3rd June, 2008
Socks and Stash
Posted at 10:19 pm | Comment (0)
27th May, 2008
Mojo
Wikipedia to the rescue!
Mojo. Glad to see Austin Powers is noted. I’m enjoying the word “gree-gree” myself. Since mojos are “made for all sorts of purposes,” there must be a knitting mojo!
There was knitting this weekend as forecast. However, as always expectations exceeded reality. The drive was more scenic than anticipated so there was lots of time spent looking around and not so much time knitting. Progress was made. I did finish the foot and turned the heel of one sock. I started the 2×2 ribbing for the leg. I stopped so I could decide if I want to decrease for the ankle. I did a short-row heel and since I always have a hard time getting short-row heels over my instep, and since the recipient of this pair of socks has bigger feet than I do and a bigger instep (I measured), (wait for it) I increased a heck-a number of stitches for the heel. I don’t want the socks to be baggy so I am considering how much to decrease. On the second sock, I am about up to the point of doing the increases right before the heel. I am LOVING the 9″ circulars!!
I listened to a knitting podcast this weekend and learned that Anne Budd does not enjoy entrelac because she can’t pick up cleanly to avoid the colors showing through on the pick up edge. Sound familiar? I conquered that problem on my entrelac knee socks (as Kim can attest) and things seem to be looking good for Lady Eleanor. Yes, there was a moment of smugness. But only a brief moment. I can’t really explain what I changed about my pick-up method to keep the color changes clean, so can’t take too much credit for luck.
The big test of whether the knitting mojo or “gree-gree” has returned will be whether it continues during the workweek. Let’s hope! I want to send these sock off the to recipient!
-K
Posted at 9:53 pm | Comment (0)
26th May, 2008
Oops!
While attempting to delete the 986 SPAM comments, I inadvertantly sacrificed several of the more recent comments to the trash bin.
Sorry about that.
On the upside…we now have no spam comments clogging up our files….
Posted at 4:01 pm | Comment (0)
25th May, 2008
Two Questions
1. What exactly does “mojo” stand for? I know what it means…just not what it stands for.
2. Should I attempt to update the pages of projects, both finished and unfinished, or just delete them and point folks to ravlery?
Of course, question number 2 assumes we are finishing projects….
Posted at 12:37 pm | Comment (0)
23rd May, 2008
Return from Absence
There hasn’t been any blogging. Rather than spew forth guilt at neglecting the blog, and stammer on with a list of reasons of why I have been so neglectful, how about we take the 2 year old approach and ignore the absence and just pick up as if nothing happened. ‘Kay?
I’ve got one or two things to add to the Finally Finished pile that were completed during the lull (as soon as I can get someone to help with photos) but not much to show for the time away.
I recently got my knitting mojo back. Interestly, it took some time playing with beads and a couple sessions working on cards to get me back to knitting. I turned to dear Lady Eleanor, who has been quietly sitting in a basket under my coffee table. I picked it up and knit two rows of squares and was ready to hit the knitting basket to take on other projects. I do still really enjoy Lady Eleanor. I did have to remember how to knit backwards again, though. I easily could still be working on it, but wanted to keep it waiting in the wings for those times when I just want to pick something up for a few minutes. I started a soe (toe-up) on a trip in April but it had been ignored. I picked it back up and now have two socks almost ready for the heel turn. The recipient has size 12 feet (!!) so it takes quite a bit to get to the heel. Fortunately, I saw the recipient last week and was able to take feet measurements, much to her amusements. I am thankful I did. Unfortunately for her, her feet have grown over the years I have known her - starting with a 10.5 when we first met. (Kids are not to blame.) The yarn I am using for the socks is gift yarn (THANKS ANGELA!!) - yarn pirate in a blue, pink, purple pattern. Is there anything better than gift sock yarn? The intended recipient went through a very big (HUGE, actually) pink phase. She is moving out of it now. Burgundy has replaced pink so I thought of her when I saw the yarn. She appeared to be quite pleased with the color palette. After agonizing on patterns, I finally wimped out and am doing a stockinette foot and a ribbed leg. Plain, but progress has been made. I am knitting them on size 0s using wooden circs that are 9″ (I think). They are FANTASTIC! I can just knit and knit and knit and knit. I don’t have to move between dpns or deal with a cord ala magic loop. Love the needles. My hand does sometimes hold the needle a little tightly, but I have gotten accustomed to the small needle length.
I finally got up the gumption to unpack the first layer of my knitting basket (where WIPS and WIPS-in-training take residence) and I am getting startitis. I had given up on one sock pattern (gauge problems) but I have a swatch now and am ready to dive in. I also pulled out a set of arm warmers I had swatched for but never started. I have a trip planned for the weekend so hope to make progress on a project or two over the next few days. After my foray into my knitting basket, I am itching to play in my stash. That should banish the lack of mojo problems for good. But I am afraid I will have serious startitis if I do. I want to focus on my knitting basket. Some of those projects have been languishing for much longer than I care to say.
