Shannan's Stitches

2010 MDSW

2010-05-02T08:30:00.001-04:00

2010 MDSW
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

Yesterday I went to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. It was hot but I had a great time. This pic has notes at Flickr, so click over for the details.

About Me

2010-04-27T19:51:00.004-04:00

Since I've been absent from blogging for a while, I thought I'd officially 'return' with an about me post.

I learned to crochet as a child, probably when I was 8 or 9 years old. I crocheted off and on making mostly granny squares and sewing them together till I was a senior in high school. Then I branched out and started crocheting afghans using patterns. I didn't take pictures or keep track of my earlier projects. I mostly crocheted afghans, but would make other types of projects here and there.

My youngest son was born in September of 2001. I got the knitting bug then and successfully taught myself the knitting basics from a book, but quickly lost interest. I found knitting slow and tedious and I was deathly afraid of dropping stitches. I resumed crocheting and participated in lots of swaps for crocheted items. This was also about the time that my doily fascination took hold. I've made quite a few.

My interest in knitting returned in 2005. I made lots of fun fur scarves, which was great for making me more comfortable with knitting. In late 2005, I took a sock knitting class at my LYS. I finished my first pair of socks in January 2006. And I've basically been knitting socks ever since. I completed my 100th pair of socks in February 2010.

I'm also a spinner. I purchased my wheel, a Schacht Matchless single treadle in 2007. I did a lot of spinning when I first got my wheel, but my interest in spinning has decreased some. I blame lack of time and too many great things to knit. I do still spin (more so now than 6 months ago) and I have a stack of yarns that need to be washed.

My most recent love is knitting lace. More specifically, knitting lace shawls. I started shawl knitting in 2009 and pretty much haven't looked back. In fact, I'm so smitten with shawls that I'm thinking of unofficially retiring as a sock knitter.

My current projects are:
Crew Socks
Arabella Shawl
Blackberry Brambles Socks
Mandala II Shawl

Returning to Blogland

2010-04-27T13:12:00.000-04:00

I haven't blogged since late last summer. I've been thinking about returning to the blog lately. So, there may be some activity here periodically. I need to do some work on my template. Haloscan is still installed for comments, and I need to switch to something else.

Socks for Boys??

2009-08-10T17:51:00.000-04:00

My youngest 2 sons like hand knit socks. I've made them a few pairs each and just finished up a new pair for each of them. But are these socks really suited for boys??

First are the socks for my youngest, Sam. He didn't pick this color. In fact, when I started the socks, they were intended for me. Even though they looked a little small to me as I was knitting them, the pattern was stretchy so I figured it would be ok. By the time I got to the heel I came to the realization that there was no way these socks were going to fit my feet. So, I asked the kids if either of them would want them.

Yarn - Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock in Pillow Mint
Pattern - Peak Experience by Fiber Trends

Next are socks for Devin. He did pick this color. Devin has always liked pinks and reds and such. He's tried to pick this color for socks before and I told him no. But, how could I refuse this time when I'd just finished a pair for his brother that had pink in them?

Yarn - Interlacements Tiny Toes in Summer Fruit (color #204)
Pattern - Yukon Rush Rivers of Gold by Darlene Thompson

Fraggle Squiggle Socks

2009-08-06T07:50:00.001-04:00

Fraggle Squiggle Socks
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

Sock knitting has taken a bit of a backseat this summer in favor of knitting shawls. I've been participating in quite a few mystery shawls designed by Renee of Goddess Knits. But, despite all the shawl knitting, I did finish my May Rockin' Sock Club socks. Both pattern and yarn are from the kit.

Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Pepe La Plume
Pattern: Fraggle Squiggle

WashDay

2009-07-18T11:48:00.001-04:00

WashDay
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

I'm washing socks today!

Eva's Shawl

2009-06-07T14:52:00.002-04:00

Pattern: Eva's Shawl
Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Sunkissed Sands (2 skens)

Playing Catch Up - The Knit Sock Edition

2009-06-03T16:20:00.000-04:00

It's been forever since I posted last. So here's a catch up post with socks I've finished knitting since my last post...whenever that was.

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Rosebud
Pattern - Copper Pennies by Nancy Bush from Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in KMBFLA
Pattern - Shur'tagal Socks by Alice Yu
These were knit as part of the Socks That Rawk groups Quarter 2 KAL. The pattern repeat went pretty fast once I got the hang of the twist stitches that are used.

Yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight in Gertrude Skein
Pattern - Papaver Socks by Anne Hanson
This colorway is from the March 2009 Rockin' Sock Club kit. Since I wasn't crazy about the pattern that came with it I chose a different one, but I do love the colors.

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Spring Fling
Pattern - Lacy Diamonds, April 2009 Sockamania pattern

I also have one lonely pair of socks on the needles at the moment.

Yarn - Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock in Pillow Mint
Pattern - Peak Experience

I have other finished objects and more projects in progress to share. Come see me on Ravelry or Flickr to see what I've been up to. Lately, it seems like I've been better at acquiring stash than using it. :o)

Posting here will continue sporadically.

Queen of Beads Socks

2009-03-17T17:46:00.000-04:00

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in My Blue Heaven
Pattern - Queen of Beads by Sivia Harding

I finally have something new to share. Both the yarn and pattern are from the January 2009 Rockin' Sock Club. I finished them just in time. The new Rockin' Sock Club kit is due to ship this week. I made a few mods to the pattern. I knit my usual cast-on & cuff and omitted the beads on the instep. This was my first time knitting with beads. Stringing the beads and constantly having to push the beads down were kind of a pain, but I'm very pleased with the finished socks.

Sunday Knitting

2009-02-16T18:12:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've knit any dishcloths. Yesterday turned out to be a good dishcloth knitting day.

Pattern: A Little Lace Kitchen Cloth
Yarn: Peaches & Cream in Royal Casino
This was a fun, quick, and easy pattern to do. I see more of these in my future.

Pattern: Hero Cloth (Rav link)
Yarn: Peaches & Cream in Baby Pink
My 10-year-old son was looking over my shoulder as I was browsing my Ravelry queue to figure out which dishcloth to knit next. He saw this pattern and asked me to make it for him. He even picked the pink color.

