Introducing

Big Brown. Yes, this is the big, boring, brown cardigan that was started last summer. According to my ravelry projects page, I cast on June 30, 2008 and finished December 2, 2008. Which in fact did happen. But then I wore it to work and I didn't like the sleeves, they were too short and too flared. Then while organizing the yarns down in the studio - I found one more hank of the organic wool this is made from. Woo Hoo! So the sweater went back into the "working on" pile. Yea right. It sat for several weeks until I finally ripped the sleeves back to the start of the bell shaping. I then re-knit the sleeves, binding them off on Friday, January 30th. It still needs a good soaking and a little lie down on the guest bed, but then it will become a work horse in a wardrobe filled with cardigans - but not a single brown one! I know! (apparently, I also need to learn to stand up straight and be ready for when an impatient photographer is taking the photo. I have approximately 15 seconds to get the sweater on, find a backdrop, and attempt to look presentable. lately - I suck.)

I Might Have to Re-Knit These

The Love My Way Charade socks for Miss L are finished. However as I was grafting the heels closed I thought these feel really tight. I did knit most of them during all the worry about Abby. Most of the time knitting relaxes me and I don't knit super tight - I knit tight, but not super tight. Good thing I enjoy the process as much as the finished project. Specs: Pattern: Charade Mods: Worked toe up with afterthought heel. I also alternated the pattern so that slipped stitch moved. Yarn: Lotus Yarns Nirvana Needle: 40" US 0 magic looped Started: November 29, 2008 Finished: December 18, 2008 If they don't cut off all circulation to her toes, I'll get modeled shots of Miss L. wearing them when we get home. If they do - well anyone who cares will have to wait until they've been knit again.

Maybe I Didn't Tell You

but earlier this year when Miss D and I went to Madrona, I bought a kit that had been put together by a yarn store fairly close to my house for the felted hedgehog. This same store also had the felted dog bone on display but had sold out of the patterns. Well the hedgie kit has been taking up space in the studio since last February. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to throw it into my bag and take it along to knit night. Even though it involved counting - I was able to get most of the body done that night at knitting. When I got home, I finished the little contrast feet but had to wait until I could get a new needle to finish the back. About that time, I decided I was ready to start the bone. I had thought I could download the pattern on ravelry - but I was wrong! I called the same store I got the hedgie kit and had them ship me the pattern. Tuesday evening I finished hedgie and started on the bone. Friday I dumped them in the washer with some of JB's jeans. The bone is almost dry and ready to be finished. Hedgie will take a little bit longer. The top picture is pre-felting. The bottom is post-felting. The bone ended up a little distorted, but I think it will be fine. I'm not positive I'm going to give it to Lucy though. I have decided it's probably not the best idea to give a dog a felted wool toy in a house where wool lives.

Finito

Cast on and started this pair of socks 3 times before getting the right combination of needle and stitches. I was almost done with them before I figured it out! Cast on 32 stitches - toe up, magic looping. Increased to 72 stitches. Heels and Toes are worked in Garter stitch.

The needles size that worked was a US00s (1.75mm) needle - tiny! The fabric is very firm, but the yarn itself is thin and scratchy - I might try soaking it in conditioner. Once I got the heel stitches on waste yarn (after thought heels), I worked about 12 rows of stockinette, then 6 rows of 2x2 rib, then 10 rows of stockinette to make the top roll - I also increased the needle size on the rolled edge until I was using a US2 for the cast off! These are gift socks for The Musical One (who I don't think reads here, but if she does, oh well - she did walk into the kitchen while we were taking the photos!). She said last year's socks drooped - so this year she got short socks. And the left over balls of this yarn - going in the trash!!

Head and Shoulders,

Heels & Toes, Heels & Toes. No-Purl Monkeys, Afterthought heels done over 38 stitches (60%), ShiBuiKnits Stone for socks, Louet Gems Copper Heels & Toes 1.25mm needles

Time Out?

These are all done but the grafting. As I was working my way down the foot, I was seriously considering sending them swimming again~~trip to the frog pond anyone?

Why did I think they might need to be started over - that floppy picot edge. Because these were too small the first round. This time I cast on 12 extra stitches on the foot. I knit the heel flap over 60% of the stitches and knit it for much longer than called for. After that, I picked up 2 more stitches than the slipped stitch edge and reduced them out right away. I continued decreasing the gusset until the original 72 stitches where on the needles.

