Socks « Rycrafty

Category: Socks

Jun 11

Life with Evenstar

I’ve been spending a lot of my free time lately knitting. Knitting away on the edging of my Evenstar shawl. This is the ginormous shawl that has a deadline that’s coming up in a couple weeks. I’ve been exclusively knitting this shawl since I started it, not wanting any distractions, or anything to detract from my knitting time. The edging is 56 repeats of a point, and I had been pushing myself to do up to 4 in a day.

‘Had’ is the operative word in that last sentence. On Tuesday, I looked at the little tally on my pattern print out (I make a mark each time I complete row 20) and I thought ‘ that can’t be right!’. But it could: I only have 7 repeats left to go! That is this much:

I can now actually see the beginning (and end) as I’m knitting.

So with only 7 repeats to go, and more than 2 weeks until the deadline, what is a knitter to do? Cast on something else, of course.

That is the Eunice pattern from Cookie A’s book Sock Innovation. I recently started watching Round the Twist, a video podcast by Carin, and she has decided to knit every sock out of said book. I caught up on all 40+ episodes over a few weeks, so I’m joining in after she has already completed a different set of socks. I also need to do this to start using up some of that Sock Summit stash. The yarn I’m using is Wool Candy BFL in the colour ‘Robin’s Egg’.

I’ve been having a bit too much fun with this sock – I need to put it down and finish up that last little bit of Evenstar, and then block it. That’s why tonight I’m going to watch The Two Towers and knit, and tomorrow will be Return of the King. Those two movies should be just the right amount of time to finish 7 beaded points.

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Posted in Lace, Socks cookie a evenstar roundthetwist

Feb 22

Knitting New Year

I’ve been thinking more about my Knitting New Year idea, and I think I may forge on with it. The guidelines I’d set for myself would be to have finished all my current Works in Progress by my birthday, April 2nd. I don’t think this is an unreasonable goal, considering I have most of March off from work, and the work I’m doing from now until then is fairly knit-friendly.

If I meet my current knitting goals, the thrummed mittens will be done by February 28th, and the Fiddleheads by March 7th (although I think I’ll be done before then).

Ideally, I’d finish both by February 28th.

That leaves me with the following projects to finish (or frog) by April 2:

These socks just need a lot of ends weaving in – I could do that in a day.

This modular linen shopping bag. I don’t want to frog this! For some reason I stopped working on it, then lost it. I found it again recently, tucked away in the storage room. I’ve stolen the needle from it for the thrummed mittens, but that doesn’t matter because mittens must be done first!

These socks will the challenge. They’re knee socks, and I’ve got one knit down to the ankle. Problem is, they’re a titch tight. I think I will soak and block what I’ve got so far, to see if that will loosen up the knitting. If it does, I continue to knit and have a wearable pair of socks. If it doesn’t, then I have to make the hard decision. I may also submit these to the Stampede knitting showase, if I do, do I need (or want) them to fit me?

And those are actually all the projects I have on the needles right now. The issue is that while I want the projects done and out of my knitting bags, there are other things I want to knit! My first Unique Sheep Lord of the Strings sock club kit arrived last week, and I joined the Evenstar Shawl knitalong. It is very hard not to jump in to those projects right now.

Maybe if I’m disciplined, I can finish the above projects (Fiddleheads, P’s mitts, Toe Socks, bag, green socks) I’ll have time before my birthday to cast on a new project. That will be completely allowed in the rules, because this challenge is to make me finish those things that have been hanging around.

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Posted in Knitting New Year, Socks fiddlehead mittens

Jan 01

Slow-growing Socks

The Green & Blue toe socks stalled a bit when I got to the heel, because I didn’t want to have to bring the book anywhere, so they languished until I had a few hours of quiet at home to do the heel.

