Green and Purple Monster

Late last week, my yarn order came in. More green and purple madness.

Knitpicks Swish DK (superwash merino wool), 5 skeins, moss green

Project: Puffed sleeve cardigan from Fitted Knits

Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Bulky (100% wool), 6 skeins, grape

Project: V-neck sweater from Fitted Knits

I've got all of my supplies and I'm ready to cast-on for something new! Just gotta finish up my two other projects which should be soon. Simon's socks are almost done. I'm decreasing at the toe and he'll probably get to wear the pair by tomorrow night. I haven't picked up my cable and lace scarf in a week but that'll be a quick knit. Especially since those needles will feel like a pair of clubs compared to the size 1s I'm currently using on the socks.

Slowly, I've been populating "my notebook" on Ravelry with projects. Up to 14, I think. I'm also trying to add a Ravelry button to my blog on the upper left hand corner. But as you can see, it's not working yet. Any advice? I copied and pasted the html code and tried to link in the location of the button picture (in my picasa album) but obviously I'm missing something.

Socks, 1 of 2

I'm halfway done with Simon's socks! One down, another to go. I'm already at the heel for the second one; almost there.

Ravelry is quite fun. I can see how it can eat up all of my free time in the evenings, as I punch in my project info and marvel at how much info is already in their database. The quickest part, for me, has been setting up my queue for future projects. I've got so many things I want to make and the database already can link my list with the pattern/pictures that other people have completed. Cool!

I'm in

Woo hoo! I received my invitation to Ravelry and I'm in. Will start populating my profile with projects and pictures. I am maceknits over there, so come over and say hi.


I bought yarn this week. Online, I ordered enough yarn from Knitpicks to make two sweaters. Yesterday, I picked up another two sweaters worth of yarn at my LYS, Nine Rubies. Plus sock yarn, the only impulse buy. Even though I had projects in mind for each of these purchases, I went a little brainless when it came to picking colors. From Knitpicks, I had already chosen moss green for a cardigan and grapey purple for a v-neck sweater. Then, I went to the LYS and what did I choose? Green for a long sleeve sweater and purple for a vest. DUH. I didn't realize it until I got home. Plus, I got red sock yarn. And I've been trying to get away from red/orange/magenta colors for the past year! Go figure.


The haul from the local yarn store (my online order hasn't arrived yet):

Cascade 220 sage-green heather (5 skeins)

Project: Bluebell Boatneck Sweater from Fitted Knits

Cascade 220 purple heather (3 skeins)

Project: U-neck waffle weave vest from Fitted Knits

Mountain Colors Bearfoot (superwash merino wool/mohair/nylon)
color: firestorm
Project: socks for me, no pattern yet

Plans

No new news since last time. I'm still slogging through the brown socks for my husband. If these were for me, I'd already be done with the first sock and onto the second one. I know because I tried it on already. Sock knitting is pretty easy to do. It's just that I have to go slow so I don't cramp my hands on the thin needles. If I go too fast, then I'll put my hands out of commission for a few days, which means no knitting. Can't let that happen, so I have to be patient. In the meantime, I'm alternating between carrying the yarn on the left hand (continental) and the right hand throw, all an attempt to keep my hands loose as I go along. I'm using double pointed needles but I should learn how to knit the Cat Bordhi way, with two circulars. Maybe that would be more ergonomic and quicker?

Also making progress with my red cable and lace scarf. Need to order more yarn for it.

Speaking of more yarn, I really want to knit a lot of new projects. From the Fitted Knits book, there are five patterns I'd like to start with- the Elizabeth Bennett cardigan with cabled waist and sleeves, the Boatneck sweater with ribbing at the waist and mid-sleeve, the U-neck waffle weave vest, the plain v-neck pullover with waist ribbing, and the Carrie cropped flared sleeved cardigan. You can see images of these here. Would I even wear a cropped cardigan/shrug?? Looks cool but not really my style. A vest? I haven't worn a vest in 20 years. Another long sleeve cardigan? Didn't I just spend half of this year with the Layoff cardigan? Imagine all of those buttons to sew on... Ick. Still, these all look so nice to knit! And I know of a yarn sale coming up next Saturday...

Plus, thanks to Alice's suggestion, I'm going to knit Kiri with my Kid Silk Haze. It's a fern motif lace shawl pattern. I'll make the medium sized shawl, so it could also work as a big scarf. I'm not really a shawl person, but then again, I've never worn one before either.

