To the Elbow

The knitting gods must be smiling on me. The Rebecca sweater's first sleeve made it to the elbow last night and I still have one skein of yarn allotted to that sleeve.

I started decreasing also, so I should have enough for the sleeves and turtleneck if the planets stay aligned as they are now. It looks all poofy at the cap, but it needs a good blocking - I couldn't get it to lay flat. The short rows make a neat and tidy sleeve cap - it really looks like a genuine set in sleeve!

Rapid progress should ensue from here - the rest of the sleeve should be done tonight, and I'll pick up the stitches for sleeve #2. (the worst part - I seriously need lessons in picking up stitches! I can never seem to do it neatly!) If all goes well, I hope to be able to wear it next week when the weather is supposed to turn quite wintry around here!

The Stranded Colorwork Challenge group posted a few questions for the KAL to get us started tomorrow:

What are your projects for this knitalong?
This is a tough one - I have multiple projects in mind that I have been thinking about. A pair of fingerless mitts (I think the stranding would make them extra cozy), for sure a pair of socks (I may start the KAL with either Laila's Socks from Folk Knitting in Estonia or Mamluke's Socks from Folk Socks both by the sock master Nancy Bush. I'd also like to make a pair of mittens with some nice colors.

Is this your first colorwork project? If it isn't, what was your first, and has it survived the test of time?
My first colorwork was done last winter for MJ's Norwegian KAL. I did a hat for my sister that I designed myself. I took a pattern I liked out of a book and made it into a hat.

Not too bad for a first attempt. I finished it at the end of last winter, so it hasn't really seen active use yet. Time will tell!

Leftovers

Well, four days later and we are still shelves deep in leftovers! We had plenty of food...

and plenty of puppies to keep the floor warm....

It was a real fun day. Hubby managed to prepare most everything or prep it the day before, so we had little to do on Thursday. It was nice not to have to rush around to get everything done. I loved having all the family and friends around. It made for a perfect day. (except the weather - cold and rainy!)

The agility trial went well - four days of immersing myself in dogs, dogs and more dogs! It was a huge trial with more than 150 dogs in my class alone! Plus, there were two other buildings of dog shows going on at the same time. All that combined means bunches of down time, and bunches of vendors for browsing! I didn't bring my knitting as it was an indoor trial on dirt. Can you say dust??? Many people wear dust masks all day as there are four rings running at once and you can see the dust floating in the air. I didn't want my knitting out in air like that.

Tucker did pretty well. He had two qualifying rounds out of the seven he ran. About on target for the 30% qualifying rate people strive for. We are still getting used to the higher level of competiton, and have a few things to train over the winter break.

I did manage to make some knitting progress - the body of the Rebecca Sweater is done!

Now, I just have to start the sleeves to see if I have enough yarn. I'm going to knit set in sleeves from the top down, picking up stitches around the armhole. I got Knitting From the Top out of the library and she has instructions for just that. You do short rows to form the sleeve cap, then just knit down from there. Pretty neat! I think I have 5 skeins left. Fingers crossed I can squeeze out two sleeves and a turtleneck out of it! The body itself is a bit big and roomy. It's what I wanted, but if I run out of yarn, I can rip the whole thing and decrease the cast on count quite a bit if needed. Hopefully it won't come to that!

The second zebra sock is about halfway up the foot and chugging away towards the heel....I'm hoping to make some good progress on it this week.

Off to read my backed up Bloglines to see how everyone else's holiday went!

My Dad is the Best!

My dad, being an engineer, is always looking for projects to build and challenges to solve. My sister and I had talked about yarn meters like this as we have been winding (what seems like) tons of skeined yarn with unknown yardage. We have a niddy noddy, but this would be so much easier and faster! "I can build one of those - don't spend the $50 on it!" So, with challenge in hand, dad set out to build us a yarn meter.

I think he did pretty darn great.

It had it's inaugural run last night and it worked wonderfully. It measures in feet, not yards, but it's an easy conversion, and well worth the tiny bit of extra effort. I placed it in-between the swift and the ball winder and just wound away. Dad was even thorough enough to put a non-slip bottom on it so it wouldn't slide around when winding yarn through it! This will be getting TONS of use. I guarantee!

