Rock On Knit Pr0n!

Destash 2010 in Review

2010-12-27T13:19:00.002-05:00

I made a lot of stuff this year! Many thanks to FD's FlikrToys Mosaic Maker, yet again.

1. snowy motley 1, 2. slip stitch top, 3. allah blocking, 4. haruni post block, 5. long scarf 2, 6. tree mittens pre-blocked 2, 7. bandito ponytail, 8. Opus top, 9. devyn 1, 10. teapot cozy 2, 11. handspun heaven blocked, 12. Annis, 13. blue spring thaw finished, 14. egeblad blocking in color, 15. toddler surprise, 16. ruffle my feathers back, 17. Jabril done 2, 18. Holt sweater 2, 19. Angie 2010, 20. Jennifer 2010, 21. Dave 2010, 22. celaeno after blocking, 23. evan's hat, 24. leafprint 3, 25. snowbird scarf, 26. angel wings of noro 2, 27. noro hat, 28. serious destash scarf 1, 29. zag hat no 2, 30. leftover scarf, 31. zag hat, 32. curacao soap sweater, 33. Belmondo beginnings, 34. knitpicks orange, 35. husbeast socks, 36. dunckie hat alpaca 1

Cozy, or cosy?

2010-05-19T21:00:00.002-04:00

Either way, I made one.
Noro Kureyon in colorway 149, Mission Falls 1824 Wool in colorway 018, and some handspun roving for the rose. As ridiculous as it sounds, I'm particularly smitten with the leaves.

And that my teapot is lime green. Love.

biden 1

2010-03-27T18:27:00.001-04:00

biden 1,
originally uploaded by Rock On Knit Pr0n!.

He's a handsome Border Leicester. Now I have 3 pounds of his fleece. Hurrah!

Oh, my big guy.

2010-02-22T19:12:00.002-05:00

Leader Ofda Trak
July 12, 1997 - February 22, 2010
We'll miss you.

FOs of 2009

2009-12-29T17:23:00.002-05:00

I was so inspired last year, here's this year's finished object mosaic.

This is what I did with 7,666 yards of yarn.

2009-11-02T22:34:00.002-05:00

Just to keep you posted.

New addiction

2009-09-27T22:27:00.005-04:00

So, I took a beading class with a friend. Here's what we made in class:
2 pairs of earrings and a bracelet! I promptly purchased more beads, and made this this morning:

I have a feeling this could get pretty addictive pretty quickly. I'm still knitting away furiously so I can get all my state fair entries completed in time. Wish me luck! :)

New stuff!

2009-09-02T22:18:00.002-04:00

I must highly recommend camping to anyone who hasn't tried it yet. I always learn something new about myself, my loved ones, and the landscape in which we live.

For example, last camping trip, I discovered that:
1) I don't mind camping in the rain.
2) Hot showers are absolutely the bomb.
3) I like to laze around at knit at the campsite.

Meet Gail. She's Malabrigo Silky, in colorway Archangel. This slightly smaller version (well, less repeats anyways) used about 2.5 skeins.
I also made some felted mittens. They're not quite done yet, but here's the progress:

They're also Malabrigo Silky, in colorway Madre Perla. Each mitten took exactly 1 skein of yarn doubled, and I had to crack open the 3rd skein for thumbs and the interior knitted cuff (these are the Double Cuff Mittens from Knit One, Felt Too).

Bounty from the garden

2009-07-19T18:15:00.004-04:00

Woohooo! Here's our harvest (minus snacks, of course):

We have grape tomatoes (left), okra (bottom center), garden salsa peppers (top center), jalapeños (right), and a cucumber (far right). Now to find a salsa recipe...

I made more yarn!

2009-06-25T22:23:00.002-04:00

Woohoo! This is Louet's Northern Lights roving in colorway Icy Winter. I got it as a present from my family, who bought it from the Woolery. I've spun 4.25 oz. of it into a dk-ish weight, with 364 yards. Whatcha think?

Hehe...

2009-05-23T17:23:00.001-04:00

Stressin'

2009-02-09T12:42:00.002-05:00

There's a lot going on right now. I am still knitting, and spinning, and I even made a package for my first ever Malabrigo Swap, but boy, am I stressin'. After this week, it's smooth sailing, so hopefully I can get a nice update in soon.

FO's of 2008

2009-01-02T18:40:00.003-05:00

After seeing this on PurlingPlan's website, I thought, "Cool! I want to make one too." So, with the help of the Mosaic Maker FD's FlickrToys, I present to you most of 2008's finished objects (remember - clickity-biggity):

Oh.Dear.Lord, I need to stop.

2008-12-13T16:09:00.003-05:00

So, I jumped on the opportunity to do a little organizing this afternoon. I've recently enhanced my stash with some beautiful new yarns, and wanted to see how many I could stuff, I mean, store in the yarn closet.

