Still distracted…

I’m still working on the “distraction” socks. We had such a hot and humid streak there I just couldn’t bear to be near yarn of any sort, so the socks and the lemon lime sweater have been on hold. But this is how far I’ve gotten on the socks. I missed my niece’s birthday (last Sunday) with them, but she was very understanding (”it’s too hot for socks”), so I have a reprieve.

Still Distracted!

The lemon-lime baby sweater, however, I have to get moving on. The twins have arrived and will be in college if I don’t get a move on! Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

Lemon-Lime Baby Mine is Finally Good!

This is what the “distraction socks” have been distracting me from.

The yarn is from Peter Pan, and it’s called Tinkerbell. The mother-to-be (and now mother of twins — a boy and a girl) picked out the yarn and pattern, just as with the other twin’s sweater, the Sage sweater (for the son). This pattern is called Baby Mine by Stephanie Pearl McPhee, and I doubt she envisioned using this yarn for this pattern. It was hard for me to even see if I was doing this right! I consulted with the mother, and she said she didn’t mind if the pattern was obscured, so I continued. But it wasn’t really until yesterday, with the help of some rare sunshine during a very stormy day, that I was finally able to see that it’s doing just fine.

Now…finally…I am distracted from the Distraction socks by what I shouldn’t have been distracted from in the first place!! Hurray!!

Socks from the Toes Up by Wendy D. Johnson

Yummy!

I ordered this book last October, and it just came today.  I’ve only had a chance to peek through the photos, but it is delish. Usually I only like 1 or 2 patterns in a sock book — I love all of these! What a great sock book! And I am determined to learn the toe up method, so it’s doubly good!

I particularly like the “Hearts and flowers” pattern which is shown on the cover. Too cool. You can check out the author’s blog at http://www.wendyknits.net

I recommend it!

Distractions….

You know, just when you try to keep to one project at a time, there’s always something that distracts.

Politically Incorrect Last Call yarn

Sage Baby Sweater, Baby Cot/Soy Sweater

The sage sweater is going well.

Adding buttons

When the photo above was taken earlier this week, I still had to sew the sleeve seam. I have since accomplished this! Also, you can see the buttons the mother-to-be chose. They go very well with the sweater, I think! Hard to tell in this photo. But it’s almost done. I just have to wash, block and then add the buttons. Yay! Then I can start on the little girl’s sweater.

Had a great time at Stitches West. I took a class to design my own baby sweater. The teacher was terrific, she made sure everybody understood the math. She gave us a basic pattern to follow, and showed us how to figure out how many stitches we needed for each part, based on our stitch count and our row count. Pretty cool.

I had chosen a beautiful yarn that is half cotton, half soy. I love the color, which I think is Steel Blue. There ought to be a prettier name for such a pretty blue. Anyway, this is what I’m doing with it so far.

Blue Cot/Soy SweaterIt's hard to see in the photo, but every fourth stitch on every fourth row is a purl stitch. And you alternate where you start in the row so it gives it a staggered pattern. At the bottom I did a few rows of single crochet and then a row of picot. Kind of cute, eh? I'm about to start the yoke, and I am going to use a different pattern. Stay tuned!Some other photos of both projects.Progress!

Creating raglan armholes

Working on Cot/Soy Baby Sweater Body

More as it happens. I have to go shovel some snow. Argh.

Pirate’s Booty Finished; Sage Daisy Sweater Begun!

I finished the Pirate’s Booty baby sweater, more appropriate known as the “Baby Yours” sweater. (Pirate’s Booty is the Socks that Rock colorway name.) It has been blocked and wrapped and sent off to its recipient. It’s a 12 mos. size, so it’ll be awhile before the little one can wear it (he’s just a little peanut right now!), but at least they have it. And not too long after the baby made his entrance into the world! Yay!

I think it turned out rather cute!

Now I have gone on to another baby sweater, also by Stephanie Pearl McPhee. This one is much simpler in pattern — it’s the Daisy sweater from Knitty.com. This is the first sweater for a pair of twins who are due some time in March or April. This is for the boy — the twins are a boy and a girl. At the mother’s request, I am not adding the snakes or daisies, which I think it quite sensible. I had her pick out the yarn also (she’s very creative and I thought she would enjoy having a hand in choosing the pattern and yarn). She chose Invernal by Aslan Trends, in a light sage green. It’s lovely to work with — half rabbit angora, a quarter merino wool and the other quarter is polyamide.  This is what I have so far:

It has a seed stitch border along the front edges, very subtle, and very fun to do.