I like them. Even with the floppy picot. Hopefully the edge won't stretch out with washing. Yarn is Claudia's handpaints - gifted from Chan. Pattern is Mockery socks as shown by Camilla. Needle - Addi Turbo US 0 - magic looped doing both socks at the same time - from the top down.

Gifted

After knitting a wrap for latte girl, remember it? Well I finally picked up a hank of yarn to make the same wrap for latte girl's mom. I purchase a creamy white sterling silk and silver yarn. it was knit using Susan Bates Crystallites - the yellow ones. I don't remember what size they are and after my work out I'm feeling too lazy to go look! Because I thought the pink Cascade 220 came out a little small, I cast on 167 stitches or 30 more than the pattern called for. I then followed the pattern exactly. It's a very simple pattern that works up quickly. Blocks beautifully and produced a wrap that is light, airy and warm. I also hope it will be comforting. On Sunday, we loaded the dogs into the Jeep and grabbed the wraps to head off to the latte stand. We stopped and talked to latte girl and I gave her both shawls, explaining their purpose. I asked how her mother was doing (she has a good attitude, but chemo bites) and how latte girl was doing (she's hanging in there, mom's good attitude is really helping her).

Monday when JB got coffee, latte girl was there. She had delivered the white silk wrap to her mom. Her mother was thrilled. She was shocked that a customer would knit something for them. We just hope they bring a little comfort and warm as she deals with a horrible disease.

Knitting for Others

For some reason lately, I have no desire to knit for myself. I would much rather knit for others. A couple of weeks ago now, JB came home and told me one of the girls that works at the latte stand he frequents regularly found out her mom had a terminal illness. In his next breath he said, I don't know what to say or do to help. That's the problem, really, isn't it. None of us know what is appropriate to say or do. Thankfully - most of us haven't been in a similar situation. Being the little joiner that I am, I had agreed to knit along with a knitters garden (ravelry link) to make a super easy triangular shawl. I cast on for this on Monday night, using Cascade 220 in a very soft, light pink and US 13 needles (a size smaller than called for). I finished it on Tuesday night while watching Monday's episode of The Closer. I will say that it's a little bit smaller than I anticipated, but I'm taking it to knitting tonight to see if it will block bigger. I might also pick up a drapier yarn in a light green to make another. Then the green would go to the mom and the pink to the daughter. I hope these shawls will bring them comfort as they deal with what's ahead.

Erin's Bears

Here are three of the bears that I outfitted for Camp Erin. I believe you have seen the little one wearing the purple and cream dress with the bow in her hair. You've also seen the bikini bear - but now she's got a beach blanket/sarong. My last bear was another laying down bear. So I made some bloomers out of some Cascade 220 that I bought to make a felted purse. (we call all tell how well that played out - no need to be nasty.) I also designed a little jammie top. There is tiny white ribbon threaded through eyelets at the waist, ankles and neckline. I also made a buttonhole for her tail to show. This week at knitting we will be having the 'bear party.' If you knit a bear, it is due on Wednesday. There will be champagne and snacks to celebrate another year of bear making and the kick off to another successful camp. Wish you all could be there, I'll take photos.

Bamboo Meadow

I finally finished something. These socks have been named Bamboo Meadow by me and the "Jim Carrey" socks by JB. He says when he sees them all he sees if Jim Carrey in The Mask. These socks were knit using Knit Picks Essential Sock Yarn in the meadow colorway. I used a US 1 needle, knit both socks at the same time from the toes up, magic looping all the way. I did a 60% short row heel and reversed the stitch so the bumps are on the outside of the sock, rather than on the foot side. The stitch pattern is a semi made up one. I saw a friend knitting a pair of socks at knitting group that she called big bamboo. Upon doing an Internet search, I couldn't find any such stitch pattern. I used a 4 stitch repeat and proceeded as follows: Rows 1-5: Purl 1, Knit 3, repeat to end Rows 6-7: Purl 1, Knit 3, *Purl 5, Knit 3* repeat around Rows 8-12: Purl 1, Knit 3, repeat to end Rows: 13-14: Purl 5, Knit 3, repeat to end. What you get is a stitch pattern that loosely resembles the knobs on a bamboo plant. JB was getting tired of helping me photograph socks, so he decided we needed to compare Miss Lucy's socks with mine. As you can see - she doesn't have socks. Oh, by the way, I made these with a turned down cuff. So after getting the leg to the height I was after, I reversed the pattern so when I folded the top down - the right side of the pattern would show - pretty nifty :)

The Wool Stopped

here. Which coincidentally just happens to be the same place where I broke my wee little 2.0mm knit picks harmony circular needle I was using to make both of these socks at the same time.