Upon closer inspection of the yarn closet, here are (most) of the contents in gallon zippies:

Baggies of yarn:

* 3 bags of alpaca yarn and alpaca/silk yarn
* 1 bag with 3 balls of Scottish Tweed
* 2 bags of various colors Malabrigo worsted
* 3 bags of various colors Malabrigo silky
* 1 bag with 2 skeins of worsted local yarn (can't wait to dye it!)
* 1 bag with 2 skeins Lamb's Pride and 2 skeins Sylan Spirit
* 1 bag with crochet cotton, twine, and hemp
* 1 bag random worsteds
* 1 tiny bag of baby cashmerino (3 colors)
* 1 bag with Woolease chunky in red
* 1 bag of sock yarn scraps
* 1 bag of worsted scraps
* 1 bag of completely random yarns
* 5 bags (HOLY CRAP) of laceweight yarns

Now for some of the loose skeins:

* 1 skein Encore Colorspun
* 2 skeins Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed
* 2 skeins of Classic Elite Miracle
* 5 assorted skeins of Woolease
* 1 skein Avanti
* 2 skeins Light and Lofty
* 4 skeins assorted Paton's Classic Wool
* 16 skeins NatureSpun Sport

The random tools and stuff:

* 5 cross-stitches in progress
* 3 cross-stitch hoops
* 1 cross-stitch loom
* dyepots
* Cake icing dyes
* lots and lots of Kool-aid packets
* bottle of RIT red dye (when dyeing fails, color it red... mwahahaha)
* tealight candles
* hot glue gun and glue sticks
* 3 sock blockers

Stuff that's spoken for/in progress:

* 5 "second skeins" for socks-in-progress
* 5 skeins Paton's Classic Wool for a neighbor's kilt hose
* 4 skeins navy yarn for a sweater
* Lion Cotton for a "Hey, Teach!" for my sister-in-law
* Pima/silk for a "Hey, Teach!" for me
* enough Tahki Bunny for a sweater
* 3 skeins sock yarn for greyhound legwarmers

And last, but certainly not least, the sock yarn. Many people have told me that sock yarn doesn't count as stash. At this point, I must disagree. The next time I say I want to buy sock yarn, someone smack me. Really. Here we go.

Currently, in my stash alone, there is enough sock yarn to make (are you ready?)

59 PAIRS OF SOCKS

Someone, please stop me. I need help.

After a lot of heartache...

2008-11-16T22:31:00.003-05:00

... things are looking up. I even won a blue ribbon at the State Fair! :) Check it out:

That fruity-colored goodness in the middle is Sakina Needles Superwash Merino in colorway Fruit Salad II, purchased at the Loopy Ewe, handspun and 2-plied by moi. Yay for the novice spinners category! I'm in trouble next year (just look at the skein to the left of mine... and that's 3rd place!).

I've really done a lot since my last post. I'll update this soon, really. For now, off to play with the Malabrigo sock yarn (I'm making Honeybee socks! This link will take you to a .pdf).

Miss you, sweetie.

2008-10-13T18:20:00.005-04:00

April 1998 - October 13, 2008
Mira Deara Roo, we love you.

Looky what I did!

2008-09-18T19:14:00.003-04:00

Tadaaa! I feel really good about the singles... I need help with plying. Can someone please help me?Roving: Sakina Needles Superwash Merino, colorway Fruit Salad II, purchased from The Loopy Ewe.

Still alive, I promise!

2008-09-08T21:42:00.008-04:00

So, really... I am still alive and kickin'. I got totally wrapped up in the Ravelympics over on Ravelry. I am so hopelessly addicted to that site. Love. But, here's what was finished:

First up, the Butterfly Hat in Malabrigo Merino Worsted, colorway "Black Forest". Lovely yarn, a bit more purple-y than the color shows, just not feeling it with this pattern. Looks like spiders, right? Off to the donation bin we go...

Next up, what I thought would be my moment of triumph. Here we present the Chevalier Mittens, again in Malabrigo Merino Worsted, colorway "Ibiza" (which I personally think has changed names to "Emerald Blue").

So, so pretty... worked up fairly quickly, and not so bad for my third attempt at cables, ever. So imagine my horror... I knitted the first mitten (on the right hand) on size 2 needles. I knitted the second mitten (on the left hand, duh) on size 3 needles. *cry* The left mitten has been ripped out and is currently in time out in the yarn closet.

Finally, success! These are the River Rapids Socks by Sockbug, in Mountain Colors Bearfoot, colorway "Copper". Size 0 needles, no mods. They fit me perfectly, and I'm thinking... possibly State Fair submission. :-D Remember, for any picture on this blog, clickety-biggity.

Also completed, a pair of Fleegle-ized Saartje booties! They were well received at the baby shower, and an excellent way to use up almost all my leftovers from the Eleanor socks:

FOs! Hooray! Now I don't feel so bad about start-itis.

2008-07-19T13:06:00.005-04:00

Since my last post, I've completed the "Blue Butterfly" Swallowtail Shawl. I'm so proud of myself, I could bust! I now dream of making even more complicated things.

Also, I finished up the golf club covers for my, um, "professional" golf club. It's just a few folks from work who get together and play best-ball, 9 holes, but it's awfully fun, and there are always prizes (and some tasty frosty beverages). So, here's my contribution to the prize pot:

Start-itis and the wishlist

2008-07-12T17:53:00.004-04:00

So, I think I have a problem. I like to start projects. Lots of them. 'Specially when the BHE isn't around to notice the mass quantities of yarn lurking about the house...