Little Monkeys

2009-02-16T18:12:00.001-05:00

Yarn - Lisa Souza Hardtwist Petite in Newtown
Pattern - Monkey Socks

These are for my 7-year-old. The only mods I made to the pattern were to make the leg and foot shorter to fit his feet.

Leyburn Socks

2009-02-11T16:52:00.000-05:00

Socks That Rawk Leyburn KAL Socks
Yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight in Pisgah
Pattern - Leyburn Socks

I knit these cuff down instead of toe-up as the pattern is written.

Kid Socks

2009-02-05T17:26:00.001-05:00

Yarn - Colinette Jitterbug in Monet
Pattern - Twilight from 2-at-a-time socks

These socks were knit for my 10-year-old son. Knitting socks for the kids is lots of fun, because they work up very quickly!!

Staggering Monkeys and other Sock News

2009-01-25T08:23:00.000-05:00

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Queen Rock
Pattern - Staggering Monkeys

I wasn't thrilled with how the pattern and yarn played together on these. I considered frogging after I finished the first leg, but obviously I didn't. I decided not to carry the pattern down the foot. It's probably a good thing, too, because I had very little yarn left over when I finished the second sock.

I'm ~~anxiously~~ patiently waiting for the first shipment of this year's Rockin' Sock Club.

In the mean time, I'm working on 2 other pair of socks.

More socks for my 10-year-old
Yarn - Colinette Jitterbug in Monet
Pattern - Twilight from 2-at-a-time socks

Socks That Rawk Leyburn KAL Socks
Yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight in Pisgah
Pattern - Leyburn Socks
I'm knitting these cuff down instead of toe-up as the pattern is written.

Holidazed

2009-01-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

November 2008 Rockin' Sock Club
Yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight in Muddy Autumn Rainbow
Pattern - Holidazed by Anne Hanson

It's rare that I knit my Rockin' Sock Club yarn with the pattern that it comes with, but this time I did...and I love it! The pattern was great and I love how it worked up in this yarn.

I successfully knit all of the 2008 Rockin' Sock Club yarns this year (I still have 2 yarns from the 2007 club marinating in my stash). Only the first and the last kits were knit using the sock club pattern. The other 4 were knit using other patterns. I joined again for 2009 and hope to keep up with the yarns as they come in.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T10:19:00.002-05:00

I'm bringing 2 unfinished sock projects into the new year.

Yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight in Muddy Autumn Rainbow
Pattern - Holidazed
This is the last kit from the 2008 Rockin' Sock Club. This pattern works up quickly so I should be able to get these finished before the first kit in 2009 arrives.

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Queen Rock
Pattern - Staggering Monkeys

I'm not one for new year's resolutions, so there won't be any of that. But I do expect there to be lots of sock knitting, some spinning, and maybe something new in 2009.

Another Drive-By Post

2008-12-28T16:09:00.001-05:00

Just another drive-by post with a couple more completed pairs.

Yarn - bellamoden sport in Black Beauty (purchased from The Loopy Ewe)
Pattern - Top-down, 2x2 rib

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Tide Pooling (this is a 2008 club colorway)
Pattern - Niagara Socks from 'The Ecelctic Sole'

Blogging to Resume Soon

2008-12-16T18:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't been very good about blogging in the past few months. I'll be back with more frequent posts after the first of the year.

In the meantime, here are some socks I've finished recently that I haven't shared yet.

Eyelet & Flame Socks

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Gypsum
Pattern - Eyelet & Flame Chevron Socks (This is a toe-up pattern. I knit my socks from the top down and just followed the chart as written.)

Pretty in Pink 2.0 Socks

Yarn - Storm Moon Knits Twilight Sock Yarn in Pretty in Pink
Pattern - Top-down, stockinette

Crow's Feet Socks

Yarn - Socks that Rock lightweight in Oma Desala
Pattern - Crow's Feet (Rav link) by Linda Welch

Kid Socks

2008-10-29T16:53:00.001-04:00

I've taken a short break from making socks for me, to make socks for my youngest 2 kids. They chose the yarns from my stash. Here are the finished products!

Socks for Sam
Yarn - Scout's Swag merino fingering in Stocker Pond (a club colorway)

Socks for Devin
Yarn - Yarn Nerd 900mHz in Love and Peace or Else (purchased from The Loopy Ewe)

Pirate Socks

2008-10-09T16:06:00.000-04:00

It's not a secret. I'm a big Socks that Rock fan. Just look at some of my most recent posts and you'll see that. But, here lately I've been smitten with Yarn Pirate. My most recent socks and some recent yarn acquisition proves it.

Here are the socks!

Pattern: Coins by Monica Jines
Yarn: Yarn Pirate Superwash Merino in Pretty Pirate

This is my second time using one of Monica's patterns and they are a joy to knit.

And here is the yarn! All of it is Superwash Merino.
From the Yarn Pirate Esty shop

Monster Mash and Gotham

Kona and Baladi

From The Loopy Ewe

Concord and Sweet Jules

From destashers on Ravelry

Hard Cider (the September Booty Club colorway)

Orange Crush

The Socks that Ate My Needles

2008-09-29T17:43:00.001-04:00

Pattern: Zig Zag Socks form Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Sock Book
Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight in Mesa

Yes, it's true. These socks ate my needles. The sock pattern lists gauge at 7 stitches to the inch. I know that I get that gauge with Socks That Rock medium weight and size 2 (2.75 mm) needles. However, the cast on for these socks is 64 stitches. Normally, I would cast on 64 stitches for a yarn where I was getting 8 stitches to the inch. So, I started the socks using a size 1 1/2 (2.5 mm), but after a few rows, I knew the sock would be too big. I went down to size 1 (2.25 mm) and was happier with the result, but not for long.

I used my Knit Picks Harmony needles for these socks. If you have these needles, you know that DPNs come 6 to a set. Unfortunately, I broke one of them not long after I got them (I sat on it while it was on the couch). About half way down the first leg of these socks, I broke a needle while doing a K2TOG. Since I'd previously broken a needle, I didnt have any extras. (I prefer to do my socks using 5 DPNs.) So, the socks were put on hold, while I waited for another set to arrive from Knit Picks. (Yes, I could have used another size 1. I have other brands (Clover, Crystal Palace, etc.) but I was concerned that there might be some sizing differences that would affect the fabric.)