That’s it for now. Catwoman and I will be off to Stitches West at the end of the month. More as it happens!

One sleeve to go…

I’m working on the baby sweater still. Had a little trouble with my hands, trying to knit too much, so of course then you can’t knit because it hurts, losing more time. Fortunately I found out the baby’s not due until mid-January, so there’s still a little time. And I have one sleeve and assembly and blocking to go.

Baby Sweater Status December 8, 2008

You can see the buttons I’ve chosen off to the left there. I don’t know if the baby’s a boy or a girl, but the purple buttons look really nice against the knitted piece.

I’m also working on one Christmas present that I can’t show you here. Next month — promise! It involves sewing this time. Haven’t done any in a long time, and I’ve missed it.

And I’ve also been doing some cross-stitching while waiting for my hands to feel better.  So I’m still sort of working on one project…at a time. Hand soreness has necessitated multiple projects again or the stress will overwhelm.  I love this time of year, but it can be manic too.

Happy Holidays!

Progress on Baby Yours sweater

I’ve been fast at work on the Baby Yours sweater in the Socks that Rock, Pirates Booty colorway, yarn. I finished the back this morning and I’m beginning the right front.

Socks that Rock yarn, Pirate

I’m happy that I’ve been able to concentrate on one project, but the k2p2 check pattern is kinda boring. If it weren’t for the cable pattern, I would’ve nodded off on this one. The colors are interesting, though, and I think it will make for a very unusual baby sweater. I wish it had a little less yellow in it, though, because that tends to stand out more than the other colors.

I don’t know how, but you can see there’s a little flare at the bottom of the cable pattern. Not sure why, but it’s kinda funky I think. Just a snippet of a train. If the baby ends up having a cute booty, it could add a sense of fun to the sweater. This is the 12 mos. size, so he or she won’t be able to wear it until next winter anyway.

Until next time….have a great week!

Socks that Rock, and Pirate’s Booty

It’s been a busy summer! Sorry about not posting for quite awhile. I’ve been trying to concentrate on one project, and I was able to do that. Unbelievable!

I made some socks for my dad, which I just finished on Friday. They are ragg wool, a denim colorway. I also made a baby blanket 3 years or so ago for my nephew out of this same yarn. The socks, with a busy schedule, took almost exactly 3 months to make, but they are done! Voila!

Dad's Ragg Sox

I have started my next project. There are a lot of pregnant women at work lately! One is about due, and so this will be late, but I had to finish the socks first! It’s the Baby Yours pattern. I’m using the Socks that Rock medium weight yarn (100% superwash merino) in the Pirate’s Booty colorway! I’m going to have to apologize to the recipient in advance if her child turns out to be mischievous!

Baby Yours sweater

So far it’s working out alright. You start out with several rows of garter stitch, which is very relaxing. Then you get into the pattern. The center part is a cabled section. The left and right parts are a k2 p2 check pattern. Cool!

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Yarn of the Month Club update

I’m still getting the four samples every month. For the most part, I like the vast majority of them. It’s fun to sit and just knit what is basically a swatch of whatever yarns are sent that month. I cast on 20 stitches and see how far the sample takes me.

I thought I’d show you some of my favorites, and few that haven’t really grabbed me. This is the one I’m working on right now:

Yukon by Pagewood Farms

Sorry for the blurry photo. It’s Yukon by Pagewood Farms. I think this would make a great sock. It’s 70% merino, 20% bamboo, and 10% nylon. I’m knitting it on size 2 needles. The colorway is Misty.

This next one is Sitar by Nashua Handknits. It’s 51% wool, 49% acrylic. You can see the varying widths of the yarn. The colors are pretty amazing too. For some reason it makes me think of my paternal grandmother. I think she had a hat that was this colorful. Would’ve made a great 1980s sweater. Are the 80s back in yet or did I miss its revival?

Sitar by Nashua Handknits

This next one reminded me of some kind of skin — elephant or something. It’s kind of cool. Very textured, and the colors are variations on gray. It’s 100% silk. I don’t usually care for sillk, but this was intriguing. If you’re looking to make a stuffed elephant for somebody small, I recommend this. It would also make a cool sweater, but it’d be kind of rough. Not itchy, exactly. Almost papery rough.

Tsumugi Silk Combo (A-111) by Hasu

Haven’t done anything with this next one, as it just came in the July package. But it has great colors, it’s shiny, and I’m looking forward to trying it. It’s Bamboo by SWTC — 100% bamboo yarn.

