Stitch, Brinn, Stitch!

August is Green

August 11, 2011 in knitting | Tags: knitting, life, socks, sweater, tv, wip, work in preogress | 2 comments

Judging by the projects i currently have on the needles, I’m in something of a green jag (unsurprising seeing as it’s one of my favorite colors). Also, still on the sock jag. I’m working on two projects more or less simultaneously, so neither is finished, but one’s getting there.

First, there’s the artichoke socks I’ve been working on:

I’m currently cruising down the foot. They’re interesting enough to make for perfect television knitting. I finished watching through SG1 and a spotty re-watch of SGA (I re-watched the ones I like and now I’m sad there’s no more because OH I love that show). I’m currently about three episodes into Stargate: Universe and four episodes into the first season of Game of Thrones (which I like, but OH DEAR it is depressing as hell. Daenerys (WHATEVER) is hella awesome though).

My internet knitting (a simple project I work on when I’m trolling Ravelry or my Google Reader account or whatever) is the Box 96 Pullover from IK Summer 2010. I’m working it in a delightfully bright green cotton/acrylic mix I recycled. This is the back so far:

I like this pattern because it’s got year-round wear potential–as a tank in warm weather and a vest in cooler weather. And yes, I know people tend not to wear BRIGHT BRIGHT green in the dead of winter, but you know, I also wear white after Labor Day. So there. : )

August 8, 2011 in knitting | Tags: finished object, FO, leg warmers, socks, stirrup socks, wool-ease | Leave a comment

Things I learned during this FO photo shoot:

1. Virginia Beach in August is HOT.
2. It is very difficult to photograph your own legs by yourself.
3. Aforementioned VB heat + acrylic/wool legwarmers = DEAR JESUS, MELTING.

Possibly I already knew those things already. Anyway.

Pattern: Sausalito Stirrup Socks from Lion Brand, sort of, not really.
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease, two(ish) skeins in Wood Print.
Needles: US 8/5 mm
Mods: I mostly just used the CO number then did calf increases where necessary/I felt like it.

Aside from the fact that it’s fucking HOT and wearing these outside was kind of miserable, I really like how they came out. I used up some stash, I’ll have warm socks come winter, and they’re pretty cute. They’re a little loose at the top, so I’ll have to wear a garter belt or some garters or something, but provided I can get them to stay up, I suspect they’ll get a lot of wear come cooler weather.

Also: Sock Jag? Still happening.

A Little FO

August 5, 2011 in embroidery | Tags: art, embroidery, finished object, FO, hoop, oasis, song lyrics | 1 comment

This is not a knitted thing! Well, I mean, I have a finished knitted thing, but we’ll talk about that tomorrow or something. Anyway, I embroidered a thing:

Just a tiny hoop, took me about an hour to stitch (please ignore the disappearing ink marks that haven’t quite disappeared yet). It’s stitched on some linen from a thrift store skirt, which was annoyingly paneled. Fortunately, the panels are the perfect width for tiny hoops like this.

The line, in addition to be a nice sentiment, is from an Oasis song I really like of the same name. Here’s a video for you:

New Pattern (Plus a Sale)

August 2, 2011 in knitting | Tags: amigurumi, betta fish, cat toys, finished object, FO, knitting, pattern, toy | 2 comments

In such little time I didn’t even tell you I was working on it, I released a new pattern!

Betta Fish Amigurumi

US $3.00

These cute little ami Bettas are perfect for last minute gifts for any Betta lover (or playful kitty). They work up fast (about 45 minutes) with only about 30 yards of yarn. Add a little stuffing and a little puff paint or embroidery for eyes and you’ve got a cute little fishie you don’t have to remember to feed.

Materials:

– Set of 5 US 5/3.75 mm dpns
– US 6/4 mm straight needles

Yarn: 30 yards worsted weight/10ply yarn

Gauge: Not especially important

Finished measurements: Finished toy measures approx. 6”x5”

The pattern for this little fishie is available in my Ravelry store for $3. BUT if you buy any other pattern in my store this week, you’ll get the Betta Fish pattern for free! You don’t even need a code! Just add the patterns you want to purchase and the Betta fish pattern to your cart and the discount should be applied automatically.

FO: Multnomah

August 1, 2011 in knitting | Tags: finished object, FO, knitting, lace, multnomah, scarf, shawl, socks that rock | 1 comment

So I didn’t do a lot of knitting at the beach, but I did make enough progress on my Multnomah that I finished it up on Saturday afternoon.

Pattern: Multnomah
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Silkie in Nodding Violets
Needles: US 4/3.75 mm KP options circ
Mods: Only eight feather and fan repeats cause I ran out of yarn

So this is the prettiest shawl ever and you should be jealous. Also, it was super nice to make and the pattern in really easy. Also, this yarn is fantastic–soft and shiny and silky and slinky. Delightful.

I hit the shawl with some steam to open it up a bit. I used a smaller needle that I usually would with a fingering weight shawl, so the garter stitch is squooshy and dense. LOVE. Can’t wait until it’s cooler so I can actually wear it cause I would wear it all the time. : )

Back from the Beach

July 30, 2011 in jewelry | Tags: beach, boyfriend, jewelry, life, shells, stitch markers, vacation | Leave a comment

I have returned from my week at the Outer Banks! It was super fun and I had a blast playing in the ocean, jet skiing, playing Scrabble and relaxing with the boyfriend. I unfortunately took almost no pictures (too busy playing!) and I did very little knitting. I did, however, get a lovely tan. Also, I did snap this shot of Joe when we went on a pedal boat ride:

I also did some shell hunting and seeing as I woke up at five this morning and was out of the house at 7:30, returning to Virginia Beach at 10:30, I had some crafting time. With a couple little shells, I whipped up some stitch markers.

