FF&L Milestone

FF&L: % Complete as of Wednesday, 12.28.05

WORKING ON 5TH REPEAT OF CHART 2 (11 rounds to go)

Nine rounds knit since my last update --> 135 total rounds completed.

• 61,864 stitches cumulative (8,776 stitches since my last update)
• 46% of body completed (7% since my last update)
• 39% of entire shawl completed, including edging (6% since my last update)

I may only knit 5 repeats of chart 2 rather than the 7 suggested by the pattern. This is a huge shawl, and being only 5'1" tall, I really do not need a huge shawl. I think it will be plenty big with only 5 repeats. I'll make the final decision once I complete the 5th repeat. Of course, all my % completion updates will change because the % will be based on a fewer number of stitches. I would actually be more like 55% complete (before edging) if I cut back on the number of repeats.

THE MILESTONE
I have finally reached 1,000 stitches on the needles of the FF&L shawl (rounds 133 & 134). Now, each time I complete a round, that's AT LEAST 1,000 more stitches completed!! Here's some pictures of the shawl at the 1,000 stitch per round juncture.








In the middle of round 129, I switched to size 40" needles (addi turbos), mainly because I wanted to spread the shawl out a little to get some good pictures.








It was the third night of Hannukah last night.

Grey Stripes Complete

I finished the grey stripes socks Monday, 12.19.05, in the morning, so wore them to work that very day!!! They are really comfortable - very cushiony - I think because of the bamboo stitch.

The Stats: GREY STRIPES SOCKS

64 stitches on size 1 US (2.5mm) addi turbos
Magic Loop method: 2 socks; 1 circ
Reynolds Swizzle (fingering weight)

cuff: 20 rounds: k2, p2
leg: 40 rounds: bamboo stitch
heel: 32 rows: eye of partridge stitch
gusset/instep: 58 rounds (bamboo stitch for instep; stockinette for sole)
circular toe

Start: 12.10.05
Finish: 12.19.05


Here's a picture of the socks right after the completion of the gusset decreases.




I've started another pair of socks. These will be out of Lorna's Laces in the Jungle Stripe colorway. I've finished 13 rounds of the cuff (K2,P2).

Grey Stripes Progress

I had plenty of time to knit yesterday, as I did not go into work. (Sometimes it's nice to be sick...). I progressed nicely on my socks getting to just past picking up the gusset stitches.

I specifically chose a back & front for the socks because the striping using the bamboo stitch kind of disappears due to the length of the color stripe which is not quite long enough to go two complete rounds. It therefore kind of messes up the striping. I wanted the full effect of the striping to show up on the front of the sock. The leg is 40 rounds of bamboo stitch. Generally, when I knit socks, I usually knit only 30 rounds for the leg, but I wanted these socks a little longer because I always end up with a fairly good amount of sock yarn left over. (I still knit my usual 20 rounds for the cuff).

FRONT




BACK (note the disappearing stripes)




EOP HEEL (eye of partridge)




TURNED HEEL





GUSSET P/U: Last but not least, the gusset stitches are all picked up. This is where I have to resort to using two circs to complete this part. I then put the two socks back on one circular. I like to arrange the stitches so that I am now knitting the socks in profile.

It's all in the Bag

This is my sock project bag. Just thought I'd share...



It contains a row counter, a picture tutorial of the magic loop cast on, the Magic Loop book, notes I've jotted down during sock knitting, a pencil & paper (for the note taking), some patterns, a yarn cutter, markers, a few safety pins (I use one to mark the start of my round), a needle for the finishing process and two Addi Turbo needles, both size 1 US (2.25mm), although one is 40" & the other is 47" long. I start out with the 40" and then I use the the 47" when I have to p/u stitches and begin the gusset. I have not figured out how to do this part on just one circular. But - once I've picked up all the gusset stitches, I go back to using just the one needle. I prefer to use the 40" size for the socks and just use the 47" during the gusset phase. Working with the 47" during the actual knitting process was too cumbersome - the loops were just too big & got in the way.