Thanks Dad - you are the GREATEST!

Zebra sock #1 is now complete.

I'm still going to have yarn leftover (I probably could have made them all the grey/white Koigu, but I like the contrasting heels/toes/cuff), but I figure I will just add it to the pile and use it for little stuff and maybe some heels/toes in the future.

The mailman also brought a great little package all the way from Germany. Kimberly had a little blog contest a while back and I won a set of stitch markers!

How absolutely adorable are those! (the hamburger is my personal fave!) She also included a sachet of lavender freshly picked. It smelled so wonderful when I opened the envelope. Thank you so much Kimberly!!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful, food and family filled Thanksgiving! We have two twenty pound turkeys, more veggies than a grocery store produce section, and nineteen friends and family coming over to make it all disappear....(of course, we'll have the dogs to clean up any leftovers!)

A Day with the DNA Sock

It looks like the DNA socks are having a great time down in Baltimore. After waking early to get to early rounds at the hospital at 6AM, it's off to the OR.

Never know what can happen in there - booty up to keep those socks clean!

At the end of a long day. Getting new scrubs for tomorrow! (I wish I could get new clothes like that....)

One Down, One to Go!

Well, one Thanksgiving dinner is complete and eaten with one more left to prepare and feast on! We had a great time down in Baltimore with our family, and I managed not to overstuff myself full of holiday goodies! It was nice to be where there was still some green around and even a few flowers left. Driving back late last night (we arrived home about 2AM this morning) we saw temperatures drop as we headed north. By the time we reached home, it was about 33 degrees compared to the "balmy" 45 or so it was when we left.

I did manage to do a little knitting.

I only had to rip it out once, but the heel of Zebra sock #1 is complete! I followed Misocrafty's tutorial and really liked passing the wrap over versus knitting it. My heel does look better, but it took me a try to really figure it out. Knitting the heel with contrasting color made ripping back a lot easier - just rip until the yarn is done! I haven't made short row heel socks for hubby yet, so the jury is out if they will fit his big heels.

Sunday, I had a knitters doggie meet up with Sarah and her adorable Aussie Murphy. All our boys got along great and ran their hearts out at the Dog Park. Murph gave them a good run for their money and they all went home exhausted.

(though Otis looks more terrified of something in this picture than tired!)

Sarah and I also did a little trade - she got some sock and scarf yarn from me, and I got some great new bags from her! (check out her new stranded socks - love them!)

She made them all herself! Right now I'm just using some old cosmetic bags I had laying around, but now my knitting travels in style! They are so pretty, and just the perfect size for a sock project and all the stuff you need to take along with it. The orange and green bag has handles so you can wear it like a backpack also!

So, back to the grind today. It's a short week though, and I have tons to do to get ready for Thanksgiving. We have 17 humans and 11 canines coming over! I think I may use mini lint brushes as placecards this year......

More of the Same

I'd post pictures, but they'd look very much like the last ones! The Rebecca sweater is progressing pretty quick and I am up to the armholes. I can't decide if I should bind off and work back and forth and do set in sleeves, or do raglan and work it in the round all the way. I did get Knitting From The Top from the library to see if she has anything about set in sleeves done in the round. I've used four of my ten skeins, so I really hope I have enough. I need to cast on a sleeve and see how many that will take - running out would not be fun!

The socks are at the heels, and I'm going to use Misocrafty's Short Row Heel Tutorial and see if I'm more successful this time. I have conquered picking up stitches for heel flaps, but have yet to get a short row heel I'm really happy with.

The hubby, dogs and I pack up and head down to Baltimore tonight to invade my sister's apartment. My stomach is growling already for Thanksgiving on Saturday!

