Knitting socks in Alaska, anyone?

I was just thinking to myself.... What should our next knitting excursion be??? Well, we did SAFF on my coast, so what could we do on the left coast? And as the fates would have it-- I stumbled onto this post at Amy Singer of Knitty's blog. What do you think?

P.S. ...not just knitting socks in Alaska but knitting them with Amy Singer and Brenda Dayne!

Clapotis Number 1 - Dawn

So I've decided that I just love knitting Clapotis. So much so that I'm currently on Number 2 and have plans for a number 3. There's just something about dropping those stitches that I just love.



Clapotis Number 1 is made from the Mohair I bought at SAFF. The thing is so long that I can wrap is 3 times and if I just hang it over my neck it touches the floor on both sides. I've had people offer me money on the street for it and not just a couple bucks either, but the answer is NO No No it is mine mine mine, that is until I give it away to someone I love, though first I'll wear it to test it out for a year or two. Here it is hanging off the walkway in front of our condo door. Don't you just love how the colors come out. Ooh la la.

Clapotis number 2 is being made with the rest of my Golden Chai from Art Fibers. I decided that another garment that will grow exponentially should definitely be a shawl. I don't have a picture of it yet but maybe tomorrow. The tee that I made first with the Golden Chai will be altered but I haven't figured out how. I don't want to frog it, but given its current size (which is way bigger than I ever want to be) I won't be wearing it anytime soon.


Let's become pattern writers. I've got lots of ideas, just haven't had the motivation, but if I'm working on it with you then I'll have to find the motivation.

Did I tell you I've been offered a promotion? Director

It's not solid yet but yikes, hopefully soon I'll be a Director. HAH!

In the meantime I can't wait to see what you decide to make with the Briarose. I've been salivating over that yarn and with your graduation I finally had a good reason to splurge. Glad you like it.

The Bug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after years and years and yes YEARS, I've finally gotten my bug and it is a sassy (Salsa) red beauty. I'm definitely lovin' it and have taken to driving up and down the beach on my way to and from work. It's a shorter drive not to, but damn with the top down (YES it is a convertible) and the ocean right there. I can almost forget about the millions of people that I live with in Los Angeles.

And not only is it a bug and beautiful, but it has been adorned with the perfect license plate for which I have received many compliments. One young woman, probably 20 years old asked me as I was getting out of the car if I knit. I said, "Yes, I'm an obsessive knitter." She raised her fist straight up, kicked out one leg and said, "Yea!" Other women have mouthed "Cute plates" as I drive by and even better I've been quietly walking around in my favorite yarn store and a group of women came in and asked loudly, " Who's the Yarn Lover?" Ha! Many of the people in the store said, "I am!" but I'm the one with the license plate. HA! Do you think I'm crazy yet.

This is the skein that never ends...

Thank-you sooooo much for the beautiful Briar Rose Fibers bundle of woolly goodness. It's 1500yards! It barely fit in my mailbox! The first night me and kitty (and that big man) literally curled up and went to sleep with it! Soooo exciting! Right now, it's laid up in the pile of pillows... What to knit? What to knit?

Things I am considering include the Starfish shawl from Knitting Nature or two projects that I would have to create myself... One being a live-in cardigan with a cabled yolk and pockets based on one that my friend M. got at a thrift store years ago (so at least I have a template) or a wrap that I have in my head. Have you ever seen those wrap/sweaters that are just big rectangles with arm holes made for sleeves? You can just throw the sides of the rectangle around you like a scarf... The edges of the rectangle make a shawl-like collar... I sketched one based on measurements I took off of a wrap like this I saw at a wedding. I have also considered doing a lovely lace triangular shawl... which is something I've never attempted. What to knit? What to knit? Are you interested in designing a pattern with me?

The Lacy Skirt With Bows... is right where I left her. I haven't even cast-on for the back of the skirt. I also haven't heard from Yarn Market about the mystery skein of mismatched yarn. Witness: Exhibit A...