Spring Forward Socks in Claudia handpainted "Walk in the Woods"...

Azure Socks in Cherry Tree Hill SuperSolids in "Blossom"...

Dolores Park Cowl in Malabrigo Chunky "Col China" (in my defense - I started AND finished this one this morning - even sent it off to Mom today - love you!)

Sad, when I have plenty of projects to finish... like the Swallowtail Shawl. I'm SO close! Maybe I'll knit on it this evening. And the golf club covers... I have a 2 week deadline, but these other yarns are screaming at me for attention. What's a girl to do? Create a wishlist at the Loopy Ewe, of course: http://www.theloopyewe.com/wishlist/show/19565/?token=b3cc13228c1f

New stuff and stuff that's done (Flickr heavy)

2008-07-05T11:08:00.005-04:00

Woohoo! I did a little yarn shopping with some extra money from a gig - hooray! Here's the loot:

Louet Gems fingering grab bag from Yarn Discontinued

Crystal Palace Panda Silk in color 3010 from Quilts Like Crazy/Yarnbirds that I think needs to be turned into Snowflake Socks.

Araucania Ranco Multy in color 306 that is destined to be pretty socks.

In the midst of all this goodness for the stash, I actually also finished up a project! It's taken me since January, but they are done - Auntie Beth's Southwestern Socks. I even added a few (10) extra stitches up the calf for AB's zaftig figure. So proud. :) The BHE took the pictures - we love the new camera! Here you go:

Easter Egg Eleanors are DONE!

2008-06-21T15:07:00.005-04:00

Hooray! And the Beast even helped model them. :)

Remember - clickity-biggity.

WWKIP Day

2008-06-15T19:36:00.003-04:00

Wow - how fun! It was great to meet folks around the area and see lots of neat projects and yarns. I definitely think we should get together again; start looking for some light-colored animal fibers that you might wanna color... party at my place soon!

My own dyed roving

2008-06-10T20:29:00.006-04:00

So, I tried an experiment. Yes, I've dyed yarn with Wilton's cake icing dye. No, I've not tried dyeing roving. So - here are the results from my experiment [step 1 - roving coiled in baking dish, step 2 - add different dye colors (red, peach, and yellow), step 3 - bake for 30 minutes and add water at end to fill up dye dish, step 4 - enjoy the slightly felted but still spinnable dyed roving!]

Spinning

2008-06-08T17:54:00.003-04:00

Here are pictures of my latest spinning project (see post below for roving details). Remember - click on the picture for a (much) bigger version.

New stuff!

2008-06-07T18:09:00.009-04:00

So, I've been really wrapped up in Ravelry stuff. I've updated a lot there, but not so much here. I've made a couple of Mug Cozies that are awesome (out of Mmmmalabrigo), a few seamless hearts, and I've been working on some big projects. Here we go:

1. The Swallowtail Shawl, made with Drops 100% Alpaca. Beautiful. So close to finished (even with the oopsies in the last section of pattern. I'm finishing, I'm not ripping back, and I'm positive my giftee won't mind).

2. Eleanor Socks! I like this pattern, and I'm knitting it in my KnitPicks Bare yarn that I dyed with Easter egg dye tablets. Note to self - go bargain hunting after Easter next year. These dyes are great, if a little obnoxious (just how I like it). I would link the pattern, but I can't seem to find it... if you're on Ravelry, it's a free download.

Best gusset pick-up yet! :)

3. Lots of Amanda Hats.

4. Learning to become a better spinner. Here's what I've got so far:
And here's what came today from the Loopy Ewe for me to get even better with!
(SakinaNeedles Superwash Merino Roving in colorway Cockles)

I'm still alive, I swear!

2008-06-02T10:34:00.001-04:00

I know it seems like I've dropped off the face of the Earth, but I am indeed still alive. I've been updating my Ravelry stuff a LOT, and have neglected this. But - soon my friends! - there will be more here. Like, my first foray into a lace shawl, a super cute heart pattern, my newbie spinning stuff, and my attempts at writing a pattern. :) More soon! Promise!

Christmas in April!!!!

2008-04-06T22:04:00.002-04:00

So - I arrive home - and find a box from the Woolery inside the door. OMIGOSH! I am now the proud owner of a spinning wheel. HOLY CRAP! My family rocks SO much for doing this - I owe y'all! Here's what we've got so far:

Of course, I learned from Judy from the Guild. She's AWESOME. If you need a class, call her. E-mail me if you want some info about her.

Teaser...

2008-03-29T21:28:00.001-04:00

I'm learning how to spin yarn on a spinning wheel. I helped shear the sheep today. Here's proof:

Quick FO post

2008-03-16T22:50:00.002-04:00

Another Boy Hat! I love this pattern. I'm calling this one the Girly Boy Hat. It's Malabrigo Merino Worsted in colorway "Amoroso". No pun intended, but I love it. :)

Mmmmmalabrigo March!