Now I’ve got about half the length of leg that I need! I’ve been bringing them to work, and doing a few rows at lunch each day. I also finally duplicate-stitched the top of the heart on the finished one:

I’ve been busy at work, and I’ve been preparing a wholesale stitch marker order in the evenings at home. I haven’t stopped making cards either, I’ve got a whole pile of those to post and blog about, and I’ve even got a few for challenges! January will be one of the busiest, craziest months of the year, but things will get easier after that, and I even have some time off in March. I’m planning on spending that time crafting and baking.

I had a great Christmas, and I did something I’ve been wanting to do for ages: I put all my Christmas money towards a big purchase (rather than say, rent or groceries). A KitchenAid Artisan mixer is on its way to me! I’m very, very excited for that to arrive.

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Posted in Socks kitchenaid toesocks

Sep 10

Box #2 contains…. a family legacy!

As you may remember, yesterday I left you hanging with this tantalizing picture:

You got to see that end of the box, because the other end has a nice little label-holder with a neatly lettered label. This box contains:

Holes! Well, socks that contain holes, as well as all my extra sock yarn bits, and my Weavette hand loom. I’m planning on darning those socks so I can have warm feet this winter, and then making a few more rectangles for my handwoven sock yarn blankie. I’m going to be working on that blanket for a long time.

Now, to darn socks you need a tool usually called a darning egg, or darning mushroom (someone told me once just to use a lightbulb, but that only works if you don’t have CFLs. For one thing, those things don’t die, and for another, if your heels are shaped like my CFLs, I don’t know how you walk!). I didn’t have one of these tools, so the socks sat languishing. See the languish?

Luckily, there was a solution to this problem. Email mum, and ask her if she has granny’s (HER granny’s!) darning mushroom still. And the answer was….YES.

That is my great-granny’s darning mushroom. I do have a vague memory of her showing me what it was for, when I was about 4 or so.

Mmmmm, patina. It says Czecko-Slovakia [sic] on the underside. I’m really looking forward to using this.

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Posted in Socks, Vinnlands

May 03

Travel Knitting

Back in February, when I left my home for what turned out to be more than two months work away (it was originally only going to be one month), I gave a lot of thought to what projects I wanted to bring. I decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to finish off some UFOs, as being away from my stash would force me into project monogamy. That thought also worked well in conjunction with the rule I set myself: no new yarn until the stash is under 10 kms long (when I left, the stash was 17+ kms). I brought with me two unfinished pairs of socks, and yarn for a small new project, the Eyelet Rib Bandeau.

Now that it is the day before I leave for home, it is time for a review. How did it all work out? Well, I finished one pair of socks, my Millicents. They only really needed one foot knit. I also discovered an error in the pattern, mentioned in this Ravelry thread.

Cara’s socks… are not done, but now only need one foot knit. This is starting to sound familiar. I don’t get second sock syndrome, I quite enjoy casting on the second sock. I just need to stall before I finish the foot, apparently.

The Eyelet Rib Bandeau: I swatched for it, and decided I didn’t like the way the stitch pattern looked, and was starting to doubt how much I’d wear the finished product (I still think it is super cute!). So, I looked around for something to cast on. I was hampered by the fact that I only had two knitting magazines here, and one book (and of course, teh internets). The book was Favorite Socks, which was no help for using up Rowan Cashsoft DK. This is where Ravelry came in handy, with the new experimental search. I found that I had enough yarn for another project I wanted to make, that was in the same magazine as the Bandeau! So, I cast on for the Clementine Shawlette.

I actually got a lot of this done backstage at the opera. I had almost no cues in all of act 3, plus I was stuck upstairs alone on the upstage side of balcony. There were windows and French doors all along it, so once the show started, I couldn’t move from where I was without being seen. So I’d sit down on the ground (no room for a chair!) and knit away. This helped with memorizing the pattern, I didn’t want to have too many loose bits up there that could accidentally get kicked over the edge. I memorized the pattern so I wouldn’t have to have the magazine up there.

I love that it is knit in two halves, rather than one piece, because I can use up every inch of yarn by just knitting until ball #2 runs out, then start again.

