It felt like a minute

Oh, Friends, where has the time gone? I'm having difficulty believing that I've been gone as long as I have, but so it is. Last time I wrote, I talked about my disappointing State Fair results, and showed you the beginning of a sock I was making for my mother-in-law. I've since completed the sock and three other projects.

First, the sock: it's the Rhombus pattern from CookieA's Knit Sock Love book. It ended up taking about six weeks to finish, and I ended up running out of yarn about 2.5" before I could close up the toes. A kind Raveler sold me a second skein of the gorgeous Sundara Sock, which allowed me to finish with enough left over to make some socks for myself.

Next I decided that I would make a point of knitting up the oldest yarn in my stash, partly as a way to clear out some space in my bins and partly as a challenge to myself. While I have a whole lot of some mohair boucle that I bought at a fiber festival some years ago, I knew I could find a pattern for the silk/bamboo hand-dyed sport weight that's been in my stash nearly as long. Anyway, believing that I had a mere 450 yards of this yarn, I cast on for the Glitz at the Ritz shawl, which I thought would use up both skeins. I got through nearly the whole shawl before I realized that I'd underestimated the yardage of the skeins, leaving me with nearly the whole second skein upon completion of the shawl.

Knowing that I likely didn't have enough yardage remaining to make another triangular shawl, I decided that a rectangular scarf would be the way to go. I could cast on and knit until I ran out of yarn, hoping that the yarn's slinkiness would help once it was washed and blocked. I used the Shimmer Wave scarf pattern, which had an easy-to-memorize repeat and traveled well. I mostly worked on it during my commute to work every day and occasionally in meetings and waiting rooms. It took a mere three weeks to complete, and I've already given it to a coworker.

Lastly, I restarted the Streymoy sweater I'd had so little success with last winter, but I think I'll save that for next time. There's a lot to tell! Until then.

And once again, I'm knitting socks.

Yep. I finished my Alhambra scarf. It was so nice to have a project that had no deadline - just being able to pick it up or put it aside without the pressure to finish it has been really helpful with my work being so stressful the last couple of months. The scarf is just the right length, but I won't know its finished length until I block it, which probably won't happen until Christmastime. I'm sure this will end up as a gift for someone, but I haven't yet decided whose it will be.

Once I'd finished the scarf, I was casting about for my next project. After having done so many green projects lately (the Team Flora hats, the Alhambra scarf, the Portico shawl), I was feeling like a pink project might be the way to go. I had two skeins of a pink variegated Shibuiknits Staccato sock yarn in my stash, so all I needed to do was find a pattern that was right for it.

The first thing I did was look through all my books - I have seven books with sock patterns in them, and there was really only one pattern I wanted to knit. Sadly, it was a pattern that really needed a solid yarn, so I had to keep looking. After a Ravelry search, I thought I'd try Zirkel, by Stephanie van der Linden. It's a cute stranded pattern that turned out not to work with my chosen yarn, as the yarn had too much variation and obscured the colorwork. It was back to the drawing board.

After another look through the pattern books, I decided that I would knit Hummingbird again. It's been about a year and a half since I knit that pattern, and I remember that it knit up quickly. I thought that this time, just for kicks, I'd knit the socks toe-up with gussets and a heel flap, rather than cuff-down with a short row heel. I started a little more than a week ago, and I'm already doing the gusset increases. I'm sure it won't be long before these socks are finished.

Well, that's all I've got for today. Until next time, Friends.

Summertime, and the knitting is easy.

So, Friends, I've been away for an age, it seems, and even though I never wanted to be one of those bloggers who starts a post by apologizing for my absence, I guess I just became one: I'm sorry I've been gone so long. My work has been pretty hectic for the last month and a half, so that by the time I get home at the end of the day, I can barely decide what to have for dinner, much less write a coherent blog post. I hope it's at least some consolation that I have been thinking about posting often since I was last here, and really wishing I were posting more.

Anyway, since the last time I posted, I finished my Lanata cardigan, which I love! The sweater ended up draping beautifully and it fits just right. I was able to re-use the buttons from the Peasy cardigan, with a few left over for some project in the future. I really love the Rowan Revive yarn, that I've now used for 3 or 4 projects by now. The next time I'm in Indianapolis, I'll have to take a look at the current colors and see what's out there. I'd really love to have another Vesper (one that fits, since I've lost all this weight) and maybe something sleeveless, too. As for Lanata, I love the way the lacy bits ripple up and down and I love the 3/4-length sleeves. The only thing I think I would change, if I ever do it again, is that I would probably change the shoulders/sleeves from the raglan style, which never really looks as nice on me as I'd like, to a more traditional shaped shoulder and set-in sleeves. I prefer raglan sleeves on smaller frames than my own - on me, they tend to be too wide and end up wanting to slide off my shoulders. I might even try to add the lacy bits on the sleeves as well - they feel a little heavy compared to the lightness of the body of the sweater.

