First sock is complete. I've really not been doing much knitting since Friday before Xmas when I finished this one. Been busy with work and family events and merry making. I do need to get back on the wagon...
As per usual, Flour had to come and pose with knitting.
In the context of sharing, it would appear that while more analytical and systematic, I have a typical female brain. What's more interesting is that while I've always thought of myself as very logical, the test suggest that my brain is more artistic.
Priscilla's Dream Socks by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts - Interweave Knits Fall 2000
Yarn:
Trekking xxl: 110 3557
Occasion:
Christmas 2006
Recipient:
My Mom
Notes:
Love Trekking! Will using a lot more of this in the future
Pattern:
Lang Sock Pattern Leaflet with Cables
Yarn:
Regia Jubliee: 5470 54466
Occasion:
Christmas 2006
Recipient:
My Dad
Notes:
Second pair I've made with this pattern which turned out not to be of the currect size according to the pattern. I'll likely not use the pattern again.
Pattern:
Priscilla's Dream Socks by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts - Interweave Knits Fall 2000
I've spent most of this year making presents. And of course, they don't see the light of day until after they've been given to the intended recipients. So... now that they have been, I can do a reveal. It's really been a very happy Knitsmas. Here's hoping everyone enjoyed the work and effort.
Pattern:
Priscilla's Dream Socks by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts - Interweave Knits Fall 2000
Discontinued color dark grey Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. (one of my favorite yarns on the planet!)
Needles:
Cheapy size 6 (4.0mm) Imra double point
Date Started:
November 7, 2006
Date Finished:
November 9, 2006
Changes and Notes:
The pattern calls for making two identical gloves and just switching how you wear it. However, I decided to really do a matching pair. On the second glove, instead of making the thumb on the first 7 stitches of the row, I made it on the last 7 stitches of the row. That is, on the other side of the stitch marker. (I leave a long tail at the cast on and use that as my marker.) This way, the rib stitch lines on the thumbs are mirror opposites.
I do love how quickly this pattern knits up and it does only take just under 1 ball of yarn. I probably would have finished it in 1 day except for the fact that I managed to screw up the counting of the second pair and had to rip and redo. I am now needle-felting to join two pieces of yarn. It makes for slightly fuzzy yarn, but not much noticeable and love how I leave less to weave in. I just couldn't consider too many ends in a piece so small.
Nothing I really didn't like about the pattern except for the fact that it's worked on 4 dpns instead of 5. That was annoying to work with since it felt strange. I might try to change this, but given the easy division of stitches by 3, I can see why it was done this way. A change of gauge or size and I'll redo them with 5 dpns.
All cables were worked without cable needles. I'm still struggling a little with this, but can handle doing it with cables smaller than 4 stitches wide.
I'm definitely making this again. I might feel more free to make more changes and I'm feeling very much better about tackling gloves in the future. The scary thumb bit wasn't too bad.
The joy of Knitted Christmas Gift giving by Google Holiday Doodles chronicaled over the past few days leading up to Christmas. I love the fact that they are shining some light on the effort those of us put towards the hand made gift. Something that says I've thought of you all year and I spent many hours making this with care just for you.
The photos of the knits gets to be shown off in a couple of days. Stayed Tuned.
Why the heck is there no snow for Xmas this year? I live in CANADA!!!
But at least today is a sunny day and forecast is rain in the afternoon. I'm hoping it'll be a Christmas miracle and become snow.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
When these photos were taken I thought they didn't look very wintery since there is no snow. But there's no snow for our Xmas, so they are now the perfect Christmas Photos of the family.
Interesting heel construction for this sock pattern. I've never made a heel like this and I wonder what type of heel it is. I do think it has an interesting look. I will have to compare with the short row one and see which is more comfortable to wear.
And for anyone interested in start up this pattern, I'd say go for it. I really moves very quickly and the pattern is so easily memorized that it's quite a joy to knit.
Some people read knit patterns like others read cookbook recipes. I read knitting patterns. Then again, I read recipes too. But not that way that some others do. Cookbooks, I approach in a more utilitarian manner. "Will I ever make that?" "Do I have the ingredients to make dinner?" While some people read it to dream, to learn, to experiment, to get hungry, to look at all the pictures ... just like how I read a knit pattern. (This doesn't apply to cross stitch since the chart for a pattern does all the work for you.) I can spend a good evening going through old magazines and dreaming of what's next. I do that with the xs patterns too.