After the new set from Knit Picks arrived, I was able to continue on. I finished the first sock without incident. The second sock was going smoothly until I was about 6 or 7 rows from the end of the gusset decreases. And then guess what happened! Yep, I broke another needle. And of course, I was at Knit Night when it happened and didn't have any spare needles with me, but at least that was only a temporary set back.

What did I learn from this experience? No more using size 1 needles with medium weight yarn. I knew going in, it was going to be difficult to use such tiny needles with yarn that thick, but I had my heart set on using this pattern with this colorway. Next time, I'll either use a different yarn or use a different pattern.

Chickabiddy Socks

2008-09-15T17:42:00.001-04:00

Another pair completed.

Pattern: Carolina, the Last Queen of Naples (Ravelry link) by Gigi Silva
Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight in Chickabiddy

I did modify the pattern slightly. The pattern repeat calls for one of the rows to be purled. I wanted a smoother fabric, so I knit the purl row. I'm very happy with the results.

Little Flowers Socks

2008-08-31T11:30:00.001-04:00

I finished another pair of socks yesterday.

Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Waterlilies
Pattern: Little Flowers from the Sockamania KAL

Lucky?

2008-08-29T16:46:00.000-04:00

I had a stroke of luck this past Tuesday evening. I don't usually get on the computer after I sit down to watch TV for the night. But Tuesday, after I was done with TV (a little after 10 p.m.), I decided to get on the computer. Since I knew it was Wollmeise sneak-up week at The Loopy Ewe, I had the page already up in my browser. Imagine my surprise when I refreshed and saw that there were actual items in there. I quickly added yarns to my cart. Two colors that I had been coveting forever and one additional color. I made it all the way through checkout without any problems. Today, my yarns arrived!!

Poison No. 5, Zenzi, and Miss May

Aunt Petunia

2008-08-27T16:11:00.001-04:00

I finished these one day last week. (I know, bad blogger for taking so long to post about them.)

Pattern:Petunia Dursley's Double Eyelet Socks
Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in goody goody (This was the July sock club colorway.)

These were another fun and easy knit. It was a great take-along project. I worked on these at a local craft/art show and in the car on our way to Hershey Park.

Pretty in Pink Socks

2008-08-19T14:41:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Monica and Jill for their comments on my handspun.

I completed my Pretty in Pink socks. These were a fun knit.

Pattern: Pretty in Pink by Monica Jines
Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Mist

Handspun Happiness

2008-08-16T10:42:00.001-04:00

I have lots of handspun yarns to share. So, let's dive in!

Roving: Hello Yarn, Merino
Colorway: Mixed Berry
Yardage & weight: 222 yds, DK weight

Roving: Freckle Face Fibers, Bluefaced Leicester
Colorway: Sorbet
Yardage & weight: 154 yds, DK weight

Roving: Funky Carolina, Superwash Merino
Colorway: Melancholy (this was the April 2008 fiber club colorway)
Yardage & weight: 158 yds, Worsted weight

Roving: Squoosh, Merino
Colorway: Pond
Yardage & weight: 204 yds, DK weight

Being a creature of habit, all of my yarns are 2-ply.

Socks - On and Off the Needles

2008-08-04T17:52:00.000-04:00

These were finished over a week ago and clearly I forgot to blog about them. The pattern is Spring Forward and the yarn is Socks That Rock lightweight in the colorway Blarney Stone. The color is a little busy for the pattern, but I like them anyway!

One down, one to go. These are also being knit in Socks that Rock lightweight. The pattern is Pretty in Pink (Rav link) by Monica J. The colorway is Mist. I'm loving this pattern.

Just getting started. The pattern: Petunia Dursley's Double Eyelet Socks. The yarn is Socks that Rock lightweight (yes, I'm on an STR kick right now). This is the July sock club colorway, goody goody.

Charlotte's Web Shawl

2008-07-21T19:37:00.001-04:00

She's done...almost! It seems like it took forever and especially those last few rows. It still needs to be blocked, but I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to do that. I was originally planning to do that this coming weekend on the bed, but my husband is working night shift, so the bed will be occupied during the day.

Yarn is Socks That Rock mediumweight. Colors from top to bottom are Saratoga, Henpecked, Rooster Rock, Kaw Kaw, and Eggplanted. Because it turned out so large, I decided on just a simple single crochet border in the final color.

I did make a few modifications. The original pattern calls for 2 pattern repeats in color 1, then 2 repeats blending colors 1 and 2, then 2 repeats of color 2, etc. I did 4 repeats of colors 1, 2 and 3; 3 repeats of colors 4 and 5; and 2 repeats for the blending sections. And my border is much more simple than the original pattern (oh, and no fringe).

Now that this project is done, I can go back to focusing on my small projects (Hurray for socks!!).

Manitoba Morning Socks

2008-07-11T16:32:00.002-04:00

I completed a pair of socks this week.

Pattern: Manitoba Morning from Northern Sunshine Designs
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in Moss Agate

What's on my needles? Part 3 of 3

2008-07-11T16:30:00.001-04:00

Finally....Part 3

Charlotte's Web. My first shawl. Since I generally consider myself a sock knitter, this is a huge project for me. It's been relatively easy (well, after I figured out the lace pattern) and I'm enjoying it. But, I don't expect I'll be knitting anything quite this big for a while after it's finished.

Yarn is Socks That Rock mediumweight. Colors in this image are Saratoga, Henpecked, Rooster Rock, and the beginnings of Kaw Kaw. The fifth and final color will be Eggplanted.

What's on my needles? Part 2 of 3

2008-07-06T09:54:00.002-04:00

Socks. I've got 2 pair in the works right now. I usually like to only have 1 pair going at a time (it makes me feel like they get done faster). But I couldn't resist casting on a new pair to participate in the Spring Forward KAL in the Socks That Rawk group on Ravelry. But first, I give you Manitoba Morning.

I'm working on the second sock now. The pattern is from Northern Sunshine Designs. The yarn is Socks That Rock lightweight in Moss Agate. When I first wound the yarn, I was less than impressed with how the colors were playing together, but I'm loving how it's turning out.

