sock it to me

Another set of completed socks:

two peas in a pod

A finished pair of socks! Two actual, matching socks, completed one right after the other. A whole pair of socks in three days. I'm bursting with pride.

And the stripes come so close to lining up.

I loved knitting these. While I was knitting, I began imagining all the other pairs of socks I could knit, contemplating gifts for everyone I know, concocting plans of beginning my Christmas knitting early. Then I began frendziedly searching for the next perfect sock pattern. I decided I was ready to take the next step, produce a beautifully patterned lacy bit of wonder. I rummaged my stash and came up with a skein of Magic Stripes yarn that I had given up for lost, and I cast on a pattern featuring a lovely feather and fan pattern over the whole sock.

After a few hours of yarn overs, I ripped out the whole thing. The pattern was simple enough, but I realized that what draws me to sock knitting is mainly the soothing repitition of stockinette stitch on smooth size 3 bamboo dpn's. The rhythm is hypnotic. I feel all my stress melting away as the yarn flows around the needles. Turning the heel and making a heel gusset provide just enough stimulation to get my brain going before the trance sets in. The length of the rounds is just right--long enough to keep from getting dizzy, short enough to keep an easy count. I tossed the lace and began a new stockinette pattern which I modified to include a rolled cuff.

one down

I spent lots of time this weekend fussing around searching for a knitting project that could hold my attention for more than ten minutes. Finally, after plenty of aimless shifting about, I settled on socks.

Bound and determined to overcome "second sock syndrome" and actually complete my first pair of socks, I bravely cast on.

By Saturday evening, I had turned the heel.


By Sunday afternoon, I was the proud creator of a single sock.

Nice and soft and toasty and stripey (self-stripey, that is).

Now for sock number two...

Once Again...

After a nearly three month lapse in blogging--which, consequently, was not accompanied by a lapse in knitting--the bug has bitten once again, and I'm back. I really don't know how to span my writing lapse, except to post some random photos of what I've been up to in the intervening space.

First, the Sheep and Wool Festival:

This festival is held in Maryland during the first weekend of May every year and features contests, vendors galore, sheep dog demonstrations, and (naturally) sheep.

I can't begin to describe the vastness of the vendors and the multitude of their wares. After a great deal of heated decision-making, I purchased this:

Two lovely skeins of mohair/wool blend from Brooks Farm Yarn. Destined to become a shawl. And also this:

Bamboo yarn, fast on its way to becoming a "Soho Sling," a pocketbook pattern from the Bags installment of the Knitter's Dozen series (highly recommended). I also picked up three of these:

Adorable to behold and yet challenging to photograph sheep buttons. Fate as yet to be determined.

My other project in the works is a kerchief, for which I'm following a shawl pattern on a tinier scale:

The pattern is a simple combination of yarn over increases and alternating garter stitch and stockinette bands. The result is incredibly pleasing to touch and to knit. I can't wait until this piece is finished and blocked.

a new direction

Just four days ago I emphatically declared that I wouldn't digress until every sweater stitch was knit. Those were four long days. And the sweater only grew by about three rows.

So I said to myself, "The Olympics are over. Why torture yourself?" And I started something new. Inspired by a pocketbook pattern and a scarf pattern, I designed a pouch for my larp character.

I love the way the bottom worked out:

Skulls are such fun! The best part of this whole project is that I started knitting last night, and tonight the pouch is complete.

forced to admit defeat

My dreams of Olympic glory slipped away! I made a valiant last minute effort, logging more kntting hours Saturday and Sunday than I logged working hours last week, but to no avail. By 5:00 Sunday I realized the futility of trying to knit two complete sleeves before the torch was extinguished, and I officially threw in the towel. Done in by illness. Too bad the colorful pills my doctor prescribed made me so woozy. Knitting in the round can really induce motion sickness when combined with powerful decongestants.

Once I caved, I couldn't even bear to look at the project or my blog until today. My strength returns, and with it my determination to finish this stinkin' sweater no matter how long it takes. I refuse to begin any other project until I'm wearing this wretched article. If only it had some sleeves...