2008-03-09T20:52:00.006-04:00

I love Malabrigo. I really do. Here's my first project for Mmmmalabrigo March on Ravelry. They're the Herringbone Mittens by Elliphantom. This is a great pattern! Remember, click on any picture to show it in a larger size on this blog.

Then we have an update on Auntie Beth's Southwestern Socks. Love this pattern too, especially since I have a hard time getting gauge with regular sock patterns on decent sized needles.

And speaking of needles, here's the latest needle-nose that we're fostering. Presenting: Beast, Jr.! She's a sweetie. I'm thinking we might fail fostering with this cutie...

Project update

2008-02-26T22:37:00.009-05:00

First, in Ravelry, I've joined the Mmmmmalabrigo March group, and am a part of the Herringbone Mitten KAL. I can't wait! Here are the (newly revamped) colors I'll be using:

I started knitting the pattern in some Cascade 220 just to practice before the KAL begins, and got this (an enjoyable knit so far):
I've also been working on Auntie Beth's socks, and started some new socks using my last Kool-aid yarn and the Springgrass pattern from Craftoholic. Pictures to come. And last, but certainly not least, the Beast. He's so sweet.

The Boy Hat

2008-02-21T21:11:00.005-05:00

I love this pattern! Click on the picture to enlarge and see some details (like the awesome shaping at the top). Elizabeth at LimulusKnits - you ROCK!

Pattern: The Boy Hat
Needles: Addi size 3 circular and DPNs
Yarn: Malabrigo worsted in Rich Chocolate
Mods: Not a durn one!

Baby socks!

2008-02-13T21:55:00.003-05:00

Cute, no? The pattern is from More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch, the Crosshatch Lace (36-stitch) pattern. I did these toe-up with short-row heels on size 0 needles. I hope the person they're gifted to appreciates the 100% alpaca goodness (Araucania Atacama)!

New stuff!

2008-02-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

Woohooo, startitis has struck again. :) As I'm falling more and more in love with Ravelry, I'm finding more and more things that I want to do. For example - Elfine socks. I'm modifying the pattern quite a bit, but at least here's a project shot:

Yarn: Zen String Lotus Toes in Succotash
Needles: Knit Picks size 1
Mods: lots - stay tuned

Also, I managed to score a couple of skeins of worsted weight yarn and some roving from a local shepherd at Humbug Farm. It's SO pretty, and the roving makes me want to learn to spin even more. It smells sheepy good. :-D I'm trying to decide on a project... it's ~500 yards of Blue-faced Leicester. If you have ideas, please let me know!

By Jove, I think I've got it!

2008-01-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Short row heels/toes. I was upset because one side looked great, while the other looked like crap. I've been picking wraps up backwards (I knit funny)! Ah- ha! Here, the right (which has traditionally looked good):

Then - the new and improved, not-picked-up-backwards left side!

And, finally, 2 left Fetchings... hopefully their mates will be completed tomorrow. So quick! The white one in Encore Colorspun using the original pattern, while the teal one is a modified version using Peru Chunky Luxury yarn. Both on size 3 needles.

Lots of work this weekend

2008-01-21T16:07:00.001-05:00

I've done so much! And not just knitting, either. Our house is cleaner, the dog is happy, and the yarn closet has had a breath of fresh air. I've updated my Ravelry stuff, and then there's these: Auntie B's socks! I'm trying to work 2 socks at once, so the tension is reasonably close on both of them. Thanks, Mom, for all the DPNs! :-D I'm not crazy for wanting so many - I can do silly things like this:

Pattern: Southwestern Socks from Wendy Knits
Needles: US size 1 KnitPicks DPNs
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in colorway "Kingfisher" (33)
Mods: None so far!

I feel like dancin'...

2008-01-17T22:03:00.000-05:00

... 'cuz the Jitterbug socks are finished! And it only took me 6 months.... *hangs head in shame*. Stupid startitis. But - here are the results:
Easy toe-up, using "More Sensational Socks", 56 stitches around, short-row heel, 54 rows for the leg. WOOT! And I even got to knit a little this morning before I left for work. :) Can this day get better?! Yes, it can! The BHE made us breakfast, the Beast was most well-behaved about not getting a walk today, and, due to slightly cold/icy/snowy weather, work was delayed. Beautiful. Off to start the second Anastasia sock.

Peach tree socks

2008-01-13T22:34:00.001-05:00

This is a design from Deby at O/C Knitiot. I dig it so far!

Needles : US size 00 Silvalume DPN
Yarn: Rio de la Plata Socka Artista SL16 (Sparkling grape, red poppy, and lettuce green)
Mods: None so far...

Love me some picot edging. I'm pretty sure these socks are going to take me forever on such teeny needles, but will be worth it! I also have the patterns for the Sunset Socks and Angel Wings Stole. I can't wait!

Sock yarn on sale...

2008-01-13T00:05:00.000-05:00

over at Webs. Online Supersocke, various styles. I'm being good since I have a whole shelf of sock yarn in the closet downstairs, so please - go buy the yarn! Otherwise it still might end up in my house. Like 831 . Or 846 here. More pictures tomorrow!