Rain, Rain Go Away

Well, after 3 days of rain, it's getting a bit old. More is called for tomorrow, but with possible breaks in the afternoon. Then, back to more clouds and gloom on Thursday and Friday. We're headed back down to Baltimore and DC for our family Thanksgiving on Friday. This time I'm driving and bringing both the hubby and all the dogs. Always makes for a fun trip! We always do it the weekend before the "real" holiday so no one has to drive on the most travelled day of the year. Makes everyones life a bit easier. Plus, there is a great craft show in Gaithersburg the same weekend. They have some really beautiful and different stuff.

So, even with the lack of any natural lighting, I did manage to more accurately capture the color of the Rebecca Cable Sweater.

I'm two skeins into it (on those #13's I can knit a skein in a night!) and I'm really liking how soft and squishy it is. I tried it on last night and it looks like the size will be right on - nice and roomy. I could probably go down a bunch of stitches (like 10) for a more tailored fit, but I am looking for cozy.

Speaking of cabled sweaters, have you seen Vanessa's new cardigan? Stunning. There are also tons of great cables showing up on the Fall Cable KAL. Fall is the perfect time for cables!

The Zebra socks are making quick progress on #2's - my first time knitting with Koigu!

I really like the colors together. The teal isn't really teal, but a dark greenish blue with charcoal hints in it. Hubby tried it on last night and said, "This is some really nice yarn!" Little did I know what educated feet he has! I explained how Koigu is kind of the Shangri-La of the sock yarn world. The pattern, Madder Ribbed Socks, from Knitting Vintage Socks (again! - I can't put down this book!) is a nice rib - nice and stretchy and a little bit different. He has also proclaimed that they fit the best of any pair so far. I guess I'm getting better as I knit more for him! I'm still getting 7.5 sts/" on #2's, but don't want to go to #3's as I think the fabric would be too loose. Knitting with it is very nice - extremely tight twist and it's not buttery soft, but soft. A different kind of soft. I know they will soften up more once they are washed. Speaking of washing Koigu, I have heard that some throw it in the washer? I'd love to be able to machine wash these in cold on the gentle cycle with the rest of the socks....

Ooh La La!

Early Friday morning on my treasured day off from work, I kitchnered together the toes on the Childs French Socks!

The pattern is so pretty, and the Merino/Tencel yarn (Dave's Cabin Cove Merino/Tencel) gives it this great sheen. Overall, a great pattern to knit and super soft yarn! I will for sure be knitting more from this book! In fact, I've already started another toe up pair for my husband in Koigu. (my first Koigu!) They will be one of the basic ribbed socks at the beginning of the book. The colors are loosely based on these. I have a really dark teal color with charcoal grey in it for the heels, toes and cuffs, then a black, white and grey varigated for the legs and feet. I got it in the huge rush at the Koigu booth at the festival this past year. I don't have two full skeins of the grey, but with the two of the teal, it should be enough for some taller anklets.

I also started the Rebecca cabled sweater. Twice. Casting on 168 stitches is not fun in the first place, but to knit six inches in, then have to rip the whole thing out to start over is even less fun. I think it took me a bit to get used to the #11 needles I was knitting with, because when I took a gauge measurement 6" in, it had changed to 4.5 sts/" instead of the 4 I was aiming for. Rip Rip. I went up to #13's (gasp!) and it looks like I'm back on track. I have no idea how anyone would get 3.5 sts/" on #11's with Cork. I always have a hard time getting anywhere near gauge with the called for needles. I envy those that do.....

(sorry for the horrible lighting - it has been raining all day here!)
I do like how the cables are coming out, and how super soft this yarn is! On #13's, I'm predicting it will go pretty fast!

I actually made a decision!

Those who know me well know that I tend to be a bit indecisive at times. For me, it is more the loss of the unchosen choice than actually picking something.

A full bag of Rowan Cork has been languishing in my stash for about a year now. I got a great deal on it at Webs when they had their big tent sale. The color is a nice, neutral toffee and I had envisioned a cable sweater with it from the moment I picked it up. At the time, I had several other sweaters going, so it got put aside. Then I discovered socks. Now that the cold weather approaches and I'm in sweater knitting mode again, it was time to resurrect the Cork.

After browsing over (and over) my Interweaves, VK's and Rowan magazines along with bunches of on-line patterns, I came up with a list of some that would work and that had the cabley-ness I wanted.

