Finished?

Yesterday I finished my Hermione socks. Happy as a clam I bound off and fastened the ends on both socks and held them up to admire them. Hang on, isn't the second one awfully short...? Yes... for some unfathomable reason I had started the ribbing on the second sock a full inch before I did on the first one. Ack! I know that I checked my notes to see how long I made the first one (6") but for some reason the number 5 got stuck in my head. So today I ripped out the BO and 2 inches of ribbing and began to lengthen the leg.

On a happier note I managed to block my Calais shawl today, so that's one WIP down.

I have 15 WIPs now, and 19 Hibernating (but I'm going to frog a couple of those for sure). I'm trying very hard to finish more projects than I start but somedays it is really hard.

I remembered to photograph the shawl and wristwarmers that I had forgotten. Here they are:

Scrunched up entrelac shawl

 

Entrelac shawl nice and tidy

Neat upper edge

Twined wristwarmers

Is this still on...?

Hello? Anyone there? Oh well...

I'm happy to report that I am finishing things! I had a period before my winter vacation when I felt like I never finished anything and started project after project after project. I only knit on two projects during my five vacation weeks and got used to that (who knew, dedicated knitting on a single project will see it finished rather quickly) Now I feel really disciplined (most days) and try to work on just a few projects to actually finish them. So far it's been going well. I've finished two pairs of wristwarmers and two shawls since coming home mid-January. OK, so one shawl just needed blocking and one set of wristwarmers just had a million ends to weave in plus a severe need of blocking to make them the same size :-o

Entrelac wristwarmers

Cheques shawl/scarf

(I just realised that I have forgotten to take finished pictures of the two other projects, bad me!)

I have also been knitting along on Dad's sweater, which I'm rather bored with now. It's a top down raglan, the body is all done and I'm almost done with the first sleeve. So not too much left there, I just need to get going and Do It. I probably won't be finished with it when he comes back from his (much longer than ours) vacation in two weeks time though.

Speaking of sweaters, I have decided that I personally need more pullovers and cardigans. Consequently I have cast on four new shawls (shut up! one is a class sample and it's already finished except for blocking, so there) My Mothed is coming along fine though. I have just started the bottom edging. I decided that I don't want a rolled edge at the bottom so I'm doing the neck edge there too as I love the look of the neck. Then it's on to the sleeves!

Mothed

While I didn't find a single open yarnstore in Australia I still managed to come home with yarn for at least three sweaters. I cheated and ordered from Bendigo Woollen Mills... I have bought yarn from them before, and knit two sweaters from it. Now I got their Classic 8-ply in a dark grey for a cabled pullover I think, possible of Alice Starmore persuasion (have you seen her Aran book?! I love it!), the Classic 5-ply in a deep red and in a silver grey. The red will probably become a Leaving cardigan, I have no definite plans for the silver grey. Of course I still plan to knit something hysterical and stranded with my Rainbow Kauni yarn. So I have all the resources I need for knitting sweaters!

Red yarn

I love to knit while listening to podcasts or watching videos. My favorite podcasts right now are Electric Sheep and The Knitmore Girls. I listen to others but these are the best I think. I also watch a couple of vidoe podcasts that I really recommend: Round The Twist and The Knitgrllls. All can be found on iTunes. I happened to buy myself an iPad for Christmas while we where away (better prices in Australia that at home) so when the kids are in bed at night and DH watch boring TV shows I curl up in my studio and watch knitting stuff on my iPad and knit away. Or I watch my favorite episodes of Firefly! The iPad is really neat, I put my pattern pdf's there so I don't have to print them and I use GoodReader to mark where I am in the pattern and on charts and stuff. Really great! There are also a couple of knitting magazines available for download on Zinio and the iPad works really well for reading them.

Progress

I have been following my plan rather well this week :-) I finished my bus socks (and dug out a sock from hibernation to replace them)

Crazy Zauberball in Flussbett, toe up with short row heel over 60% of the stitches worked with the other end of the ball to keep the instep looking nice. I may give them to Dad, haven't decided yet. I have almost half the ball left so I think I'll make socks for E with that. After I finish my formerly hibernating bus socks.

I finished the Heart of Wales shawl and blocked it and Maia too. And I worked some on Dad's sweater. Yay for me! No shawl pics yet as HoW is still drying.

