Year of Projects: Week 9

Another week as come around and guess what?  The pair of socks I had hoped to be finished by last Sunday, got finished by early Wednesday morning (a la "just after midnight" morning) .  So that means I can use the 26 Pair Plunge banner yet again and then show off my lovely Tiberius socks.

Aren't they pur-tee?  They are very bright and I love them.  So that's 2/26 for the 26 pair plunge, and 6/13 for the 13 socks of 2013 (which apparently I forgot I was apart of too).

Speaking of the 13 of 2013, I actually pulled out all the socks I had knitted since January.  They had to be a completed pair and I have 6 pairs with one with my aunt since I did make them for her.  I piled them all together and took a picture (not including the pair for my aunt because she forgot I had asked for them).

It's things like this that really make you see that you are making progress (and that I need to make a pair of socks in the orange/red family), especially when you feel like you're not going anywhere.  I've already knit more socks that I knit last year and we're still only in August.  I've got quite a few one foot socks that I need to finish soon, especially since some them...mainly the Stitch Surfer, I consider pretty mindless knitting.  I could probably do that one while catching up on a tv show or while watching my soaps (I cannot believe I have gotten back into soap operas but they're getting so interesting again!).

I casted on for the August/September a pair socks for the Cookie A.'s 2013 Sock Club called Istanbul.  I'm making these ones for my aunt and I'm using a yarn that I dyed for it.  I'm also happy that I wrote down the directions for this colour because I want to knit a pair of socks or anklets for myself in this yarn colour.

I am a bit further along but not by much.  I'm still decreasing on the gusset but it is coming along nicely.  I'm not making any time guarantees for this one though because last night, I caved.  I went to the tupperware bin that house the Blankie and I started to knit.  I have even joined the two pieces and I have 2 complete rows finished and I'm a square and a half away from finishing the 3 row.  I even started cleaning up the back of the Blankie while watching Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless.  Somehow, I'm up to 123 squares.  I was at 117 Thursday afternoon. before I picked it up.  I will keep up the work for this weekend and them I will have to pick a different WIP to work on in conjunction with my socks.

One of the projects I want to finish off is the Stitch Surfer (as previously mentioned) and it's not like it will take a lot to finish it.  I just have to unpick the bindoff, and do it properly, and then get started on the second foot.  Perhaps once I finish the Istanbul's, I'll some effort towards it.

Year of Projects / 26 Pair Plunge

2/26 done!

This actually happened early Wednesday morning, after I saw the news program about Elmore Leonard; I finished the Tiberius socks!

They just to be washed and they are ready to join the other socks I have knit for this year since January. 

I quickly, after getting a good 8 hours of sleep, cast on for the Istanbul socks for my aunt. The plan was to knit them as a set of anklets. I soon realized I would not figure out how to proceed with this within 30 minutes so I started to knit them as per the instructions and decided that they will be a little longer than anklets. By last night, I was at the beginning section of the heel flap and as of today during "Days of Our Livrs", I was working on the gusset. I think this will be another quick pair. 

Also, I'm using a skein that I had dyed back in March, I think, for the Tosh-a-long. I'm happy that I wrote down what I did to make this skein because I am loving it but since these socks are not for me, I will not be able to reap the full benefits :(

And as a bonus, and a good show of how much progress in knitting I have done since the new year (not the knitting new year), I pulled out all the socks I have knit with the exception of the one pair that I have to my aunt.

That is 5 whole pairs of socks for myself, 1 for my aunt and like a bunch of one foot pairs. This is encouraging :) and I also realized that I need more from the red family in my sock stash.  I do have my red BFFs socks but that was for last year. I think before the year is out, I need knit something with either the blood-orange yarn from SweetGeorgia or the fuschia yarn from Springtree Road. I guess I have a pre selected skein for October and/or December.

I am looking forward to putting all of my socks for this year in one picture and see how high the pile will go.

Year of Projects: Week 8

I tried so hard! I was hoping to have another pair of socks finished, namely the Tiberius socks, but alas, I just finished the turn heel of the second sock. It should be finished soon though and hopefully it'll be all ready to show next week.

