Knitting - getting some of that done too

Taking the bus to work is helping with my knitting. The scarf was done mostly on the bus, the sock and washcloth, not. But still, knitting is getting done too. Also been working on the KAL - Stripes Alive - no picture yet, but fun socks.

sock from the Little Box of socks

February mid-month knit-along

Jared Flood Noro Striped scarf - this is my second one, fun to make, each one is different, this is now half done.

Knitting - socks and mitts

In addition to quilting, I have been knitting. In January I heard about the Trekking KAL sponsored by Zitron and Skacel, and led by Michelle Hunter (KnitPurlHunter.com). I started late with the January KAL, and ripped out the first attempt. I decided that two circular needles would be easier, got some, finally, changed yarn, and started again. Meanwhile, I started a simple sock to take along with me when I go places, using Opal Masked Ball color 3005. So when the KAL got to the heel (and my KAL sock wasn't there yet, still isn't), I tried the new-to-me technique of short rows. You can see it was a success! I really like these, no picking up of stitches after the heel flap! One down, one on the needles, barely started but a couple of rounds done. Meanwhile my January KAL sock is about to be ripped out again, more practice for knit from the toe up.

The February project for the KAL is fingerless mitts, more learning, but KnitPurlHunter has great videos on her website, making it pretty easy to learn the new techniques. I have Part one done for the first mitt, and started for the second. I hope to keep up with this one and have them both done by the end of February.

Knitting - socks and washclothes

I am getting a bit more adventurous with my socks. These are from Knitty - Sunday Swing by Kristel Nyberg. Yarn is Lorna's Laces Parry Hotter in Gryffindor colors. I made a simple pair for me a while back, these are for my daughter (foot model).

The washcloth is this months mid-month Knit-along. I made it a bit longer, using Peaches and Cream color 172 Newport. I love how the colors made a strippy look! Totally serendipity :)

Knitting

In the beginning of March I started a Sock Club with a friend of mine. We have lots of sock yarn, so made up 5 bags each with a pattern to make a pair of socks every other month. I finished my first pair, a lovely light blue I got last year at Stitches West from Miss Babs (Yummy, and it is to knit with!), and learned how to make baby cables while I was at it.

Then, I also joined a Yahoo group for a dishcloth KAL (knit a long). I thought it would help me with reading patterns (it has). So far I have six (yes six) washcloths/dishclothes to show for it. Some will be Christmas gifts, others I will keep.





Quilting has been taking a back seat this month.

Knitting

Lately it seems knitting rather than quilting/piecing has consumed my life. I got some fabulous yarn the other day, Arucania (70% merino wool, 20% alpaca, and 10% silk), handpainted in shades of brown. This got turned into a scarf and pull-on hat in record time. Part of that, I am sure, has to do with the fact that a friend lent me the Battlestar Galactica series on DVD and I have been glued to the TV, rather than my sewing machine. Watching a whole series at once has some advantages. Like not having to wait a week or months for the next episode! I used a pattern for the scarf, then having a bunch of yarn left decided to make a pull-on hat, kind of made that one up as I went along, after looking at several hat patterns. I have a bit more yarn left, maybe some fingerless mitts?

Then I have also been continuing with socks. I have another pair on the needles right now (a very dark blue with flecks of lighter blue and teal, alpaca and wool) that is giving me fits because I cannot see the stitches very well, too dark and too small. So I managed to make a mistake about four rows back and will be undoing that shortly (in my chair with the bright light and magnifying glass!) Shown is the pair I recently finished, Opal yarn, Harry Potter - Ron coloring. Fun to wear . And I got the self-striping yarn to match up pretty good too!

Socks - the perfect project for a cruise

Lorna's Laces - first pair I finished on board

I started this pair of socks before we left, from Socks that Rock heavyweight yarn.

Opal Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince yarn - Harry Potter color, great with jeans!
I got three pairs of socks knit on the cruise, not bad. We had quite a few sea days, especially at the end when we skipped Mexico due to the swine flu scare. Need to work on knitting tighter.

Knitting Socks

I have been knitting a little over a year now. I finally took a knitting class a couple of weeks ago to make a pair of socks. The class had some rocky moments, but I finished up my socks last night! Thank goodness for online videos. I used knit witch's kitchener stitch video to finish the socks, nice and slow to show each detail. In that two weeks of knitting socks I have tried various methods, short double pointed needles, longer dpn, and two circular needles. On another sock I tried a single 9" circular needle. The circulars are easier to carry around cause I tend to pull or push stitches off of the dpn when pulling the sock out of its storage bag. I have been bitten by the sock bug.