Just getting started on these. Spring Forward from the Summer 2008 Knitty. Yarn is more Socks That Rock lightweight in Blarney Stone.

Stay tuned for Part 3 ~~ Charlotte's Web

What's on my needles? Part 1 of 3

2008-07-05T11:12:00.001-04:00

NOTE: This originally started out as 1 post, but it started getting too long, so I broke it up into 3 posts.

I feel like I haven't been knitting much lately. We had a couple of weekend day trips last month, as well as our vacation. But, I must be knitting sometime, because projects keep showing up on my needles.

Dishcloths. I'll admit it. I'm a Ballband junky. I've knit so many of these now, that I have the pattern memorized. I love having at least one of these on the needles at all times. It's the perfect project to pick up when I've got just a minute or two to knit (i.e., waiting for something or someone). It's also great when I feel like knitting but don't feel like thinking too much. The pic below shows 2 that are in progress. The yellow one was in progress before I left for vacation, but it didn't get to come along with us and the pink one was started while on vacation.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of What's on my needles? ~~ Socks

Leftover Socks

2008-07-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

These socks were knit using the 'leftovers' of the first two colors in my Charlotte's Web Shawl (Details on this will be coming in a future post). The yarn is Socks That Rock mediumweight. Colors are: Henpecked (cuffs, heels, toes) and Saratoga (legs, feet). I started these in early June because I knew I had a couple of long car rides coming up. Stockinette in the round is perfect for car knitting.

Vacation Time

2008-06-21T16:45:00.001-04:00

A super, short post today. We are off tomorrow for vacation.

Destination - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Mystic Sea Socks

2008-06-13T16:44:00.000-04:00

These socks seemed to knit up really fast for me. I love how the yarn swirled and pooled on the leg.

Pattern: Mystic Sea
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in The Incredible Shrinking Violet

Celebrations Socks

2008-05-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

Another pair of socks off the needles!

Pattern: Celebrations Socks from Sockamania
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in Lenore

I felt like these socks went on and on forever. I think it's probably because of the cables (I'm not a big fan, I guess). They turned out great and I'm very happy with the end result.

Handspinning!!

2008-05-17T13:50:00.000-04:00

As promised, my fiber haul from MD Sheep & Wool.

There's lots of goodies in there (there are notes on the pic, so click the pic to see them at Flickr). Mostly I bought merino (some superwash, some not), but there's at least one blend in there.

I've been spinning quite a bit lately and because of that I have 3 new handspun yarns to share.

A 2-ply DK weight spun from Funky Carolina, Corriedale. This fiber is from the fiber club and is called Fallen.

Another 2-ply worsted weight spun from The Drafting Zone, Merino. This was a 2007 MD Sheep & Wool purchase. Colorway is Daffodil.

Yet another 2-ply (what can I say, I love the 2-ply) DK weight from Cloverleaf Farms, Merino/Silk blend. This was another 2007 MD Sheep & Wool purchase. Colorway is Spring.

Swirly O Socks

2008-05-12T17:41:00.000-04:00

I know, I promised fiber and handspun, but one skein of handspun is still drying. So, I give you my Swirly O socks, finished last night while watching Survivor.

Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Calico
Pattern - Swirly O Socks from The Knitter's Book of Yarn
Gauge - 7 stitches per inch

Socks!!

2008-05-10T18:45:00.002-04:00

I have been negligent in blogging these past few months. There have been a few posts here and there but nothing regular (not that I was a 'regular' blogger to begin with). I'm going to try to post at least once a week. But, I digress.

This post is about Socks!

Last Saturday, I attended the MD Sheep & Wool Festival. This year, I attended with my friend Connie (Ravelry link). Our first stop of the day was at The Fold's booth for some Socks That Rock. I picked up 5 skeins!!

From left to right: Dutch Canyon (mediumweight), Kaw Kaw (mediumweight), Eggplanted (mediumweight), Knitters Without Borders (lightweight), and Jewel of the Nile (mediumweight)

And as if that wasn't enough, I placed an order with Blue Moon for more Socks That Rock this week. Yay! for stash enhancement!

I currently have two pair of socks on the needles. For several months I was very good and only had 1 pair of socks on the needles at a time, not any more.

Here are some WIP shots.

Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Calico
Pattern - Swirly O Socks from The Knitter's Book of Yarn
Notes - This has been an easy (and quick) pattern. I love how the yarn is playing with the pattern. I usually tend to knit with more colorful yarns than this one, so it's been a nice change to work with something a little less bold.

Yarn - Socks That Rock (again) lightweight in Lenore (one of the 2007 Rockin' Sock Club colorways)
Pattern - Celebrations Socks from the Sockamania KAL
Notes - I picked Lenore because it was the exact color opposite of Calico. I don't have much done yet, but I'm hoping for an elegant looking sock. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the Ravens series. I like to work with color and the thought of working with all that black all the time just seemed kind of depressing to me. But after working with this colorway for a little bit, I can certainly see the appeal.

Up next - spinning fiber bought at MD Sheep & Wool and handspun yarns

Almost Forgot

2008-04-30T16:48:00.000-04:00

I finished these this past weekend and haven't blogged about them yet. These are my 50^th pair of adult sized socks.^*

Pattern - Big Bamboo from Vogue, The Ultimate Sock Book
Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight, Lucky (from the March 2008 Rockin' Sock Club)

^*This number does not include the few pair of kid/baby sized socks I've knit. Oh, and all 50 of those pairs are for me. Yes, I'm a selfish knitter.

Latest Doilies

2008-04-17T15:42:00.000-04:00

Doily making continues...

Scallopped Pineapple Doily - This one was resurrected.

Antlia Doily - A crochet along choice from the Doilie Heads group on Ravelry. Pattern here

Four-Square Pineapple - Pattern from Leisure Arts #75013, Pineapple Doilies.

All were done in size 10 thread from various manufacturers (i.e., South Maid, Aunt Lydia's).

I have 2 more doilies that need to be blocked and another in the works, so more doilies to come soon.

Summerfield Socks

2008-04-14T17:28:00.000-04:00

I finished these last week, finally. For some reason they seemed like they took forever.

