A photo of me at WEBS while I was visiting my parents in MA. It was really cool to finally be able to see the store and purchase yarn there. I actually pointed out where they had some yarn mislabeled (it said it was sock yarn, but it wasn’t).
Mostly these days I am working on socks. I do have a hoodie to knit for a KAL though, so I should really get started on it — I was supposed to have started a month ago, but I’ve been busy.
My latest pair of finished socks, from Noro Kureyon Sock. For once, the two socks are almost identical, except for the last couple of inches or so at the toe (the other sock goes into very dark indigo and then lighter blue, instead of the deep copper and then purple).
I’m now working on a pair in Regia Silk (silk and wool), which is a lot easier to work with. I still have two balls of Noro Kureyon though.
I’d gotten a bit bored with socks, especially the ribbed anklets, but somehow I ended up starting another pair…and oh GOD they’re driving me nuts.
My first pair of Noro socks knit up like a dream. The yarn was overspun, but it was worth it. This ball of Noro is overspun, then underspun, then over…It broke twice on this one sock, plus there was a knot, so that’s THREE times in one ball I had to “change”….ugh. I have never had so much trouble knitting before.
But I’ve started the second sock, and so far it’s behaving. I may end up making four socks and seeing what kind of pairs I can make; the second sock started on the red and so it’s not going to look much at all like the first…
I hope there are no more breakages! Dammit!
This is the first pair of Noro socks I made. I got this ball of Noro when I was visiting my younger daughter, Cherry, in Washington (she lives in Olympia). I love them to death, and many more pairs are planned (I’ve got about six balls of Noro).
The one thing I don’t like about Noro is how it kinks up due to being overspun. Then again, the socks it makes are friggin’ awesome. Right now I’m back to more conventional sock yarn, finishing a pair of socks for my son.
While I was visiting my parents, my mother, who originally taught me to knit, went with me to Colorful Stitches in Lenox, MA. We purchased, among other yarn, some Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Chunky, which I used to make a Muse hat for her. She was out when I finished it, so I had my son model it. She really loves the hat. It takes only a few hours to make.
In addition to the hat, and finishing one Noro sock, I made a bunch of jewelry right before the trip. I’ll be posting those as well. They all went to family members.
When I first started making socks, Stacey sent me a skein of blue and brown striped Regia from her stash. Here’s the pair of socks I made from it. They’re ankle socks, and the instep and cuff are ribbed. I’m very happy with them, although I probably should have made them slightly longer.
The pattern I used was the basic Socks 101 from Knitty, but I got the idea to make them ribbed and ankle length from a pair of socks I saw in Creative Knitting (I didn’t follow their pattern at all though). I still have enough Regia to make another pair, but I don’t know if I want to or not. Currently I’m working on another pair with another yarn, in amongst other projects.
So this is the first pair of “real” socks I’ve made for myself. Basically, I just really love making socks, but I started making them for other people after I finished that first pair using acrylic worsted.
I had bought a second hank of “Rauen” mediumweight from Blue Moon Fiber Arts because I was afraid I’d run out of the one hank I bought for Chris’s socks. However, I only needed the first hank for his socks, so I decided that even though it wasn’t the color I’d have chosen, I’d go ahead, wind the second hank (with the new swift and nostepinne that Chris made me!), and make a pair for myself. I further decided that I would make ankle socks…well, just right above the ankle really. That’s my favorite height for socks.
I think they turned out really well. I’m now starting on another pair of ankle socks, this time ribbed, with the Regia yarn Stacey gave me from her stash. I’ll get back to doing socks for other people too, of course. I have to frog my son’s sock because it turned out too small, but he’ll get them eventually.
I hate when something I make doesn’t work out. I think this is why I’m so cautious about new projects, actually — I’m afraid I’ll screw it up. I really need to stop worrying about that.
Still, I’m annoyed. I was making a pair of socks for my son, and the first one turned out GORGEOUS…but it’s too narrow for his foot. Generally when you’re making socks, you just size them for the ankle, but in his case, his feet are big but his ankles are small. I wouldn’t care, but it’s fairly fine yarn and so it took forever to make in the first place, and now I have to frog the whole thing and start over, bleah. In frustration I made myself another muse hat. I’ll get to the socks at some point though.
Stacey from Charlotte Purls gave me some Baby Alpaca Grande for Valentine’s Day and this hat (the pattern for which I found here, through Ravelry). This is my new favorite hat!
I’d like to make a few more, in different colors, and using different yarns. The alpaca is awesome — I love alpaca — but it’s definitely a very warm hat ( alpaca is 3x as warm as wool). Also, I’ve made a whole bunch of things in green lately, and while I love green, I’d like to branch out a bit!