At least the lower back edge is completely bound off. Now I'm working the side slit and the lower front edge.

serious setback

The shadow of Olympic failure looms over me. I cherished such high hopes for just how much yarn a dedicated knitter could stitch during the course of a four day weekend. Unfortunately, I spent much more of the weekend sick in bed than I spent with needles in hand. I managed some progress, and I enlisted the help of a friend (whose figure allows him--albeit barely--to try on a sweater while the sweater remains on 24" circulars) to model my partially finished project:

With the shoulder increases completed, I can knit mindlessly--and endlessly, it seems--through the haze of illness. The colors are starting to stack up beautifully:

The pieaces measures 15" now, and it's actually beginning look like a garment.

Round, and round, and round I go...

digression

I decided yesterday that my old standby plastic stitch markers simply must retire. I bought a set of markers shortly after I started knitting (about a year ago), and they have always served me well. Perhaps they simply don't get along with my current yarn choice. Ever since row one, the markers do nothing but snag the yarn. So today I took a slight digression into the realm of beaded stitch markers.

I procured my marker-making supplies in a post work A.C. Moore run and set to work as soon as I arrived home. Behold the finished products:

I realize the center specimen is somewhat hideous. I envisioned a tribute to the Olympic flag's colors which I could treasure as a lasting memento of this experience. Guess I got a bit carried away. Here are the new markers in action:

knitting through the storm

Day three draws to a close, and my sweater continues to grow. A hefty snowstorm somewhat overshadowed the knitting experience. I took these lovely photos when I set aside my yarn (briefly) to help my husband shovel out the cars. The sunset lends a slight pastel tinge to the horizon...inspiration for a scarf palette?

Anyway, I feel pleased with today's sweater achievement. Finally joining and beginning to knit in the round made things much easier. Increasing ten stitches every other row can really crowd a needle. I like the way the V-neck is emerging.

and so it begins

Despite last night's hairy beginning--featuring an hour and a half's work torn apart in moments due to improper increases--my Olympic sweater grows rapidly. Luckily, the #6 needles I finally ordered from Knitting Warehouse arrived yesterday with a few hours to spare before opening ceremonies.

At this point, the knitting runs back and forth on circular needles.

I feel guilty for writing when I should be knitting.

the dreaded swatch

After a year of regarding every pattern maker's advice to "take time to check the gauge," I begrudgingly forced myself to knit a swatch for my Olympic project. Just yesterday I wept while unraveling a mostly completed, horribly boxy sock, suitable mainly for Cinderella's stepsisters. I devoted a hefty amount of time to this wretched sock, especially since I started the thing three times with three different yarns. Not reading beyond the worsted weight label, I only considered the cotton's pleasing drag over bamboo needles and the lovely color palette. All very relaxing until my sock failed the critical try-on stage. Alas...from the skein it was made, and to the skein it must return.
Lesson learned, or at least finally believed, I promptly produced an Olympic training swatch. I must admit, I enjoyed the process, and despite my initial skepticism, I now find this yarn fully delightful.

Tracking down the various needle types and sizes required by this pattern has proven quite challenging. No matter how full my bag o' needles grows, I always seem to be lacking required sizes. I visited two shops today, only to drive home in disgust without my quarry. Mail order to the rescue! I just home my team of needles arrives in time for the opening ceremony.

As Friday night approaches, my recent sock failure leaves me empty handed, my needles barren. Do I pick up that half-finished dishcloth? Perhaps the half-finished scarf, or any other project residing in my half-finished drawer? Perish the thought. A sock-related gauge swatch beckons...

warming up for the Knitting Olympics

So, I've nervously dedicated myself to knitting my first ever sweater as a Knitting
Olympics task. I learned to knit just over a year ago, and the sweater notion has been kicking around in my brain lately. Inspired by an intriguing sweater worn by one of my students last week, I ordered a basic sweater pattern, knit in the round from the neck down, and some inexpensive worsted weight yarn. I'll admit that the whole Knitting Olympics concept was completely unknown to me until yesterday, and I decided to see if I'm up to snuff in the sweater department.

The yarn arrived today. Not quite the shade I anticipated, but lovely nonetheless.




Upon closer inspection, I've discovered that the pattern calls for two sets of dpns that are, as yet, absent from my collection. This calls for a journey to the craft store on the way home from work tomorrow. I welcome any excuse to expand my needle repertoire.