Knit it, Violet!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Socktoberfestivities!
I celebrated Socktoberfest 2008 in a very small way, by finishing up two pairs of socks, thus completing my first two xmas gifts this year!
First up were these Cabled Footies for Kellen's Stepmom. I've knit this pattern three times now and I'm always pleased with how quickly they knit up and how comfy they are. I got this pair out of only one skein of yarn, and I had enough left over that I probably could have done another cable repeat on each cuff. Good to know, since there may be more of these in my holiday knitting.
Pattern: Cabled Footies by Leigh Radford from the book One Skein.
Needles: US 7 Susan Bates dpns
Yarn: Dark Horse Fantasy, 1 skein
Next up, I finished my mom's socks. (I doubt she's reading this, but if you are Mom, stop!)
Ha! I just realized I took an upclose shot of a glaring error. Oh well, don't judge me. Nonknitters probably won't notice.
These were knit out of yarn my mom and I won (one skein each) at the Handmade Memories creative retreat this summer. After a few attempts, I decided on this pattern, and let me tell you, it was not very popular with some of the ladies I knit with. I got, "What a nice pattern; I would have used a solid yarn," a lot. Yes, they're loud. Yes, the lacey pattern might have looked better in a solid yarn. But I like them, and I think my mom will, too. They're super comfy and the yarn is very nice. If a bit clownish. And I really like the wavy edge at the top.
Pattern: Peaks n Valleys by Besty Lee McCarthy from the book Knit Socks!
Yarn: Brown Sheep Wildfoote, in Rock n Roll, 2 skeins
Needles: US 0, Susan Bates dpns
Modifications: Cast on only 63 stitches, because 72 is big enough to make socks for Kellen; it would have been way too big. Then, just followed the stitch pattern and went from there. It's an easily memorized, two row repeat.
Happy Socktoberfest...only 60 days until Christmas!
First up were these Cabled Footies for Kellen's Stepmom. I've knit this pattern three times now and I'm always pleased with how quickly they knit up and how comfy they are. I got this pair out of only one skein of yarn, and I had enough left over that I probably could have done another cable repeat on each cuff. Good to know, since there may be more of these in my holiday knitting.
Pattern: Cabled Footies by Leigh Radford from the book One Skein.
Needles: US 7 Susan Bates dpns
Yarn: Dark Horse Fantasy, 1 skein
Next up, I finished my mom's socks. (I doubt she's reading this, but if you are Mom, stop!)
Ha! I just realized I took an upclose shot of a glaring error. Oh well, don't judge me. Nonknitters probably won't notice.
These were knit out of yarn my mom and I won (one skein each) at the Handmade Memories creative retreat this summer. After a few attempts, I decided on this pattern, and let me tell you, it was not very popular with some of the ladies I knit with. I got, "What a nice pattern; I would have used a solid yarn," a lot. Yes, they're loud. Yes, the lacey pattern might have looked better in a solid yarn. But I like them, and I think my mom will, too. They're super comfy and the yarn is very nice. If a bit clownish. And I really like the wavy edge at the top.
Pattern: Peaks n Valleys by Besty Lee McCarthy from the book Knit Socks!
Yarn: Brown Sheep Wildfoote, in Rock n Roll, 2 skeins
Needles: US 0, Susan Bates dpns
Modifications: Cast on only 63 stitches, because 72 is big enough to make socks for Kellen; it would have been way too big. Then, just followed the stitch pattern and went from there. It's an easily memorized, two row repeat.
Happy Socktoberfest...only 60 days until Christmas!
Labels: Christmas, FO, socktoberfest
¶ 3:17 PM 1 Comments
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Begining again, in Fall...
I did a bit of remodling on the blog, mainly because I wanted to post larger pictures than my old template allowed. It's not perfect (for one, I can't get my damn flickr badge in the side bar, but I'm learning to let go...) but I think it'll be a nice fresh start for me. It's a gorgeous time of year here, and even though I have four(!) papers due this week, I've been knitting a lot. Christmas is coming! Sorry if that fills you with dread. I'm beyond excited to finish up this stressful semester (even if it seems like it just started) surround myself with some wooly gifts and my family.
Anyway, this is just a post to test out the new look. I hope you like it! I'll be posting later this week (assuming those papers don't kill me) with an update about my Socktoberfest!