I’m not sure if I’ll keep this knit. I have a friend in mind who is going through a bad time, and I thought it might be nice for her, although I don’t know if she’d use it. I may just start a Christmas present box. That’s a novel concept; knitting Christmas gifts in April!

Last night I finished the first half, I’m going to start the second half today.

This trip was not without stash aquisition though: I got a great closing night gift from one of my co-workers:

Fleece Artist Merino sock yarn! Yum! His girlfriend is a knitter, but she maintains that her only input was the idea of getting me yarn, and that he picked the yarn and colour by himself. Impressive. Those two pictures are the same skein, I love all the colours in it!

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Posted in Millicents, Stash

Apr 03

Finished Millicent Socks

Millicent Socks, started August 4th, 2007, finished March 22nd, 2008
Pattern: Cookie A’s Millicent Socks
Yarn: Louet Gems Pearl in ‘Grape’, just under 4 skeins
Needles: 2.25mm Addi Turbo (US 1)
Dimensions: (Edit in later, when I find my pattern)
Pattern Notes: There is a mistake in the pattern for the left foot and toe. I asked Cookie about it on Ravelry, and she confirmed. I made no changes.
Would I knit it again? Love the pattern, but I don’t need two pairs of these socks. Nor do I need to do that much 2×2 ribbing for a long, long time.

Look at those toes!

I love that they are mirrored.

In this photo, you can see a bit of my new favourite thing, my bright pink trench coat! Birthday present from mum. It’s such a great coat on grey days.

It was cold, so I had to wear tights to walk and find my photoshoot location. I don’t have appropriate shoes with me to actually wear with these socks. I have my Docs here, but they are getting a bit rough in the heels, and I didn’t want to risk holes in my fabulous new socks.

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Posted in Millicents, Socks

Mar 13

Finishing those pairs…

About time for a knitting update, isn’t it? I’m doing wonderfully on two counts:

1. The Millicent Socks

Yes, that is Millicent #2! And so close to being done. I finally got over what was keeping me from finishing it, which was an error in the pattern! The directions for the left gusset and left foot are slightly wrong. I mentioned it on Ravelry, and Cookie confirmed it, which was all I needed to get going. I find it odd no one noticed the error before, and I have seen finished Millicents… maybe I was following the pattern too blindly?

2. Cara’s Socks:

That is sock #2, partway through the heel flap. Will I have two finished pairs of socks in March? I hope so!

A quick digression on airline knitting: I recently flew from Vancouver to Calgary and back, with the Millicents in my carry-on luggage (I had no checked bags). No one said a thing. On the way back, I stuffed more needles into my bag in case I need them out here, and no one said anything. Not even the security guy who hit me on the head with his beepy paddle thingy. I was making everything beep on that trip through security, even the hooks on my bra made the thing beep.

(Please excuse the photos, I’m staying with friends of my parents, and don’t want to have to explain taking photos of half-finished socks, so I took the pics in my room in the basement.)

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Posted in Embossed Leaves, Millicents

Feb 13

Finishing this sock on a bus… could you do it?

I’ve finally taken pictures of Cara’s first finished sock! It is currently unblocked, as I’ve only just started sock #2. I know they are going to need it eventually, but I’m not sure what to do. If we had the same size feet, I could justify buying sock blockers, but Cara has teeny size 5s, and I have whopping size 8s. Any small-footed knitters want to lend me some blockers some time in March?

I had fun taking photos, because I finally got around to making a little light tent out of a cardboard box and some tracing paper. Opening my Etsy store was the big nudge I needed. But now I can take fancy sock pictures! I do some adjusting in Photoshop, but I did nothing at all to the photo above.

That’s my hand, pretending to be a foot. It makes me think of a cobra or something.

Sock #2 for Cara has almost reached the end of the top ribbing, so I’m not too far along on that. Once again, I blame Etsy. I’m sure if my work really knew what I did most of the day, they’d blame Etsy too. But they don’t know, and they all say I’ll be missed when I leave this Friday (who are they kidding, I’m just one in a long line of temps).