I'm working on getting ahead of the sock knitting game.  Inspiration hit early on this week and I think it works perfectly well with what I had wanted to do from earlier on this year in regards to the anklets situation.  Litloh from Ravelry re-imagined the Spock socks and turned them into a set of anklets.  I've been thinking about either retrying some of the socks I've already done or knitting the newer patterns I received for this month.

I have not been working on the Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan for the past few weeks but something tells me I will be picking it up very soon.  I'm feeling kind of anxious to get it done, along with the Hermione Flip Top Mittens which by default requires the matching hat.  I think I can safely say the mittens and the hat can be my September focus...and perhaps a little purse for my girly-girl baby sister who's birthday is at the end of next month.

Despite the fact I thought I had narrowed down the pattern for the boat neck sweater I wanted to knit to the Summer Scabboard (also keep in mind this sweater is not even for this knitting year), someone from my Tuesday knitting circle got a pattern out of a magazine that looked just like what I was looking for but it was free.  Problem?  I can't even find the name of the pattern in Ravelry or even on the photocopy of the pattern from the magazine...or even the date of the magazine which could help narrow it down severely.  I got frustrated and chose a book from the library at the Thursday knitting circle (yes, I belong to 2 of them) entitled Knit to Fit (I think).  I think I found a somewhat decent replacement.  Here's hoping that it can be knit in the round which is what I'm looking for.

Year of Projects 2013-2014/26 Pair Plunge

The Nanny and the knitting

Why did I never realize that these two things can go hand in hand? I'm watching the last few hours I have on Netflix watching season 4 of The Nanny. I forgot how funny this show is! I'm still making progress on my Tiberius sock and hopefully, by the time my Netflix is up, I'll have at the very least finished the leg.

Not really feeling it

I feel like I'm in pain and it's really cramping my knitting style. I'm trying to work further on the leg but the nagging pain makes me not want to continue. I so wanted the sock to be practically finished by update time on Sunday. I'm half tempted to stay home tomorrow and work on the sock but I think that's taking it kind of far.

The Leaves are changing on me

The weather in Toronto feels like it's already fall.  I have already seen the evidence of the very soon approaching change of season when I saw that some leaves have already changed.

I am already trembling in fear and pulling out every single sweatshirt I own.

I came home and finished up the toe of the Tiberius socks.  It went by so quickly!  I casted on for the second foot within an hour (I had to take the time to put the sock on and admire how pretty it looked on foot).

I will of course be continuing this after I post this update while listening to old episodes of the Sticks and Strings podcast.

While perusing through Ravelry at some point today, I went looking through the June Fall Offs thread on the Cookie Sock Club board and saw a fall off of Ankle Spocks by litfoh on Ravelry.  It is wickedly cool!  I've already discussed it with my aunt and this changes her sock request for August.  She now wants an anklet version of the Istanbul in the same Tosh-along dyed yarn I promised called Grapefruit Sunrise.  I guess I can make do with the Artemis socks, as a two at a time.  I am not looking forward to doing a good chunk of the foot.  Based on picture, it looks like a lot of stockinette in the round and thin ribbing.  Not necessarily my idea of a good knitting time.  I still don't know what yarn to use however now that I'm thinking about it, I do have a lovely varigated skein from Three Ewes that I purchased off a destash in the colourway Cleopatra.  This may make me rethink my idea of of knitting these two at a time.  I think I'd like to see how the colours will pool.

Can we say "Much progress has been made"?

I am still amazed at how much progress I have made in these Tiberius socks. It's only been 4 days and I'm already a few rounds into the toe. By tomorrow the first sock should be done for sure and then it's off to the second sock. I am really not worried about Second Sock Syndrome for this pair.

