KFYS Club

Marky's Socks Done!

2008-09-09T10:57:00.000-05:00

I finished up the socks for my niece Marky! (Picture will come eventually – be patient.)

Also, I’ve been working on a new project which I hope will be unveiled soon!

Color Teaser

2008-08-22T15:50:00.003-05:00

So, what did I do last night?

Mixed colors

Dyed yarn

Washed up

Watched TV

I mixed up a very deep blue and a deep red so that I could make a "patriotic" colorway (by request), then mixed up some other fun colors to play around a little more. Below are the preliminary results (meaning I snapped only a few quick pictures this morning because I was running late for work!).

Love those blues!

2008-08-22T15:49:00.000-05:00

Patriots

2008-08-22T15:48:00.003-05:00

There was a request for red, white, and blue sock yarn. Thus, my Patriots. They're red on one end, white in the middle, and blue on the other end. The red faded to a kind of dark orange as it ran a bit, but I like it.

In a Mood

2008-08-22T15:47:00.002-05:00

Autumn colors

2008-08-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

Kimono Scarf

2008-08-11T12:05:00.006-05:00

This is what I've been doing to amuse myself lately. It's a scarf in a pattern adapted from Folk Shawls. It's the pattern for the Kimono shawl, an easy 10+1 repeat pattern with garter edges.

I'm knitting it on US 7 needles with a nice Peruvian merino by a company called Mirasol. The yarn is called Hacho and the colorway is #306. It has a nice, tight twist. One 50g ball yielded 12" in length (including the border), so I anticipate having a scarf that is 60" long when I'm done as I have only 5 balls of this wonderful wool. I'm not sure how wide it will be when I block it out, but I think it will be near to 12".

And a bag to put it in . . .

2008-08-08T14:54:00.003-05:00

My sister Shari was kind enough to send to me a gift card to String of Purls for my birthday. I used it to purchase this magnificent bag which holds all of the projects posted today, plus some knitting books, pens, etc. the bag is some sort of plastic fabric, so it is good for the beach. I like it because it zips up on top and will keep all of my projects protected from the more unsavory elements of nature.

I embellished it with a cool tag from Village Stationery. I feel trés chic, let me tell you!

Dye Class Delinquents

2008-08-08T14:52:00.002-05:00

These are some dk weight skeins leftover from dye class. The center one is dyed in Gaywool Bluegum and the outer two (dubbed Emerald Sky) are in blue and yellow (one is Gaywool Bluegum and Honeycomb, the other is leftover Culinary Colors blue and yellow).

Wisteria Lane and RiverWash Skeins

2008-08-08T14:50:00.003-05:00

Left are the Wisteria Lane skeins and right are the RiverWash skeins. Both are superwash wool in fat fingering weight, 4 oz per skein and sold at String of Purls.

Rescue Pullover in Progress

2008-08-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

This isn't perhaps the best photo because it shows the yarn as brighter than it really is. This is the failed Mardi Gras skeins overdyed in Indigo and the start of an aran-style pullover.

Monet Scarf

2008-08-08T14:44:00.001-05:00

This silk scarf was dyed in the splatter method with a variety of colors. I like to call it the Monet scarf because it looks like an impressionist painting.

Mardi Gras Scarf

2008-08-08T14:43:00.001-05:00

This is a silk scarf dyed with the Mardi Gras colors.

Manos del Uruguay Scarf

2008-08-08T14:37:00.003-05:00

This is done with two skeins of the silk and wool blend of Manos del Uruguay yarn, one in a solid blue-grey and the other in a variegated that included the same blue-grey color. On a US 7 needle, I cast on an uneven number of stitches and knit back and forth as follows:

Row 1 (solid color): *K1, Sl 1 with yarn in front* across, end K1. Turn work.

Row 2 (solid color): Purl all sts. Turn work.

Row 3 (variegated color): *K1, Sl 1 with yarn in front* across, end K1. Turn work.

Row 4 (variegated color): Knit all sts. Turn work.

The left image shows the side with Rows 1 and 3, the right image shows the side with Rows 2 and 4. Frankly, I like the right image best!

Kaffe Fassett Crocheted

2008-08-08T14:34:00.002-05:00

I was given a gift of a bunch of Rowan dk weight yarn from a Kaffee Fassett (sp?) cardigan kit. There was no way to knit the cardigan with the directions in it (several balls of yarn were missing), but I knew I'd have fun crocheting it in a basketweave pattern. Here it is in progress. it will make a nice stole (about 18" wide). This is the item my mom did some crocheting on when she found herself unexpectedly at our house one night because her power was out.

Ab-Fab In Progress

2008-08-08T14:23:00.002-05:00

Above: Detail. Below: A look at the whole thing in progress. There are, I think, 10 different yarns, each a different color, and about five different textures. Three of the yarns are mohair, two are a kind of shiny thick-and-thin boucclé, one is a flat knit ribbon, one is a fluffy cotton-ish chenille, and one is a regular yarn in bulky weight. It's knit on US 11 needles in a feather-and-fan pattern. The kit comes in a great variety of color sets and the instructions include six different ways to knit or crochet it into a throw (or afghan, or lap blanket -- whatever you want to call it).

New Year's List Updated

2008-08-03T18:46:00.002-05:00

Projects on the New Year's List:

Socks for Marky (one done, 2nd sock at gusset)
Socks for Deb (#1 near heel turn)
Socks from Austermann Step yarn — Frogged and rewound
Hoofle-Foofle Socks *Done • 1 Feb 2008*
Cardigan *Done • 10 May 08*
8-3-5 Pullover for Marky (back done; front started)
Scarf from bulky weight Silk Road *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Scarf from 2 strands of Manos del Uraguay *Done • 10 Jan 08*
Socks for Alice *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Shrug for Mary (back panel done; working out pattern for sleeves)
Baby Blanket for Jorge y Liliana — Frogged and rewound
Socks for Joan (one sock done, the 2nd sock at the gusset)
Swag Socks sample for String of Purls *2 samples done*
Marjaana/Hermione pullover for myself — Frogged and rewound
Scarf (non-wool) for I-Pie (about halfway along)

Christmas Stockings from Suzi

2008-08-01T19:22:00.003-05:00

A wonderful knitter, Suzi B. from Denison, Iowa, sent photos of two Christmas stockings she knit:

On the left is a Christmas stocking I'd designed a couple of years ago. It's knit with Lamb's Pride bulky. On the right is the Purlie Fat Sock yarn, Sari colorway, knit in the Raindrop pattern (free with purchase of the yarn).

Well, this does my soul good. I'd gotten an email yesterday from knitty.com that two sock patterns I'd sent in were rejected. Nice to see that someone gets enjoyment from my patterns!