I’m leaving on Friday because on the following Wednesday, I’m flying out to Vancouver for work! I’ll be out there until probably the first week in April. I’m taking the Etsy stock (it all fits into a shoe box), and more importantly, I taking my Knitting!

I’ll be staying with a friend of my mum’s for most of it, and I’ll have about a 45 minute commute each way between her house and work. And we all know what car-less commutes mean… knitting time! And reading time! The thing is, I need some advice.

I was a car-sick kid (never seasick though). This was not fun on the journey between our house at the time, and my grandparents in Vancouver (but there were two ferries between all the twisty driving, so at least my parents had a respite on the boat). I’m not that bad any more, but I can’t read in a moving vehicle, I start to feel gross, and like I’m going to barf. I’m extrapolating this to mean that knitting on the bus may do the same thing to me. Any tips to help me, so I don’t go mad on the rides? Any way to combat knitting-induced bus-sickness? I’ve never really had to bus anywhere regularly, so I haven’t had the time to build up an immunity.

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Posted in Embossed Leaves, Socks

Jan 05

Cara’s Socks

I’m knitting my first pair of socks destined for someone else.

My friend Cara has had some pretty horrible health news recently (well, before Christmas, I’m just slow) and as soon as I heard about it, I knew she needs some fuzzy, cozy socks made just for her. I had some yarn in my stash that just screamed “CARA!” and the yarn gave me the idea for the perfect pattern.

The yarn is a lovely green, with touches of brown and purple, from All Things Heather. I got it for donating to a kids’ book drive she did on her blog a little while ago.

Because of the gorgeous greens in the yarn, I knew the pattern had to be leafy. And Cara is all about the outdoors, so I narrowed it down to either Elfine’s Socks, or Embossed Leaves from IK. I finally settled on Embossed Leaves, they seemed slightly less lacy, and she lives somewhere colder rather than warmer.

These socks are filling all sorts of purposes. I have a whole list of resolutions/goals that I will post about later (I’m doing this), but these socks get me on the way to lots. It is stash yarn, a stash pattern (in Favorite Socks), I’m knitting socks, and… I’m sure there was a 4th one. Either way, great.

This is also the first of my close friends to have any sort of huge health issue like this. Well, technically she’s been told she’s only at risk, but a very probable risk it seems, for some biggies. She’s only 24… just a year older than me, and I can’t imagine a doctor telling me the things hers has told her. But she’s strong and amazing (she is Cara, after all ) and deserves something fuzzy.

Giving them will be interesting, as I don’t think any of my high school friends know I knit. I’m not keeping it from them, we just don’t talk about stuff like that.

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Posted in Embossed Leaves, Socks, Uncategorized

Dec 19

In my infinite wisdom…

First, some eye candy*.

*(not my leg, the sock!)

The finished Millicent! Isn’t it pretty? I still need to weave in the starting end, but it is otherwise raring to go. I used less than 2 skeins of Louet Gems, and I have size 8 feet and average ankles/calves. Full measurements used when I finally finish sock #2.

Millicent #2 got some attention yesterday. And then I had to rip out all I did that day. I had left it off at the end of the heel flap. In my keenness to be done with it…. I started the gusset without turning the heel. What is sad is that I managed to pick up all the stitches (thinking ‘is it always this awkward?’) and knit a couple rows before noticing. I was stuck on a line of the pattern… it seems likein the traveling k2p2 band, the stitches don’t stack neatly on top of each other. Although, that could be something to do with me having totally the wrong number of stitches, and the wrong shape of sock when I was doing that part.

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Posted in Millicents

Dec 11

One Millicent!

I just grafted the toe of one of my Millicent knee socks!!

No pictures for now, as there’s a man coming to knock a hole in our ceiling in a few minutes.

The other sock just needs the foot done…. AT LAST!

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Posted in Millicents

Oct 28

Frogged!

The projects I was talking about frogging last week? I did it. Well, I’m done 2/3. The other one I’m doing tonight.

