Rivendell Sock Progress

I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan but I really like this pattern. I pre-ordered the book and there are 3 other patterns I can't wait to cast on. I love the rings at the top of the sock (Janel Laidman calls them clusters) they were a bit of a problem for me, but once I understood how they are formed I got the hang of it. The chart is easy to read and I like the way it's turning out. I saw this pattern when Yarn Harlot finished them for her friend Denny in a lovely purple color (eggplant). I purchased J.Knits yarn in colorway Boston. It is very similar in tone and depth that the Harlot's yarn was, but I don't know if it's showing the pattern very well. The other thing is the yarn in places is splitty. I think this might be the kind of project that is a bit difficult to photograph well, sort of like my Koolhaas hat. The texture isn't easy to capture but I can tell you in person the pattern is a little more clear. Just like my Cables and O sweater I LOVE the twisted stitch they look so great.

Here is a close-up picture:


I'm done with both charts and with the heel so it's pretty much decreases, the twisted stitch pattern and the toe. Oh yeah and then doing it all over again for the second sock, but the dreaded SSS hasn't been a huge problem for me.

A WIP . . . nope make that a FO!

It was a WIP for a very short amount of time, about 20 hours maybe. This is my new Koolhaas hat, the pattern is by the very creative Brooklyn Tweed. The pattern was inspired by the architecture of Rem Koolhaas. For those that aren't familiar Koolhaas a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. This picture is a picture of Seattle's Central Library this space is what inspired Brooklyn Tweed's pattern:
I would say it's a great reflection of that space.

The pattern requires a lot of 1 stitch cables and since I have wanted to learn cabling without a cable needle I thought this project would be a great time to learn since it was a small project and the yarn was easy to tink/rip. There are a few ways to cable without a cable needle but I liked Grumperina's the best, the pictures were clear the directions solid and it was nice to see that it just wasn't shifting the stitches. After the first repeat I was off and running, the pattern was really nice, it was easy to follow and once you knew what it looked like you could easily follow without much looking at the pattern.

I dropped a needle size instead of knitting with 6 and 8 I knitted with 5 and 7, I wanted a bit of a heavier fabric and reading what people said on Ravelry (thank goodness for Rave) dropping a needle size with worsted seemed to be a good idea. The yarn I used was part of my wonderful Christmas present from ItShe from last year. It's merino and 30% possum, yup possum, the yarn is wonderful perfect for the hat and I only needed 1 skein (so I still have 1 left), the color is great and I can't wait to wear it in Beantown when the weather gets cold.

Tuscany Finito!

Here is a close-up:


My Tuscany for my mom is finally finished. I think I have figure out a little something about lace and I. I like it sort of. I know very decisive. I like the initial excitement of learning the pattern and seeing how it forms, but I don't really like all the repeat, but I do love the end blocking (really love it). So I think I might have to move to more complicated lace projects. Things that change panel by panel maybe. I love the look of the all the shawls that Guilty Pleasure knits perhaps in the near future I can tackle the Print O' Wave Shawl by Eunny Jang.

The details of the project are I used 2 a skeins of Handmaiden Seasilk (not cheap but well worth it) and my new Addi Turbo Lace Circular in size 5. The shawl will be a thank you present for my mom for taking me on a cruise to the Mediterranean. I knew I wanted to use the Handmaiden Seasilk because it is made out of sea cell (cruise on the ocean seaweed connection) and I chose the color Capri because we will be traveling close to the island of Capri and my mom really likes the color blue so it worked out well. The shawl is 75' x 55' so it's a nice size.

But anyways this is the last WIP I had, how is that you ask you had Big A's long over due sweater and the Twisted Flower Sock by Cookie A. O.K. I didn't have enough yarn to finish the first sweater that I started (which was within the first 6 months I learned to knit). Which leads me to the next problem I found the once "challenging" pattern super boring. So I told him I would attempt to knit him Na Crag by Alice Starmore (you know I love him now) we have been together for 11 years (married for 4) so I think I'm well outside of the sweater curse.

Twisted Flower was frogged a while back, I liked the pattern and the yarn but after Tuscany I'm giving lace a break for a while, I will get back to it, but since I frogged it it's not a WIP.

So of course this means that I don't have any, that's right no WIP's !!! Yippie! That is until 2 seconds after I publish this post, I have 2 projects I want to start.