I do, however, have a pile of socks to show... I finished the red socks and have lovingly nicknamed them the Red Clown Socks. I used some scraps leftover from socks I knit for my father-in-law several Christmases ago. See? Moving all those boxes labeled "WIPs" and "Yarn Leftovers" was well-worth the effort! The benefits of stash... It's not always about stash acquisition... sometimes, we actually knit from the stash and the scraps...

If all of these images indicate that I am still pretty much in bed... well, then they would be telling the truth. But, hey, there's a lot that can be accomplished from bed these days... I'm awaiting my test date for NCLEX and trying to keep my nose to the grindstone for just a few more days. It seems like there can never be enough studying... So when do you stop trying to cram all of nursing school into a week or two? Here is the image that keeps me working and thinking positively.... The three pins are from my nursing school, my godmother/aunt's and my grandmothers. They passed down their nursing pins to me on the night of my pinning ceremony.... I am so proud to be carrying on the tradition of nursing with these two generations of women.

Behold, Red Clown Socks! What do you think?

I have gotten out of bed for a thing or two this morning... to make a latte and to start a snack in the big, red pot... Wondering what's cooking???

Boiled Peanuts!

And I almost forgot... I cast on for Eunny Jang's Entrelac Socks yesterday afternoon on my way to Charleston... I fiddled with the cast-on and getting in the swing of knitting entrelac in the round for some time... As you can see, I didn't get too much accomplished for a three+ hour round-trip car ride. Here's what I have to show...

I've been Knitting Hats

Here are a couple hats made out of Baby Camel, Stone Soup, and Shalee rovings. The solid one is for my bother-in-law, Ted and the striped is for his lovely wife my twin sister. Too bad I didn't have them ready while it was still cold. Ah Well, there's always next winter.

I enjoyed the hat thing so much that I just kept going. I also made an obnoxious, huge vest out of this yarn, which I might end up frogging. It has no shaping and is just a big bag.

What's up for spinning. Well let's see ...


Silk/Merino roving from Willitis that I found in a local yarn store. It was a dream spinning it up, but who knows what I'll do with it. Just one skein at probably a sport weight.


Here is a bit of baby alpaca plied with a bit of merino top. I'll probably get two skeins out of it.

Old Camera to New Camera

Back in January I took these pictures of my Candle Flame shawl with my old camera. Blurry, blurry blurry. The color of this shawl is beautiful, but the camera doesn't do it justice.

I also have home improvement photos for you. These taken with the old camera. This is the closet in our spare room. We decided it was just a waste of space and a place that we would just hide stuff. So we ripped it out! Now what to do. The plan is to use a third of the space for a closet and then make the rest a "built in." Perhaps the entertainment space. Who knows. We'll figure it out.

This is the Laundry Closet. Oh how I love having my own washer and dryer. No more laundry mats for me. At least not until this washer and dryer give out. Since this picture was taken we have put up shelves and its looking oh so organized. Love that Container Store.

Now for the new pictures...

The organized laundry closet.

The new corner closet.

Half'a Lacy Skirt

I've made some progress on the Lacy Skirt (pictured here without bows.) The front panel is complete. This project is very soothing to knit. I memorized the simple lace after about four rows, and the skirt is mostly boring stockinette stitch. I have had some difficulty with the yarn for this project because I changed pattern sizes in midstream. I contacted the Yarn Market to order a fifth skein and what came in the mail could not have been the Daktari Cappuccino colorway. It was a greeny-gold color! Yikes! I sent it back... I think it may have been a mislabeled skein of Twisted Sister's Black Gold colorway. I hope, hope, hope I do not have difficulties with this fifth skein! I want to finish this project so I can begin something new. I can't believe I ever thought I would have her finished by LEAF... Now I'm just shooting to have it completed by our honeymoon to Peru! I can't wait to see what Peru is like from a knitter's perspective. Any what handknits to pack? Certainly some handknit socks for hiking and being in the mountains... Clapotis... and hopefully my new skirt. I think socks are the perfect travelling project.

Next in my queue (what I'm hinting around the house about as my birthday present) is the Lacy Hug Me Tight from Knit 2 Together. I thought this book was going to be some kind of joke when I saw the cover... I was so surprised to see how beautiful the projects were inside.

