Oimelc

Sunny and cold this morning, any groundhog foolish enough to stick his nose out of his den would have seen his shadow. Six more weeks of winter. I never understood why that was a bad thing. Surely, any warm weather before May is an improvement? The celtic day is oimelc (eeee melk) and the Christian Candlemas, each celebrating the coming of spring.

Started a pair of socks last night. I'm using up two colors, doing the toe and part of the leg in one color and the instep and heel in another. I'll do the slip stitch blending pattern on the leg. The needles are size 1 US, yarn is Opal and Trekking and the pattern uses the riverbed architecture and Cat Bordhi's slip stitch rings pattern rows 1-4 for the leg stitches.

Leftover Socks

I used the riverbed pattern, but am having trouble calculating the E, length before starting the arch increases. So the sock is a tad short. I used 54 stitches around the midfoot and leg. I had my denim colored opal to use up, so I divided it in half and started two socks, each on their own needle. I used the magic loop method. I made it to the leg of each sock as the yarn was running out.

I joined the trekking and used a pattern I found in Cat Bordhi’s book. It's called slipstich rings, but I changed it a bit. With the light blue as the MC and the dark blue as the CC, Rows 1 and 2: with CC Knit to end. Rows 3 and 4: with MC, *K2, sl1* to end. This pattern created a sort of ribbing, that is very pleasing. When the Opal ran out I just used the one color.

For the cuff, I decreased 10 st. and did 1x1 ribbing and then used Jeni’s magic cast off.

I like them!

Yarn: Opal, denim and Trekking XXL dark blues
Needles: size 1

Almost Done

My denim riverbeds are almost done. Only thing left is to cast off. And the photo shoot. Why does that always take so long to accomplish? My grey tweed cardigan is coming along. I have a few inches to go and then I can join the sleeves. And see if I've finally reached gauge. Summer excitement.

Denim Riverbed

I'm almost to the heel on my socks. I like the yarn, and it's relaxing to do only stockinette.

New Socks

I started a new pair of socks. In particular:
yarn: Trekking XXL
needles: 2.25 mm
Pattern: plain vanilla toe up, using riverbed architecture.

The yarn is a pretty denim-y blue melange. I feel like knitting plain stockinette. If I get bored, maybe I'll do a fancy rib pattern on the leg.

I had the camera out to take photos of my finished Lake Effect Leyburn socks and yet I didn't take a picture of the new yarn. Drat.

Dropping Stitches

I'm mostly finished with one sleeve of the cardigan. Started the second right away, and promptly forgot what I was supposed to do and made purl ribs. They're supposed to be seed stitch ribs. I'm going to practice dropping the stitches and laddering back up. It should be tedious, but only about eight rows worth.

Meanwhile, I'm ready to cast off the Lake Effect Leyburns.

Finishing is hard to do.

New Socks

I started a new pair of socks. Lake Effect Leyburns. I'm using the pattern Leyburn socks and my favorite Lake Effect Sockitome yarn. I'm getting gauge at 7 st. per inch using 2.25 mm. needles. The pattern is written for toe up and I plan to use the riverbed architecture. I cast on 7 st. and increased until I had 50. Then I increased the instep until it had 31 st. Plus the 25 sole st. for a total of 56 st. It might be a little big, but the stitch pattern doesn't allow for much stretch.

Sock Reflections

I finished my Cat Bordhi Riverbed socks a while ago. The fit really well, I will definitely use that architecture again. After I washed them, it seems like the ankle and leg weren't as tight. I wonder if the washable wool + nylon grows. I've never taken a gauge reading after washing socks.

I used Trekking XXL and size 1 needles. I divided 52 stitches on two needles. I did a 3knit1purl ribbing around the leg and the instep.

Blocking and Casting On

My Bigfoot shawl is blocking! So far, it's 17 inches long at the back neck and looks to be about 120 inches circumference. I haven't cut the yarn and woven in the ends yet. Although I think it will stretch to the size I'm after. For the record, that's 11 repeats of the main pattern. I cast off using a size 11 needle, and the k1, *slip back on the left needle, k2tog tbl* bind off.

Pattern: Bigfoot Shawl from Alison Hyde
Yarn: KnitPicks Gloss Lace in Aegean I used about 1.5 skeins
Needles: Options size 8


Then I cast on for a pair of socks using my new Cat Bordhi book.
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needles: KnitPicks Options size 1
Pattern: Riverbed architecture not sure about the stitch pattern yet.