More information about these socks can be found here, here, and on ravelry.

I did a knit one, slip one purl with yarn in front heel carrying two cables down the sides of the heel flap. I worked it for 4 repeats of the cable. It's a longer heel than I would normally make - but I'm liking it. Because of that - I picked up a ton of stitches on the side of the heel flap - 28 on each side. But I decreased 2 stitches from the edge on most every round.

How do you photograph your own feet? It's so not easy. I've never really designed my own socks before and I really like these. They were fun to knit, mindless once I figured out what part of the "cable" I really wanted to used and I managed to knit them up in under a month - with another sock on the go and the started cardigan. Thanks Cami.

Another Finished Knit

Tonight I grafted the toes on the Pink Princess socks. These were originally started right after the first of the year. I had The Princess look through Favorite Socks and mark a few patterns that she liked. My friend D started calling these the 'peppermint candy' socks. This pair went on vacation with us last month - but I wasn't very far along. I did 7 patterns of the lace on the leg, then made the heel. My goal was to get the heel turned and the gusset completely decreased before coming home so The Princess could try them on. I managed to get that accomplished, but didn't get an process pictures of her trying them on. They are long enough in the leg for her and fit through the heel and gusset. You can see that they are too big for me. The kid wears a size 10.5 shoe! These socks are long. Pattern: Merino Lace Socks by Anne Woodbury from Favorite Socks. Yarn: Maxime Print by Filatura deLarosa, 2 balls Needles: Addi Turbo, 40" US1s, magic looped both socks at the same time from the top down. Time to complete: 3 months! Ugh - apparently I need to focus more :)

Close, But No Cigar

This is the pinwheel baby blanket. I decided to knit a blanket for our IT Guy at work. He's a sweetheart and "they" are expecting their second child. According to my ravelry account, this was originally started on March 15th, but I wasn't happy with it, so on April 2 I ripped it and started again. This blanket is not a world traveler - it did not get to see 5 states and 2 countries with me while I was on vacation. These parents know the sex of the baby, but have chosen not to share, the only information I could get was that the nursery is decorated with a 100 Acre Woods Theme from Winnie the Pooh. So the main yarn is Cascade Sierra Quatro - the 4 colors in it are green, yellow, green and white. I accented with Green and Off-white.

I also chose to break the pattern up a little bit. After finishing the bulls eye center in green, I then established a pattern. I would knit according to the pattern, but on every 3rd straight knit row I would purl around. It gave a little ridge and made it much easier to know when I was done with a solid row. I worked 4 sets of the multi and then 1 solid.

It still needs to have all the ends woven in - the back is ugly! It also needs to be washed. Then it will be ready to go. The baby is scheduled for delivery on Father's Day and the last day that IT Guy will in the office is the 20th to move my computer to my new office and install new software - so I better get busy bathing :)

Gifted

eta: This was a gift for the receiptist at my dentist's office. She had a horrible accident last Summer and deserves merino wool wrapped around her neck.

Just More Illusions

that something is coming from my sewing room.

I had to do quite a lot of searching to find out when I had purchased the yarn for this sweater. The original post is here - yep - that's January 2007! That means it took me 15 months to complete this sweater. Unfortunately - it's still not wearable. It need a bath.

The sweater itself was easy enough to construct. It was knit on medium sized needles - I believe they were Us 4s, 5s, & 6s. I had most of the back done and the most of the fronts as well when we went to the Grand Canyon last year. I actually took this with me for car knitting.

The sleeves were all stockinette, knit both at the same time on a l-o-n-g circular needle. I still haven't even tried it on, but it fits Lou just fine so it should fit me. Now, if I could just get motivated to finish the brown polka dots - which have been hanging around just as long!

Ta Da

Pattern: Argosy, modified to become a triangle

Inspired by: Chan, as evidenced here

Modeled by: My Friend D (Great Yarns! in the background)

Yarn: ShiBui Sock in cream, 5 hanks + 3 ounces

Needles: Addi Turbo Lace, 47" length, US 4s

Time: 1 month

She Of Little Words

ShiBui Sock

Modified Argosy

After the first week of knitting

Finally cast off - but not blocked

Bits & Pieces

First up - I finished another pair of socks for JB. These are the Undulating Rib Socks from Favorite Socks. These were done with the standard JB sock recipe which reads as follows:

Cast on 16 stitches using the Magic Cast-on by Judy Becker (credit where credit is due). I increase 4 stitches every other row by doing a yarn over one stitch before the end on each needle. On the next row I knit into the back of the yarn over and you can't even see them! Thanks Cami. I had attempted to make a tutorial for Chan, but I'm using Addi's all I got was glare. So, for both Chan and Nicole here's the start of another pair of socks for JB. These are the Trekking XXL socks which I was having fits with the ball winder for. Those toes have about 16 stitches per side in that photo, I will continue increasing until there are 64 stitches total and then switch to some form of mind-numbing ribbing!

