Socks I made Socks!

It occurs to me that I could be blogging about knitting right now or I could actually be knitting. So I'll leave you with some pictures of the bamboo lace socks. They are a little too wide for my feet. But they are so pretty.



And a closer view:


I'll also say that I'm working away on Hey Teach, but I'm at the decreasing lace part which means I have to do more thinking as I knit so it goes a bit slower. I should be nearly done with the back soon though, so I'll try to update with a picture soon.

I started new socks (or rather picked up where I left off on them) and bought some cake frosting dye for a dying adventure that I hope will happen in May.

And I have some sewing to do too.... busy times ahead, I'd best get cracking.

Hey Teach

I have a confession to make. Remember how I was going to break up with that lace shawl. Well I ripped back to the beginning of the section that was giving me fits and I counted my stitches four times and then I did a bad thing.

I knit on it.

And I ended up with too few stitches on one side of the marker and too many on the other. Which might mean that the marker is in the wrong place, or I knit something wrong. The marker looks like it is in the right place. Sigh. I'm going to give it one more row as I think I've compensated for the differences, but I don't know how much more this yarn will take in regards to ripping out. So I'm setting it aside again for a while.

I started my version of Hey Teach!.

I have the back nearly to the arm shaping, which means that the lace pattern starts to get a bit tricky. Am thinking that given my problems with that lace shawl maybe I should dig out some graph paper and graph the decreases into the lace pattern. Well actually I should say that my first thought was to print out something on the order of 50 copies of the lace chart with the pattern and cut it up and go from there. But now I think graph paper might be a better visual, well and easier on the earth.

And no, I still haven't finished the bamboo lace socks, thanks for asking.

struggling

Whenever there is a big gap in my blogging I feel like I should show lots of finished projects. Instead I guess I have lots of crafting problems.
Oh wait--I do have finished objects:

I made shrugs for my girls for their Easter outfits. Very cute and quite functional. I improvised the pattern--based loosely on the base for the Lacey-hug me tight.

I'm still struggling with the shawl, if only in my head. I need some quiet time to just look at it and try to figure out where I went wrong. then the guts to rip back as far as I need to. The former may be the hard part. Most of my quiet time happens after people are in bed, and I'm pretty tired then. But maybe Wednesday when the ladies are at school... if not it will be until the 23rd, which is sadly the next time I foresee being alone in the house AND being awake. I guess I could have worked it out this morning when I had about 90 minutes alone, but I'm still angry at it, so I sewed instead.

That was probably a mistake.
See I'm working on a quilt for my cousin (look away Britt, if you are reading) and something just isn't working. I cut some of my triangles so far so good:

But when I sewed them together--it was a mess. I think I need to check that I'm doing a 1/4 inch seam. My machine's .25 foot doesn't work (it breaks needles) and so I eyeball it probably more than I should. My machine quilting foot has a .25 gauge and so I'll hook that up and see if it goes better. Also--I'll probably trim the points on the triangles. I already checked that my ruler was cutting the same size as the template in the book, and it seems to be off by about 1/16th of an inch. It might be making a difference, but perhaps I can compensate. But I was very very very frustrated with the sewing this am.

I did go on a bit of a vacation...if you can call driving 1000 miles with two children a vacation. And since I was doing all the driving I did not get my usual large amount of car knitting done. I did however start the second bamboo lace sock. I'm working on the foot now--and unlike Some people I know I don't have small feet--so it could be a while. And we stopped by Needleworks when we were in Champaign. I thought it was a nice shop, a tad bigger than my LYS. I didn't feel as welcome as I do at my LYS--I felt like I was interrupting either a class or a SnB. I hope no one ever feels that way at the LYS I frequent, because it isn't a great feeling. They did however, have some neat things. My three favorites were:
1) They were having a knit along for Hey Teach and the sample was in the almost exact color of yarn I have purchased. I hope mine looks as good as the sample, which was knit superbly. It was nice to have validation on the color.
2) They had buttons you could buy by the scoop. My girls were in heaven--I bought them each a scoop ($1 scoop--they had three sizes) and they had fun poking through their buttons in the car. I should have bought a scoop for MIL as a souvenir.
3) They had opal sock yarn in the Harry Potter colors! Like I needed any more sock yarn. But I had to have the Ron and Harry colorway--oh who am I kidding I had to have Tonks too, but I only bought Ron and Harry.
All in all here is my review: nice shop, stop by if you find yourself in the area, but only if you don't mind that "I just walked into a party I wasn't invited to" feeling.

breakup

Dear Shawl,
This just isn't working out for me. Due to the way you have been lately, I need to say that I can't take you to the banquet. I think we should see other people. I know that in situations like these it is common to say, it isn't you it is me, but let's be real here, it isn't me--it IS you.
Now I do think we can still be friends, and I think if we go back some more and take it slow we might actually get to go out together. But you seriously need to straighten up!