Too Busy To Knit ??!!

Hard to believe, but I've been too busy with horses, friends and family to get very much knitting done. In the past two weeks I've barely managed seven rows on my shawl. Today is my day and I hope to make up for some lost time. I think I'll do a few more rows on the shawl, and block it to see how it might fit. Alison advised me that silk blend yarn tends to stretch lengthwise and I don't want it too long.

Today is my day to measure my feet, wind a second ball of my Trekking XXL, and start some socks with the Cat Bordhi book. I'm leaning toward the Riverbed architecture, but haven't picked a stitch pattern.

Life is good.

Sock Setback

I refuse to be defeated by a sock. A sample sock at that. Cat Bordhi's Little Sky Sock turned out too short in the foot and looks deformed. I'm going to make a second one and add rows after turning the heel. Then I'll unravel the first one and add to it. I'd like to put the pair in my collection for CIC toddler socks.

Pattern: Little Sky Sock

Yarn: Nature Spun Sport

Needles: Options size 3

Gauge: 5.75 st. per inch

Lake Effect Socks II

I finished my second pair of socks using CTH's Sockittome yarn. I didn't have enough, so I did the toes and ribbing in a different yarn. They are the first "plain" socks I've done. No patterning whatsoever. They fit well, but the leg is a little short. I simply started ribbing when I ran out of lake effect yarn. Also, the ribbing flares out a bit. I should have gone down a needle size, but I was using 0 at the time. Maybe next time I'll reduce the number of stitches by 4 or 6.



Lake Effect Socks Part II

Plain socks toe up using Wendy Johnson's heel flap. Knit two at a time on two circulars.

Yarn: CTH Sockittome Lake Effect and Universal Yarn Pace in kiwi.

Needles: Options size 0

I've been busy

I've been busy. I started and finished a string bag, using slightly less than one skein of Euroflax linen on size 10 needles. I used a pattern I found on the internet. It was a fast knit, but not easy. The linen kept trying to jump off the needles. Since every other stitch was a yo it was difficult to maintain order.




My blue lace scarf is halfway done. I don't know if it will block out enough to show off the pattern. It will be nice and soft around the neck regardless.




I started a felted bag. The pattern is from Two Old Bags and I'm using Cascade 220 Eco wool in a grey tweed on size 10 needles. It's mindless knitting but I'm not looking forward to making the i-cord edge and strap. I decided to modify the closure. Instead of a loop with a toggle button through it, I'm going to cut a buttonhole and use a large shank button to close it. Or maybe velcro.





Up next is another pair of socks. Donna, and my LYS weighed what was left of my CTH Lake Effect sock yarn. I have 44g. of 100g. That's not quite enough, I think for a pair of socks. She helped me find a solid color that complemented Lake Effect, and I'm going to use that to do the toes and the top ribbing. It does mean that I'll go back to two-at-a-time sock knitting.

Finished Socks

I finished the Northern Lights Socks. I love them. Knit with Trekking XXL, in a dark blue colorway, on size 1 needles. I did the foot plain and used my favorite ribbing pattern on the leg. (Row 1 *k1tbl, k2, k1tbl, p2* Row 2 *k1tbl, p2*) They fit well, I made them 54 stitches around.

Perfect Storm

Well, not a storm per se, but the weather patterns have been perfect for staying home and knitting. We got 13 inches of snow on Thursday and Friday, and now it's below zero.

And I've got a lot to show for it. I finished my felted clogs and my ipod cozy. My deep blue waves sweater is coming along and there are only a couple of inches to go on my northern lights socks. I need to get some photos taken...Plus I'm itching to start something. But what?

Projects

I've been working on some new projects. My red scarf is almost done. I'm using leftover Cascade 220 in a wonderful deep red color. The stitch pattern is from the Yarn Harlot: *k2, k1tbl, p1* repeat at the end of the row, k2. I cast on 24 + 2 stitches. I'm wondering exactly how I'm supposed to block it. If I should stretch it wider or longer. Maybe both?

I'm on the leg portion of my toe-up socks, Opal on #2 needles. The ribbing, k5, p1, is stretchier than I thought it would be, but I'm going to do the top inch in k2,p2.