Progress, kind of...

I am a bit closer to my move ultimatum:

Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery in the spring, 2008 Knitty
Shibui Sock Yarn - Wasabi, 2 skeins
US 3 needles

(I'm not trying to be overly provocative here, I made this scarf specifically to go with this dress in the summer, and its been so rainy and gray out ... its nice to pretend - I love the green-navy combo)

This took longer than I anticipated (a little over a month), but its a beautiful pattern and not too difficult. A great alternative use for sock yarn too, always a bonus! The Shibui is nice, I like the color a lot but ...

...boy, is it pooley for a solid-looking yarn. Its OK though, you really can't notice it (except in this picture), and the color variation makes very appealing row to row stitch definition in some areas (you can really see this in the first picture, isn't it nice?). I like the row to row effect so much more than I dislike the pooling, overall making it OK.


I haven't been completely on track, I did a few other very small projects:

I am very happy with the Blackberry cozy in particular, I used the Jaywalker Sock stitch pattern, and love the way the reverse side looks. They are small, right? I needed something to keep busy during the NBA playoff games...

And, I made some necessary modifications to my Central Park Hoodie:

New buttons that don't pull as much and I did a crochet chain across the neck to prevent hood sagging (idea from here). Its much better now.

Next up, a Chevron scarf, hopefully!

Wow, May

The spring is flying by, isn't it? I guess that I have had big projects to help pass the time ... I'm going to be moving to a new city in a few months, so have been spending waaay too much time online looking for apartments and reading about the city (because I don't know much about this city, but am getting excited).

I also just made a major purchase:

Keychain Sock Blocker Sock by Debbie Jennings, purchased at The Loopy Ewe
Koigu KPPM
US 1 needles
(the car is cute too, isn't it?)

But, there has been knitting as well ...

Jules Socks by Kate Blackburn, in The Inside Loop (a new online knitting magazine!)
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight - Rose Quartz
US 1.5 needles

I knit the first sock in Israel, of course using up precious packing space to bring yarn for another project just in the case that I finished the pair ...well, it was not completely for waste because my next sock project was to be Snicket Socks from the suddenly (at the beginning of April) non-existent Magknits. Yes, the pattern is on Ravelry now, but it took about a week for it to appear there and I was very proud of myself for having the pattern printed out already during that time!

(The precious pattern and Claudia Handpainted sock yarn in Honey)

I've also been chugging along on two scarves, both of which seem to be taking longer to knit that I expected. Hopefully I'll have finished pictures soon, my goal is to get as many UFOs (2 sweaters, 2 scarves, 3 single socks, and 1 pair of mittens) done before I move as possible, and to try to not cast on for any more projects either until they are all done .... delusional, I know ...

Back home!

I had been meaning to post before I left on my trip, but this wasn't done until the night before (really, but I did meet a deadline!)

Montego Bay Scarf by Amy Singer from Interweave Knits, summer 2007
Handmaiden Sea Silk - Wildflower. Excatly one skein.
US 8 needles

A better picture of the fringe

Great pattern. Easy, well written, and I thought it knit up pretty fast. Definitely do the fringe - it was a pain (taking longer than I thought it would and the braiding hurt my hands after a while), but it really makes the scarf. I love Sea Silk! Unlike other silk yarns, it doesn't fuzz and has held up really well. And I wore this A LOT. It was perfect for Israel (where we went). It was pretty hot there (40 C one day in Tel Aviv!), and you just feel ick after a while travelling so it was great to just be able to throw on this and voila! feel a little nicer and semi-fashionable! And it helped with the packing: I was gone for over 2 weeks all together, so the packing definitely could get out of control. But have you heard this tip? Only pack 2-3 colors. So, according to the scarf, it was pinks, blues, browns. I only took one, really stuffed, backpack.

We had a great time. I went with my sister and we stayed with old friends so it was nice to catch up. Neither of us had been there before, so there was a lot to see and I think that we made a dent. And we really enjoyed eating there: all of the fresh fruits and salads, the emphasis on breakfast, hafuch (cappuccino, one of 2 Hebrew words I learned), and falafel and hummus galore!