More Kool-aid, please!

2008-01-09T16:44:00.001-05:00

Behold the amazing powers of Ice Blue Raspberry and Orange Kool-aid! :) This is on KnitPicks Bare, 462 yards for 74% superwash merino, 25% nylon goodness. It's 4 packs of ice blue raspberry with a pinch of black cherry, and 2 packets of orange. I didn't let all the dyes absorb so I could get a neat sunrise effect (sun, clouds, and sky). I can't wait to see how it knits up!

In other news, the second Jitterbug Jewel sock is back in progress, after realizing I had 4 too many stitches and ripping back to the toe (sigh). I felted the tam a bit, and donated it to the church clothes closet - I hope someone can use it!

I also got in touch with a good friend who lives in Colorado... I think I need to knit him something warm, but given my lack of attention, I need it to be small. Any pattern ideas out there? I have some navy cashmere/wool that needs to be used...

Holiday Knitting

2007-12-30T00:39:00.001-05:00

I LOVE having time off from work! They really should give me more. But for now, I'll be greedy and spend every minute I can working on stuff that's important to me. :) Here's an example: Yarn purchased before the BHE and my trip to GA - check. Circular needles purchased at Cast-on Cottage while in GA - check. Begin working on super cute tam on the way back from GA - check. 2 days later - a nearly finished project.

However, the satisfaction of using up some yarn (still have about 1/2 the Cascade 220 and maybe 1/10 of the Noro Silk Garden) before it even hits the yarn closet - delightful.

Holy Christmas, Batman!

2007-12-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

We've had a wonderful holiday here in not-so-sunny GA (yeah for Christmas on the road!). My family is awesome and has gifted me so much sock yarn, I *almost* feel like I don't need to buy any more. I'm sure this feeling will pass once sanity is regained. But - a fabulous Christmas present - I'm now on Ravelry! Look for me as LeighGreyKnits. Must go sale shopping now!

Stormy Days Monkeys

2007-12-02T10:56:00.000-05:00

Woohoo! Progress! One down, one to go.

Yarn: Claudia Handpainted in "Stormy Days"
Pattern: Monkey from Knitty
Needles: size 0 KnitPicks
Mods: none!
Click on pictures for larger versions.

"We're going to a parade?! COOL! I like sunshine."

I so want to win

2007-11-27T13:56:00.000-05:00

Check this out: I want to win a wooden memory stick!

Uncanny... plus some more pictures

2007-11-13T21:57:00.000-05:00

Hmmm... compare this to this. Anyone else find it kinda weird? Not exactly the same, but... freaky. And - more projects in progress! Tonight we have Monkeys in Claudia Handpainted "Stormy Days" colorway, and my latest yarn-dying adventure in Minty's Anastasia sock pattern!

Oh yeah, 2 weekends ago, I had a day to myself, and knit this - a glove (modifying the Kilm Gloves in the latest Interweave Knits) from Crystal Palace Taos, color #10.

Update - fall is here!

2007-11-12T23:06:00.000-05:00

...with a collection of projects. A while back, I snagged some lovely autumn-y yarn, which reminds me of the current state of my neighborhood:

Which has been knit into one of these, with the second in progress:

And then I dyed this:

Which (when compared to it's Bare counterpart) looks like this now:

And has already been started up as a pair of Anastasia Socks. All of this action makes The Beast look like this:

FOs and birthday yarn!

2007-10-27T17:16:00.001-04:00

First up are beautiful, but not prize-winning, State Fair socks, retrieved by the BHE. Next to them are some Lang Mille Colori socks that I finished on the way to VT for our anniversary trip (they're in colorway 0026, using the 4-stitch pattern from "More Sensational Socks"). They were perfect for when the weather was cooler at night.

While we were there, we stopped by Kaleidoscope Yarns, and I picked up the Malabrigo you've seen earlier, as well as some Green Mountain Spinnery yarn, Cherry Tree Hill yarn, and some Lorna's Laces in "Black Purl". Pictures of this to come. However, here's my birthday present to me:

Working top left clockwise: Trekking XXL in colorway 84 from the LYS, Colinette Jitterbug in colorway "Kingfisher" from the LYS, Zen String in colorway "Hopi" from Woolgirl.com, Whimzy Pinzy 2 Socks at Once in colorway "Orange Creamsicle" from Woolgirl.com, Knit Picks Bare 462 yards of "I can't wait to dye it" superwash wool/nylon fun from the fam, and 2 balls of Filatura di Crosa Maxime Print Soft Socks in colorway 5043. My feet should be well-dressed soon. :)

And finally - my first handspun yarn. I made my own CD spindle, and voila - here's a little sample. I could bust with pride. Or bust like my stash filling up the closet. You know how it goes. :)

State Fair update and the Beast

2007-10-18T12:24:00.000-04:00

I didn't win anything at the State Fair, but my socks are on display. Here you go!

Also, a great picture from one of my friends of the Beast in all his walk-attentive glory.

More Foliage!

2007-10-15T11:07:00.000-04:00

This time I worked with the yarn I had left (only about 8 inches leftover after this!), and did the chunky pattern on size 8 and 7 DPNs. :) It's a much snugger fit, and more of a beanie that a true toboggan hat. Here we have the top view.

