And it’s still Wednesday

Told you I’d get around to posting my WIPs. And I even made it on a Wednesday. Assuming I get this finished in the next couple hours. Don’t know if I will have my progress bars changed today though, a cheesy ‘80’s movie is playing on Showtime and I keep getting distracted. Explosive psychic powers are just so engrossing. It’s actually an ‘80’s movie my husband hasn’t made me watch, but I’d bet money he’s seen it. He has a thing for movies of that era, and the worse they are the more insistent he is I watch it. Can I just say Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo?

Moving on, the WIPs.

I haven’t ever made a shawl and I can’t honestly say I will ever wear one; but I couldn’t help but buy this pattern. It’s Damson by Ysolda Teague. Whether I end up gifting it or actually wearing it, I just think it is adorable. I’m using Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball in Denim.

I was making Monkeymen also, but ended up frogging them because I didn’t have DH try them on before binding off. They were way too tight to get over his heel and had no give to them whatsoever. I could have redone them larger in the leg, but at that point I was so frustrated I ripped them apart. My own fault. I’ve decided to start Masonic Lodge instead. Just cast on today. I don’t think you want to see 4 rows of ribbing so I’ll skip the picture.

I’m still working on the Autumn Rose Pullover. I ripped back the arm to redo since it was puckering at the join and let me tell you, untangling fair isle is not fun! I have started to work up the sleeve again and although you can’t really tell from this picture but it does look much better. I made the join on the needle instead of between the needles. Seems like a no-brainer to do, but I’ve always made my joins between the needles. It’s never really made a difference before, but when you’re working with 10 different colors of yarn…

Well, I made it on Wednesday (my time) so it’s still WIP Wednesday. The progress bars will have to remain the way they are as I must finish watching ‘80’s psychics try to kill each other. Here’s a closing kitty picture because I should give equal time to both my boys.

New year, time to update the blog

I’m horrible at updating this blog. I go months without posting, and really in that time I can’t say I was a super productive knitter either. But I did get a few projects done. Looking at the progress bar to the right, I have finished the Cauchy socks and the Crisp vest. The Never-ending/Hibernating afghan hasn’t seen the light of day in over a year and the Autumn Rose pullover was put on the back-burner in favor of a simpler and quicker sweater. Which is finished thank you very much.

So here are the finished projects.

Pattern: Crisp by Wendy Bernard

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Lettuce with trim in Blue Sky Alpacas Melange in Pesto

Needles: US 6

Pattern: Cauchy (Rav link) by Cookie A.

Yarn: Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed in Wine

Needles: US 2

Pattern: Angee (Rav link) by Cookie A.

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Velvet Grapes

Needles: US 1.5

Pattern: Favorite Cardigan (another Rav link) by Wendy Bernard

Yarn: Knit Picks WOTA in Coal

Needles: US 8

Mods: Started with a smaller neckline because I did not want an off the shoulder sweater. I also made the body longer because I am well past my belly-baring years. That put me up to 9 buttons and a long-ass button band. Lastly, I made the sleeves full-length (and with my monkey arms they are long indeed.)

I’ll save my WIPs for another post. Sooner or later I’ll get around to changing my progress bar, too, but one thing at a time.

Finally, by reader request (I have a reader?!) a gratuitous cat shot. This is my Q, sleeping on the ugly cat blanket I made for the boys out of leftover Lion Brand Homespun from my early knitting years.

Startitis

So I have a case of startitis and little other ambition this summer. I’ve got Cauchy on the needles that I’ve turned the heel on and done nothing since. I’ve still got the Autumn Rose Pullover that is hibernating next to my chair. I really need to restart the sleeve on it – the seam is puckering and I’m not sure I can block it out. I just started Crisp by Wendy Bernard and I’ve received the yarn that I’m going to make her Favorite Cardigan (Rav link) with. Of course I really want to start that sweater too – but I refuse to have that much on the needles. I have to finish something!

But here are some pictures of my WIPs.  

This is Cauchy from Cookie A. I’m using Knit Picks Essential in Wine Kettle. My hubby needs some new socks – he’s wearing his others to death.

Here is Crisp from Wendy Bernard. I’m using Cascade 220 Superwash in Celery with leftover Blue Sky Alpacas Melange in Pesto for the accents.

I plan on using this WOTA for the Favorite Cardigan, also by Wendy Bernard. My husband is always of no help when deciding on colors. If I show him a picture of the garment I plan on making and he likes it, he just cannot imagine it in a different color. Therefore, my Favorite Cardigan will be black. It’s OK though, I was leaning towards black anyway. But I still will not  cast on until something else is finished.

Just in time for the blazing hot summer!

Alberta is done, and just in time for the summer. So it will sit in the closet until the weather turns cool again. Let’s just hope the husband doesn’t gain weight between now and then. Here are pictures of the finished product.

It has yet to be washed and blocked, but otherwise is finished.

