits great, and I really like the colors, so overall a winner.

I did get a bit of other knitting progress made, but I'll save that fodder for another day!

Anniversary Socks

By some miracle, I managed to finish these up before bed on our anniversary Tuesday. Whew!



Pattern: Generic stockinette sock - top down, over 80 stitches.
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needles: Chiagoo DPNs sz 2.25 mm
Dates: June-October 2007
Mods: n/a
Thoughts: Again, much love for the Trekking. But hubbo's socks seem to tak so much longer than mine! He's worth it though.

I did have to start another pair right away (couldn't leave those needles empty for long!), but I don't have a picture yet. Hopefully soon.

That's one pair down for socktoberfest. Way too many more to go.

Socktoberfest!

Just a quick peek at what's on the needles sock-wise. I've got two single socks, and about 5 pairs of half done single socks. There are also two pairs in hiding somewhere I'm going to try to dig up. My goal for the month is three finished pairs. I think this is doable.

First up - finishing those grey socks for Hubbo's anniversary present!

Fall yarns are yummy!

One of my favorite things about fall is the new fall yarns. Especially the sock yarns (aren't y'all surprised?). I may have had to buy some, and hubbo may have picked some out.



For me - new Lana Grossa.



For hubbo - new Classic Elite Alpaca Sox. Aren't you shocked at the originality of his color choice? Totally different from the grey pair I'm currently knitting him.


I haven't cast on for these yet, but they are both calling to me.


In other sock news, it seems that Socktoberfest is nearly upon us. Last year I had a great time, and ended up with two new pairs of socks finished. This year my plan is "single sock-toberfest." I've got plenty of pairs of socks that have one sock finished or nearly finished. Plus, I'm hoping that by knitting wool socks I can will fall to arrive. Think it'll work? What are your plans for Socktoberfest?

Rags to Dishes

When Emily came up with "Dish Rag Tag" earlier this summer, I knew this was one swap I had to do this year. The concept is great - get a box with a finished dishcloth and two balls of dishcloth cotton, knit a dishcloth with one ball, keep the other and the dishcloth that was in the box, repack the box with your dishcloth and two new balls of dishcloth cotton, and tag your next teammate. Too.much.fun.


My goodies.


I was tagged on Friday (I'm a team captain! Woot!), and even though I had a date with Jason Bourne Friday night, I managed to get my dishcloth knit and in the mail on Saturday.



Here it is posing with the bathroom sink at the yarn shop, and in all it's finished glory.

Pattern: Round Dishcloth
Yarn: Peaches and Cream Peppermint
Needles: Sz US 8 Susan Bates
Dates: Friday August 3-Saturday August 4.
For: ?????
Mods: none.
Thoughts: this is a really lovely pattern - quick, easy and very interesting. The girls at the shop were quite taken with it, and I have plans for many more of these!

It winged it's way off on Saturday (although I was worried for a minute that our substitute mailman wouldn't take it - he really inspected the click 'n ship form before he left the shop), and it has arrived at it's destination. Fingers crossed for a speedy trip to the next stop!

Go team Rags to Dishes!

Dreams.......

Are a many splendid thing....




Sadly, my Mystery Stole and I can only dream of the polka-dot jersey, as we fell far short of any goals I had set. I'm four rows away from finishing Clue 1, and Clue 5 comes out Friday. Yikes. I've been a bit too stressed to concentrate on lace, and this has been to the Stole's detriment. C'est la vie. There's always next year.

No doping here

Which is a shame really, 'cause it would really help at this point. I'm woefully behind on my Mystery Stole - the combination of Harry Potter, kitchen sloweness and starteritis have not helped either. I'm hoping to make some progress on it tomorrow.

Fingers crossed that I'm not the next to drop out of the tour!


I have to get it finished, because this came in the mail last Friday. I need to feel the bee love soon!

If everybody else is doing it, why shouldn't I?

I'm a follower. Tell me something is cool, and I want it. Tell me only a few people can do it, and I want to do it. Tell me I'll be more beautiful if I knit it, and I'm there. Wait....haven't found that last one yet.

I was on the fence about the Mystery Shawl. Do I really want to invest all that time into knitting something I have no idea if I'll even like when I'm finished?

Apparently, yes I do.


End of Chart 1, Clue 1.

I'm a bit behind. But I'm motivated, since I also joined the Tour de France KAL. Hubbo and I have joked for the past few years that I should do some sort of KAL for the Tour, since we watch it every year (go Robbie and George!). Debby and Meg were sweet enough to let me in a teeny bit late, due to memory lapse. The mess in my house might have had something to do with my forgetfulness.


I'm racing for the polka-dot jersey - my favorite. I think this means I'm a glutton for punishment.

Anybody else starting something supercool I need to join? Forget that I have 30 million other things to do - I want to do what you're doing!

And I'm out

The new Madness pattern was posted sometime yesterday afternoon, and hubbo was kind enough to send it to me at work, so I got started at knitting last night. Perhaps not the best locale to start a knitting competition, but my lack of progress was worth the joy of the evening. (I'm much further than the picture shows now.)

Sadly, my competition (who may be the first finisher in our bracket) apparently doesn't work on Fridays or is the fastest knitter alive. 'Cause she finished in about 24 hours. That's OK. I'm really in it for the patterns, right? :)
I am loving the pattern, and Scout's yarn is gorgeous, and smells good, and is soft and I love it. Thank you Scout!

Mad Cows

Finally, a proper FO post!



Pattern: Mad Cows, exclusive pattern for Sock Madness
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Chocolate and Devon, purchased from The Loopy Ewe.
Needles: Sz 2.25 mm ChiaoGoo DPNs
Dates: Saturday March 10-Tuesday March 13
Mods: I added repeats to the leg - the pattern called for 4 or 5 repeats, and I didn't want a short sock, so I lengthened it.
Thoughts: Nice, easy starter pattern for the competition, but if I wanted my socks to stripe, I'd probably use self striping yarn. There is a bulge where I carried the yarn up the back of the leg of the sock and on the foot.
I love the Lorna's - for all the stash I have of this (four more pairs worth), this is the first time it's made it into finished socks (one sock was frogged in December '05 when it turned out to be too big). I can't wait to get to the rest of it! I especially like the Chocolate - a very nice, subtle varigation of browns.

The announced our next yarn - sport weight varigated - I'm so excited to use Scout's yarn! We tip off on Thursday afternoon, so until then I'll be trying to get some more things off the needles - stay tuned for the results of the vacation knitting!