Year of Projects: Week 3

The "photo-shoot" is finally done. What did I learn from this experience? Check out my bags of WIPs. I really need to finish some more projects before I start with anything else.

(Neatly put together)

(The hidden explosion of projects)

The Bex

Started October 1, 2012.  I had to battle with this yarn; not while knitting but when trying to wind the skein into a cake.  I ended up with so much yarn barf that I looked at it in disgust and left for New Jersey to visit family.  Those 2 balls you see is what I have remaining.  I hope it's enough to finish the 2nd sock.

The Stitch Surfer:

Started on November 30, 2012.  The only reason I stopped was because I had never finished a toe up sock before and was not grasping how to bind off.  Suffice it to say, it's doesn't make it past my foot, much less my leg.  T suggested that I just unpick the bind off and redo it...talk about a "duh" moment.

The Dark Isle:

Started March 17, 2013.  I specifically dyed the yarn for these socks...well not all of it, just the gradient yarn.  I think it turned out pretty good.  I just have to find the time (and get my 2US needles free again) to finish them.  I don't think it will take too long.

Forget Hermione! These are for me

Started April 12, 2013.  I started these as a dye challenge.  It was supposed to be dye and knit a project in a month.  I was doing so well! And then I broke not 1 but 2 of my DPNs.  I started going on the circular needles and I was not enjoying the process.  I lovingly bagged up the project and said "forget it" until I could get some DPNs.  Now I have them (as seen in the above picture) and I don't have the time right now.  I want them done by the fall so I can wear them.

Basically Perfect Baby Socks

Started May 21, 2013.  This should have been a quick project.  I finished the first sock within a couple days and the other one is still on the needles (the 2US needles that I need to get free to do the Dark Isle socks).  I can get it done but I think it's the boredom of stockinette (and laziness) that keeps me from doing it.

Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan

Started April 2, 2013.  I had been making good progress on this cardigan.  I am at the waist shaping and I want to continue however the call of the Cookie Socks is a bit stronger. I was hoping to have this done in for the fall but I think I'm going to have to be a bit more realistic on the time constraints.

Anklet #1

Started May 30, 2013.  I'm pretty certain these will be cute when finished.  I already started decreasing for the toe.  I'll like to have the mismatched pair finished soon mostly due to the fact that I don't like the yarn that is being used for the cuff, heel and toe.

Tiberius

Started June 18, 2013. Love the look of these socks but there's not rush on these ones.  That's pretty much it for now.  How much writing is expected for ribbing?

...fascinating

Started June 10, 2013.  Yes!  I finished the first sock and I'm just past the ribbing on the second sock.  I want these done ASAP.  I want a new pair to wear, despite the fact I have barely worn the Pirouette and Tulip socks that I finished less than 2 months ago.  They are so squishy and soft and pretty :D  By the way, I am a convert to Tanis yarn now that I've finally knitted with 1 of my 3 skeins.

Blankie

Started July 13, 2012.  Wow! It's been just over a year and look at how big it's gotten! As of the time of typing this update, there is 107.5 squares and by the time I finish this knitting year, I want to be at 250 squares.  Note: I am so short that even when standing on a chair, I still couldn't get the entire thing in one picture.

Now onto the forgotten projects.

Slide Socks

You can already see that one of the socks is off the needles.  I was trying to do these socks 2 at a time and I was not successful.  I will make these socks out of this yarn but I think I'm going to try winding them into balls and working on each sock seperately.

Anisette Cardigan

As I have mentioned before, the back is utter perfection...but I just don't think I really want the cardigan out of this yarn and it would be nice if the sleeves were the correct size.  I'd rather just toss out the whole thing and make it again from a different kind of yarn.  Nothing wrong with the pattern.  It's lovely but I'm just not liking this project.  I just want to know what I can do with this yarn.

So a foot of each

I managed to finish 1 foot of the Bex sock for my best friend and 1 foot of the Stitch Surfer sock.

The Bex turned out well but I'm not used to having to knit so long (my foot is 2.5 US shoe sizes smaller than hers). I was ready to finish but it wouldn't have been long enough for her foot. I very much prefer doing socks for myself.

The Stitch Surfer sock was coming along quite well until the bind off. I have never had to finish a toe up sock so I have no practical experience with finishing them off. The bind off I used was way too tight and can't make it past my heel. Ah well! It was good practice. I'll make another set with a solid and strippy yarn with the proper bind off. This one will go on some kind of display.

