Catch-Up

I think I had better catch up on some of my projects. Complete details and additional pictures are on Ravelry.

Knotty or Knice socks by Chrissy Gardner
Knotty or Knice-Ravelry, October 2008







Career Check by Kathy Zimmerman
Career Check-Ravelry, December 2008






Simplicity by Janel Laidman, The Eclectic Sole
Simplicity-Ravelry, March 2009












Pomatomus by cookiea
Pomatomus-Ravelry, April 2009

Progress

It's Good To Be King!

As the great Mel Brooks once said, "Ahhh, it's good to be king," or at least, in my case - it's good to be knitting socks again. After a VERY long hiatus from sock knitting I'm back at it again, only this time it's not for me. It's for a friend of mine from work. I actually tried to teach her to knit socks last summer--she still has the yarn, but no socks. She asked me last week if I'd make her a pair of socks, so I've got her unused yarn and I cast on last night.

I'm going to knit the Knotty or Knice socks from Interweave Knits, Fall 2008. I was originally going to make Pomatomus, but when I saw these, I just had to knit them up. I think this will be only my 3rd toe-up pair and the first time I've ever knit socks for anyone other than myself. I'm a little worried about the fit since I've never knit socks for anyone else (& she lives about 2 hours away - so she can't try them on in progress), but hopefully it will all work out.

Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits, Fall 2008

I used Judy's Magic Cast On with a lot of difficulty (in fact one toe was cast on using the Magic CO and the other toe was cast on with the Figure 8 Cast On since the Magic CO did not work out the 2nd time around). It's the first time I tried the Magic Cast On and it is just not clicking yet. BUT - I just went to YouTube and lo & behold, what did I find, but Cat Bordhi's video of the Magic Cast On!. Hooray!!! Wish I had seen this last night...Oh well. The toes look OK, so I'll just keep on going.

THE STATS
Pattern: Knotty or Knice by Chrissy Gardiner
Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 2008
Date: Cast On 09.22.08
Yarn: Sandnes Mandarin Petit, 2 skeins; Pink; 100% Cotton
Needles #1: Size 1 US (2.25mm); KnitPicks Harmony Options, 40"
Method: Magic Loop; 2 Socks at Once

Baby Knitting

Wow - It's been about 2 1/2 months since I last posted. I guess I had better get caught up. I've completed 3 more knitterly items since I last posted:

• Jester Hat (Ravelry link). The pattern, by Wooly Workhead, can be found as a free download directly from ravelry or from here.












• Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Ravelry link). I knit this for the Ravelympics & I am happy to say I made it to the finish line!!!!





• Pinwheel Blanket (Ravelry link). This project was also entered in the Ravelympics but did not make it to the finish line on time. I missed it by just a few hours - oh well.... The pattern, by Genia Planck, can be found here.











All three of these are gifts for April at work. She's having a baby in early January. A the time when I was knitting them, she did not know what she was having, but liked browns so hence the colors of the sweater and blanket. We now know she's having a girl, although she's not big on pink, so I'm not sure any of the above would have been in pink anyway. Well - maybe they would have been - I LOVE pink.

27 or 30? - that is the question

My Voyager Lace Stole is coming along quite nicely. I'm just not sure yet whether I am going to knit just the 27 pattern repeats called for in the pattern or knit a few extras (I'm thinking 30 total repeats). I've finished 26 repeats so I'll check out the length after one more repeat and see how I like it.

Based on the pattern as written, I am 94% complete, having knit 15,102 stitches. If I increase the total stitch count and add 3 additional pattern repeats, I'll be at 85% complete. At either rate, I should be finished within a few days, depending on much knitting time I get in the evenings.

Voyager Progress & Ravelympics

Well, after almost a month hiatus from knitting (I just have not been in the mood), I've picked up the needles once again and have worked on my Voyager Lace Stole. Here's where I am at:

• 47% complete; 7,555 stitches
• 127 pattern rows complete
• cast on edge - picot edge complete





I decided to knit the picot edge before completing the entire stole first because the extra yarn I left at the cast on was beginning to get too splitty. And, the little ball I had rolled it into was getting annoying, anyway. I unzipped the provisional cast on & picoted away!!! I did not run into too much difficulty with the unzipping - anticipation of having to do it was much worse than the actual unzipping.






I really like working with this yarn - Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. In fact, I may knit the Pinwheel Baby Blanket in this. April, from work, is going to have a baby in late December/early January (her 2nd one) so I have been perusing baby patterns and fell in love with this blanket. I'll start it August 8 to coincide with the opening ceremony of Ravelympics! I'm entered in the Baby Dressage as well as the Sock Put, so I'll be making a pair of socks, as well.

Voyager Lace Stole - a sneak peek

Ravelry Link: Voyager Lace Stole

THE STATS
Pattern: Voyager Lace Stole; (ravelry pattern link)
Source: Elann.com
Date: Cast On 06.17.08
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Almond
Needles: Size 9 US (5.5mm); KnitPicks Harmony Options
Note #1: Provisional cast on

Endlessly Long

My Endless Summer top is finally complete. It took about 3 months to complete because I had to redo the sleeves. After finishing one sleeve, I realized it was going to be waaaaay too big so I frogged it and recalculated it to a smaller size. And unfortunately, I had TWO sleeves to rip out since I knit them 2 at a time! Then, once I reknit both sleeves I just could not bring myself to finish the darn thing - knitter's block I guess....Anyway, I finally did - and voila!






Ravelry Link: Endless Summer Redux

THE STATS
Pattern: Endless Summer by Katherine Hunt
Source: Knitter's 87, Summer 2007
Date: Cast On 03.05.08 // Cast Off 06.01.08
Yarn: Patons Grace, black, red & pink
Needles: Size 6 US (4.0mm); KnitPicks Harmony Options
Note #1: Knit in the round

Ribbed Lace Bolero

I finished my Ribbed Lace Bolero. It was an easy, quick knit and I absolutely loved working with the Lion Brand Cotton Ease. I was amazed at how so soft & silky it feels! I'm going to use it again to make this (pattern link) - the Voyager Lace Stole (ravelry link).







Ravelry Link: Ribbed Lace Bolero

THE STATS
Pattern: Ribbed Lace Bolero by Kelly Maher
Source: Kelly Maher - 10 Feet High
Date: Cast On 03.22.08 // Cast Off 03.29.08
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease, 1.5 skeins; Snow
Needles #1: Size 8 US (5.0mm) for ribbing; KnitPicks Harmony Options
Needles #2: Size 10.5 US (6.5mm) for lace; KnitPicks Harmony Options
Note #1: Ribbing: 3"
Note #2: Lace: 15.5"