Yours,
Jodie

After the last entry I ripped back my six rows, counted, got the center marker in the right place and knit. I made it up past where I had started the rip--placing lifelines every other row. Then... and I'm not even sure what happened I had to stop in he middle of a purl row, which at this point is basically purl until you get to the nupps and then nupp. When I went back to it and finished the row, the next knit row was 2 stitches off. I ripped back to the lifeline, but again I'm still two stitches off.

I also have a place where the center stitch is a little off but it was way back before the nupp section.
So now I'm seriously thinking of ripping bak ALL the way to where the nupp section starts, counting and getting the marker set and then being very very careful. Basically this is something along the lines of 8-12 rows. Of over 100 stitches.

So, I've decided to go stag to this big banquet--and leave the lace home while the girls and I travel next week.

Perhaps this is the time to cast on that second bamboo lace sock.

The good and the bad

Good: I finished my first bamboo lace sock--Yay

Bad: I have yet to cast on for the second.

good: cast on a different more travel appropriate sock to take along to an all day conference.

Bad: culture issues (and seating issues) made it stay in my purse all day. Most disappointing because I had such a neat cast on for a change.

Good: I started swatching for hey teach.

Disappointing: I didn't get gauge on the piece that has the "best fabric"

Good: I decided to finish my lace shawl in time to wear to my husband's end of the year banquet in about a month.

Agonizing: I discovered today that I need to rip back about 6 rows (roughly 2 days of work). That's where my lifeline is. I think I really only need to go back 5, but alas--no lifeline.

Frustrating: The yarn for the shawl broke when it was being wound (after I dyed it--how cool is that). So I thought i might have enough in the bigger half to finish the shawl.

bad: I do not.

More bad: It won't spit felt

Good: There is a technique called Russian join that works pretty well in situations like this.

Surprising: Googling "russian join" does not bring up p0rn.


That's the good news/bad news--I'm off to rip out those six rows.

Socks!

Funny thing happened on the way to start my version of Hey Teach (called Hey librarian). I kind of got distracted by this sock

Every time I sat down to knit I picked up this sock. Pretty. In fact, I need to kitchner the toe and then it will be done. I can't wait to wear them. At first I thought they were a little tightly knit (knit on size 1, when really i would have thought a 1.5 or a 2), but I'm liking how it makes the bamboo a little more firm.

Socks have that appeal to me, I can make lots of socks because wow, you need maybe 7 or eight pairs of socks a week. My kids need 7 or 8 pairs each a week and well who needs that many sweaters, scarves or shawls?
But then there is the terrible downside to socks.

I wrote a while back ago that I was learning to darn socks, just to make the socks last a bit longer. Well, this is the pair that made me decide to darn socks. I repaired three holes in this pair of socks. Three holes that I might add made me just LIVID, because these socks are not even two years old--were not even a year old when the first hole appeared. (for the record, SWTC Tofutsies--never ever buying it again). Well I darned these docks and then a few weeks later I pulled them out of the was and was confronted by this latest hole. I'm just so mad--so mad I've decided not to repair these socks--am debating frogging them.

Ok, back to my bamboo socks, may they not disappoint me.

decisions made!

I have made some decisions.
First, I decided that I'm starting on hey teach just as soon as I finish one of my current projects. I bought some Cascade Sierra color 42--at my LYS (plus some sock yarn because oh my do I ever have a weakness fondness for sock yarn). I decided that I have enough sock yarn and so I'm not going to be tempted by the lucius purpleness of the purple striped felici at knitpicks. Instead, when the cotlin comes back in stock, I'm going to purchase that plus some wool of the andes to make a Central Park hoodie. (Sapphire heather for the curious).
I realized that if I stick to this plan I have roughed out in my head that I have all my knitting pretty much planned through um October maybe.