I also started a new shawl... which I said I shouldn't. I blame the Noro. Tant Thea had some pretty Kureyon Sock in a colourway almost without green but lots of pretty blues and purples and reds and pinks that I just had to have (S250). And I have been thinking about entrelac lately. And Noro is great for entrelac, according to Ravelry. So here is my new entrelac shawl project:

Pretty! Even though entrelac looks like crap until you've worked a number of tiers. I'm using this project to learn to knit backwards too. It's great to just keep the right side facing you all the time, and no flipping the knitting back and forth. I'm not fast but I'm getting there, and it's got to be faster that flipping the knitting every 12 stitches! I used this Knitty tutorial for the backwards knitting (Continental version) and this entrelac tutorial with some mods (Ravelry link, but if you're not already on Ravelry you should be!)

So status now is 15 In Progress and 13 Hibernating.

I've also been out running twice this week! I'm so out of shape but I've promised myself to excersize (sp?) twice a week from now on. Running and going to Friskis&Svettis classes when they start up for autumn in a couple of weeks.

Marching on

I keep writing blog posts in my head but, somehow, they don't get posted... The family is back in the real world now, with two working parents and three kids in daycare/school. Add evening activities for two of the kids and a very sick grandparent and you have busy, busy weeks. I tend to spend my spare time knitting (and Raveling!) instead of blogging.

I've been knitting a lot but not finishing much. I seem to be starting new things instead of finishing the old ones. Hmm. Though I have finished the Noro sock shawl (one skein made a largish scarf)

and a pair of socks, Chevvy from Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn (interesting pattern, the fit is amazing, and a great book).

Oh, and a pair of fingerless mittens from leftover sock yarn.

And a small Clapotis.

Wait, I did a pair of worsted weight bedsocks for Mum (Dream In Color Classy from my Twist cardigan).

And a vest.

Ok, so it seems like I finish some stuff after all...

I'm very happy with the vest! Of course it's inspired by Brooklyntweed's vest but I worked it top down without steeks. I have steeked things in the past, no biggie, but I didn't feel like it this time, and I was unsure about the proper fit of a vest so I wanted something I could try on as I went along. I managed to make the striping work rather well without the steeks.


The striping yarn is Noro Silk Garden (yum!) and the solid is Dream In Color Classy. I used the design-you-own-sweater-with-inset-sleeves (but without the sleeves) from the back of Custom Knits. This is a *very* good book. Highly recommended. Lots of good information on fitting sweaters, lots of great patterns and lots of info on designing your own. Most patterns are worked top-down which makes it so easy to try as you go and make adjustments if needed.

The Cobblestone is still OTN. I have to force myself to work on it, don't know why really. I mean, the yarn is nice, the fabric is nice and I want DH to have it *now*. Though it is rather fiddly to work with at this stage. I'm knitting both sleeves at the same time, magic loop, on my longest Harmony cable. But it is only 120 cm/47" long so the sleeves are a bit crowded. Anyway, all the increases are done and I only need to work another 3 inches or so. Then I get to lengthen the body by an inch and put it all together! I expect it will be more fun after that. Short-rows and decreases and everything.

I have finished the main part of the Domino Sunset shawl and the top edging. I guess I'm about halfway through the side edging. I picked up about a million stitches all along the side edges, then I increased in every other stitch to make a sort of gentle ruffle. Now it is a race to see what I will run out of first, patience or yarn!

For more info on my projects, please see my Ravelry project page!

Happy 2009

Aaaaahhhh. Yaaaawn.
I have been off work since the weekend before Christmas and it feels So Good. I'm reasonably rested (because I have a one-year-old that wakes a bit earlier than I would like) and have done mostly nothing for two weeks. Heaven.

Reality is creeping closer though, I'm starting work on Wednesday, and M starts working in two weeks time. Then it's back to dropping children off at daycare and school before work and picking them up after work. M and me are both going to work 90% of full time so that will help a bit. And my parents will pick up the kids some days too.

I have been knitting a lot since my last post, I hardly know where to start... Let's play catch-up, shall we! For details see my Ravelry project page.

My Domino Sunset shawl has five rows of squares now, and the last row is under way.


Then there will be triangles to straighten the top, and some sort of edging I have to swatch. I need to get another ball of yarn too. It is an enjoyable knit, and it is easy to feel the progress as I finish each square.

I got a little crazy and very rapidly knit three pairs of felted clogs for the kids from that Fiber Trends pattern over Christmas. Here they are before felting.


Fun pattern, I will make a pair for myself too (I have ordered yarn) The felting was no fun though. First some manual abuse, then three or four trips through the quick 30 minute cycle of my front loader then some more manual abuse in the sink. I think they are ok now but they are drying very slowly. I have absorbent paper in them but it still takes time.

