Monday, April 30, 2007

Dublin Bay Socks

I finally picked a pattern for the Knitpicks sock yarn: Dublin Bay socks (http://www.nwkniterati.com/movabletype/archives/MossyCottage/DublinBay4.pdf). I'm working on the heel of the first one, I'll get pictures up in the next day or two. The yarn is so amazingly soft! I actully just ordered more, in the Rocky Mountain Dusk colorway (different shades of purples and a little blue).

I also went to a LYS that I don't usually get to, because it's a long drive and located in a not-so-nice area that I tend to avoid (actually, the area the yarn shop is in is fine, it's what you have to drive through to get there that's a little scary). While I was there, I bought Colinette Jitterbug in the Jewel colorway. I was so, so excited to get home and start knitting because the mix of colors is just stunning, but once I did, I was really disappointed with the results. The colors pool in a really ugly pattern. All blue on one half of the sock, and purples, pinks, and yellows on the other half. If they would all blend together, they would be beautiful, but when the colors seperate, it's kind of ugly. I may knit something totally different, maybe the Monkey sock pattern from knitty. Anything that will make the colors blend better than what I was previously doing.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Sock Woes

I tried to like the Lion Bran Magic Stripes sock (the traveling sock), I really did. But I just can't. That is the itchiest, scratchiest, nastiest sock yarn I've ever used. Maybe if I had used bigger needles it wouldn't feel as bad. I'm not even bothering with the second sock, I know I'll never wear them. I'll just keep it as a traveling souvenier.

In other news, I'm trying to find a sock pattern to use with my Knitpicks memories sock yarn in Redwood Forest, which, unlike previously mentioned yarn, is soft and wonderful and beautful and all around gorgeous. I need to buy a whole big bundle of size 1 needles so I can do all my socks at once. I have the second traveling sock on the needles (Cascade Sassy Stripes, in Harry Potter colors!), then I want to cast on with the Knitpicks yarn, and I want to try the Tofuties. This is why I only ever finish one sock per pair, there are just too many different sock yarns to try!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Random

The $1.5o sweater and I aren't on speaking terms right now due to my own stupid mistake, which screwed up a big chunk of lace pattern that I finished before realizing I was off. So I'm not going near that one for a while. But I have other pictures:


Tofuties for socks after I finish the second Harry Potter sock.




The Flower Petal Shawl, finished ages ago. It's doesn't get worn much because I haven't found a good shawl fastener for it. I love it though.



Felted soap! I figured I would try my hand at it. I don't know if it really turned out well, since I'm not exactly sure what the final product should feel like. But they sure smell good, and lather really nicely.

Monday, April 16, 2007

I'm back!

I've been swamped studying for a test for this week (I missed all the lectures for the material while I was gone), but really quick, here is a link to my Traveling Socks flickr set, all with individual comments:


Preview:

Bryce Canyon

Snooty Showgirl

Cactus Sock

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Out of town

I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon on a little roadtrip to the Grand Canyon, and will be gone through the 14th. Hopefully when I get back I'll have new knitting pictures, since I plan to knit through the long car drive.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Loads o' Stuff

I took pictures!


A rice pack for heating up in the microwave. It's hard to see, but it has ridges sewn down the whole thing, to keep the rice better dispersed. It also has dried lavendar in it, so it smells so good when warm.



Trekking socks. I want to be finished with the second by Thursday evening when we leave on our road trip. I think I may so kindly rip off the Yarn Harlot's idea and make myself a travelling sock. I love her sock pictures, and want some of my own. So I am going to start the next sock as soon as we get in the car. I will use this yarn:



Lion Brand Magic Stripe in Country. I think it looks very cheery, but in a country way. I like it! Since we are going to Vegas, I am going to see if I can get the people in theme costume all around the hotels to hold my sock. They may think I'm odd, but I'm sure they've seen worse, and besides, I'll never see them again. Why worry about looking like a doofus?


Current Lizard Ridge Square in process.

Square that was in process until I bought the yarn above and had to cast on that one right away, thus sending this one to a holding chord.



The yarn for the next two squares.





Yarn for a cardigan I am going to bring with me to work on in the car.

You can't really see the cardigan here, but it's cute.


Daisy's sweater with a lonely one arm. I still have to do the other arm, then pick up a bajillion stitches around the edge to do a ribbed border. I need to figure out how to fashion wings too.

New books to drool over!

Monday, April 2, 2007

New projects

As if I didn't have enough stuff to work on, I've fallen in love with the "dollar and a half" cardigan from Interweave Knits:

(The pictures in the magazine shows it fully, I couldn't find many good ones in a quick image search). But there's the cable on one side of the front, and the lace/reverse stockinette pattern on the other side, as well as on the back and sleeves. At first I didn't like the fact that the two fronts didn't match, but the more I look at it the more I absolutely love it. So I'll be ordering the yarn for it soon. I'm thinking Wool of the Andes in Maple Syrup. It calls for a linen/acrylic blend that I can't afford, and I've seen a lot of people saying they are knitting it in Knitpicks' cotton/linen blend, but I absolutely despise the feel of cotton knits, so I'm going with wool.

I also am starting a much more simple cardigan out of Wool-Ease, I think I tore it out of Knitting, or Simply Knitting. It's a plain stockinette cardigan with garter ridges. I want something simple I can pull on during work or classes, and I think this is pretty perfect. I'm leaving on a family road trip on Thursday, so I'm buying the yarn for this cardigan to start in the car.