Anyway, I have some projects going now. I have a shrug started for one of my girls (and so will have to make a second one). My mom got them each a pretty dress for Easter initially then summer. But here in Michigan, easter and sleeveless dress do not always go hand in hand. So I had envisioned shrugs. I attempted to make a simplified version of the lacey hug me tight--basically the shrug sans lace, and somehow my math messed up and it is too narrow. So I'm adding on to it. I debated ripping out or adding to it, and then dreamt I added on and then crocheted lacy pink flowers on the sleeves and collar. I do not crochet, much less make pretty crocheted edgings. But decided that the dream probably was giving me the answer. We'll see if it works.
I also had to start a pair of socks because socks are the ultimate in portable--although these are a bit more complicated:

The pattern is called Lacy Bamboo socks--and I'm using the yarn it calls for--On your toes Bamboo. Not getting to use my new needles, and I probably should have gone down a size even as they seem really big.

I also said I wasn't goign to tke any in progress pictures of my swallowtail shawl, but I lied.

I have 3 more lace repeats and then onto the next chart! Of course each row is taking longer and longer because it keeps adding stitches! I worked on it for an hour while the ladies were at school on Monday and I made it through 1 six row chart. ONE. yes I knit slow, but that's a lot of stitches.

she who hesitates...

So I finally decided that I want to knit my dollar and a half cardigan in Coffee--the dark brown Cotlin from knitpicks. I dare you to follow that link... because if you do you'll see that it is not currently available until APRIL 24. If you want irony here, my husband decided that a great birthday present would be to get me that yarn, but since he's a smart cookie, he got me a gift certificate instead. So I have a gift certificate to cover the entirety of a $50 order, I have plans for a $50 order and perhaps by April the purple sock yarn that rounds it out will also be gone. Moral of this story--do not dither on colors, go with your first instinct and BUY it NOW. That is all.

This kind of throws me off in another way too. I had decided that the dollar and a half cardigan was going to be my next big project. Now it is on hold until MAY. And I need something else to knit. I have a gift card to the local yarn shop (do you see where this is going? my family know me, but they don't know yarn, so they gift card me!) and the pattern for the Central Park Hoodie. But I'm afraid if I start it now, it will get finished just in time for the temp to hit 80F. I also have been thinking about Hey Teach. I may take both patterns with me and head over and see what strikes my fancy.

In the meantime, I've started in on my cousin's quilt. I spent an hour Monday and about half an hour today cutting some of the strips. I found some additional scraps of fabric that fit with the blue/yellow theme and have had a blast using them up. I've got enough cut that I can start some of the sewing, and so that might be the next step. It should also give me an idea of what else I should be cutting.

I also finished some things. My birthday socks. Done using some sort of self-striping meilenweit--the ball band having been destroyed by some little girls in my house. I used my Sox Stix on them, and whooo, they were fun to work with. Although I did a swatch the other day with my knit picks harmony needles, and I think I like them better (and they are considerably cheaper too).


I also finished the sweater for the Panda. I'm glad these were quick knits--nothing like having a child ask you every single day--Is it done yet? Stillwater is COLD!

trust and obey--the lace version

It probably won't surprise anyone that on the sliding scale of product knitter to process knitter, that I fall closer to the product side. What that means to me is that while I enjoy the actual knitting and the click click click of needles sliding together does do a lot to calm me, I knit primarily to make stuff. You won't find me making a project with a ton of stockinet stitch just so I can feel calmed by the knit and purl of it all. I would do a project like that, but only if I wanted the result.

All this big lead up just to talk about lace.

I love lacy things. I love the idea of shawls, I love lacy scarfs, lacy socks, sweaters with bits of lace. One of my favorite designs is actually the Oriel lace blouse. I even don't mind the knitting of lace, fiddly though it can be.
But while I love looking at those things, I'm not so much for the wearing. Take the Oriel Lace blouse for example. I love it. I have the skill to knit it. I would never wear it. Well I might, but honestly if it were in my closet right now, I think I'd have a hard time figuring out where I'd wear it. Maybe because it is so cold right now--maybe I'd be more apt to wear it in the spring. But take shawls, I love them I think they are beautiful, but I have a hard time wearing them. I only have one though--Cozy. And I don't look like the model wearing it either.