The "Rescue" Pullover

2008-06-08T10:35:00.003-05:00

I'm working on a pullover now from the worsted weight Mardi-Gras-Overdyed-Indigo yarn. After 16 rounds of 2 x 2 ribbing, I've settled on a pattern of moss stitch and diamonds and even a couple of cables. The trouble was that I didn't plan it particularly well so the ribbing doesn't necessarily match up with my cables and such, but I've decided that it's not a big deal. I'm not knitting this for submission to a publication.

This a pullover for my brother-in-law Ron who has been working on cleaning up a Toyota knitting machine I'd purchased last fall from a widower. I don't know how long it had been since his wife had used it, but it was kind of crusty in places. So, Ron is patiently cleaning it. Thus, I am patiently (really) knitting a pullover for him. The stitch gauge is 5 st/1" in stockinette on US 7 needles. I cast on 256 (I'm knitting it in the round) and worked the above-mentioned ribbing. It has a center diamond (in purl stitch on a field of knit stitch). In fact, it goes (from left to right): K 17, Diamond (over 14 sts), K2, 5-stitch moss, K2, P2, C6B, P2, K2, 5-stitch moss, K2, center Diamond, K2, 5-stitch moss, K2, P2, C6F, Ps, K2, 5-stitch moss, K2, Diamond, K17. And then it repeats on the other side, and it's a 12-row pattern. I'm not sure whether I'm going to work it as a drop shoulder or a set-in sleeve. I'll think about it.

The first few rounds are a little difficult. I increased 4 sts on each side in the set-up round after the ribbing in order to account for the cables pulling things in on rounds 3 and 9. I have a zillion markers in it all to give me a cue when things start, but I expect I'll be able to pull them out once the overall pattern becomes clearer. Right now it looks like a dark mess of ribbing with bright markers in it.

If you want the stitch pattern, I have it set up in an Excel spreadsheet and I will be glad to email it to you if you send me a note requesting it.

Rescuing the Mistakes and other news

2008-06-02T10:02:00.001-05:00

OK, the yarn I dyed that I mentioned in the last post? Problems, problems, problems!

The eight skeins of Mardi Gras were all wrong. I didn’t have any more plum, so I mixed up what I’d hoped would be right. Wrong! It came out kind of reddish brown. And then the green ran into the yellow on about 3 skeins. And then it turned out that what the gal wanted was the brighter colors (not the subtle ones I’d come up with first.) So, I overdyed all of the Mardi Gras skeins with Gaywool indigo in a kettle on the store. It took about 2 hours. They’re good. The yellow parts came out dark green, the reddish brown parts came out a deep violet with reddish parts, and the rest is a lovely dark blue. There are a couple of odd spots where the dye didn’t take, but it’s all salvageable and I’ll be knitting a pullover from it.

The 2 skeins of sock wool and the 4 skeins of cotton/silk yarn dyed in blue would never rinse clear. I tried soaking them in Dharma Trading’s new substitute for Synthrapol (less expensive and better for the environment), but that didn’t work. Then I soaked them anew in a vinegar bath for about 15 – 20 minutes (completely submerged this time, too) and that did the trick. No more running blue water. It just needed a much longer bath and better soaking than I’d done the first time.

I finished up the “secret socks” and submitted the pattern to Knitty yesterday. In the meantime, I’ve been slogging away at the socks for my SIL Joan.

I’ve also been having major “start-itis” problems.” I’d been given a bag of some leftover balls of Rowan wool which I’d started knitting into a feather-and-fan pattern. I screwed up the pattern on about the 12^th row. And I’d already knit like 5 colors! So, I pulled it all out and started crocheting it into a basket weave pattern that is so far going well (and easier to fix if you make a mistake in the pattern). Then I started crocheting a doily from a silk lace-weight yarn (“Black Walnut” by Claudia Handpaints), but I screwed up that right at the start and needed to rip it all out. Luckily, I hadn’t gotten too far on it. Last night I tried casing on a simple top-down pullover, but I pulled it all out after 6 rows because I didn’t like the yarn I was using for that size of a needle. So, I gave up and started sorting out all of my needles (again). Oh, and that doesn’t count trying to make a scarf in the pattern of a Japanese tea shawl (found in Folk Shawls). I got the garter rows all done then learned on the first row of the pattern stitch that I’d cast on about 3 stitches too many. Yuck.

The dyeing mojo seems to be working. I’ll concentrate on that and keep knitting my SIL’s socks until the creative knitting mojo comes back.

Fuschia Knees

2008-05-18T15:22:00.002-05:00

At present I have several skeins of yarn "cooking" upstairs.

1. Linie "Bingo" cotton yarn dyed in a light marigold color.
2. Four 50g skeins of a cotton/silk fingering weight yarn being dyed a dark blue.
3. Two 4 oz skeins of Purlie fat fingering weight yarn being dyed the aforementioned dark blue.
4. Eight 4 oz skeins of Louet Gems worsted being dyed in the Mardi Gras colorway.

I managed the spill some of the violet color from the Mardi Gras dye session and it went down the plastic sheeting against which my knee came to rest not seconds later. At first it was a spectacular purple splatter, but cleaning it up with Reduran caused it to subside to a kind of pink/red color.

Still Slogging Along on Projects

2008-05-18T15:16:00.002-05:00

Projects on the New Year's List:

Socks for Marky (need to do over)
Socks for Deb (#1 near heel turn)
Socks from Austermann Step yarn — Frogged and rewound
Hoofle-Foofle Socks *Done • 1 Feb 2008*
Cardigan *Done • 10 May 08*
8-3-5 Pullover for Marky (back done; front started)
Scarf from bulky weight Silk Road *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Scarf from 2 strands of Manos del Uraguay *Done • 10 Jan 08*
Socks for Alice *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Shrug for Mary (back panel done; working out pattern for sleeves)
Baby Blanket for Jorge y Liliana (started)
Socks for Joan (started)
Swag Socks sample for String of Purls *2 samples done*
Marjaana/Hermione pullover for myself — Frogged and rewound
Scarf (non-wool) for I-Pie (started)

FO!! FO!! FO!!

2008-05-12T08:37:00.001-05:00

I can cross off another item from my New Year’s Knitting Resolution list: The dark blue-green cardigan is finished. Well, I just found 2 more ends I have to weave in (about 5 minutes of work) and I won’t do the buttons (M will do them since it is to be her cardigan), but it’s effectively done.

The pattern is from Knitting Pure and Simple, Neck Down Cardigan for Women #9725. I knit it with Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in a colorway called “Petrol” (why it’s called that I’ll never know), and it’s a superwash. Unfortunately, I didn’t get gauge (what was I thinking by using Aran weight when it called for heavy worsted???), so it was smaller than I thought it would be, thus it is going to M.

Now I move on to a zillion other projects on the needles.

*sigh* I have more ideas than I have hands to knit them.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

2008-04-03T21:58:00.002-05:00

A very good knitterly friend called me last weekend with a problem. The problem was that she'd knit the whole back panel of a nifty pullover with very cool yarn (a silk/wool blend) that she'd gotten for herself as a kind of reward (in fact, the whole project was a kind of reward for herself) and found her gauge was off and the darned thing was too small.

