Queen of Beads

Name of Project: Queen of Beads by Sivia Harding
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight, colorway: My Blue Heaven
Needles: Size US 0 (2.0 mm) Knit Picks dpns
Pattern Notes: The hardest part about these was stringing the beads on.

I love the way they turned out! The pattern has a really nice fit and they look stunning on. On to the next shipment, Rogue Roses.

Giselle

It's taken me awhile to post about this sweater for a couple of reasons. It didn't live up to my expectations as a finished object and therefore I was not satisfied with the pictures I was getting of it. These were the best ones after several attempts at photographing it.


Name of Project: Giselle by Marnie MacLean
Yarn: Tilli Tomas Plie and Tilli Tomas Voile de la Mer from Dreamweaveryarn.com
Needles: Size US 7 (4.5 mm) Knit Picks Interchangeables
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 2 months

A few things I would like to say about this pattern. I loved the thought of it. It looks so renaissance and drapey and beautiful. I was a little disappointed with the end product because of a few things.

The yarn called for in this pattern is silk. It had absolutely no structure when I took it off the blocking board. I had to reinforce the entire neckline and waist-join for it to not fall off of me. I slip stitched with a smaller crochet hook to reinforce. I wish I had thought to take a picture of the before.

I took the yarn into consideration when starting this project, and I made the small. I am not a small woman. I’m 38 inches give or take with a DD cup. I should not technically fit in a small. I know wrap sweaters are VERY forgiving in fit so it’s a little hard to gauge. I feel like the gauge should have been tighter for this yarn to hold shape and size better. The loose knit gauge just added to the unstructured nature of the yarn.

The other part that I had a hard time figuring out was how to tie it in the back without the side front gaping open. I searched and searched for a picture of the back that could show me how people had done it, but was unable to find a satisfactory fix. I ended up weaving the ties in and out of the crochet joins.

About the pictures of me - I’m wearing a corset under the sweater. It was the only thing that would hold the sweater up on my body.

In other news, my lace shawl is still progressing. I am loving working on it, but am having a hard time finding the time and places appropriate to work on it. I'm carrying the Queen of Beads socks around in my purse and am working down the foot towards the toe. They are very close to being finished. I was hoping I would get them done before the next shipment came, but no luck. Which is a shame, because I wanted to start these right when they came.

Rogue Roses by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Oh Yarn Harlot, how I love thee. This colorway is called Gertrude Skein.

I think I'm so lucky that I have so many cool projects to knit. It's a constant source of happiness and entertainment.

Holidazed

Name of Project: Holidazed by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Socks That Rock Mediumweight - Muddy Autumn Rainbow
Needles: Size US 1 (2.25 mm) Knit Picks circulars
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 1.5 months
Pattern Notes: This pattern was simple enough for me to carry around in my purse to work on while I was waiting.

This was the last shipment from the 2008 Rockin Sock Club and it was just in time, because on Friday I got this...

My Blue Heaven. Yes it is. 360 yards of lightweight, superwash, hand dyed heaven. This is the first shipment from the 2009 World Domination Tour of the Rockin' Sock Club. I think the universe has been trying to send me a message of some sort with the seemingly random peacock colored blues that keep coming to me. This is going to match the Peacock coat I finished last week, exactly.

The kit came with a keychain, button, binder cover and a bag of beads along with the pattern and dyer's notes. The pattern is called Queen of Beads by Sivia Harding. It looks very beautiful although the pictures that came with the pattern are kind of dark so it's hard to see a whole lot of detail. I've wound the yarn into a ball and still need to string the beads, so I won't be starting it right away. Hopefully by the end of this week.

I've been playing with a knitting machine that a very giving and good friend has decided to pass along to me. It's very different and I am still a little unsure of the in's and out's of it. I have some coned yarn that is perfect for the fine gauge machine and I'm having fun learning. I am still trying to finish Giselle before Stitches West so I really need to stay focused and not let myself be distracted so easily. I've got one sleeve done and one more to go, then all of the trim. It's so close! I'll just keep reminding myself to work on it first so I can have something beautiful to wear that weekend.

WIP Central

It's been so long since my last post because I have so many long-term projects I've been working on. I usually post when I've finished something.

A ton of things have been in the works for me. I've been working on my socks for the Think Outside the Sox contest. It's a lot more laborious of a process than I thought it would be. It's one thing to knit a sock not using a pattern and come up with your own ideas. But then to try to articulate them down on paper so anyone can read it and know what you're talking about is quite another. I guess it comes down to the deadline. All submissions have to be in by January 1, 2009. If I could take my sweet time, and work on other things when I felt like it then it wouldn't be as bad. But the next shipment of the Rockin' Sock Club came, and I can't start them (again). Look at this colorway...
It's so beautiful! I want to start them and work on them but I just can't let myself until I finish my entry. It's the only way it'll get done.

