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I've got more FOs to post, but tonight I need your thoughts. I really, really, really want to do the whole knit a sweater a month for a year, but that's probably just a smidge unrealistic since I have a baby who might demand some attention. I may however, still try, 'cause I'm nothing if not a follower and I have the yarn for at least 40 sweaters in my stash. Yikes.
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My last pattern for the Yarns Ewenique Sock Club, Ewenique Feet, comes out today.
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Pattern: Embossed Leaves by Mona Schmidt (who is my baby twin, almost!) from Interweave Winter 2005 and Favorite Socks
Pattern: Child's First Sock by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks
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It is summer, and that means socks. To help me finish up some pairs, I ripped out 3 pairs that weren't working - my Solstice Slip socks - couldn't get into the pattern, my Diagonal Rib socks - again, couldn't get into the pattern, and a pair for hubbo that were turning out too big.
This week I finished one pair, and I can show you a pair I finished a few weeks ago.
Pattern: Reversai from Sock Madness
Yarn: BMFA Lightweight in Watermelon Tourmaline (my first skein of STR ever!)
Needles: 2.25 Chiagoo DPNs
Dates: March-July 2008
Mods: longer cuff (not really a mod, but most folks seemed to make the shorter one.)
Thoughts: I enjoyed the stitch pattern and the overall construction of the sock - I was just too lazy to finish it!
Pattern: Up the Down Staircase (MY pattern! for the Yarns Ewenique Sock Club)
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Fingering
Needles: 2.5 Chaigoo DPNs
Dates: sometime last year (to get gauge and figure out the stitch pattern) to July 2008
Mods: n/a
Thoughts: I love them, of course!
I've also managed to finish up the first sock for hubbo (2x2 ribbing may kill me), and the first sock of a plain set for me. I've got the second sock of my Child's First Sock pair through the heel, so that should be done soon, and I want to finish the second Embossed Leaves sock.
The finishing train continues to hang out here - I have a crazy goal of having 10 active WIPs by the time the baby is born (it's around 26 now) - we'll see if I can make it - I have 8 weeks!
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I'm here! I'm not sure what happened to cause the delay in posting (well, I do know that I had dead camera batteries for part of the time), but I'll chalk it up to laziness. Why is it so hard to post these days? The baby's not even here yet! I'm going to be awful after that. I'm going to try really hard to do at least a post a week this summer to get myself into a routine, and maybe that will help.
I do have lots of finished things to show you, but I'll spread them out for the sake of blog fodder.
These two have been finished the longest, so they get to go first. In fact, they've been sitting around since the end of May, pictures taken and all, waiting to be shown off.
Pattern: Ribbons Baby Blanket by Fiber Trends
Yarn: Sublime Organic Cotton DK (LOVE!)
Needles: Sz US 8 DPNs, 16" circular and 29" circular bamboo
Dates: March-May 2008
Mods: Um, I know I did something different at the end, but I don't remember what and I don't have the pattern in front of me to check, and if I wait to post this because of that, it will be another two weeks before y'all hear from me. So just ignore this part.
Thoughts: I love this. It was a quick knit, once I actually spent time with it, though the eight rounds of purling when I got to the long rows nearly killed me. Totally worth it for the look though. I love that it is reversible, and I love the colors. I cannot say enough good things about this yarn. It is wonderfully soft, not too splitty, and did I mention the softness? Go get you some.
Pattern: generic top down sock over 72 stitches with heel flap.
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns in Peppermint (I think, I've lost the ball band)
Needles: Sz 1 Chiagoo bamboo DPNs
Mods: picot top
Thoughts: Glad these are done - not sure what took me so long, other than a lack of knitting during the first trimester, and putting them aside to work on Christmas knitting. The yarn was very nice to work with, and I love the colors. This are all ready for Christmas!
In other excitement, I've decided not to set any knitting goals for the time being - too much stress. I do want to finish up some long lingering knits though, and try to pull myself off the baby hat train (there are only so many days in a week, she doesn't really need a hat for every day, does she?). And, since the Summer of Socks starts today, and I didn't sign up, as I am a KAL failure, I do have my own personal goal - finish up some of these socks! Some may get frogged, and that's OK. But I've got two pairs with 1 1/2 socks done, two with 1 sock done, and way too many with one sock started. I need to get them cleared out. I'd also like to finish up some sweaters that are relatively close to being done, and we have a big car trip to visit my parents coming up, so I'm looking forward to some car knitting time. Must get some of this done before the baby gets here! Oh, and I'd like to finish some Christmas gifts too.
Wait, are those goals? Did I just set goals after I said I wouldn't? Oh well.
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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!
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I really have been knitting! Need proof?
Pattern: My generic 72 st sock with heel flap and gusset.
Needles: Chiagoo sz 2.25 mm DPNs
Yarn: Scout's Swag in Zuluknitty.
Dates: Um, September 2007-February 1, 2008.