I like this one because the stripes look like Nemo:

They’re quite small; the Nemo one is the size of my pinky fingernail. I don’t know how long they’ll last (the shell are not especially sturdy) but I’ll enjoy them while they do.

FO: Spidey Cables Hat

July 23, 2011 in knitting | Tags: cables, color work, finished object, FO, hat, knitting | Leave a comment

It’s still hot! I’m going to the Outerbanks with my boyfriend and his family this week! So posting will be limited from tomorrow through next Saturday or Sunday (plus I don’t know how much knitting I’ll be doing on the beach). Anyway, I made this hat. Because if you suck at colorwork, you should TOTALLY ADD CABLES to the mix.

Pattern: Colorful Cables Hat, from Stitch N Bitch Superstar Knitting
Yarn: Columbia-Minerva worsted wool and some red recycled merino
Needles: US 5 KP Options circ
Mods: None. I was thisclose to cutting out a pattern repeat but the decreases are short and I didn’t have to.

So despite the difficulty that knitting this hat was (I am not very experienced with colorwork), I’m super proud of it and it looks awesome. Yay. Can’t wait for cooler weather so I can wear it and not die of heat stroke.

Here is the obligatory inside-out photo so you can see my lovely floats:

Anyway, I’m off to the beach for the week! Be good while I’m gone!

FO: Cloud Cover

July 22, 2011 in knitting | Tags: cold weather things, finished object, FO, knee socks, knitting, socks | 3 comments

In case you’re living in some remote corner of the world and haven’t heard everyone in the US bitching about it, it has been HOT this week. I don’t actually go outside and we have air conditioning, so it figures that on the hottest days of the year, I knit knee-high wool socks and a stranded hat. Both of which I finished, but this post is about the socks, which I will love more in the winter.

Pattern: They are toe up socks. Do you need a pattern? Gusset/flap heel, wedge toe.
Yarn: Jo Ann Sensations Dolcetto, three skeins in light blue. The colorway reminds me of clouds and the sky, hence, Cloud Cover.
Needles: US 2 and 5 KP options circs

So the yarn held out long enough for these to go just over the knee, which is all kinds of awesome. They will be perfect for under skirts in the winter (not that I’ll probably be working somewhere where that sort of dress is acceptable, but there are weekends!) and they’re pretty comfortable. I can also fold down the cuffs for actual knee socks:

I don’t have especially high hopes for the longevity of the heels/toes of these socks as the yarn is a cotton/wool/nylon blend single (well, fake single; it’s like a fuzzy chained something or other) and the toes are not knitted especially tightly. I figure I won’t wear them that often and I can always darn them if they develop holes, but they should be alright for the time being. I can’t for winter to roll around again so I can wear my socks (and so this damn heat wave will end!)

FO: Leah, Again

July 21, 2011 in knitting | Tags: finished object, FO, knitting, leah pattern, vest | 1 comment

Sooooo here is a finished object, the Leah vest I finished the other day.

Pattern: Leah. Still working on it.
Yarn: Feza Yarns Zarone, about 1.5 skeins.
Needles: US 6
Mods: Ugh.

So this came out too big again for some reason or other, probably gauge. Cause you know I don’t swatch, ever. I ended up sewing some darts in the side and down the back and it fits pretty well now, even if there are pretty obvious seam lines. I don’t care about the ones on the sides cause my arms are usually in the way, but the one in the back (which, no, you can’t see) could be neater.

Anyway, I managed to get a finished object I’m mostly pleased with. And slowly I’m working out the kinks in the pattern with the help of some dedicated testers. Hopefully it should be available… ever. Sometime. Eventually.

I also finished my thigh high socks (pics of those tomorrow maybe) and started a colorwork hat. With cables. Because I suck at colorwork, so OF COURSE we should add cables to the mix. Fearless knitter, that’s me.

Knit All the Things!

July 19, 2011 in knitting | Tags: knitting, shawl, socks, wip, work in progress | 1 comment

In a fit of startitus, I cast on for All the Things. Okay, just two things I wasn’t already working on, but still.

I started some socks in KP Stroll (Well, Essential cause I’ve had it for while, but it’s the same)

It was a 100g skein I split and as you can see, the outside was a different color than the inside. Which is possibly why it was on sale when I bought it. Luckily, I don’t mind mismatched socks.

I also started a Multnomah shawl in Socks that Rock Silkie.

It’s the prettiest shawl ever, and you should be jealous.

Also, there’s these socks I’ve been working on in Jo Ann Sensations Dolcetto (which has been since discontinued)

They’re currently knee high and I have about 20g for each sock left, so I’m going to switch to ribbing and see how far I get.

I have FO shots of the most recent Leah vest and when I do that post, I will have some Things to Say because I am thisclose to scrapping the whole damn project. It turned out too big and I had to sew some darts and yeah. Anyway. Look at the socks and shawl!