In The Works

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my blog and leaving comments! How I love comments! In my last two posts, I was surprised and delighted to receive three comments from the UK and also from Vickie Howell! I just started blogging recently, so it amazes me how quickly I can connect with people from all over and not just hope that my friends/husband will maybe take a peek if they remember :) Most of my friends are non-knitters, so this is probably not the most intriguing blog for them to read. Unless I post pictures of presents I'm making for them (which really I wouldn't do until after I've given it to you). Or post-reception like this:


I've been meaning to post this picture of Georgie and his blankie. According to the people he lives with, he likes playing with the blanket and seems to know it belongs to him. Hope he likes the second one too. Double the fun? Thanks, Georgie, for being a contented recipient!


Before, I've talked about knitting for the husband and how he doesn't have much knitwear from me. Since then, I've completed his new hat. Check. Now, he gets socks.

Basic stockinette sock pattern
Trekking Natura yarn (wool-bamboo blend)
brown multi color
size 1 (2.25mm) sharp, pointy metal dpns from Knitpicks

So far, I'm not loving this yarn. It's just ok. The bamboo seems to make the yarn a little hard but maybe after a wash, it'll soften? Also, this yarn seems a bit thinner than the other sock yarns I've worked with (Fleece Artist and Cherry Tree Hill), which makes the whole process seem to take longer. Anyway, I've made a little progress since I took the picture. I've turned the heel and am currently knitting round and round for the foot. Then I have to repeat it all for the second sock.

In the meantime, to give myself a break from the socks, I'm making a cable and lace scarf for myself.

The lacy bit is between the cable panels but you can't really see it unless you stretch it out. The pattern is my own but nothing fancy. I'm using Knitpicks' Andean Silk in Barn Red. Alpaca, silk, and wool blend. Very nice to touch! Anyway, this is my birthday yarn, sort of. I set up an online order and had my husband do the purchase as my birthday present. For some reason, he got confused about this part of the order and changed it without asking me. Originally, I chose three balls of olive green. He altered it to two balls of barn red. Why??!! I don't have enough to finish this scarf and will have to order more. I'll probably add more yarn to the order, since I ought to make the shipping cost worth my while :) I'm not too annoyed about it. It's a lovely yarn to work with and is such a welcome contrast to the thin sock yarn, as I alternate between the projects.

One Skein

Ideas for one skein projects!

Here is the husband's camping hat, modeled at Big Basin State Park, Labor Day weekend.


Actually, it was unusually warm at the campsite this year, so our wool hats weren't necessary. I knit this one with less than one ball of Cascade 220, with some leftover orange yarn (from my cable stitch hat) to edge the ribbed brim. Size 7 dpns.

Next up, legwarmers!


This pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts book. Alterations? I made them exactly to fit the length from my knee to ankle. No 1980s slouchy look! These are meant to be worn under my jeans in Winter, to keep me warm while I sit and knit. What's cool is that I used up an entire skein of Plymouth Encore worsted weight yarn for the pair. No waste! Size 7 dpns, 2x2 rib, easy.

Lana & Clark Lacy Ascot

Used an entire ball (100yds) of Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora yarn for this pattern from Vickie Howell. Didn't realize I cut off the bottom in the picture, but it pretty much ends right there.

Fingerless Mitts

Also made with Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora, but less than one ball for size small. Spiral rib pattern also from Last Minute Gifts.

Yes, the Debbie Bliss cotton angora was on sale and I bought a few odd balls. Although the yarn feels nice and soft, turns out I don't like angora that much- sheds all over my clothes. And yes, I've made a lot of things from the LMKG book- great ideas for small projects.

Kid Silk Haze, 2 balls

Normally, I don't buy on impulse, but somehow two balls of Kid Silk Haze appeared in my basket at the yarn shop. What should I make? Obviously I didn't have a plan when I bought this.

I'm thinking about Wisp, Branching Out, or a wider and longer version of the Airy Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Any suggestions for more easy lace patterns are welcome. I've never knit with this yarn before but have heard that it's tough to rip back mistakes. So I want an easy pattern that's relatively goof-proof. Or if I goof, the whole thing would be so holey anyway that you couldn't tell.

Leave a comment and suggest/vote for the pattern you think I should go for. Since I have two balls of yarn, I can either make one big scarf/wrap or two smaller ones.