Yarn - All Things Heather in Festival
Pattern - Summerfield Socks by Lisa Parker (This was a Loopy Ewe sock club exclusive pattern.)

Resurrecting a Project

2008-03-19T19:40:00.001-04:00

A few years back (before I became obsessed with socks), I used to crochet a lot of doilies (check out my Doily Set on Flickr). Some I gave away or swapped, some are used around my house, and some are stacked up waiting for their turn to be displayed. I still have a few that I finished but they still need their ends tucked in and blocked.

Lately, I've had the urge to crochet doilies. I don't really need more projects to work on, but I'm in denial about that, so I'm not even going to think about it. When I switched from avid doily crocheter to obsessed sock knitter, I left a doily unfinished. What's kind of sad about this, is the doily is only 4 or 5 rounds from completion. So, I figured this is a great way to satisfy my doily-making urge.

A pic of the in-progress doily in its unfinished (and waiting for me to get back to it) state.

The white and blue thread, as well as, the pattern and hook I used were all stored together. The pink thread was a little harder to put my hands on, but I did eventually find it. I'm hoping to finish the crocheting this weekend. And with any luck, blocking will occur soon after that.

Jailhouse Rock Socks

2008-03-18T18:18:00.000-04:00

Pattern - Stansfield 14 from More Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Jailhouse Rock
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 7 st/in

And since I always need to have a pair of socks on the needles, here is my newest.

Yarn - All Things Heather in Festival
Pattern - Summerfield Socks by Lisa Parker (This was a Loopy Ewe sock club exclusive pattern.)

Pink Socks and More

2008-03-09T10:16:00.001-04:00

Pattern - top down stockinette with Eye of Partridge heel flap and kitchenered toes
Yarn - Scarlet Fleece, It's Tubular X 2 in Poodle Skirt bought from The Loopy Ewe
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 8 st/in

This yarn was a pleasure to work with. No knots or splitty-ness. I love the fact that it did not pool at the gusset.

I've already started another pair.

Note: This is an old pic. I am now past the heel of the first sock and rapidly approaching the toe.
Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Jailhouse Rock
Pattern - Stansfield 14 from More Sensational Knitted Socks

When I was trying to decide what pattern to use for this yarn, I couldn't decided between 2 in the MSKS book, so I had my son decide. It wasn't until after I started knitting the pattern that I realized that I made it once before for these socks.

Serendipity

2008-02-18T18:17:00.002-05:00

Even though I didn't get a 3-day weekend and after spending most of the day Saturday out and about running errands, I got quite a bit accomplished. I completed my January 2008 Rockin' Sock Club socks on Saturday evening.

Yarn - Socks That Rock lightweight in Dragon Dance
Pattern - Serendipity by Adrienne Fong

Sunday was a very productive day. I knit a hat for my 9 year old son. I also crocheted 2 Swiffer Shrugs using some leftover cotton.

First the hat.

Yarn - Handspun that I received in a swap from Yoyo Knits. It's 100% Superwash Merino and super soft. The color is called 'Red Rum!'
Pattern - Pro Bono Hat

Next the Swiffer Shrugs. These were fun and quick to do. The pink and purple one follows the pattern as written. The pink/orange/yellow one I modified a little. They both fit my Swiffer and I haven't decided which I like better yet.

Yarn - Leftovers of Sugar 'n Cream
Pattern - Crocheted Swiffer Shrug

"Secret" Socks

2008-02-07T17:51:00.000-05:00

These socks were knit so fast that I never had a chance to post about them before they were done. I didn't even get any "in progress" pictures. These were started on Thursday, Jan 24 and finished on Friday, Feb 1. (Yeah, and this post was written on Monday, Feb 4 and I'm just now getting around to posting it.)

Pattern - Ampersand by Kristin Kapur
Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Alina

I have 2 more pair of socks on the needles. The January 2008 Rockin' Sock Club socks and another pair that will be done in stockinette so I'll have a 'take-along' project if I need it. (Links are to my Ravelry project pages.)

New Year Socks

2008-01-25T06:51:00.001-05:00

Just off the needles...

Pattern - New Year Socks from the Sockamania Knit Along
Yarn - Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Brightwood

Socks and Things

2008-01-18T16:11:00.000-05:00

I give you my first completed pair for the new year.

Pattern - Dragonfly Socks
Yarn - Socks That Rock, Mediumweight in Pixie Park

This was a fun knit and the pattern was very easy to memorize.

I, of course, already have another pair in the works.

Pattern - New Year Socks from the Sockamania Knit Along
Yarn - Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Birchwood

I've got a couple of small sock knitting goals for this year. First I'm going to attempt to knit from my Ravelry queue. It's pretty long and getting longer all the time. I'm also trying to reduce my sock stash a little bit. I'm aiming for a 20% reduction in stash purchased pre-2008. (I'm definitely not forbidding the purchase of new yarns! That's just crazy!!)

I've been doing a little spinning. My spinning was practically non-exist in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but I'm slowly getting back to it.

More Finished Objects

2007-12-31T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here are my last finished objects of 2007.

Monkey Socks
Yarn - Socks That Rock lightweight in Flower Power (a 2007 sock club colorway)

Two Weeknights with Warrick Scarf
Yarn - Noro Kureyon color #170

Finished Objects

2007-12-28T09:50:00.000-05:00

I've been a bad blogger this month. Busy with lots of different things. So, I give you a quick finished object post.

Socks

Yarn - Dashing Dachs Superwash Merino Sport, Heart Seeds colorway
Pattern - my usual top down

Dishcloths

I started with the garter stitch dishcloths in an attempt to use up some of my partial balls of cotton that are too small for anything else. Then I decided to knit some Ballband dishcloths with some new cotton that I ordered. I've still got another dishcloth on the needles. Last time I got on a dishcloth kick, I made quite a few before putting down the dishcloth needles (in my case, size 7s). I wonder how many it will be this time?

Fingerless Mitts

Yarn - Noro Kureyon, color #170
Pattern - Maine Morning Mitts from the book, "The Knitter's Book of Yarn" or found here

These were a super quick and fun knit. I started them on Christmas Eve while watching tv with the kids and finished them on Christmas night.

