Friday, February 29, 2008

February Socks

I can't believe it's already the end of the month! I did finish up a pair of socks this month:



Project Name: Monkey Socks
Designer: Cookie A.
Pattern Source: Knitty
Yarn: Wollmeise - Maria's Deepest Purple colorway

I love them. This was a fun but not too difficult to knit pattern. I highly recommend it! Here's the obligatory sole-to=sole pose:



I started another pair of socks, but at this rate, I don't think I'll finish them in March.

The Knitting Mom's Complaint

...is that she has no time (or energy). In the BC (Before Child) era, I could knit a pair of socks in a week. Honest. Now if I can eke out a single sock in a month it's a ruddy miracle. So, it is with great pride that I present...

A PAIR of socks.


These were knit with Austermann Step, a gift/prize from Deb, who knit those fabulous, contest-winning socks the first month of the KAL. They were intended for my husband- for his birthday in December, then for Christmas. They were finally given to him on Valentine's Day.

My sock mojo returned somewhat, and the sock in progress with handspun yarn that you see here:

is now ready for the toes to be grafted. I'm really hoping to knit its mate in March.

And yeah, still entertaining the crazy notion of knitting my husband 3 or 4 or perhaps 6 pairs of socks for his milestone birthday this year. Hey, a girl can dream.

Think spring


Here are my latest socks. I used Pagewood Farms hand dyed yarn in "crayons" on size 2 circulars. The pattern I used is called openwork rib (rnds 1,2, 3 K2, P2, rnd 4 YO, ssk, P2) from "Sensational Knitted Socks." I can't get enough of this yarn although these colors are a pit too pastel for me. Fun to knit. Happy leap year!

Harlot Socks

I couldn't be more excited that the Yarn Harlot is coming to town! Especially since I missed her last time. : ( I finally got a copy of her Knitting Rules, and I want to try her basic sock recipe. I need some easy socks for when I need a little mindless, therapuetic knitting. I always covet those basic socks in fabulous yarns on her blog. So my questions for you all are: Have you used her sock recipe? Will you post pictures and comments? Does anyone want to do a Harlot KAL leading up to April 10? Thanks! (And thanks to Sarah W for nudging me to post this!)

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Times, They Are A Changin'

Ok, so I took February off... unofficially. But I'm back now with some changes that I need to report.

First thing. Yahoo as a mail server kind of stinks as I was getting SPAM out the wazoo so I have gotten a new email account at gmail and it goes something like this:

sitckal@gmail.com

Please use this email when corresponding with me from now on. Also, please add it to your list of incoming emails so that I don't get thrown into junk mail boxes across the state.

Also, another change is that I'm going to make you work a little harder to win prizes from now on. Not that knitting isn't work, but I want to see all of you and what you are up to (this includes people that I haven't seen, heard from, or have posted!!). The slate is clean, past winners are eligible. That said, here is our first new contest!

The Harlot is coming. I'm sure hoping that all of you who wanted a ticket got one because I do believe we are out. However, I am offering up one of her new books as the prize to this contest.

First, read the following questions and send me an email with the answers. The second part of this contest (and is a must to be entered) is to make a post on this site. The post does not have to be about socks (although, if it is more power to us) and does not need any photos (although if you have some, post them). But it must contain knitting content of some sort.

The deadline for this contest is Friday, March 21, 2008 at midnight (CST). So there is plenty of time to get the questions answered and formulate a post. C'mon, I know you all can do it!!

Here are the questions:

1. About which local knitting artist and Yarnery teacher has the Yarn Harlot asked, "Who wants to try and bury her house?"

2. The Yarn Harlot has been here before. On what date was she here and where did she fly in from?

3. A song was sung to welcome the Yarn Harlot to our lovely city. What was the song, who sang it and what two languages was it sung in?

