Well, the Irish Hiking scarf is definately a quick knit, don't know why I believed that cables would be some sort of challenge, and everyone is just bowed over by the beautiful Karaoke yarn. Problem is, that durn cable pattern is eating up all my yarn! I had three skeins and I am sorry, but that just ain't enough. To make matters worse, when starting a new skein, I lose a significant amount of yarn getting the colors to flow properly. Arrrggg. I like most of my scarves shorter than is fashionable now, but this one I think I'll make longer than my usual. Ah, live and learn. Of course, after calling nearly every yarn store in the greater Chicago area, I cannot find anyone who has this in stock. So, in the wee hours of the night/morn, I got online and searched for some more. I ended up buying not one but two more skeins online from the Yarn Grove. So far I am impressed -- 25 cents less than anyone else per skein and free shipping in the US. And, they already shipped it out, less than 12 hours after my order. So, no finished project here. Yet. But when it gets here, I'll get it done quickly. Really. No, I promise!
So, it's back to the Easter socks for me. I'm running out of time.....ah, to be a stay at home housewife......wish I could just not go to work. Rather be at home knitting!! And I work in a craft store LOL!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
WIPs and Chains
Cable chains, that is. More on those later.
This last week has been an exciting one for stash development but a slow one for accomplishment. I got a couple more yarns in the mail - yes, I am on a buying spree and must stop soon - and the amazing Folk Socks by Nancy Bush. Over the weekend I realized I did not finish any knitting projects in February, and here we are past the Ides of March and still none. I haven't gone this long without finishing a project since I started knitting last year! After feeling a little down about it, I realized that all my Works In Progress are in laceweight or fingering yarns. I put the seaman's scarf down to start a lace bed jacket for the Knitting Olympics, and then put that project down when I realized I couldn't possibly finish on time. I felt too dejected to look at it for a while, I guess. So I started another pair of socks. Nothing sane like going back to the seaman's scarf for me, oh no. I need a pretty pair of socks for Easter, don't I? Three projects, thinner yarns, more stitches - no wonder I haven't finished anything! So I'm working on the socks these days - I really do plan on wearing them on Easter. I am using a Russian sock yarn I bought off eBay - not the softest but it'll do, and the colors just scream Springtime. I started with the Crusoe socks at knitty.com, but lost interest quickly. I want to know what the designer was smoking when she calculated her gauge. 6 stitches of Koigu to the inch? For socks?!? Please. So I am using the basic pattern found at cometosilver.com and doing the leg and instep in the stranded stitch of Crusoe. I even kept Crusoe's rolled hem, but that's all. My yarn is similar to Koigu in thickness, and I am using four size 1 metal dpns to get 9 stitches per inch in stockinette. So, it's slow and steady work, but I love the results.
Just to satisfy my pressing urge for quicker completion of something, I started the Irish Hiking Scarf in SWTC's Karaoke yarn in the #278 (Mermaid) colorway. I cannot fully describe the beauty of this yarn! It is a worsted weight wool and soy silk blend with a lovely hand. Also, the colors gradually blend into each other over long sections, rather than changing suddenly in stark stripes. This is also my first cable work, so I am very pleased to find that it is an easy knit. And fast, too. This might be done by the end of the week. I am using size 6 metal needles and my scarf is five and a half inches wide.
