Starting a major project

When I bought Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn (hereafter referred to as KSHY) by  Carol Sulcoski, my first thought was “I want to knit all the socks in this book.” Now, I wasn’t jazzed about all the patterns but thought knitting all of them would be fun. I even thought I could knit them all from stash. So, I thought about this project and did nothing. Looking at the copyright date, I’m shocked to see the book came out in 2008; I’m pretty sure it was late 2008 but that is still over a year and half ago.

Thinking about starting blogging again made me think about this project. I still wanted to do it and it made sense as a blogging theme. Coincidentally, SKA on Ravelry is having a Fair Isle month. One project mentioned was Spot Check Sock by Beth Parrot. I thought it might be from the Little Box of Socks, but it turns out it is from KSHY. It seems the stars are aligned on this one. It is time to start my KSHY project.

Here are my guidelines. I will knit all the socks from KSHY using yarn from my stash. In terms of this project, I’m including yarns purchased before 7/4/10. If I have a yarn that is used in the book, I will use it for that sock. I have quite a few which is one of the reasons I initially thought this project might work. There is no time limit nor project monogamy. I will try to have one of the KSHY socks on my needles at all times, but I can certainly work on other socks. Project monogamy kills my progress, so I’m not going there. KSHY has 21 socks; I have some knitting ahead of me!

Putting my needles where my mouth is, here is the start of my first KSHY project, the aforementioned Spot Check Sock (rav link):

I started this yesterday and have made a lot of progress. I’m using Knit Picks Stroll Handpainted in Make Believe and Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed in Grasshopper (Stroll and Essential are the same yarn; Knit Picks changed the name from Essential to Stroll). I like how it is turning out. I bought the Make Believe because it reminded me of a green and purple polo top I had as a kid. There is actually quite a lot of blue as well. I think it works well with the Grasshopper. Not a bad start to this major project!

Yikes

Wow. No posts since Sept 2009; not a very good track record. I know I’ve said it before (and will probably say it again), but I’m going to try to be better about writing here. We’ll see how long it lasts! I hope I can remember how to do all this!

Here is a mosaic of finished objects from my blogging hiatus:

Oh, I left out this beauty:

This the Milkweed Shawl in Handmaiden Casbah in Agate. I finished just as the weather warmed up, but I was able to wear it to work one day. I can see why small shawls are so popular; it kept my neck very warm and looked pretty stylish. I’ve already started my next small shawl, Gaenor, in STR lightweight in Brick:

These things are addicting!

Lots o’ Progress

Once again I start a post with “Dear Neglected blog.” Oops! There has been a lot of knitting progress going on at Peaches and Trev. To wit:

Fly Eagles Fly socks–and yes, I get that silly song in my head every time I look at these socks.

Deets:

• Pattern: Gusset Heel Basic Socks by Wendy Johnson (Rav link)
• Needles: 2.75 mm
• Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport, Team Spirit #8
• Time: 8/23 – 9/23

I used a 3 X 1 rib for the pattern. I used Wendy’s basic gusset heel sock and I like the heel. Basically, you increase stitches and then turn the heel. No picking up stitches, no wrapping stitches–clean and simple. I think I’m really getting a handle on this toe-up stuff. These socks fit very well. I think they will get some use this football season!

I also finished my first Labyrinth sock, also a toe-up Wendy Johnson sock. This one is for the SKA September challenge: Wendy Johnson and yellow yarn. And, boy, is this yarn yellow:

I’m using Yoyo Cashport String, a sportweight merino, cashmere, nylon blend. I love this yarn! I used it for a scarf last year. It is very soft and cushy.

I’m making slow progress on the SKA Sep 09 Mystery Sock. All the clues are out, but I’m just about to finish clue 2.

I’m using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock. This is my first time using the fingering weight and I like it. It is a very fine fingering weight, similar to Knit Picks Essential now known as Stroll.

Finally, I’ve embarked on another shawl project.

