Loot and a finished object

In my last post I mentioned all the packages I was waiting for. Most of them (and a few more...) have now arrived. Yay! I am also waiting for a couple of new ones. Oy.

I have new books!

Charlene Schurch's new sock book. I like it for all the example socks and little stitch patterns. The actual patterns, I don't know. I like knitting toe-up, but most of her toe-ups start in the same way, with knitting a small square and then picking up stitches around all edges. And the only toe-up heel flap is an upside-down version of the top-down one. It would have been nice with more different toes and heels.

Folk Shawls. I love it! I fell in love with the first shawl, Litla Dimun, and it's on the needles now.
The colours are off in the photo, it's not that orange. The yarn is Opal Neon in colour 1934, red-pink-orange. I got three balls from Astrid.

I also really like Feather and Fan Trangle Shawl, the Highland Triangle Shawl, the Box-Lace Shawn (though I would probably make it a stole), and the Spanish Christening Shawl. I'm on the lookout for suitable yarn. Most of the patterns in the book seem to use fingering weight yarn.
Note that there are quite a lot of corrections on Interweave's website.

Favourite Socks from Interweave. Love it. There are no corrections up on this one yet but I've heard that there is an error in the chart for the Hidden Passion socks. I really like this book. I haven't got more than a handful of the magazines so most of the patterns are new to me. I want to make loads of these socks! Embossed Leaves, Hidden Passion, Uptown Boot, ...

I have also got some spinning books but I save the spinning stuff for another post.

Sheri has got the better of me again...

Left to right: Cider Moon Glacier in Juneau, J Knits Superwash in Louisiana, Cider Moon Glacier in Blue Ridge Parkway, Louet Gems in Crabapple Blossom and Linen Grey.

Left to right: Claudia Handpainted Sport in Wisteria, Seacoast Handpainted Panda (with bamboo) in Cherry Fizz, All Things Heather merino/tencel (oh my so soft) in Sunrise, and Scaeffer Lola in Raspberry Mocha.

I also got Panda Cotton in Faded Jeans. Apparently it is very shy, this was the best of four(!) photos, but it likes to become plain toe-up socks.


Me and M are going on a conference cruise the weekend after this and these are coming along for plane knitting, if nothing else. I'm usually very suspicious about cotton yarns, but this contains a little elastic and is very nice to work with.

I have a finished object! Short Millicent socks, by Cookie.

Yarn by Scout's Swag, knit on 2,5 mm Addis, magic loop.
I think I really knit three socks, because I had to rip a couple of times. Not because of the pattern but because of the pooling of the yarn. The leg spiralled nicely, but then the foot was supposed to have more stitches. Uh oh. The spirals became four solid fields of colour instead. Not nice at all, rip, rip, back to the gusset. I decreased down to the same number of sts I used for the leg and then the spirals appeared again. Phew. Then the spirals got stubborn on the foot of the second sock too. I think I relaxed too much and had to knit tighter to make them appear again.
All in all I am very happy with these socks.

Here's another pic with the socks on my new sock blockers! Also from The Loopy Ewe of course. These are the plastic ones, I am contemplating the idea of using them as a template for making wooden ones.


Finally, as a bonus for reading this very long post: a picture of how fat I am with four months of growing left!!! Apparently my uterus is right on track, and the utrasound said one baby only but oh my! am I going to have a fun hot summer...

Tired

It's only seven thirty but I'm so tired that I could go to bed and fall asleep right now. Work was very stressful today, especially in the afternoon, and my lower back is killing me. The kids were little terrors at dinner, and then they jumped around so much that the bathtub moved and the water ran all over the floor when we started to empty it. So no bedtime stories for them tonight! They are in bed now, and quiet, so that's something at least.

I'm definitely thinking of asking my OB to get me on part time sick leave for the rest of the pregnancy, my midwife suggested it when I saw her last week. A thirty hour week instead of a forty hour week would be So Nice.

Enough whining.

I'm eagerly checking the mailbox every day. I'm waiting for, let's see... six packages I think :-O A couple of books from Amazon, and some yarn from The Loopy Ewe (ok, two orders) And a spindle and some roving from Spunky Eclectic. And some more roving off Etsy. Oh, and my Sockret Pal says my package from her should be here by now. In fact it's been on it's way for six weeks. I do hope it's not lost. She has notified the post office and they are investigating.

The spindle and roving? Ah, yes, you see I went to this textile fair and you could try spinning on a drop spindle. So I did. It was fun, but tricky. Partly because of the not very well prepared fibre there where to spin I think. Just some carded heaps of wool to pull pieces from. And I have been tempted by all the spinning knit bloggers out there, so I ordered my own spindle. We have an old spinning wheel at the summer house, in working condition ( and by old I mean late 1800's or so) but I have no room for it here, so spindle it is. But I'll try the wheel later.

Any suggestions of a good book or two for a beginner spindler? I'm thinking of getting Spinning in the Old Way.

I hope I get something in the post tomorrow, before we leave for the summer house and Easter Holiday.

And now for some knitting!
I finished my Sock Madness Madtini's:


Apple Laine Apple Pie in Pretty in Pink (from The Loopy Ewe). 2,5 mm Addis, magic loop. I have said it before but I say it again: this yarn is fantastic! I haven't washed it yet, or even worn the socks (it's too warm right now) But the look, the feel, mmmm. It's a little thicker than many fingering weight yarns and the silk and mohair content gives it a kind of matte lustre. I'm on the lookout for more!



I was way too slow knitting these though. I'm now out of the Sock Madness competition. Oh well. I'll still get the rest of the patterns, and it's great fun to see all the varieties of the same socks. The third pattern arrived today, but I'm not so sure I like it. It has a folded down cuff with garter stitch triangles at the bottom, the rest is plain. I won't start it right away, that's for sure, but maybe I get inspired when I see someone elses!

I aslo finished the Corded Rib socks.


Lorna's Laces in Jay Pond. 2,25 mm Brittany Birch dpn's until I broke one of them and then 2 mm metal dpn's. Yes I had to go down to keep the gauge oddly enough. The heel and toe are from Plain Socks and the stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted socks. A very simple 4 stitch, 4 row pattern, but oh so nice and stretchy. I'm not too keen on the colours of the yarn though. Nice enough, but a bit tame for me...

This was my first try of Priscilla Gibson-Robert's take on short-row heels and toes. The last heel is rather good (I went toe-up) the others not so much. But I think I like the technique. It is a bit fiddly to change the stitch orientation but it looks nicer in the end than the picking up of wrapped stitches.

So now I only have one sock on the needles. A short version of Cookies Millicent sock. I have no desire to knit knee high socks, I wouldnt' wear them. My calves are big as they are, no more padding needed, thanks. But I love the look of the foot with the curving ribs so I got the pattern anyway. I simply started the pattern after all the calf decreases. I'm halfway through the heel flap now.


This yarn is from Scout's Swag, Storm Surge. I got it for my Sockret Pal (thanks Emma!) The yarn is very soft and the colours great. And I really like the way it spirals down the leg. I can only hope that there's enough for both socks. My usual terror when going top down... I haven't run out yet though.

One of the packages I'm waiting for contains solid Louet Gems for two other Cookie patterns, but this one looks great in a multi-coloured one I think.