A Work in Progress

The Cabled Riding Jacket, by Teva Durham. Begun in 2006, restarted November 2007, when I realized I was knitting a size too small.

Pictured above: re-knitting the cables at the waist. The knitting was zipping along when I pulled out the first incarnation, thinking I would soon have to unravel that for the yarn. The waist shaping is accomplished in part by spacing the cable crosses closer, which I neglected to do on Take 2. At least I could use the technique the Yarn Harlot taught me, was worried that the one mis-crossed and corrected cable from the earlier incarnation would be wasted. I have finished that portion and am working on the bodice, only on row 6, so the bias slant of the cables isn't obvious yet.

Project Spectrum 3

Flickering Flames cloth, Lion Cotton.

Not a dish cloth, I think, but perhaps a face cloth? The pattern is lovely and the cloth knit up quickly.

2008 and already a finished object.

These are are Fetching Mitts, in all of their glory. I did make a few changes, ahem. I lengthened the cuff, added a thumb gusset and made them longer in the palm. However, they did begin with the same cabling and the palm was done in the same ribbing. At what point do they cease to be Fetching? Actually, I think they are quite fetching, forgive the pun.


And I sized them using my hands, which may have been a mistake, as they were a gift and the wearer is much more petite than I am. She hasn't responded yet, so I don't know how they were received, or if they were received.


Last photo should have been first, as it shows the thumb of the second mitt being finished. As usual, couldn't do the very simple thing of moving the image. I know I've done this before. Sigh.

End of the Year Finished Objects

Cece: Begun February 2007, finished August 2007, frogged January 2008. Just too big as knit. Could be the yarn wasn't right for this project, though I've seen other versions of this pattern knit in the same yarn: Elann Sonata. Could also be that the length of the finished sweater and my body are not sympatico.

Log Cabin Socks: begun and finished December 2008. Yarn: Dream in Color Superwash.

Rainbow (short row) Socks. Begun October 2007, finished January 2008. Yarn: Trekking XXL. Sock # 1 was purely an experiment and a sampler for different short row techniques. I think I last track somewhere along the way and the pattern skewed somewhat, but not enough to convince me to frog it. And it fit when done, so I intrepidly began Sock #2. And finished it. This yarn was purchased accidentally, or at least the colorway was, since I do not like self-patterning yarns. The pattern gives a different twist to it, which is all to the good, in my opinion.

And finally, Roza's Socks, begun Feb. 2007-finished Sept.2007. Lovely pattern by Grumperina. Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn, color denim.

Some Travel and Some Knitting

The Grand, Canyon, or at least part of the Bright Angel Trail. This was my destination late April and early May. I did not hike all the way to the bottom, since I also needed to hike back out the same day, and while I'm a prodigious walker, I wasn't sure of my limits and did not want to exceed them. I would go back at the drop of a hat. It is lovely and spectacular, somewhere I needed to go.

And it was also my reason for beginning Cece. I thought the weather would be milder than in my part of the world, but possibly cool enough that a light cover-up would be welcome.

On the left my Cece in it present incarnation. Using Sonata by Elann, size 5 Addi lace needles. On the right, previous incarnation, kind of flabby in feel, using size 7 Addi's. I think the lace pattern is crisper now; possibly I could have blocked some crispness into the other, but if so I would have had to block it large, or at least larger than needed.

Just because I'm knitting slowly doesn't mean this is a difficult pattern. The repeats are easily remembered, and it is knitting up quickly. When I realized that I needed to start over, I put Cece aside, started a quick shawl for the trip (which I also didn't finish; I'm just not good at knitting to meet a definite time line), and have just recently started Cece again. And ripped out the shawl and started it again. And I'm enjoying knitting both, which is most important to me.

How the Rhinocerous Got His Skin

Again not a picture in sight.

I've been working on Cece; as I worked I thought my knitting was looking loose and sloppy. Eye my knitting, eye Bonne Marie's picture on the pattern. Knit some more. More squinching of eyes to make it look smaller. Finally slip all stitches on to waste yarn.

This is lace knitting; lace needs to be blocked. If I block this, it will increase in size, and I will look like the Rhinocerous in Kipling's story. So I'm swatching on needles two sizes smaller, and it looks much better, the lace better defined, even before blocking.

