holy mackerel

Not only did we catch Spanish mackerel yesterday, but I also have a few finished projects.

The socks are Helix knit in Koigu that Pam picked out a long long time ago.  I finally got them done after a long hiatus.  I am really pleased even though I am almost sure they will be too big for her.  I like the toe-up-two-at-a-time technique.  But I would be kidding myself to think that knitting socks is a fast project compared to, say, knitting a sweater.  There are a shit-ton of little tiny stitches on little tiny needles in each sock.

The baby blanket is for the latest niece. It is knit in Toto from Artfibers.  According to their website (today) Toto is supposed to be a "chunky" weight yarn that can be knit at 15 stitches = 4 inches on size 9 needles.  What I received was a barely worsted weight yarn that I had to knit up with size 7 needles just to get a decent heft fabric. So much for a fast knit baby project.

The pattern was from Purl for a chunky weight cotton yarn. The border is sewn on.  There has got to be  a better way to do this but I tried and could not pickup just one stitch while knitting the border to attach it at the same time.  A better knitter than me has probably got that all worked out.  Anyway, all of that border sewing and fussing around with how many peaks to make for each side of the border was a pain in the ass.

The finished blanket is adorable though so I suppose it was worth it.

WIP no more

I am still clearing out old works in progress so I don't feel so guilty every time I start something new.  This Calm sweater should have been done ages ago.  its not hard and the most tedious part was the sewing up.  I put the details on the Rav page.  The final sweater fits great. The edge detail is quite nice and I am pleased overall with the result.  Ultimately this would be hella easier if it was knit in the round.  Sewing up uber-fuzzy mohair can make you go blind.

 

Also finished some time ago is my first pair of socks.  They actually fit me which is hilarious considering the worsted weight yarn I used (Caron's Simply Soft from junk stash).  I have been wearing them like slippers around the house since they are so thick.  I can see how sock knitting is addictive.  I learned by knitting those tiny christmas stcokings back in December and by reading "I Can't Believe I am Knitting Socks" by Cindy Guggemos which I found on the clearance rack at Walmart - no kidding.  It was $1.99.

 

  

The join isn't too bad but I made a purl in the ribbing - what the hell?

Now I am learning magic loop. I am just winging it even though the instructions are included in "I can't believe...".  The instructions suck. 

Look how cute the boys are: 

holiday catch-up

Look. I got a new macro lens for my camera for giftmas. SeyMo says I should stop taking very close pictures of him. You can see his eye boogers. Ick.

Also accomplished over the holidays and demonstrated with the new macro lens are some more stockings. I practiced smooth methods of circular joins and for making jog-less stripes. I am getting better. But in my excitement I forgot to measure the foot length as I went along so the stockings turned out a bit stubby.




Some close ups:




Still trying to master grafting the toe closed. This may be easier with less fuzzy yarn.


And in an exciting development I landed my first set of Knit Picks Harmony needles. My sister sent me the circular kit with an additional size 15s. I can't wait to use them. The crazy stained wood is rather psychedelic.



I was lucky enough to receive an amazing painting from my Aunt Lynn for Christmas. I can't believe she sent us her original painting of Barnegat Light House. She sent a sweet note stating that she hoped it brought back happy memories. And it did. I immediately hung it in the kitchen in the Alabama house. It is perfect right there where we can enjoy it often.

socks!

I humbly submit my first effort at knitting socks. Mini-Christmas stocking socks (This Seasons Stockings, page 30, Interweave Knits 2006 Holiday), but socks none the less. You have to make a heel flap and turn it and do a gusset. And I am trying to learn to graft the toes. So far I have learned that consuming wine or eggnog is contra-indicated while grafting.


For my next trick I will attempt a jogless color change and a smoother circular join at the top of the sock. Also to be investigated is the small hole where I picked up stitches along the heel flap and why my ssks look lumpy compared to my k2togs. I thought it might be that I slipped the stitches purl-wise rather than knit-wise.




The plan is to keep making these mini-socks until I figure it out, I get bored or Christmas is over. The yarn is leftover worsted weight Vana White acrylic crap and leftover white fluffy yarn from the first scarf I ever knit. I used size 3 dpns to keep the stockings small with the relatively thick yarn.