For summer, silk or bulky cotton would be great…well, we’ll see. This hat is really very quick to make, so I can see dashing off quite a few of them!
Okay, I didn’t actually make this; Chris did. It’s a bottom whorl drop spindle which he put together from stuff we got at a hobby store. He’s also going to make me a top whorl spindle (which is better for spinning short fibers like the bunny wool I’m gathering). But I put in in this set because it’s a tool that I’ll be making things with.
If I ever get the hang of it, that is. I’m a little frustrated right now. I can see how it’s supposed to work, but it’s not happening for me. I’m gonna be SOOOO happy if I ever figure it out.
My first socks made with actual “sock yarn” are for Chris’s birthday. They’re late, of course, but here is the first one on his foot. He says it fits perfectly, so I’ll try to exactly duplicate it for the second.
The socks are made with Blue Moon Fiber Arts medium weight sock yarn in the “Rauen” colorway.
Next on my list is Bun, then Angela. :D
With the Lamb’s Pride Worsted yarn I got from Janet’s stash, I’ve made another two pairs of socks (well, I’m almost done with the second pair). After this I’ll start making socks with actual “sock” yarn, because I have a ton of it now. I have socks promised to Chris, Angela, and Bun, plus I may get to make myself another pair. ;)
I made Cherry’s socks first because her feet are the same size as mine are. After casting around for a sizing chart, I started Chibi’s, and now I’m almost done.
Yup, I’ve definitely caught the sock bug. Of course, I also want to learn to spin, so as soon as I get a spindle, I’m going to start in on that.
Behold my first sock! I made this sock in worsted weight yarn on size 6 DPNs, because that’s what I had lying around (Stacey gave me some sock yarn, but 6 was the smallest DPN size I had). I figured I’d make my first pair on cheap synthetic yarn in case I screwed up, and then use the Lamb’s Pride I got from Janet’s stash to make a couple of pairs for my daughters (the yarn I got from Janet is close in color to the yarn I used for the two pairs of Fetchings I made, which I’m also giving my daughters). By then I should be able to run out and get some smaller DPNs and dive into other sock patterns.
I think for my very first sock this came out pretty well. I have to fly to Vegas tomorrow for a few days, so I’ll knit the second one on the plane.
I’m starting my first pair of socks! The pattern I chose uses worsted yarn. Stacey is kindly sending me some sock yarn, but I realized I didn’t have needles small enough, and I’m broke, so I’m using this pattern instead, because it uses worsted yarn and size 6 DPNs, both of which I have a lot of.
Very excited. Oh, also, I finished my “Autumn tones” moebius scarf. It’s lovely and looks beautiful with my coat. I bought a cheap pair of brown gloves to wear with them because I was getting tired of making things to go with it, *grin*
These socks won’t be gorgeous, which is why I’m using crappy yarn to start with. But this could be the start of something big!
Oh, and I forgot to mention: I finished the fingerless gloves that I started way back in September. I’d have finished them earlier, but I was a little timid about doing the thumbs, and I really needed to jam on doing the coat. However, I hauled them out again and finished the last bits, and now I have two pairs. I’ll probably give them to my darling daughters.
This is really a fabulous pattern, and one I think I’ll make over and over again. I’m thinking of making a pair in a shade to go with my coat; it may not be obvious from pictures, but these definitely do not match. They’re a lovely grayish green color though. I’m hoping that even if they’re not the girls’ favorite color that they’ll like them anyway — they’re great just to throw on to warm your hands.
Can’t wait to do this one again!
I had four skeins of yarn left over from knitting my coat and I wanted to try something I’d seen in the same issue of Vogue Knitting, so I whipped up this bag. The one in the pattern is supposed to be tiny, but mine is tote bag sized.
The pattern notes say that this is “intermediate”, but I found it easy once I’d cast on (and the only difficult thing about casting on is that my circular needles were new and therefore the cables were somewhat recalcitrant).
I still have two more skeins of yarn left, and no real idea what to do with them…
I finished my coat last night. Once I got the sleeves set in, the last bits (seaming up the sides and arms) went very quickly. I’m really happy with how it turned out; it’s not error-free but it really works. The coat looks and fits exactly as I expected it to. In short, I’m really pleased with the coat.
That said, I’m not sure I would ever want to repeat the experience. I do have to say that if I ever do a seasonal project again, I want to start it WELL before the season in question so that I can pursue it in a more leisurely fashion. For the last month plus I’ve been all “MUST FINISH COAT CANNOT HAVE FUN” and that’s just not okay.