Foliage time!

2007-10-11T22:20:00.001-04:00

Here's my latest finished object - the Foliage hat from the latest Knitty in Malabrigo "Mariposa" colorway. I knocked the needle sizes down to U.S. 6 and 4, and worked the worsted version (even though I think I have the chunky yarn). LOVE it! Super soft and a snug around the noggin. See?

Yarn: Malabrigo chunky (?) in colorway Mariposa
Needles: size U.S. 6 for body, 4 for ribbing
Pattern: Foliage from the latest Knitty
Mods: the pattern calls for larger needles, but I have gauge issues. :)

Also, on the State Fair homefront: the socks are done and submitted (forgot to take pictures before hand), and I should find out if I won anything this weekend! WOOOOOT!

One State Fair sock (almost) completed!

2007-09-19T21:09:00.001-04:00

Gotta weave in ends and block, and then this baby's ready for competition!

New yarn!

2007-09-16T21:17:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! I got some new yarn from Sonny and Shear - Yarntini in colorway Mimosa! YAAAY - I've finally been able to snag some Yarntini! ***skipping off to admire it once again in the yarn closet***

State fair progress, despite a bad week

2007-09-14T13:41:00.000-04:00

Well, earlier this week the BHE's grandfather died. It's been a sad time, and I know we'll work through it. For now - just some pictures - state fair sock progress.

SOS updates and a greyt dogger

2007-09-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

So, there's one sock (to be a pair after the State Fair), and the beginnings of the State Fair socks. There's a good ol' hound looking after the knitting to make sure I'm doing it right (and to eat any fluffy bits of yarn that I might miss in cleaning up). I give him credit - he has exceptional taste, and always goes for the most expensive yarns. But, here we have one completed Jitterbug "Jewel" sock, using a plain vanilla 56-stitch pattern based on More Sensational Socks.

Next to that, in a lovely Terra Cotta colorway, is the beginning to my State Fair entry. Embossed Leaves socks in Louet Gems fingering weight (how does one pronounce that company's name? Lou-ette? Loo-ay?). Click on this picture to see a *much* bigger version.

FO alert - NOT socks. Crazy.

2007-08-30T18:25:00.000-04:00

So, I needed an instant gratification project. My secret pal at work from last year gave me some yarn (feed the addiction, ya know), and it's been hanging out in the yarn closet, looking tempting, but never jumping at me for a project. I finally picked it up, and - tadaa! - a variation on an already-knitted theme. Here we have a kids hat!

Yarn: Bernat Softee Chunky in Carnival (100% acrylic)
Needles: size 5 DPN for cabled band, size 6 circular and DPN for top of hat
Pattern: a variation of Coronet from Knitty (the brim doesn't flip up - the stitches are picked up along the top edge of the cable band)

On a (thankfully) rainy Sunday

2007-08-26T18:21:00.001-04:00

We need rain. Badly. So - hooray! It's raining. To help combat what would otherwise be dreary - a bright new sock is still in progress. The more I work with this yarn, the more I like it. Can I tell y'all how much I love how the colors pool and run? So lovely. Go get you some of this yarn! (And yes, that really is a horizontal surface in my house with ONLY a vase on it. Be proud.)

State Fair yarn, and a first - toe up sock!

2007-08-21T21:34:00.001-04:00

So - as promised - a picture of the yarn I'm planning to use for some State Fair socks. It's Louet Gems fingering weight in colorway Terra Cotta. I like how it matches my skirt o' the day.

And next, a close-up of a(nother) first for me. I'm trying a toe-up sock! I tried to make a mini-stocking last year that was toe-up, but was quite disastrous. This beauty is being knit in Colinette yarn's Jitterbug, in colorway "Jewel". I'm so excited about this!

So in all the sock hubbub, some things are on hold. The Spiral Eyelet socks are in time-out until I'm not mad at them anymore, the cute pink baby socks have been ripped out in favor of a more understandable pattern, and the hemmed top socks are, well, chilling by the air conditioning. Which is good - over 100 degrees for several days in a row now!

SOS update!

2007-08-19T19:41:00.001-04:00

I finished a pair of socks for the BHE's momma. Yay! I know she'll be proud to have some handknits of her own. After some initial mishaps - here's the finished product.

Yarn: Lion Brand Lion Wool, dyed by me
Pattern: The Super Simple Knitwits Sock Pattern
Needles: size 5 bamboo
Mods: I initially made these too small for la madre-in-law, so I had to rip out the toe and try again. I have NO yarn left at all (and Momma-in-law only wears a size 7).

FO alert!

2007-08-15T19:17:00.000-04:00

So, it's been languishing in the stash. A ball of yarn, bought on super sale, turned into a mitten with no thumb. And there it sat, for a good 10 months. And now - a finished pair of mittens! These are headed to the church's Clothes Closet when the weather is cooler.

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Shadows in Autumn
Pattern: Lion Brand's Warm Wool Mittens (free after registration)
Needles: size 6 DPN
Mods: I didn't use a smaller needle for the cuff, and made it a bit longer than the pattern called for.

