First Year Socks

I finished these Spey Valley socks, using Knit Picks Essential tweed, in Inca Gold. I also have the blue tweed, and the brown feels more substantial, which is weird. I hope the Essential holds up well, since I have a bunch of it. I don't care if it pills, just that it doesn't wear through. I don't think I'm that hard on socks though, since even my cheap store bought socks last for years. I've started the other Conwy sock, and now I remember why I didn't want to do the other one. The pattern turn out nice, but it's annoying to do the twisted stitches. I have to finish 3 more single socks before I'm allowed to do anything else.

Unintentional Christmas Socks

I started this sock in October, I think, and was making pretty good progress on it. I'm halfway down the foot by now, on the first sock. The pattern is Roza's Socks from Spring 2007 Interweave Knits, and I'm using Knit Picks Bare. I dyed it with Kool aid, using tropical punch and lime green, and a small amount of lemonade. I like the way the colors are coming out. It's difficult to see in a photo, but in each color section, there are bits of the other colors too. I'm working on another project that due on Christmas, so I haven't done anything else lately. It burns me out to work on one project exclusively. I don't even like reading one book at a time. Another exciting thing is that I finally got the Knit Picks Options needles, which are much better than the ones that I had. I tend to use a lot of cotton, and it's so much smoother with the metal needles. Using bamboo with cotton is just too hard on my hands.

Swatching Starsky (but not Hutch)

I started working on Starsky from Knitty, and have been learning how to cable without a needle. I used these directions, and it is so much easier. For some reason, I kept thinking it would be a lot more difficult, and now I wonder why I wasn't doing it sooner. So far the pattern is working, except for the gauge. My gauge seems to be the same, yet it's turning out kind of small. I'm doing the medium size and hoping it to be around 41", but the back is about 19", so I don't know what's happening. I'm going to try washing my swatch and then measuring. I actually swatched this time with two different needles, size 9 and 10, to make sure I got the right gauge. But I must really tighten up my knitting when I do the actual project, or something. Hopefully I won't have to start over and knit the large size. I'm using Cascade Ecological Wool, which I really like. It's soft, but seems like it'll be strong.
I also finished a Waving Lace sock, using Merlin the cat bamboo sock yarn. I like the yarn, but I think I should have used a solid color with this pattern. It is pretty much lost with the bright colors. I don't really want to rip it out, though.

Socks and more socks

I found this page of album covers that is really funny. Some of the outfits remind me of the ones in Stitchy McYarnpant' s book, the pictures of whole families wearing matching hideous sweaters from the seventies. With knitting, I've mostly been working on socks. Except for Rusted Root, which I started in the medium size, and it turned out to be too big, so I had to restart in size small. I noticed though, that there aren't any schematics of the pattern, so it was hard to tell what the actual size would be. The medium is 35" to 38", and the small is 32" to 35", so I figured the medium would fit. Oh well. I actually finished this sock, in Fearless Fibers raspberry, but it is a little too tight. I'm not sure if it will stretch a little after blocking, or I'll have to redo the whole thing. It is Conwy from Nancy Bush's On the Road. The yarn was a little splitty, either with this pattern, or the yarn, I couldn't tell. I used size 2.25 mm (1) needles. I also dyed a batch of Kool aid yarn again, using Lemon Lime, Lemonade, and Tropical Punch. I was originally going to have more yellow, but it started looking too rastafarian, so the Tropical Punch covered up most of the yellow, and even most of the green. That color definitely seems the strongest, since it bleeds into everything next to it, and needs the least amount of Kool aid for the most coverage. Now I'm working on Spey Valley, again from Knitting on the Road, and the second Monkey sock. Then I can start on this Kool Aid yarn.

New Yarns, Alternative Fibers

I got some hemp yarn, Allhemp 6, in Aubergine and Charcoal, in order to make Maze. The yarn is actually a lot denser than I thought it would be. I was thinking it would be lighter and shinier, but it's more dense and ropey than I thought it would be. It's hard to knit with and at first my hands got really sore. It really does feel like knitting with twine, but it seems extremely durable. Some yarns I've used feel like they'll tear apart in my hands or get ruined, just by handling them. I've finished the Maze hat, but haven't washed it yet. I guess hemp is supposed to get a lot softer after washing. I've been wanting to try out some of the nonwool yarns out there. Next up would be Tofutsies sock yarn, which is wool, nylon, and soysilk. I also got this handpainted sock yarn from Etsy, and I'm thinking about making Anastasia with it. It has a short row toe, which I haven't done before, so I'll have to sit down and really concentrate on it.