1. From (I think) Fall 2001 VK
2. Sweater with Cable Pattern from Rebecca 28
3. Licorice Whip from Blue Alvarez
4. Braid from Rowan 32
5. Cable Aran sweater from Rebecca 26
6. Cables in Chamonix from Yarn Girls Guide to Beyond the Basics

All had cables, and all were about the gauge for Cork. Now came the hard part - deciding. I eliminated Licorice Whip because I have a stash of some recycled purple yarn from a Gap sweater I got at the thrift store that would work great for it, and I think it is just enough yardage.

Both Braid and the Cable Aran from Rebecca were almost overly cabley for what I wanted. The Vogue pattern, almost not cabley enough. All I wanted was basic. Comfy. Cables.

That left the Rebecca 28 sweater and the Yarn Girls one. Both had just enough cabling and the same gauge.

In the end I picked the Rebecca pattern. More for the fact that I have never knit a Rebecca pattern before (though I own three of the magazines!). My only decision is whether to make the cable down the back as well. The pattern calls for the same cable panel to be knit into the back, but I am leaning towards a plain stockinette back. I am also thinking of just knitting it in the round to the armholes to save on yarn and seaming at the end. A little 'net research today should give me a few answers as to construction for that.

I'm hoping to cast on tonight at my weekly knit "group" (it is actually only 2 of us, but I like to think of it as our little knit group!).

The Childs French sock #2 is progressing rapidly. It looks the same as the first one and I am in the process of knitting the heel flap. With the sock knitting I've been doing this month, I think I need a "sockvember"......

In blog notes, I noticed that my Stitches post from Monday was my 200th!

Friends, Family and Fun!

What a wonderful weekend! Not only did I see lots of friendly faces and beautiful yarn, but got in my kitty time as well...

Since my dogs are a bit too "fond" of cats, my only real kitty time is when I go to my cousins house - she has three great ones that love to cuddle.

Erin and Cheryl picked me up (thanks again girls!) at my sisters apartment bright and early. After a fun adventure of trying to find a parking spot that wouldn't take all of our yarn budget, we headed over to the convention center.

It was quite a line waiting to get in. It went very quickly though and once inside, we met up with a huge crowd of the knitnite girls - Lolly, Jenna, Erin, Coleen, Jolene, Laura, The Midge, Diane, Cheryl, Suzanne and Jen. We tried to methodically walk around to see everything but some of us wanted to be more random with our browsing and we all ended up breaking up into little groups and wandering around.

There was lots to see. I recognized many of the vendors from Sheep & Wool and was glad to see them here also. Finished sweaters and shawls were a plenty. The interweave booth had the model sweaters from the current issue. It was nice to be able to see them in person and some even got to try them on! I was typically indecisive about my purchases. I did have a few things I was looking for specifically (sock yarn for the lace knee highs, more sock yarn for the Mamluke Socks, the Anna Zilboorg book and possibly sweater yarn if I found a good enough deal) but otherwise I was just browsing and enjoying watching everyone else buy!

Amazingly enough, the Blue Moon booth was pretty empty when Stitches opened. Even an hour or so later, there was still yarn in the booth. Quite a change from either Sheep & Wool or Rhinebeck! Even when we left for the day, some stray skeins of sock yarn still hung on their pegs.

Lolly purchased a beautiful lacy wrap pattern from (I think) Windy Valley Musk Ox. I eyed it seriously for a long time, and decided to pass in the end - but it is something I will keep in the back of my head though. I'd like to do a wrap sweater eventually of some kind. It's such a flattering shape on almost everyone. I was anxious to visit School Products, but they had none of their famous cones with them. I guess I'll have to visit in person one of these days!

The Mannings was a great, huge booth and I spent lots of time wandering in it. I found out later after talking to someone in the booth, that they had the Zilboorg book, but back at the shop! If I had called or emailed, they could have brought it with them. Oh well. Live and learn! I did end up getting some Regia Silk there though.

