Lucky Leafling

Yeah - I've been on a sock knitting jag again.





There is something to be said for being in the Socks that Rock Club from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. You have the opportunity to knit socks that you normally wouldn't. This is from last year, the colorway is Lucky in Mediumweight, the pattern is called Leafling by JC Briar. The heel design is a la Cat Bordhi. I have not tried doing one of her sock architectures, and this gave me the opportunity.

The socks are thick, and I had to rip out the 2nd sock back to the leg because I managed to add an extra pattern repeat, so the sock was huge! Yes, it's true, even I make mistakes.

I am curious to see how they work for me. Kevin is concerned that the bulk in the heel may be uncomfortable for me, and I am concerned that they will bunch. The socks fit tight enough, but I'm just uncertain. I'll keep you posted.

STR RPM

Socktober Pair No. 6!



At Stitches West this year, I bought a skein of mill ends Socks That Rock. It saved me a few bucks, so why not. It's a medium weight, which I hadn't tried before. The pattern RPM, from knitty.com, called for this specific yarn, so I had to do it.

I knit these in 3 days. The pattern is easy to remember. I will no doubt do these again someday, since it was a piece of cake to do.

Socktober Reversai Redo

Technically, I finished these in April, but I did the second sock on smaller needles and like it better. So sock 1 had to be ripped out and redone. It just took for-ev-er!





Knit in Socks That Rock Lightweight in Lenore. The pattern in Reversai by Janine Le Cras and knit on size 0US! And they're still "roomy". I knit tight too. At least they're wearable now.

What's On My Needles Wednesday

I've been a busy bee this week. Let's start with the longer term project.



This is part one of the Mystic Light Shawl KAL. It's a great pattern and I actually got part 1 finished in a couple days. Part 2 comes out today. The yarn in Dream In Color Smooshy in the colrowar Dusky Aurora. I discovered that when I wound these skeins into center pull cakes, that even though they claim to be the same dyelot, there is a difference in color. When I start part two, I will have to alternate every two rows to accommodate the color variation. Why not use another yarn? Because I'm stubborn, I don't want to rip back part 1 and buying more yarn at this point is out of the question. I purchased this as Stitches West, and don't have much recourse to remedy this easily.



Sock Madness Round 2 - Reversai. I am using Socks That Rock Lenore, a sock club shipment from last year. First, OMG this yarns bleeds. May fingers are black! Second, this pattern has a great design, but I hate a rounded toe and, even though I got gauge, these are huge! I'm going to have to do something different for sock 2, with the understanding that I will be ripping this one back once I have completed this round.



A plain ribbed sock is such a nice respite from intricate patterns. I'm using Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, and this better soften in the wash. It is so scratchy, but the colors are amazing. I've cast on #2, and had to rip it back to try to match the stripes. I feel like being a genius again! At least these fit.

Finished Friday

The hats are done. I ended up with two from the Sensations Dolcetto.



These will both be going to charity.

I also finished socks!



These are my Gryffindor 2nd Year Socks finished. The yarn is from Dharma Fey's Cosmic Fibers in the colorway Gryffindor 2nd Year. I think I would have preferrd a broader stripe, but I've never knit anything so funky before. It was fun - and quick! They were completed in a week.

SEX - Stash Enhancement X-perience

Did I get your attention? It's totally juvenile, but I've been wanting to post an entry with SEX in it. Hehe.



More stash. I don't think I went nuts. I thought I was pretty good, all things considered. I bought a Ravelry bag yesterday, and took it home to decorate. I had a few more buttons than I thought! 5 of the pins are from Ravelry. I love collecting these!

Ok, stash. From left to right.....

2 skiens Ecru Inca Organic Cotton from The Village Spinning and Weaving Shop
2 skiens Dusky Aurora - Dream In Color Smooshy - intended for the Mystic Light Shawl KAL - I'm going with Aurora Borealis instead of Sunrise or Sunset
4 skeins Black & White: Lana Grossa Bingo Chine
3 skeins Purple: Lana Grossa Soffice
2 skeins Palest Pick - Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton, 100% Organically Grown


...and down in front is a beaded I-cord necklace and bracelet kit. After taking 2.5 hours to thread the beads, I managed to finish the bracelet in under 2 hours and start the necklace. It takes a little getting used to, but I think the overall effect will be quite nice.

