Plays With Yarn

Elise is now available through the Ravelry store!

This sock was born when my research advisor was having health problems and found commercial socks to be uncomfortable. I experimented with stretchy stitch patterns, and this is what I came up with! Sadly she passed away in 2008, but the pattern is named in her honor.

The pictured sock is worked in Shibui Sock in Periwinkle.

For the month of February, all proceeds from the sale of this pattern will be donated to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.

(Note: this is unbelievably exciting to me.  Humbling, too.)

The best part?  I finished both of these on the same day!

Pattern: Foliage, from Knitty
Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Taos, color 11, a bit less than one ball
Needles: Some generic bamboo DPNs I had kicking around, 4 size 7 and 1 size 8 (I hate knitting on 3 DPNs, hence the random size 8), and size 5 set of 5 for the ribbing
Started: January 20
Finished: February 3
Mods:  None!  I mean, I didn’t switch to circs when the pattern told me to, but that’s not really a mod.

For a lace hat, this is surprisingly warm.  I wore it today when ForecastFox told me it was 6 below, and my head felt lovely.

Pattern: Ruffle Rib Booties, from IK’s Better than Booties article
Yarn: Trekking XXL leftover from the Copy and Paste socks
Needles: KP Harmony 2.25mm DPNs
Started: January 28
Finished: February 3
Mods:  Wrapped short row heel instead of the YO short row heel.
52 Pair Plunge 2 count: 24/52

No, I’m not pregnant (this is directed at you, Natalie! *grin*).  I’m just trying to use up some leftovers.  I sent out 2 packages of leftover sock yarns a few weeks ago to people who are making sock yarn blankets, and I *still* have a backpack full of them.  Wee Tiny Socks only go so far, you know!

I’m feeling the urge to start a new sweater, and I’ve narrowed my options down to two (links go to Ravelry, either pattern or yarn in my stash):

Skinny Empire in Rowan Felted Tweed in a dark gray-blue:

• Pros: Short sleeved and smaller gauge/thinner yarn, so I’ll be able to wear it when I finish it rather than putting it away for next winter.  (Well, as long as I finish it sometime before June.)  Smaller needles, so it’ll be more comfortable on my hands.  Actually knitting something out of one of my many knitting books.
• Cons: Fitted sweater + Weight Watchers = either guessing about future size or having a sweater that won’t fit for long.  Will probably have to fiddle with short rows at the bust, so may cause cussing that can be heard for miles.

Central Park Hoodie in Cascade Eco+ in a very sunny yellow color:

• Pros: YELLOW.  It’s a slouchy sweater, so fewer sizing woes.  I love hoodies.  Actually knitting something out of one of my many knitting magazines.
• Cons: Larger needles, so less comfortable on my used-to-sock-yarn hands.  I’ll finish it just in time for it to get too warm to wear it.  Not looking forward to winding 500-yard balls of yarn.

If it were your decision, what would you do?

It takes forever for me to finish a spinning project.  I try to be spinning-monogamous (unlike my knitting projects), which means boredom sets in and I let things sit for a while between steps.  This all means I don’t have much finished spinning to show off, so when I do finish something it makes me that much happier.

So does the color of this yarn:

I finished this off a couple days ago.  The fiber was Spunky Eclectic wool blend in Walking on the Sun.  It ended up being about 210 yards, DK-ish weight.  It’s actually not overspun, so I think I’m improving!  It’s rather squishy, rather than wiry and dense like the last skein I did (which I actually never photographed before I cast on a project with it, but the project is done and just needs pictures before I can post it!)

See?  It hung straight when I put it up to dry!

And, for those who enjoy that sort of thing (which I’m guessing is everyone!), here’s a closeup:

(I’m pretty sure that poof in the middle is the end of the yarn.)

I’ve got some more Spunky on the wheel now (seeing a trend here?), this time merino, and I’m making an effort to spin thicker singles.  I’ve done half the thing (is there a better term for the putup of roving?), and I’ve noticed that not only is it harder for me to spin thickly, but it’s harder on my hands.  The thumb of my drafting hand was rather unhappy when I was done with that bobbin, so I need to find an easier way before I start on the other.  I think I might have been grasping the fiber too hard as I drafted, maybe?