I went to the Tuesday knitting circle at Albion Library. There was this girl (I really wish I had asked her name but...) who just joined the knitting circle. I saw her for the first time last week but since I hadn't been there for over a month, I can't actually say how long she's been coming. Anywho, she just learned how to knit very recently and today, out of her knitting bag (she learned quickly to have one), she pulled out what she had been working on this week:

Excuse me as my jaw drops open. She had 2 finished bags, a finished scarf and another scarf on the needles; all in one week. She put me to shame and she's excited about learning more. I think we have a new avid knitter on our hands :D

On top of that, one of the crocheters brought her daughter and grand-daughters with her today. Despite the fact that her daughter doesn't know how to knit or crochet, she wants to learn to knit socks, especially since she saw my Spock socks I brought to show off.  I think it would be nice to do what T did for me, to another knitter. So...Plain Vanilla or Monkey socks?

On a roll

I am surprised with how much progress I've made on the Tiberius socks. I went from this:

To this:

In the span of (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today) 4 days. I'm still excited about it and I can't wait to finish the gusset (which is where I am now).

I had a bigger plan as to what today's update was going to be about. I was going to wax poetically about the trip I went on yesterday to Chatham-Kent. The most I managed to do was filter the pictures through Instagram.  I will put up this picture though.

I seriously found a set of sock blockers at one of the museums.

Year of Projects: Week 7

I finally have a finished project! A sock project!  So that means I can finally use this:

And show off my socks!

The Spock Socks are done. They just need to be laundered but that'll have to wait until later. I'm still basking in the "I have a new pair of socks" feeling.

And with a newly finished pair of socks, I have more yarn to add to the Blankie. As much as I'd like to immediately add the Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label to the Blankie, I know myself; once I put on one, I won't stop. Then I'll bemoan the fact that I'm not finishing my other projects. I just need to learn some self control and patience.

I could have also picked up on the Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan but decided against it. I'm still at the ribbing and I have about 5 more rounds to go however it is such a good project to work on when people want I have a conversation with you at a knitting circle. This is what generally occurs at the knitting circle so in saving my more mindless knitting for then.

I went looking for the Tiberius Socks that I had started not long after Spock socks. For the life of me, I could not find it. I saw the bag I had housed it in a few days before but it was like it sprouted legs and in the middle of the night, it decided to take a leisurely stroll off of my bed and never came back.

Not much worried other than the fact I had the perfect colour for "Command Gold" inside of there. I went to a box I had with 50g balls of sock yarn from Knit Picks and pulled out Dandelion in Stroll. At the very least, it was not as bright as my Sunshine Tanis yarn that by name alone sounds too bright to be used for socks named after Capt. James T. Kirk.

See how bright this colourway is? The Sunshine skein is even brighter.  The Tiberius socks are coming out nicely. In actually really liking the pattern and I was shocked with the progress I had made in less than a day. By the time I had gone to bed on the first night, I had almost finished the 24 rows of the setup and now, I'm half way through the leg chart already.  I think these may end up being a quick knit pair.  I am enjoying the process way too much.

Last Monday I received the patterns for August and September. I don't know how much I am really feeling them. I may just spend some of the time finishing up WIPs and maybe attempt anklet versions instead. Who knows? Maybe my opinion will change once I start knitting them.

I actually started looking through my stash, trying to decide what yarn I was going to use for the Tree of Life socks by Janel Laidman only to realize the next day that I have the Firebrand socks on my list, which requires a lot more yarn...I may be making my first change on the list.  The Tree of Life socks were the socks that attracted me to the book in the first place so I don't think I'll be feeling guilty about changing the pattern.  Perhaps I can get some suggestions as to what to use (for socks that probably won't be attempted until next year).

The 2 right squares have the same skeins of yarn but it's different ends of it.  The dark colour is Kohl in Muscadine by Springtree Road.  The contrast skein in the top left is Foliage in Stroll by Knit Picks; bottom right is Goldstone in Muscadine by Springtree Road and the right side is a skein that I dyed myself from Acme Fibres.

Year of Projects Update

1 down and 25 more to go

My Spock socks are done!

I had already started at the toes last night but I think that at 2:30 in the morning, it was safe to put the socks aside and go to bed.