I've also made progress on my most recent Alhambra scarf that I'm knitting up from the rest of the Jade Sapphire cashmere that Cindy gave me to finish Portico. I've been doing a little here and a little there, and bit by bit it's nearly finished. I probably have enough yarn to do two or three more pattern repeats, after which time I'm going to have to figure out some new commuter knitting. I just can't say enough about how lovely and soft this scarf is coming out - it's cashmere, after all, and even though it's been hotter than Hades here lately, this project has been a pleasure to knit. I'm going to kind of miss it when it's finished.

So that's all I've got for today. I have another triathlon this weekend, for which I've trained minimally, but for which I have a little more motivation to do well. My sister-in-law has recently started chemotherapy to fight non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, so I'll be wearing the t-shirt her husband had made up to race in her honor (my husband will be wearing the shirt too). I've also painted my nails lime green (which is the lymphoma awareness color) as a reminder to myself not to give up. Susan and her family have many challenging days coming, but I know she's tough, and has the best support around. I haven't done any fundraising as part of this race, but if you'd like to help fund research to cure leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, here's a link to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's donation site.

Until next time, Friends.

Sick knitting

It's what I did when I had to stay home from work for a couple days last week. I had a pretty vicious cold, which is mostly gone now, having taken my voice with it. Right now I sound a little like a cross between Lauren Hutton and Joe Cocker.

Anyway, when I wasn't sleeping off the fever or coughing my head off, I was working on a fast, fun infinity scarf that I saw in the current Amirisu magazine. The Walnut Snood seemed like an ideal project because I had a natural-colored bulky-weight yarn in my stash, so all I had to do was buy the pattern and I'd be off.

After the provisional cast-on, I got started on the cable chart, which knits up fast, especially since it's bulky yarn and size 10 needles. So different from my usual sock knitting! Once I got going, it was easy to keep going, although I started getting bored after about the seventh chart repeat. I eventually completed all 11 repeats and was able to wash and block the scarf this weekend. It ended up being a little longer than the pattern's 67-inch length, but I think it will be fine for winding around my neck once it gets cold again. (It's 48 degrees F today.)

Well, that's all I have for today. Until next time, Friends.

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe it's nearly the end of December - I have no earthly idea where the last two weeks have gone. My husband's birthday was less than a week before Christmas, so we did stuff to celebrate it. Then there was Christmas itself, with all its attendant baking and gifting and socializing. For a minute there, I think I had something to do on 5 consecutive evenings. Oof.

I have done a little knitting since the last time I posted. I've made some progress on the Vilai socks, having turned the heel and nearly finished the gusset decreases. I have also made a mistake on these socks - I didn't read the pattern correctly and left out a chart repeat on the leg. By the time I realized why the leg looked a little short, I'd already gotten halfway through the heel flap and there was no way in hell I was going to rip back and potentially make a mess of all those yarnovers and twisted stitches in the leg. Nope. It would stay as it was. And I have short legs, anyway. Custom fit. That's me.

By the time Christmas Eve arrived, I'd done all I could do and was ready for some relaxing time with both our families. As we got on the road to make the 4-hour drive to my hometown, it was nearly dark, so there was no knitting in the car. But once we got settled in at Mom's house, I decided it would be fun to start an Ishbel with the gorgeous silk yarn I bought while I was on vacation last summer. The yarn is Lake Effect, a 100% tussah silk single-ply yarn in the Leelanau Sunset colorway. My understanding is that it is only available at the Thistledown Shoppe in Suttons Bay, Michigan, and was dyed by a local dyer. I'd been looking for an appropriate pattern to highlight the beautiful colors and finally decided that Ishbel was the way to go since it had a nice stockinette section and a fairly simple lace pattern that would not be too busy with the color changes in the yarn.

On Christmas Day, we had breakfast with Mom, then set out to meet my husband's family in Brown County, Indiana, a three-ish hour drive from Fort Wayne. I'm not quite sure where all the time went, but I can recall chilling out around the fireplace with some of my sisters-in-law and some of the nieces, watching the younger kids open their stockings (the mice were a big hit and there were requests for more!) and participating in the grown-ups' white elephant gift exchange. We scored a Sopranos trivia game and cookbook (that I think we forgot to bring home with us), and were able to give away a 3-foot tall ceramic piggy bank (a pig dressed as a firefighter who came to be called Firepig). A couple nephews contemplated what might happen if they tossed it into the fire. A couple nieces explored the possibility of turning it into some kind of garden statuary/fountain/scarecrow. Whatever they do, it's alright by me. More than one person found it to be a little creepy. I'm just glad my husband didn't steal it back and bring it home.