How random! A restaurant called Cynthia and Me in the Old City!

And on any vacation, especially one with over 24 hours of flying all together, there must be vacation knitting:

Jules Socks by Kate Blackburn from the Inside Loop (a new online knitting magazine!) in STR

I did cast on the second sock on the trip ... but just the cuff because between the touring, hanging out with old friends, and sleeping (it was vacation!) there just wasn't a lot of knitting time. Of course, in my overstuffed bag, there was yarn for a second sock project, just in case...

Noro Socks

I made some socks that I just love (I know these pictures are similar, I couldn't decide which one I liked best!):

Montreal Socks (because I started them in Montreal)

Noro Kureyon Sock, alternating from each end of a center pull ball every other row
Basic Sock Recipe from Knitting Rules
US 1.5 Needles

I was quite excited when I first found out there was a Noro sock yarn, and I thought a lot about which sock pattern to use. Inspired by the Noro Scarf, I first knit these alternating colors every 4th row. Looked OK, but the stripes were striping a bit and it just didn't look as sharp. The drawback with changing colors every other row is that that is a bit of a jog, so I ran it down the medial side/inside of each sock:

I manipulated the colors to get solid areas on the cuffs, heels, and toes. I decided not to match the socks, mainly because of the yarn. It tangled easily, and pulling from both ends of the ball was a hassle enough (I probably should have wound it into 2 balls, but didn't). The yarn felt scratchy when knitting, but the finished sock isn't scratchy or uncomfortable to wear. I only had one knot in the ball.

I love the color combinations in the stripes. I had a hard time putting these down because of those stripes: what would the next combination be? This led to late nights. And then got me thinking about color, and what colors to use for these mittens (which I have been admiring for sometime now and the pattern just became available), and my LYS was having a sale on the recommended yarn (Harris Tweed), and ... another project I can't put down:

Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilla!

You'll see, the colors are going to be similar to the socks. This knitting is wrecking havoc on my life: My apartment is a mess, I am not getting ready for the big trip I am taking next week, the plants need watering...help!

Internet Classics

Besides the suprised comment: "you knit, really?", one of the things that most surprises people (non-knitters) about knitting today is how online it is. The blogging, the organizational/social wundersite Ravelry, the thriving e commerce, and that there are internet magazines of knitting patterns. Here are two of the most popular patterns from 2 popular internet sites:

Clapotis by Kate Gilbert in Knitty
Sheep Shop #3 - 2 skeins
US 8 needles

This took a while to knit (July-March); dropping the stitches was fun, but when each row is 100+ stitches and its a lot of stockinette ... easy to put down and not pick up again. This is nothing against the pattern - I can see why so many (Ravelry link) have knit this. Its a beautiful shawl, although I will most likely wear it more as a scarf. Despite being quite big (see the armspan?), its really light and not at all bulky to wear. The yarn - perfect for me. I had wanted to knit this for awhile, and was really not sure what yarn to use. I wanted it to be colorful, soft but warm, and without pooling. This yarn is part silk and has short color repeats. But, there was significant skein variation. Drat! But, you really couldn't tell once the stitches were dropped (I can, knowing how bad it was before - you can too, look closely at the armspan picture). I did end up blocking this, but because I totally ran out of yarn - so I ripped back a lot, and ran out again. Well, this time I was closer to the end, so ripped back a bit and then knit 3 together (insted of 2) and made it. And blocking made this unnoticeable as well!

Jaywalker Socks by Grumperina in Magknits
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Poppy Stripe from Purl Soho
US 1.5 needles

Again, no surprise why this is so popular. I thought a lot about what yarn to use for these as well, I really wanted perfect striping. The repeat of this colorway is almost every row, so perfect! I love the way they look with my black sneakers.



Notice the snow in the Jaywalker pictures? And how I am only wearing a light jacket in the Clapotis pictures. Well, March was in like a lamb with temps near 70 this past week but then this past weekend...