I went to pick up the Tiberius socks a couple of hours later, only to find that I could not find it. I have no idea where it is. So I went to my stash, pulled out 2 balls of Knit Picks Stroll in Dandelion and started again. It's not like I had knit the other sock that far anyways.

It's not the "Commander" yellow (circa TOS) I was looking forward to using but the other yellow I have is called Sunshine; the name alone tells you that it's too bright for socks referring to Capt. James T. Kirk.

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.

Come a-Long Blog Update

This week was another Spock Sock week. I didn't even make it to the heel flap. I have about an inch to go before that part starts. I can't wait!

In a weak moment, this week I believe, despite the fact I have many WIPs, I casted on for the Tiberius socks. I haven't made it past the cuff yet so I have a long way to go.

I haven't touched any other knitting related projects this week, which I guess is fine for now and will be placed on the next Year of Projects.

I am going on a trip in just over a week from now. We have a church conference in Omaha, Nebraska coming up. This is one of the few states I have never been in. And since this is a road trip with about 13 hours of driving each way, I need to pack a knitting bag. I've managed to narrow it down to the Spock Socks, the Anklets and the Shapely Boyfriend. I think that will be enough on the knitting front. 

I'm also loading up my iPhone with podcasts and such to keep my ears entertained. I got the History of England, How Did This Get Made?, and the Sticks & Strings podcasts. Anyone have any additional suggestions?

Projects Completed for 2013:

Newton Socks | Ernie Socks | Pirouette Socks | Tulip Socks

WIPs:

Dark Isle Socks | Stitch Surfer | Hermione's Whatever-whatevers | Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan | Blankie | Bex | Anklet #1 | Baby Socks | ...fascinating (the Spock Socks) | Tiberius Socks

Come-a-Long Blog Update

While I didn't do as much knitting as I would like to have done this week, I did do quite a bit.

I started and restarted a new set of socks, Spock Socks, which was mentioned on the last update.  They're coming along nicely but not as quickly as I had hoped.  I just didn't feel as much of an urge to knit and if I forced it, it just wouldn't be fun and it would go the way of the Ernie Socks which were given away.  I have no intention of giving away these socks.

After looking through the Cookie Sock Club group of Ravelry, I saw some other participants doing the Tiberius.  I am really wanting to cast on for those. Someone suggested just doing them both at the same time.  Both the Spock Socks and the Tiberius Socks use the same sized needles.  While I do have a set of circular needles in the size required, I have been preferring DPNs a lot.  I managed to find a set of metal needles I didn't even remember I had.  I'm going to try out the Tiberius on that and see if it will work for me.  If not, I've got the circulars as a back up and I hope to have some pictures to show for it next week, other than the needles and the yarn.

The end of the Come-a-Long Blog year is coming up and when July hits, another year will start again, under the name Year of Projects (because that name is much easier to remember for me).  Also, I have joined another year long set of projects called The 26 Pair Plunge.  It's a sock knitting challenge.  It's really 52 but they give an option for 26 so I'm taking that instead, especially since I've never even managed to do 12 pairs in a year, much less 52.  Both the Year of Projects and 26 Pair Plunge can work very well together.

The list as of yet for the 26 Pair Plunge is as follows:

• August, October and December Sock Club Socks 2013 (6) 
• February, April and June Sock Club Socks 2014 (6)
• WIP socks that are half way done [Dark Isle, Stitch Surfer, Bex, Baby Socks] (4)
• Anklet Sock Stash (7)
• Tree of Life or Firebird by Janel Laidman (1)
• Socks that strike my fancy (2)

I still have to decide what additional projects other my current WIPs to add to the list for the Year of Projects but I expect the list to be up by the July 7th post.

Despite the fact that I no longer have my old Paintshop Pro, I came up with a couple of banners; one for the Year of Projects and one for 26 Pair Plunge:

Projects Completed for 2013:

Newton Socks | Ernie Socks | Pirouette Socks | Tulip Socks

WIPs:

Dark Isle Socks | Stitch Surfer | Hermione's Whatever-whatevers | Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan | Blankie | Bex | Anklet #1 | Baby Socks | ...fascinating (the Spock Socks)