The day after Christmas was nice and relaxing and it seemed like all I did was hang out and knit. By the time I was ready to call it a day, I only had something like 6 rows to do and the Ishbel would be finished. I have no idea how I did so much so fast. The next morning, on the way back home to Louisville, I finished up the last bit, and completed the bind-off less than 5 minutes before we got home. It was pretty exciting to have a finished project so quickly. I even got it blocked the same evening and it was ready for me when I got home from work tonight! I think it came out well.

Next time, I think I'll show off the pretty little crocheted things that one of my Japanese aunts made for me when I was a baby, and have a little end of year recap. Until then, Friends.

It's Friday and I haven't really finished anything.

Unless you count the Kusha Kusha scarf that I got so sick of seeing unfinished that I knit another inch, then bound off. It's probably not quite long enough, but it'll just have to do. I expect that I'll felt it this weekend and decide after that what I'm going to do with it. I still have a whole cone of stainless steel yarn and about half the cone of merino left, so I might look around on the Rav to see if there's anything else to do with it. It might be a good, long while though.

In other news, the rest of the yarn for my Hydrangeas bag arrived this week. Three of the colors were exactly as called for in the pattern, and the fourth was a little darker. At first, I wasn't sure if it was going to work, but after seeing it in daylight this afternoon, I think it will be alright. I'll likely wind up the yarn so I can knit all the fidldy bits of flowers on my bus rides to and from work. I still have to get the bag handles and a zipper, but I have plenty of time for that.

As for the Snowy Owl, I've completed its ears and have closed the top. My friend, Mary, loaned me her size 15 double points, which made it easy to finish up. All I have left to do is knit the eyes and the beak and it will be ready to be loved by a special little kid. I think I have enough yarn left to make another one, so I might get to have one for myself!

I've also made a lot of progress on the Schmidt vest; the front shoulders are nearly done, which means I'll soon move on to the ribbing around the neck and the arm holes. The project continues to get admiring glances from folks on the bus, which is nice. I love that people show an interest in knitting as well as appreciation for hand knit goods. Most people mention that they had a grandmother or an aunt who knit and how they liked the stuff they made. Maybe they'll decide to pick up some needles themselves. It's possible.

Well, that's it for tonight. Until next time, friends.

It could have been finished.

Except that I ran out of yarn before I could finish with the toes. You see, I was an art major in college. I can freely admit that math is not one of my strengths. For example, when I was trying to decide what pattern I was going to make from my two balls of Summer Sox, I looked at the yardage and figured that I had enough yarn to make the Kristi socks. The pattern calls for 465 yards of fingering-weight yarn. Each ball of the Summer Sox had 175 yards. When I did the math, it went like this: 175+175=450. But those of you who can add can see my error. 175+175 does not equal 450.

It equals 350.

So, I wasn't 15 yards short, I was 165 yards short. Quite a difference. And I feel like an idiot, because I bought this yarn last November on clearance. I didn't think I would be able to purchase it from a yarn shop, so I started stash-diving on Ravelry. Most people who had it in their stashes only had two, which they obviously planned to make socks with. One person had 10 skeins in her stash - turns out she's knitting it into a sweater RIGHT NOW. She didn't know whether she'd have any left over by the time she finished, but she was kind enough to offer to send it to me then. Sadly, I have a deadline for these socks, as they're a gift, so I thanked her and started looking online.

I didn't have to look too far - my project page had a handy little link (maybe it was an ad?) which said "buy this yarn from local stores." The recommended LYS was Blueball Mountain, located only an hour away from Louisville in Elizabethtown. The shop owner was so nice! She very kindly sold me one ball of the four she had, and said she'd get it in the mail this afternoon! I am so grateful! It looks like I'll finally be able to finish these socks sometime next week. Then I can start on my Sock Summit homework.

Since the socks are stalled, I have been able to get some length on the Monkeybread scarf. It's really coming into its own now, looking a lot like what I think it will when it's complete. I just hope I have enough yarn to get it to about 60 inches. We'll see.

Isn't that just the sexiest yarn pron ever?

Well, that's about all the ranting I have in me for this evening. Until next time!

WIPs Update

It seems an age since I posted about my knitting, so I thought I should do that tonight. I'm still working on the Kristi socks, which have been in progress for more than a month now. I only have about half an inch to go before I start closing the toes, but I'm getting a little nervous about whether my yarn is going to make it to the end. The socks are lovely, and I've gotten comfortable enough with the chart that I'm knitting both feet at the same time.