Yarn: Sonata from Elann.
Needles: Size 5 lace needles from Addi.

Just Trying to Get Through the Day

I'm experiencing computer problems, have lost all of my photos, etc. As a result, no new photos to post.

Progress to report, though. The infamous pink socks are done, and I will not whine about them any more.

And on my needles: Roza's socks by Grumperina from the Spring '07 Interweave Knits, and Cece by Bonne Marie Burns of ChicKnits. I am not linking to anything until the computer woes are solved. Very dispirited, that's what I am. Time to go for a long restorative walk where I'm walking all over modern technology (at least as represented by my walking shoes). Time to see how much bigger leaves have grown overnight.

Reading: The Namesake, The Blind Assassin, Special Topics in Calamity Physics.

Blue Knitting

Since I'm playing along with Project Spectrum, I've been knitting blue. There is the wondrous Garterlac dishcloth (I was smitten by Eunny Jang's entrelac socks so am working to overcome my entrelac ineptitude.), a mitten from a pattern by Elizabeth Zimmerman (a Zimmermania project), and the pink socks. Currently they are making me blue. One could read the last two entries about this if one is curious.

So there I was Saturday morning...

sitting in the rocking chair by the window as the sun streamed in. The cat was sleeping on my lap, enjoying the rare moment of sunshine too. I had just turned the heel on pink sock #2, take 2, and was feeling proud of myself. I leaned over and picked up my notes on pink sock #1 and looked at the heel flap notes.

Why, I asked myself, had I only done 24 rows on the heel flap of sock #1, when sock #2 required 36 rows to amount to 2 1/2 inches?

And then the memories came flooding back. And I was alternately flummoxed, disgusted and finally highly amused.

When I started work on these socks, I knit a swatch or two, trying to get the gauge right. Then I started asking around and found a KAL for these socks.

(Do you know that not many people knit gauge swatches? Well, I knit 'em, because of knitting one sweater again and again until I learned about gauge and how it counts. And then I only had to knit that sweater once more and it fit. What a revelation! Check your gauge, folks.)

Not many of the KAL members gave a toot about gauge; they all just jumped in and then wrote about how they were changing the pattern, didn't like this, didn't like that, this was too loose or too tight. All of which might have been corrected by getting the correct gauge.

Finally one kind person directed me to another kind person who had helped her with the socks and who had also knit several pairs of these socks (7 pairs). She kindly answered my email, advised me and set me on my way.

To knit the socks as the pattern was written. But, you see, the pattern was written for two weights of yarn, and between Thing 1 and Thing 2, I forgot that I knit Thing 1 as the pattern was written for the heavier yarn. And when I started Thing 2, take 1, I knit it according to the directions for the lighter weight yarn, which meant more stitches, but I was using the bigger needles, so that meant a flabbier sock. And after unravelling Thing 2, and starting Take 2, I used size 2 needles instead of size 3, but still the stitch count for the lighter yarn, which meant a slight difference in size which I had been puzzling over even as I knit.

So I've come to a stop with that sock once again. I don't know if I'll continue or unravel. It's good practice, yes? this unravelling and re-knitting.

Another Unfinished Object

What we have here is Sock #2 in progress. Sock #2 existed before in a flabbier form and was unraveled for a new beginning . I've placed it on top of Sock#1 for comparison. I worked this incarnation of Sock #2 on size two needles. Apparently I did use #3s for the original Sock #2. How did that happen? I can only imagine that the #3s were lying out in the open, and the 2s weren't. I kept a record of number of rows, but not of needle size.

These socks, the Simply Lovely Lace Socks from Interweave Knits Spring 2006, aren't difficult. The lace pattern is easy to remember, and they knit up fast. That said, I won't be knitting a second pair because they are anklets, and I'm not an anklet fan. The yarn for these I won, along with the pattern, so felt that I should knit a pair. And because I'm stubborn, I will knit a pair, but only one pair.

And as a non-sequitur, I read three books during the month of January. They are:

Heat by Bill Bryson
Forgetfulness by Ward Just
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

This is a promising beginning to a year of reading.

Finished object.

Hmm. I should have looked for a different background or waited for a sunny day. This looks rather gloomy. What it is: The Airy Scarf fromLast Minute Knitted Gifts. It was knit with Rowan Kidsilk Haze in gray. It is a gift for a dear friend, and I'm not sure she'll take to the color, which rather resembles a dust laden spider web. I actually chose it because it seemed neutral to me, so would go with a range of other colors. But spider webby it is.