I finally got enough tired of the ziploc baggie with Harmony needle parts in it so I made a nice case instead.


Everything fits nicely with room to grow. I like that the fabric coordinates with the needles too :-) It's two batik fat quarters from the fabric stash.

Let's see... yes, socks! M asked for more socks. He wanted something red and chose Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Sugar Maple, red and orange and yellow. I picked out some suitable patterns for that yarn and he finally chose Dolomite, by Knitspot. It looks great so far!

I modfied the pattern to work from the toe up. Easy peasy, just turn the chart upside down! I think I will do some sort of mini gusset and short row heel. I used that kind of heel on my Loopy socks, see:

It could have been longer but I didn't want to disrupt the nice stripes.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in the Loopy Ewe colour. Great fun to knit!

Mid-November M and I went to northern Sweden and Norway with the company we both work with. I made myself new mittens before we went.

I made up the pattern, will post soon. They are knit top down from sock yarn held double. Nice and warm though not warm enough for -15 °C.

On the way North I made a hat from some of my handspun.

It turned out really well. I started it the night before we left and knit on the way to the airport, on the plane and finished it on the first short bus trip up north. It shocked some of my workmates that it was so quick to make :-)

The other travel projects were the Loopy socks above and my first Moebius scarf.

Fun to make and the perfect travelling project.

I don't think I have showed off my finished February Lady Sweater. Here it is:


Colour is most accurate in the first picture I think. I am very happy with it. The Malabrigo is so soft and the simple lace pattern becomes the slightly fuzzy yarn. I also made a matching hat!


Here are some pics of the blocked Adamas:


Adamas blocked out to be very large, but it has a nice drape and the Dream In Color Baby yarn is very nice.

This shawl/scarf is also very nice.

Unfortunately it is not mine anymore...


It was Moms birthday present and I really want one of my own. When I can justify buying the yarn for it. This was made from two balls of Noro Silk Garden Sock and I would like it larger... It is an absolutely gorgeous yarn for shawls but not very suitable for socks I think.

Socks... I made new socks for the big kids. Here are the ones for E:

... and the ones for H:

Oh, and I have started a simple shawl in Noro Kureyon sock.


I have one ball, we'll see how large the shawl gets, maybe it's just a scarf. I tried to make Ziggy's, working from both ends of the ball but the colours turned the same whatever I did so shawl it is!

Now I'm going to knit a bit before A wakes up! M's Cobble stone is still OTN, and I want to finish it (or at least up to the armpits) before I start a sweater (or three) for myself!

Knitting dreams

I go to work and I dream of knitting. The things I want to make, yarn I want to try. Then I come home and get to knit maybe one hour total after having dinner and putting kids to bed and before yawning too much. Yesterday was Saturday so I knit a lot. Started and finished a project in the same day even. OK, so it was a hat, but still...

Pattern: Turn A Square by Jared Flood
Yarn: Dream In Color Classy in Cocoa Kiss (28 grams) and Noro Silk Garden in colour 226, a mix of purple, aqua and grey, (20 grams)
Needles: 4 mm dpn's for ribbing, 4.5 mm Harmony circ and dpn's for the rest.
Size: A little too big... It looks great on M (but he thinks it is too small somehow) but I made it for my dad and he doesn't have M's thick hair. We'll see. Maybe I have to make Dad another one, I've got plenty of leftovers.
Great pattern. I have seen so many awesome incarnations of this hat over at Ravelry. I will surely make this hat again, but maybe a little shorter before I start the decreases.

Quickie project of last weekend was a Dumpling bag.

I knit and felted it and it slowly dried with a balloon in its belly. I removed the balloon when the bag was dry on the outside so it could dry on the inside too. Today I managed to sew on the magnetic snap.


It is Loopy sized!

The Houdini socks got finished too! Yes, I have had way too many projects on the needles lately. Yes, it feels good to finish stuff for a change and not just start them.

I didn't do the fancy leg in the pattern, it didn't work very well with this yarn. These are for my sister in Australia, so I didn't make them as long as I usually do.
This was a fun way of making socks, an afterthought leg. Good thing: you get to choose the nicest side of the foot for the instep and toe. Bad thing: six ends per sock to weave in, instead of the usual two. This is a Cat Bordhi pattern, and I think that her next book will be all about this way of making socks. Maybe other new ways too. I loved her New Pathways book and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Now I really want to finish my February Lady sweater. The body is done and the first sleeve is about elbow length. I keep trying it on to decide how long I want it, about halfway between elbow and wrist. I have to find nice buttons too. Large dark wooden ones I think.