The projects on the chopping block were (click for big!):

Cleo, my oldest UFO. As in started more than three years ago. All the bits were done, and I had a bathing suit top I wanted to cut up to make a lining, but I didn’t know how to do it, so it just sat. And sat. And sat. And looking at it the other day I realised that the fabric was much, much too loose for a shirt, and it was heavy and would sag, and the world would just be a better place if it went away.
Simply Lovely Lace Socks. I started these over a year ago, in yarn I Kool-Aid dyed. I got just past the heel on the first sock, when I realised they were a bit tight. That was also before I realised that I don’t want socks with holes already in them. I wear wool socks in winter for warmth. Holes are not warm.
Sidewinder Sock. A fairly recent project, compared to the other two. I think it was May? ish? I knit one whole sock very very fast, grafted the eleventy-thousand stitches, and then it was too tight. The pain was a bit too new to frog it earlier, but I’m okay with it now. I’m undoing the graft, and will measure and record my gauge properly, then try again.

Now, I don’t have a swift, and all this yarn had been sitting knit up for ages, so it was going to be really curly. Wrapping around my arm is tedious, but I came up with a great solution:

My chair, the swift! I just needed to spin the chair with one hand and hold the offending item with the other. It even worked for Cleo, which was two strands of yarn held together. I just made sure to keep my fingers between the strands, started them out at different heights on the chair, and twirled away. Can your swift do that?

Yarnage counter: 16.89km

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Posted in Kool-Aid Yarn, Sidewinders, Stash

Oct 11

Lady of Leisure

I’m a lady of leisure now that the show is over. At least until the 21st.

I had debated about finding work for this in-between time, but I think I made the right choice. I deserve some rest, right? And it’s not like I’m totally not working, I had my first ever union call on Sunday, and I’m doing a day at a theatre this coming Wednesday.

The first thing this lady of leisure did was…. laundry. But after that, I knitted! I got quite a few more stripes done on my bright stripes scarf. Pictures tomorrow, because I knitted (and cooked dinner) until it was dark.

I do have some pics of my Millicent progress though. These pics are from a week or two ago. They are closer to the same length now, as since I took the pictures, I’ve only worked on the shorter one. These pics were also taken inside, at night. The new camera didn’t do too badly, but daylight is still better.

What I have left to knit is about the equivalent of a pair of regular socks. Which is heartening and depressing all in one go. I have to say that I’m looking forward to finishing them.

The show is closed, it went well. My mum was visiting for a few days recently, and that also went well. She left us with a very well-stocked cupboard and fridge. And me with some new clothes.

I’m planning on using my 10 remaining days of leisure time on knitting, tidying, cooking, and possibly even sewing. Having just had my mum here, I’m all shopped out for a while (apart from an HMV gift certificate burning a hole in my wallet) so I won’t be tempted to spend money. Which is good, as I’m not earning any.

I’m hoping to finish knitting a project or two (Millicents? don’t know) and maybe go through the stash again. I’m all about paring down, especially after the shopping sprees mum took me on. All worthwhile sprees, I now own a frying pan! And jeans without holes!

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Posted in Millicents

Sep 10

Millicents, so far

My Millicents are coming on fairly well, considering how limited my knitting time has been recently. Today I finally finished the cuff of the second sock, and have about 2cm more ribbing than I do in the photos.

I put them on to stretch out the lace pattern for photos, but when they’re done, the lace will be the other way up, folded down over the 2X2 ribbing, more like this:

So right now I am essentially knitting a bit that will be forever hidden. Never seen. And yet it is still a good 15cm (per sock!) that needs knitting. sigh. But they’re so pretty!

The ribbing on the longer one is about halfway there, I’m pointing at it in this pic. Please excuse the bright white legs.

I’m really enjoying working with the Louet gems. I haven’t found any knots (and I’ve balled up 4 skeins) and it isn’t splitting. The colour is also wonderful. I think I’m going to need to find some really cool shoes to wear these with.

