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You know, I really don’t mean to go off the radar for weeks at a time. Anyway, I’m working on things. First up, socks:
I frogged the blotchy socks I was working on before (they were coming out too small) and restarted with the Carousel Sock pattern from the latest Knitting. The structure is really interesting and holds my interest for the entire sock. Plus you only have 12 stitches at a time, so that’s nice.
The next project is a Hexagon Petal Tee from the IK Spring 2011 in Tahki Cotton Classic. I’m making it for a WWFY swap except, as I have more than enough time, I received two back issues of IK, Inspired to Knit, and Whimsical Little Knits Two. Because you can never have enough knitting books, right? Right.
I’m sure I will have a full WIP post about this last project if for no other reason than I’ve restarted the damn thing five times. Apparently I have trouble with charts. IDEK.
It looks like this now (plus a few more rounds if I haven’t ripped it all out in frustration/inability to count when you read this):
Oh, and also, I bought a Kindle Fire. It is amazing and I’m currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I got through the library. Excite. Also, it’s fantastic for knitting patterns and charts.
I am knitting a pair of vanilla socks in a blotchy yarn. I’m not too concerned with how they look since I like making socks and I like wearing handknit socks. They look like this so far:
I have also started reading a knitting related book:
It’s about that woman that knitted Mary Tudor (the sweater) and wrote about it. I’m not that far in yet, but Adrienne Martini has a great voice, making her book very interesting (plus I like knitting).
I must confess I haven’t been doing a tremendous amount of knitting lately, mostly because my job leaves me exhausted and I need to be working on my Whedonverse swap package (one more thing and some finishing touches). I have a bit of time before that though.
Ravelry tells me I started this project in May. It is now March. For those keeping track at home, that’s a total of ten months. Which makes this little pair of shorts the project spanning the longest time period yet. Anyway, they’re done now.
Pattern: Studio Shorts
Yarn: Hobby Lobby I Love This Cotton (it’s like kittens, for real)
Needles: US 6/4 mm
Mods: Fewer hip decreases, probably more short rows. I don’t really know at this point.
They’re not really that wrinkly but it’s difficult to take a picture of your own ass/short-wearing section even with a tripod. And it was cold out, hence the tights. I suspect it will warm up soonishly and I’ll get a chance to wear them. They fit really well with the drawstring and they’re super comfortable. Hobby Lobby’s cotton is super soft, much nicer than kitchen cotton.
Now, anyone who’s followed this blog for any length of time will know that I’m a huge nerd. I love the recent Marvel movies (and I’m constantly disappointed I never got into comics as a kid) and I’m completely obsessed with all things Joss Whedon. Naturally, this means I’ll be going to see the Avengers at midnight when it opens. I’m thinking these shorts, green tights, green shirt, maybe some lurid green eyeshadow. Maybe green flip flops. Even though the Hulk is not at the top of my favorite Avengers (I really love Thor and Iron Man), it is the one I can easily dress up as. So that’s happening.
Knowing me, I won’t get around to uploading a WIP post about the socks I’m working on, so know that I’ve started a pair of blotchy vanilla socks in Premier Serenity Sock. I’ll probably be able to get two pairs out of the two balls I have, actually. I also started a sweater in crochet, but I’ve sort of put that aside for the socks, so more on that later.
I started knitting these socks on August 20 and finished them on March 3. That’s over six months. For one pair of socks. To be fair, I knit a lot of other things in that time, but still. Six months. The only other thing it took me this long to knit was my Featherweight, which I also put down for 4-5 months. And there’s those shorts I was working on that will probably have the same time jump. Anyway, socks.
Pattern: Skew from Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Handpainted in “Tea Party” about 60g.
Needles: US 1/2.25 mm
Mods: I did the cuff differently because I was done following directions at that point. I did the decrease short rows til I had 60 sts then did regular short rows til the sides were even, then did a 2×2 cuff.
I am always surprised about how much yarn it takes to knit a pair of socks for me. I consistently use around 60g of sock weight yarn, leaving me with a somewhat awkward left over amount. Though I suppose with two 40g leftover balls I can make a whole other pair, so I guess it’s nice that out of two skeins of sock yarn, I can get three full pairs of socks.
I really love the way these came out. The heel makes them a little tricky to get on, but once they’re on, they fit so well. The instep hugs my arch and the stripe of increases across the back sort of feels like a strap, holding the socks in place. They’re pretty awesome socks.
I’ll probably make them again because it’s a pretty easy, fun pattern. I think I’ll do stripes next time. Maybe I’ll even follow the pattern all the way through. Who the hell know? I’ll just knit all the things.
I can’t remember if I mentioned here that I joined a hat swap, but I did and I sent out the hat I made. My partner has received it, so I can go ahead and show it off here:
Pattern: Zombie Killer Slouch
Yarn: Recycled merino held double
Needles: US 8/5 mm
Mods: I did the straight section about an inch shorter, mostly because I was tired of knitting it.
I was surprised at how much yarn this took: It’s basically half a sweater. The yarn is fantastic though, soft with a firm twist that held up through frogging bobbles.
My partner appears to like the hat I made, so that’s another swap success at least on my end. I was worried it came out too big because it looked ridiculous on my head (but I have very short hair and the hat sort of swallowed me up). I based it on a pattern/picture she had on Pinterest, down to the color and everything, so that’s good.