…so have some pictures instead.

I’m sure you’re relieved by that.

Kelly’s Christmas socks: Yes, I’m aware that Christmas was 2 weeks ago.  I never give people their socks on time.  Anyway, these are coming out LOVELY.  I’m using STR lightweight in Thraven, and I think I want to get a couple more of the Raven Clan colors sometime.  Lovely and subtle.  Even the lightweight STR makes for a quick sock–these are 58 stitches, on 2.25mm needles, and they fit my slightly wide size 10 foot.  (Yes, Kelly, I do plan on washing them before I send them down to you.)

Broadripple:  I love striped socks.  Absolutely adore them.  I have many pairs of striped knee-highs.  However, I think I’m over self-striping yarn.  It’s just so bloody hard to match it to a non-boring pattern.  (Though, after doing the foot of the first Beatrix sock, I’m rethinking my seeming ban on stockinette.  It’s relaxing, especially when I want to read or something.  There are times for stretching my knitting chops, and there are times for just knitting.)  These Broadripples are in a pink/purple pastel striping Trekking XXL, and I’m still on leg #1.  They’re sort of lying around until I finish Beatrix, though I did take them to the laudromat this morning.

Serrano:  Just started myself a new sweater, and the hem is taking FOR-FRICKIN-EVER.  My needles are both slippery and pointy, which I love in a needle, but it’s also forcing me to take my time so stitches don’t go flying.  I bet this will go much quicker when I get to the lacy body.

Something you may notice:  I don’t have any lace on the needles.  I’m going to have to remedy that soon.

Well…happy 2009.

2008 was really completely uninspiring in my world, and I’m glad it’s over.  However, I’m not really excited about 2009.  The mantra I want to live by in all aspects of my life in 2009 is to make what I do count.  I’m not sure what this is going to end up meaning.  I do know that it means wasting less time, energy, and money, and deciding what is important to me.

To this end, I have done a couple of things.  First, I have cut down on the number of groups I’m following on Ravelry, and I intend to cut down still further.  I was a member of a bunch of groups that I didn’t even read, and those needed to go.  I’m probably going to do the same thing on Livejournal.  I want to do things, not read about them.

The second is a destash.  I’ve gone through my stash repeatedly on Ravelry, and have started to put the yarns that I don’t absolutely love on my sell/trade tab.  (If you’re interested, my Ravelry username is himeykitty.  If not, don’t feel like you have to go look just because I’ve asked you to.)  It’s going to take a few passes to get it to the point where I’m not overwhelmed by the yarn I have.  The materials and tools of one’s craft shouldn’t overwhelm; they should inspire.  I want to start designing patterns and maybe even make a bit of spending money from it; if I’m not inspired, I can’t do that.  The other thing that makes this destash different is that I’m not going to leave the money in my Paypal account in order to buy things from Etsy and other destashers.  When I get everything mailed out, I’m going to actually transfer it to my bank account.  Completely the opposite of what I normally do.  (I will probably go through my knitting books soon as well.  I really need to use the library more.)

Right now, I’m off to bed to listen to some soothing music and knit on my current sock.  The beginning of the year always seems to get me dwelling on my shortcomings with all the talk about resolutions and fresh starts, and that means I’m best thinking about how much I enjoy the color of my yarn and the feel of the needles in my hand.

(This is a very slightly edited crosspost from Ravelry.  Ignore this post if you’re a member of the SKA group there.)

As you can probably guess if you’ve ever looked at anything I’ve ever made, I am not daring with color. I have a narrow little box that I very rarely climb out of, so this month I’m challenging myself to be more adventurous.

My plan is to make a pair of the Helical Socks of Grumperina fame. Here is a pile of leftovers (this isn’t all my leftovers by a long shot! I do think it’s all of my wool/nylon self-striping though). I think combining a bunch of self striping yarns would be fun in this pattern, but actually putting them together sort of frightens me. So, knitters who are more fearless than I am (probably all of you!), which of these would you put together?

