Year of Projects: Week 48

I actually started to frog another project; not any sock projects but the Annisette Cardi from almost 2 years ago. I still have no idea what I'm going to do with the yarn. It's KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in the colourway Hyacinth. Lovely colour but not it doesn't feel soft at all to me.

I mostly worked on my Stitch Surfer socks. I tried the Fish Lips Kiss Heel...guess what?

I really like it! It actually looks quite pretty and it's pretty easy to do once you do it.

And it's World Cup time. I have always wanted to watch the series from beginning to end. I was looking for a World Cup project to work on; perhaps a shawl of some sort. I knew which one I was going to work on too. I went looking for my 4US circular needles. I knew I had one in a project but I was certain that I had one in the package. Much to my dismay, it was actually from my interchangeable set. I put them back to where they were supposed to be. Instead of starting a shawl, I picked up my Shapely Boyfriend cardigan. 

I think it's about time I work on finishing it. I only have a few more rows of ribbing in the bottom. Next it's the sleeves and button flaps.

Year of Projects: Week 47

It seems like I have rediscovered my Instagram in the past week.  Before I check my Facebook, I'm checking Instagram.  Forget my Tumlr that I apparently have and my Twitter account that has pretty much been dormant for I don't even know how long.  It is amazing to find other knitters (and crocheters even though I don't crochet)  and see what they're making.  #operationsockdrawer has been a great inspiration to me as well, since I do remember saying something about have a drawer full of hand knit socks last year (behind the scenes truth: I was trying to find a way to link the hashtag but apparently the ability to find the link is evading me).  If you have the opportunity and you have a love of hand knit socks, check it out on Instagram.

AND if you want to follow me: @rome_raven.  Now back to the actual essence of this update.

Last week, I showed my Rick socks with the inadvertant boo-boo (now called an unexpected enhancement).  By Sunday night, I finished the first sock.  At some point during the day, I noticed another "unexpected enhancement".  Where I was supposed to be doing an k2t, I was doing an ssk.  It actually reminds me of the beach right after the tide has receded and I like it. By Monday morning, I started the second sock.  Everything was going well until a 2US DPN needle broke on me.  

I couldn't even fathom where I have another set but apparently I do since it came in my KnitPicks DPN set.  I am not a fan of working with only 4 DPNs so packed everything up into a small pouch, threw it into the back of my bookcase with the other WIPs in progress and decided I'm not going to even look at it until I get a replacement set.

With all of that, I started another pair of socks.  This time, I got the inspiration from a "new to me" videopodcast called "Must Stash".  For half of May and all of June, they're doing a KAL of the Stitch Surfer socks.  I know I have done these before but as Diane from "Knitabulls" said they are addictive.  And besides, my last pair didn't fit after I washed them, much to my dismay.

Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll in the colourway Dusk and Knitpicks Stroll Multi in the colourway City Lights (which is apparently no longer available)
Needles: 1US circular from Hiya Hiya (which I am currently loving)

I'm going to try the Fish Lips Kiss heel on this pair and see if I can do it and if I'll like it.

On a last note, I realized that today (as in this Sunday) is National Knit in Public...guess what I'm going to be doing?  Working...not knitting :(  But if anyone in the Toronto area can make it, there is a meetup in High Park.  Maybe next year I'll be able to go.

Year of Projects: Week 38 & 39

I have an FO! And not just a half FO 😄

My first Stitch Surfers are done, with just the ends to be woven in. I really do like them. 

I started another pair which are more like a variant. I'm liking the idea of it but I think I'll be more appreciative of it when I finish the first sock.

Remember I made my youngest brother a scarf for his birthday but I forgot to take a picture of it? Well he ran up to me, with a big grin on his face to show me he was wearing it. 

He looks so happy, doesn't he?

I decided to pick up another pair of socks on the needles that I had left over from the Cookie A sock club last year. I missed working on the Mint Twist socks. I also really miss working with the yarn. I believe it's Manos del Uraguay. It's definitely going on the growin list of "yarns that must be in my stash".

Last thing! Response for a comment from a couple of weeks ago, the sweater is called Folded by Veera Valimaki (there are some accents on the name but I couldn't get it on my phone).

Year of Projects: Week 34 & 35

So I'm a little bit late with my update...like a week late however these have been excellent weeks for me as a knitter. I finally finished the test knit. I'm half way through the mitten KAL, started another project and I discovered a new yarn shop.