Anyway, I now feel confident that I can knit sweaters and all that, having been forced to get a bit past my comfort level in terms of setting in sleeves and all that. A simple stockinette sweater will actually be easier than this coat, now.
Dear lord in heaven. I’m up to the sleeve cap of the first sleeve on this coat and I feel much as I felt late in my first pregnancy: I am going to be knitting this damned thing FOREVER. In reality I want to be done with it by this weekend, but I don’t know if I will be.
I’m going to finish this sleeve TONIGHT. God.
Next time I want to do a seasonal project like this I’m going to start it WELL before the season in question, so when I get bored with it or my hands start to hurt I can stray from it and then go back. There are so many other projects I’d like to do, but I don’t dare because I need this coat. And when I’m done with this I still have to do a scarf and gloves (though I’m not going to kill myself quite so much with those, and anyway, they should go more quickly).
Oy.
Originally uploaded by lothie
I’m mostly done with this coat I’m making: I’ve done the front and back and I’m halfway up one of the sleeves. I’m hoping to be finished by next weekend, because it’s getting damn cold and I don’t have a coat that fits me and that I can wear in front of customers. Since this coat doesn’t button, I’m not too worried if it doesn’t fit perfectly, as long as it doesn’t gap too much. but I’m really getting tired of working on it (it’s SO bulky) and so I hope I’m done soon.
I do like the color and when I’m done with this I’ll be finishing up a moebius scarf in matching colors. I think I have enough yarn to do fingerless gloves as well (though it might have to be just a simple pair of wristlets rather than anything as fancy as the “Fetchings” I was working on earlier).
Can’t wait to finish!
Seems that everywhere I look these days, everyone’s doing entrelac. Me, I’ve just learned knitting in the round and basic cables — now I need to learn short rows and entrelac. Ai! All in good time…
Originally uploaded by lothie
This is me, knitting with double! pointed! needles! at long last, at a Charlotte Purls meeting. I’m making fingerless gloves. Now that I’m using DPNs and doing cables, nothin’s gonna stop me!
The pic was originally taken by Stacey (http://crimsonpurl.blogspot.com/), but I cut it down so you can’t see anyone else’s face. Not that you can see much of mine either! *grin*
So, I finally got the hang of double-pointed needles. Basically, I joined this new knitting group that I found through Ravelry, and we were all going to be working on fingerless gloves at next Saturday’s meeting. Well, I make fingerless gloves a lot actually, but I knit them flat and sew them up the side (with a hole for the thumb). It’s a viable way of doing things and all, but I figured that this wasn’t going to cut it for the meeting. So I found a fairly simple pattern, bought some yarn and needles, and consulted my knitting handbook on how to join knitting.
It’s not easy for me to learn stuff from written instructions; I need to be shown. But I figured that at a two hour meeting nobody was going to have time to show me something basic like this. So I just concentrated really hard on the written instructions, and finally managed it.
Well, obviously, this is going to change the way I knit a LOT. Whee!
Er, I mean, going to the Local Yarn Store for a Stash Enrichment eXpedition!
So I thought to myself that, having been in Charlotte for several months now (since May), I should find a local yarn store. Back when we lived in LA, I used to go to Yarn Lady a lot. Well, the other day we went to Charlotte Yarn, and it’s just as awesome. I immediately met some very cool girls there and I’m going to be attending some local get-togethers. I also spent WAY too much on some dreamy alpaca yarn to make a moebius scarf with.
In case I didn’t mention it, I am also on Ravelry now. I’m a little intimidated, but it’s a great site and I think I’ll get a lot out of it.
I bought some Lion Brand Suede Print in the “Water Lilies” color scheme a while ago, and I just finished the body of the scarf I was making (I still need to fringe it). They have another similar color without the green (called Mountain) which I intend to use for a scarf for Chris later.
The prayer shawl that I was making for Chris’s grandmother will probably go to his aunt because his grandmother died in July. I haven’t really done much on it since June, and I feel bad about that, but so much other stuff gets in the way.
I’m making a moebius scarf in soy silk and wool, in a pink color scheme. It’s not really a color scheme I want to wear so I am not sure what I’ll do with it when I’m done…
I’ve started another prayer shawl, for Chris’s grandmother; I’d say I’m about halfway through, maybe a little less. It’s in Lion Brand Homespun “Quartz”. I’m also working on a scarf in Lion Brand Suede Print; I’ve got one going for me in “Water Lilies” and then I’m going to do one for Chris in “Mountain”. Very simple design but that’s what I was in the mood for.
