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Archive for January, 2009

On Progress

Posted in baby stuff, project photos, Socks on January 24, 2009 | 2 Comments »

I have been chugging right along on the stripe-y socks. I have to admit, I was really, truly surprised at just how much yarndage is contained in one little skein of Lorna’s Laces sock.

I started a pair of size 6 socks in the last few days left in December and this is how far one ball of the LL Shepherd Sock will take you.

Stripe-y Socks

Stripe-y Socks

That’s one whole sock and almost 3/4 of another one out of just 215 yards. I suspect that it would be possible to get a whole pair of socks out of only one ball if you were to use a contrasting skein for the heels and the toes. Granted, you could only do this if the socks were for someone with small-ish feet, but still. That’s not bad for one 50 gram ball.

And, I have made some progress on the Picky Pants. These are being made out of some other stashed Lorna’s Laces worsted in the Sherbert colorway.

Lornas Laces Worsted

Lorna's Laces Worsted

I haven’t done any more on these however, as I am saving any work on them for this week.

I have a scheduled eye surgery coming up – I finally broke down and made an appointment for PRK – and I am hoping that I will be able to knit at least a little over the next week. So, I figured, big needles, thick yarn, and stockinette ought to do the trick.I also downloaded a few books on tape for the post healing time, just in case.

So, I guess this means that I won’t be posting next week, however, here is a picture of my before the surgery to give you an idea of what I look like in my glasses.

Please excuse the mess... we live here.

Please excuse the mess... we live here.

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Picked Pants

Posted in baby stuff, Monkey, new projects, project photos on January 21, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Well, I haven’t made much progress on the stripe-y socks because I cast on for something new.

Lornas Laces in Sherbert

Lorna's Laces in Sherbert

This is the start of a pair of Picky Pants by Little Turtle Knits. I must say, this is one of the most well written and thought out patterns that I have ever had the joy of working with. Seriously, it’s chock full of ways to alter and change these little pants.

The original design was meant to be worn by babies over cloth diapers to keep their little backsides dry, however, the pattern gives options for elastic or drawstring closure; shorts, capris, or full length pants; and ruffled, i-cord, foldover, or rolled, etc. hems.

So super versatile. I love this pattern.

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So… Socks.

Posted in new yarn, project photos, Socks on January 17, 2009 | 5 Comments »

I have been diligently trying (as always) to resist the siren song of the sweater. Oh, how I want to cast on for a sweater… any sweater.

But, I digress. I have been resisting and instead, I picked up a sock that was started back in August of last year. Remember this sock? Well, I finally finished the first one of the pair. I kicked it off my needles this morning.

Beaudelaire

Beaudelaire

And, this afternoon, during Monkey’s nap, the second one of the pair jumped on the needles.

Beaudelaire Toe

Beaudelaire Toe

And, I started on the second of the Lorna’s Laces socks on Friday afternoon.

Lornas Laces in Plisen

Lorna's Laces in Plisen

And, in keeping with the sock theme, I picked up a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy in Chinatown Apple the other day at Make 1 yarns… So pretty!

DIC Smooshy

DIC Smooshy

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Pretty Picot

Posted in project photos, Socks on January 15, 2009 | 2 Comments »

I have been trying for days now to get some good photos with my new camera. See, I had taken my little point & shoot Elph as far as it would go and so a few days after Xmas, TG took me to the camera store to test drive a few different models. Long story short, I have a new Canon 50D. And, I love it. It takes much, much better photos, however, I am not so confident in low light, so you all will just have to bear with me.

I am actually finished the first of two socks for a secret recipent. I decided that given the variation in the yarn and my need for something simple, that a plain not so vanilla sock would be just the right way to showcase this pretty yarn. And, since the colors are so feminine to begin with, why not cap the whole thing off with a picot edge?

I like to complete my picot socks by (k2, yo) for an entire round, then k6 rounds, then bind off loosely.

Then, the key is to leave a really long tail and fold the cast off edge to the inside and sew into place.