Let's start with the yarn shop.  It's called EweKnits, found on Markham St in Toronto just behind Honest Ed's.  It's almost easy to miss but luckily for me, I was given that warning when I was looking up directions and I realized just about every shop around them has been converted from a house and sometimes, it still looks like a house.

Let me just say, I wanted to squish and feel everything in the store!  The plan was just to look around and get a feel as to what it's like there and what the sell.  First thing I noticed when I walked to the building is the class list.  I am very interested in signing up for the sweater class, especially since it's on week day and they don't mind if you come in with yarn from somewhere else (I have a hankering for a sweater knit out of Tanis yarn in the colourway Chris Grey and Tanis is only at 2 shops - Purple Purl and a shop in Montreal - or online).  I also noticed their project bags.  Let me tell you they are beautiful and I would like to buy one...just have to put it on the list and wait.  I can't go completely broke due to knitting and knitting accessories.  What I like about the bags is the story behind them.

While there for browsing I ended up finding the 3rd colour for my Barndom Shawl, which has not been picked up for the past couple of weeks.

Zen Yarn Garden - Squooshy in the Flamenco colourway

It's actually a bit darker in person but I do like it and I think it would be the perfect colour addition to the shawl. I just have to get back to working on it.

I finished the one sock required for the test knit and I love it! The pattern is called  Zig Zag Ripple Socks by Econnerd aka: Karen Buhr.

I'll eventually get to the second sock. I haven't cast it on since I was kind of eager to cast on a trial sock which will be mentioned later.

I'm half way done with the Mitten KAL. I'm doing the Warm Woolen Mittens. They feel so squishy and soft and the colours look great together! Only problem is that I made them exactly to the size in the patterns and while it is wide enough, it's not long enough :( I could have made it longer by repeating a pattern but it would have been too big so I may gift it to someone who's hands and smaller than mine which is hard to do.

I have got a week to start and finish the other hand.

I've mentioned before about a KAL for the Stitch Surfer socks. My impatience reared it's head and I cast it on. I ended up not using any suggestions provided to me and pulled out yarn that I hadn't even photographed.

The top colour/left colour is from Three Ewes in the Cleopatra colourway (which I have never seen anywhere else). The bottom/right colour is from KnitPicks Stroll in the Golden Glow colourway. I am loving these socks as well...seems like I love all the socks I make. I'm actually more than half way done the first foot. It's going to be a mismatched pair with the second sock being in the Cleopatra colour way and the MissBabs Cosmic Handpainted in the Inkwell colourway. It's a left over yarn from my Earth & Sky shawl I made last year.

Quick little snip it in regards to my brothers around Valentine's Day...

I have got some of the coolest brothers in the world and suffice it to say, I'm always proud of them. One brother is actually old enough to have a girlfriend and the responsibilities of having one. He made sure to get my advice as to what exactly to get for his girlfriend for V-Day. He got her a lovely charm bracelet and hid it in my room so she wouldn't see it before it's time. I was told that she loves it!

The middle brother is something else (he's the only one that has any pictures on my blog). He and the youngest had asked me to breed some Pokemon on my game for them. Did it and he forgot his system so the trading couldn't be done. However, he took it upon himself to give some excellent suggestions as to how to improve my game.  I think he may know more about it than me. I think the grasshopper has surpassed his sensei.

The youngest went out of his way to find me this weekend just to give me a big hug and to tell me he missed me.

I wouldn't trade any of them for the world!

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.

Well this is a benefit of doing toe-up socks

As I've been working on my toe-up socks, the Stitch Surfer, I am starting to see the benefits of doing toe-up socks.

I've been trying it on as I go and I didn't even measure before I started the heel flap. It just looked like it was long enough. I made it past the heel flap and as I started on the leg, I realized that the sock is looser at my ankle than I'd like so I'm going to go from a large to a medium. The large size was fine for my foot though on a 1US needle, since my foot is wide.

I've never tried those type of sizing customization on cuff down socks. I like learning new things :)

I feel like I'm in a "Secret Society"

Today was the last class of my creative writing class. (You can read the finisher story here). During the break, I was talking to the teacher and found out she is a fellow knitter. Of course I ran back to my backpack and pulled out my Stitch Surfer socks to show her. Apparently she's has never attempted socks and was in awe of them. We started to talk about the cost of yarn and people over paying for a Coach acrylic scarf (seriously it was $100 for the thing on clearance and they wanted me to pay that much money for acrylic?)

She liked the idea of the cost of knitting vs paying for other forms of entertainment. We came to the conclusion that knitting is worth it. That whole conversation made showing up for the last class worth it.