And We're Back

So sorry it has been a long long time since I have blogged, where should I start? Well I think the best place would be a short re-cap. Let's see there wasn't much of any knitting getting done around the end of the semester (that almost killed me). But I'm finally done with my course work (I won't have homework for the rest of my life!) and now it's on to my thesis in earnest, honest. There was a bit of knitting but no finishing, but now I'm proud to announce that there have been six finished projects since I last posted and 3 were finished in the last 3 days.

Let the FO parade begin!
First FO: Jelly Bean socks, so this is such a sad story, I started these socks somewhere around 2002/3? We moved from Boston to San Diego and I shoved them in with non-knitting and had totally forgotten about them. I recently found them and finished them.

Second FO: Nutkins, fun pattern with a mock cable and knit up in one of my favorite sock yarns Cherry Tree Hill Supersock merino in colorway Martha's Vineyard. The sock pattern was interesting because it was my first sock with no decreases. It has a interesting heel and toe (you use the same pattern for both) and you don't decrease the sock pattern (good I guess for patterns you don't want to mess up with decreases.


Third FO: Amy's Comforting Jail House Rock Socks, my friend Amy from college (who is a cancer survivor) dad was battling cancer. I knew I couldn't fix it or make it better but I knew I could knit her something. I decided on socks in my regular "vanilla pattern", she has size ten feet, so you know I love her. The yarn is Socks that Rock in Jail House Rock, she is a HUGE Elvis fan.

Fourth FO: Red Sox Socks, these were started last season when the Sox won the World Series, I decided to start the other sock when the season started this year in hopes that the good luck from last season wears off on this season. Color stranding on the top (so not my thing) with an after thought heel that ItShe helped me with via email.


Fifth FO: Branching Out Scarf, this will be a thank you present for my Auntie Bonnie for all the hard work she has put into planning our summer European vacation. The pattern wasn't too difficult (when I paid attention), would be a good beginner lace pattern, and it was nice to have a purl row every other row. The yarn was really nice Lorna's Laces Sport Multi, in colorway Tuscany (perfect for our trip).

Sixth FO: Baby Bolero for my co-worker's baby that is due in two weeks. Luckily I had a skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton in orchid because they don't know if it is a boy or girl. I decided to do the little heart pattern. I casted on and completely finished it (I sewed it together and even blocked it) all in the same day.

So I went from having 5 WIP to only 1, my mom's Tuscany Shawl, which I worked on last night even after starting and finishing the bolero. I can't wait to be done with it, I started with one repeat and now I'm up to 26.

HAPPY BOBMAS!

Happy 1st Birthday Ravelry! Last night ItShe, Grape and I celebrated at the Grove in North Park.

It is such an important day, and something of great importance needs something special to celebrate with, so I made these:




. . . is there anything better than knitting, cupcakes and Ravelry? I don't think so!

Stitches West 2008: Part I

I will warn you this post is long the yarn pictures are towards the end.

First off, I was so excited to be going to Stitches West with ItShe. I was even more excited when Big A said that I could go and take some classes (super wonderful husband, that man deserves a sweater). So ItShe and I decided on some classes (more on that later) did our homework, packed our bags and headed to the airport at 4:45 am, yes before the sun rises.

We got to the airport (it was still dark) and through security without incident (not unlike Hawaii), and sat at the gate until they called our flight and our seating order-thingy (gotta love Southwest). Our flight was maybe 1/3 full so everyone could have an entire isle to themselves, we taxied for what seemed forever, I swear we were in Orange County before we took off. Finally the plane took off and we landed in San Jose about an hour and a half later.

I had done some research before and figured out that we could take the bus and light rail to get to our hotel. It cost us $1.75 so we didn't have to rent a car or pay for a $25 cab ride (more money for yarn). We got to our hotel and checked in at 9:15. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, it was a very nice hotel but the best part was that it was attached to the convention center. We dropped our bags and went to the Opening Ceremony program. The program was all about socks (one of our favorite things!) Cat Bordi, Lucy Neatby and Sandi Rosner all spoke. It was very interesting, Cat talked about her new architectures and how they differ from all other socks. Lucy talked about her first very cool and colorful sock and how she thinks about color. And Sandi talked about an entralac technique with self-striping sock yarn.

Then we had a luncheon, the food was actually good for hotel food (hummus and pita, Greek chicken skewers and a very good multi-grain rice nut mixture). Then off to our first class Don't Fear Lace with Debbie Radtke. The first part of class was how to read a chart, which we knew, but she went over an edging technique that was very nice and useful. It was very helpful for me to see the technique in person. When it comes to knitting I do much better if I can see it in motion.