Will try to be more faithful. And there may actually be projects to describe and show off!
-K
Posted at 4:44 pm | Comment (0)
15th January, 2008
Update list…no photos…
Just a quick update of what I’m up to….
Finished the following:
Cat Bordhi’s Flow Motion Sock from Vogue Knitting’s Ultimate Sock Book. See photo of the first sock here.
Pototomas sock. Cookie A. Twisted Yarn. Colorway: Chomp. See photo of the first sock here.
Blue Moon Fiber Arts in August Club Color Firebird. Knit in club pattern Solstice Slip. See photo of the first sock here.
Notice a trend? Three pair finished. Saw no reason to show you the pair when I’ve already bored you with the single sock photos…after all, the second sock looks remarkable similar to the first….and they’re already blocked, and being worn. The Cat Bordhi socks were ripped from my hot little hands as soon as I cut the last end after weaving in the ends and immediately placed on the feet of daughter number two. At least I know my knitting is appreciated.
Frogged the following:
Rainbow Socks from the October MagKnits. See photo of pre-frogged sock here.
Started the following:
Noni Messenger Bag. I’m doing it in Dark Gray for the bottom, Crimson Red for the Stripe, and Medium Brown Heather for the rest. No Passport Pocket. Will try to take a photo and post soon.
Dream in Color Tulips Sweater (Gift…no photos allowed)
August Summer of Love Sock from the Rockin’ Sock Club. I’m behind. I know it. I’m trying. One sock halfway down the foot. Size 10 feet take much longer to knit.
That’s it. Boring.
Ang
Posted at 2:27 pm | Comment (0)
12th January, 2008
Why I didn’t post today as planned
Because it took me too long to delete the 687 SPAM comments in our comment moderation.
Sigh.
Finally figured out the fastest way….but what a waste of time.
Ang
Posted at 12:49 pm | Comment (0)
3rd January, 2008
Action Shot
My sister just sent me a photo of Nephew #3 modeling his bear cardigan. I know he is my nephew and I am biased, but the cuteness! He is so adorable! Look at the smile! He is gleeful at being able to wear handknits! The comfort, the coziness, he is just lighting up with joy!
My apologies for the size, but couldn’t bear to thumbnail this one.
-K
Posted at 9:16 pm | Comment (0)
27th December, 2007
MIL Scarf
One more finished project with photo. I knit up a scarf for my MIL. It is from a pattern from Morehouse merino. It is the cutest pattern. The yarn comes in a small tin with the pattern inside the tin. The yarn was quite fine - perhaps between a laceweight and fingering weight (or perhaps fingering, but thinner than Koigu PPM). Nice little pattern. You cast on, knit, then cast off. Then cast on, knit, then cast off. And repeat. You alternate sides for the bind off / cast on. Wonderful mindless knitting. Very soft yarn. Howeve, undoing what you knit is not so easy. The yarn makes friends easily after it has been knit and does not like to be separated. Plus if you pull too hard, yarn breaks.
-K
Posted at 5:50 pm | Comment (0)
27th December, 2007
Photo Update
OK, as promised, photos of finished objects. Remember the bee shoes/socks? I personally delivered these to Nephew #3 along with a hat I made on the flight to Nephew #3 to go with the shoes. Unfortunately, this did not use up the remaining yarn. Also unfortunately, the bee theme was mistaken for a Iowa Hawkeyes theme (gasp!). That was not the intention. No photos of the projects in use - yet.
Way back in October I also finished Nephew #3’s Christmas present. Yes. Take a moment. A Christmas present finished in October. Yippee. I love the cardigan and the hood - all very, very easy to make. The buttons may be my favorite part. The bear ears, well, not my favorite. They are what drew me into the sweater, but I am not loving them. They look too folksy for the cardigan. Ahh well. I did not change them.
The cardigan has been gifted and received. My sister accused me of buying it. (Momentary pause for knitterly gloating.) To counteract the slight (ahem) stash enhancement at the end of November, I have been working on destashing.
How do you use of three skeins of Lion Brand WoolEase Thick and Quick? It’s not easy! First: Make one Kid’s Color-Block Cardigan following (loosely because of the bulky yarn) the pattern in Oneskein by Leigh Radford.
Still have yarn left? How about adding a matching Illini hat to the sweater?
Still have yarn left? How about two more Illini hats for the other two nephews? They all now have Illini hats.
Still have yarn left? Flip again through Oneskein for inspiration, and see Asyemmtrical Cable Hat. Decide a cable hat is a good idea. Since you now know the gauge for the yarn by heart, design a cable pattern to fit the gauge and desired headsize. Knit. When run out of yarn of one color, make pom-pom out of contrasting color.
This was a Christmas present for my SIL. No word on whether it was appreciated. Note, it does stretch to fit a round head.
Still have yarn left? No suggestions.
-K
Posted at 5:47 pm | Comment (0)