Another week's progress

Not much has happened this week. I did a few rows on the Bex socks and I started a quickie project.

I have wanted to knit fingerless gloves for as long as I've seen someone make it. I found a simple pattern on Ravelry and went about it. I was shocked with how quickly I finished I finished one hand. I showed it off with pride at church on Saturday and was immediately asked by people when they can get one.

I started on the second hand on Saturday night and only did a couple of pattern repeats. I thought I had packed it up in my things before I came back home only to realize this morning that I forgot either at my bestfriend's house, the trunk of her car or in the coat room at my church, which is not exactly local. Sigh...I guess it won't be finished as quickly as I liked. I was thinking of making matching sets of hats and scarves though.

On another note, at 2:48am, ridiculously early on Monday morning (or really late on Sunday night depending on your perspective), I finally got the opportunity to sign up for Cookie's Sock Club 2013. I can't wait until I get my first package in February next year!

I have been getting all of these amazing emails of wonderful Cyber Monday sales.  I even have a cart sitting at Webs waiting to be my first transaction.  Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait.  My desktop computer has been out of commission for the past 3 weeks.  I have one of my friends looking it over and I was informed that my motherboard has gone kaput! So my Cyber Monday sales won't be so Cyber when I have the money again.  The good news is that the stuff I wanted to purchase are for future projects so I can wait for them and try to finish my remaining project before the end of January.

Annisette Cardi - The Bex - wait a minute, that's it for on the needle projects not including the Blankie? Yes!

One week's progress

I said last week that this was going to be a Bex./Blankie week.  I did finish the heel flap in record time  I tried it on the intended recipient and she loves it so far..

By the time I went to my knitting circle on Tuesday, my ears were cold and I decided I needed a hat.  That worked out well for the day since on of the ladies from my circle finally finished her 4x4 rib scarf that she had been working on for months and was looking for a simple hat to do.  She found a 1x1 ribbed hat pattern.  I wrote down the basic information and as soon as I got home, I pulled out my needles, pulled out a skein of Brava Acrylic yarn and casted on (you can now read about my love affair with Brava yarn).  By Saturday night, I had myself a simple hat that covered my ears.  I just wished I made it a little bit longer but it's okay for fall.

Once I finished the hat, I pulled out my Blankie and set to work.  I added on 5 squares from Saturday to Sunday,  I hesitantly added a square of Chroma.  I don't know if it will felt when this blanket will eventually gets washed but I do like the very long colour transition.  The colour only changed from a medium purple to a very slightly darker purple.  It's hard to tell the difference.  I just wish this yarn came in superwash.  I don't even mind that it's single ply, at least not for the Blankie.  I tried using 3 different colours in a single square and I like the finished result, however, I  need to start re-evaluating my colour choices and get some more pastels and lighter tone colours.  You can't see the full Blankie in the picture but it's only a bit longer on either side.  I am really loving my Blankie.  I'm also looking forward to the Cookie Sock Club 2013, especially because of the practically guaranteed left over sock yarn that will go into this Blankie.

On another note, I have been listening to "Fall of Giants" by Ken Follett and read by John Lee as I have been knitting.  Number one, the story is great.  Number two, time really flies that you don't even realize how much progress you've made as you listen to it. I think I'm going to try to listen to more books this way.  I really do like to read but reading a book, knitting projects and writing are all time consuming activities for me.  By doing the knitting and listening to a book, I can get more done.

On another-nother note, I saw a sweater that I want to make.  If anyone has any suggestions as to how to deal with the lace designed front panels, please let me know!

They'll have a new home

As previously established, the Bex socks don't fit the way I want them to. I let my best friend try on the WIP's. They actually fit her well. I took down the rest of her foot measurements an she'll be the proud owner of a pair of Bex socks in pistachio green. That also means I'll have to buy myself a supplemental skein of yarn to make up for my loss, and perhaps dry my tears.

I'm also making some progress on my Anisette Cardi, while watching Fiddler on the Roof. The back of the cardigan has been done for months now and I'm working on the front left panel. I'm excited to see this project done so I can wear it!