Pattern: Alberta by Jared Flood

Yarn: Valley Yarns Berkshire in Tan, Plymouth Boku in #60, and Shetland 12 ply in Bark

Needles: US 9

And just to prove it is warm here (and I like the pictures) here are some more flowers. The top is bloodleaf, then my ivy geranium and golden globe.

Pretty

The flowers are blooming so fast what with all the rain/sun/rain going on around here. A day ago this was the only open bloom on my dahlia, now this is the view.

Aren’t they beautiful? My coreopsis is also blooming profusely, but the only good picture I got of it was this single bloom.

There is just something about yellow flowers in the spring that makes me happy.

Alberta – the fortunately/unfortunately version

Fortunately, I was able to swatch and start a new project a couple weeks ago and it was going well. Unfortunately, when the husband tried it on it was way too big. Fortunately, all I had to do was frog back and restart. Unfortunately, after a couple inches, the join on my Denise interchangeables snapped (not the first one to do so). Fortunately, there is a yarn shop close by. Unfortunately, it was closed on Monday. Fortunately, I got there today and bought some Addis. Unfortunately, they are 0.3 mm larger than the Denise needles. Fortunately, it shouldn’t make that much of a difference. *fingers crossed*

I’m making Alberta (Rav link) for the husband. Here’s hoping he’ll like a vest as much as he says he will. He’s never been much of a sweater person, but loves the socks I make him so he’s not opposed to all knitted items. Here’s a picture of the progress I made before the major frogfest.

And a close up with truer colors.

The yarns are Shepherd 100% Lambswool Felted 12 Ply in Bark, Valley Yarns Berkshire in Tan and Plymouth Boku in Color 60 or 6 since they are discontinuing one of them. I’m a little worried about the Boku because while it hasn’t broken while knitting or frogging, it doesn’t take much of a tug to break it. Hopefully it holds up to the husband’s wear. Anyone have any experience with this yarn? I’ve read good and bad.

Kai-Mei

I finished my Kai-Mei socks in time for the April KAL on Ravelry. I’m not usually so quick, but this pattern went super fast and was fun to knit. Not to mention the added incentive of the socks being for me for once. And the fact that there is a limited amount of cold weather left in the season (I hope!). They turned out really well. Take a look. (and ignore my pasty legs)

 

Pattern: Kai-Mei from Cookie A. in Sock Innovations

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Flamingo Pie

Needles: US 1.5

Things I learned:

1. I was able to do two at once on magic loop for the first time with a reversing pattern on either sock. I did have to take one off the needles for the gusset as usual but that was the only time.

2. The other thing I did for the first time was an anatomically correct toe. I found the instructions here, and think I’ll be using the toe again. DH was thrilled with this discovery as he has been trying for as long as I’ve been making him socks to get me to put an “L” and an “R” on his socks. I have refused of course, but the next socks I make him will have this toe. I hope he likes it so he’ll stop asking for left and right letters. Probably though, he’ll keep the toe and still ask for the letters. He’s persistent that way.

That’ll teach me to read the errata

I was nearly finished with my Kai-Mei socks when I happened to be reading through a thread on the Sock Innovations book. In that thread I found that there is an error in the left sock. Sure enough, I found the errata for the book and when I looked closely at my two socks there was in fact a difference. You can’t really tell.

The error was supposed to start at the gusset, but somehow I got it right until I hit the directions for the foot. Then I followed the book and it became wrong. Don’t ask me how I managed that. The nice thing was I only had to rip back less than two lace repeats. The bad thing was I ripped back the wrong sock first. Evidently not only do I not look for errata, I also don’t know my left from my right.

Finished Socks

I finished the husband’s Herringbone socks. I almost always do socks two at a time on magic loop so when I went to take a picture of them, it took me a minute to see that the socks were two different lengths. Well, the husband made them look like they were two different lengths. He’s such a dork.

I made him pull them up and take new pictures.

Pattern: Mine

Yarn: Knit Picks Essentials in Shoreline Twist

Needles: US 1.5

And since I completed socks for him, I decided to finally make another pair for myself. I’m doing Kai-Mei from Cookie’s book Sock Innovations. They’re going pretty quickly, the first part is all ribbing and I’m nearly done with it. I’m doing two at once like I usually do, but I’m not sure after picking up the gusset if I’ll be able to do the foot that way. Maybe I’ll give it a go. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy in Flamingo Pie. It’s the first time I’ve used the yarn and so far I really like it, especially the subtle variations in color.  Here they are:

At the rate I’m going, I may actually get them done in time for the April Cookie KAL.

Trial

Recently downloaded Windows Live writer and wanted to try it out for the blog. I have to say, it makes changing my font a lot easier than wordpress does. At least that I could figure out with my limited skills.

 

Here’s a cutie to test the picture adding feature. Wasn’t Q an adorable kitten?

 

Edit: Hmm, need to work on pictures…