I finished and fringed the three prayer shawls I’d been working on. Two of them were for women in my church, and I delivered those on Sunday, which was my last day there for a while, as we’re moving to North Carolina this week. The last one is for my mother and I will probably give it to her in person. Except for the third shawl, they’d all been done but the fringing months ago. I’m so lame sometimes.
Right now I’m working on a scarf in my favorite colors, using Lion Brand’s Suede Print in Waterlilies. I’ll probably do one for Chris in Mountain when I’m done. I have various other small things as well.
Creativity has fallen by the wayside, a bit, but I’ve gotten back to knitting to some extent and am also doing some writing. Just very busy. Need to finish the shawls I’ve been doing.
I spent the holidays doing nothing but knitting, essentially. I’ve decided Cherry’s hat was too big and I’m redoing it; meanwhile I’ve also completed hats for Scout and her little sister Snoopy. I’m also planning one for my other daughter Chibi. I have a TON to do still.
Finished Cherry’s hat, started on Scout’s. Cherry’s hat seems a little large (due to the bulk of the yarn) and I’m a bit worried that it’ll be too big. I hope not. I hope Scout likes hers when it’s done…
Well, I had all these grandiose plans involving baking (four pies) and knitting (wristlets, hats, finishing my latest shawl), but I didn’t really do much at all. I did make two pairs of wristlets: one shorter pair, made out of Trendsetter Natasha yarn, and then my normal length made out of superfine alpaca in black and red. I do still have plans for the pies as the week wears on. But I don’t feel very creative at the moment.
My current prayer shawl is only about 1/3 done because I’ve just been so busy. Dunno when I’m going to finish it but I’m hoping it’ll be over the holidays.
I finished my mother’s shawl, except for weaving in the ends and fringing (I still need to do that with the other shawl too, oops). Beginning another one now, for another sick friend.
I mentioned to our minister that I’d like to start giving classes for teens and adults to teach them to make prayer shawls as well, and he was enthused. Now I just have to find the time…!
My mother’s shawl is going quickly (and would go more quickly if I had more time); it’s just about half done. I hope to finish it over the weekend. I still need to fringe the previous one I made.
I’m about 1/3 of the way through my mother’s prayer shawl; when I can take the time to knit at all, it goes fast, but I often have time only on weekends, and that sucks. I’ve committed to just bringing my knitting bag with me everywhere I go and maybe I’ll be able to put in a row or two more often.
I have another one in the queue after I’m done with it; another choir friend of mine is ill (not cancer this time, but a heart related issue) and I’m really worried for her. She likes vibrant colors so that’s what I’ve picked for her shawl, including rainbow-hued ribbons for a fringe. I’ve also picked up yarn to fringe my other friend’s shawl and my mother’s. This prayer shawl thing is becoming full-time for me, and while I certainly enjoy knitting and hope the shawls make people feel loved, I’m sad at the necessity.
I think I have like an inch to go on the shawl I’m making for my friend, and I need to finish that, but in the meantime, while I was on vacation last week, I started another shawl, this time for my mother. It’s in Bernat Soft Boucle in kind of a thundercloud color.
I’ve also put Cherry’s hat on needles but I haven’t gotten very far with it (I’m about an inch into the brim). While I was on vacation, my little friend Scout asked me to make her a hat too, so I need to choose the yarn for the brim and then I’ll make her one as well.
After that I think I really need to learn, finally, to knit on circular needles. I’m such a pussy. The shrug I want to make for Cherry (and later, for myself) is on circulars — it’s basically a couple of yarn funnels sewn together along one edge. It’s awesome, but I need to learn how to do the circular thing. Maybe I’ll learn by making her another top (actually following the pattern this time) and the matching skirt, then do the shrug, which involves decreases.
And I’m still working on my sweater…very very slowly…
The top and gloves came out okay, I think, but I don’t have a picture because she didn’t try them on. I still have a ball of yarn left and I’ll be making her one of my “famous” cupcake hats with it. I’m going to get more yarn later and make a shrug. :)
I’m back to the shawl; I’m about 40″ into it, which is a bit more than halfway done. I think I’ll make one for my mother after that; she’s going through a rough time and I wish I could be with her.
I’m still working on the prayer shawl, but I paused to make a “corset style” top for my younger daughter Cherry and matching fingerless gloves.