Yep, she'd knit and knit and knit and discovered the problem rather far down the road. You can swatch all you like and still have a problem like this because swatches are only a small piece of the whole and therefore really won't show you the whole picture, such as when you were knitting during a thunderstorm or while watching a suspense/thriller or thinking about a nagging project at the office -- whatever it was that caused you to knit a tad tighter than you'd done your swatch and therefore cause the whole thing to be a very expensive dishcloth.

But, all was not lost.

First of all, she had more yarn, so she could just start knitting over and use the already-knit portion as a way of checking that she wasn't making the darned thing too small again.

Second, she could frog the offending portion, reskein the yarn, and then wash it and hang it to dry so as to get the knit kinks out of it. (It helps to have a ball-winder for frogging major projects.)

Third -- and this is the most important -- she was certain to get Bad-Knitting-Day-Makeup-Sex.

You see, she's in a new and wonderful relationship with a guy who doesn't know beans about knitting but he loves her to pieces, so if he came home to find her upset about a project she had to frog you just know he was going to say, "Oh, honey, let me kiss it and make it better." And we all know that in new relationships you go from "kiss it" to wild screaming sex in less than 5 seconds.

Those of us who have been in relationships for a while (and for most of us that means we've been married more than, say, 2 years) know that we're never going to get Bad-Knitting-Day-Makeup-Sex without (A) asking for it specifically, and/or (B) promising a few favors in return. It's not that our significant others don't love us; it's that they have figured out that we really know that a bad day of knitting is still better than our best day at the office. Give us some chocolate and/or a decent bottle of wine, and we'll get over the bad knitting day all by ourselves. In the meantime, they will tackle something that will ensure they get I'm-So-Glad-I-Married-You-Sex -- you know, taking out the garbage without being asked, or changing lightbulbs, or just making our favorite coffee and steamed milk (to compensate for the near-hangover from drinking all that wine while we frogged).

"This Old Spouse" pretty much knows when to jump into bed right away (and it happens less and less frequently) and when to hold out for, say, a wild tumble in the laundry room while the washer is on the spin cycle.

But I think there are times when we need to go back to those heady days when we were first in love and anything was an occasion for sex: a bad day, a good day, putting the groceries away, getting out the shower, once for every letter delivered by the postman . . . you get the idea.

Bad-Knitting-Day-Makeup-Sex is definitely the place to start.

And still to come . . .

2008-03-17T19:36:00.002-05:00

Sorry, no photos to post. I've been so busy that I've had no time for myself. Yesterday I dyed the last of the yarn for String of Purls. Now I'm finishing up getting ready for the yarn dyeing class at the end of April.

The latest color of sock yarn is Appassionato, a lovely blend of violet, blue, and a touch of fuchsia. The colors are strong (i.e., passionate) and this is Holy Week (i.e., Passion Week) and yarn dyeing as well as socks are my passion, so it's appropriate. I dyed 7 skeins of it because I'm working on a new pattern (yes, Mandella, I'll start knitting as soon as the skein is dry) that will eventually be sent to knitty.

Lordy, this is a lot of work, but I do love it.

Mardi Gras Sock

2008-03-04T15:54:00.003-06:00

This sock is actually finished now, but here's a photo of it in progress. It's the Mardi Gras colorway. I didn't know it would make stripes!

The stitch pattern is simple. I call it Raindrops because it looks like raindrops against a window. I'll publish it as soon as I have it worked out to where I like it.

Thunderstorm

2008-03-04T15:53:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud of these! They came out exactly as I had hoped!

Lilies in Australia?

2008-03-04T15:49:00.002-06:00

I was trying out Gaywool dyes, which are from Australia and have color names that I would never associate with the colors that come out. They call this one Lily. It's a dark blue-green, something I wouldn't associate with lilies. Oh, well.

This skein (Louet Gems, worsted weight) was dyed in a kettle on the stove and it was as easy as the instructions stated. However, nothing in the instructions quite prepares a person for how fetid is the scent of boiled wool. Sheesh! It stinks when it boils and it stinks despite a couple of washings in shampoo. The same thing happened with microwave dyeing. I mean, it's a great method (and the microwave dyeing gives a more mottled effect with the colors), but the smell is horrid, even when you have a stuffy nose!

Plum One-Offs

2008-03-04T15:47:00.003-06:00

I was trying for a deep, rich violet. I ended up at first with purple, magenta, and blue. So, I overdyed with navy blue and came up with this, which I think is a nice save. Back to the drawing board on the deep, rich violet.

When Orange Goes Bad

2008-03-04T15:39:00.005-06:00

On the far left is my best possible reproduction of how awful these skeins of yarn were on their first attempt. I don't know what it is about orange, but it always seems to engage me in a war of wills. If it isn't spilling everywhere (I have the spots on my jeans to prove it), it is staying at an intense level that is unjustifiable. What might have been a lovely set of skeins had a neon-orange glow about where that patch of orange is that I Photoshopped in (sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to photograph them when they were in that state). Today, despite a sinus infection, I tackled them again. I tried a rose color first (no good -- not strong enough), some ecru (still not strong enough), then dowsed the whole thing in purple which yielded a lovely dark reddish brown. Sorry, but I don't think the colors are coming through just right -- at least on my monitor the colors are far too intense on the righthand photo above to do it full justice -- but trust me when I say that (1) it's loads better, and (2) you have to see it, and (3) I'll never be able to repeat this colorway again because of how much it's overdyed!

I was trying to capture this effect:

Lovely, isn't it? It's a cotton scarf dyed with ecru, orange, rose, and plum -- all muted and mushed together. I think the orange didn't like being so sublimated on this piece so it took revenge on me when it came to the wool.

Still Hip Deep

2008-03-02T08:53:00.002-06:00

The last few weeks have been so outrageously busy! I dyed yarn last weekend, both the six skeins of Mardi Gras and the six skeins of Robyn's Egg (photos coming, I swear!), plus a few odd things I was trying with color. I think the dye gods are messing with my head. For some reason I could not achieve the same subtleties of color as I did previously. The Mardi Gras is darker than I intended. It's still beautiful, but it's not what I'd hoped for (need to back off on the intensity of the green and the lavender). The Robyn's Egg had a green that was much too strong for the light blue (on my trial run the pale green merged into the pale blue rather magically), but it served to balance the darkness of the yellow so it worked out.

*sigh*

Yesterday I dyed six skeins of Thunderstorm and the results are magnificent! I got the balance of greys and blues just right. They are hanging to dry in the bathroom. (I've got to figure out a way to rig a drying rod outdoors for the future.) Also hanging to dry are

a 3 oz skein of sock yarn that had been bright berry colors that, when I started knitting with it, I just couldn't stand the cloying colors, so I overdyed it with navy blue.
an odd skein of DK weight showing a variety of new colors (charcoal grey, baby pink, ecru). The charcoal grey tends to go kind of greenish.
a 4 oz skein of Louet Gems sport weight now in honeycomb/cranberry done with Gaywool dye in the microwave -- not bad.
an 8 oz skein of Louet Gems worsted weight now in "lily" (the Aussies have an interesting sense of color names -- this one is actually a deep blue-green) done with Gaywool dye on the stove.