I started these socks as part of Ravelry’s Sockdown!, being held in the Sock Knitters Anonymous group. Basically, a set of ‘rules’ is laid down which gives each month (starting this August) a designer and a technique (August was Sockbug or lace). You finish a pair of socks by that designer, or using that technique by the deadline, and are entered to win prizes. August was lace, and the deadline is September 30th. Back when I started, I calculated that I’d need to knit at least 2.5cm per day to make it. If that was true, I’d be more than half done. I’m about 25% done, with close to 0 knitting time on the horizon until about the 21st. I think I may have been to ambitious (especially considering I knew what a timesuck my new job would be), but there is still a chance. The rest of the socks are just ribbing, no more following a chart.

Once both legs are decreased a bit (after 12.5cm of straight ribbing, each…argh) I want to put them both on one circular. I tried that when casting on, and it was just a huge mess, mainly because the circ I have isn’t quite long enough for two socks the circumference of my calves. Once they get to normal sock size, it should be okay.

Having these just be ribbing now means that both projects I have on the go are simple TV-projects. If these weren’t on a deadline, I’d start something new…

PS: The socks I’m going to start in October (Nancy Bush or cables)? Bayerische, both at the same time on one circular. Am I crazy? At least I was sane enough to not even try doing anything for the challenge in September (Grumperina or toe-up).

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Posted in Millicents

Aug 06

Invisible Progress Beast

So I’ve been plugging away at my Millicent socks. I have changed, and am doing them one by one, as my circular is too short for two at a time on Magic Loop. Here is where I was yesterday morning:

Here is where I was yesterday evening:

Looks the same right? Wrong. The first picture has 7 lace motifs around the sock. The second picture has only 6. Yeah. I tried it around my leg, and even taking in to account the other layer of sock that will be under that cuff…. much too big. I could pink out one whole motif easily, so I ripped. And re-did. The lace has less mistakes now though.

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Posted in Millicents, Socks

Aug 03

Finished Vinnlands

Finished Vinnland Socks, started June 24th, 2007, finished August 3rd, 2007
Pattern: Vinnland Socks from The AntiCraft
Yarn: Fleece Artist Sea Wool, 1 skein, with golf ball-sized bit left over
Needles: 2.5mm all the way through
Dimensions: for my size 8 foot (cast on for 23cm (9″) size)
Pattern Notes: Exactly as written! Well, mostly.
Would I knit it again? I really liked it, but there are so many sock patterns out there, I don’t think I ever want to repeat myself. Then again, the ribbing is so stretchy, it’d make a great gift sock.

My first toe-up sock, and my first short row heel. I like it. I can’t say whether or not I like it better than the heel flap yet, but I like doing new techniques. I put my hand under my foot for that photo because I realised that photographing a grey sock against greyish concrete was not the best idea.

The yarn is lovely, it’s got a nice sheen and is very soft. Here’s hoping it holds up to being worn.

It took me a while to do these, mainly because I stopped partway through the first one and took a break. Can you guess why, looking at the photo above? Anyone? Here, let me zoom in:

Now you see it, don’t you? I use a little Post-it to mark my place on the chart, and one day I took the pattern out of the bag to find that the Post-it had fallen off. It was still early days in the knitting, and I wasn’t living and breathing the pattern yet, so as I was trying to figure out what row it was, I made a mistake. To be fair, this pattern has two rows (rows 8 and 16) that are just 2×2 ribbing. I just chose the wrong one. I didn’t notice until a few more repeats up, but I decided not to frog. It all blends, and I think the colour of the yarn helps hide it too. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. I still like them, and find it sort of neat that they’re different. Of course, the pattern ends at different points at the cuffs now, as you are instructed to stop on row 8 or 16. The first sock (with its extra half a repeat) stops at 16, the correct sock stops at 8. Oh well.

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Posted in Socks, Vinnlands

Jul 29

Back from a pseudo vaycay

My excuse for not posting recently is that I was at my parent’s house on the coast. I went out and stayed there for 5 days last week, then I came back to an empty and laptop-less house, because the boy was off freelancing in Banff. I just didn’t feel like blogging, or uploading my pics to his computer, just to move them over, when my laptop came back. So I didn’t. And I got stuff done! Knitting, cooking, cleaning… it was good.