This time I’m using sock yarn and not laceweight and I like it much better. The pattern is the Milkweed Shawl by Laura Chau. I’m using Handmaiden Casbah in the Agate colorway–yummy! I’m really hoping to keep up the momentum up on this shawl–I need something to wrap around my neck now that fall weather is here.  This little number will be perfect!

Quick FO

There’s nothing like chunky yarn for instant gratification knitting:

Deets:

• Pattern: Top Down Ear Flap Hat from One More Skein by Leigh Radford
• Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Yarns, Chunky Weight, John B.
• Needles: 6.5 mm (US 10.5) magic loop
• Time: 9/5-9/6
• Notes: Quick easy pattern; my first top down hat. I really love this colorway and will probably buy it in sock weight. Very fall like and it will match very well with my red barn coat. Plus, this was a one skein project–love those!

I’ve also started a few new sock projects:

A gusset heel basic sock from Wendy Johnson in Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport Team Spirit.

And, Labyrinth Socks from Socks from the Toe Up.  I’ve messed up the pattern a bit, so I’ll need to rip back. These is a super cushy sock so far–love that sportweight yarn!

Socks no more

I finally pulled the trigger and frogged two sock projects. I’m now down to 4 (!) current socks with one in hibernation. Of course, Sept 1 is right around the corner and I have 2 new cast ons planned for the September SKA sockdown.

Here are the casualties:

Buds & Butterflies (Rav link) by Chrissy Gardiner; I liked this sock and loved the yarn (Fleece Artist Sea Wool), just wasn’t sure the two belonged together. This was from the Knit Purl sock club. I felt the lace pattern was lost in the yarn; and, if I am being completely honest, found the 16 row (if I remember correctly) lace pattern tedious. So, I ripped it out. I think the yarn may become a Silk Kerchief (Rav link).

Annetrelac socks (Rav link) by Sandy Beadle; This was my first attempt at entrelac and I eventually go the hang of it. However, I lost my mojo. I will definitely try this pattern again; SKA has another entrelac challenge next Feb. I want to try it in a different colorway or yarn. The pattern calls for Schaefer Anne and that is what this yarn is, but this colorway is more muted and doesn’t have the color blocks to make each triangle a different color. I may use this yarn to try Damson (Rav link). Schaefer Anne has incredible yardage, so a shawl will be a nice fit for the yarn.

While it was a little painful to rip these socks out, I feel less sock guilt. Having neglected projects gets me a little down and knitting should be fun. I plan to face facts more often when I don’t like a sock in progress, unless I have one finished. Then, I have to finish the second–I’m looking at you Order from Chaos socks!

Freckle Ribs finished

Here are my finished Freckle Ribs:

Deets:

• Lacy Rib Socks (Rav link) by Wendy Johnson in Socks from the Toe Up
• Needles: 2.25 mm 32 inch circ, Magic loop
• Yarn: STR lightweight, Freckles
• Dates: 4/18 – 8/16/2009
• Notes: The second sock really flew by. I’m pretty pleased with how these turned out–they fit pretty well except in the toe. I had to go down to the small size to get the lace pattern to fit and I think I needed a bigger toe. I need to find my toe preference for toe up socks. I liked doing this heel–short row with heel flap–and I feel a little more confident picking up the wraps. I somehow picked up a non-wrap which made one heel look a little funky–oops! I think I will try a garter short row heel for my next toe ups.

Speaking of my next pair of toe ups:

Sadly, this sock was ripped back. My nemesis for toe up socks–too big in the foot. I’m so used to starting with 72 stitches for cuff down, I will start my toe ups to get to that stitch count. So, I need to remember that from now on. The yarn is STR lightweight, Incredible Shrinking Violet. I’m not normally a purple person, but this color is very pretty. There is a very nice blue mixed in with the purples–very striking.

Progress

I finished the first Freckle Rib sock.