I think the colors will work great for the Mamluke Socks. I looked several times at the pattern, and had a few other people look as well, because it only called for 2 balls of yarn at 245 yd each. It just doesn't seem like enough for a pair of stranded socks. I think I may post a message in the Folk Socks yahoo group to see how much yarn some people have used that have actually knit them up.

I also was sure to visit Tess' booth. She has such wonderful colors and a great sock yarn.

These two skeins will become the lace knee highs, or a knee high of some kind! (After looking at the pattern, the IK lace knee highs call for a heavier weight yarn than normal sock yarn) Lolly is also a huge fan of her yarn and we both did our part at this show!

Brooks Farm was also there with a huge booth. Their yarn is one I always admire both at Sheep & Wool, and here at Stitches. JoJoLand is an ebay seller I have seen for awhile - their sock yarn looks a lot like Trekking in the way it is plyed. I passed on it though as it is hand wash only. I'm trying to get only superwash to save myself any heartache or a huge sock tragedy when they get thrown into the washer and dryer!

My LYS, Webs was there also. I browsed through their huge booth a few times. They did have Regia Tweed at a great price, but I indulged in something a little bigger.

Araucania Nature Wool in a beautiful teal color. Varigated, but not too much. I got a sweaters worth (at 242 yds/skein you don't need too many!) along with Lolly for under $35. Can't beat that! I have a few different patterns in mind for it depending on how it swatches up and how variegated it ends up being. After looking at a bunch of online photos, it doesn't seem to be that drastic, so I may be able to use it for cables. (my winter obsession)

After seeing and petting lots of yarn, we called it a day. Our feet were throbbing and we were done.

Jenna and I had some full bags by the end of the day!

Our stomachs were also growling, so Lolly, Jenna and I headed to One World Cafe. One World, One Word - YUM! They have great vegetarian and vegan fare in a cozy, friendly setting. We left stuffed and relaxed. It was truly a great evening with great friends!

All in all, it was a great time - I had such a great time with everyone - my second knitting family! Even though I'm not from the area, they always welcome me to the group with open arms and I have made some great friends in the Mid-Atlantic that I will be visiting often!

Amazingly, with all this going on, I did manage some knitting.

The first cruise sock is done! The only time I knit was at the airport and on the plane. It was a really quick knit - socks on #9 needles! They should all go this quickly! It fits my boss great - nice and big just like she wanted them. On to the second one......

Winging off!

I fly out tomorrow morning to Baltimore to deliver and finish the DNA socks to my sister as well as meet up with the girls for the big event!


Photos and maybe some yarn eye candy on Monday!

PS - Happy Anniversary to my one and only. My best friend, the love of my life....

Two Purple Socks (and a red dog)

The sock knitting continues here.....I did (by skin of my teeth!) actually manage to finish a pair of socks for Socktoberfest. The toe of the second DNA sock is complete! Each sock has been mailed back and forth to my sister in Baltimore many times to ensure a great fit. She has the first sock and she will have a completed pair when I fly down to see her and go to Stitches on Friday! She tried the first sock on and couldn't say enough how cushy and soft it was. The Kona yarn is amazing stuff. Superwash, super soft, super to dye, super quick to knit. I am definitely getting more next time around!

Even Ravin admired the pretty color and neat cable design!

I'm not planning on kitchnering the toe until my sister tries them on! This time, they feel a bit short to me, which is a very good thing!

With the cooler weather here, I want to finally try a stranded sock pattern. I did my first fair isle last winter and loved it. It seemed to go so fast and once I got the hang of knitting with two hands, it came pretty easy.
So, enter Folk Socks. Nancy Bush does it again! I not only love the Norwegian Stockings, but the Mamluke Socks as well. How could you not drool over this one, this one and all of these? Now, I just need to raid the stash to see if I have anything that may work. If not, I'm keeping my eye out at Stitches!

The Childs French Socks are progressing nicely.

As a shameless plug, check out Piddleloop - Jen has some incredible project bags in all sorts of sizes for every need! The small project bags are a perfect size for socks. The fabrics are so colorful and pretty, and the appliques she uses are adorable! Such unique and high quality work!