4. When the Harlot goes on tour what knitting project does she bring to get pictures of her fans with?

So let's go people, email me right quick and I promise we will have some fun. See you at the Harlot.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

BMFA Mystic Kelp Socks


BMFA_MKf
Originally uploaded by gloamingorchid
Yay! I finished a pair of socks!! (Only mumblemumble to go.)

BMFA Socks That Rock heavy weight in Mystic Kelp.

I used reverse linen stitch on the heel, and I love the way it shows off the colors.

Ravelry ID: GloamingOrchid for more photos.
Blog: InkyOrchid

Ragg Socks

Since mid-November, I have been laying around (well, not really) reading about knitting in all forms--books, magazines, blogs--whatever I can think of post hand surgery and recovery con hand therapy. The first 7 stitches that I tried after surgery, I broke out in an exhausted sweat. With a great team of cheerleaders, I have been knitting a bit. Finally.

Some time in January, I finished the toes (really, just the toes) on these socks for My Husband. The weaving in with ends was too difficult at the time I finished knitting them, so I waited until I was able to safely maneuver a tapestry needle.

I am also working on Fair Isle socks from Sarah Dallas. I knit the cuff (patern part) before surgery predicting plain knitting needed with bigger needles.
I have just started the second cuff . . .

Heather helped me make this choice at The Yarnery. She was smart about helping me choose something that I would be able to knit as well as love when they are done!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Peacock Socks


A couple of years ago, I gave my friend a pair of knitted socks for her birthday. This year in her holiday card, she asked if I had a pair of knitted size 9 socks lying around...well, I didn't have an extra pair lying about, so I knitted her the 'peacock' socks. Happy Birthday Rose (you'll have to wait until October).


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Finished Rainbow Socks

These socks are for my son who picked out "rainbow yarn" this summer. Thanks to Ravelry, I discovered that the colorway knits up more red than I expected. To keep my blue-loving child happy I added in blue heel, toe and cuff.


The rainbow yarn is Brown Sheep Wildfoote in Rock and Roll and the blue is from a 50g ball of Trekking I bought a few years ago. Amazingly, the blues matched really well.

Kureyon Socks WIP


Here are my current WIP socks. I'm pretty sure these won't be done by the end of the month. I have gotten side-tracked on a new project:) This is one skein of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn that I split into two balls so that I could alternate rows with two different parts of the colorway. I like how these are turning out. They are knit on US 1 circulars, K1P1 rib on the instep and I'm using Cat Bordhi's riverbed architecture. I've heard a lot of negative comments about this yarn, but I really like it. It is thick/thin and the thin parts are REALLY thin, but once it is knit up, I don't notice the thin parts. This yarn probably isn't for everyone, but it feels fine to me.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

February Socks


I finished this pair last night. I used my coupon from January and bought this Step yarn. I had never used before. I call these my Pippi Longstocking stockings, since I think these are bright ones she might wear. They are deliberately mismatched. I also did my eye of partridge heel, which I really like.
I was able to complete my two pair of great white socks for my socks for soldiers project and get them mailed off to be dyed. My stash never seems to get smaller. And I always seem to get one more pair on the needles as soon as I complete one.
But then, it's so darn cold out, I tend to want to stay in and knit most nights.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Socks


crush2
Originally uploaded by blacksheepknits
I made these for my 8 year old for Valentine's Day with Moda Dea Sassy Stripes from my stash, bought before I knew what "good" sock yarn was! I was hoping to destash some and use this up, but I still have enough for a couple of pairs for my 1 year old too. Ce la vie!

Its been pretty quite here- I hope everyone is happily knitting and all is well!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Socks and Mittens

First, socks.

Buffy Monkey

They're Monkeys in hand dyed yarn in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer colorway. I swear that both of them are done but I only took a picture of the one. I finished them in January so they don't count as finished socks for this month anyways.

I also wanted to post my mittens since I was working on them at the knit night.

NHM #3

Emily
seeemilyknit.blogspot.com