Back Tracking

Ok - It's Sunday, June 3, 2007 - a beautiful sunny day in San Francisco - a perfect day for Israel in the Gardens at Yerba Buena Park.

We saw Mah Tovu, with one of our very own rabbis, Rabbi Josh Zweiback, heading up the band.







We saw a superb Russian violinist, Ilya Rayzman.



And we saw the EXCEPTIONAL, INCOMPARABLE Rita!!!!.












We also had the very special treat of seeing Rita's 15 year old daugher, Meshi.

Finished Grasshoppers

My grasshoppers are now finished. It's a really pretty pattern, although not the most enjoyable one to knit. The P2TOG's were a little tough, but the outcome is well worth the effort! Switching to the pointier KnitPicks needles helped. I'm glad these are done, though.





THE DETAILS
Pattern: Knee High to a Grasshopper by Chrissy Gardiner
Source: Rockin' Sock Club - April 2007
Date: Cast On: 05.15.07 // Cast Off: 06.17.07
Yarn: Socks That Rock Yarn, Walking on the Wild Tide
Needles FootNote #1: Size 2 US (3.0mm), Addi Turbo circular needles, 40"
Needles FootNote #2: SWITCHED @ leg -> Size 2 US (3.0mm), KnitPicks Classic circular, 32"
Method: TOE-UP: 2S1C, Magic Loop

FOOTNOTES
FootNote #1 - CO: Figure 8 Cast On for Toe (size small)
FootNote #2 - Toe Shaping: followed pattern
FootNote #3 - Foot: 46 rounds in pattern
FootNote #4 - Heel/Gusset: followed pattern
FootNote #5 - Leg: 40 rounds in pattern (did not knit any increases in leg, although pattern did call for it)
FootNote #6 - Cuff: 10 rounds (k1, p1)
FootNote #7 - BO: Bound off in K1, P1 (did not follow pattern bind off)

Turtle

Well, it seems my grasshoppers are more like turtles. Things are going so SLOWLY. I have not been knitting much - only about 4 rows in the past week. I just have not been in the mood. I haven't blogged much either - not much to say right now...

OPTIONal Switcheroo

I switched over to the KnitPicks needles to continue with my grasshopper socks. The tips on my Addi's were too blunt so I was having some difficulty with the P2TOG, and given the fact that the pattern is practically all P2TOG's, that's a lot of difficulty! I'm using the 32" size 2 circulars.

On a side note - the purple cable on the KnitPicks needles matches quite nicely with the yarn color!

It's YELLOW Time

My new toy...

Hoppin' Grasshoppers

My grasshoppers are hopping. I'm just about to start the heel turn of the second sock. The heel of the first sock was finished last night admidst EXTREMELY LOUD music from our next door neighbors. They were having a high school graduation party for their daughter, late into the night, DJ & all. I couldn't sleep, so I knit. Oh well, not a bad compromise at all - sleep deprivation for a knit pair of socks.

instep x 2

sole & instep

zee heel - she eez done (well, at least ONE)

THE DETAILS SO FAR
Pattern: Knee High to a Grasshopper by Chrissy Gardiner
Source: Rockin' Sock Club - April 2007
Date: Cast On: 05.15.07
Yarn: Socks That Rock Yarn, Walking on the Wild Tide
Needles: US Size 2, (3.0mm), Addi Turbo circular needles, 40"
Method: 2S1C, Magic Loop; Toe-Up

FOOTNOTES
FootNote #1 - Toe CO: Figure 8 Cast On (size small)
FootNote #2 - Toe Shaping: followed pattern for size small
FootNote #3 - Foot: 46 rounds in pattern

Chocolate Covered Cherries

My chocolate covered cherry socks are finished. They look delicious enough to eat and were a fun knit. I highly recommend the pattern.







