Knitting: The lost Schooner Sock....

Just kidding, it's not lost. Of course it was lost to me for awhile, while I was ignoring them darn socks. They are cute and pretty and I still love them, I just didn't feel like finishing them.

So with some nudging from a friend about getting something DONE, I picked 'em up this past weekend and did some work. I had stopped about 4 rounds before the heel. I picked up and knit on down through the short row heel, which suddenly made more sense than when I previously worked it. So this sock looks beautiful in comparison to the #1 sock. Who knows.... anyway, am on the foot and I have a few inches to go there. I'm trying to make myself do a few rounds each day. My guess is I will have these done by the weekend!



IOSN (in other sock news) I am a glutton for punishment. I stupidly cast on ANOTHER sock. What the heck was I thinking?! I don't know, I wasn't. But I was pulled in by the fabulous Cookie A and her designs and I stared and stared at the book and I had pretty yarn... and my resolve just caved.

However... the punishment DID set in and fairly quickly. The pattern I picked, which isn't HARD really, but it is tricksy that one. So I'm a little frustrated. It's definitely not a mindless knit sock. You def have to pay attention. I don't have a pic of that. I think it's good I did cast on for that though because through all my frustration toiling with that one, it's making me want to go back and work on the other sock projects I have hanging out there in limbo. :)

Anyway... that's all. Still feeling not so inspired, but I am trying to knit a little each day... my mojo will come back, I just have to work on it.

Knitting: The kitchener stitch (gasp)

So for years... I've heard of this kitchener stitch business. People HATE the kitchener stitch, they think it's a bother... the list goes on. Well never one to be intimidated, a gal named Lara showed me the technique, so at that time I used it on my next finished sock, which I believe was the Fade Away Mystery sock. Turned out great and I was HOOKED on it. It just looks so pretty and nicely finished. A great touch.

Well a few weeks ago, Olliesmomknits/AKA Brandy was one that mentioned Yarnholic Beth's mantra about knit, purl, purl, knit, etc.. or maybe that's backwards... but anyway, as I was finishing up the Schooner Sock (#1) I again decided on the kitchener. Of course as always, I had to look it up since I've not done it that often and anyway as I'm going along, it finally HIT me, the KPPK thingy... anyway, it's done now and looks lovely. So the kitchener is my new BFF. :) And I finally have it in my head so that I remember HOW to do it and won't have to look it up again in the future! YAY ME!

And so last night when contemplating what to work on, I decided on Schooner Sock #2. And miracles being what they are... when I finished #1, I was at the beginning of the yellow stripe of yarn, which is where the c/o for #1 was, so my stripes (which I planned to match instead of taking the serendipitous course) will end up matching without me even trying. How awesome is that?! Very, I think. I did notice my tail for the cast on should have been a squee longer because I ended up with about a one inch tail, but oh well. Anyway, did a few rounds on #2 and it's going well. I hope to work on it more this evening and the rest of the week. I didn't do any lunchtime knitting today but maybe tomorrow.

And in other sock business... I just found out about Sock Summit '09 which I totally want to go to. I'm strongly considering saving for that instead of going to Knitter's Connection. Unless there is some amazing class or person that I just HAVE to see, maybe then KC will do, but as it is I've always wanted to go to Portland, so why not have a double motive for going, vacation and knitting... wahoo! Anyway, this is all contingent on money, logistics, etc... as things normally are, but it's something to work towards. I'm always better with a goal in mind you know.

And one more thing on socks... mollylouhoo was blogging about a year of socks or something awhile back and I thought... it would probably be possible.. but is that all I want to work on? Well... let me just say, I have 1 single sock done and am working on #2, I have another sock with the heel flap almost done and I have another set on the needles, but only have them about 2 inches progress (2 at a time). SO if I really got my rear in gear, I could have almost 2 pair completed by end of January. And I have plans for February, because I'm doing mystery sock again and it's a cable sock, so I'll probably enjoy it and could see finishing that pare, AND... I was looking at one of the rav groups for socks and they have monthly plans and the Feb sock challenge is to knit a Gigi Silva pattern (awesome) or Entrelac. And I love entrelec but haven't made socks with it, so that is kind of pulling me that way. PLUS, I bought this yarn, 2 diff colors for a sock like fade away, but didn't use them and as each isn't enough for a full pair, I need another 2 color sock idea, so kablam... Enter Entrelac. So I think that will be the big february project. I'll def cast on for those after these other 2 pair are done. And an aside, Eunny Jang (whom I <3) did a pair of 2 color Entrelac knee-highs in the Spring 07 or 08 issue of Interweave. (Its on rav if you are interested)

So as I'm moving towards finishing these socks and looking ahead at MORE socks... I realize, having 12 completed pair of socks by the end of 2009, might actually be doable for me. And why not, it's so easy to take socks out and about, they are small and enjoyable. Although I do like me some big needle knitting too, like my bulky sweater. Am hoping to plan on c/o for the front piece this weekend... hopefully I'll be done with SS #2. Ok, so that's all my crazy sock talk for now.

ps... i could have put links in this post, and I'm sorry I didn't... but frankly I don't have the energy right now. I'm at work and should actually BE working... but knitting is on my mind.... as it always is. Obsessed much? Me, no. :)

Knitting: With a salad spinner?!

WHAT? you say. Well... let's step back a minute....

Friday night I worked on the Schooner sock, did the short row heel which I bungled a bit on one side, oh well, it's done and I didn't want to go backwards. I was exhausted Friday night, so I went to bed early. Well with early bed time, means early waking on Saturday morning... so I was up at 5 and knitting on the sock. Then I laid back down to "nap" and then Scot called and I decided to get off my arse and get out.