So it would seem that a knitter like me would not knit lace. Clearly I think it is pretty, but impractical. However, for the last few weeks, I've been ever-so slowly working on a Swallowtail shawl that appeared in Interweave knits fall 2006. I can't find a link outside of ravelry. I'm not far into it and I'm realizing that my product is not matching very well with the finished picture. Which is leading me to believe that one of two thinks is going on a) there was a correction to the pattern (nope) or b) I need to relax and knit (yes). I keep thinking that knitting lace is a little bit like the hymn--Trust and Obey (go here if you want the music too). I need to trust the pattern, obey the pattern and it will all come out right. this is as hard for me in knitting as it sometimes is in life.

I have no idea when I'll finish it, I'm only working on it when I feel I can pay attention to the pattern--although perhaps I'll try it as tv knitting this week because the section I'm working on is very repetitive.
No pictures yet because unblocked lace is not that attractive.

the state of the projects

You would think that when I take these big gaps in blogging that I'd have finished object after finished object to show you. I'm working on three concurrent projects right now, so none of them are really progressing that fast.

My children seem to think that all my knitting efforts should be for them. So, after much nagging I gave in. I'm making baby sweaters for Bone and Stillwater. Here's bone modeling hers:

Stillwater's isn't done yet. I'm almost done with Stillwater's but then I got it in my head that I'd like to have my sock finished for my birthday (in 8 days) and so I've been sock knitting at night.

I have a lace project I'm working on too, but I feel like that needs its own post.

On another note, I think I have an idea for my cousin's quilt. I broke down and bought the scrappy quilt book. (then got all excited about a project for me--later). My MIL likes the kaleidoscope quilt pattern, which is the one I'm planning, and so she bought the fancy triangle ruler to use for cutting. THEN, I went through my stash and came up with a huge pile of blues, and some yellow to set it off:

I need to see if I have some more yellow, that I just didn't pull. I think the only material I'll have to buy is a bit more yellow for some of the boarder triangles, and if I don't have any extra, maybe some for the main quilt too. I asked MIL, which ones should I use. All of them was her answer. Ok then. I'm hoping to start cutting in a week or so, after life settles down (I'm planning a party for my girls--who share a birthday with me--and birthday treats for school and about 50 other things this week).

stall

I'm going to go an a limb here and say the hardest part about knitblogging is when you hit one of those times when you just aren't knitting. And right now... well I've been a little busy with this and that and the other, and it translates to nothing I can share here. Mostly I've been working or sleeping during my regular knitting time. I have been thinking about my knitting though, sometimes you need to think things through, so perhaps this time hasn't been wasted after all.

I still haven't decided what color to do my dollar and a half cardigan. Probably the dark brown though.

I did decide what quilt pattern to use. I broke down and bought probably the only book by M'lss rae Hawley I didn't own and I'll be making a version of Magic Hour. Mine will probably be all blues. My cousin says she's having a boy. While I don't usually do "boy or girl" colors for quilts, I happen to have a lot of blues in my stash.

So that's what I've been up to.

finished objects and decisions

I have finished my drop stitch scarf. It matches mittens I made last year. And have some leftover yarn that might become a hat, but since I'm not really a hat person, I'm not in a big hurry for that. I should measure and weigh the yarn (ala Yarn harlot) and make sure I have enough.

I also finished a sock, which doesn't quite fit me.

Finishing this project though brought up the issue of what do I knit next? The problem being that I have about 50 things I'd like to knit RIGHT NOW, and choosing is the issue. My first thought was--ooh ask the blog. Then ooh ask facebook. Then I thought more about it and realized that it was really between the Central Park Hoodie and the dollar and a half cardigan. Both of which I'll have to buy yarn for. But then! I made a decision. The dollar and a half cardigan it is.

But then came a whole slew of decisions:
What size to make. My measurement is 36, there is a 36.25 size, but that doesn't leave much ease. The next size up is 41, which is a lot of ease. I think it looks better with less ease, but I don't know if I'd like it with less ease.
What color to make. I have decided to use Cotlin (I figure it will cost approx $31!)and I like the colors: coffee, nightfall, kholrabi, linen and glacier. I can see pros and cons about all of them. I'm leaning towards coffee, but I'm feeling like maybe that's just because it is brown in the pattern (and actually I have not seen one in another color on ravelry that I've especially liked--except maybe linen).