I haven't decided if I want to go the affordable route (Knit Picks Elegance) or the suggested Blue Sky Alpaca Silk. I want a cream, gray, beige, or faint pink color... I've seen several beautiful versions on craftster.org. Have you listened to the new Knit Picks podcast? I enjoy Kelley Petkun's voice. How can I get a job there?! I miss the northwest-- I'd go back in a skinny minute. What perfect knitter's weather. I also recently signed up for the waiting list for Ravelry. I was so disappointed when I tried to post a pic of the finished Rusted Root on Craftster, it said that I had not posted enough times to have picture privileges! AH!

I have so many good books in the queue at the library... I'm waiting on No Sheep for You by Amy Singer of Knitty, Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel of Glampyre Knits, and the new Koigu book, Knits from a Painter's Palette. I can't wait for some new inspiration...

Also, tomorrow night I'm going to see Sarah Lee Guthrie (the granddaughter of the late, great Woody Guthrie and the daughter of Arlo Guthrie) and her husband Johnny Irion in Columbia tomorrow night!

Rusted Root Debut

here is rusted root in all her glory.... but not modeled by moi. Ah, the joy of the dressform-- I wish I were as curvy as my dressform!

Pattern: Rusted Root from Zephyr Style in size small

Yarn: 6 skeins Pima Tencel by Cascade Yarns in color #7013 (teal)

Knitting Things Done Time: St Patty's Day to April 29, 2007

Modifications: I substituted the yarn based on what I could get for barter at my LYS. Also, I knitted it longer than the pattern suggested, so I wouldn't be constantly tugging at it. I knitted the sleeves flat and worked them back and forth in rows instead of in the round... this was because I didn't have the required needles... not really for design purposes. I knitted more ribbing on the sleeves than suggested. The ribbing on the sleeves and at the hips was worked using #3 needles instead of #4 because I was using what I had. I had a friend do a single crochet around the neckline instead of the suggested ribbing because I wanted to keep the romantic, wider necklice.

Comments: Lovely! I wish my sleeves were poofier however... Also, the yarn was shedding while I knitted, so I am somewhat concerned about how the garment will hold up.

Findings

I stopped by my LYS yesterday while I was in town for the pinning ceremony practice. You can probably tell where this story is going... Several new things from Cascade had arrived and I went home with some serious yardage.

I adored this somewhat conservative striped sock yarn when I saw it knitted up at a yarn store in Asheville, NC back in April. I think it would make a nice unisex pair of socks for Dana and me.

Also I decided it was time to knit a sweater for the husband, since the boyfriend curse no longer applies. Here's what I got for the "River Forest Gansey" from Handknit Holidays.

I thought this design was one of the most handsome textured sweater patterns I've seen for men. It's complex enough to hold my interest, but doesn't look to fierce to tackle. I will even do a gauge swatch for this project!

My new Summer IK arrived in the mail yesterday, and I have to say that I'm not interested in knitting many items from it. However, I was excited about the toe-up sock article. My favorite design is actually the sleeveless tuxedo shirt.

There is probably no way that the Lacy Skirt With Bows will be ready for LEAF. I'm only to the stockinette portion of the front panel. I will keep knitting and see...

Here are my findings: these wonderful buckets came from an abandoned trailer in the woods! Two of them are not "sea worthy" so they will probably be containers for herbs and tomatoes this summer.

Also my sister gave me this early birthday present that she found in the woods, as well. I love this mirror and want to keep it in its rustic form... We decided that we like the negative space on the bottom. It may hang over the bed? I'm not sure where to put it yet... It does need a little more TLC. Don't look to closely or you'll find me out in the yard in my pajamas...

In my next post, I'll give you the tour of my new house...

Let Knitting Season Begin

---Short Post---- with more to come later.

You are inspirational!

Don't frog the red, I like them too much

I'm knitting my second clapotis (Gold chai silk)

Rogue will never be done

2 pairs of socks started and nothing finished.

Bring on the vacation and some prime knitting.

I'm headed to Ohio at the end of this month to the Great Lake Fiber Show.

My mom and I are going and poor Jeff and my Dad are getting dragged along.

Hopefully, I'll have a new camera to send pictures.

