Saturday, September 27, 2008

Sock Sorrows ...


For every pair of socks I finish, one ends in despair ...

I was making Menehune socks in Panda cotton and it was going along fine, the yarn started to get low, but I usually end up with 1/2 a skein anyway so I figured what the heck. Plus the pattern said if I made my size I would be left with about 3 yds .. which is not a lot. Well I ran out of yarn, I tried to work the toes a bit early since this yarn has elastic in it and its pretty stretchy, but the sock just doesn't feel right. So I am going to make its mate, with a shorter leg, which is fine by me I like the cuffs short, and then rip back this one to the cuff and make them match.

I am still not sure what to do with my Firestarters, one sock is complete and the other is up to the leg, but the gauge was off, so they fit, but are a little roomy ...

I made Magic Lace Rib socks and I really do not like the star toe, so I should rip them back and do a regular toe.

I ripped out the Rivendell socks because the yarn was just not working with the pattern.

I was making Hypnosis socks and then noticed that the pattern is off and the heel should have been started at a different place so that the pattern worked out right.

UUrrggg!

Its a learning process!!! However I do have 2 pairs of nice socks that I love, so I guess as I do different patterns and use different yarns I will learn more. I also learned that regular stockinette socks are pretty comfy! So while knitting lace is fun and pretty, they aren't always the most comfortable, so I started a pair of plain ole' socks.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Happiness Socks



Cast on: 8/3/08
Cast off: 9/21/08
Pattern: Happiness Socks
Yarn: Regia Jaquard

This is actually the very first sock yarn I ever purchased! I tried socks all by myself with little instruction on size 1 needles and it didn't go so well! Next I tried socks with worsted weight yarn, that went much, much better! Now 2 years later I am a sock addict! I found this yarn in my stash while looking for something with two skeins for a two at a time on two circulars class and realized it was the very first sock yarn I ever purchased, LOL!!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Sweet Scarf



This is a very simple scarf to make. Its Frog Tree Alpaca Sport and Bernat Matrix yarn held together with 10.5 needles, garter stitch. I pretty much went on until there wasn't much alpaca left, cut off enough for fringe, then continued on for a bit and bound off. The fringe covers the cast on and bind off tails, so no need to weave in ends.



I started this scarf when I first started knitting back in 2006, so its nice to have it done. Not that it took long to knit - I finished it in two days, it just sat in a bag while I started new things, so I am glad to have this WIP completed!!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Updates on my Knitting Obsession ...

There's a woman I work with who knits and she has a quirk where she has to finish a project before she starts another one ... I told her fortunately for me, I don't have that problem, LOL! I do wish I did though!! If I did perhaps I wouldn't buy yarn for projects that I know I won't even start for a few months because I have too many on the needles at the moment but am afraid if I don't buy the yarn NOW I won't be able to find it again!

I am doing well on my Quidditch Sweater from Charmed Knits. I started this back in October 2007 for a knitting class. It sat and sat, but I took it to work with me one weekend (where I pretty much just have to stay awake overnight and answer the phone) and I got a lot done. Now that I see some real progress I am really motivated to finish it!



Here's another project that I started a few months ago for someone who was pregnant ... no I didn't tell them I was making it, because I know how that goes. Obviously it isn't done yet, LOL!! I think a friend of mine who has a 1 year old is going to get it instead.




And now on to my yarn buying addiction! Berroco now has Ultra Alpaca Sock yarn! So I had to get some of that. My local yarn store has a frequent buyer program where you get points if you spend over $20 ... well since this yarn is only TEN DOLLARS, which I couldn't believe, I also got some more Tofutsies.




I went to Michael's the other day to get some yarn for a sweater and while I was there I saw this glow in the dark yarn, how cool is that?!?! So I picked up a few skeins to make something for my friend's daughter. She asked her what she wanted since she is 4 years old, she figured she could decide for herself and she chose a hat. So I will be starting that soon so that she can wear it this year.



This is the yarn for the sweater. Its Patons Shetland Chunky which I used for a scarf before (and no ... the scarf is not finished, LOL) and its a nice soft yarn. They didn't have the color I was looking for, but did have this one and its nice for a wintry warm sweater.



I also picked up some Heart & Sole to try out since I haven't tried that before. I am thinking I will do two socks at once with these ones.