My DH was complaining about the state of the kitchen from all of my dyeing activities last night. This is the first time he has complained, and I put it down to his having a cold and feeling miserable. I did point out to him that I had needed to tidy up the kitchen from all of the dirty dishes, pots and pans (cleaning the kitchen is his job) before I could even begin my work. Besides, I tidy up after my work (meaning he does not tidy up after cooking).

In other news, the shower curtain rod in my bathroom is showing signs of rust. Yes, through the chrome coating. Yuck. I definitely need to find a different method of hanging the wool to dry.

Hip Deep in Yarn and Loving It

2008-02-18T21:40:00.002-06:00

My order of yarn from Spritely Goods finally arrived today (a pox on UPS for rescheduling the delivery -- it was supposed to have been here last Friday) and I've been reeling off 4 oz bundles. Oh, it's amazing, though, to hold these great bundles of wool! They are so soft and fresh that I want to use them as a pillow!

Although I lost out on my production time this past weekend, I was still able to make some progress on color experiments. I've achieved a very nice pale blue and light green, and I found a purple/gold/fuschia combination for autumn that absolutely melts my heart. I'm concentrating on light and bright colors for spring and summer right now. Autumn colors will come later.

I also started knitting with my skein of "Mardi Gras" and it's coming out striped! I'm so excited! It's better than I expected! Yiippppeee!!!!!

I'll try to post photos later this week. My camera has been loaned to the stationery shop for some things we needed done there. I just got it back today.

Clan Ross

2008-02-08T17:42:00.001-06:00

These aren't exactly the Clan Ross colors. Those would be only red with blue and green stripes. This one has a brighter red and a deeper blue, plus some brown. But when it was all dyed I looked at it and immediately saw my mother-in-law's clan colors in it, so I named it for her.

Mardi Gras

2008-02-08T17:41:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud of this mix. I think it's the best of the lot. I really got a great range of colors.

Tutti-Frutti

2008-02-08T17:33:00.001-06:00

An odd skein (75% wool, 25% nylon) dyed from the leftovers of making color swatches, this one is knitting up in a fun array of colors.

Fire Lake

2008-02-08T17:31:00.000-06:00

I like the rainbow hues of this one. On the far left is a brown and on the far right is a deep blue/purple.

Campfire

2008-02-08T17:27:00.000-06:00

Full skein at the top of the image, and a nice detail of the red-into-yellow transition below. I'm not as crazy about this colorway, but several people have said it's their favorite of the bunch.

It's Worth the Purple Fingers

2008-02-08T17:23:00.000-06:00

Here is yarn I dyed this past week, finishing drying at my office on Thursday a.m., thus saving me a trip home between work and sit-and-knit at my LYS.

Purple, Green, Blue, Fuschia Fingers!

2008-02-06T21:01:00.000-06:00

Oh, my stars! Oh, my colors! I dyed two skeins last night; one was really good and the other was so-so. Acting on an idea, I dyed three skeins tonight and I think I came up with some amazing color combinations! I'm getting really good at blending colors, and my whole process is getting cleaner as I go.

With my earlier dye sessions I came up with about 48 color swatches with pre-determined mixtures. When I'm blending one color to another on the skein, I come up with some really awe-inspiring combinations: pale yellow greens, pale oranges . . . Oh, I can hardly wait for morning when I rinse them out!

Yes, that's what's been happening for two nights running: I come home, have a little supper, set up the table for a dye session, clean up after setting the yarn aside to "cook," then wait until morning to rinse, neutralize, and wash.

I must be crazy. But I'm happy crazy.

Purple Fingers

2008-02-03T15:13:00.000-06:00

I've been dyeing swatches of yarn to see what I can come up with. It's a challenge at times. You'd think that mixing red and yellow in a 1:1 ratio would produce orange, but it doesn't. I'm trying a 2:1 (yellow:red) ratio. Red is powerful, and overpowering.

Projects Update

2008-02-01T22:13:00.000-06:00

Projects on the New Year's List:

Socks for Marky (need to do over)
Socks for Deb (#1 near heel turn)
Socks from Austermann Step yarn (#1 near the toe)
Hoofle-Foofle Socks *Done • 1 Feb 2008*
Cardigan (finish sleeves and button band)
8-3-5 Pullover for Marky (back done; front started)
Scarf from bulky weight Silk Road *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Scarf from 2 strands of Manos del Uraguay *Done • 10 Jan 08*
Socks for Alice *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Shrug for Mary (started back panel)
Baby Blanket for Jorge y Liliana

These are the projects already waiting for me to start on:

Socks for Joan
Swag Socks sample for String of Purls
Marjaana/Hermione pullover for myself
Scarf (non-wool) for I-Pie

Socks from My Yarn

2008-01-26T17:44:00.000-06:00

This lady is saving my life, to say nothing of my sanity. She is knitting socks from my yarn on a 1903 LeGare circular sock knitting machine. If I had a spare $2,000 sitting around I'd probably get one for myself. Oh, the wonderful socks I would churn out and out and out!

My stash ain't so bad .... I think

2008-01-20T12:13:00.001-06:00

OK, I saw this link to the World's Largest Stash and felt I needed to share it.

I feel better now. I have a lot of my stash in a storage unit, but it's still not as much as that lady has.

I started in a bit on a new sock design but got nowhere. It was an ambitious set of two cables plus a center lace panel. It sucked.

Knitter's Heaven

2008-01-15T07:16:00.000-06:00

I purchased a very cool skein winder from eBay. It arrived yesterday. I put it together last night and transferred two skeins to it (I wanted longer skeins for dyeing). I like this thing so much that I'm considering getting rid of my umbrella swift.

This is a piece of simple yet ingenious craftsmanship. It folds up easily (just undo the center screw and pull out the pegs) and it turns like greased lightnin'.

I also purchased a pound of blue-faced Leicester sock yarn. It came on a cone. I'm sorely tempted to knit it into a lovely shawl, then dye it, but I remind myself that I got this to dye and attempt to resell (or knit for myself). We'll see. . .

Confessions

2008-01-14T07:47:00.000-06:00

I didn't frog the Manos hat. I finished knitting it last night. It and the scarf are in a bag with a nice note for my regular doctor who has taken good care of me and my DH for a few years now.

Also, I started work on a blue scarf for a Harry Potter friend. It's all acrylic yarn since she's allergic to wool and other animal fibers. I shouldn't have started something new, but it hoped to get it done before winter finishes flying through the midwest.

I have about 12 more rows before I start the toe decreases on the HoofleFoofle socks.

