Socks turned Feather

I'm sure I have mentioned these socks before somewhere (I think). My brother Gabriel is a US Army soldier and is Iraq bound in November. He came home in June to visit and I said to him that I would make him a pair of socks, fingerless mitts, and a beanie. Well, its almost mid-October and I'm barley at the heel.

I am knitting them two at a time and I have a semi-good excuse. When he was here I had him choose the yarn. He chose Berroco Ultra Fine Alpaca which was a good choice. I made it up both insteps (also two at a time) on US0's and the yarn was a bit lighter than fingering. It was taking for-ever aaaand they looked way to small. I reassessed the socks and decided they weren't the right ones. I looked and looked for the right yarn. I also decided that the yarn should be a super wash merino. The only limit was that they had to be a charcoal gray for them to be appropriate to wear in the Army.

I finally found Cascade Heritage 150 (or something like that, cant find the label) in a charcoal grey from Paradise Fibers. I re-casted on with a US1 and am waaaay happier with this project. They are bigger and much quicker to knit up. I usually do the short row heel but decided I wanted a heel flap and gusset. I had never knit one before since all the socks I have made are toe-up with a short row heel. Rachel for the Knitcents podcast talked about how she had never knitted a toe-up sock and decided it was time and came up with a gusset and heel flap for her sock. So that's where I am.


In other news I have found a gorgeous simple lace weight cardi pattern. The Featherweight Cardigan. This happened around the same time that I was knitting my brothers socks the first time around. I normally don't buy patterns but this one had me sold instantly.

I love layering in my wardrobe especially sleeveless or spaghetti straps with light long sleeve tops. I went to two of my LYS's in search of a nice lace weight in black. Could you imagine no one had black lace or even sock weight? The only sock weight I found was Berroco sock yarn in acrylic and nylon.YUCK. So I decided to buy a new skein of the Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (before deciding to frog the socks).

I was knitting furiously for days. I managed to get past the armholes and even begin a new skein (the new skein now was a frogged sock :))half way through the second skein and 3/4 done with the body I try on my cardi aaaaand...its super scratchy and itchy!!! I guess my skin does not like the alpaca. I was super sad when I laid my bare arms against the body and it just felt awful. I have not knit a stitch since and don't plan to. Now I have three skeins of this yarn that I don't plan to do anything with. I should probably just sell/trade them on Ravelry. I am now planning to save up to buy some lace weight cashmere in black and make it that way. Ugh, still bummed though :(

The Addiction

On my way to work, on my way home, my music and TV substitute to fall asleep, and definitely, definitely, while knitting. I listen to... Pocasts!!! Yup, and not just any podcasts, knitting podcasts. I am terribly addicted but it's just soooo good.

I dare you, Double dare you, to listen. They are now linked and listed on the right. You know you want too...

Simple Woman Daybook Sept. 9, 2010

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...
Dark clouded night and the last glows of the days end.

I am thinking...
I need to knit knit knit! Perfect cool cloudy night for it.

I am thankful for...
Having my family so close even though we are so far apart.

From the kitchen...
Mommy making some yummy Frijoles Puercos (mexican style pork beans. Smells so good!! Thinking of grabbing a plateful with some Tortillas de Harina (flour tortillas).

I am wearing...
My work clothes still. If I change out Ill be to lazy to shower. Then Ill have to do it in the morning and then Ill run super late for work. Its a domino effect.

I am creating...
The Featherweight Cardigan. Super Excited to wear it!! Once its done.

I am going...
To shower and get cozy in my knitting corner.

I am reading...
I want to start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or and Anne Boleyn book. I also want to re-read the Sookie Stackhouse books 1-5 or the Twilight Saga. MAN!!!

I am hoping...
That tomorrow is a light traffic day. (Good Luck!!)

I am hearing...
Will be hearing a good knitting podcast.

Around the house...
Yummy smells form the kitchen. Kitties lying in my knitting corner.

One of my favorite things...
Feeling the cool breeze and seeing the cloudy day of a first day of Autumn. Just wonderful.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Organize my soon to come Holiday self wish list.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...






Simple Woman's Day Book

Deliciouse Spinning

I have a new found love and it is spinning. I have only just bought my second spindle but I am so smitten. I started with some alpaca leftovers and a basic spindle sent to me in a knit swap by fellow Ravelrer (is that the correct word?). It was hard at first and I have up after a few tries. I picked it up again a few times over but I just couldn't get the hang of it.

In a later knit swap I was gifted a 2oz batt of some beautiful Twilighty Merino/Silk blend fiber in black and red. This was about 5 months after my first tries at spinning. I decided to give it a whorl (pun intended:)). Once I twirled my first few spins onto the leader and started on to the actual fiber it just felt like buttah through my hands!! Oh was so rich and just plain yummy. It was like sinking my teeth into a moist chocolaty chocolate brownie. Oh my!:). And after spinning my first mini skein of thick and thin yarn in a black with wisps of reds here and there I was just in love.

