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I currently have a whole series of works-in-progress going, of various and sundry crafts. It’s summer and I’m unemployed, which means if I only stick to one stockinette-based project at a time, I’ll lose my damn mind.
Anyway, yeah. There’s the Box 96 pullover I’ve been working on:
Finished the back and am working up the front.
There’s the aforementioned Ivy sockettes:
A somewhat-secret project, which is a new design, which will hopefully be somewhat seasonally appropriate when it gets released:
And some sewing projects. I believe I hinted about this project a couple of months ago:
I took all the shirts (mostly free) I got from my years at UMW, cut squares from the graphics, and am in the process of sewing them into a t-shirt quilt. They’re sewn in columns currently, so I have to sew the columns together, but I picked up a large sheet at the thrift yesterday for a backing, so at this point it’s just a lot of sewing. I haven’t decided if I want to do an edge binding (probably not because JESUS that would take forever), but I’ll definitely be quilting and top stitching. Loooooots of top stitching.
Finally, there’s one last sewing project in the works:
That there is a stack of delightfully soft felted cashmere squares cut from various thrifted sweaters. I need about one more sweater’s worth of squares and then I have to sew it all together. Not sure how I’m going to do that yet (overlap and zigzag stitch maybe?), but I know when it’s done, it’ll be ohhhhhhhh so soft and warm.
So that’s what’s in the works. I’ll probably finish the new design first but I might hold off on showing it off until the pattern’s done. What say you, readers? Do you prefer to see the FOs as I knit them and then the pattern updates or save everything for the pattern update?
So I finished those mismatched green socks yesterday.
Pattern: Artichoke
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll (when it was Essential) in Ivy
Needles: US 1 circ for magic loop
Mods: None. Did the flap/gusset heel and a wedge toe.
As you can see (and as I have mentioned), these socks are two different colors. Two different shades of green. Both socks were knit from one 100g skein of Esstenial. I divided the skein into two balls, the inside and the outside. So clearly there was some uneven dyeing or some fading or something. This is possibly why the yarn was on sale when I bought it. I love KP Stroll though and I have no problem with mismatched socks.
The pattern was also lovely. The lace pattern was very easy to memorize but interesting enough to make knitting the socks fun and not boring. Perfect TV knitting. They are a big large on me (they’re 64 stitch socks and I usually make 56 stitch socks for myself) but I think they’ll shrink just a tad in the washing machine.
And anyway, now I have a new pair of socks for the winter. Which, yay. I’ve already started a pair of sockettes with the leftovers, which shouldn’t take too long to knit.
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. : )
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.
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. : )
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!
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!)
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.
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!
Okay, yes, it’s been nothing but FO’s lately (I have a lot of time). In my defense, this one took about an hour of knitting time.
Pattern: Ruched Eye Sleep Mask
Yarn: Malabrigo in Pearl Ten, about ten grams.
Needles: US 6/4 mm
Mods: None.
A. This was super easy and quick to knit up.
B. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmalabrigo.
C. It’s very useful in blocking out light and much softer than the sewn ones I’ve made (and then lost).
In conclusion: Malabrigo is great.
Also, here’s a WIP photo for you:
It’s another version of Leah vest so I can get this damn pattern out in the world. If you’re interested in test knitting, especially larger sizes, pleeeeeease let me know.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 