I really need to start weaving in ends as I go.

This whole getting dark at 4:00 thing?  Ugh.  It’s not leaving me much time to get decent photos of my WIPs for y’all.  So pretend you can see what I’m talking about.

Jaime’s fingerless gloves: I finished the thumb gusset on glove #1 on the bus home from campus today.  I told Jen a couple of days ago (before I started increasing for the gusset) that I was excited that the yarn wasn’t pooling.  Then I started increasing!  Oh, well.  It’s unique.  I’m also not sure I’m wowed by Wollmeise.  It feels cottony to me, and it’s twisting up more than any yarn I’ve ever used.  I have to let it hang and untwist every round.  These are a quick knit though.  I may need some of my own.

Mad about Plaid socks: Both gussets are done, and I’m trying to work on the foot on both of them.  Problems: (1) I’m trying to concentrate on the fingerless gloves, since they’re a gift and (2) the exciting bits of the sock are done.  The foot is 2×2 rib, and when I’m working on 2 at the same time, it’s extra boring.  The fun bits made up for it though.

Andamento socks:  When I got this sock club shipment, I liked the yarn, but I wasn’t overjoyed by it.  It was pretty enough, but not amazing.  Then I started knitting up the sock.  Now the yarn is amazing.  (It’s Koigu, in a orangey-red/teal/blue/lavender/gray mix.  I know, I know, it sounds bizarre, but it’s lovely.)  Almost to the first heel flap, even though I’m reworking the pattern for 64 stitches.  (Seriously, Koigu at 7 sts/in?  That just sounds bumpy underfoot.)

Mystic Earth scarf:  I’m about a third of the way through the third clue.  Keep this in mind when I say what I’m about to say, as I’m over halfway through the scarf….got it in mind?  Okay.  I think I’m going to frog it.  It’s not because I dislike the pattern, or the yarn, or the combination of the yarn and the pattern.  It’s not because I dislike the fabric I’m getting.  Far from it, I love all of these.  It’s just that the more I look at it, the more I realize the pattern wants to be a stole, not a scarf.  The pattern just looks too narrow for the amount of border around it.  I hate frogging things, but it’s better than working through a project I’m not completely happy with.

If I’m around during daylight hours tomorrow, I’ll post some pics.

Well, do I have to?  The only thing I really accomplished was the sweater, which is actually a decent achievement, but given my penchant for socks, I’m used to finishing a lot more than that.  My month was pretty scattered actually, all over the place, not just in my crafty life.

• Post on the blog every day. FAIL.  Why do I say I’m going to do things like this?
• Knit a sweater. Yay!  I did this!
  
• Spin for 10 minutes every day. Nope.  Again with the scatteredness.
• Finish my Komet socks. I would have, if I hadn’t realized I wasn’t happy with the fabric.  Instead, they are in a basket waiting to be frogged.
• (If I finish the sweater) Work on Mystic Earth. I will probably knit a row on this tonight to say that I succeeded in this…in letter anyway.  In spirit, not so much.

So, December is probably going to end up being more about sewing…I’ve just discovered that my machine is not something to be feared.  But there are a couple of projects I want to plan on finishing.

• Make a pair of fingerless gloves for an LJ friend (I’m using the sacred Wollmeise that I managed to get for WAY less than going resale rate, because it’s the perfect mix of colors.  Besides, I bought it to try out KNITTING with it, not necessarily WEAR.)
• Make (or at least start–she’s a crafter herself, so she’ll understand if she doesn’t get them AT Christmas, since she’s said something she’s making me is going to be late) a pair of socks for my mom.
• Finish up at least one current WIP.
• Try to work some spinning in there somewhere.

Question:  anyone interested in seeing my clumsy sewing FOs?  I’ve been posting them on my Livejournal, but if anyone here cares, I can crosspost.  (To the 3 people who read both:  sorry!)