...20 inches and a blizzard! I love winter! (Really, I do, I was getting a little sad about it being over - This past winter in Columbus was much milder than my beloved Cleveland winters). Thankfully, I wasn't working, so I was stranded at my parents with the dogs and ample supplies. After 48 hours, I got a little stir crazy (we were completely snowed in). But it stopped, the driveway got plowed, and an hour later I found myself aimlessly wandering around the grocery store getting provisions with which to watch the final episode of The Wire. SUCH A GOOD SHOW, I had heard this for a while too, but it wasn't until the Sopranos was over that I felt the need to fill the void. And its so much better! And I loved the Sopranos! I am excited and sad to see the final episode.

Just one more thing, I am sitting looking out the window at a ton of snow, and watching 60 minutes, and its light out! Anyone else thrown off (more than usual) by daylight savings time this year?

Iceland

Iceland is done:

Iceland by Stephanie White from Rowan 42
Rowan Cocoon in Scree - between 6-7 skeins
US 10.5 needles

My only modification was to knit the bottom ribbing in the round, sans buttons. The pattern is written out instead of using a chart, which (for me) made it seem more complicated than it really was, but after 1-2 repeat I didn't need the instructions. I blocked the sweater before adding the bottom part, which really gave this sweater its shape and opened up the lace pattern. The pattern is simple, you knit the front and back, then sew them together and add the band on the bottom. I think that I had my hopes up for a bulky pattern, thinking it would take like 2 days to knit (even though it is 800+ yards worth of yarn! What is wrong with me?), and it ended up taking almost 2 months (although, I was doing other knitting in this time - it was a big project, so no that portable on trips/to work). But it was a fun knit, and I enjoyed knitting it. And I love the finished product! I feel like its fashionable and it fits well too. Its warm, but not stiffling because of the open lace pattern and arms. I had been afraid that this would be "weird" and that it would look awkward on, but its not. Its a great sweater, perfect for these cold days, lounging at home or going out! The Coccon yarn was a bit fuzzy and did shed a bit, but its soft works well with this pattern. I had a hard time deciding which color, it comes in beautiful neutral colors. I am trying to decide what hat to make with the leftovers now - I think I have enough for a bulky, fitted hat - maybe this or the Cardor hat also from Rowan 42 (aren't there so many great patterns in this magazine?)

Must blog....

...I have been thinking that for a while now, but its been a vicious cycle: I don't have enough time, there is too much to blog about ... 1 week ... okay, I still don't have time, and there is more to blog about ... OK! Well, I may be a little rushed to work today (I should leave in about an hour and still have to shower and eat....), but its time!

First off...

Montreal. My sister and I try to take trips on our birthdays every year. This year it was Montreal.

We had a great time, its a beautiful and cool (literally) city and there is something surreal about how different of a feel there is there yet it is only a short plane ride. We just enjoyed the city by walking around, shopping, eating well, watching the Canadiens on TV in French (is it Canada or that is was in French, it seemed so much more a suspenseful game there ... on tv!), and getting cold!

Cold ... but you can walk everywhere underground ... Cool!

Yes, it was my birthday, #31. Kind of a blah year. So, I had to treat myself to spice it up a bit!

A splurge from The Loopy Ewe. I've never bought anything from her before, although I have done a lot of browsing on the site. I felt so special when this arrived today, the cute stickers, how nicely everything was wrapped in tissue paper, the needle inventory....

Of course, it didn't stop there. After buying, I checked out Sheri's blog, and saw this.
I resisted. But then later (that day!) I found myself again on the site, during a Sneak Up and, well, not good (I got some Posh sock yarn and DIC classy in Beach Fog). I consider it birthday aftermath (plus, its soooo cold here, cashmere socks and a new wool sweater are needs now!), so this lapse of impulse control has been reconciled. I am going to finally knit an Hourglass sweater from LMKG with the DIC.

And, a FO:

Uptown Boot Socks from Favorite Socks
Trekking XXL
US 1.5 needles

I love the cables, I think they work nicely with the Trekking ... subtle cables and subtle striping.

Finally, I have finished Iceland and will blog about it when I have more time. But a question, this is what is left:

Is it enough for a hat, specifically, this one? I know the answer, but I need someone to tell me so that I don't learn the hard way.

I'll be back soon with pics of my Iceland sweater, promise!