Friday, August 29, 2008

Finishing things

I have finished the Sea Socks (Ravelry). So called because the colourway is called Deep Blue Sea... Anyway, just a simple k3, p1 ribbed sock with contrasting toe, heel and cuff. And stripe. Toe-up of course!


The yarn is Duet Sock Yarn from A Swell Yarn Shop (via The Loopy Ewe)

They where made for M but they fit me just fine. I think I have to block them a bit. He has longer feet than me but not wider.

I have also finished knitting Adamas. It needs a good blocking but I am very happy with it.

Unblocked measurements are about 26" (65 cm) deep and 53" (133 cm) widem I think it will be a good size when it's done. This is my project for The Loopy Ewe Dream In Color Baby KAL. A great pattern, easy but not boring. I think it would be a good first lace project.

I almost forgot: I made it into the Wollmeise sock club! I really didn't think I would make it as it was a lottery but I did. First shipment is first or second week of September, can't wait! Each shipment will be 2 (!) skeins of Wollmeise yarn in exclusive colourways, sock pattern and goodies. Mmmm!

Monday, August 18, 2008

I forgot to mention...

... that Garnhärvan has 20% off lot of things in August. I fell down hard when I saw that they have Harmony needles. Soooo soon I will have my own set :-) They have a starter set and a luxury set but I put together my own for about the same cost but with exactly the stuff I wanted. I have no use for 8 mm needles or 120 cm cords or plastic carrying cases. And when I asked they even had 3.75 mm needles. I will sew my own case when my set arrives, I got some ideas off etsy.

Too many WIPs

I had a case of startitis recently and now I feel all scizofrenic (if that's a proper word) and like I make no progress at all. I knit knit knit but it is a few rows on one project and a few rows on another and nothing gets finished! Which makes me a bit apathetic. At the same time I want to start a million *new* projects. Must. Stop. Myself.

Whispering Pines has about one fifth of its edging done. This half of the edging is all purls and p2tog tbl. Can you say snail pace? I hope the other half is quicker! It looks nice though.


The yarn (Malabrigo Lace) wants to felt where I keep holding and turning the work. I can't work on this with sweaty hands.

I'm about halfway done with Adamas.


10 repeats are done but the rows are definitely getting longer! I love this shawl though. The Dream In Color Baby is lovely, soft and springy (I hope it blocks well and doesn't spring back though) and the pattern easy but not boring. I am aiming for 16 repeats right now. I want a big shawl, and I think that 2 more repeats plus a heavier yarn than the pattern suggests will do it.

I'm not working much on the Big Grey Shawl but I really like it too.


I got this kit at the annual Båstad Craft Fair this July. It is a lovely one-ply fingering weight from Solkustens Spinnverkstad that goes from medium grey to dark grey and back again. I am a sucker for natural grey wool.

They had many lovely sweaters knit up too. The shawl is very simple, cast on 400 stitches, garter stitch and decrease 4 stitches on every other row. They had a sample knit up, which I foolishly tried on, and I had to get the kit... So Cosy.

The Crazy Pi shawl is resting, I need more leftover sock yarn to continue.

So, socks... I finished the first Sea Sock yesterday. Me like! M says it's too small for him but I think it will block out perfectly. I had just enough of the blue yarn for the cuff I wanted to make but I have leftovers of the main yarn. DK weight, so not for the Pi.

Then there's the Houdini socks.

These are fun! A free Cat Bordhi pattern from the premier issue of the Twist Collective (if you haven't checked out Twist Collective: Go There Now!) First you knit feet, with toes at both ends and no leg opening. Idiot knitting, no though involved, almost. Then you decide where you want the leg, pick up stitches, snip a thread and knit an afterthought leg!

Daughter H wants socks too. She picked out a yarn, a solid green, and I think she'd like something lacy. I was thinking Scroll Lace from More Sensational Knitted Socks.

Pretty, but the pattern repeat is large and with my gauge it fits *me* and that's way too large for a four-year old. So they will be frogged. I have another pattern in mind but maybe I should finish some other socks first. Because I suddenly found that I had started a pair of Spring Forward socks too... The reasoning was (I think) that I had a skein of Socks That Rock, in green, and that's the yarn called for in the pattern, and I haven't tried STR before. I'm just one repeat into the sock but I can already see why poeple get so obsessed with STR... It feels So Nice and it is great to work with. The pooling however... not so great.

I'm trying to ignore it and just let it happen...

but I'm not sure that I can. I may have to adjust my tension a bit to make it spiral instead.

We won't mention the other two or three socks that lurk in my project basket.

I also feel bad for the February Lady Sweater that I started before the summer. I haven't worked on it in ages and soon enough it will be sweater weather here. And I want to knit a Cobblestone for M and one for A, and a Gathered Pullover for me, and then there is Bonnie and Wisteria from Twist Collective and the Feather and Fan Triangle shawl I just bought yarn for (Plötulopi/unspun Icelandic wool) and another couple of shawls, and hats and mittens and I ordered Silk Garden for a striped vest and a striped hat or two and... Not Enough Time. Did I mention that I go back to work in two weeks?

Oh, and here's a picture from our wedding.


And last but not least... BREADCRUMBS :-) ***waves to my Hemlis 4 pal***

Better go knit now don't you think?