More Done, and Dyeing Prep

2008-01-12T13:41:00.000-06:00

I finished the Manos del Uruguay scarf on Thursday night, and I've been making progress on both the red socks for my SIL Deb and the HoofleFoofle socks. I started a hat from the leftover Manos, but I'm going to frog it and save it for a felting project or something. I do not need another project staring at me, especially with all that is glaring at me from the UFO stash.

I'm going to work on the HoofleFoofle socks until they're done, then start on Deb's socks. After that, I'm going to tackle that cardigan and finally get out from under it.

Oh, and I keep finding UFOs as I dig around into stuff. Yuck.

I've gotten a few more things for my great dyeing adventure. One is a set of measuring spoons and measuring cups that will be ONLY for dyeing. I also got another plastic tray and handily holds these items. I'm going to try out several new yarns for dyeing. I've been using the Henry's Attic Kona DK superwash, but I'm also going to dry Sidhe Sock, Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Thin (just a tiny bit thinner than regular Super Sock), and blue-faced Leicester. And I got myself a large wool winder from off of e-Bay so I can have skeins up to 72" in circumference.

Lorna (my co-conspirator) and I are going to get together and try out some color mixing with some yarn swatches to see what we come up with, and then I'm going to dye yarn until my fingers are purple.

Two Items Done!

2008-01-06T13:19:00.001-06:00

I finished Alice's socks as well as chunky-weight scarf. I'll post photos soon enough.

Here's the problem: I keep finding more things I've started but not finished. I keep adding to my list (below) and it's kind of driving me crazy.

Oh well. All knitting is good knitting, right? Well, even my worst day at knitting is better than my best day at the office!

Zig Zag Lace hell

2008-01-03T12:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a pattern for something my friend M and I are calling "Zig Zag Lace" —

It's a multiple of 6 +1 that the talented M has been using this pattern for socks. I think it should be done only with the section in the Pattern Repeat box. Or, perhaps it needs to be offset by one stitch? Or . . . ???

I'll work with it and then see what I come up with. Anyway, it should make a lacy zig-zag.

This year . . .

2008-01-02T12:00:00.000-06:00

I will finished one project before starting another.

But first I have to finish the projects I already have on needles:

Socks for Marky (need to start #2)
Socks for Deb (#1 near heel turn)
Socks from Austermann Step yarn (#1 near the toe)
Hoofle-Foofle Socks (#1 done; #2 started)
Cardigan (finish sleeves and button band)
8-3-5 Pullover for Marky (back done; front started)
Scarf from bulky weight Silk Road *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Scarf from 2 strands of Manos del Uraguay *Done • 10 Jan 08*
Socks for Alice *Done • 5 Jan 08*
Shrug for Mary (started back panel)
Baby Blanket for Jorge y Liliana

These are the projects already waiting for me to start on:

Socks for Joan
Swag Socks sample for String of Purls
Marjaana/Hermione pullover for myself
Scarf (non-wool) for I-Pie

Hmmm....lots of socks again this year!

Dyeing for Color

2007-12-02T22:25:00.001-06:00

I was so hooked on dyeing yarn from the class at String of Purls that I ordered in some dye, supplies, and undyed yarn to try it on my own at home. I got 16 oz of DK/sport weight washable wool, seven colors of fiber-reactive dye (Navy Blue, Cerulean Blue, Better Blue-green, Marigold, Red Wine, Havanna Brown, and Plum), and I had some fun this past Friday evening. The results were varied, but I can live with it. I had more success than failure, and the failure was instructive.

From left: The "problem" skein, rainbow socks, macaw, and tie-dye blues. See below for more detail on each.

Grrrr! Problems!

2007-12-02T22:19:00.000-06:00

My first skein dyed was a mess! I'd done my figure-eight ties faithfully, then I clipped the tails of those ties because I didn't want to chance that they would drip dye into areas where I didn't want dye.

WRONG! Soaking in the soda ash caused the wool to swell up and therefore my little square knots came undone and all of my ties fell out except for the place where the beginning and end of the skein were tied together.

So, after pressing out the excess moisture, I had to do some quick ties (with regular wool that hadn't been "fixed" in the soda ash -- you can see how those ties didn't take the dye). Unfortunately, this had the effect of causing places in the wool skein to dry out. Dry wool = little or no dye filling in. Thus, I had big white spots.

Another problem was spotting (red wine into the marigold). NOT what I'd intended. I think that was sloppiness in applying the dye rather than an errant drip when it was wrapped up.

The overall problem was color. I admit I was experimenting here, but it was awful in my opinion. It's Havanna brown, red wine, marigold, "better" blue-green, and plum — yuck! too much of the same color value, and none of it really harmonious.

The Macaw

2007-12-02T22:16:00.000-06:00

Success!!! I started with marigold at one end, then went to cerulean blue, the "better" blue-green, and finally navy blue. The colors in real life are even better than they appear on the screen. The blue-green melts into the navy blue.

The swatch (here and in succeeding posts) are done on US 3.0 needles over 28 sts. (I would cast on 56 sts for socks with this weight.) I think the overall effect on doing socks would be a kind of golden stripe among the blues and greens.

Tie-Dye Blues

2007-12-02T22:13:00.000-06:00

This was a mistake that turned out well in the end, I think. I used the "better" blue-green, cerulean blue, and navy blue on this skein. In some areas the bare wool had dried out somewhat (another skein that had to be re-tied after soaking in the soda ash solution), so there are light-dye places and a few white spots, but it has a nice effect overall.

Rainbow Socks

2007-12-02T21:43:00.000-06:00

This was an experiment in dyeing two skeins at the same time in order to achieve the same (or very similar) effects on both. These are 2 oz. skeins (each will make a sock) and I chose the safe route of rainbow colors, starting with plum on the left, then cerulean blue, marigold (which mixes with the cerulean blue to make a nice grass green), red wine, and Havanna brown. In retrospect, I need more shade contrast (more darker and lighter tints) to give it more depth, but it's not bad.

Yarn I Dyed

2007-11-26T11:03:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, November 18, String of Purls held a class on dyeing yarn that was led by Jay Rich. I had a great time experimenting with color and with learning the process. In fact, I had such a good time that I've ordered 16 oz of undyed yarn and some dyes to start playing on my own!

Mohair and Silk Trial

2007-11-26T11:01:00.001-06:00

I wound both of these bits, then put them together in a small bowl and dyed them with a marigold color of dye. After they had soaked up that color, I sprinkled on a plum color. As you can see, they took the dye differently. Even discounting the airiness of the mohair, if you look at the core thread, the colors aren't as intense as they are with the silk.

The Blues Yarn

2007-11-26T10:59:00.001-06:00

Here is a skein I dyed in all shades of blue (except for one part where I thought I was using a dark purple and it turned out to be brown). It turned out nicely. Below is a pair of socks I'm knitting from this color for my niece Marky. It's just 40 sts around (she's 8 years old).