Some patterns you read because you plan on making it and you're trying to get the important info. What yarn? What Gauge? What needles/notions? Do I have them all? Do I need to shop? How big is the project? (personal estimation.) Will you ever wear it? Or will anyone? Does it go up on the to-do list? Or goes in the maybes? Is the pattern charted or written? Does it look like you'll have to rewrite it all just to work with it? so on and so forth.
This one is just fun to read. It's got lots of humour and personality in a strict package. And a pattern you can knit to boot! But if you have trouble with legalese. I'd advise against reading it.
Last night, I cast on again for Monkey on size 2 needles. Which is what the pattern called for, but I've been doing a lot of sock knitting on size 1 needles, which turns out was too small for this yarn and pattern. Yes, I probably should have known better.
A little more knitting tonight and this is the result. It's really nice to be working on something for myself and be able to show progress.
So far, it's been quite enjoyable. So far so good on the sizing. We'll see how it goes when we get to the heel.
I had a nice time shopping on Saturday and came home with some sock yarn. (Yes, I have a lot, but seriously... ask anyone, sock yarn isn't stash!) After the start and rip with my lace scarf, I went back to a more tried and true. I took out the sock yarn (a new ball of Regia Canadian Colors) and cast on and started knitting Monkey from the Winter 2006 Knitty. The lace pattern was really easy to memorize and it was going pretty great. That was until I realized that I've really just been swatching. The sock if I continued, was probably going to be too small for me to wear.
Then I got out some Zara and started to work on a fair-isle scarf. I'm trying out a pattern from a Japanese book and I had some trouble with trying to figure out what the pattern was telling me. I thought I had it right when I cast on and knitted through the season finale of Dexter which we watched last night. But this morning when I pick it up again and tried to knit it again following the pattern. I realized that I had read the chart wrong. I kept trying to figure out it and see if it can be salvaged, but in the end it could not.
This afternoon, I ripped into them all, and wound all the yarn back up onto their balls. I've put down the needles and will have to pick them up again. But first, I'm going to scan and photoshop that Japanese Pattern so that it's easier for me to read.
By this time tomorrow, I'd likely have gotten over this and at least cast back on for the sock. The yarn's too pretty not to knit.
While each failure of a project is a disappointment; I'm not discouraged. Each is a learning experience and you're wiser the next time around. (or at least there's the dream that you could be wiser....)
After finishing a knit project, I promptly dove into my knitting stash and got out needles and yarn to make a lacy scarf. I have been making a few projects which have more lacy patterns with these nice yarn overs, so I was keen to work on a lace pattern to do more yo's.
Sadly, after knitting two rows. I gave up. The first row was on metal addi's which were too slippery, I went to knit row two on wood. Next, row three: I do yo's twice, and that goes well, but then came the k3tog. AGH... a whole minute of trying I finally gave up. The needles are too blunt. I was really struggling and to have to struggle the whole scarf would make me go crazy.
I've read it many times recently about the need for sharper needles for working lace. And now, I've experienced it myself. I ripped up the two rows and put it all away. It's just not the day to do this. there's one more chance that the denise needles I've got on another project would be sharp enough for the task. I'll have to give that a go. Or... maybe I'll just break down and buy a set of knitpicks needles and see if I like them as much as most people.
I guess it's time to look for a less aggravating project.
Oh.. and I've decided to fight my perfectionist nature, and let G's socks stand. One cuff being 1/2 inch shorter than the other. I told him I'll make him another pair. Like there was any doubt that I would. So, I guess I gave up on trying to fix that too.
As mentioned previously, I had put down the Lizzie*Kate I was working on for the last month or so. I ended up making a decision and decided to rip all the wrong parts. I guess it was just about the whole thing. But hey, now I can work on it some what. Here's an updated photo. I'm already looking forward to finishing it.
I mean, what the fuck? Was I high when I started the heel on that second sock a whole 1/2 inch too short!? This is what happens when you don't follow a set pattern and don't have the other sock around to 'read'.Edit:Sadly, it's not the foot that's short. Only the cuff is short.
I've got to fix it... suggestions? Do I rip down from the cuff and bind off loosely? Can I bind off loosely enough? Or will I just make it worst?
We asked G's friend John to take some photos us. This way, we can get some shots where Flour is in the same photo as G and myself. To date, most of the photos are of G and Flour since I'm the photographer of the family. Here's one of Flour and I that I like, a candid shot of me giving Flour a hug. Yes, she just takes it.
What do you do with books that you're finished with? What if there's no one to give it to? Consider signing up for Bookmooch.
And yes, I've been really remiss with the craft content these days. It will be remedied in the next month or so, but certain projects just can't see the light of day until post New Years. Oh, you know the type I'm talking about.
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