Friday, June 26, 2009

Where did all this yarn come from?!?

While the flooring guys were banging around out in the family room today, I tacked the junk room. The shredder kept overheating, which gave me a chance to rearrange the yarn. Really, really must go on a fiber diet.

Good news on the Slouch - my daughter likes how it fits, so it is ready for the weaving of the ends and the blocking. I was afraid it would still be too small, and while it is an easy knit, I really did not want to knit it a third time.

Good news on the FLS, too. I finished one sleeve, making it long but flared, and my daughter judged it okay (I am missing the fashion gene that allows me to make these decisions on my own). All that is left is the other sleeve, which is half done, and the buttons. Too bad I won't be able to wear it for months - the sweater is so warm that when I try it on, I break out in a sweat. Maybe that's why it's called a SWEATer. Heh.

I'm a little tired of socks, so my current lunchtime project is Mittnz. Check it out!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Crosswalker FO

The Crosswalker socks are done!



Pattern: Crosswalker socks
Yarn: Online Supersocke 100
Colorway: 1060
Needles: US1 DPNs
Modifications: None



The pattern was written to allow for size customization, which was fine until I reached the heel turning. What was on my needles did not seem to match the directions. In an effort to "correct" the pattern, I must have knit and reknit that heel turn a dozen times. In the end, I returned to the directions and just let the differences stand. The toes seem a bit wonky as well.



Since chevron patterns require a higher number of cast on stitches than normal, I worried about running out of yarn, so made the tops shorter than usual, which turned out to be totally unnecessary. Also, the last skein of Online I knit socks with had many splices, so I did not try to line up the stripes on this pair, but I could have, as this skein had only one splice, and that was near the end. Oh, well.

Want to see something sad?



At the bottom of this pic is what remains of the Slouch, which I actually finished, only to find my gauge was WAY off. For some reason, I thought it should be four stitches per inch, but in reality it was supposed to be three. Consequently, the Slouch was too small. MUCH too small. So I am reknitting it, with larger needles. Fortunately, the yarn has virtually no memory and unknits without retaining any kink. Also, it is a very easy knit, good for boring meetings at work (which we have had lots of lately), so I don't mind the reknit.

RE UFOs: For some reason, I got the itch to finish up the February Lady Sweater. The body is done, so now I am working on the sleeves. I don't think I want to stick with the 3/4 length ones in the pattern, but they look like they flare and I'm not sure I want that, either. I plan to knit one without decreases and one with, to see which I like. Again, the lace stitch is quick and easy, so I don't mind reknitting a sleeve. Besides, my MO on handknit sweaters is I knit them at least two and sometimes three times before I am done.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

I meant to KIP

Yesterday, my SO and I drove to LaGrange to sign up for the Cancer Prevention Study. I let him drive so I could knit - not very public but not really private, either - but I was too busy gabbing and looking around at the countryside and watching for Amish buggies. We did stop at Knitting Today, though, where I bought some buttons and mercerized cotton. The former are for sweaters, the latter for pot holders. Grumperina participated in a pot holder swap, and I'm enchanted with hers.

I am almost done with the Crosswalker socks - one toe to go! Then I plan to concentrate on finishing up several UFOs. Really. I am.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

And STILL here

This past week I worked on a stealth project, which interfered with progress on anything else. Sometimes I wish I could just focus on one project at a time until they were all done, but that does not seem to be my style. Monogamous in love, but NOT in knitting! I am over the halfway mark on the Slouch, though, and one Crosswalker has a gusset while the other has a partial one.

I checked Think Pink: Crochet for the Cure out from the library.



The projects look fun, especially the "lapghan" in pink camo. And while charity knitting generates good karma, many of these patterns are suitable for just about anybody.

I also took a look at The Eclectic Sole, but decided that, while the socks are quite interesting, they are not my style and the knitting of them just does not interest me right now.



Besides, I just bought three sock books. That should keep me busy for a while!