This last week has been an exciting one for stash development but a slow one for accomplishment. I got a couple more yarns in the mail - yes, I am on a buying spree and must stop soon - and the amazing Folk Socks by Nancy Bush. Over the weekend I realized I did not finish any knitting projects in February, and here we are past the Ides of March and still none. I haven't gone this long without finishing a project since I started knitting last year! After feeling a little down about it, I realized that all my Works In Progress are in laceweight or fingering yarns. I put the seaman's scarf down to start a lace bed jacket for the Knitting Olympics, and then put that project down when I realized I couldn't possibly finish on time. I felt too dejected to look at it for a while, I guess. So I started another pair of socks. Nothing sane like going back to the seaman's scarf for me, oh no. I need a pretty pair of socks for Easter, don't I? Three projects, thinner yarns, more stitches - no wonder I haven't finished anything! So I'm working on the socks these days - I really do plan on wearing them on Easter. I am using a Russian sock yarn I bought off eBay - not the softest but it'll do, and the colors just scream Springtime. I started with the Crusoe socks at knitty.com, but lost interest quickly. I want to know what the designer was smoking when she calculated her gauge. 6 stitches of Koigu to the inch? For socks?!? Please. So I am using the basic pattern found at cometosilver.com and doing the leg and instep in the stranded stitch of Crusoe. I even kept Crusoe's rolled hem, but that's all. My yarn is similar to Koigu in thickness, and I am using four size 1 metal dpns to get 9 stitches per inch in stockinette. So, it's slow and steady work, but I love the results.
Just to satisfy my pressing urge for quicker completion of something, I started the Irish Hiking Scarf in SWTC's Karaoke yarn in the #278 (Mermaid) colorway. I cannot fully describe the beauty of this yarn! It is a worsted weight wool and soy silk blend with a lovely hand. Also, the colors gradually blend into each other over long sections, rather than changing suddenly in stark stripes. This is also my first cable work, so I am very pleased to find that it is an easy knit. And fast, too. This might be done by the end of the week. I am using size 6 metal needles and my scarf is five and a half inches wide.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Woo-hoo for Socks!!
All I can say is, "Wow!" Yesterday I got in the mail not one but two packages of sock yarn. The first package was my first ever skein of Opal, in the brand new Petticoat line. I love it! Very soft and pretty colors. Lookie here:
The second package contained yarns for 10 different pairs of socks from KnitPicks:
There are some beauties in here. I got Dancing in Tap, Swing, and Jig. That's a great cotton/wool/nylon/elastic blend. These yarns are eventually being discontinued, so I wanted to get my share before that happens. Everything else is merino wool. I got Sock Garden in Hollyberry and Daffodil. I think the Hollyberry will make amazing Christmas socks. I also got Memories in Rocky Mountain Dusk and Fly Fishing. Purples and greens are among my favorite color schemes, so these will be fun to knit up. I bought a skein of black Essentials (superwash with nylon) to use in a mosaic pattern with a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepard's Sock in Bittersweet that I already have. Lastly, I got two skeins of the Color Your Own (not pictured) so I can further experiment with KoolAid dying. I've dyed solids with KoolAid, but next I want to try handpainting my own varigated colorways. Looks like I have many sock knitting days ahead of me!!!
The second package contained yarns for 10 different pairs of socks from KnitPicks:
There are some beauties in here. I got Dancing in Tap, Swing, and Jig. That's a great cotton/wool/nylon/elastic blend. These yarns are eventually being discontinued, so I wanted to get my share before that happens. Everything else is merino wool. I got Sock Garden in Hollyberry and Daffodil. I think the Hollyberry will make amazing Christmas socks. I also got Memories in Rocky Mountain Dusk and Fly Fishing. Purples and greens are among my favorite color schemes, so these will be fun to knit up. I bought a skein of black Essentials (superwash with nylon) to use in a mosaic pattern with a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepard's Sock in Bittersweet that I already have. Lastly, I got two skeins of the Color Your Own (not pictured) so I can further experiment with KoolAid dying. I've dyed solids with KoolAid, but next I want to try handpainting my own varigated colorways. Looks like I have many sock knitting days ahead of me!!!
In The Beginning
It has been one year since I learned to knit, and my life will never be the same. I find that in order to communicate my travels to all interested souls I must indulge in a blog. I am not scared of the technology, only the learning curve, so bear with me! I will take you through my stash, my projects, and my knitting world. I hope you enjoy the ride. So, pull up a comfy chair, make a nice cup of jasmine tea, and relax. Dark chocolate is optional but highly recommended.
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