Something new

2007-08-05T23:17:00.000-04:00

A new kind of top for the socks! This is the "hemmed top" from More Simply Sensational Socks. I think I'm in love. How neat does that look?! And the yarn - one of the two mystery yarns that I received in my package a little while ago. I did also get a package in the mail yesterday - my yarn for my State Fair entry! I'll post about it soon. But for now - even though camping was fun - time to sleep in a bed. :)

SOS updates!

2007-08-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

Man, life can certainly get busy. And stressful. Uck. In midst of grading, gutter issues, walking the beast, and trying to just be a good person, I actually got some knitting done! Here are the updates:

First, a pair of socks in Paton's Classic Wool on size 5 needles. This shows off the new heel I learned at the guild. Thanks, C., for showing me! Purty, huh?
Up next, a little progress on the Spiral Eyelet sock. I swear, the needles have slipped out of this thing so many times, it makes me want to beat my head against the wall!

And finally, I think I'm getting the idea of short row heels! Here's a (blurry) picture of the cable sock from Knitting Daily's free patterns (Better than baby booties baby socks).

WOOT! for new yarn

2007-07-26T21:22:00.001-04:00

Thanks to another person's online destashing, I'm the gushing new owner for several skeins of yarn! First - a yarn I've never used, but LO-O-O-V-E the color: Opal Elemente 1072. Totally goes with the same ideas as the Claudia Hand Painted "Stormy Day" colorway (of which 2 skeins are currently living in my stash):

Up next is a NEAT surprise - this cotton sparkly yarn from a shop in Germany. How stinkin' cool is that? I need some ideas for what this should turn into - comment for me, people! Please!

Up next - I'm not sure if she dyed the yarn herself or not, but it's GORGEOUS! Absolutely reminds me of fall at college. So, so pretty. Yay for more sock yarn!

Then, another surprise - MORE sock yarn! She said it's equivalent to Regia or Opal. Can't wait to use it! I love the darker colors. I wonder if it will stripe.... hmmm..... *resisting urge to swatch*

And in other news, I went to a meeting of the Twisted Threads guild here. OMIGOSH I must learn how to spin. These ladies are amazing! Absolutely amazing! I was taught how to do a short row heel in garter stitch (my first short row heel ever!), and, once I knit the toe (for the 3rd time), I will post pictures of the one completed sock. The only issue with not working from a pattern is not knowing how something will turn out, hence the delay (and multiple froggings). Should be nice when I'm done, though!

Waving Lace - she is done!

2007-07-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

Taddaaaaa! The sock on the left is correctly knitted, the sock on the r ight is the "oops" sock. :)

I really like this yarn - it's Claudia Hand Painted in colorway "Earth Dot". After knitting with it, I think if I use this colorway again, I think it would look best in a basic sock pattern. You can see on the bottoms how neat it knits up in just plain ole stockinette stitch.

First Day of School

2007-07-09T19:45:00.000-04:00

Gotta love that year-round schedule. Good times. Anywho, over my amazing 3-day "summer", I managed to get some knitting done (and paint the house, and drool over yarn, and cook out, and make margaritas... oh yeah). Here's the proof! 1 completed Waving Lace sock, and it's mate in progress:The intrepid will also notice new sock yarn (Serendipity Sport in "October" from Zen String, as well as some soon to be baby socks in NatureSpun sportweight in "Bouganvillea". And let's not forget the fave brewery.

Happy July 4th!

2007-07-04T13:12:00.000-04:00

So, as is usual for me, I have multiple projects happening. Here's the visual aspect to them all:

First, a new cast-on project for the Summer of Socks - the Spiral Eyelet Socks from Unicorn Books and Crafts site. This is Meilenweit Magico from Lana Grossa in color 2530. I picked it up a while ago for super sale in my LYS - apparently no one else liked the colors. Crazy! Love it. And - they fit. 64 stitches around on size 1 needles. Woot!
Of course - an update on the Waving Lace sock. Gettin' there - still sock #1! :)

Next up - the yarn I want to use next for SOS. Colinette JitterBug in color Jewel. I think these will be candidates for the same spiral pattern as above.

And last, but not least - reclaimed yarn! It was a lovely sweater, but - chunky yarn on a chunky girl does NOT look good. So! I think it will be made into multiple mittens after the SOS is over, and donated to my church's Clothes Closet. Good times!

Waving Lace (oops) sock

2007-06-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

So, I started my next pair of socks for , and I'm super proud! I'm working on size 0 needles! 0!!!! It's Claudia Hand Painted in Earth Dot. I appreciate the encouragement from Bridget on making these - I wasn't sure if I should try to tackle them! I did, however, have one significant brain fart, and I'm not ripping out to correct it, since I did it this way from the start. If you've ever wondered what the Waving Lace socks from 25 Favorite Socks would look like if you switch the ssk and the k2tog, here ya go:

First Summer of Sock(s)!