Fire and Ice

2007-11-26T10:35:00.001-06:00

On US 2.0 needles, I cast on 56 sts and knit socks (7 sts to the inch). It comes out in stripes of blue/purple and red/orange and it looks cool!

FotM Socks Done!

2007-11-06T06:47:00.000-06:00

I finished the Fire on the Mountain socks (finally!) on Saturday evening. While I was in the hospital I finished up the Chapman Springs mittens.

Here's a photo of my knitting on the mittens while in pre-op!

Alice's Blackberry Socks

2007-10-29T10:27:00.000-05:00

Alice from choir asked me to knit a pair of socks for her. As she has been essential to my being able to participate in choir (she has a strong voice and helps me to hear my part -- it's been a looooooong time since I've sung Alto!), I agreed immediately. I'm doing the same pattern as the Prodigal Socks (K2, P2 for 3 rounds, then K all for 3 rounds). I'm nearly done with the first sock. It's Fleece Artist merino in the colorway called Blackberry. I'm working them on US 1.0 needles.

The Prodigal Socks

2007-10-29T10:24:00.001-05:00

These are the socks I knit for the pastor of my church. They are done in the "Dishrag" pattern (a waffle stitch) using Cherry Tree Hill merino sock yarn in the Java colorway. I worked them on US 2.0 needles. I call them the Prodigal Socks because they once were lost (when I'd had one sock completed and the other one about halfway down from the top), but then were found so that I could finish them.

Oh, dear. . .

2007-09-24T09:54:00.000-05:00

I wonder if it was hard getting models to try these on for size adjustments.

Swag Socks and other tales

2007-09-18T11:14:00.000-05:00

Knitty.com didn't take the title pattern, but Blue Moon Fiber Arts is interested in taking a look, so I'm not posting a photo of them yet. They've been done for a while; I was just waiting to see whether Knitty was interested.

In the meantime, I'm working on the Prodigal Socks (the ones for my pastor that are done in Cherry Tree Hill's java colorway and in a waffle pattern). These socks were lost for a few weeks, then returned home. I have one done and the other is just a few rows away from the heel flap. I'll post a photo when they're done.

The commissioned Christmas socks are close to done. Sock #1 is completely finished. Sock #2 is done except for a hang tab. I waiting for Sock #3 to be finished (I've got just a few more stitches to put in the second Santa face before I move on with it) to see whether I have to get another skein of Red Heart bright red yarn to finish up these as well as the hang tab for #2.

I've gotten two skeins of Lisa Souza's "hard twist" yarn. The sock weight (Hard Twist Merino Petite) looks like it will take either a US 0 or US 1.0 needle (suggested sizes are US 1.0 or 2.0); the regular Hard Twist Merino knits up beautifully on US 1.0 and 2.0 (suggested sizes are US 4.0 to 5.0) for socks. I got a skein in the slate colorway that I'll knit up for my husband.

I've had a few starts and stops with other sock projects. I have a heavier Lisa Souza wool (in Mars Quake and Electra) that will be perfect for socks if knit on US 3.0 or 4.0, but I'm trying to decide on which pattern I like for them. The Mars Quake is for me; the Electra is for Ed.

Last night I started a pair with Blue Moon's "Socks that Rock" in Hooflefoofle and Great Adirondack's "Soxie" (find it at Ewe Need Yarn) in PlumLoco. I'm just doing a simple two-color sock but it's very pretty and lots of fun!

Ch - Ch - Ch - Changes

2007-09-18T11:11:00.000-05:00

Starting today, anyone can post comments on this blog. Comments will be moderated (so you won't see your comment until it has been approved.) Blog authors will be able to create new posts and leave comments at will.

Want to join in? Send me at email: judith AT mugglepost DOT com. (replace the words in ALL CAPS with the correct symbols and you'll have it).

F.O.s!

2007-07-30T09:14:00.001-05:00

I finished a scarf from my stash! I'll post a photo as soon as I have a camera ready.

I finished one of the three commissioned Christmas stockings. I'm about halfway into the second one.

I've got one Fire-On-The-Mountain sock finished. One of the Cherry Tree Hill Java coloraway socks is finished and the second one is started.

Socks for a Lifetime

2007-07-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

I went through my yarn stash again this weekend. I was looking for a particular yarn to put into a basket of birthday gifts for a friend. I found that yarn. I also found tons of stuff I'd pretty much forgotten.

Time to get serious!

I have to finish up the Christmas stockings, then I can knit all of the rest of that stuff I've got on hand.

(I think I have enough sock yarn alone to knit a super-sized pullover on US 2.0 needles. That's scary.)

New to the Stash

2007-07-09T09:07:00.001-05:00

Three new skeins from
Blue Moon Fiber Arts

Mesa (left), Backstabber,
and HoofleFoofle

All in Medium Weight.

Euroflax Linen in Neptune colorway.

Real Men Knit

2007-06-23T21:45:00.001-05:00

Oh, Pshaw!!!!!

2007-06-01T08:05:00.000-05:00

I'm having to rip out everything I knit on a sock last night at sit and knit. I got my pattern off by half a row.

Note: Certain things should not be attempted at Sit and Knit!

In the Navy Socks Finished

2007-05-28T01:50:00.000-05:00

I finished the socks for my DH tonight while watching an episode of Inspector Morse on VHS. They're the perfect socks for him!

Kitchener Stitch Handy Reference

2007-05-21T08:52:00.000-05:00

(Note: This is a slightly improved-upon version, helped out with Photoshop.)

Welcome Alice!

2007-05-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

I met Alice on the Rockin' Sock Club site before I had to pull out of that adventure. She's been a faithful knitter and email correspondent since then. Glad to have you with us, Alice!

Hello!

2007-05-19T13:40:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to checking all my e-mail addresses and found my invite to Judith's KFYS blog. While my stash isn't what I'd call overly huge, if I don't take some steps now to work on the projects I already have yarn for I may never get them started or finished. I really want to be wearing some of them later this year.
A little background.
Married, 2 almost grown children (one post high school at home, one graduating college in June), one obnoxious dog, 3 parents/grandparents that we visit regularly. I've been knitting for a long time but somewhat recently discovered socks, blogland and Yarn Harlot. That caused a major explosion in yarn stash. All those lovely yarns out there that people were blogging about and I just had to try them all. A long stay at a hospital with my husband during his allogenetic stem cell transplant gave me lots of time for shopping and not a lot of concentration for knitting. Simple projects were all my brain could handle while managing husband's treatment/recovery. All has gone really well for him and he's now back at work.
Now I need to work on all that yarn I acquired during that period. (DH has no problem with my yarn addiction. I earned lots of brownie points with everyone during his illness.) Lots of different projects for me to choose from. Right now I have two completely different sweaters on needles, one tank top, multiple socks and a lace scarf. I have more sweater yarn, lace weight for shawls, and lots more sock yarn to work on and thanks to this blog and others lots of ideas on how to use same. Plan is to start getting things finished before another buying binge hits. (Birthday happens soon and that means money I can use for yarn when we go to daughter's graduation.)
Here's hoping this blog helps and that all works out for Judith and her SO.
May the projects fly off the needles and stash reduction occur with jobs and $raises to allow for a return to stash acquisition mode for all. Happy knitting, Alice

Waffle Socks Pattern

2007-05-17T07:54:00.000-05:00

Here's the basics of the pattern I'm using for my waffle socks:

Materials:
1 skein Socks That Rock medium weight (from Blue Moon Fiber Arts)
1 set US 1.0 dpns or 2 circulars
markers as desired

NOTE: Directions are given for dpns (even though I worked mine on 2 circulars). If you want to see directions for working on 2 circulars, see the pattern for Dishcloth Socks.

