A week of mistakes

Not much knitting this week--well there was knitting, but not anything I will keep.

I was working on this hat for a swap. I was using a back and forth pattern for a garter stitch hat. I substituted two strand of fingering weight for something between a dk and worsted weight. Was it the pattern, the yarn, or me? Who knows, but this hat would not fit a doll--I did the top, but not the brim, all the while trying to convince myself that it would be stretchy and it might still fit a human. So I ran out yesterday and picked up some Cascade 220 and will try a similar pattern, but in the round (and not garter stitch).

Then these socks. They were going to be monkey socks, with a picot top. The colors are not working for me. I think they will be better as a plainer sock. Off those go.

I've started my hat/gauge swatch for my fair isle sweater--but there is not much to show--I haven't started the color work yet. Maybe tonight.

I almost forgot to mention that my LYS not only had Cascade 220, but also a nice supply of Noro Kureyon sock yarn. The wool fumes overcame me and I bought some. I haven't taken a picture yet, but the yarn has some lovely fall colors.

More Pinwheel

I just wanted to show it off one last time--off the blocking pad. I just need a button to finish her off. I tried it on my 4 year old, and it was a bit small--makes sense since I stopped it sooner than the pattern recommended. But it was in the realm of fitting which makes me feel this should work until at least age 3 or so.

The tree service came today and took down the tree that fell a few weeks ago--so I feel better about not having a death trap next to my house.

Pinwheel Complete

The pinwheel is complete, and nearly dry. The sleeves are taking a little longer. It was fun to make, and took about a week and a half (with time spent on some other projects in the meanwhile). I made it a little smaller than recommended, with slightly shorter sleeves. I also used a regular icord edging instead of the loopy icord edging. I will need to decide if I will put a button on the front or find a toddler-safe pin of some sort. I'll have to think about it.


Needle US 8 / 5.0 mm (dpn) US 9 / 5.5 mm (dpn and circular)
Yarn Plymouth Boku

Six Month Ravelversary

It has been six months since I got my Ravelry invite! It has been great. What the hell did we do before Ravelry? (spend more time knitting?)

P.S. In honor of this anniversary, I decided it was finally time to make a donation to Ravelry. Those guys are great, and I have found this site so fun and informative.

Getting ready

So I got a bunch done on the pinwheel--but when my yarn came in the pinwheel got put aside. I've spent the past two nights working on getting my yarn off the cones, washed and balled up.

Here is where I'm at with the pinwheel--cute right? I went with a regular icord edging, so little fingers would not get stuck in the loops.

And here is what I've done the past two nights. I've got about 50 grams of each color--with the oatmeal as the main color.

Harrisville Shetland, in hemlock, seagreen, gold, oatmeal and poppy.
Crazy colors, you say? This will be an EZ Fair Isle Yoke (steeked) cardigan. We'll see how my color choices work out. I've not done color before, and in all the comments I've read about this sweater, the knitters say they wish they'd gotten a bit more contrasty with the colors. Well this was as contrasty as I could get, with the idea that this might actually work. If not, I'll be making a LOT of mittens.

I had thought to do the EZ recommended hat gauge swatch. I have since had this crazy idea of doing a gauge swatch ipod nano cozy. We'll see how it goes. In any case I will do a bit of playing around. I plan to start this sweater with a sleeve (that is pretty wild for me). I think I'd like some color work at the wrists. Should be fun. I need to earn my fearless knitter button!!

Impulse buy

I just wanted to share my impulse buy with the world.

MadelineTosh--Chartre

Enough to make one lovely pair of socks.

Purchased at Butterfly Yarns--on sale!

My yarn is on its way

I'm doing the happy dance right now (okay, in my chair--but still). I just got the message below:

Thank you for your recent purchase at WEBS - America's Yarn Store. Your package is being sent today.

My yarn is coming!! And did I mention that I ordered over $125 worth so that I got an awesome discount--and I had a gift certificate--and since I had a recent order during their sale time and they thought their service was slow they offerred free shipping for this order. So I'm getting several pounds of yarn in the mail, for a very reasonable price.

I better get cracking on the pinwheel. How much do you think I can finish this weekend?

I'm also heading over to Butterfly yarn tonight to check out their sale--and to log into their letter box. Look for me in the boxes of New England.

Pinwheel

So, here I am waiting for the yarn for my next big project. Even when it comes it will take a little prep work to get it usable. So I just had to start something else.

I queue the Pinwheel Sweater a while back, and forgot about it. When a friend queued it recently it reminded me how much I liked it. I have some recently acquired Boku which I think will work nice--rather than changing the color of yarn, the yarn will change for me.

Here is what I got done last night.

New Monkey Socks

Is there anything better than wooly socks on a snowy day?

Pattern Monkey by Cookie A. from Knitty, Winter 2006

Needles US 1 / 2.25 mm (heel and below) and US 1½ / 2.5 mm (above heel)
Yarn Zitron Trekking (XXL)

I love these socks, I loved the yarn. I see more in my future.

Sidetracked

I got sidetracked a bit last weekend. I had planned on finishing my Monkey sock. Then the guilt set in. I had made a pair of baby socks for my nephew who was baptised in December. Now a niece (child of my other sister) was being baptised. I knew I would not be attending. I had tried to design a new little lacy sock for her a few weeks ago and it did not go well. So I focused on my Monkey socks. Then on Friday, the guilt set in. My parents tried very hard to treat their three girls equally--and this obsession had stuck with me. I made the child of one sister a lovely hand knit item for their baptism--I really should make one for the other. Mind you, I don't think either of the sisters had/has any expectation for such an item--it's just me. Fair is fair.

So starting on Friday night I cast on for a toe up baby sock in the lovely merino I had used for the other socks--there was 25 grams left after all. I had more if I needed it, but I stuck to using up those 25 grams. I made essentially the same sock--no time or brain power to think up and test out a new pattern--except the cable twist went the other way. By Sunday night the socks were washed and ready to be sent. They were off by priority mail first thing Monday morning. They went to my parents who will be travelling to attend--since I do not trust international mail to make it in time (my sister is travelling to the baptism location also--and I don't know when she will be leaving). So off they went, without even a note--but I did call my Mom to tell her they were on their way--smelling of lavender eucalan.

As far as the Monkey socks--I'm nearly done. I'm working on the toe decreases and I expect to have them done tonight. I could wear them tomorrow!

Then the question is what to make next. Well, I think my friend M has convinced me to conquer my fears. I have a plan to order some yarn--quite a bit of yarn in fact. I'll let you know how it goes.

PS--My son knows very little about football--but he knew that this past Sunday was a special football day. He thought we should play. Here I am with my helmet! We didn't even watch the game, but we did have fun playing. He took this picture.

Primary

If you are in a place where such things are happening, get out and help make a choice.

And if the fibertarian candidate is on the ballot--vote early and vote often.