The Sock Sitch

I have two pairs of socks on the needles right now, and two new balls of sock yarn waiting patiently in the wings.

This red striped yarn was leftovers given to me by a non-sock knitting friend... and I don't have enough to finish this pair! I'm wondering if I should steal some yarn from the completed sock to have enough to work up to the toe of the second sock... and then use something from my stash to complete the toes of them both? Or should I frog these and knit up some baby socks?

Next up, we have a pair of my standard 4x4 socks in Trekking XXL. These will be a birthday gift for my friend Rana, who was my college roommate at the University of Ghana. Socks might seem like an unlikely gift for a girl who's birthday is in June and who currently lives in Hawaii... But at least I don't have to worry that they might be a duplicate gift! I've been meaning to knit her socks for a year or more, and I think she'll love the look of the Trekking.

Here are my two beauties, waiting to become socks for moi. I'm going to try to save the new Opal-- it came in the mail yesterday, can you believe? I highly recommend shopping with these folks!-- for my honeymoon. The Opal will probably be more of the 4x4 ribbed socks. My plan for theTrekking XXL is to knit Eunny Jang's entrelac socks that were in the Spring IK. I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough to attempt this project, but I want to give it a try. I picked up the instructions yesterday, and quickly put them back in the bedside table drawer... I don't even know how/have never heard of the method of cast-on, even! I've only completed one entrelac project, and it was not knit in the round... also I've never made socks from the toe-up! Yes, I'm probaby in over my head. Know of any good tutorials on the toe-up method?

Have you gotten your summer Interweave Knits yet? Any projects that spark your fancy? I've been checking the mail with my fingers crossed, but no-go yet...

I want to start knitting some more interesting socks, rather than the old-standby 4x4 rib cuff that I always make. I was thinking of attempting something in lace, but I don't want to be staring at a chart the whole time. Socks are what I knit when I don't want to have to think about what I'm doing. Can you recommend any simple lacy sock patterns?

Finally, here's my new knitting nook that overlooks the lake... It's a really beautiful spot to be relaxed and productive at the same time. Pardon my ratty old chair-- Dana and I are the opposite of the old couple stereotype-- I had to fight tooth and nail for the chair not to end up at the dump when we moved!

I decided to rip-back the Lacy Skirt With Bows. I laid out my favorite hand-sewn skirt and measured the hips and the length, and it was more like the medium version. Here is a quick picture I snapped while I was in the process of tearing the small size apart... My goal is to complete the skirt before LEAF, which gives me approximately one week. I know that sounds ambitious, but remember that I don't have nursing school to interfere with my knitting anymore! If I knit Clapotis in a week, I think I can pull this off. Wish me luck!

Almost a Knurse!

Today is my last day of nursing school! I'm in the media center right now, doing the last five hours of NCLEX-RN review that is required to graduate.... and doing some bad, bad internet yarn shopping... you know what that means... I just bought this fabulous sock yarn, inspired by the socks knitted up at this blog. More sock yarn is probably the last thing I need, but I could not resist this beauty. I saw that many websites had it back-ordered-- I panicked-- and clicked "purchase."

I got the 75% wool/25% polyamide blend that is knitted up on #1 needles. I have found that the sock yarns with large percentages of cotton fade badly... but maybe this is because I was washing them in the machine, a habit I have abandoned.

I have two skeins of Trekking XXL sock yarn to finish knitting before I can start these!

What's knitting? I have finished Rusted Root-- pictures to come!-- and have knitted about 11 inches of the front of the "Lacy Skirt With Bows" from Greetings from the Knit Cafe. After some consideration, I decided I should knit the medium size instead of the small. It looks like a child's garment on my needles. Also, I want a more A-line fit. I have found lots of helpful information at the blog Mind of Winter. She knitted the small size in the same yarn I am using, Twisted Sisters Daktari cotton. I think we are about the same size, but I don't want a fitted-look... I think I have some frogging to do...

Also, we booked our flight for the belated honeymoon to Peru! I'm so excited-- and you know one of the first thoughts to pop into my head, "What should I pack to knit?" Perhaps, my new Opal Hundertwasser socks?