Knitting: Continued DISCOVERY sock progress

I'm still knitting away on the discovery sock. As I finished the pod last week, I opted to start the 2nd pod instead of finishing the leg on sock #1. It's going well, although I haven't committed to it this weekend. I haven't felt the knitting bug much however I did have some fiber adventures.

I went to Dublin on Saturday to pick up my "new" macbook. Purchased from Cath since she upgraded to pro. And since I was in Dublin, I stopped off to visit Temptations. I chatted with Karen a bit. Picked up month #2 for the BOM Afghan and purchased a skein of Malabrigo Twist in Grape. It's super pretty.

I now have 3 skeins of the twist in different colors. GK2 pal, Brandy made really super pretty and squishy cabled fingerless mitts. I decided these would be great gifts for my non-knitting but supportive friends. So I know have 3 colors that I believe they will each like, Olive, Rust/Olive and the Purple. I searched Ravelry last week for a pattern, but didn't see anything that jumped out at me, so I'm designing my own. I'm writing as I go. It's turning out really nice. The yarn is fantastic to use and I love the cabled diamond I chose for the central motif. Not sure if I will make these identical or, swap the cables out as I go. Providing on the feedback, I may go ahead and list on Ravelry.

Great thing is, with my new macbook, I can design anywhere. I'm not restricted to being home on my IMac. I have some great software and am so amped to get some of these ideas out, anywhere I go!

So the mitts are in progress. The Discovery sock is in progress... and I'm being very good to not pick up any other projects, nor cast on any additional projects until I'm done with the first pair of mitts and/or these discovery socks. I hoped to have the green socks done in time for St. Pats, but it won't happen. No biggie, they should be done before end of the month.

So I should have knit on Friday but didn't. Didn't knit most of Saturday, but had a lovely catch up time with Cath at Starbucks on Sat. night. I did knit a few rounds on the sock while there. I've finished all the increases and just need to knit to the leg lines and put the lifelines in and finish up the heel. Not much further at all.

Have the sock class tomorrow and will cut open for the leg and start a pattern. I'm going away from my original thought of designing a cable, due to lack of time. But I will definitely do it sometime in the future.

Not ready to start another work week, but we do what we must. Here comes Monday... bring it on!

Knitting: Opulent Raglan, an update.

I should have added this pic to the last post because I really have nothing more to say. I'm in the motivated vein to be working on this project so I brought it to work with me today for lunchtime knitting. It's still in it's infant stages so I don't have to LUG a lot around. Hopefully I'll get a row or some done while at lunch.

Speaking of rows... I've noticed a couple of spots of rowing out... weird thing is, it's not the WHOLE row... it's only a little part, like right in the middle... weird. I'll have to pay a big more attention. I don't usually have the problem, of course it's been awhile since I've done stockinette NOT in the round. I've noticed my knit guage has gotten a little tighter. I think it's from too much sock knitting on US1 with smaller weight yarn. I did so many worsted wt project for so long I became very consistent. I guess that is a good reason to keep multiple things going all the time, get your hands trained for the big and all the little stuff.

Speaking of big (ok, apparently I did have more to say, just not on the OpRag), I was reading through 2 of my Aran sweater books that were aquired recently. I REALLY love the one... and oddly enough I thought I would like the OTHER one better, but no matter. Anyway, it gives great description on HOW to design your own pattern and how to use the stitch panels, etc. Information I kind of know already, but it was still nice to read anyway and I LOVE some of the stitches in this book.

I don't however "care" for the construction/finished piecing of the sweaters in the book, perhaps I need to reread that part... but in any case, I was thinking of going back to Barbara walker's design construction for the top down... but I have plenty to work on right now... but the wheels they are turning. I would like a big bulky aran sweater, it's one of those things I've always wanted.

And for some time, I've really wanted to make a sweater for my dad and I can't remember how to spell the STYLE but I know it sounds like Coweechin. It's one of those sweaters, typically done in natural spun aran or bulky yarn and they typically have an animal on them. Anyway if you know what I'm talking about, please remind me of the spelling and if you don't know, I promise to look for it this weekend and post about it again. Anyway, so yeah,I want to make one of those for my dad.

Ok... I better get some work done. The sooner the work day goes by, the sooner I get to go hang with my girls and knit! :)