On another knitting topic, I purchased 2 skeins of Knitpicks Gloss fingering weight in Coast Grey. The intention was to knit a pair of socks, specifically, Cookie's Cubist Socks. And since I have looking into yarn to dye and was wanting to dye the same gloss yarn. Unfortunately, it doesn't work well for for socks. I had to come up with another project for it. In thinking of making a shawlette with it but I still have to decide what pattern to do.

WIP Wednesday, Thursday and probably Friday?

I finally washed the Lissajous stockings. I was worried how the yarn would turn out, especially after reading non-fan commentary regarding the Wollmeise yarn I had used. I was pleased that the yarn became much softer after washing. I did have to stitch up the seam in 2 places due to not weaving the ends in properly. But they do look pur-tee!

On to the Bex - I tried a sock on as I always do and it doesn't fit the way I want it to. The bottom of my calf seems to be to wide (darn stumpy legs). So the plan so far is to gift them to my best friend. Hopefully they can fit her better. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to try it on her first so no surprise for her.

I decided tonight to pick up the Anisette Cardi last night. I'm starting to enjoy the process again. Especially since the needles are not unscrewing :) I was so excited when I found the buttons. I got them off of Etsy from Shop4Craft in Singapore. I knew from the time I saw the pattern that I wanted wooden buttons with some kind of design on it and I'm pleased with my choice.

test

The real update on the Lissajous

As you can clearly see, the stockings are done.  This is my model shot of them (thank you B1 for remembering to take the picture of them for me).  I only have 1 issue with them and I only realized the problem when I wore the socks for an extended period of time...they fall and don't stay up on me.  Maybe my calf is smaller than I thought?  I dunno...Please ignore the other socks and slippers in the picture.

So much to catch up on!

I guess I can start with today, sitting at the kitchen table, trying to figure out why the US and Canadian post was being so slow! It reached 1:30 and I went back to the mailbox.

And there it was! My ChiaoGoo Twist interchangeable needle set arrived! I cannot wait in resume my Annisette Cardi! One of the ladies at my knitting circle has almost finished hers! She just had the neckline and button panels to do. I hope mine turns out as nicely as hers did. I also found my missing copy of the pattern that had all my notes on it. No more excuses!

On to the past week. I went to New Jersey and got to meet a lot of new family. I was surprised to find out that they are all craft loving people. Especially crocheting and knitting. I really need to start on on learning how to crochet next year.

I had planned to finish my Lissajous right sock while on vacation. Somehow, that idea didn't seem to make its way to my packing. I didn't pack enough yarn for it. So I generally put it aside and picked up my Pistachio green sock yarn from Sweet Georgia and casted on for the Bex. It is turning out so nicely. I just have to finish this second repeat and then another half and then the oh-so-boring heel flap. I'm pretty sure I should finish it well before the end of November.

Opinion of the Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock Yarn: this yarn is excellent to knit with. Of course I'll have to reserve full judgement for after these socks are washed and worn. But so far, this will definitely a yarn I want to keep on hand for more socks. And they're Canadian too!

I have been requested to some family members to make some hats and scarves for the winter. Apparently, they don't mind acrylic yarn so off to Walmart I go again. I'm thinking of going with a charcoal grey for the guys and I'll have to see what's available for her.

I have an idea for her scarf but I'm still workings on it. I even checked out a stitch pattern book from the library. I need to get one of those books for myself.

Also...confession time. I just ordered a set of mini skeins...this is more money I have to save for for Cookie 2013.

Bex Preparation

In prep for my trip and the Bex sock, I started to cake my yarn. First of all, I found out why my skeins of Wollmeise wasn't caking properly. When I got the Wollmeise, I mounted my ball winder on my bookshelf for the first time. Previously, I had held the winder in hand. Didn't swing the arm properly (the part that's sort of like the eye of a needle). Once I did that, I probably could have caked the entire 100g skein, instead of the max 30g I was getting before.

It was going so well. And somehow, I'm about 3/4 of the way through, I have a tangled mess. It's not a knot yet but I had to put it down before it got worse. The caked half looks beautiful. It's enough to do a swatch and start the sock.

Now that I have to go on a plane, I have to concern myself with how safe it would be to carry knitting needles. I have a strong preference for my ChiaoGoo Red Lace Stainless Steel needles. I have no idea how well those travel with airport security and carry on luggage. I think just in case I'll put them in the suitcase, where they can't cause problems.