Ok maybe not a whole slew, just those two.
But then what should I start while I'm waiting for the yarn? Because I know I'll have to wait. And also, I want some other sock yarn from knit picks, and that would bring my total up to $42 and so I might as well get to $50 and get free shipping. It is a slippery slope here.

rule of thirds

I finished my sweater! And it is still sweater weather. That has to be a first for me. Also, I noted that according to ravelry, it only took me a month to knit this. Go me! However, I am a bad self-photographer, so my only picture so far is a bit blurry.

It does fit, but it was a little snug for my taste. Also, I could have made the sleeves a tad bit longer so I guess that means no dryer for that sweater. But all in all it fits well, better than the first sweater I made from that yarn.
Specs? Well I used Berrocco Touche in Easter egg--roughly 11 skeins--maybe 12, US size 6 needle and the pattern is from Knitting pure and simple, the neck down hooded tunic.

I got a bad case of starter-itis after finishing that and began these:

From left to right--swallowtail shawl, drop stitch scarf, and a sock.
If you like your yarn more artsy--I also took this picture for a photo group I belong to on flickr:

I decided that I needed to pick up my goal of doing a big lace project when the girls were in school, so I started this swallowtail shawl out of the yarn I had started and then frogged from a different lace project. It is a knitpicks bare that I dyed. So far, I got it started and then haven't had the concentration time to work on it.

The sock is for traveling, just a basic toe-up using some lana grossa melenweit. I'm excited about it because I am using my new sox stix. Also the yarn is making me unbelievably happy with the frequent color changes. Every week I get to spend at least 45 minutes on it while I wait for my daughters to do their "exercise" class. I signed them up so they could run and not worry about frostbite. So far they love it and I sit in the stands, knit and wonder if I am too old to flirt with the "coach" who runs it (he must be all of 25).

The scarf, is your basic product oriented project. I need a wider scarf for these cold winter days. Probably given that I'm working on three things, I'll have it done in time for spring. It is a briar rose Sonoma, that I made mittens out of last year. So I'll have matching stuff. Maybe I'll have enough left over for a hat too.

Of course I started those, then got all the Christmas presents from my mom and ended up with about 40 things I want to make now now now. Plus a gift certificate to Knit picks, which I have had a blast dreaming about spending. It isn't for much, but I figure I can make the Central Park hoodie OR the dollar and a half cardigan for about $25 of my own money.

I guess I'll be doing some really happy knitting.

Other plans

First of all I want to say a big wow and a big thanks to people that commented both here and to me in chat about finding ways to get that elusive Laurel Burch fabric.
I'm slowly making peace with the idea that perhaps the idea I had is not the actual quilt that will get made. There is a reason i like to know about babies well before their due dates after all. I kind of plod along at this.
I did get asked what the "plan" was and thought I'd share with you what it was. See, I'm a big fan of M'Liss Rae Hawley and her fat quarter books and my mother in law has one that I don't seem to have (although how I missed it as I have all the others and whoo looks like she's got a purse book coming out soon--well I'll never know) and in it there is a quilt that is perfect for showcasing a print in a fabric. You can see M'Liss's version on her flickr page. I was going to put those butterflies in the center block. To do that I'd need at least twice what I have and probably more if I "fussy cut." There was already debate in the house about fussy cutting, as I'm a better "fussy sewer" than cutter.
It isn't to say that that won't eventually be the quilt. Laurel Burch has a fabric line out now called the secret jungle and the animals there are really cute. I didn't want to buy a lot of fabric--instead I wanted to use up some stash--but we'll see. I seem to have used up a good deal of my really bright fabric.
I also have a huge number of Aunt grace 1930s fat quarters, and while they look more babyish than I usually like to do for a baby quilt, I do think they are sweet.
Then again, I see something like this by M'Liss and I think--hmm maybe this one. So you just never know, and at least II'll still have my butterflies to look at (or wow sell on ebay because man--they are going for twice what I paid for this.)

I'm getting close to being done knitting my hooded sweater too. I forgot just how much knitting is involved in the hood. I've used up all the yarn from the old project, so I guess my sweater will be a little stripey as I incorporate the "extra" yarn I had from that project. Or maybe after 2 or 3 washings you won't be able to tell. I guess we'll just see.
We have a big cold front moving in here in Michigan and just this morning I was saying--I think I need a wider scarf. And I started a sock to carry around. I better hurry and get that hood finished, or I'll be putting it aside until spring to work on all the other things that catch my attention.