Which brings me to another point. Stitches West 2009. After careful consideration, hemming and hawing, and almost absolute denial that I was going to submit to a frivolous trip completely for myself...I'm going. I've got my hotel room at the Santa Clara Hyatt Regency, I've got my plane ticket to Santa Clara, and my classes have been signed up and paid for. I'll be joining a few of my fellow enthusiasts for a fun-filled getaway that I've already dismissed my guilt for. One of the motivating factors for me going was the sock contest. I mean, they're announcing the winners there! I'm not the only one of my friends who will win that night either. My other friend is going to win in her category also, so it makes sense for us to be there together to celebrate. (It's good to visualize your goals!)

I did manage to finish these socks for Son #1. They were the ones I would carry around in my purse and knit on when I had a few free moments.

-->Name of Project: Garter Stitch Toes and Heels
Yarn: Sock it to Me! Collection Harlequin
Needles: Size US 0 (2.0 mm) Knit Picks dpns
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 2 months
Pattern Notes: These are based on the Timberline Toes pattern from Lucy Neatby. I went toe-up using a provisional cast on with 28 stitches, short-rowing down to 9 sts, then back up to 28 sts. Then I picked up where the provisional cast on was and worked in the round for the foot. I worked a garter stitch short-row heel over 34 stitches, short-rowing down to 10, then back up to 34. Then worked up the leg. I knitted 1.5" of ribbing for the top then used a sewn-bind off.

As usual they are now his favorite thing to wear which makes him a very worthy recipient.

Another event to be excited about is the Torrance Fiber Festival. A couple of us are going to meet up to go check it out. It's about a 2 hour drive from where I live which I think is a bit more reasonable than the 14 hour drive to Taos, New Mexico for the Taos Fiber Festival. So that's it! Back to working on the never-ending sock entry...

Goody Goody Gumdrops

Name of Project: Gumdrop Socks
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight, colorway Goody Goody
Needles: Size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Knit Picks circulars
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 2 weeks
Pattern Notes: This was the fourth shipment from the Rockin Sock Club 2008. I love this colorway because it's the kind of color that makes me smile when I look at it. It also kind of makes my teeth hurt though, because it looks so sugary. Cotton candy/sweet tart/pixie stick-like.

This pattern is a reversible sock pattern and below is one sock turned inside out.
It might be a little easier to see below. The sock on the left is the way the pattern is written and is right-side out. The one on the right is turned inside-out. I think I like the one on the left better because I'm not sure I like the bobble effect of the other one.


Since I had finished these, and I didn't have my bag with the Spring Forward socks I was going to cast on with me (the bag was in my car, which was gone), I decided to cast on for another pair of socks for my son and his wonderful wallaby sweater. I'm also knitting an Asymmetrical Hat for my friend and an Unoriginal Hat for his girlfriend. They are moving to Idaho at the end of September and I really had an urge to send them off with something warm. I'm using my favorite hat yarn, the Baby Alpaca Grande. It's so soft and feel so nice to knit with. It was shortly after that, when I found out that my cousin is on her way to study at the University of Florence, Italy. I guess it can get pretty cold there too, so I'm thinking she also needs a hat. I'm excited about sending it to her, I think it'll be a nice surprise when she gets it in the mail.

My plan of attack for finishing the hats soon, is this. I'm going to get at least 3 hours of uninterrupted knitting time at the Charger preseason game tonight. The drive there, the game, and the drive home should give me enough time to at least finish the one I'm working on and get half-way done through another. I should have at least two of them done by the end of this week. Then, I could bust out another one next week, when I'm crying my eyes out, after I've sent son #1 off to first grade. Should work out great!

Schools OUT!

Today was the last day of Kindergarten for Son #1. I am so excited to have him all to myself for the summer! To commemorate the occasion I made him a little knight made out of gold thread and trimmed with blue and silver.


Name of Project: Knight from Knit a Fantasy Story by Jan Messent
Yarn: Various crochet thread
Needles: Size US 0 (2.0 mm) Knit Picks dpns
Pattern Notes: I winged this a little bit, but the directions were pretty thorough. It's the first "doll" I've ever made so I wasn't sure how it was going to work out. I'm pretty pleased with the results, although the time it took to make all of the little pieces was a little much.