The top is modified off a pattern I had for a tube top knit in the round, in knit2-purl2 ribbing. I made the pattern a bit smaller, as its smallest size is Small and she’s XSmall, and then I knit it flat but added crochet edging with “eyelets” on the side edges so that it can be laced up. I had an iCord I’d made out of craft thread that happened to match, so I laced it with that. Now I’m working on the fingerless gloves, which are done in knit1-purl1 ribbing, also flat (with a seam allowing room for the thumb). I’ll also crochet a loop for the middle finger.
If it fits her and she likes it I’ll take a pic. I’m a little nervous as I was kind of knitting without a net, simple as the design is.
I’m working on another prayer shawl, but this one isn’t so happy. A friend of mine has cancer, and so I’m making one for her. I wanted soft pastels, so I’m making it in Bernat Baby Boucle, in the “lavender blossom” shade, which is pink and blue and lavender. This way it’s also washable.
I’m close to half way through with it at this point. I’m hoping my friend likes it, though I wish I didn’t have a reason to make it.
I finished the silk shawl yesterday, and fringed it with 12″ lengths (doubled of course) of Trendsetter Tapestry #6 (if I recall correctly), which beautifully complemented the jewel-like colors of the silk. The fringe is very minimal, just a ribbon every 3″ along the ends of the shawl, and it looks utterly perfect.
I’m really proud of this piece. I need to take a picture and post it. It’s just awesome. Even more awesome is that I still have over half the yarn I bought left after finishing the shawl. I thought it was going to take all of it, but it took just three of the seven hanks I bought. Not sure what I’m going to do with it next; maybe a shrug. However, that’s for the future; I have a new project now (though I’m not buying the yarn for a couple of weeks, so I’ll probably just work on my sweater).
I'm 3/4 done with the silk shawl I've been knitting; I've been traveling for the past two weeks and have gotten a prodigious amount done on airplanes.
Oddly enough, I bought seven 100g hanks but I appear to be needing only four to complete the shawl, as each hank yields about 25 inches of fabric at this gauge. So I'm not sure what I'll be doing with the remaining three hanks. Perhaps another moebius or two? I don't know. It's lovely, anyway.
I'm also still plugging along with my sweater, but really, it's kind of boring. *grin*
The silk yarn I'm working with is really lovely. It feels awesome to work with. Unfortunately it's also easy to make mistakes. I'm finding, however, that they don't show. The only other annoying thing is that the yarn twists quite a lot. I have to be careful about untwisting it because it can break. So it's definitely picky.
But god, it's so beautiful, and I think I'd like to work with this yarn more. Maybe make another moebius out of this at some point.
Ryu's and my mom both are using it too. Heh heh, I'm converting the planet!
I have yet to do the beading on the moebius scarf I made, but in the meantime I've started over the shawl I was making with recylcled silk sari yarn (here's the yarn I'm talking about). I felt the pattern I was using is specified incorrectly and so I wanted to start it over and get it right (I'd only done a few rows on it). I'm still not quite sure about the pattern with this yarn, but we'll see.
The silk feels wonderful. I'm sure the shawl, when it's done, is going to feel absolutely awesome against my skin.
I've finished the moebius scarf i was making for a friend. Or rather, I've finished the knitting on it. I still need to sew the beads on the edge and then sew the ends together. I'm hoping to have it completely done by the end of the week, and then I'll take pics.
I’m a bit over 1/3 done with the knitting on the moebius scarf I’m making; the Silk Garden is just very easy to work with. I’m hoping to finish it in the next week or two, and then edge it with beads, and send it by the end of the month.
I just have to say that the Noro Silk Garden yarn is a JOY to work with. *happy sigh* I've done several inches on the new moebius scarf, and it's just BEAUTIFUL.
I've found a pattern that I'd love to do someday…a "poet shirt" style sweater using soy silk/wool yarn (though any worsted weight is fine). It's way beyond my capability at this point but oh is it lovely.
I was casting about for something to make for a friend of mine, when I saw this cool moebius headscarf kinda thing. I first did a proof of concept in Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair, in the Glacier Bay color. I think it turned out very well, but when I actually saw the yarn that the project calls for (Noro's Silk Garden), it made me laugh, because the total cost of the yarn was about the same. Still, I like the Moonlight Mohair version and I'm going to keep it as it matches the proof of concept sweater I'm knitting (they both have elements of Egyptian Blue).
Anyway, I bought the Silk Garden in two colors: the blue/green/turquoise that the pattern book shows, for me, and a deep purple/crimson for my friend. The scarf calls for beading on the edges, and if I do that, I'll use purple teardrop beads. I finished the POC last night and started the one for my friend; I'm hoping it goes quickly as I was hoping to mail it to her at the end of the month.
My current projects as of today are:
Next up (after the moebius for my friend):