Mods: none
Thoughts: I love these socks. I love the colors. I love how they sort-of stripe. I LOVE the base yarn. I've worn them twice and it'd be more if I did more laundry. Love. Go get some yarn people. Run! Now I really want to knit up my other two skeins of Scouty-goodness. Yum.
Pattern: Improvised hat - basic hat pattern with garter border.
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Superwash wool in the new tricolor.
Needles: Sz 7 or 8 Clover bamboo DPNs
Dates: January 2008-February 1, 2008.
Mods: Hubby really wanted an earflap hat, so that was the original intent. However, after I'd finished the hat part, and was going to go back and add the flaps, he decided he liked it the way it was. Voila!
Thoughts: Love this yarn too - so squishy!
Pattern: Fingerless gloves from Weekend Knitting - Ann Budd
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Mist - about 1.5 skeins
Needles: Sz 7 or 8 Clover bamboo circulars
Dates: January 2008-February 1, 2008
Mods: None!
Thoughts: He seems to really like them and has worn them on the few cold days we've had.
Pattern: 1x1 ribbed scarf, inspired by all the other ones in the world.
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, and I can't remember the two colors.
Needles: Sz 8 Clover Bamboo
Dates: October 2007-February 25, 2008
Mods: None
Thoughts: Don't know why it took me so long to finish, but I love it. My only complaint was with one ball of Silk Garden that kept pulling apart, leaving me with way too many extra ends. Wore it today and got tons of compliments. It really is pretty.
OK! Now that I'm all caught up with FOs, I wanted to share some fun with you. My LYS is having a retreat this weekend. All knitting, all the time. I'm really hoping to come home with some more finished objects. But a little wager has arisen. Apparently there is a pool to see how many projects I will bring. Funny, right?
In keeping with all fairness, I think y'all should get a shot at a prize too. So, you are invited to take your own guess, and the winner will receive a little goodie from the stash. To keep it fair, let me tell you that I currently have 40 WIPs. I hope to finish up two of those before we leave, but no promises. However, there is always the possibility that I will start new projects (at least I can admit this, right?).
TO PLAY:
EMAIL your guess to knitnlit AT gmail DOT com, with the subject line CONTEST. I will not open those emails until I get home on Sunday night. The contest will close at 4 pm CDT Sunday afternoon. Please do not leave guesses in the comments - I will see those, and I don't want to be swayed! :) And, if you know me IRL, you are welcome to play along too.
I think this post is long enough, perhaps I'll be back tomorrow to show you some of the new projects I've started recently, but it'll more likely be next week. Until then, happy guessing!
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Kinda fell off the horse on that one. But I do have two FOs for you today!
Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: BMFA Socks that Rock Silkie - Sock Club yarn
Needles: Chiagoo DPNS 2.75mm
Dates: um, summer/fallish to January 22, 2008
Mods: none
Thoughts: Love the yarn. Love the colors. Love the pattern. I can see why this has been so popular! I did have some gauge issues, and then some pooling issues with other yarn, but this has been a winner. Glad to have new socks this week, since it's been cold.
And now, I can finally reveal one of the secret projects I've been working on. My LYS, Yarns Ewenique, is having a sock club, and I was flattered to be chosen as one of the pattern designers. It has been an interesting experience for me (and it's not over yet!) The first pattern was "released" on Friday, so now I can show it to you!
Pattern: Loopy Laces by me!
Yarn: Louet Gems fingering weight yarn
Needles: Chiagoo DPNs 2.75mm
Mods: I knit the sample socks with the fine/sport weight yarn, so mine feel a bit different from the others, but the gauge worked out the same for me, so it's all good.
The pattern is exclusive to the club for one year, but after that it will be available here for you! (It will be available next year through the shop and here as a downloadable pdf.)
I really do hope to make some progress on a few other things this last week of January, so stay tuned!
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Happy Thursday! Hopefully by now, you have all recovered from your turkey/pie/gift/mess comas. I was lucky enough to finish all of my holiday knitting in time! Very quickly, I have some less-than-stellar photos to share with you.
Pattern: Generic sock over 72 stitches.
Yarn: Lana Grossa Bosco, not sure of the color number.
Needles: Size 2.25mm ChiaGoo DPNs
Mods: none
Dates: late November to Monday December 24.
Thoughts: I did not really enjoy the yarn. But the socks fit great!
Pattern: Seaman's Cap by Brenda Zuk at Needle Beetle.
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool - 1.5 balls
Needles: Sz US 7 Circular and DPNs
Mods: only 2" of ribbing, brim does not fold up.
Dates: mid December to Sunday December 23.
Thoughts: love the yarn. Glad this one fits.
Hubbo's sweater is also done - buttons and collar and all. Hopefully we'll get a FO shot for you this weekend in Washington, D.C.! We're off in the morning for a quick trip with lots of dorky museum and National Archives, and Library of Congress visiting. I'll have more on that and a bit of year-end wrap up coming soon!
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