NEW : Grey Stripes Sock Project (& FF&L Update)

On Saturday, very spontaneously, I decided to start a new pair of socks. It suddenly occurred to me that I needed a small project to work on when I was out & about. Case in point - I had a hair appointment Saturday afternoon (color, weave & cut) which would be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours long, of which a good bit of that time would consist of just sitting around "processing." So the light bulb went off in my head and voila!, a sock project was born. This would be real simple to work on under the hair dryer. The catch was, could I cast on & get started before it was time to leave for my appointment? (I use the magic loop, 1 circ-2 socks method and it does take a bit of time to get the cast on down pat). In addition, I had a skein that I needed to divide into 2 balls. I'm using Reynolds Swizzle, in a grey with red, blue & green stripes (#4042 colorway).

The 1 skein to 2 balls process took me about 45 minutes. I must admit, I did have help from the "peanut gallery," (Scooter & Cleo).










I first had to wind the skein into a ball. Then I had to divide that ball in half, trying to get two equal balls. Here are the 2 balls eye-balled for "sameness." The left one is good to go.




Because I want the yarn running in the same direction (ie: same patterning sequence), I had to rewind the right ball. Here are the two completed balls of yarn.



Now the hard part - casting on using the magic loop method, 2 socks at a time. The picture below shows 75% of the cast on completed - 32 stitches for the 1st sock and 64 stitches for the 2nd sock.




This picture shows the completed cast on. The remaining 32 stitches of the 1st sock are now cast on.




5 rounds of the cuff are completed. Basic ribbing for cuff: K2, P2






The cuff after 10 rounds and 20 rounds, respectively. Cuff now complete. Scooter likes what she sees.






I am experimenting with using the bamboo stitch for the leg. 3 rounds in the pattern have been completed in the following picture.




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FF&L: % Complete as of Monday, 12.12.05

WORKING ON 4TH REPEAT OF CHART 2 (4 rounds to go)

Four rounds knit since my last update --> 126 total rounds completed.

• 53,088 stitches cumulative (3,680 stitches since my last update)
• 39% of body completed (2% since my last update)
• 33% of entire shawl completed, including edging (2% since my last update)

QUICK & EASY Finished Objects

As we did last year, we will be having a holiday gift exchange at work. For our holiday luncheon, we will be taking a cruise out on the bay. It will be freezing cold, but fun.

I made this hat & scarf for Jodi. I think it will suit her quite well. She likes to ski, so hopefully she'll get some use out of this.



THE PARTICULARS

Hat
1 skein (+ a tiny bit of a 2nd skein) Lion Boucle in the Taffy #930-213 colorway
US 9 circular needles - knit in the round
Basic stockinette stitch
Start: Friday, 12.02.05
Finish: Saturday, 12.03.05
Estimated Time: about 2 hours

Scarf:
2 skeins Lion Boucle in the Taffy #930-213 colorway
US 10.5 circular needles
Basic garter stitch, knit until no yarn left
Start & Finish: Friday, 12.02.05 <--> Saturday, 12.03.05
Estimated Time: about 2 hours

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This pretty blue scarf was made for Marianne. It's nice & fluffy and quite warm!! I know she's going to love this.





THE PARTICULARS

Scarf:
2 skeins Moda Dea Fur Ever in the Blue Heaven #3841 colorway
US 10.5 circular needles
Basic garter stitch, knit until no yarn left
Start & Finish: Monday am before work and pm after work, 12.05.05
Estimated Time: 2 hours --> NOW THAT'S QUICK!!!

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Last but not least is this pink scarf I made for myself. This was my "take a break from the Frost Flowers & Leaves shawl" project. I needed some mindless knitting, and this wonderful pink color was calling my name. I didn't realize it at first, but there are "sparkles" in this. Pretty cool!!



THE PARTICULARS

Scarf:
2 skeins Moda Dea Zing in the Icy Pink #1724 colorway
US 10.5 circular needles
Basic garter stitch, knit until no yarn left
Start & Finish: I forget, but it was towards the end of November 05 sometime...
Estimated Time: probably about 2 hours

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Here's a picture of these 4 projects thrown together just because I felt like it.

FF&L: % Complete as of Friday, 12.09.05

WORKING ON 4TH REPEAT OF CHART 2 (8 rounds to go)

Thirteen rounds knit since my last update --> 122 total rounds completed.

• 49,408 stitches cumulative (11,016 !! stitches since my last update)
• 37% of body completed (9% since my last update)
• 31% of entire shawl completed, including edging (7% since my last update)


Here's the blob, looking at it from the underside.




It makes a convenient holder for my yarn & row counter!




••close up of the flower pattern••




••close up of the leaves pattern••