That's all the finished stuff for now.

Amazon Socks!

2007-11-28T17:34:00.000-05:00

Pattern - my usual top down with Eye of Partridge heel flap and kitchenered toes
Yarn - Fiesta Boomerang, colorway - Amazon, purchased from The Loopy Ewe
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 6 st/in

These were such a fast knit. The yarn was nice to work with, but I had the worst time winding it. The yarn is a little slippery and it kept slipping on my ball winder. But once the winding was done, I had a pair of socks in a flash.

And another finished object...

My most recent order from The Loopy Ewe included a little kit to make this 'Loopy Red Sock'. I made this over the weekend and it is now hanging on my Christmas tree.

Next up for my sock needles...

Monkey Socks in Socks That Rock lightweight, colorway - Flower Power

and

Dashing Dachs sportweight (bought at Wool Girl) destined to be yet another pair of plain stockinette socks.

Bye Bye Comments

2007-11-27T17:46:00.001-05:00

This is just a test post to see if Haloscan is working.

More Socks

2007-11-19T07:03:00.001-05:00

The sock kick is still going strong around here. I finished two pair last week. That puts me at 3 pair finished this month. I wonder if I can manage to get one more. I've got a very long weekend coming up over Thanksgiving, which will mean lots of knitting time (especially since I'm not cooking)...

Yarn - Storm Moon Knits Twilight Sock, The Great Pumpkin
Pattern - Just a plain ol' stockinette

Yarn - Silkie Socks That Rock, Walkin' on the Wild Tide (club colorway)
Pattern - Retro Rib from 25 Favorite Socks

I have already cast on another pair, the leg is just about done, but I don't have a pic just yet.

I am working on other things besides socks, I just can't show them yet.

It's All About Socks

2007-11-08T16:10:00.000-05:00

I'm on a sock kick in a major way. I finished a pair of Yarn Pirate socks this week.

Yarn - Yarn Pirate Supwerwash Merino, Rum Runner (club colorway)
Pattern - Stansfield 14 from More Sensational Knitted Socks

I've got 2 more pair in the works. The first sock of each pair is done.

Yarn - Silkie Socks That Rock, Walkin' on the Wild Tide (club colorway)
Pattern - Retro Rib from 25 Favorite Socks

Yarn - Storm Moon Knits Twilight Sock, The Great Pumpkin
Pattern - Just a plain ol' sockinette

I've also got 2 more skeins wound and ready to go.

On top is more Socks That Rock, lightweight this time, in Flower Power...destined to become Monkey socks. On the bottom is Fiesta Boomerang in Amazon...destined for socks, but just plain stockinette ones. I've got even more socks planned, if only I could knit in my sleep.

Not Much To Share

2007-10-29T18:09:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who commented on my Fall Elegance socks.

I don't have much to share. Not much spinning is happening. I did finish up a new yarn, but can't share pics of it, because its for a swap.

I've been knitting (socks, of course). Here's a picture of a recently completed sock knit with Silkie Socks That Rock in Walkin' on the Wild Tide. Pattern is Retro Rib from the Interweave Favorite Socks book.

This is the Rockin' Sock Club colorway from April. I started this shortly after receiving the kit and then decided for some reason to take a break from it. The spirit of Socktober caused me to pick it back up. I know I won't finish the pair before the month is up, but I will keep on going and get the second sock cast on soon.

Fall Elegance Socks

2007-10-23T17:06:00.000-04:00

I completed my Fall Elegance socks yesterday.

Yarn = Union Center Knits, Whatnot sock yarn, colorway = Fall
Pattern = Elegance Socks from Sockamania KAL

More Handspun

2007-10-23T17:05:00.000-04:00

I went on a spinning binge about a week or so ago and I've got new yarns to share because of it.

First up, Cassis. Spun from roving I purchased at MD Sheep & Wool this year. The roving is Superwash Merino from The Drafing Zone.

Second is Chill. This is Superwash Merino/Tencel from Funky Carolina. This was September's club fiber. Look at that shine!

Both yarns are sport weight and are approximately 200 yds each.

No Rhinebeck for Me

2007-10-22T17:39:00.000-04:00

I was one of the few who didn't get to go to Rhinebeck. But I did have a very productive weekend, and I scored some Yarntini at Woolgirl on Sunday night.

My biggest accomplishment was on my "Fall Elegance" socks.

These are being knit in Union Center Knits Whatnot Sock yarn. The colorway is "Fall". The pattern is from the Sockamania Knit Along and is called "Elegance Socks". The pic above is of the first sock which I completed Saturday morning. By Sunday night, I had finished all but the toe of the second sock. This is my first time doing cables. They were small, so I wasn't too intimidated. The leg is almost 7" long and it looks like I'm going to have lots of yarn leftover. You've gotta love yarn with generous yardage!

I started a new pair of socks on Saturday. I'm using Storm Moon Knits Twilight Sock yarn in The Great Pumpkin and the Broad Spiral Ribbing pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. This is yarn I picked up at Stitches East. I'm really enjoying these. The gauge is 6 stitches per inch, so they are working up really quick!!

I also made some progress on a super secret, can't-blog-about-it project, because its a Christmas gift.

I've got a couple of new handspun yarns to share, but I'll do those in a future post.

11 Skeins of Sock Yarn Later

2007-10-15T17:42:00.000-04:00

Stitches is over and was loads of fun. I attended on both Friday and Saturday this year. This was my first year attending classes. I took 2 classes; a toe-up sock class on Friday and a spinning class on Saturday. Both classes were great. I received lots of information. I have more confidence in my spinning now and I am ready to tackle a pair of toe-up socks.

Like last year, my shopping experience at Stitches revolved around socks. This year, I walked away with 11 skeins of sock yarn. I also purchased a cute kit for a beaded bag and lots of sock patterns.

Click the picture for a bigger view.

Two New Yarns

2007-10-12T07:05:00.000-04:00

Here are pics of my two newest yarns, spun by me. Both are 2-ply, fingering weight-ish yarns.