Then Friday I couldn’t stand it any longer and drove out to Banff to visit for the weekend, and when I left today, I took my laptop too. He is working 12 hours today, so he won’t have computer time. mwahahha.

The good news that comes with a blogger taking a break, is that stuff gets done. Like DONE done.

I mentioned I left for my parents’ on Wednesday (the 24th). I finished my Two-Tone Shrug that afternoon, just a week after I started it! Sadly, that’s the only thing I don’t have pictures of, because I believe that if I put it on right now, I would immediately die of the heat. Tanks and shorts are too much clothing right now. I did wear it while in Victoria (blessed, blessed rain), but no pics.

I do have pics of…. A finished Vinnland!

It’s rather hard to take pictures of your own feet. Especially when your skirt keeps getting in the shot (see not above about unbelievable heat. Skirts help.). You also get to see the anime collection (bottom shelf of the bookcase) and my humungo box ‘o M*A*S*H. (PS: would just like to point out that the Coles Notes are for conjugating French verbs, not books. I read books.)

I like this shot best, I find it has some movement to it.

I finished the sock while at my parents’ house, but took the photos after work on my first day back here. The second sock is about 1cm away from the heel turn. I’ve only got two weeks left at my magical knit-all-day job, so I’m going to make them count. Unless they give me stuff to do. bastards.

While in the Vic, I went to my first-ever LYS, The Beehive. And of course, there was stash enhancement. Vacation yarn doesn’t count, right?

Hand Maiden Silk Spun. It came with a ‘pattern’ for a very simple shoulder wrap, which I am going to do, as I think it’ll show of the yarn better than anything else. yum. From what I can gather from the Hand Maiden website, it is the Paris colourway. Even after going through the yarn shops here, nowhere can match the Beehive for Fleece Artist/Hand Maiden selection.

It even matches that skirt!

As I finished the Two-Tone Shrug, I needed another project (obviously. No one mention the $1.50), so I started the Firey Bolero pattern, in some Rowan Cotton Glace. I originally bought the yarn to make Crinkle from Rowan 39, but then decided that that cardi just wasn’t for me. Now I want to do the Firey Bolero, and Orangina. It’ll be like a mod twinset-type thing. Although I don’t know that I’d wear them together ever. We’ll see. The cotton seems to be pretty good to work with, not many problems (yet), but we’ll see how that all goes. Planning on getting some knitting done tonight; the boy isn’t coming home until tomorrow, as he’s working late in Banff.

The colourway is called ‘Hot Lips’ so I think it very appropriate that I break out said humungo M*A*S*H collection tonight for some knitting.

And yes, I did bring the sock to Banff, but I forgot my camera. Imagine more pictures like the last entry’s, but with less valley and more mountains.

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Posted in Fiery Bolero, Socks, Stash, Vinnlands

Jul 14

K-Country

….doesn’t actually stand for Knitting Country. But it should. The boyfriend and I went out to Kananaskis Country for a little mid-week vacation. Well, he was sent out there for work, and I tagged along for the ride. He was working at a conference, so the conference people paid for his room, and food. The room was great because they lost the original booking, so we got put into the room of a conference delegate who canceled at the last minute. Very exclusive place, chocolates on the pillows, king size bed, etc.

While he was working I had plenty to amuse myself with. I had books, walks, and of course, knitting.

(click all pics for bigger!)

I brought two projects with me, for variety:

(wonderful project bags from PiddleLoop on etsy, sitting on the fountain in the hotel’s main entrance.)

The number bag contains my Vinnland sock, and the dot bag contains the yarn for a project from:

(sitting on a bench by the pond the above fountain feeds)

I have yarn in that bag for the Two-Tone Shrug. I decided to cast it on, knit with big yarn for a change. And oh, did I knit.