I did a bit of remodling on the blog, mainly because I wanted to post larger pictures than my old template allowed. It's not perfect (for one, I can't get my damn flickr badge in the side bar, but I'm learning to let go...) but I think it'll be a nice fresh start for me. It's a gorgeous time of year here, and even though I have four(!) papers due this week, I've been knitting a lot. Christmas is coming! Sorry if that fills you with dread. I'm beyond excited to finish up this stressful semester (even if it seems like it just started) surround myself with some wooly gifts and my family.
Anyway, this is just a post to test out the new look. I hope you like it! I'll be posting later this week (assuming those papers don't kill me) with an update about my Socktoberfest!
Labels: woolly rambles
¶ 10:20 AM 1 Comments
Thursday, October 16, 2008
So it's not Rhinebeck, but...
I always get jealous this time of year reading everyone's Rhinebeck posts and seeing all the gorgeous pictures. The yarn! The foliage! The fiber animals! The blog friends! Well, as a left coast girl, I make do with what I got. Weekend before last, Kellen and I made the nice drive down to Redway for our Natural Fiber Fair.
It was a goreous, rainy autumn weekend, I had a friend covering my shift at work, Kellen wore his cobblestone and got lots of compliments, and I got fiber! My spinning is still slow going, but I'm getting there (if I could quit my job and school, I'd have much more fiber time, but I digress). I got some gorgeous redwoods colored merino, some green romney (I think) wool to spin for Kellen, and beautiful blue and purple angora that I'm saving for when I become a more skilled spinner. It's a small festival (smaller than it has been in the past, too) but it was still really nice. Fun to see my knitting friends there, too. Afterwards, Kellen and I went to Garberville to get lunch and poke around my favorite art shops there. Now that I'm drowning in midterms, it's good to remember these nice autumn weekends. Have fun at Rhinebeck if you're going, I'll try not to be jealous. Afterall, I don't have it so bad. :)
¶ 11:16 PM 1 Comments
It was a goreous, rainy autumn weekend, I had a friend covering my shift at work, Kellen wore his cobblestone and got lots of compliments, and I got fiber! My spinning is still slow going, but I'm getting there (if I could quit my job and school, I'd have much more fiber time, but I digress). I got some gorgeous redwoods colored merino, some green romney (I think) wool to spin for Kellen, and beautiful blue and purple angora that I'm saving for when I become a more skilled spinner. It's a small festival (smaller than it has been in the past, too) but it was still really nice. Fun to see my knitting friends there, too. Afterwards, Kellen and I went to Garberville to get lunch and poke around my favorite art shops there. Now that I'm drowning in midterms, it's good to remember these nice autumn weekends. Have fun at Rhinebeck if you're going, I'll try not to be jealous. Afterall, I don't have it so bad. :)
¶ 11:16 PM 1 Comments
Sunday, October 05, 2008
A Belated Thank You!
To my awesome secret pal!
Mel was my very awesome secret pal for round 12. This was my grand finale package, which arrived just in time for me to have quilts on the brain. All these gorgeous fabrics!! I'm in love. I'm thinking maybe some small patchwork projects and some sock bags? She also sent shrinky dinks, a See's Candy gift certificate, my favorite dishcloth cotton and a dishcloth pattern.
Thanks so much, Mel! I'm sorry it took so long for me to blog, this semester has really kicked me in the ass. I loved having you as a secret pal!
In other news, I think I'm ready to start blogging again. Like I said, my schedule is hectic, but I think what was really holding me back was feeling obligated to blog every project. Then put them on Rav, on Flickr, etc. I've finished quite a few hats and smaller projects during my blog break, but I'm not sure I feel like blogging them. I will direct you to the Rav & Flickr pages, though. Then I'll start fresh blogging what I'm working on for Xmas. But more on that later...
Mel was my very awesome secret pal for round 12. This was my grand finale package, which arrived just in time for me to have quilts on the brain. All these gorgeous fabrics!! I'm in love. I'm thinking maybe some small patchwork projects and some sock bags? She also sent shrinky dinks, a See's Candy gift certificate, my favorite dishcloth cotton and a dishcloth pattern.
Thanks so much, Mel! I'm sorry it took so long for me to blog, this semester has really kicked me in the ass. I loved having you as a secret pal!
In other news, I think I'm ready to start blogging again. Like I said, my schedule is hectic, but I think what was really holding me back was feeling obligated to blog every project. Then put them on Rav, on Flickr, etc. I've finished quite a few hats and smaller projects during my blog break, but I'm not sure I feel like blogging them. I will direct you to the Rav & Flickr pages, though. Then I'll start fresh blogging what I'm working on for Xmas. But more on that later...
Labels: secret pal, Sewing
¶ 11:48 AM 1 Comments