Specs
Fiber: 5 oz. Hello Yarn Corriedale from the Fiber Club
Color: Cricket
Yardage: 500 yds

Specs
Fiber: 4 oz. Twisted Superwash Merino
Color: Sherwood
Yardage: 350 yds

Charade Socks

2007-10-07T17:20:00.000-04:00

Fresh off the needles!

Yarn is Lisa Souza Sock! in What a Melon.
Pattern is Charade.

I've used several different Lisa Souza colorways before and never had this drastic difference in color intensity. I'm not going to say I love how they turned out, but I don't hate them.

Stay tuned for a post featuring new handspun yarns!

Socktoberfest

2007-10-02T17:52:00.000-04:00

It's Socktober!! And I've got socks on the brain. I've got so many sock projects in mind right now, that I think my brain is going to explode. I've got lots of socks on my to be knit list and I've only got 2 hands. Plus there are more great sock patterns and yarns turning up all the time.

I don't have any specific goals for Socktoberfest. I'm trying to focus on completing my current projects before starting more; and I'm making steady progress on both. But, I may cave and cast on a third before the week is out.

What A Melon socks = The first sock is done and the second sock is about half-way down the leg. Here's a pic of the first sock.

Rum Runner socks = I made lots of progress on Knit Night last week. I expect to finish up the heel tonight.

Upcoming projects = Here's a pic of the yarns I have chosen for my next several projects (in no special order).

From left to right:
-Union Center Knits, Whatnot Sock in Fall - pattern planned: Elegance Socks, October Sockamania pattern
-Socks That Rock Lightweight in Flower Power - pattern planned: Monkey
-Socks That Rock Mediumweight in Pebble Beach - pattern planned: Gwen
-Yarn Pirate, BFL in Calamity - pattern planned: Stockinette

And on another sock note, I'm signed up for a toe-up sock class at Stitches. So, it's going to be a very busy month for me.

Knit Night

2007-09-27T14:51:00.000-04:00

My girlfriend, Connie, and I have started getting together every other Friday night for "Knit Night". We are getting together this Friday at my house. Its just the two of us, but we have a nice relaxing evening with lots of chatter and knitting.

Last time, I worked on my Charade socks. I got a lot of the leg done on the first sock. Here's a current pic of my progress.

The yarn is Lisa Souza Sock! in What a Melon. I love how they are turning out!!

This week, though, I'm thinking about working on something new.

This is Yarn Pirate Superwash Merino in Rum Runner. This is my first time working with this yarn and so far I'm very happy with it. I'm planning to use the Stansfield 14 pattern from the More Sensational Knitted Socks book.

Finished Objects

2007-09-24T17:22:00.000-04:00

Two finished objects to share today!!

Another baby afghan.

I used Bernat Softee Baby yarn, color Chiffon print. You can't tell from the picture but there are little specs of blue, green, yellow and purple in there. The pattern is "Dainty Keepsake" from the Leisure Arts leaflet Keepsake Baby Afghans.

And socks.

I used my own handspun yarn. The roving is from Hello Yarn. It's superwash merino and the color is Blue Raspberry.

Sock Knitting

2007-09-18T17:27:00.000-04:00

I'm working on 2 sock projects at the moment.

The furthest along (probably because they've been on the needles longer) are my handspun Blue Raspberry socks. Here's a pic of sock #1. Sock #2 is on the needles and is rapidly approaching the heel.

Next up is a new one.

This is Lisa Souza Sock! in the What a Melon colorway. The pattern is Charade.

Evidence of Spinning

2007-09-17T19:02:00.000-04:00

I've fallen off the blog wagon again. I had this ready to share this time last week and never blogged it.

A new 2-ply handspun yarn!

This was spun from Yarn Pirate Bluefaced Leicester roving. The colorway is Bloom.

I have a couple other spinning projects in the works. One is Hello Yarn roving and the other is from Twisted. I've made a mini-goal for myself to spend at least an hour every day over the next two weeks with my spinning wheel. My fiber acquisition has far outpaced my spinning lately, so I thought I should try to make a dent (even if it's a small one).

I received an order from Funky Carolina with 1 braid of Falkland wool in her Grape Nehi colorway.

And I'm still anticipating this month's fiber clubs from Funky Carolina and Hello Yarn, too.

Hedera Socks

2007-09-06T19:38:00.001-04:00

I completed my Hedera socks yesterday!

Pattern - Hedera from Knitty
Yarn - Socks That Rock lightweight in Tanzanite
Needles & Gauge - Size 1 DPNs, 8 st/in

New Yarns

2007-09-04T17:53:00.001-04:00

More new yarns have arrived. This time from The Loopy Ewe.

From left to right: All Things Heather, superwash merino, Festival; Fleece Artist, 100% merino, Rainforest; The Knittery, Merino Cashmere Sock (yummy), Orchid; and Fiesta Boomerang, Amazon

Baby Afghan

2007-08-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

For years, I crocheted like a fiend. After I learned to knit socks, I barely touched my crochet hook. Well, the hook is back for a little while because a girl at work asked me to make two baby afghans for her, and well, I like to crochet them. One for a boy and the other in a neutral colorway. She asked me to make the "boy" one first. It worked up much faster than I expected and it's all done now. I used my usual stand-by for baby afghans...Bernat Softee, but I was less than thrilled with the yarn this time. Maybe because it was one of the "Marl" colors. The yarn was undertwisted in several places and a single strand was broken in others. So, despite the fact that I should have only had a few ends to weave in, I had lots.

The neutral afghan is up next. I have a white yarn (Bernat Softee again) with tiny specs of baby colors picked out for it.

Fabrics and Such

2007-08-26T19:40:00.000-04:00

The above yo-yo's are all for a swap I joined. There's 100 of them in this picture. I actually made a few extras to keep for myself. They were a lot of fun to make. I've already signed up for another swap, this time using Halloween fabrics or colors. Here are some of the circles ready to be stitched up.

Spiralling Socks - Finished

2007-08-26T09:14:00.000-04:00

They are done.

Pattern: Spiralling Socks from the Sockamania Club Knit Along
Yarn: Fly Supersport, Ruby Redmond colorway
Needles/Gauge: Size 2 DPNs, approx 7 st/inch

Spinning, Not So Much

2007-08-25T19:18:00.000-04:00

There hasn't been much spinning lately because I've been working on too many other things. But I'm sure spinning will resume in the near future. At least, it needs too. Roving has started taking over in my room (and I just bought 2 more rovings tonight).