Class ended at 4:30, then it was off to the Ravelry party. It was so cool to finally find some knitters our age that didn't have a tapestry bag with cats on it (not that there is anything wrong with it). We stayed there for a bit (it was super cool to see Casey and Jess) and then back up to the room to drop off stuff and get "ready to rumble" I mean shop. The market opened at 7 and we had 3 hours to shop.

ItShe and I knew that we wanted something to eat so we decided to grab some sushi to go so we could stand in line for the Market. Let's just say the sushi was good, it wasn't super expensive but it took forever considering that not one piece of it had to be cooked (over 40 mins of waiting). Once we got our food it was off to stand in line behind 150 people that were already there. While we waited in line the group in front of us started to chat with us. They were from the OC and we got to chatting but we were interrupted by the Market opening.

Now I knew I wanted all the Ravelry swag a girl could ask for, and I also knew that I wanted a Passport, they were only giving out a certain number per day and I wanted one. So that's the first booth I hit, I grab ItShe and I a passport and then bought a bag, a Bob head pin (I LOVE IT!). Here is a picture

Here is the picture of my Ravelry Passport and Bob Sticker

After the Ravelry bag was secured and Passport in hand we went shopping. It might have been the best fiber shopping opportunity that I have EVER had! There were over 250 vendors there there were a lot of things to see but I never felt overwhelmed just underfunded (hahaha). ItShe had a great idea of only getting things that we couldn't get on line or could never find (that ItShe is so smart) or just had to have. We also thought that doing most of the shopping Thursday night when there was far less people there was the way to go (and it was). So with map in hand we were off shopping.

We weren't allowed to bring cameras into the Market (sorry no pictures) but here is what I bought on Thursday night.

First up the bag I have had my eyes on for some time, it's the Knitter's Satchel by Jordana Paige, I bought her very first black bag she offered (at the time it was the only one) and I loved it and have been looking for another one of her bags since. I really like that snap closure and the pockets and all the stuff I can put in it.



Second Interlacements Tiny Toes, the same people that make Toasty Toes:

Third Shibui sock yarn 100% super soft merino in color Jewel which the website describes as Mulberry, Wisteria, Emerald and Wasabi (love the wasabi!).


Fourth KnitWhits Jewel Sock Kit, love the way this sock looks, and the yarn in the kit is Louet (which I love) I need to take a Fairisle class before I start this kit. The lady who owns KnitWhits was at the booth she was very nice and all her designs were wonderful. ItShe got a couple of things from there too, check them out.
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Blogger: Cupcake's Crafty Adventures - Create Post

Fifth is some Claudia Handpainted fingering in Midnight. I kept seeing this yarn and picking it up over and over again, I must have picked it up at least 5 times and the price was good so I bought it.


Sixth Brooks Farms Primero which is 100% Kid Mohair, love it, so soft and very cool colorway (which I have no idea what it is, it wasn't on the label and there were only two skeins).


That was the shopping that we did in 2 hours and 55 mins (we had 5 mins to spare) not bad huh? After the market ItShe and I needed a glass of wine and some late night snacks (calamari and a crab cake). We were hanging out in the hotel lobby and the OC crew that we had met earlier was there too. So we hung out and chatted with them and knitted and drank until about 12:30, and then headed up to bed.

Presents from ItShe

I know I have a ton of posting to do from Stitches but I first wanted to make sure that I posted some pictures of the wonderful Christmas presents and birthday present that I got from ItShe. They are so wonderful that they deserve a post of their own.

I got this book and I can't wait to make some of them, the designs are so me (if you don't know what the designs are you should go and look on Amazon) and I can't wait to get a stitching.

The second thing is this wonderful yarn that she got me for Christmas it's wonderful and soft and it's part wool and part . . . possum and merino. Pretty cool huh? And the color is great.

The last Christmas present that ItShe made for me was very proper tea cozy she used a melon stitch and made out of a tweedy maroon yarn. Very proper indeed, and to go along with my tea cozy a Brown Betty tea pot. It's one of the best gifts ever!

For my birthday present ItShe made me a wonderfully warm and beautiful handmade blanket. See I love it! As a matter of fact I'm sitting on my couch right now snuggled up in it writing this post. It's my go-to blanket! Thank you so much ItShe!!!