I'm listing it as a finished object, partly as an unofficial entry into the Unfinished Objects KAL I read about. My unfinished projects include: a)my cabled sweater; b)the Shedir hat I began then stopped when I discovered a backward cable; c)what were supposed to be the Wine and Roses Mitts from Interweave Knits. I was using Blue Moon Seduction. That was not the problem; the problem was that I just couldn't "see" the lace pattern developing. I will probably use the yarn for something else; d)a pair of mittens for the Zimmermania KAL; and e)those pink socks from the Lovely Lacy Socks pattern. That's five projects in various stages of completion. The scarf made six, and as such was an easy way to have success.

This One Is For You, Jane

Finally the tree is up and decorated, and I have a moment to breathe and post this photograph.

This is one of the four ornaments Jane sent as part of the Knit The Classics ornament swap. They blend perfectly with our eclectic collection of ornaments.

Many thanks again, Jane.

Finally a finished object.

This is the ornament made for the Knit the Classics ornament swap. The pattern came from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I've been intrigued by tiny sweaters as ornaments for a while and liked this pattern best because of the neck line. It was a fast fun project, and I hope my swap partner likes it.

I also finished a pair of socks, once again using the Jaywalker pattern. Those were the only socks actually started during Socktoberfest, despite grand plans. I finally finished the pair on November 20, and although Socktoberfest was long over, it was a personal best time-wise for me. A mere month and a half for that pair of socks. They were meant as a gift and mailed off before I snapped a picture.

Currently I'm swatching for a pair of mittens for myself and as part of the Elizabeth Zimmerman Knit Along. Once they're started, there will be pictures.

Socktoberfest

I am arriving late at the party, although I did rsvp early.

These socks were knit using craftoholic's Mata Hari sock pattern (since the pattern isn't available just now, I'm not going to link to her site). I think I knit them too big, should have used an inch fewer stitches. I did add an extra repeat, thinking I needed it. The yarn is Trekking XXL and superwash; can't count on slight felting to get a better fit. I love the pattern and will use it again.

What follows is a short history of my sock knitting, getting into the spirit of Socktoberfest.

I knit my first pair of socks about 10 years ago and am self-taught.

That first pair of socks were for my husband. I used the basic sock pattern from Knitting Without Tears, and a worsted weight yarn, which produced a very sturdy sock. Their intended recipient refused to wear them, claiming hot feet. I frogged those socks. I think a sock weight yarn would have been a better choice, since the socks weren't destined to be worn hunting, or any other place where wet feet might be a hazzard.

As to what sock yarns I've enjoyed, Koigu comes to mind, as does Knitpicks Sockgarden yarn, sadly discontinued. All of the socks I've knit so far have been on double points, top down. I'm hoping to knit at least one pair during Socktoberfest toe up, just for a challenge.

Preferred heel: so far I've used the heel flap on all of my socks.

Total number of pairs: eight to date.

Sock knitting idiosyncracies: When I turn a heel, I have to do it all in one sitting. The same goes for grafting the toes.

Sock knitting fantasy: that I will knit at least 2 pairs of socks this month, with enough time left over to begin Eunny Jang's Bayerische Socks.

Socks

I really like this sock pattern. I think I'll work on it during Socktoberfest.

Aaaarrrgghh!!!

Let's put it this way: I can sit here for hours trying to add a button to my blog, or I can knit and otherwise get on with my life. For now and for the forseeable future, I'm choosing the latter. (Obviously, given the title of this entry, I've tried the first.)

Those 10 IQ points

Some years ago, when I was pregant with my youngest daughter, I knit this: an entrelac baby bunting, entrelac front and back, with a hood and a zipper. While I was working on this, a friend told me that she had read that with each pregnancy the mother loses 10 IQ points. (She then turned to a mutual friend, well into her third pregnancy, and said "What does that say about you?").

When carrie wrote about knitting this dishcloth, I thought "piece of cake" (though having baked many cakes in my life, I'm not sure why "piece of cake" should signify ease) (And why is "pure as the driven snow" a mark of purity? Driven snow usually picks up a lot of dirt as it scuds along. Sorry, digression.). After all, I've knit both entrelac and dishcloths, so putting them together? No problem.