Gauge/Tension: 8 sts = 1"

Pattern Stitch:
Rnds 1 - 3: K all sts
Rnds 4 - 6: *P2, K2*

NOTE: I prefer to work Rnds 4-6 as K1, *P2,K2* to the last 3 stitches, then end P2, K1. This makes sure that the first and last stitch on the needles is a knit stitch and therefore ensures the pattern will be balanced over the instep.

Cuff
CO 64 sts
Work 2 x 2 ribbing (K2, P2) for 12 rnds. (Make sure you work the ribbing the same way as you'll work rnds 4 - 6 of the pattern stitch.)

Leg
Rnd 13: Begin pattern stitch; work for 10 iterations (1 pattern with 9 repeats), then K all sts for 3 more rnds.

Heel Flap
With Right Side facing, work heel flap across first 32 sts as follows:

Row 1: Sl 1, *P2, Sl 2 (purlwise, with yarn in back)* to last 3 stitches, end with P2, K1. Turn work.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, P to the end. Turn work.

Work these 2 rows 16 times (32 rows total) so that there are 16 slipped stitches on each side of the heel flap.

Heel Turn
With Right Side facing, K 18, SSK, K1, turn work.
Next row: sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn work.

Continue as follows:
Right side: sl 1, K to 1 st before the gap, SSK (one from each side of the gap), K1, turn work.
Wrong side: sl 1, P to 1 st before gap, P2tog (one from each side of the gap), P1, turn work.

NOTE: On the last two rows, you will end with SSK and P2tog (respectively). That's how it should be.

18 sts total remain of the heel flap/turn sts.

Gussett

RS facing and using Needle 1, K across the heel flap sts. Pick up 16 sts on the right side of the heel flap (one in each of the slipped stitches along the side).

Change to Needle 2 and work pattern across the 32 instep sts (K1, *P2, K2* across, end K1).

Change to Needle 3 and pick up 16 sts on the left side of the heel flap. K the first 9 of the heel flap sts.

Work Gusset as follows:

Rnd 1 (decrease round)
Needle 1 — K to 3 sts before the end, K2tog, K1
Needle 2 — work pattern as established
Needle 3 — K1, SSK, the K to end

Rnd 2 (regular round)
Needle 1 — K all sts
Needle 2 — work pattern as established
Needle 3 — K all sts

Continue working rounds 1 and 2 until there are 64 sts on all needles.

Foot
Work all as Rnd 2 (above) until sock measures 1.5" from end of your foot. If you're working rounds 4-6, end after rnd 6.

Toe Decreases:
Decrease Round (4 sts decr):
Needle 1 — K to last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1
Needle 2 — K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1
Needle 3 — K1, SSK, K to end

Non-Decrease Round:
K all sts

Work alternating Decrease and Non-Decrease rounds until 32 sts rem, work one more Non-Decrease round, then work only Decrease rounds until 8 - 12 sts remain. Graft toe closed. Work in ends.

A Knitting List

2007-05-15T14:03:00.000-05:00

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday-related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener
BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Fire On The Mountain Socks that Rock!

2007-05-13T15:31:00.000-05:00

OK, these are a pair of socks I'm working on. They're made with Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock yarn, medium weight, in the Fire on the Mountain colorway. I'm knitting a waffle pattern of K2, P2 for 3 rows, then 3 all for 3 rows.

The Latest Stuff on Needles

2007-05-11T10:32:00.000-05:00

I'm finishing up a second pair of socks in a pattern I've submitted to Knitty. If they take it, I'll publish a link (as I did the Quill Lace Socks). If they don't, I'll send it off to Blue Moon Fiber Arts since I knit it originally in their Sunstone colorway.

At home I've got the Blue Moon StR Fire on the Mountain yarn being worked into a pair of waffle-stitch socks. I'm doing it in sets of 3 rounds but still K2, P2 in the pattern. It comes out more like a square that way. I'll post photos when I have them.

I'm at the heel flap on DH's second sock. I worked it the other night when we were at an Indian food restaurant. Knitting and vegetable samosas! Cool!

Dishcloth Socks

2007-04-16T09:17:00.000-05:00

Knitty didn't take this pattern, so I'm posting the photo and the pattern here for your enjoyment. These were knit from Jaeger Aqua, which was in my stash. I've also got a pair going in a different yarn (I'll have to look it up) that is thinner.

Anyway, these guys have been done for a while. It's my first pair of KFYS Sock Club socks!

SIZE
To Fit foot circumference: 7.5 – 8.5 inches

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot Circumference: 7.5 inches

MATERIALS
Jaeger Aqua [100% mercerized cotton; 115 yd /106 m per 50g ball]; color: Comfrey #328 (note: the color is discontinued, but there are plenty of others available); 2 skeins

1 set(s) US #3/3.25mm double-point needles
OR
2 16-inch US #3/3.25mm circular needles

GAUGE
25 sts/40 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
This pattern is worked on 2 circular needles. If you prefer to use double-point needles, be sure to divide the stitches between needles in multiples of 4. Or refer to the directions for Waffle Socks.

If you plan to increase or decrease the circumference of these socks by casting on more or fewer stitches, be sure the number of stitches you use is a multiple of 4. At the gauge listed, one 4-stitch pattern repeat is approximately 0.625 inches wide.

About 13 yd/12.5 m remain on each ball, so if you choose to substitute another yarn you’ll need about 205 yd / 200 m to make the pair as written. While there is enough of the Jaeger ball to make either the foot or the cuff a bit longer; it’s better to get a third ball of this particular yarn if you need to make a larger size.

All slipped stitches are slipped purlwise with yarn in back. This is especially important on row 3 of the heel flap.

Cuff
CO 48 sts. Place 24 sts on each needle and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. The first and second needles of the round will be designated Needle 1 and Needle 2, respectively.

Rounds 1 and 2 (both needles): *K1, P2, K1* to the end.
Rounds 3 and 4: K all sts.

Repeat these 4 rounds for a total of 30 rows (or desired length to top of foot), ending with Round 2.

