Made it!

Blocked at 9am this morning and gifted at 10:30 am. I.am.in.love! The pattern so clever and so fun to knit. I think maybe I should have used higher contrast yarns, but...eh. I'm pretty darn happy with these. I'm especially happy that they were knit in only 6 days, Almost entirely as my after work knitting. A very quick knit. Only 66 rounds after the picot edging.

Anyway, Gene Ann loved them. I was right. No one knits for you when you own a yarn shop. I'm really glad I did. Gene taught my sister and me how to knit maybe 8 or 10 years ago. I thought she was giving me knitting lessons, but really, it has been so much more. I can't imagine my life without knitting. It's my passion. I will always be grateful to Gene for introducing me to it.

Frog Princes

This coming Sunday is my friend, boss, and LYS owner's birthday. We're celebrating at the shop on Saturday. I had a really hard time deciding on a gift, but I think I've got it.

Kiss That Frog mittens. I bought the pattern on Ravelry. It's well written with clear charts. I'm using Karabella Aurora 8 (my all time favorite yarn!) in green and Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK in Blue.

I've always admired and aspired to stranded knitting. I tried it out with one of the Three Tams from Knitty last winter and found it very enjoyable. This time I did little more reading up at Knitting in Color, and, I think, improved my technique considerably.

If you look closely, you can see about half of the half body of the frog. When you put your hands together like you're reading a book - voila! A frog!

Oh, and before you ask. Yes, the party is this Saturday. Yes, I'm not quite done with the first mitten on this beautiful Thursday morning. Yes, I think I will finish. I may be in a caffeine haze come Saturday, but I can do it. I have to. I have no backup gift.

Things we do for love

IMG_1762_edited
Originally uploaded by daniknits

Knitting doll clothes has always been right up there with knitting toilet paper covers for me. Never gonna happen.

But when my girl picks me flowers and shows me her pantless grandma doll...well, I guess it won't be long before I'm gifting the entire family with tacky tp covers to match the bathroom decor. At least it's a good use for leftover sock yarn.

Thank You Cabled Socks

My friend and co-worker has been wonderful to me. She's helped me out with some work stuff that truly would have been miserable without her help. So, as a knitter, I decided what better way to say thank you than handknit socks?

We always joke that my friend is pretty plain jane about clothes and colors, so I went to the stash and found some charcoal grey Regia Silk. Perfect. I couldn't bear the boredom of 2 completely plain grey socks though, so I threw a cable twist into a 2x2 rib.

A few friends have expressed interest in the pattern, so I'll share. It's really more of a recipe though.



































Cabled Thank You Socks

2 balls Regia Silk
US size 2 Needles

Cast on 64 stitches (or whatever multiple of 4 makes you happy)

Rounds 1-3 - Work in 2x2 rib
Round 4: C1B, P2 around. (Cable without a cable needle by knitting the second stitch first)
Repeat these 4 rounds until desired leg length.

Work the short row heel of your choice over half the stitches. (I used a YO short row heel. A tutorial can be found here.)

Continue working in rounds, in pattern, until foot is 2 inches less than desired length. Work your favorite toe. I used a round toe as follows:

Toe:
(Knit 6, K2tog) around
Knit 5 rounds
(K5, K2tog) around
Knit 4 rounds
(K4, K2tog) around
Knit 3 rounds
(K3, K2tog) around
Knit 2 rounds
(K2, K2tog) around
Knit 1 round
(k1, K2tog) around
K2tog - around (8 stitches remain)
Break yarn, draw through remaining stitches with a yarn needle and pull to close.

Voodoo sock... and post your projects!!

Okay- I know you all are knitting! I've seen pictures! So c'mon- post here and share! :)

I have been in school for the last 2 terms and have not had much knitting time. I TRIED to knit socks for my DH, but here is my, oh- about 34th (and final) failed attempt. It was the wrong size. After all that work. Note the needles impaling it before it became a ball. Hopefully that got rid of bad sock mojo with that yarn.

And yes- that is the same yarn that a certain little black kitten (not that sweet innocent calico ;) ) completely snarled not too long ago. So one ball is now again a ball, and another is a complete tangled mess in a bag. Sigh.

I did, however, knit one sock of my swap yarn. With the fabulous pattern she sent along. I am impressed with myself, as it fits so well. I may have to post a picture of me wearing the one sock- because... I can not seem to get the next sock started. I keep casting on and have gotten to the second row a couple of times, but then it turns bad and I pull it out. :(

maybe when finals are over... One more week!

Sock Frenzy

I have never considered myself a sock knitter. Sure, I've made a pair here and there, usually with at least a couple months between the first and second socks. But recently I was struck with the idea to make some small socks for the kids and use these little socks to learn a few new techniques.
First I did my basic Ann Norling kid pattern, cuff-down, heel flap, kitchnered toe socks for Maggie. I used Happy Feet by Plymouth, 1 Skein with a bit leftover, Size 1 feet.











Then, I tried the Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula from Knitty. There was no way I was making a gauge swatch for a sock, so I took the gauge off the ball band for the math. Here I learned about W&T short-row heels and toes and a sewn stretchy bind off. I could not get the figure eight cast on, and after an hour or so, I went ahead with the easy crochet cast on. I did not enjoy the W&T short rows. Well, to be honest, I found them to be pain in the ass. I followed a few tutorials, and I think I did okay,but...eh. I used Wildefoote by Brown Sheep, Size 11 Toddler Feet.












Then I ran across YO short row heels. I was sure this had to be easier and less fiddly the W&T method. So, I tried it out for my little niece. Cuff-down, YO short-row heel, kitchnered toe. Regia Stretch, Color 81 (i.e. clown barf) - about half a skein, Size 9 Toddler Feet.












Out of the 3, this was the sock recipe I liked the best. So, I did it again. (I couldn't leave my other little niece out, now could I?) The only change this time was I used Knit Picks Sock Memories in Flower Power. I loved this yarn! Really soft and nice to work with and I love the bright colorway. I used about 3/4 of a skein for Size 11 Toddler Feet.












I would have guessed after a month of knitting nothing but socks, I would be done and ready for something new. But yet I am happily working on my Austin Socks (RPM from Knitty) that have been languishing since October. I think somewhere around the 3rd pair, I became a SOCK KNITTER!












So, what have you all been up to lately? Other than the meme, it's been very, very quiet.

7 Things About Me

I apologize, but I did a copy and paste from my blog a couple weeks ago because I can't think of any more fun things about me (if you want a really long list...here are 100 things about me).

1. I like to read mysteries.

2. I wish that I could sew. There are so many dresses and skirts that I'd love to make. I'm always buying patterns thinking I'll teach myself, but get very intimidated the moment I open the envelope.

3. I like watching zombie and vampire movies.

4. I like finding 4 leaf clovers, and I'm actually pretty good at it. I even have one that I found during our last trip to France.

5. I collect sheep, bees and teacups.

6. I love the smell of Lilly of the Valley. It makes me so happy when they start to grow right outside our front door.

7. I have never been to Disneyworld or Disneyland but really want to go!