2007-06-23T13:28:00.001-04:00

Tadaaa! I've worked all morning, and created a sock for my boss:
Here are the details:
Yarn: Sockotta by Plymouth (45% cotton, 40% superwash wool, 15% nylon)
Color: 508 Lot: 909
Pattern: "Starter Stockinette" from Knit Socks! 15 Cool Patterns for Toasty Feet by Betsy Lee McCarthy

Knitting furiously

2007-06-14T17:45:00.000-04:00

So, here are the updates! We now have some completed Father-in-law Father's Day socks (which is why they look HUGE on me):

Since I finished that project, onward for some more de-stashing with some pedicure socks for the lady who did my pedicure at Sun Mountain Lodge during our trip to Washington.

And finally, you know you have a problem when that's not enough for one night, and you feel a need to dye yarn. With Kool-Aid. In Tropical Punch, Grape, and Pink Lemonade. Yum.

Felt-y Goodness - another project done!

2007-06-03T21:44:00.000-04:00

So, a little while ago, I decided to give up all my fur yarns to a wonderful lady on Wake Freecycle . In return, she freecycled to me 4 gallon zippy bags FULL of needlepoint yarn. Well, I don't needlepoint with yarn, just embroidery floss. So... how to use up all that yarn? Felt a bag! It's huge. HUGE. Here's the pre-felting shot, along with what would be end-weaving-in hell:

And now for the post-felting shot, to protect my identity... :)

Nifty, huh? Very Knights of Ni. Now I just need to find some kick booty handles for it, and I can take it shopping with me! Interesting thing to note - some of the yarns didn't felt. Makes me wonder.... color remover?!

Back from vacation!

2007-05-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

And I have so much to share! Here we go!

First, the things I completed:

The Moda Dea Sassy Stripes baby sock. Well, they were socks, but then the airline lost my luggage, and when it was returned to me (at 12:37 a.m.), the zippers had been mangled, and the yarn-containing portion of my luggage had come open. So, sock #2 has been lost.

Next, the Embossed Leaves socks! Plus, the "Father-in-Law socks" in progress. Did that on the plane rides, much to the chagrin of the flight attendants.

Oh, yeah - guess who the socks fit perfectly. The BHE (Best Husband Ever).

And last, but not least, the NEW yarn! WOOHOO!

From L-R : The Great Adirondack Yarn Company's Silky Sock in colorway "High Desert", South West Trading Company's Tofutsies in dyelot 032107-126, and Mountain Colors' Bearfoot in colorway "Bitterroot Rainbow". I can't wait! Thank you C. and T. for taking me to the awesome yarn shop! They have some catching up to do around here.

Blech... like the weather.

2007-05-17T22:49:00.001-04:00

So, been sick. Yuck. So here's a pretty picture to tide anyone who's reading this over. I made these this past Christmas for my Mom. They're Crystal Palace Taos yarn, can't remember the color, and I used my trusty Basic Mitten Pattern from a book my friend Debbie gave me. I ended up using that fluffy white yarn at the top right as a furry cuff (Mom=DIVA). Love. *Cough, hack, sneeze, cough again* I hate sickness.

Embossed Leaves Sock(s)

2007-05-14T22:05:00.000-04:00

Yay! I finished my first Embossed Leaves sock from Interweave's book Favorite Socks. LOVE these. I, of course, then cast on for the next one, in the hopes of using up some yarn! Remembered to check the tag this time - the yarn is Koigu KPPPM, dye code P516, dyelot 185. I'm torn about who to gift these to (if anyone) - could go to my principal, could go to the school secretary... could stay with me... could go to my secret pal at work... ah! What shall I do? Leave me a comment so I can help decide.
Oh yeah! Jessie! Send me an e-mail at AppBandO _at_ aol _dot_ com so I can gift you something for being the first non-family member to comment on my blog! You deserve it.

Best Dog Ever

2007-05-07T21:41:00.000-04:00

No, really. Leader is - the - best - dog - EVER. Love.

What I learned about dyeing yarn...

2007-05-06T21:51:00.000-04:00

So today I needed an instant gratification project. So, I decided to help de-stash and use some yarn (Lion Brand Wool) that I had dyed, then used RIT color remover, then dyed again. It's really quite nice, color-wise. But here's what I learned:

1. Color remover smells BAD on wool.
2. Post-color-removal, the yarn takes on a crunchy texture.
3. After re-dyeing for correct colors, the yarn retained said crunchy texture, even after washing multiple times with several detergents.

Ick.

So, I thought - I'll felt a bowl! Crocheted it all up, and even got a model (you go, Puffy-girl). Another valuable lesson learned today -

THE COLOR REMOVED PARTS OF THE YARN WILL NOT FELT! For the love of all humanity, don't use color remover! Someone will like the color. Just make something and pass on the love. Or go on Etsy and sell it. Do something with the ugly yarn! Just learn from my mistake, and don't use color remover, no matter how awful it might seem.

Up and off to the races!

2007-05-04T19:32:00.000-04:00

Here it is... the long awaited knitblog. I didn't know it would take so long to start this undertaking! But I digress. Here - the first of many posts. And some eye candy, just for fun. Here's my first attempt at lace knitting, pre-blocking. Eventually, it will be a shawl for my Mommy. :)