FO Friday!

Regia Stretch
Sz 2 DPNs, 9 st/in, CO 72
~36,000 stitches total

I took Wednesday off and didn’t knit a stitch! But, last night I finished all but the Kitchner and I did that this afternoon after going to water aerobics and attending to my online classes. So, they are done! Monster man socks in camoflauge colors are complete.

Now, the real test will be to see if DH actually ever wears them. Camo isn’t really his sort of thing, though the colors in general all, I guess just not all together like that…

Despite it resembling camoflauge, I’m quite happy with these socks overall. The varigation does what it should do and there is no unsightly pooling of flashing - even in the gusset area! This makes my heart sing! I wish I knew the secret I hate pooling and flashing colors, especially when it changes so drastically in the gusset area. And I’m not too fond of having to work two balls at the same time, as it reduces the portability of a sock project. Getting accustomed to the stretch was a bit of a challenge and I’m not overly fond of the fact that the elastic is the center strand with the wool plied around it. But I would probably use it again if I came across it on sale in favorable colors. Though I guess we’ll see how it wears/washes (if DH wears them).

What’s up next? You mean other than pulling Skyway out from beneath my bed and finishing it? I think sock-wise I’m going to pull out the Cascade Fixation that Snow so generously gave me for my birthday. As I sit roasting in my 77 degree bedroom with a hot laptop on my lap I think of how lovely cotton socks would be this time of year. And, seeing as I just finished a pair of socks that had elastic in the yarn I think my hand should be primed for working with Fixation.

I am a bit stymied on what size needles to use. I’ve poked around and seen from US 2 - US 6 being used. I tend to be a bit tight when on DPNs so I’m going to go for middle of the road US 4 for my first swatching and see where that has me. I did also read a suggestion to actually wash and dry your swatch and I’m a bit impatient for that. That person said they have a 1 st/inch difference, but they didn’t say in which direction. Anyone know?

Well, I’ve been *very* productive this week so I think I’ll be rewarding myself with a slightly shorter day today and knit. After I take a cool shower to cool down…

There may be a very exciting post on Monday, so check back…

Second Sock Syndrome?

Sorry for the poor photo, but we’ve all see socks 1/2 way through the gusset decreases, right?

I’m definitely not suffering second sock syndrome this time around. Perhas it is because it is mindless? Perhaps it is because if I head DH make one more reference to the &@&*(#@) plumber’s wife when someone asks him about the handknit socks I’m going to scream?

I’d say probably both, but I think I don’t often suffer second sock syndrome, and often the high from finishing the first sock propells me through the second sock at a much faster pace than the first one progressed. Camo sock seems no different. Here I am, 1/2 way through the gusset decreases on a MAN SIZE sock at 9 st/in gauge after only two days and a little bit of knitting this morning while suffering from allergy related insomnia. Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

I’m afraid the allergies will likely prevent much more knitting progress today. Between staying up until 2am finishing my book (see Culture Catalog for details) because I was afraid of the repercussions of lying down and waking up after 3.5 hours of fitful sleep I don’t think I’m going to be in robo-productive mode as I was yesterday. And, what little energy I have I need to direct towards my on-line classes (there is still time, and even a sale if you’re interested) and I need to get over to the library to return a couple books TODAY!

Wish me luck, and if you have any magical powers over allergies, I’d appreciate the assitance

A Pic as Promised!

Here it is, the pic of the completed camo sock for DH. I also got about 1/2 of the cuff of the second sock completed this weekend. Most of it was accomplished last night as we awaited the upstairs to cool down to a sleeping temperature.

As I’m working hard on lesson planning and writing I’ve been neglecting Skyway, though with the current weather trend I can see I will need to try carve out some quality time to spend with her in the near future. Though for Stitch ‘n Bitch tonight I think I’ll just work on the sock. It’s a great no-brainer project for chatting.

Notes to self - 9 st/in on US 2, CO 72 sts, I Kitchnered 14 stitches on each side for the toe, DH says on next pair to point the toe a bit more

1/2 FO

I finished DH’s camo sock with less than a superball sized bit of yarn remaining. Phew! I’m tight on time at the moment so a pic will have to wait until Monday. But, I had him try it on this morning after his shower to check the size before I did the Kitchner and it was great. So, I finished it up this afternoon real quick. I even nailed the Kitchner once again.

