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So Monday’s Halloween but people celebrate on the weekend cause they have jobs and stuff. Unfortunately, I’m doing nothing for Halloween. Well, I’ll be knitting. And watching science fiction tv (finishing up Charmed and starting Torchwood next I think). And drinking. Cause I’m a grown up, that’s why.
So I’m bummed that all my friends are three hours away so I have no one to celebrate with. Maybe I’ll wear cat ears and sit on the porch with some candy. Maybe I’ll dress young and go trick or treating. *shrug*
Anyway, things are going slowly on the knitting front because I’ve been volunteering full time. I have substitute orientation on Tuesday, so after that I’ll be actually getting paid for all the work I’ve been doing. Which will be the exact same time commitment but I’ll have some money. Which I’m going to need if I’m going to move next year (and I am).
Here are some things I’m working on:
Lace Ribbons Pullover in mohair for WWFY. Possibly a long-term project.
Fingerless mitts which I’m sure I’ll finish up quickly. Also for WWFY and in EL Silky Wool.
And this sweater. My mother picked it up at the thrift store today for me to unravel, which I’ve started doing. It’s a very loosely spun thick/thin single in a nice blue. Some of it will probably get knit into an Urchin hat, but much of it I think I will attempt to respin into a thinner more even yarn. It’s a ton of yarn as-is and would probably end up as twice as much of an even 2-ply dk. So that’ll be nice.
Do you guys have any plans for Halloween? Tell me in the comments so I can live vicariously through you.
So I finished some things today for Etsy and got them in the mail. And I remembered to take pictures! Well, 2/3 anyway.
Pattern: Spiffy Spats (pattern linked on the patterns page)
Yarn: Recycled wool dyed grey
Needles: US 9/5.5 mm
I also made some sharks:
And the kitty try to play too is Stretch, a recent addition to my house of cats. Here’s a picture:
He’s not very bright and he kind of always has that clueless look and he annoys the other cats, but he’s nice. And enormous (he weighs like 20 lbs). : )
So I do not have any FO’s at the moment (though I have shark mittens that just need teeth). I did, however, sign up for two more WWFY swaps (with the same person) because apparently I just like hoarding yarn and not actually knitting anything for myself. I figure I’ll stock up now so I’ll have lots to knit when I’m desperately poor and need the money for rent and groceries and whatnot.
Anyway, so I’m knitting Lacy Ribbons in Douceur et Soie (basically Cracksilk Haze). It’s pretty:
In return, I got six skeins Noro Aurora, which is SPARKLY. Seriously, I love it:
I’m also knitting fingerless mitts, but that yarn was just sent today, so more on that later.
I’m back to full-time job hunting, which basically means full-time knitting and watching Charmed (which is the latest sci fi/fantasy show I’ve gotten into. I love it; it’s like Buffy except sometimes the characters are happy and there are more witches). This means there is more time for knit blogging.
I recently finished up the last pair of shark mittens on order. They look like this:
I also started another knitting project for me (even though I have two others on the needles at the moment). As I mentioned the other day, it’s Karlsro in some recycled wool. I went down a couple of needle sizes, and this is my sleeve so far:
Don’t mistake it for a swatch. You know I don’t do that.
I also managed to do some dyeing the other day. I recently recycled some undyed wool from a thrift store vest, and I dunked it in some dye:
Colorway: Sharks. For knitting more shark mittens, obviously.
Colorway: Gradiation Experimentation. I rolled yp two 50g skeins into loose balls and dunked them in a bucket of purple kool aid for a bit. Voila, two gradient-dyed skeins. Not sure what to knit with them yet. Maybe a striped something or other. Thoughts?
So, before we get to the FO: Bad news, bears. I did not get the job I was hoping for. Good news: More time for crafting and therefore blog posting. Bad news: My only income is my Rav pattern store and my Etsy store (so like, buy my shit please). Good news: The intent to move up to Fairfax with my boyfriend is back and stronger than ever. Bad news: Not sure who’d hire me for less than a year since Joe’s planning to go to grad school next year.
Anyway, that’s enough good news/bad news.
Pattern: Box 96 Pullover from IK Summer 2010
Yarn: Recycled 60/40 cotton/acrylic sportish weight.
Needles: US 5/3.75 mm KP Options (I seriously love these needles)
Mods: Removed the roll brim in favor of garter sleeve bands. Crocheted the lace bits to the sweater. I didn’t knit the roll edging at the bottom but started right in on the decreases. It’s stocinette, so it rolls, but not much. And I still might do a row or two of sc along the bottom.
So I totally fell in love with this vest when IK Summer 2010 came out. It stuck in my brain. I eventually got the magazine from someone on Ravelry and have just now gotten around to making the vest. And I love it. I totally love it. The V is a bit deeper than anticipated, so I have to wear a tank under it if I wear it as a shirt.
It did come out a titch too big because I steam blocked it and there’s a substantial acrylic content. It’s got a lot of cotton too, so I think a spin through the washer and dryer should shrink it up a bit. And it does fit as is, I just might have to wear a belt as styled.
I can never remember whether I’ve told you about the 12 sweaters/12 months challenge I participate in on Ravelry (the group is here, but this marks number nine fr the year. I frogged a couple I made (some Leah versions), but I still made them, so I’m right on track for knitting 12 sweaters this year. Also, not all of them were for me.
I’ve pulled out the yarn, needles, and pattern book for Karlsro, a wrap sweater from Noro Book One. I knit a version for a WWFY swap and I rather liked the pattern, so I’m starting one for myself in a brown recycled wool. Y’know, once I finish all the shark mittens. : )
The thing about suddenly working (or volunteering) a full-time job when you’re used to having the whole day for whatever is that I have waaaay less time for knitting. And I have shark mitten orders which means I’ve put knitting for myself on hold. : ( I currently have three orders outstanding (one is for two pairs of children’s mittens).