Oooh shiny!

pickle

Well I went and did it, I found myself a plan for this next baby quilt. I love this plan. I am totally into this plan. Sadly this plan involves at least a 1/2 yard of this fabric.

I have a fat quarter, for those of you not in quilter jargon, this means I have half of a half yard. It is a Laurel Burch, from her "flying colors collection" and it is discontinued. I was thinking that if I found any of the colorways, I'd replace the turquoise.
I have been to the local quilt store. I've called the big one in the next town over. I even called one "up north." I think the store I used to go to in Port Huron might be a good lead since I've seen very discontinued fabrics there but I didn't want to call them, that seems desperate. Not that calling my mother in law who is visiting Shipshewana and demanding she scour Yoder's department store and Lolly's isn't desperate. Or hitting ebay and discovering that I can get a yard (although not turquioise) for a minimum bid of 10.95 plus shipping. If I win that is.

I think I just need a new plan. I think it might be time to let go of this idea. Which is really too bad, I did so like those butterflies.

how does one start?

Anytime I think about making a baby quilt, I'm reminded of the conundrum that I always have with sewing projects. Which comes first, the pattern or the material?
For some reason, I don't really agonize over this as much with knitting. I see a pattern I like and I look for a yarn that will work or I see a yarn I like and I search for a pattern. But with sewing, well... let's just say that getting started is often the hardest part for me.

When I made the first quilt for my cousin, I saw a pattern in a book and knew that I needed to make it. Both my cousin and her husband are artists and art teachers, and I thought they needed something that screamed ART. And this fit the bill. I went through my fabric stash and found about 1/2 of what I needed. (Let's just say that my fabric stash has some of the same problems my yarn stash does--it lacks reds). The end result was:


It was a lot more fiddly than any quilt I've made since my kids were born. In fact, I completely shut down when it came time to arrange the blocks, there were so many pieces that I turned it over to my husband.

This time, I want to do something that is artistic and colorful but I don't think I want to do something with 40 gazillion pieces.

So, I dug out my trusty fat quarter quilt books. I've done almost every quilt in the first book. And nothing is really screaming out at me to repeat.

I've made two from the second book, and there are others I'd like to make, but nothing is jumping out at me.

And I'm really feeling uninspired by the final book that I own. I can't explain why, but even the cover quilt, that I originally wanted to make so badly that I bought the book, is not interesting me.

I thought maybe that I needed to start with fabrics, and work that way. I guess I'm just feeling unmotivated because even my stash is not inspiring me. In fact, I opened one box that I know isn't full of Christmas fabrics, but that's all that was on top and I got disgusted with the idea of digging through the box, and so I gave up. I think what I need to do is get everything out and play with the fabrics, and perhaps that will lend itself to a pattern. But maybe not, because I'm being a bit picky on this because I really feel like I outdid myself on her first quilt.

More later on this I'm sure.

back to blogging

You would think that I would have a finished object to show you. Especially given I haven't updated since Dec 20th. I guess I do, but it isn't a knitted object.

I decided that I needed some new pjs back in October, but it was only over this break that I actually broke out the pattern I bought and sat down with the serger and got them done. I've had this flannel forever. If you can't see well in the picture, it has turtles, dragonflies and ducks. I have a lot of turtle fabrics, because we used to have a much beloved pet turtle (she died a few years ago) and seem to have acquired quite the turtle collection. I still have another large swath of turtle flannel, and so may end up with more turtle pjs. I think though my next pair of pjs will be a "scrappy pair as I have a bunch of flannel pieces just large enough for perhaps 1/4 of a pair of pants.

We ended up not traveling to Illinois. So I never got to start my socks. Instead I spent the entire school vacation knitting on the top down sweater. Unlike on most days, I even found a great deal of time to knit during the day. And as you can see it is almost done.


Actually, it is closer than that to be done, because I took that picture before I spent another hour on it yesterday. Unlike the first sweater I knit from this pattern, I did not try it on until I was done with the body. Even though I had checked gauge carefully and picked a size that I knew would fit me, I was still amazed to discover that it fit.

I am holding myself back from starting anything else until it is done, but man it is hard, because I got yarn for Christmas. And I had some projects I wanted to start before that. And! And! I got a gift certificate to my favorite LYS.
So, I'm not sure what will be up next. I have 2 pairs of socks I want to knit, I'd like to do another sweater soon and I have a baby quilt to make for my cousin. The baby quilt deserves its own entry, and so in order to keep myself from taking another big break, I'll stop there.