Picot edge

Picot edge

See the ridge of light pink purl reverse stockinette bumps that I have put the needle through? I will follow this line of stitches around the sock and sew the stitches in the cast on edge to this. In this way, I can be sure that I have a straight edge when I am finished.

Sewn Edge

Sewn Edge

One other trick that I have learned is to only pick up the bottom half of the cast off “v” and this way, everything sits nice and flat.

Picot Edge Finished

Picot Edge Finished

And, viola, a pretty, picot sock.

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Itchy

Posted in new projects, sweater on January 8, 2009 | 4 Comments »

I have been itching to cast on a sweater. Someone please stop me. Send help. Have the universe give me a large splinter. Anything to keep me from casting on something for me until I finish something for all the people to which I owe knitted items.

I really really want to cast on for this:

Big Ball O Yarn

It’s the Imogen kit from Fleece Artist and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I picked it up this summer in Victoria at Beehive yarns.

However, before I can even start thinking about casting on for this, I have several other things that must be finished.

1. One and a half pairs of socks

2. Handspun scarf, hat and mitts set

3. Two sets of tit bits

4. Something for Bunny

See, too many things to count. Hopefully I will be done soon.

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Ewe Give Me the Spins

Posted in new yarn, spinning, Uncategorized on January 3, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Seems like there has been an awful lot of spinning here over the last week or so.

I can’t take credit for all of the new and wonderfully yummy yarn that has been recently added to my collection. It was selflessly donated by my good friend.

Ewe Give Me the Knits Fiber

Ewe Give Me the Knits Fiber

And, it won’t be in my possession much longer, as it is destined to become one of these.

Mystery Silk

Mystery Silk

I can, however, take credit for some spinning.I spun this 50/50 merino/tencel blend while I was off work for a few days over Xmas.

Worsted/Bulky Weight Merino/Tencel

Worsted/Bulky Weight Merino/Tencel

And, this was spun a while ago.

Another Mystery Silk Blend

Another Mystery Silk Blend

Both are two ply and are destined to become a simple scarf for a well deserved co-worker.

Oh, and since someone did ask for the cowl pattern, I will try to jog my memory and take a stab at writing it up. Again, I can not take credit for it, but will continue trying to recall where it came from.

I believe that the pattern is as follows:

Using size 9 US needles, CO 90 stitches. Place marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Knit One Round. Then begin pattern as follows:

Round 1: (K2tog) three times; *(yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 6 times; repeat from * to last 6 stitches; (K2tog) three times.

Round 2, 3, 4: Knit.

Repeat rounds 1-4 until pattern measures desired lenght. Approx. 8-9 inches from CO edge. Bind off on row 2.

Easy peasy.

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Bringing in the New One

Posted in Life on January 1, 2009 | 1 Comment »

So, I took a little trip back down memory lane in my last post. I realized that while I knit a very large amount of socks, I was lacking in the more intricate types of projects that challenge and allow a knitter to grow.

As I looked a bit deeper at the completed projects over the last year, I became a bit disappointed and wished that I had taken more time to create bigger and more intricate projects. Where was my Henley Pullover? My Venezia Sweater? My intricate lace projects? Self designed sweaters and other items were sadly non-existant.

However, once I finished the post, I went back upstairs to the main living area of the house. My two children were there. My husband was there. All were smiling. Monkey wanted me to snuggle and Bunny wanted me to play some Wii with her. I was instantly busy and happy.

Then it hit me. The reason that I have no large and intricate projects is that I am enmeshed right now in creating a larger and more intricate project than any one sweater or lace stole. I am creating a family. Cheezy, but true.

So, this year, my focus will be to work those things that inspire me. To create garments that make me and those around me happy. Small children are only small once. Lucky me to be able to share this time of their lives.

So, to that end, I have narrowed my Ravelry queue down to a few items that I believe are achievable in those stolen moments that one gets while raising small children. However, there will be no hard and fast rules about the projects that I will make this year. 2009 will be what it will be. Happy New Year all.

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