Still Knitting

It's been awhile and I've been debating quitting the blog as it seems I don't have the time. Still debating. The knitting I've been doing has mostly been for the shop samples for classes, and am now down to the last two and then I can knit what I want to. Here's what I've been doing although there are no pictures of the last two yet.

 

In addition to knitting for the shop I've been doing some test knitting of the next Cottage Creations pattern and tech editoring for Kimberlolly from Ravelry-4 patterns.

 

These are the mittens. What is unusual about them is the gusset which is placed on the hand rather than the traditional thumb portion of the mitten. They have a great fit. The purple ones are made from Ella Rae Classic which is wool and acrylic using US #6 needles. Size, Large Child/Small Woman,

These are from the same pattern but are made for my good friend. The tip of the mitten was changed for the adult size mitten rather than the pointed one-the pattern is still in testing. The yarn is Malabrigo Rios which I sort of like. I've had trouble with the difference in color between skeins of this yarn, but figures making mittens out of one skein should not be any problem. Wrong. I got about 3/4 done making both at the same time one from each end of the skein and decided I couldn't live with the difference in color between the two so frogged and made one at a time, alternating the yarn from both ends. What a hassle and it resulted in a noticeable line where the yarn was changed.

 

I did not make these but were made by my good friend. They are microwave bowl hot pads to be used to microwave bowls which usually are too hot to handle when the food is hot. Love them!

 They are so pretty I just stack them, put a candle in the middle and use as a centerpiece.

This is Purslane Beret from KnitScene Fall 2012 made from Frog Tree Pedaboo which is really nice to work with. After it was finished, washed and blocked when I put it on it hung down over my eyes so I took out the last inch or so and redid it on a smaller needle. It is pretty, even if I never wear it. It is a class sample.

The shop has had so many Learn To Knit Classes that we are looking for easy classes for beginners. This is the first dishcloth for a dishcloth of the month class. Pattern is a free download on Ravelry called Purple Heart Knit Motif using Plymouth Yarn Fantasy Naturale and size 8 needles.

Another class sample. These are from Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel book. I decided to make fraternal twin socks-same yarn, different pattern. The sock on the left is Simply Splendid Socks and on the right is Hidden Pocket. I used the e-book and made both from top down and found there was a lot of going back and forth between pages. I had a problem with the beginning of the Simple Splendid Sock as I think there is a mistake in the pattern, but never got a response from Cat Bordhi about it. Will I make this heel again? Probably not. One side looks good-the one on the picture, but the other side has holes at the turn. I did them over trying to follow suggestions on the Ravelry Forum, and the hole size decreased, but I still am not happy with them. The yarn is CoBaSi which has a little elastic in it.

This is my fun project I did start for myself. The yarn is custum dyed by my friend, Dawn, of Propaganda Yarn. It will be a round shawl based on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Pi Shawl and is a "map" of the northern hemisphere sky. If you look closely, you can see the north star in the very center and the Big Dipper from it.

My "Have to Do" List

Do you ever feel pressured by the knitting you want/have to do? This happened to me during the Olympics when I set a goal for my Knitting Olympic project. Once the Olympics started my priorities changed. (See my last post.) So, I sat down and made a list of MUST do projects-it totaled 12. That doesn't count a shawl already started and a KAL starting soon. So, here is my progress:

 

Finished. Mimi's Rosa Rugosa is a test knit for Kimberly Gintar (Kimberlolly on Ravelry). I took this on even though I knew I had too much to do. My husband tells me I do it to myself when I voice how overwhelmed I feel.

These are socks for my daughter in law's birthday. She bought the yarn when we were at Arnhild's Knitting Camp in February so I decided I'd knit them for her birthday. They are done except for the toe decreases I think. I want her to try them on before I finish. We'll see her Saturday so hopefully they'll be finished then. This is the first time I tried Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel but haven't decided how I like it.

The rest of the projects are for classes I'll be teaching at Amazing Threads.

 

Finished. Opal Sock Bunny. This was fun as the instructions were good and it is completely seamless, but it took forever with sock yarn on size 1 needles.

In progress. #5 Lace Poncho on the cover of Fall 2012 Vogue Knitting. I should have looked at this pattern before I said I would do it. It is knit in the round with patterning on all rows which actually isn't bad because all rows are knit, but it increases to about 1000 sts. I'm a little over 500 stitches here.

This is for a class I'm teaching at North Country Fiber Fair in Watertown, SD in September. The pattern is Haruni. I've asked myself many times why I'm knitting with this iridescent color yarn, but just keep going and haven't ripped and started over. (It is newly acquired stash yarn as I don't like the pattern that came with it in the club I got it from.)Probably because I don't have time to spare. Two more repeats of 16 rows before I do the beautiful border.

Katarina is knit to the armholes, but haven't started the sleeves yet.

The rest don't even have yarn for yet.Progress?