I could have bought boatloads of fiber online. Fortunately I am not an online shopper. I have probably purchased a handful of things here and there through the Internet. And fiber and yarn is something you just have to feel and smoosh to buy. I looked and looked online to find something to really catch my eye and convince me to order.

Luckily for me an LYS store that recently moved has decided to sell spinning supplies including fiber, spindles and even spinning wheels! I had never been since it was not really on my way to anywhere but I made a special trip. Very pretty fiber and has things I haven't found at my usual LYS. They offered special wool wash, dyes, special knitters lotion, and other pretties. But the first thing my eyes caught was the pretty bright pink fiber. I immediately chose the right 4oz bag and claimed it. I also picked up all I needed for a small knit swap: some Noro for a one skein hat pattern, a cute "rather be knitting" magnet, Utter knitters hand lotion, Hiya Hiya needles, and 4 travel packs of Eucklan wool wash. All done!!! (look for a whole blog on all swaps that have been had (:)

So I took my cloud of pinkness home and just started spinning away on my spindle. Not much could stop me (another reason why my knitting WIP's are a little unfinished) and before I knew it I was ready to ply my first batch of lace weight singles. I decided to Andean ply but honestly it was a big kinky mess once I got it off my finger (and regained all feeling to my middle finger). Once I started to ply the kinked singles kept pulling my hairs on my arms!! Kinda like when you get your eyebrows threaded. Ouch!!! Anyways, I figure I might was well keep going since all these singles are already the way they are. I finished plying and it is a nice more thin than thick fingering weight. My second attempt at Andean plying was even worse. Somehow it got tangled and now my half way through plied yarn is just sitting there waiting for me to have the energy to pick it back up. As of now I am content with my 2nd addition to my spinning collection. A Schact spindle top and bottom whorl and an actual notch!! (yup my first one didn't have one). I am spinning the rest of my fiber on it. I have to fix my mess of Andean plying that is just mocking me though... I'm planning to make a shawlette out of the finished yarn. Cant wait:)

So now I am into buying an actual spinning wheel. Jane at my new found LYS was sweet enough to let me use her Schact Ladybug. I had a blast and caught on pretty quick after a few tries. I feel its is a great wheel and I was right about me wanting a double treadle. It is to cute for words and reasonably priced for a spinning wheel. A Schact at that. However, as I am going to talk about in another blog, I plan to give up my daily lunch buying and actually pack a lunch to save up for the wheel. Kicking a bad habit and rewarding myself in the end. It can only be a win win situation right??

Summer Lovin'

OK so apparently I took a summer vacation. But I'm back!!! Much knitting and more knitting with some delicious fiber on the side. :drools:

I was definitely taking a forced break from knitting. I had several rounds of relatives visiting for about a month and a half. When some relatives left others came in. In between all this my Mom left on her vacation and left me alone to entertain!! While I had to work. I managed to take two weeks off but not much knitting accomplished. Well, as much I as I loved seeing my family which included my Grandmother and one of my favorite Uncles, I'm used to a quiet home which was not to well obtained when little ones are involved in the visits. Oh how I missed peace and quiet with a good project on the needles and a good podcast on the Itouch!!! OK so I'm done with the "woe is to me" and explaining why I had disappeared. That and I'm sure you guys weren't waiting on the edge of your seat LOL.

Ok So on to the blog

I have many new WIP's which does not help with the ones already on the needles. The only thing I managed to finish is a 2ply skein of beautiful bright pink Merino/Silk blend Louet fiber I spun on my drop spindle. Its sooo pretty but Ill talk about it on another blog soon to come. Yup that's all I've finished. However I have learned some things and casted on others and am wanting to start new and fun things. Like I have previously mentioned I have started and seems like I can now actually spin. But this autumn and winter to come I have decided I will do more baking and with that also do some cooking.

So basically this is just an intro to my return and my new found determination to keep this blog going. I want to consistently blog from here on out at least once a week and with this I want to decided if I want to start a podcast or not. I realize I want to say so much in one blog but I feel its sooo much reading you may get bored. But we'll see what happens from here to the end of the year and maybe into next spring. Its only and idea among many others I am having.

