FO: Desperation Tea Cosy

I started the second sleeve of my Henley Perfected, and just as I was finishing the 60th row of stockinette, I realized that I hadn't switched to the larger needle when I was supposed to, some 55 rows back. Ugh. There's been a lot of knitting going on in the past few weeks, and very little of it has been retained.

So I figured I needed a small, quick project to refocus my mind and hopefully shake off the bout of bad knitting that's been plaguing me this month. Here's my aptly named Desperation Tea Cosy:



Project: Cashmere Tea Cozy, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, grape, 1.4 skeins

Needle: 5.0 mm bamboo straight

It hasn't seen action yet, but I imagine it will function just fine as a tea cozy. It could easily do double duty as a beanie too; I stuck it on my head for fun, and aside from the dorkiness of the gathered ends, it fits very well!

FO: Kaylee Blue

Project: Kaylee by Monkey Toes (pattern not currently available)

Yarn: Opal 6-ply, shades of blue

Needle: 2.25 mm (US size 1) 32" fixed circular

I knit 12 pattern repeats in total, and went with 12 rows of 2x2 ribbing for the cuff. On the first sock I bound off in the ribbing pattern, and the second sock was a sewn bind-off. I have trouble getting the first sock on, so the stretchier sewn bind-off is definitely the better choice for me.

These are super comfy socks with a bit of heft to them, and the lace provides some ventilation without sacrificing any warmth. I really like the pairing of the self-patterning yarn with the simple lace.

FO: Ms Marigold

Project: Ms Marigold, size 34

Yarn: 3.5 skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed, rust colourway

Needle: 3.75 mm Denise circular, 3.25 mm bamboo circular, G crochet hook

Techniques: picking up and knitting a neckband, crochet edging.

Mods: Added two rows of increases for some very slight waist shaping. Went with just a simple single crochet around the armholes, which finishes the edge nicely without bringing too much attention to it.

Try on your garment with its intended outfit! When I just fitted the vest over a t-shirt, I was really disappointed with the width of the back; it looked too narrow, and the armholes looked weird no matter what kind of edging I attempted. However, when I tried the vest on over a white long-sleeved work blouse, I was very pleased with the result. Now I see that the back and armholes are constructed so that the fabric of the shirt doesn't bunch up underneath.

I haven't blocked it yet, but on review, I probably should have knit the 36" size. The fabric is pretty stretchy, but the V is a bit wider than I would like it to be.

I spent a week procrastinating on weaving in the ends and sewing up the bottom of the neckline. It took less than an hour to finish this thing. Duh.

The Silky Tweed is a great yarn to work with, but unfortunately it's been discontinued. I wouldn't mind knitting another one of these in a semi-solid wool to wear casually with a pair of jeans. An excellent project all around!

FO: Daffodil Socks

The Daffodil socks are done!



Project: Basic toe-up sock.

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi, Daffodil colourway, probably 2/3 of a skein.

Needle: Knitpicks 32" fixed circular, size 0 (2 mm).

My basic toe-up sock goes like this: 24 stitch magic cast on, increase 4 stitches every other row to 64 stitches. 44 rows of stockinette, then 8 wraps on each side. 15 rows of stockinette on the ankle, then 10 rows of 2x2 ribbing, sewn bind off.

I have dorky duck feet: 8.5 inches in length, but a wacky 4 inches across at the widest part. These measurements give me a nice sock that are perfect for wearing at home.

FO: Monkeying Around Socks

Put these through the washer and dryer today, and took a picture:



Project: The Crazy Monkeys, based on Cookie A's pattern.

Yarn: Jojoland Melody Superwash, significantly less than 2 skeins.

Needle: Knitpicks 32" fixed circular, size 0 (2 mm).

Notes: I really like the look of this yarn, but found it too splitty for my taste. I kept catching extra strands of the stitch in front of the one that I was knitting, which is not a usual thing for me. Superwash, though, is definitely the way to go as far as socks are concerned; I have enough to do handwashing various items for work wear, let alone having to add socks to the mix. Per the picture, one of them really is slightly longer than the other: an unfortunate side effect of not having sock blockers, I think. Whatever. This so does not bother me.

It was fun to see the simple lace pattern appear, although I am apparently not yet smart enough to memorize the 8-row pattern repeat. It's always good to try out a new technique, and this time around I learned how to do a gusset and heel flap from the bottom up. Interesting, but the result was not quite as snug a fit as the short row heel I did on my previous pair of socks. I think I may need to pick up a sock pattern book soon to learn a little more about sock construction and fit.

This project has gotten me firmly hooked on knitting socks, so yay for that! I usually wear cheap cotton ankle socks, the ones you get at the drugstore for $2 a pair, but I rather like the idea of having a pair of handknit socks for every day of the week. Maybe someday I'll even sign up for the 52 Pair Plunge. :)

Another year, another set of resolutions

I've been posting my projects on Ravelry and woefully neglecting my little blog here. To sum up December, I did manage to clear everything off the needles before the end of the year, adding to my finished items list a little hat for my nephew:



And a pair of socks for me:



And a couple of garter stitch dishcloths for the kitchen:



It is very clear to me that I have no actual need to purchase yarn in the foreseeable future, so my knitting resolutions this year all center around stash management and reduction. I'm going to try to stick to a few rules:

1. Put a moratorium on yarn purchases for the first three months of the year. I can best accomplish by avoiding yarn browsing both online and in-store.

2. Publish monthly knitting goals, and document my progress on achieving them. Ravelry is an awesome tool for managing your stash and project ideas, and the blog is a great way to track actual movement.

3. Set aside some daylight time on the weekends to get some decent FO photos in natural light.

FO: Nomad Man

This is my brother's Christmas scarf. He shaves his head, and he lives in one of those Christmas-y towns where they have actual snowdrifts, so I'm thinking he'll get some good use out of it.

I have to say, I wasn't caught by the pattern when I first saw it, but it was fun and super easy to finish.



Project: Nomad Hat and Scarf, Interweave Knits, Fall 2007
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky, forest green, 7 balls
Needle: size 9, 10.5 and 11 circulars

Notes: Didn't bother with the Emily Ocker cast on, and accidentally knit the first 50 rows of the second scarf end with a size 9 needle instead of moving up to the 10.5. Surprisingly, it makes almost no difference, and will certainly make no difference when it's blocked. Hurrah for crazy loose gauge!

FO: wrist warmers!

These are lovely, and completed just as the weather has gone from refreshing to uncomfortably crisp:



Project: Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, 1.5 balls
Needle: US 6 circulars
Notes: Cast on 28 stitches for a snug fit, and three patterns repeats instead of two.

First Christmas gift of the season - done!

Yep, I got going again on the scarf this week. Train knitting rocks! People are fascinated by the concept of variegated yarn, and will not hesitate to talk to you about it. I gave my yarn label to a girl wearing a lovely basketweave scarf. Spread the Noro love!

Tonight I had a rare couple of free hours, so I sat down and finished off the scarf for my brother's fiancee. And here's my first attempt at modelling:



Project: My So-Called Scarf
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, colourway 164, 3 balls
Needle: US 11 circular

I suppose I should airbrush that chin zit-in-waiting...

Alive, and with a photo!

The project was completed over a month ago, a picture was taken over three weeks ago, but I'm a dork and things have been busy. Not the best shot of my completed capelet, but it does show the colour most accurately:

It's warm, and the Cashmerino Chunky feels very luxurious. Alas, I'm allergic to it. I'll keep it handy to wear over a long-sleeved shirt when it gets cold and we're skimping on heat in the house, but it's not something I can wear with a tight-fitting t-shirt or tank top.