I mentioned before my issues with this sock. I’m still working on mastering toe-up socks. In my first attempt, I made it past the heel and up the leg before deciding it was way too big. So, I frogged it and started with the medium size. I got midway through the foot before deciding it was too big. So, I ripped back and started with the small size. I had to rip that back, because I started doing the pattern on the sole stitches instead of knitting it plain. I finally figured it all out and finished it. This stitch pattern is extremely stretchy.

I think I should have started the gusset a few rows earlier than I did . Figuring out that part of toe up socks remains a challenge. I think more practice will help. Also, I messed up the short row heel a bit–just in one place, so I didn’t rip it back. All in all, I pleased with this sock and am going to cast on the second one right away.

Little Bubbles finished!

Phew. After a long slog, the Little Bubbles sweater is finally finished:

Deets:

• 5/22 – 8/2 (actual knitting finished 7/6)
• Little Bubbles Baby Sweater from KnitPicks
• KnitPicks Comfy Sport in Cashew, Honey Dew, Creme Brulee, Ivory and Sea Foam
• 3.00 mm KnitPicks options

I thought this pattern was easy and quick to knit. Quick to finish–not so much. There are a lot of ends to weave in. I tried to do them as I went along which helped.

I really procrastinated with finding the buttons, because I knew I would find sewing them on to be a pain. Surprisingly, that aspect wasn’t too bad. I found some buttons that seem to work and stitched them on. I decided to leave the top button off as it seems to balance the bottom band. I’m sure you would never button the top button anyway, so why put it on!

The KnitPicks Comfy Sport was very nice to work with. It is very soft and moves easily on the needles. I like the color combination in my kit (neutrals). I would definitely try this yarn again.

All in all, I’m happy with this project. I think my next baby knit will be a Baby Surprise Jacket in some sock yarn; I’ve been wanting to try this pattern for a long time.

Sock decision # 1

Earlier this month, I mentioned that I needed to make a decision on some socks in progress. I gathered up my courage and frogged one of them:

Before

After

Back in May, I wrote about a sinking sensation I had with this sock. I knew it was too big but thought I would keep going. Well, I tried it on again and decided the process of finishing a sock that wouldn’t be wearable wasn’t worth it.

I have since started the sock twice more–I dropped down to 64 stitches and it was still too big. I’m now trying it with 56 stitches. If it is still too big, I’m going to skip the pattern on the foot and just start it for the leg. The lacy ribs pattern is super stretchy which will be nice for the leg portion of the sock, but apparently, not so nice for the foot.

I’m still loving the colorway (Freckles). Such an interesting mix of colors that just works. I’m also continuing to master the Turkish cast on. Hopefully, I will get the size right and finish a pair of socks.

Afraid of heights…

Then don’t look at these pictures:

My feet on “The Ledge,” the new attraction at the then Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower). Yikes!

Here’s a shot of the view straight down while out on the Ledge. Double Yikes. I had to take a deep breath before I stepped out onto it. It is a clear cube that sticks out from the 103rd floor sky deck (there are 3 of them).

Here is a picture I took from the Chicago River that I cropped to show the Ledge (thank you 10 megapixels!):

For some reason it only looks like there are three cubes, but there is another one to the far right of the picture. No one is out there, so that might be why it doesn’t appear (it was cordoned off while we were up there). Update: Looking at other pictures on Flickr, it does appear to only be 3 cubes. Perhaps the area cordoned off is going to be another cube at some point. At any rate, pretty darn cool!

Just to give some perspective on how tall the Sears Tower is:

This was taken from the Chicago River from a boat tour.

In addition to having been in Chicago, I finished the Holidazed socks:

Deets:

• Holidazed by Anne Hanson (Rav link)
• 2.75 mm dpn
• STR Mediumweight, Muddy Autumn Rainbow (Rockin’ Sock Club Nov 08)
• May 9 – Jul 15

I enjoyed knitting these socks, especially once I got a feel for the pattern repeats. I loved watching the colors appear next to each other as I knit. I love this colorway and I have a little left to use for something else. STR continues to be one of my favorite yarns, regardless of the weight. Luckily, I have a lot more to knit!