Stay tuned for the completed Skew Socks, next time on Stitch, Brinn, Stitch!
Sooooo anyone remember the Skew socks I started in August and posted briefly about in September? No? Well, I finally picked the damn things up again. I finished the first sock:
And I’m almost up to the ankle shaping on the second:
Not really sure what I’m going to knit next. I might finish the shorts I started forever ago and I might knit a vest. Who the hell knows. Yay, knitting.
I finished the vest I was test knitting for someone on Ravelry. I think it’s pretty cute:
Pattern: Ardys (Not up yet)
Yarn: Recycled merino held double
Needles: US 8/5 mm
Mods: None, since it was a test.
You’ll note that I have on a sleeveless dress and am barefoot. This is because it was 79 degrees outside. In February. Not only have we skipped winter, we’ve also skipped spring and gone right on to summer, apparently.
Anyway, I love how my vest came out. It probably needs a more intense blocking (I just steamed it a bit), but I like it with the belt. Also, it is my second sweater knit of the year. I’m aiming for 12 again this year but I’ll be working to include several tanks which I can wear under blouses in the winter.
I also got some exciting mail today:
I’m a member of the Selfish Knitters and Crocheters group on Ravelry and we ordered buttons.
The three middle ones are from SKC. The bottom one says “Mine.” The middle one says “Knitworthy” and the top one says “Yes, I am selfish. I live by the judgment of my own mind.” Because of course my purse needed some bastardized Ayn Ran. Also, there’s no bullying button (which I got from work) and a Juniper Moon Fiber Farm button (which I got from KIP day this past summer). There is a button on the vest in the previous pictures that says “mine.” which I also got from SKC.
I received an email yesterday from a woman whose son recently lost his Betta fish to infection. She said she did not knit but her son was missing his pet and could I possibly make a knitted one for him that looks like his pet.
You can’t really turn down such an adorable request, can you? Of course not. This is the picture of Rosie she sent me:
I happen to have some blue/purple yarn that was a pretty close color match, though not shiny, obviously. Here’s the fish I came up with:
(It’s a little blue-er in real life.)
I used a slightly modified Betta fish pattern of mine. I added the front red bits and did the bottom fin a little differently than in the pattern. I sent a picture to the woman who requested the fish and her son is pleased with it. So that’s good.
Because what the hell good is knitting if you can’t occasionally help a sad kid?
(PS You can now purchase handknit betta fish on my etsy shop here.)
My partner, TwistedTruth, received her package yesterday so I can FINALLY post about the completely awesome things I made her. I have been DYING to show you guys this stuff since I started. I am completely thrilled with everything I made. So here’s what I made:
First, the card:
Paper cut out, gold cardstock and black sharpie, covered with mod podge. Seriously, you guys. I need to do this paper cut out/pod podge delio more often because I really enjoy it and the results are usually pretty good.
Then a cross stitch bookmark:
I used the pattern that’s located here for the Professor then sewed some red felt on the back. My partner does a lot of ATC swaps, so I figure this could be a fabric ATC if she wanted.
Then I did some drawings, which isn’t a thing I usually do because I generally consider myself non-artistic. But I can copy an image pretty well:
Colored pencil and sharpie on card stock. My partner said she likes Pazzuzzu, the professor’s gargoyle. I thought this was a cute scene to sketch. I left the color testing on the side because I find that sort of thing interested, but she can trim it off if she likes.
Next is a somewhat more ambitious art piece:
Sharpie on card stock. Based on this toadily (yes, I went there) bitchin’ image here which is, of course, based on this iconic Obama poster. I am completely, utterly thrilled with how this came out and I am considering making another for myself. Because seriously, I’m toadily (yes, again) chuffed with it.
Last and not least (greatest, actually) is the pis de resistance, this fantastic stuffie:
It’s a knitted Robot Devil! Made in recycled wool. A pattern I made up as I went and which is probably entirely too complicated for me to want to write up. He has cardboard in the larger shapes and 18 gauge wire in the limbs so they can be posed. He doesn’t sit up very well but I think it’s a pretty good likeness.
Look at his little fingers!
I can’t wait to see what my partner makes for me but I’m so excited about the things that I made that getting stuff in return is just icing on my crafting cake.
I currently have a total of five knits on the needles, but we’re going to forget about the three I haven’t touched in ages to focus on the two sweaters I’ve got in the works.
The first is a heavily-modified version of the Airy Lace Wrap-Around Sweater from Fitted Knits. I just recently made one for a swap, but I’ve started another for me:
I’m using a recycled nylon/viscose/angora/cashmere blend, a laceweight held double. I’m using a smaller needle than recommended because my yarn doesn’t have the halo that mohair has. I’m going to make the sleeves and the body longer, forgo the cables, and probably mess with the wrap ties.
The second sweater I have OTN is a test knit, the thread for which is here. It’s a super cute vest with cable detailing.
This is a recycled merino fingering held double. I’m loving the fabric I’m getting.
And yes, those are my adorable adipose stitch markers.
BONUS! Kitty picture:
Sometimes Scrawny forgets to pull his tongue back into his mouth.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 