When my son first saw the book, he loved all of the pictures and specifically asked me to make this for him. I didn't let him know I was working on it so it would be a surprise. I gave it to him today when I picked him up and the reaction was a little...little. He said, "Where's the horse?" Yeah, I guess the complete set would have been cooler. But these little things seem to take longer than they look. I think he was pleased though.

In the meantime, I was digging through one of my many boxes of yarn and saw that I had about 6 skeins of Patons Cotton Top in white. I've been wanting to make the Combo Corset-T from Knitty Gritty when I saw Annie Modesitt on the show. It looks very simple yet very cute, so I decided to try it. As usual I had to go down 2 needle sizes to get gauge, and I'm not sure how cotton works with this pattern, but I didn't have to buy the yarn. So if it doesn't work out, no big loss.
I'm about an inch away from doing the short row heel for the Butterflies N Bees socks. They are moving along quite nicely and I think they are absolutely adorable.
The next pair of socks I'm going to make are the Cleopatra's Stockings from the third Rockin' Sock Club shipment. I was so happy when I saw this yarn, it made me want to ball it up immediately and get started. You know it's going to be beautiful if just seeing the skein makes you happy.
Although, the STR yarn is actually a tie for my next sock project, with this yarn that my friend Wendy gave me to cheer me up after the bad month I had last month. It's Misti Alpaca sock yarn and is so soft. I've been carrying it around with me in my purse because it makes me smile when I see it. I've got to find the right pattern for this because just any pattern won't do.
I think my knitting mojo has returned. :)

Pomatomus

Name of Project: Pomatomus by Cookie A.
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Fingering Weight Merino/Nylon Blend, Hand-dyed blue and yellow
Yardage: almost one hank
Yarn Source: Knitpicks.com
Needles: Size US 1 (2.25 mm) and Size US 2 (2.75mm) Knit Picks circulars
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 2 months
Pattern Notes: These socks were an exercise in gauge for me. The leg was done on Size 2 needles and although I checked my gauge, they were knitting up a little loose. When I got down to the heel flap, I decided to try the Size 1 just to see if it would look nicer. What an improvement! The yarn looked better, the stitches looked better, and everything went way better.

I think in the future, I'm just going to have to err on the side of smaller needles. It seems to always work out that way for me.

The next sock pattern I'll probably do is this one:
The second shipment of the Rockin Sock Club! I'm not starting right away, because I want to do some swatching for some other things. I plan to finish up my Central Park Hoodie soon also, it's so close to being done.

Dancing With Dragons

Name of Project: Serendipity by Adrienne Fong
Yarn: Dragon Dance by Blue Moon Fiber Arts
Yardage: one hank with a little leftover (360 yds)
Yarn Source: Socks That Rock Club shipment #1 (bluemoonfiberarts.com)
Needles: Size US 0 (2.0 mm) Knit Picks circulars
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 1 month

I started these on Size 2.5 mm needles and knitted to the heel before realizing that my gauge was off. I was on Ravelry and looking at the other socks and saw that I was having extreme pooling when everyone else was getting stripes. I would have still finished them the way they were, but when I double-checked my gauge, I realized that they were too loose. The yarn is too beautiful for me to not have them fit me perfectly.

This is what they looked like before I ripped them back to the cuff.
This is what they looked like after re-knitting them.
And finally, Serendipity.
I only short-rowed to 11 stitches for the heel instead of the suggested 9 so it wouldn't be so pointy. That was the only alteration I made to the pattern.

The Butterfly Effect

Here is the wondrous Butterfly Shawl in its second to last stage of finishing.
After it's done blocking I need to add the fringe and it will be complete. I can't wait to wear it!

This is the front of the leg of my Serendipity socks. The colors are pooling. A lot. I don't know if I like it or if I don't like it, but I do know I might have liked it better if they had striped like I see everyone else's on Ravelry.

Here is the back of the leg.

I was kind of thinking that I should just let the yarn go the way it wants to because it'll turn out beautiful no matter which way it stripes or pools. So I just kept going and I've turned the heel. Now I just need to go down the foot. I think I'm going to just leave them the way they are but a little voice in the bottom of my knitting bag keeps saying, "Turn back! Rip them out now! You know you want the stripes, just do it!" But I can't. I love them no matter which way they choose to knit up. Stripes or pools I will accept them the way they are and treat them with the same love and respect I do all of my socks. But for next time, I think I'll pay closer attention to the gauge and pattern picture. I was just a little surprised when I saw all of the finished pics on Ravelry and nobody else's look like mine.