The trouble with sweaters

For some reason I am almost always starting sweaters at the end of the cold season.

It is as if I am so tired of being cold that I finally say--Oh alright already--and cast on a sweater. Then in say May, I finish it just in time to bypass spring and jump right to 80 degree weather. I suppose it balances out because inevitably in June, it gets cold enough for sweaters again.
Last year I started early--in January. But then I put it aside and finished in April. I got to wear it twice before it got really hot again. Of course it always returns to cold here in michigan, so no sweater is ever truely wasted.

This year, I'm vowing it to be different. I've started a sweater--knit in the round, using recycled yarn. In this pattern, you knit back and forth for a while, to make the collar and shoulders, then join. I've been meaning to get a pair of socks going so that at all the holiday gatherings I can knit and not drag 10 balls of yarn (they are small--Berrocco Touche which without looking, I'm remembering at 98 yrds a skein). And yet, this sweater is just plugging along so well that I'd almost like to get the sleeves divided before Christmas. And I'd LOVE to have it finished sometime when it is still cold. Although the cotton Modal blend, will make a nice spring sweater too.

But today I decided, I'd better start swatching that sock so I'm not swearing about stripes, gauge and size during say Christmas eve service. Not that *I* would knit in church (you know unless my mom is preaching--Just kidding mom) or anything, but you get what I mean. Add to it, that my extended family don't at all understand knitting and let's just say, socks are really the best project to be working on.

Was a good thing I did, because my sock yarn for this project (Meilenweit cotton fantasy) was so tangled on the inside, that I ended up rewinding the ball. Now to decide toe up, top down, heel flap or short row heel.... I guess I might be able to work a few round son the sweater while I decide....

darn it!

Back when I first took a class in how to knit socks, a very good friend of mine gave me a darning egg from her collection (she collects them because she finds them amusing). She said--You'll probably want to learn to use it.

I went along fine, and then my first pair of socks got a hole in them, which irritated me, as they were not even a year old at the time. Then my beloved Lorna's laces socks all started to get thin. Drastic measures needed to be taken.
So yes, I scoured Youtube.
I discovered that some videos are not as helpful as say others. But, if you want to learn like your grumpy grandma was teaching you, please watch the first link. (If you'd like to see how to really do it click the second). After watching both videos, I attempted it and this:

Became this:


I discovered that the hint about the matching yarn makes for a much better patch, and so now, I'm keeping all my sock yarn leftovers FOREVER. I also patched up my very first pair I ever knit, but it was tiring work, and so I haven't yet done my second pair of Lorna's laces. Am wearing one pair I mended today and I can't really feel the patch like I thought I might.

Also, I finished blocking the colinette scarf:

And I've started on a sweater. I need to do some tiny swatching on the socks (I hate to admit swatching socks, but I do. Not as much as say a sweater, but still.) My bathrooms are still dirty and the floor still needs mopping, but I'm happy.

Christmas knitting DONE

I have finished all my Christmas knitting! That sounds so impressive, that we might just forget that I only knit two things this year and they were both scarves. I still need to block the colinette scarf, so no pictures yet.

While I was knitting, I had a crisis of confidence. What if the teachers didn't appreciate my knitting? What if I should have gotten them something else? What if they preferred gift cards? In the end I decided that even if you don't wear handknits or scarves or something, you could at least appreciate the work and love that goes into something handmade. I don't knit for many people, so if I knit for you it is truly a gift to be appreciated.

Also while I was knitting, I started to get ansty about knitting things for me. I wanted more socks, I need to learn to darn my current socks (I have 3 with holes or thinning spots), I want a sweater, I want a lacey mohair scarf, and every time I turned around I saw some new project that I couldn't wait to knit. And now that I'm done, I have no idea what to do first. I should probably start both the sweater and something smaller and portable so that when the Christmas travel comes, I'll have something I can knit in the car. Not that I can't do a sweater in the round in the car, but usually we are pretty packed in and socks just work better. Of course at the rate things are going on the dishwasher front (it is on order...), I'd probably be just as well off buying some kitchen cotton and cranking out the dishcloths in the car.
So there's my conundrum, what to start first? Or you know, I could start the socks AND the sweater, then when the girls are in school next week, I could follow the tutorial on darning socks. or I could wrap presents and clean my house.