THE DETAILS
Pattern: Elongated Corded Rib
Source: Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch
Date: Cast On: 04.10.07 // Cast Off: 05.13.07
Yarn: Meilenweit Multiringel by Lana Grossa
Needles: Size 1 US (2.5mm), Addi Turbo circular needles, 40"
Method: 2S1C, Magic Loop

FOOTNOTES
FootNote #1 - CO: 64 stitches
FootNote #2 - Cuff: K2,P2 rib (15 rnds)
FootNote #3 - Leg: Elongated corded rib (48 rnds, 6 pattern rpts)
FootNote #4 - Heel: Short row heel on 60% of sts (38 sts)
FootNote #5 - Instep: Elongated corded rib (48 rnds, 6 pattern rpts)
FootNote #6 - Sole: Stockinette stitch
FootNote #6 - Toe: Garter stitch round toe

Ta Daa

••DRUM ROLL PLEASE••

My Icarus Shawl is finally complete. It took me 13 days less than a year but I finally did it!!! You can also take a look at Icarus in my gallery of finished objects.

Here she is pre-blocking.

Scooter is giving her "tail" of approval...

Blocking

Blocking close-up

Fashion Line-Up

THE DETAILS
Pattern: Icarus Shawl, by Miriam Felton
Source: Summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits
Date: Cast On - 05.19.06 // Cast Off - 05.06.07
Yarn: KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud, Autumn (2+ skeins)
Needles: Size 3 US (3.25mm), Inox Grey circular needles, 32"
Pattern Notes: 5 repeats of chart 1
Dimensions: 72" wide across the top; 35" from top center to bottom point; 50" along the sides

Edging Left To Go

After 58,407 stitches, Icarus is 95% complete.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All 4 charts are done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are only have 5 rows of the edging left to knit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then there's blocking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then she's done.

90% Complete

As the heading states, I am 90% complete --

-- on Icarus.

It's now taking about a half hour to complete each row. I completed 2 rows at lunch today, sitting outside under the beautiful sunny blue skies of Northern California. What a delight. Then I had to go back to work.

I have 7 rows left of chart 4 and 5 rows of the edging and then I will be finished with the knitting. So, that's 12 rows at a minumum of 30 minutes each, or at least 6 more hours of knitting. And because the stitch count increases with every other row, I'll probably be up to 45 minutes or even an hour per row once I am on the edging. I would estimate probably another 8 to 10 hours total on the shawl. Then, of course, it needs to get blocked. I think I am still looking at a few more weeks, with sock knitting added in here & there. I cast on for Icarus May 19, 2006, which means I have just enough time (I think) to complete it before the year marker hits me in the head. I have 22 days to knit 12 rows & block. I think I can manage that -- or so you would think. BUT - only time will tell.

A First Look

Look what came in the mail yesterday...

April Rockin' Sock Club kit

I'll have to hurry up and finish my Chocolate Cherry Socks before I cast on, though.

And on that note...

I decided to go with a garter stitch short row heel for the Chocolate Cherry socks. My first experience with the short row heel was with the February Rockin' Sock Club kit (although from the toe-up) so I decided to try it again to see how it compared to my "normal" way of the heel turn, flap & gusset. I'm using 60% of the total stitches for the heel (38 sts). The short row heel is certainly easier, as it does not require picking up any gusset stitches (which I find to be the most stressful part of the sock). HOWEVER, the short row heel does take careful counting as I do find it kind of difficult to distinguish the wrapped stitches. I'll know more how I like this heel once the socks are completed and I am actually wearing them. One good thing to note is that the construction is the same whether you are knitting from the toe-up or in this case, from the cuff down with this particular heel. I think I may also do a short row garter stitch toe so that the toe and heel match.

side view of short row heel

front view of short row heel

****************THE STATS SO FAR***************

Source: Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch
Pattern: Elongated Corded Rib
Yarn: Meilenweit Multiringel by Lana grossa
Date: Cast On 04.10.07
Method: Cuff Down; 2 socks on 1 needle - Magic Loop; Garter Stitch Short Row Heel
Needle: Addi Turbo, size 1 (2.5mm) 40"
Foot Note #1-Cast On: 64 stitches
Foot Note #2-Cuff: K2, P2 rib; 15 rnds
Foot Note #3-Leg: 6 rpts, elongated corded rib; 48 rnds
Foot Note #4-Heel: Short Row Garter Stitch, 60% of the total stitches; 38 stitches

Chocolate Cherry Socks

Chocolate covered cherries - that's what this yarn looks like. Sooooo - I thereby dub thee my Chocolate Cherry Socks. Yum!