I received an email earlier this week from Afghans for Afghans. They weren't going to be in attendance this year, but Nine Rubies Knitting was collecting hat donations for them. I went through the basket where I keep my finished charity items, and donated these:



Nine hats for Nine Rubies. The basket is pretty empty again. I guess I better get to work!

Well, that's it for the 2008 Stitches Stash Enhancement X-perience. I am so glad it is a once per year event!

Grasshopper, Squares & Hats

It's been a few busy days around here. Actually, the last 10 days have been busy than usual. Here is the knitting stuff, even though I posted a bunch of stuff on the 7th.

First, we have squares - more squares - squares, squares, squares...



These are for Warm Up America.



These are for Rebuilding Greensburg. I think I finally got the hang of how to do decreases that work for me on the navy square. It is also a heavier worsted weight than some of the other squares I have done. It came out the most "square".

Ok, so where are the hats, you ask? Here....





I like the last one - it has a seed stitch band and I tried for a flat top. I got bored with the rolled brim hats, even though they went much faster. The first two are in Debbie Bliss Merino Aran and the Red Hat is Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK.

And, unbelievably, I finished something for me!



This is the Rockin' Sock Club Grasshopper pattern done in STR Moss Agate lightweight. Since I messed up on the original with the Walkin' on the Wild Tide skein, I felt I needed to try again and get it right. I have come to one conclusion however - I'm not that happy with lacy socks. I don't like how they fit. Good to know for the future.

I have no socks on the needles, no hats, no squares. I have two shawls, a snuggle blanket, a lap throw and an old sweater project muttering at me. At least I have finished 3 of the projects I dedicated for my Stashalong July Knitalong. I should probably pull something from that, like the socks I was going to do. Here is the yarn that I set aside to meet my July charity knitting goals.



I'm sure I'll think of something.

Walking On The Wild Tide - Cricket

Walking The Wild Tide - Cricket
Originally uploaded by solslett.

These are my April Rockin' Sock Club Socks. They started out as the designated Grasshopper socks, however, my brain had gas that day.

The pattern calls for a yarn over, purl 2 together pattern. Easy - no problem. Not for me when I started. I registered knit 2 through the back loop. Why? I don't know. Like I said - brain gas. I was at the gusset increase when it dawned on me, and this was after ripping it out 3 times (yes, the farting was a long, drawn out process), before I realized "oh, yeah, that would be easier". Did I stop? No. I'm stubborn that way. Besides, the ridges that were created were kind of cool. I also stopped the lace pattern at three inches and did a 1/1 rib for 1 1/2".

I call them Cricket. I like them.

Yes, I have cast on the real Grasshopper's in another STR colorway and am properly executing the pattern.

I like to prove every once in while that I am a true blond.

Stats......
Yarn: Silkie Socks That Rock
Color: Walking on the Wild Tide
Pattern: Cricket (aka highly modified Grasshopper)
Yardage: 360 yds
Needle: 2.5mm

Yikes! Stripes! #2

Yikes! Stripes! #2
Originally uploaded by solslett.

This is pair #19 for the year. Wow.

Am I surprised that I have made 19 pairs of socks this year? Yes.

Am I surprised by how much I like it? Yes.

Do I think that my knitting skill has improved? Yes and No.

I need to improve certain skills, such as a short row heel. That's what I used with these socks, as I though the self-patterning yarn would look better as opposed to using a heel flap. I do like it better, but I wasn't satisfied with the look of the heel, as I know I'm missing something. I need to work on that.

This was a traveling sock project for me. We drove up to Crescent City for the Memorial Day weekend. I finished sock one and about 5" of the leg of sock two on the drive up. I worked on sock two on the way home, but not so much as I was too hot (read - breathing made me sweat in the car) to knit. I turned the heel Monday night, and finished it up Tuesday night.

Here are the particulars: Regia Yarn, 75% Wool, 25% Polymide. Colorway number 5160. 64 stitch cast on, basic sock pattern with short row heel. 210m skeins. 2.5mm needles. Stated 5/21/07, finished 5/59/07.

I think I'll start my Rockin' Sock Club yarn next. There's silk in that sock yarn, and I haven't tried that yet!