Bamboo by SWTC

The next one is Matsuri by Noro. It’s mostly cotton (87%) and a little wool (13%). It’s springy, the colors are bright, and the yarn seems to be composed of a chain stitch.

Matsuri by Noro

Here’s Camelino by Knit One Crochet Too. It’s 90% merino, 10% camel. The color is actually a little more gray than it’s showing. A very nice uniform yarn to knit with.

Camelino by Knit One Crochet Too

Ordinarily my hands aren’t too crazy about lace weight yarn. But the rich color of this one (it’s called Lupine) attracted me, and I had fun with it. It was knit on size 2 needles. This is called Lace Weight Silk & Wool by Nature’s Palette, and it’s 70% wool, 30% silk.

Lace weight Silk & Wool by Nature's Palette

Samp’a by Mirasol (in red) was a fun yarn. Can you tell I get bored with straight stockinette stitch? Samp’a is an organic cotton, springy, and very light. It’d make a cute summer sweater for a kid or an adult.

Samp'a by Mirasol

Purelife by Rowan (in yellow, below) is also an organic cotton, and springy. I didn’t care for the color too much, it’s a dull yellow. But the yarn itself was fun to work with.

Purelife by Rowan

Here’s one I didn’t really care for, the blanched yarn below. It’s Manipur by Karabella Yarns. I know, everybody else probably likes it, but I just couldn’t get into this one. I did knit about half of it, but then ripped it out because it was about as elegant as knitting with strips of bandages. I just didn’t care for how it came together. It is 100% silk.

Manipur by Karabella Yarns

Wool/Stainless Steel by Habu (the dark mess below) didn’t get a fair shake right off the bat. It proceeded to turn into a big rat’s nest before I could even get it wound into a ball, and so I have just left it as a rat’s nest. If it’s not going to cooperate enough to be wound into a ball, screw it. The “variable gauge/strander” warning should’ve been warning enough to me not to even open the baggie. It’s about the thickness of sewing thread, and yes, you can tell it’s got stainless steel in it.

Wool/Stainless Steel by Habu

One more, then I’ll go back to the ones I did like. This one is Brushed Suri by Blue Sky Alpacas. I haven’t actually tried this one. I have taken it out of the baggie, but haven’t gotten any further than that. It’s beautiful — a wispy off-white. I am going to try it, it just looks like another opportunity for a snarl. I’ll let you know how it works out. It could turn out to be a favorite, but for now I’m reserving judgment.

Brushed Suri by Blue Sky Alpacas

This multicolored yarn is Bamboo Splay by Wisdom Yarns. It’s 100% bamboo, and it was great fun to knit with. It’s a slick, shimmery ribbon yarn. Great colors, almost military. It would be fun to make something dressy for summer — an evening sweater, perhaps.

Bamboo Splash by Wisdom Yarns

This Rialto by Debbie Bliss (dark brown yarn, below), would definitely make a cool dressy summer sweater. It’s a ribbon yarn also, a little thicker than the Bamboo Splash, and it has a metallic gold thread running through it. Great colors, fun to work with.

Rialto by Debbie Bliss

This is a new one also.  Panda Silk by Crystal Palace Yarns. It’s very shiny, and great variations of turquoises in the colorway. It’s 52% bamboo, 43% superwash merino, and 5% combed silk. I would say you can’t even tell the merino is in there. The bamboo and silk dominate. I’m looking forward to this one.

Panda Silk by Crystal Palace Yarns

Pure Cotton by Debbie Bliss is a beautiful yellow cotton yarn. Another winner for a light summery sweater. It’s springy, cottony, and I enjoyed knitting with this.

Pure Cotton by Debbie Bliss

The Silkience yarn below isn’t a color I would normally go for, a dark salmon. But this 41% cotton, 39% modal, 12% silk, 8% rayon yarn is seductive. It’s shimmery, and easy to work with, although it kept tightening on me. A little slick, I guess. But I still liked it. It would make a great dressy summer shell sweater.

Silkience by Ella Rae

Last one. This is Pure Wool DK by Rowan in Pomegranate. What a great name for a color. I really liked this yarn. I bought some to make a winter hat. It’s 100% wool, as you would guess from the name. Just a gorgeous color, and should make a nice warm hat for me for next winter, if I get it done.

Pure Wool DK by Rowan

Hope you enjoyed the walk through the Yarn of the Month Club. More to come.