(back at the fountain, and out in a mountain meadow with a flower of a similar colour)

I was almost finished the raglan increases by the time we left. Now I’ve just started on the first sleeve. The yarn is Classy by Dream in Color, they of the adorable baby cardis. The colour is ‘Wisterious’. I’ve got an oatmeal-y Cascade 220 for the contrast… but it isn’t superwash, it’s one of the Heathered colours. The purple is superwash, but I like the colour combo. sigh. I can deal with hand-washing I guess.

The sock felt a bit left out, as I ignored it for the whole time, so we did a photoshoot on the last day. Part of the reason I ignored it was because I’m almost done, but concerned about amount of yarn, and wanted to weigh it before I decide what to do next. I suppose I could’ve called room service for a scale….

(looking up at the mountains)

(and down to the valley)

(at lookout #4, not picking flowers)

Sometimes I forget about the amazing landscape that is just an hour away from here. I need to remember that when I complain about there being no green in this city.

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Posted in Socks, Two-Tone Shrug, Vinnlands

Jul 09

Goin’ slow

I haven’t been knitting too much recently, I don’t know where my spare time has been going. Actually, I do. It’s a new obsession: Stargate SG1. I’d never watched it before, but my boyfriend bought season 1 on DVD and we sat down to watch and it is SO. GOOD. We’re halfway through Season 2 now. It’s so good I don’t knit during it, because I actually want to watch it.

Still plugging away on Vinnland #1, I think I’ll finish it today. I say that because I’m at work, but no one else is, and I finished my crazy (252 pages) of data entry.

This week will be a good knitting week I believe, as the boyfriend and I are going away for a couple days. He’s working out of town for 3 days, being put up at a hotel, and I’m going to tag along. I’m going to take the Vinnlands, and another project, for variety. I’m not sure if I want it to be another pair of socks, or the Two-Tone Shrug from Fitted Knits. I’ve really been itching to start that one, so I may do that.

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comments

Posted in Socks, Vinnlands

Jun 27

So last night I finally sat down and did the grafting on my Sidewinder sock. It took a long time, but I think I’ve finally memorized how to graft now. I had the right number of stitches on both needles and everything!

When finished, I wove in my end, like a good little knitter, and thought hey, I’ll try this on now! See the picture? You like?

My foot didn’t like it. The leg is fine, the length is okay (I think), but the bit that goes around my ankle/heel, where the leg bends? PAIN! It is much too tight, but only there. And well, it was a struggle to tug it on.

So I need to rip it. sigh. And go up a size I guess? I know I don’t have wide feet, as I’ve never had to buy wide shoes, but maybe I should knit the same size, but in a wide? Not certain, and I’m not going to measure my feet now. At work you know.

Looking at the un-grafted toe (why bother, it didn’t fit!), I’m starting to think I need some more length, too. Le sigh. Rip rip rip. And there was a little line of holes all down one side of the heel:

I seem to be stalled on all my knitting projects at the moment. This one doesn’t fit. I needed to rip and re-start the shawl on smaller needles (I have ripped, but no new knitting yet), the cardi is in a state of limbo (me not wanting to continue because I’m worried about size issues), the only good one is Vinnland. Although I haven’t had the courage to measure it against any other socks yet. I am in a knitting slump.

What I really want to do right now is get my desk and our whole officey area all up and running and prettified. It’s pretty messy in there right now. The bookcase is a disaster area of stuff that’s just been… stuffed on to it. But the wonderful boyfriend is building a shelf for the closety area, which will help a lot.

OH! Exciting Crafty News! I’m getting a Gocco! I found an ad for one on a local craigslist-type site, and I’m picking it up Friday. It’s only $50, I’ve found they tend to go for $100+. yay. I’m hoping to be able to get something going on etsy, I’ve got great ideas for stuff. I’d love to have a crafty business again. I’ve got a few cards up there right now (username is rycrafty), but the photos I took are pretty bad.

2
comments

Posted in Papercrafts, Sidewinders

I knit, I stamp, I colour, I craft. I bake. I make.

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