Except that it was. And those 10 IQ points? They may have been entrelac-specific, and I used them up on the bunting. Strange though; I don't remember that being a difficult project.

Postcard

This is the postcard I received from my August Project Spectrum Postcard Swap buddy, Anne. It is lovely, tiny stitches on an ombre background. Thank you, Anne, for all of the care you took.

And this is a sock gone wrong. The second and unfinished sock is between one and one half and two inches larger in circumference than the first and finished sock. I noticed this awhile ago, but optimistically told myself that it would work out, was stretched out by the needles, would pull in once I began decreasing for the instep. I knit the heelflap, turned the heel, picked up stitches for the gusset, started decreasing for the instep. Finally I tried it on. Not good, baggy about the ankle. Baggy about the ankle is definitely not good since I'm already unsure about wearing anklets. What went wrong? Did I inadvertently pick up needles larger than I used for sock #1? Did I loosen my gage that much? Was I cocky after finishing sock #1? I'm trying to decide on a course of action: definitely frog #2, but start again on smaller needles, or use the same size needle and try to knit tighter. Think I prefer the smaller needle path, but when to check my progress? The pattern tells me to knit a gauge swatch circularly in stockinette (I did that before I began the pair, and accomodated my gauge then); I think this sock will lie dormant for a bit.

What I said I would read this summer vs. What I acutally read.

Summer reading:

Planned:

Digging to America by Ann Tyler
I did read this. Think I liked her An Amateur Marriage more.

My Life In France by Julia Child.
Checked it out from the library but didn't finish within the two weeks I had. I'll try again.

Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber. I prefer her Shop on Blossom Street series. Didn't finish this and have no plans to.

Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson. Amateur detective who is a caterer. Recipes included but I haven't tried any of them. Not sure I like her writing style.

Assasination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. Half finished with this. Like her style and her work on This American Life.

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Diaz Zafon. Local bookgroup choice. Well written, tense, worth re-reading.

The following were on my to be read (or to be finished list) and weren't finished:

The Color of Law, The Hamilton Case, Doing Nothing, Invisible Man, and The History of Love (this last I did read last summer and planned to reread because I really liked it. After some arm twisting, my local bookgroup plans to read it in January, so I'll wait.)

What I read that wasn't on my list:

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Local bookgroup selection. I didn't expect much from this book, thought it would be a potboiler, but it exceeded my expectations. I still think Never Let Me Go is a stronger, more gut-wrenching work.

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich. What can I say; I like her Stephanie Plum series. The books are witty, sexy, just fun to read.

Cross Country by Robert Sullivan. One man's description of one of his cross country trips from Portland to NYC with a lot of trivia thrown in. Another enjoyable read. He also wrote Rats which I'm now thinking about reading.

The Lighthouse by P.D. James. We listened to this as we travelled. Good listening.

Various bookgroup choices: Wuthering Heights, No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Mermaid's Chair.

That is it; an honest rendering of my plans and my shortfalls.

Miscellany

A few swaps ago my swap partner sent me some undyed wool and kool-aid to dye it with. I put it aside until last week when I attempted to dye it a certain shade of green. I just wasn't thinking, or I would have known that kool-aid doesn't come in a light olive green, even when combining two flavors, in this case green apple and lemonade. Do they still make rootbeer kool-aid? That might have helped.

What I got was a bad smell, the smell of wet wool (which I don't mind) mixed with artificial green apple and lemon (which I do mind). Green apples don't even smell in the real world, at least they do not smell like green apple kool-aid. The finished product is the skein of wool hanging on the back of the chair, which is definitely not a light olive green. I don't think I'll be dabbling in kool-aid dying again.

I skewered my current sock knitting to the back of the rocker to display progress. That is the second Simply Lovely Lace sock, ready to begin decreasing for the gusset. And that is the first Trekking XXL sock, part of a knitalong, a knitalong meant to end soon with a pair of socks finished. I shouldn't join knitalongs, not unless I'm at the bind off when the knitalong begins.

Or readalongs, for that matter. My summer reading list mocks me, but then I did read some books not on that list and not read some that were. I'm comfortable with that, can edit my list to approximate reality if I'm not.