I will be posting a blog sometime this week about some actual stuff with actual pics :)

Pink Honey

I have now started a new Personal Pattern project. I am using Knitpicks Telemark sport weight in hot pink and black. I have made the bottom in black and have now started the color work. Making the sides in pink and black at every other stitch. Making the front and back with black border to pink diamonds. I had first opted to follow someone elses pattern in the color work portion but it was not what I wanted it to look like. I have now created my own pattern to the project and Im quite proud. I have had to learn how to "pick". I have always been a "thrower" and having to learn to pick at the same time as throwing while using two different yarns for my first color work is quite a challenge. However, it is a project I am really enjoying!! I hope to have this felted soon so I can have pics up along with a pattern. I am so excited!:)

My firsts

-Color work I think it's fairisle
-Picking (continental style)
-Picking and throwing at the same time
-Felted
-Zipper
-Lining my knitting (or anything)
-Adding pockets or sewing


I just finished my first pattern repeat and it looks awesome!!

Pretty Satchel

The Lacey Leaf Satchel is in the new Interweave magazine for Summer. I have decided to use the Berroco Mica in a gold tone. Very pretty and I wanted it to look more like a golden leaf than a green one. A more Autumn-y look. I first tried it with the Lion Brand Cotton in a Brown Brown. It was to bland and it kinda had a faded look. Not what I was going for at all. The Mica is a little more expensive but as I have been knitting up a swatch it has just the look I was going for.

The way the pattern works is you are going off two charts at once. I have never tried this before and I don't like charts much so I had to write out the patterns. I can much better handle that. Im thinking I might add a snap or zipper to actually close the back afterward. Also, I might use another straps instead of the wood handles. Not sure yet.

I am measuring gauge by knitting one of the sides first instead of the the front/back parts. That way I can measure gauge and if it is good then I can just keep going and get that out of the way. Two birds, one stone. Love it!!!


ETA 06/15/2010

Additional info left out:

I forgot to mention this is a hopeful Christmas gift for my sister. This is the first knitted Christmas gift I have ever planned and its great cause Im so far ahead (knock on wood). LoL I might end up weaving in ends on Christmas Eve if my procrastination is the same as ever. I want to knit up at least one of the sides and front or back by early October so I can start looking for the lining. Im thinking Chinese Silk. Also I have come up with a new closure idea: a magnet snap button. And some pockets on the lining. Oh so many ideas a-brewing...

Many WIP!!!! Whoopeee!!!!

Iv been more of a monogamous knitter since I began. I felt like I needed to finish something before starting something. And if I did decide to knit something else my current project was to be frogged cause I knew I wouldn't finish it. WRONG!!!! Who knew you could have many WIP's at one time? Apparently everyone else except me. The more I listen to pod casts the more I realize how much more I can do with my knitting. It's so exciting. From casting on socks ahead of time to be picked up when I like to. To having many sweaters in progress and picking them up as I wanted. You don't have to have a pattern to knit socks. Vanilla is the word! Hallelujah Iv seen the light LOL.

So after I have discovered this profound knitting mystery (not so much) I have alas many WIP's!!

My first Vanilla sock for Mindless knitting: Simple 3x1 rib pattern Berroco Sox in black for toe, heel, and cuff and the Patons Kroy in the red colorway

My first Cardi: Autumn Leaves Cardigan with Patons Classic Wool in Berry and Woodrose pink.

My first knitted Xmas gift: Lacy Leaf Satchel with Berroco Mica in a pretty shimmery gold for my sister.

&

My First Personal Pattern: A small clutch to experience my first zipper, felting, color work and, of course, my first design. Using Knitpicks Telemark in black and pink sport weight.

I will post individual blog posts for each item as I tend to get off topic if I have more than one thing in the same blog. As I'm about to do for the Satchel ;)

Kashma with Alice

A long time ago I had seen Ashley Green (who plays Alice Cullen in the Twilight Saga movies) wearing a really cute beanie in a picture. It was blue with hearts using YO's and such. I had posted in a thread on Ravelry about how cute it was and if anyone could come up with a pattern. Well someone heard my prayers (or most likely just loved it just as much as me) and came up with a pattern. I had queued in my Rav account but could not find the yarn I wanted. I stopped by Jo-Annes one day for God knows what (probably nothing in particular) and saw this beautiful red yarn called Kashmira by Sensations. It's 100% wool, super squishy and springy in a sport weight. I loved it and knew right then and there it was meant for my Ashley Hat.

I casted on with my Addis in which, besides the US0 I have for socks, I had recently bought US2 and US5 for no particular reason at my LYS. It was perfect cause that's what the pattern called for. I casted on in magic loop which was a little tedious since my stitches twisted twice before I finally got it going. However, in my haste and eagerness to start the pattern after the ribbing I forgot to stop and think. I went 11 rows into the pattern with the US2 instead of switching to the US5's. Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip....

Now finally after a few days I have my Ashley hat!! In a perfect beautiful red!! It turned out I made it a little to small. Its ok cause it was very fun to knit up. Very addicting Funny though, I was in a Twilight themed knit swap and my partner made me one in a cream color. Much better than mine cause it was bigger and baggy. Very cute. The one I made is being gifted to my niece. Very good knitting turn out :)