Leave the 24 sts on Needle 2 (which will be the top of the foot) to remain idle as you work the Heel Flap on the 24 sts of Needle 1.

Heel Flap
Row 1 (RS): sl 1, *P2, sl 2* repeat to last 3 sts, P2, K1. Turn work.
Row 2 (WS): sl1, P to end. Turn work.

Repeat these 2 rows for a total of 24 rows (12 slipped stitches on each side of heel flap).

Turn Heel
Rnd 1: With RS facing you, K 14, ssk, K1. Turn work.
Rnd 2: sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1. Turn work.
Rnd 3(RS): sl 1, K to last st before the gap, SSK (one from each side of the gap), K1. Turn work.
Rnd 4: sl 1, P to last st before the gap, P2tog (one from each side of the gap), P1. Turn work.

Repeat rnds 3 and 4 until all sts have been worked; 14 sts on Needle 1.

Gusset
With RS facing, k all sts on Needle 1, pick up and k 13 sts along edge of heel flap. 27 sts on Needle 1.
Using Needle 2, k all sts.
Using Needle 1, pick up and k 13 sts along remaining edge of heel flap, then k remaining sts on Needle 1.
There are 64 sts: 40 sts on Needle 1 and 24 sts on Needle 2.

Round 1: K all sts on Needle 2 (top of the foot); k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k1.
Round 2: [K1, p2, K1] on Needle 2; k all sts on Needle 1.
Round 3: [K1, p2, k1] on Needle 2; k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k1.
Round 4: K all sts.

Work these four rounds a total of four times.

There are 48 sts: 24 sts on each Needle.

Working sts on Needle 2 in pattern as set and sts on Needle 2 in stockinette stitch, work until foot measures 2 inches less than desired length to end of toe.

Toe
Decrease Round:
Rnd 1 (both ndls) - K1, ssk, K to last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1 (4 sts decr)
Rnd 2 (both ndls) - K all sts

Repeat rnds 1 and 2 until there are 24 total sts remaining, then repeat only rnd 1 until there are 12 sts remaining.

FINISHING
Graft opening and work in ends.

FO!

2007-04-14T22:10:00.000-05:00

I have a small F.O. -- a baby blanket (sort of) that is about 26" x 26". I'll post a photo when I get a chance.

Also, I'm very near to the toe decreases on a the second of pair of socks, but I can't publish a photo because I'll be submitting it to Knitty.

Too Tired To Knit...

2007-03-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

I have so many projects in the works and am too tired to knit. I had to work until 6 today and I am pooped. I have to work at the other office tomorrow and the aunt Bonnie you've heard me talk about before is having a Cookie Lee jewelery party tomarrow after work. I don't know what that is but it's jewelery so it can't be bad. Then the housework needs done sometime. The husband ushers in church this month so that means manditory church and alot of it since it is Easter. The yard is covered in pine needles. Oh whats a girl to do? You know, i do have a personal day coming, that my be my only chance to knit in peace. Hmmmmm my first brilliant idea in forever!

I want yarn!!!!

2007-03-30T13:17:00.000-05:00

I'm going crazy. I want yarn. I really want to buy yarn. And then I want all the time in the world to knit it. This yarn diet is nearly killing me!

I'm not Catholic but I have a confession to make...

2007-03-17T21:15:00.000-05:00

The hubby and I went to Omaha today out of the blue. I went to SOP and spent $38.52 on one skien of yarn. That is the most I think I have spent on one ball of yarn to date. The hubby was shocked. If he only knew what was really out there for the picking he would ban me from knitting forever. It is going to make one gorgeous scarf. I know this is grounds for dismissel as the club clearly states, "knit from your stash". But really, how long does it have to be in your stash before it "is" stash?

The Ugly Scarf Gets Longer

2007-03-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

OK, I'm close to finishing another repeat of the colorway. It's still yucky. I've had to sit around lately -- doctors' offices (today because I have a cold -- at least, that's the official opinion), restaurants, waiting in traffic jams -- so I've had that monstrosity along to keep me company. I realize now that what I'd thought was a deep reddish brown is really a very deep violet. I would never have put that violet with that tomato-y red and grey-ish natural color. Yuck. I'll bet the blessed thing lasts forever!

Hey, I've got scarves to work on, too!

2007-03-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

Hey, Shelly (and everyone else), I have about six scarves to finish up this year only because when I sorted out my stash I discovered these six UFOs. Of course, that doesn't count that I've already started two other scarves (see photos below), three other pairs of socks, and . . . OK, it's just too depressing to even think about.

Welcome to blogging, Shelly! Mandella and Deawn have their own blogs (you can link to them through the list of members at left), but like you they are members of this blog so they can post here, too.

Hugs to all of you, and thanks for your support!

An Outrageously Hilarious Book

2007-03-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

This is the silliest, most outrageous collections of awful projects gleaned from knitting and crocheting patterns dating from 1920 to the present. You can order it from Amazon if you like. My copy came last night and I've been in tears with laughter. Even my husband laughed, and he knows nothing about knitting!

Progress

2007-03-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

I've got only a few more rounds and then I'll be able to shape the toe of the first of my DH's socks. He tried them on last night and was thrilled!

I've gotten several more inches knit on the Ugly Scarf. As there are 400+ yards of yarn on the ball, I have a feeling I'll be knitting on that think until Christmas.

I'm trying out a cool lace pattern for a pair of socks. So far, so good. If this works, I'll be able to submit the pattern to Knitty (love those $$$ coming in!).

Oh, that I had six pairs of hands to knit with!

Ed's Socks in Progress

2007-03-09T14:47:00.000-06:00

I've turned the heel, picked up stitches along the flap, and I am working the gusset decreases now.

World Lit Only By Fire Scarf

2007-03-09T14:46:00.000-06:00

It's coming along. I can work on it only when I have time to concentrate, so it often has to be put aside, but it's coming along.

The Ugly Scarf

2007-03-09T14:45:00.000-06:00

As promised, the scarf that is my penance for having too much yarn. It's in the feather-and-fan stitch, two strands held together.

The Ugly Scarf

2007-03-04T21:33:00.000-06:00

OK, so have you ever gotten some yarn that you thought at first was great then decided it was the ugliest stuff you'd ever seen? And you still can't bring yourself to chuck it? This is Trekking XXL in color 143 (orange/red/brown). I'd gotten a bag of Trekking XXL yarn in a kit to make a sweater, except that I had no intention of knitting the sweater. I just wanted all of that sock yarn. So, there were two balls of this hideous stuff inside. At first I thought, "Oh, these will be hilarious when knit up!" Now I'm thinking of letting the cats play with it. In their litterbox.

But, no, I've started knitting it. It's a scarf in the feather-and-fan stitch. I'm holding two strands together and knitting it on US 7 straights. I'll give it to charity when I'm done. After all, it's wool and it's washable. It ought to keep someone warm.

Does it count as charity if you'd never wear the thing in the first place?