Though the question remains, will I nail it on sock #2 or am I always destined to have 1 sock with a great Kitchner and 1 with a less than perfect Kitchner??? Stay tuned…

Of Camos and Scoops

We’ve been watching a lot of TV on DVD lately (Millenium, X-Files and All Creatures Great and Small - posts coming soon on Culture Catalog), so I’ve picked back up the camo sock. I’m about an inch or so past the gusset and am getting a little nervous about having enough yarn to complete the sock. DH doesn’t have huge feet (Sz 10.5), but that ball of yarn is feeling awfully light, and I don’t have anything that would coordinate for a toe in my stash right now, and I don’t think DH would have been happy with a shorter leg in his sock either… *sigh* Perhaps this will call for a shopping expedition again in the near future…. I’ll probably know in a couple of days I guess.

Here, Emma shows off that I have edged one arm hole and have picked up the stitches for the other. I’m in crunch time now for my on-line classes (they start next Wednesday) and I feel it requires more attention than I can give it while taking in the previously mentioned TV shows so progress has been slow, but steady.

Here is a closer look at the edging. Keep in mind that it has not been blocked, but that this stitch pattern does block flat. I think it’ll be good. I’m really going to have to phsych myself up to do that neckline though. It’s 45-46 inches long! That’s a lot of lace knitting followed by a lot of 3-needle bind off! Phew! I’m hoping to be done next Wednesday, but with the classes beginning next Wednesday, I’m not sure that is possible.

Lastly, for anyone wondering about the quietness here, please see my visual art blog. It should shed a little bit of light….

Option 2

Well, I removed Skyway from her resting place beneath my bed yesterday afternoon. I figured nearly a week there and she had done her penance. I tried an edging solution on one of the arms, but in this weight yarn, it was just too much. Especially for under the arm. I was able to save the picked up stitches so I just have to reknit another edging option and see how that goes. I’m debating between two or three… I need to look more closely at them and see how they will fit in with the stitch count of picked up stitches as well as how much bulk they will be. I don’t think she’ll be going beneath the bed again though. I’ll try one more today and then move on to other work that needs doing.

Due to this work and my tiredness last evening, DH’s camo sock got some time once again and there is now a heel and the very beginnings of a gusset. It shouldn’t take too much more to complete sock one. I always find once I’m to the gusset the sock seems to fly.

I promise pics soon, but right now there isn’t really anything worth photographing. If you really want to see some pics (though not many are knitting related), head over to my Flickr account…

Weekend Knitting

Knitting over the weekend was relatively slow, given the wrist situation. It’s feeling about normal today, but I don’t want to push it. Of course part of its improvement is likely that I was not on the computer much over the weekend. I need to remember to take frequent breaks!

I did get roughly 1/2 way through the felted purse. Though, decided that I probably shouldn’t have double stranded the yarn, even though the pattern calls for worstead and the label recommends knitting on Sz 4s or so. It really has roughly the same WPI as the Lamb’s Pride. So, I’m marinating on whether I should rip it or if I should just leave it. But, I also didn’t allow myself to knit for more than 20 minutes at a time. That was rough! Especially when we watched movies this weekend.

I also made a little bit of progress on the camo sock. I started the heel flap, but dark yarn and a dark room do not mix well and I dropped a couple stitches, so I just put them on the extra DPN and put it down for the rest of the night.

I really wish I could knit all day without having to think about things like how long I’ve been knitting and when the last time I stretched was. And, even though I do those things I still get plagued with flares like this that put my knitting to near hault and I hate it. Doesn’t my wrist understand I have deadlines? Yes, self-imposed ones, but deadlines nonetheless????

I suppose luckily for my wrist, I won’t be making it to Stitch ‘n Bitch tonight. I get to lead the library book club discussion tonight and bring goodies. I’m afraid that they will lynch me though. The book was awful! And, I’m a little frustrated with the friends who had recommended it to me. I suspect there will be at least a couple of the women who will gush about it, but I know there are several others that look at reading similar to me and who will not have liked it. But, today I’ve got to do the research for the discussion. I have a reading discussion guide for it, but need to gather together some reviews and some bio info for the author.

Anyone else, Stitch ‘n Bitch is tonight at Catalyst Coffee from 6-8 pm! The coffee and service are great, seating comfortable and the other ladies are great, so go sometime if you are in the area!