So we met up and went to the Scott Antique show at the fairgrounds. We had a blast, we made fun of so much junk and relived our youth with some of the old toys and dishes and THIGNS. After that we tripped over to the North Market where I bought some stuff from Pastaria for dinner and a few Petit Fours and a BIG HUGE PB cookie for Brian. Then I came home and from hours of walking, I decided to nap... 2 and a half hours later... I didn't feel like cooking, so we ordered Pizza and saved the Pastaria for dinner today and let me tell ya, it was YUM!

Anyway, I squandered like SEVEN whole hours of knitting... actually maybe a little more. I was mad at myself, so I picked up the needles and I busted out on that sock and finished it Sat. night. I just kept knitting and thought this is a good time to start the decreases and let me tell ya... it was amazing... I made it to the absolute perfect point! The sock fits my foot sooo perfectly and I LOVE IT! By the time that was done, I was pretty much nodding off, so I crashed out.


So this morning, I got out the big green cable sweater sleeves and went to work on those. We went to breakfast at Frisch's where Patrick and Steven and his son Mason came along as well. Mason was cracking me up. Last time I saw him, he was a newborn and he's like 3 now. Anyway back home to more knitting, knitting, knitting.

And the sleeves are DONE! YAY. So after dinner I decided to woolwash (in kookaburra of course) and last time with the sweater back I just squeezed and squeezed to get the water out... but today, I thought... HEY, SALAD SPINNER! Not just for salad! So I spun the heck out of it and WOW, amazing. IT worked so well and I couldn't believe how much water I actually got out of it. I guess there really was a reason for me buying the bigger salad spinner. I almost walked away with the small one and that would have never worked. Anyway, it's now drying on a towel over the dog crate. So I feel very accomplished.





Julane thinks I should cast on for the 2nd sock to get it done... but I'm feeling a strong pull to finish my other sock, the friendship one. But then I think the Schooner sock really only took me THREE days to do from c/o to finish, so then I think... wow in the time it takes me to finish the friendship sock, I could have a 2nd sock done and be WEARING them! :) Wow what a feat (no pun intended)!

Anyway, this finishing stuff is kind of addicting.... I want to bust out all the old stuff and get it done. Of course this could owe to the fact that I'm not really inspired by much lately. I mean I look at stuff and think, eh... but nothing is really pulling me to knit THAT thing. HOWEVER... I do have scrumptious yarn to knit up and that is pulling me. Mostly it is sock yarn, so I guess I better keep busting on these socks. And I do have some lovely malabrigo lace that wants to be knit, too, but I'm just not ready to go there quite yet. Plus I HAVE got to finish these socks and the sweater before I cast on for anything else.

Oh and I have baby stuff to make too... good grief, I need a game plan. :)

And I have pics of this stuff... but if you are reading this and not seeing them it's because I haven't uploaded them yet, so check back if you want to see 'em!

EDIT:photos added

Knitting: It's a bloggy world

So there for a bit, I was doing well at updating progress on "things" etc. And lately, I DO have a strong desire to blog/post about this stuff, albeit mundane... but then I think about actually DOING it and I really have no desire to do so. And then I think that is odd because I feel like I have so much to talk about. I'm just lazy I guess. And it is weird considering I do like to write, although I do so infrequently.

But I do like reading blogs... it's most of my FIRL (friends in real life) that I read although, I've been trying to read the yarn harlot and knitting daily stuff, too. There really is so much out there I'd like to read/listen to podcasts etc. But since I'm so visually oriented, I would rather watch TV and knit together. I like listening in the car, but I don't have an ipod hook up to my car stereo. Someday perhaps, but right now... not a big thing... there's always more yarn to buy. :)

I'd much rather be consumed with KNITTING. I'm in a socky mood right now. And here's my BIG problemo with the socks... the effing HEEL flap. Like, I LIKE heel flaps and everything, but OMG they take so much time with the back and forth, back and forth... the monotony KILLS me. Makes me lose interest, etc.

That being said... onto my brand new schooner sock:


I am at a point where I could STOP knitting and start the heel flap, or I could keep going. I have PLENTY of yarn left, so am not worried about running out, or anything like that... but that's just it, when do I stop? AND... if I do stop, what heel do I use? For instance, most socks I've completed (again the singlets, not whole pairs people), I've used the Eye of Partridge heel. Why? Because I like it. It has a nice LOOK to it, it feels great, it's not difficult, the list goes on. I did attempt my frist short row heel on the fade away sock and while I don't like the LOOK of it on a flat sock just laying about... it doesn't feel bad on the foot and works rather nicely. So, I'm considering a short row heel for the Schooner sock (seen above).

Now about the Schooner sock (I like to say Schooner), I was REALLY not going to cast on until the Friendship sock was done. I did so say this the other day... however, then I had a couple of "bad" days where I wasn't feeling up to par so to speak, not physically, mostly emotionally, just feeling kind of worn out. SO, I needed MINDLESS knitting... just rounds and rounds of stockinette... so the Schooner sock was born. The colorway is actually called Schooner, it was SOOO last season (ha!) from knit picks and in fact you couldn't get it a couple of months ago because they didn't have any left. I believe it's because they packaged a bunch with the BEACHES sock sampler, so I ordered the whole darn sampler to get that color, that is how much I love it. And I do love it. I really enjoy these colors. And again it's quite a plain sock, no pattern or anything, but the stripes are nice and we don't want to mess with them. And speaking of stripes, I'm really enjoying all of the new KP Felici sock colors and I may end up with many stripey socks someday.

So, I am making a vow... this is going to be another full on knitting weekend for me. By the end of it, I predict I will have something done... it may be the Schooner sock, or the friendship sock or my sleeves for the Verena cable sweater... but yes friends... SOMETHING will get done!