One Lone Baudelaire

I finished one Baudelaire sock, after making it too big. It is the first sock I ever made, so I'm really happy with it. I used Filatura di Crosa Zarina and size 2.75mm needles. I made the size large at first, but then went down to a size medium. I think I could have even made the small or gone down a needle size, because it feels like it could be tighter. The hardest parts were the beginning figure 8 cast on and the beginning of the cable. The figure 8 cast on felt really awkward and seemed too loose. I had to do it a few times to get it to look right. The beginning of the cable is where you have to increase I think 4 stitches for every stitch. It started to get so tight, I could hardly get my needle into the stitches. I think I could have made the four stitch cable instead of the eight stitch cable, but I don't want to redo the sock over again. If I make this pattern again, I'll know. Overall, I like this pattern a lot, and it was fairly straightforward. Now I just have to make sure I cast on for the second sock immediately.

Kool Aid is Delicious

I tried Kool Aid dyeing the other day, with a skein of Knit Picks sock yarn. I actually wanted to use blues and greens, but it's impossible to find any other colors but red and purple. I think Kool Aid isn't that popular anymore. I never really liked it as a kid, because it tasted kind of weird to me. It's a little bit alarming that it dyes so brightly, since you'd be drinking these colors. Anyway, I used grape, tropical punch, and pink lemonade. The tropical punch was definitely the brightest, and the grape is more of a faded purple. I ran out of Kool Aid, since I was underestimating how much I'd need, but hopefully the white parts will blend in and look intentional. I used the tutorial on Knitty, which was really helpful. I hope the colors stay as bright, and the skein still smells like fruit. I'm still looking for a pattern to use, but I'm thinking about Roza's Socks from the Spring IK. Although I think that uses size 0 needles, so who knows.

So Many Projects

I've been going through a lot of started projects, and there are a lot that need finishing. It's overwhelming sometimes, because I keep starting new ones, so they keep piling up. There are some things that I decided aren't working. One is the Lotus Blossom Tank. I really like it, but it won't fit me. If I redo it, I need more bamboo yarn. But I have to decide whether it's worth it to spend so much on something I might not wear. I get caught up in how good a pattern is to knit, and how interesting it looks, without making sure that it's something I'll actually use.
I want to just finish what I already started and only use yarn from my stash, with the exception of socks. I really want to make socks, and have started a couple of times, but they didn't fit. I decided to start with Widdershins, because I already have the yarn for that. The next thing would be to redo the Baudelaires, which are too big. I have to make gauge swatches for the yarn, since I don't know which size needles to use. I hate making swatches, but I think it necessary. I also got some Fearless Fibers yarn, but I haven't decided which socks to make with it. I'm also making progress with my entrelac scarf. I might put the Lady Eleanor (from Scarf Style) -style fringe on it, but I haven't decided yet.

Gigantic Sock

I got a bunch of Mission Falls cotton on ebay for a really cheap price, so I started Mesilla. The start is different than I thought it would be, since it doesn't start in the round, even though it is top down. It's kind of hard to picture how it's going to come together, but I think once I start working in the round, it'll be more clear. I'm using the sea color, and I got enough so that I might also make a shrug from Interweave, which used this yarn.
I also finished the heel for the Baudelaire socks, and it's too big. It was fitting okay, if slightly loose, until the heel was done and now it's an inch or more too long. I think I might have to start over and redo it in a smaller size. I don't want to, but I kind of figured this might happen. I never can just do a technique or pattern I've never done before, and have it turn out perfectly. Maybe now it will be easier, since I know what's coming, when I make the second one.

Socks and Boxes

I've been knitting more lately, but I realized that I haven't really finished any major projects in a months. I think the reason why is because all my projects are on # 3 or #5 needles and are more complicated than anything I've done before. I started the Baudelaire socks, and am using the Filatura di Crosa Zarina yarn. The color is actually more deep red. This is the first sock I've done, but I have done fingerless gloves before, so that's similar. I've also been making progress on the Lotus Blossom tank. I have one more repeat of the lace, then stockinette, which will go faster. It'll be done in time for the middle of winter. I am using Bamboo yarn, which I really like. It's silky and I like the texture. The lace is also complicated enough so it doesn't get boring. I really hope this pattern fits. Here is also a picture of my cat. He likes to get inside boxes and bite them. There are bite marks all around the edges of any box he can get a hold of. I've never had a cat who liked to bite so much, and at least he isn't biting me.