I have all the parts knit for the first two pairs, and I need to put them together. The next pair is a bit past the thumb gusset.
I’ve also been doing some unravelling. My mother found a big red cabled pullover that I’m working on (though it’s a little felted). I also recently found a tan cashmere sweater to felt for my blanket. Which I have enough sweaters to make decent-sized, I just need to get around to doing the sewing. And I’ll need a warmer blanket soon because the weather was in the 60s for the last couple days so I got to wear knits. : ) I much prefer fall to summer.
After much testing and editing, I finished and uploaded the pattern for the slip stitch hat I posted on here last week. I’m pretty pleased with it; I hope you are too.
US $3.00
Ravel it!
Knit up in practically no time at all, these hats are a great stash buster for leftovers in multiple colors. Great for last minute gifts or to keep your own head toasty warm.
Materials:
– Set of 5 US 6/4 mm dpns
Yarn: 80-120 yards worsted weight wool (total)
Three color: 40-50 yards color A, 20-30 yards colors B and C
Two color: 60-90 yards color A, 30-40 yards color B
Gauge: 4.5 sts/9 rows per inch slip stitch pattern
Finished measurements: Un-stretched about 19” around. Should fit heads up to 23” around
*awkwardly shuffles to the front*
*taps mic*
Hello?
Well, it’s certainly been a while, huh? Two and a half weeks. Do I even have readers left?
I know it can be irritating to read posts that are just apologies for not posting, so I’ll keep it brief: As I mentioned before, I spent some time in DC and then I spent some time in the hospital (I’m fine now, it was a mental health thing). I just got back to Virginia Beach yesterday and spent most of the day cleaning.
I haven’t been doing a whole lot of knitting, but I’ve sort of been working on the first of a pair of Skew socks:
I also did/am doing some unravelling:
(A 60/40 cotton/acrylic with horrible seams)
(lambswool/angora/nylon)
(wool/nylon)
Oh, also, while I was in DC, I visited a yarn store (Knit and Stitch = Bliss in Bethesda) and purchased a skein of Malabrigo worsted in Noviembre:
So I’ll go back to the knitting and then I’ll get back to the posting. : )
The Ivy Sockettes are finished!
Pattern: My own, sort of. Toe up with a wedge toe and an odd short row/gusset hybrid heel thing.
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll (Essential) in Ivy. Pretty much used up the rest.
Needles: US 1
So these knit up pretty quickly and are a simple, utilitarian object. They will get a lot of wear throughout the seasons. The yarn is a good, solid sock yarn and I believe I have previously professed my love for it. It’s cheap and works up into nice, soft, sturdy socks.
The construction of these sockettes, on the other hand, was…special. Because I knit my Artichoke socks two at a time, the leftover yarn was already split into two balls, so I knit these two at a time too. Which worked out fine until I got to the heel. As it turns out, I divided my yarn unevenly, so I ran out of yarn on the first sock and had to use a tiny bit of different sock yarn. Which is annoying because I had plenty in the other ball after I finished the second sock.
I knit a mini-gusset into each sock. The first heel attempt was a short row heel which resulted in a too-wide heel and some Issues. So I ripped it back and moved the short rows more to the center and worked some decreases like in a regular flap heel turn to decrease the gussets out of the number of stitches on the back of the heel.
All in all, they came out pretty well and the fit is great–the gusset means they’re higher in the back of the heel and the shallow toe means the sock is hidden under most shoes. So yay. Sockettes are a perfect use for the leftovers after a pair of mid-calf socks and I think I might write up the pattern the next time I make a pair. Would anyone be interested in testing?
And I have, of course, started another pair of socks (Skew in KP Stroll Handpaints), so I suspect I’ll be knitting more sockettes soon.
PS: I am in DC for the week to move my sister into college and to visit my boyfriend, so posting might be spotty. I am planning to visit a new yarn store while I’m there though, so there’ll probably be a post about that.
Sooooo I finished knitting up that new design I was talking about the other day! And it is way too hot for modeled shots, so enjoy these pictures on my yarn-themed mannequin head.
Pattern: Slip Stitch Hat, currently in testing. Needs a new name. Suggestions?
Yarn: Cascade Eco (light grey), Plymouth Galway (dark grey), recycled wool (cream), recycled wool hand-dye (pink), Valley Northampton (purple), and KP Wool of the Andes (light purple cast off row). Basically, scraps.
Needles: US 6/4 mm dpns and circular
So I’m pretty pleased with how these hats came out, especially the grey one. The pink/purple one is just a tick too short (I ran out of yarn and couldn’t make it any longer), so I will have to find a recipient with a smaller head than mine (shouldn’t be too hard; my head is 22″ around). The grey one fits perfectly and I adore it. ADORE.
I was flipping through a stitch dictionary the other day and found one called “Joyous Stripes”, which I’ve adapted to this hat here. And let me tell you, it is PERFECT for using up scraps. I may make another with rainbow colors provided I can find some more of some colors (maybe I’ll just dye some). Also, super warm. The stitch pattern makes the hat pretty dense so it should keep the wind out.
In other knitting news, I am thisclose to finishing the Ivy sockettes, which means I am thisclose to starting a new pair of socks (Skew, I think). I’m also plugging away on my Box 96 pullover, which I hope I can finish in time to wear in warm weather (I should; you know I knit like the wind). I keep meaning to pull out my sewing again so I can work on my blankets but I don’t really have a good place to put the machine, so it’s mostly knitting here.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 