I got the first Wollmeise sock club package on Friday! I don't think I will blog it just yet. Anyway, both colours are awesome! One of them is so me, the other one not so much but still lovely. And the pattern is stunning. I won't start it right away though. It demands some concentration and I don't want to knit that kind of pattern right now.

Coming soon: Adamas is blocking!!!

Finishing things

I have finished the Sea Socks (Ravelry). So called because the colourway is called Deep Blue Sea... Anyway, just a simple k3, p1 ribbed sock with contrasting toe, heel and cuff. And stripe. Toe-up of course!


The yarn is Duet Sock Yarn from A Swell Yarn Shop (via The Loopy Ewe)

They where made for M but they fit me just fine. I think I have to block them a bit. He has longer feet than me but not wider.

I have also finished knitting Adamas. It needs a good blocking but I am very happy with it.

Unblocked measurements are about 26" (65 cm) deep and 53" (133 cm) widem I think it will be a good size when it's done. This is my project for The Loopy Ewe Dream In Color Baby KAL. A great pattern, easy but not boring. I think it would be a good first lace project.

I almost forgot: I made it into the Wollmeise sock club! I really didn't think I would make it as it was a lottery but I did. First shipment is first or second week of September, can't wait! Each shipment will be 2 (!) skeins of Wollmeise yarn in exclusive colourways, sock pattern and goodies. Mmmm!

Hot and Bothered

It is very hot here, and has been for a week or so. 30 degrees C, blazing sun, little or no wind. I am melting.

Lots of things have happened since my last post.
My sister and her family arrived from Australia bearing gifts and some stuff I ordered and had delivered to their house to save on shipping. 5 balls of this:


Bendigo Mills Rustic 8-ply in Damson. M picked this for a sweater. I want to make Cobblestone. It is a bit thinner than the original yarn so I'll have to rework the pattern a bit, or simply make a larger size. We'll see. There was also 5 balls of Bendigo Mills Colonial 8-ply in Oatmeal for me.


Not sure what kind of sweater I want yet. Maybe a cabled cardigan.
I am starting to run out of stash space. I used to have mainly sock and lace yarn, now I also have four sweater worths of yarn that takes up much more space. I have to reorganise my space a bit. Clear up the mess.

The day after sister arrived M and I got married. Just a small ceremony at the court house with four witnesses and the two older kids. No pics because they are still on dad's camera. We had a party a few days after at the Cottage. Lots of cooking and baking in advance, a hired tent on the lawn, and a great time was had by all. And nice presents :-)
After that we relaxed as hard as we could with six kids in the house and so-so weather. I managed to knit quite a lot though. Whispering Pines has grown quite a lot.


I am halfway through the last small chart before the knitted on edging begins. I'm eager to see it finished. And to see how big it turns out.

There has also been sock knitting. Two finished pairs, no less. Pillars of Fire in Wollmeise from The Loopy Ewe sock club.



Nice yarn (but a little splitty), great colourway and a great pattern that was easy to memorise. A good toe-up heel-flap-and-gusset pattern too.

I also finished a pair of plain socks in a fun selfstriping yarn from sKNITches, Syncopation in Dragontooth.


Maybe not really my colours but they are fun, and I love the base yarn and the dye job. More details on both pairs on Ravelry (apologies to those of you not on Ravelry yet, but I don't have time for great details on both places and Ravelry is a great place and you really should check it out anyway)

I have started two new pairs, but no pics of those yet. I have decided to try to always have a plain pair on the needles and keep it downstairs at the TV, and a more complicated pair upstairs. So now I have started a plain pair for M in Duet sock yarn and a lacy pair for H.

I got a package in the mail! From my Hemlis 4-pal, look!


Great smelling tea (that I will try when the weather cools off!), yummy chocolate, a fun card, and look at the yarn! Three balls of Sarek from Marks & Kattens. A bulky wool yarn I haven't seen before. Maybe mittens? And 500 meters wool/silk lace weight, Elegant from Teetee in a beautiful plum colour. I have to find a pretty lace pattern for this!
Thank you so much for the great package, Ulrica! It made my day.

I finally managed to block the Brambles scarf I made from my own handspun.


I am very happy with it. It is heavy and soft with a great drape. It is also rather short but I can fasten it with one of my new shawl pins.


I found these through the Knitspot fan group on Ravelry, they are from Knitcellaneous.