Socks! What Else?

Here it is for your viewing pleasure… The Camo Sock

The gals at SnB said it didn’t look that much like Camo, it just uses those colors… I’m not sure DH is buying it. But, I swear he wears those colors a lot, which was the reason I picked up these two balls of Regia Stretch Color last spring.

I have never done a sock without the ribbing all the way down the leg and often times continuing along the instep as well. This one is flying. I’ve made more progress since the above photo and now have only 2 more inches until I’m at the heal flap! I’m stunned! Plus, it is nice to have real easy, non-thinking knitting!

In other sock news, remember almost two weeks ago I met up in Loveland with some of the SnB gals for dinner and perusing Woolen Treasures? Well, I had passed up this Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock that had nearly jumped out of it’s cube at me while we were there. I put it back, thinking of all the complaining that had been going on at the Socknitter’s list recently about it pooling etc. Well, for the next three nights straight I dreamt about this yarn! I do not recall any of the specifics of the dreams, just waking up knowing that it had played a major role in my dreams. So, last week when I was in Loveland while DH’s car was in the shop I gave into the dreams and bought it. I still don’t have a specific pattern in mind or anything, but I couldn’t resist the color combo…

Now, chances are this will linger in my stash until next Spring. It seems my yarn has to achieve a certain age before I can use it I think part of it is that I get the yarn and then it floats around in the back of my mind until I suddenly have a design for it.

I need many more knitting hours and better back, shoulders and wrists. I have three warmer weather designs floating around in my head. But, I know I’ll never compelte all three before fall and two of the designs I don’t even have the yarn for, LOL!

Impressed and Stimulated!

I’m currently having a flare up so knitting on the now heavy Clapotis with cotton/rayon tape yarn is not really agreeing with me, nor was knitting on the Sockotta anklet, as that yarn is very non-giving. So, I read a lot this weekend, including about 100 pp of Maggie Righetti’s Sweater Design in Plain English. I am appreciating this book a lot! It is very stimulating and has me wanting to break the seal on my Cascade Sierra and start swatching. However, I’m trying to be disciplined and wish to read at least the majority of the book before I actually get down to the designing. Mostly so I know what points I’ll want to go back and reference while I’m doing the designing.

Now, I haven’t read a ton of other design books, I have checked them out from the library or borrowed from generous friends, but I haven’t done more than skim them. But, I am amazed at the depth of information in the book so far. She goes into all the different body types and includes special measurements that are required for each to ensure a good fit. She also goes into the general characteristics of certain families of stitch patterns and in some cases problems that might arise when using a particular stitch pattern.

Now there are some “rules” she makes note of that designers do not always follow, and some that I don’t wish to follow myself. At first I was little upset about the emphasis she was making on those points. However, designing sweaters is no different than designing a collage or a hand bound book. There are rules and as long as you know and understand the impact that will result when you don’t follow specific ones you are okay. So, yes, I won’t have a tight ribbing on the bottom of all my sweaters or sleeves, but I will enter into making such sweaters knowing full well that they will elongate in time, especially if they are made in yarns from plant fibers or silk rather than wools (I did, incidently know this before reading this book - mostly from experience with store-bought sweaters).

Other than test driving cars this weekend there was a lot of movie watching because of my flare, so I finally gave up my knitting moratorium for the weekend and cast on a new sock for DH. He is quite excited, though it has turned out to look like a camoflauge sock, which if you know my DH, you now camo is definitely not his style, though the colors in the yarn are colors he wears which was why I picked it out. It’s Regia Stretch and I couldn’t find the color on-line anywhere. I was annoyed though because I couldn’t match up the balls at all. I tried both ends of both balls in both directions in case one was wound backwards or something. But, no luck. But I’m guessing it’ll be okay. I’m kind of bummed that DH’s first socks from me are not going to really be a color that he likes. He swore he’d still wear them, but would anxiously await the ones I plan to design him with a greek key detailing.

Speaking of designing, I just need to get my Spearfish sock pattern read through by a few people and it’ll be set to release. I’m hoping to have it ready to go by the end of the week, so check back soon if you are interested in that sock pattern.

And, tonight is Stitch ‘n Bitch! Yeah! I’m so glad we have Stitch ‘n Bitch on Mondays because it gives me something to look forward to on a day that is often dreaded.