In Monkeybread news, I've completed the hat and started the scarf. This set will be for my mom for her birthday this fall. The last time I was home, we talked about it: about how soft the mink/cashmere yarn is, how nice the cables look, and how the blueberry colorway would look great with her winter coat. So after I ordered the yarn and downloaded the pattern, I called her to ask her to measure her head so I could make the right size. Her response?

"What hat? You're making me a hat?"

She had completely forgotten the conversation and had also forgotten that we looked through the Great Northern Yarns website to choose the color. All I could do was sigh. She's still my mom, after all.

Anyway, the hat has been washed and blocked, but it turns out I misunderstood the directions, and knit 9 rounds too many in the beginning. I don't think it changed the hat a whole lot - it just made it a little slouchier, which will probably make Mom happy, as she likes to pull her hats way down. I think I may just make this set for myself, but I'll have to wait until GNY restocks. Last time I looked, there were only two colors available. (Editor's note: as of tonight, there are three colors, with a fourth available sometime this month. -SZ)

I'm making the small size of the scarf, since Mom is a pretty tiny person. Right now it looks a little narrow, but I think that after washing and blocking it will lay a little flatter and look a little less skinny. I'm going to knit until I run out of yarn on this one. I'm hoping I can get it to end up at least 5' long. That's a good length for a scarf, especially one made from cashmere and mink. I think she'll be pretty happy with it.

That's about all I've got tonight. It's less than three weeks until Sock Summit and I think I have a little homework to do before I get there. Next time, I hope I have at least one finished object, and I hope they're the socks! Until then, Friends.

Things to do, things to do.

You know how it is when you get really excited to cast on for a new project, that you're willing to cast aside all the others to get to it? Well, I'm kinda there right now.

I just cast on for Anne Hanson's Monkeybread hat & scarf. I'm making it out of Great Northern Yarns' luscious 70% mink, 30% cashmere DK-weight yarn. And as one would expect, it is fabulous. I love this yarn. A couple years ago I made some ridiculous cable gloves from it, in black. The reason the gloves were ridiculous is because anyone with any sense would know that knitting cables with black yarn is just plain foolish. Then, to knit cables in black yarn that blooms like angora is doubly foolish. I did all that work with complex, mirrored cables only to have them entirely disappear because they bloomed so much that my hands looked like they belonged to a silverback gorilla. I'm not kidding. All that work and I could have done them in stockinette in half the time. On the plus side, though, they are the warmest gloves I've ever owned and I'll be making myself another pair this winter, as I've nearly worn through the fingers on the current pair.

But I digress. The Monkeybread hat is what I'm so excited about! It's so soft! and the cables are lovely. If only I were better at reading instructions. See, there are two sizes to this hat: small and large. This set is a gift for my mom, whose head circumference requires the larger size. The instructions say to start the chart on row 13, and idiot that I am, I knit 13 rounds THEN started the chart, instead of just skipping the 12 previous rows. I'm not sure how this happened, but I think I can make up for it. We'll see what I have to say in a week or so. I'm using the Blueberry colorway, which is gorgeous altogether, and I kind of wish I was keeping for myself. But this really is for Mom, unless she decides otherwise. That's the only way I'll get this back.

Since I started the Monkeybread hat, I haven't touched the Kristi socks, except to photograph them. An amazing thing happened with these socks: when I finished the gusset decreases, each sock was on the same row of the chart, ready to go, not needing any adjustments from me. This is a miracle of the highest order and will probably never happen again in my lifetime. What usually happens is that I forget a decrease somewhere along the line, so that when I finally have the right number of stitches along the bottom of one sock, the other still needs at least one more decrease round. It can be frustrating, but so long as both feet use the same chart for the top of the foot, I'm alright. In the case of the Kristi socks, the charts are mirrored, which would have made it maddening to do them at the same time if they were off even the least little bit. I am grateful they're right. I'll definitely work on them on the bus tomorrow on the way to work.

Lastly, I'm on the home stretch with the Kusha Kusha scarf, finally on the smallest size needle and rapidly running out of yarn on the first cone of silk/stainless. For whatever reason, the scarf seems to be going a little faster, but may only be because I can see the end. Maybe I can finish it Thursday night at Stitch 'n' Pitch. A bunch of us are going to see our Louisville Bats take on the Gwinett Braves. It's dollar beer night, so I have to make sure I take something easy. I hope I remember to take some pictures.

That's it for now, Friends. Until next time!