CO=64 sts; K2, P2 rib cuff (3 rnds complete)

I decided to go with the elongated corded rib pattern from Charlene Schurch's book, Sensational Knitted Socks. I'm using Meilenweit Multiringel by Lana Grossa. It's fingering weight, 80% wool/20% polyamide. And yes, it's superwash, so this pair won't end up too small for my already tiny feet. As usual, they are cuff down, 2S1C, MagicLoop, Size 1 US (2.5mm) 40" Addi's {although I may switch to 47"}.

I am going to use this..





...for the SwallowTail Shawl. It's 100% Silk lace weight yarn by Claudia Hand Painted Yarns. It's called Silk Lace - Earth.

Travel Knitting

We are taking a "road trip" so I'll need some travel knitting. That means I'm going to start a new pair of socks. I'm either going to knit the elongated corded rib pattern from Charlene Schurch's book, Sensational Knitted Socks, or I'm going to knit Horcrux from the April 2007 Six Socks KAL. I have not decided yet. Here's a link and another one to a pair I knit previously using the elongated corded rib pattern. I loved this pair, but they were 100% non-washable wool, and you guessed it - they got machine washed and proceeded to shrink and shrink and shrink (and felt....). They got donated to charity.

Here's the yarn I'm going to use (& the potential book).



This is what Horcrux looks like. (The photo is a download from the Six Socks KAL web site).




I don't think I'll finish up Icarus before we leave, so I'll work on her as well while we are away, and I intend to start a new shawl, too - the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark.

Inside Out Socks are COMPLETE

My Inside Out Socks are complete!!!! (I have to say - I like the "wrong" side best). You can also view them here.

****************THE STATS***************

Source: Rockin' Sock Club - February 2007
Pattern: Inside Out Socks by Kaci Kyler Hays
Yarn: Socks That Rock, Monsoon, Medium Weight (Sport Wt)
Date: Cast On 03.07.07; Cast Off 04.08.07
Method: Toe-Up; Short Row Toe; Magic 8 Cast On; Short Row Heel; 2 socks on 1 needle - Magic Loop
Needle - Toe: Addi Turbo, size 0 (2.0mm) 40"
Needle - Foot: Addi Turbo, started with size 000 (1.5mm) 40" but changed to 47"
Foot Note #1-Foot: Approx. 69 rows for foot
Needle - Heel: Addi Turbo, size 0 (2.0mm), 47"
Foot Note #2-Leg: Completed 42 rows of leg/cable pattern (size 0, 20.0mm) - a little too snug pulling on over heel; otherwise fit is good; however, decided to frog & go with size 1 (2.5mm)
Needle - Leg: Addi Turbo, size 1 (2.5mm), 47"
Foot Note #3-Leg: 65 rows cable pattern (leg)

The "Right" Side

Right Side // Wrong Side

Wrong Side // Right Side

Picture updates

Here are some progress pics of my Inside Out socks. They are still at row 61 of the cable pattern of the leg. My inspector, the ever-so-cute Jazz-Purr, was out in full force today giving me his approval on the work completed so far.













My Icarus Shawl is now 77% complete. I finished chart 3 and now just need to begin chart 4. After that, the edging is all that remains.

Quick Update

I have no new pictures to share but thought I'd give a quick update anyway.

I am just about complete with my Inside Out Socks. Changing to US size 1 (2.5mm) really did the trick in loosening up the leg just enough to get it comfortably over my heel. I now just need to decide how tall I want my socks. I can either just go another 4 rows of the cable pattern (65 rows total) to put me at about 6" for the cuff or I can go 14 more rows (75 total rows of the cable pattern). I'm fairly certain I'll have enough yarn - it's just a question of length. Typically, I like my socks on the shorter side. I'll just see how I feel once I finish row 65.

I actually would have been finished over a week ago, but I've been working on my Icarus Shawl exclusively. I'm in the middle of chart 3 which puts me at about 75% complete. I'm at the point now where it takes 15 to 20 minutes just to complete 1 row.

I'll post progress pictures within the next couple of days (maybe!).