As long as we're speaking of Miss Camilla, look what dropped out of the bag of dog food the other day. I feed my dogs Blue, and they have doggy trading cards in each bag of food. Who know that Cami's alter ego Clementine was really a beautiful golden retriever!?!

The reason I had a lovely conversation with Camilla last Saturday was because I called her to tell her that I had hapilly paid $10 a yard for fabric and that I was making her another bag to display. I had picked up this fabric from the Tina Givens ZaZu line to make a new bag. Specifically I got TG21 and TG22 both in Raspberry. Originally, I had been thinking about making a nappy bag and adding lots of pockets to make it ideal for carting knitting around. I mean really - a girl can never have too many knitting bags, right? But then I saw the swing bag pattern and decided that it would be better. I love the chandelier fabric and can't wait to finish the curtains and get moving on the few craft projects swimming around in my brain so I can more on to making clothes again.

Happy Friday Everyone! Oh, and go visit Chan, she's bored!

JB's Holiday Sweater 2007

I finally finished up the Cobblestone Sweater for JB. This is the second year that I have attempted to knit him a sweater for Christmas or at the very latest our Anniversary (which is New Year's Eve) and haven't had it done on time! I ordered the yarn in early October. I purchased 16 balls of Knitpicks Swish in a nice boring taupey brown officially Camel Heather. I cast on in either late October or very early November. This was being strictly limited to Wednesday knit nights because he has started paying attention to what I'm knitting! It was going really well. I carried the sweater with me to all my doctors appointments in November and was even working on it the hospital. Then I lost all interest in knitting it! I working on holiday projects for the office staff (which they are all suppose to be photographing and emailing to me!).

I finally picked it back up in Mid-December - now panicking because it wasn't going to be done on time. I thought I was never going to finish the sleeves. Which didn't take as long as the yoke. I knit the entire sweater in the round - including doing both sleeves at the same time using a magic loop. I had to purchase a new Addi Turbo Lace needle to get enough length to do both sleeves at the same time. Project Stats:

Cobblestone Sweater designed by Jared Flood and published in the Fall Interweave Knits

13 balls KnitPicks Swish Superwash wool

US size 6's needles Second size with no modifications It fits him well (better than last year's sweater). Now we just have to see who wears it more - me or he?

I have picked a sweater from Never Knit You're Man a Sweater Until you Have the Ring for this year. As soon as the credit card is paid off from the holidays, I plan on ordering the yarn and getting a super jump start for the 2008 Holiday sweater!

How Do You Use Your Guest Room?

Or how to get crafty before work.

Unless The Princess is visit or The Musical One decides that she doesn't want to drive to her apartment nobody uses our guest bed. Well that's not totally true - adopted daughter and dog sitter uses the guest room when JB and I are out of town. Other than that - nobody uses the guest room.

We have a fairly large house but it only has 2 'official' bedrooms. There is a den/bedroom/workout room downstairs and a 3/4 bath so that's were The Musical One lived when she still lived with us. Having removed the vast majority of carpeting in our house, I need a place to block handknits.

So this morning I pulled out the long ago started Lattice & Lace cardigan (looks like I need to repin the bottom of the back - it's scalloped!) which only needed to be blocked, sewn and finished. It's been sitting around on my sewing room table since we went to Arizona in May - that's when I finished it! UGH. So now it's time to Finish It!

The brown lump behind it is JB's holiday gift sweater for this year - which was finished on

January 5th. I started it sometime around the beginning of November. I know I was knitting on the body while waiting for the hospital staff to come get me for surgery. I finished the lower portion of the body while I was in the hospital, then procrastinated starting and working on the sleeves. The goal is always to complete the sweater by our anniversary - 2 sweaters in 2 years and that hasn't happened yet. I have the sweater for 2008 picked out and plan on ordering with my next bonus so hopefully I can get it started way before the holidays.

Also - thanks so much to everyone for the comments. Jessica - you know we would love it if you started blogging and you'd have at least 2 readers! Teri - thanks so much for commenting on the muslin - I'm glad there wasn't a ton of alterations to be done. Chan - I'll get back to you on two at a time toe up!