Works In Progress-WIP's

What am I currently working on besides my long term sock blankie? I have knit and written a pattern for Propaganda Yarn Club, but can't reveal that yet. It is the only finished project so far this year.

I always have a charity project on needles-which I work on on Tuesdays. This is the current hat. The yarn and pattern were a give away at Yarn Over from Yarn Garage, specifically to be knit for charity.

This is the Rivel Cardigan which I started a while ago. It will be a class at Amazing Threads starting the end of January. The shaping and construction of this sweater are unique which makes it fun to knit and I love the Three Irish Girls merino and bamboo yarn.

The sleeves are supposed to be knit flat, but I'm doing them in the round up to the armholes. They are also supposed to be elbow length, but I'm making full sleeves. I'm going slow because they are so boring and I'd much rather be knitting...

a shawl. This is Sharktooth by Stephen West from his shawl club.

This is Blathnat, a mystery sock from Sock Knitters' Anonymous. It feels good to be knitting socks again.

This project is barely started, but is Beaded Stress Ball from Heartstrings. Just stringing the beads is a project.

Sock Blankie

Several years ago I started a blanket made out of left over sock yarn-long before the current trend. At the time, I knew it would be a long term project. Well, I haven't made much progress.

This is from February 2008.

December 2010

This was taken January 1, 2012.

It has grown, but not very fast, so I've set a goal to knit 3 squares a week. So far, I'm on track.

More Clubs

I thoroughly enjoy receiving club shipments! But I'm beginning to think I belong to more than I should!

This is Loopy Ewe April shipment. I've heard people talk about this yarn, so now I own some. Who knows what it will end up to be? Both of these patterns are nice.

This is the May Three Irish Girls yarn. We had our choice of these colors, but were told that the pattern would be a two color pattern, so I ordered the 2nd skein in case I wanted to knit the pattern-I don't, but am looking at the sock pattern from the book, Knit One Below by Elise Duvekot. She is teaching this sock at Stitches in August and am thinking about taking it. Or, try to figure it out on my own. But as the bag above says, there is never enough time to knit!

This is the Shawls are for Suckers May selection. I love the bag and the yarn. The pattern-probably not.

I was not the last one to receive Romi's Shawl and Pin club this time. It actually arrived before I started looking for it, which was fun! This month's pin is exceptionally beautiful I think.

Hazel Knits. I think this is my last kit from Hazel Knits. Nice yarn and patterns.

Not one of these yarns/projects has even been started!

Haleakala Socks

A finished project! Even though it took a long time to make these, I enjoyed doing them. I love the rambling ribs and cables of Cookie A's socks even though it takes a little more concentration.

Pattern: Haleakala by Cookie A. From her Sock and Cookie Club

Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Caper Sock. Wonderful, soft yarn which shows good stitch definition.

Needles: 2.5 mm. Made both at the same time on magic loop, my new favorite method of making socks.

Haleakala

Finally started making something from one of my clubs. These are the Haleakala Socks by Cookie A from the February selection. The yarn is Caper Sock by String Theory Hand Dyed Yarns and is yummy to work on.

Completed Mystery Sock

Family Jewels-Knitter's Brewing Company Mystery Sock. Clue 4.

Finished! They turned out too pretty to wear on my feet. They were fun to knit and had several new techniques. I usually don't like toe up socks because of the heels, but this one is great. It is the same as the one I usually use developed by Gerdene Strong.

New Clogs

These are the old ones. There are holes on the soles just like the one that shows. They are at least 5 years old, have been repaired with needle felting and are worn constantly. I love them!
Here are the new ones. Pattern is Fiber Trends Felted Clogs and yarn is Cascade 220.

Family Jewels Clue 3

Knitters Brewing Company Mystery Sock-Family Jewels. Clue 3 completed.

Gusset

This is fun! I'm so curious to see how the heel is done.

Family Jewels

Clue 2 for Family Jewels, The Knitters Brewing Company Mystery Sock.

Knitters Brewing Company Mystery Sock

I love mystery socks and shawls. Wish I had time to do more of them, but I did decide to do this one. This is Clue 1-now I have to wait until Friday to get Clue 2. Pattern is called Family Jewels and if you ordered the yarn from www.knittersbrewingcompany.com you got the yarn, clue 1, a fancy stitch marker and 2 beads to fit in some where. I'll try to remember to put the stitch marker in the picture for Clue 2. I was anxiously waiting for January 14 for the first clue to be released when the day before I saw on Ravelry that it had come with the yarn I ordered a couple months ago, so had it all along. Oh well, I would have had longer to wait for Clue 2.

December Wool Girl Sock Club

This kit is So-so. Goodies are much less than we used to get. I like the patterns and the yarn is pretty with tints of pink.

Christmas Socks

These two pictures are from Christmases Past. One family's stockings of two missing.

These were added this year. All were made from the pattern A Baker's Dozen Christmas Stockings by Two Old Bags-now out of print-and Rauma Strikkgarn with sizes 1 and 2 needles.