New roving acquisitions are mostly related to the two fiber clubs I'm in.

First to arrive, was from Funky Carolina. This is Fallen and the fiber is Corriedale.

The Hello Yarn fiber this month is Wensleydale, which I've not tried yet. It is silky soft and has a very long staple length. Colorway is Mullusc.

5 + 5 = 10

2007-08-25T07:36:00.000-04:00

I recently placed and received a large order of Socks That Rock, all mediumweight. Part of this order was my birthday present.

My order was shipped in one box, with 5 skeins each in 2 bags (hence the title of this post).

And without further ado....the pics.

Pebble Beach, Jade, Blue Moonstoe, Crazy Lace Agate, Calico

Space Dust, Mesa, Titania, Philosopher's Stone, Jailhouse Rock

My Rockin' Sock Club package arrived this week, but I won't post any pics yet. The yarn color is awesome, as always!

Bad Blogger and Sock Progress

2007-08-24T17:34:00.000-04:00

Yes, I've been a bad blogger. It's been more than two weeks since my last post. I wrote a great big catch-up post on Monday, but never got around to posting it and now it seems out dated. So rather than do a big post, I will do a bunch of little posts over the weekend to catch up.

First up...socks.

This picture is from a little over a week ago.

The purple one on the right is the first Hedera sock. I am using Socks That Rock lightweight in the Tanzanite colorway.

The pink/burgundy one on the left is also a first sock. It is the Spiralling Sock pattern from the Sockamania Club Knit Along. I am using Fly Supersport in the Ruby Redmond colorway for this one. Since this yarn works up quick, I'm concentrating all of my knitting efforts on this pair. I need to get a pair done before the end of the month for the Sock A Month KAL 4. The second Spiralling sock is now past the halfway point, but I'm starting to get concerned about having enough yarn. I weighed the first sock and the remaining yarn before starting the second sock and weight wise everything looked good. But that remaining ball of yarn is looking very small to me. If the yarn holds out, I hope to have this pair finished before the weekend is over.

Socks

2007-08-06T17:59:00.000-04:00

I had a bit of startitis last week. I started two new pair of socks in the same day. Here are the new ones.

On the left: My own handspun from Hello Yarn superwash merino roving. Color is Blue Raspberry. Pattern is just my generic sock pattern.
On the right: Fly Designs Monarch Supersport in Ruby Redmond. The pattern is called Spiralling Socks and it is from the Sockamania Club Knit Along.

The other sock in progress is Hedera in Socks That Rock lightweight. Color is Tanzanite. I've got the first sock just about completed.

New Stuff

2007-07-30T18:30:00.000-04:00

I finished a pair of socks yesterday.

Pattern - Yarrow Ribbed from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn - Opal Kollektions-entwicklung color #123.1
Needles & Gauge - Size 1 DPNs, 9 st/in

I also finally got around to washing a new yarn I spun.

There is approximately 380 yards of fingering weight, 2-ply. This yarn was spun from Funky Carolina Superwash Bluefaced Leicester roving. The color is Lily Pad.

And, some new rovings that just arrived from Hello Yarn.

Sock Progress

2007-07-26T18:03:00.000-04:00

Sock progress this week has been slow. I spent all day Sunday reading Harry Potter and I've been spending a good bit of time each evening so far this week with the spinning wheel. Here's a progress pic of my current sock projects.

On the left is the second Opal Sock in the Yarrow Ribbed Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks. I'm hoping to complete these socks before the end of the month.

On the right is the first Hedera sock. I'm using Socks That Rock lightweight in the Tanzanite colorway. This is my first time using the lightweight.

I'll have some new handspun yarn to share next time.

Waving Lace Socks

2007-07-19T17:38:00.000-04:00

I finished the Waving Lace socks last night.

Pattern - Waving Lace from Favorite Socks
Yarn - J Knits Superwash Me Sock, color AC #126
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 8 st/in

I'm still working on the Opal socks and I'll be swatching for another pair soon. I'm going with some Socks That Rock Lightweight for the next pair.

In Stash News, I received 3 packages this week. First to arrive was my Yarn Pirate order. A skein of Pretty Pirate.

Then 2 packages on the same day. My first order from The Loopy Ewe and the first Yarn Pirate Booty Club package.

Here's what I got from The Loopy Ewe.

Scarlet Fleece in Poodle Skirt

Posh Yarn in Bay

Interlacements Tiny Toes in Summer Fruit (#204)

Pictures of the Booty Club yarn won't be posted for a few more days.

That's it for now. I'm still anticipating a couple more packages this month. Two with spinning fiber and one with the new Harry Potter book.

Lots of Stuff

2007-07-11T19:42:00.000-04:00

I've got lots to share!

Sock Progress

There was lots of sock knitting this past weekend. I finished the first Waving Lace sock and started a new sock. The Waving Lace sock is being done with J Knits and the new sock is the Yarrow Ribbed pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks in Opal.

Spinning

I have two new handspun yarns to share. First is a 2-ply spun from the Party Roving I bought at MD Sheep & Wool.

Next is also a two-ply (which is intended for a pair of socks) spun from Hello Yarn Superwash Merino roving in Blue Raspberry.

Stash

I also received some roving that I ordered.

Two braids of Superwash Merino from Funky Carolina. Colorways are Desire and Raspberry Lemonade.

And Superwash Merino from Twisted. Colorway is Sherwood.

That's about it for now. I'm expecting more packages this month (2 fiber club shipments, a Yarn Pirate order, and the first installment of the Yarn Pirate Booty Club. There will be more spinning and knitting to share soon too.

Sunkissed Handspun Socks

2007-07-05T17:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, being the 4th of July, meant I got an extra day off from work. It was a relaxing day and I finished a pair of socks.

Pattern - my usual top down with Eye of Partridge heel flap and kitchenered toes
Yarn - My own handspun. Roving details: Funky Carolina Superwash Merino, color - Sunkissed
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 7-8 st/in

They are very soft and squishy!

An Update

2007-07-02T18:23:00.000-04:00

Yes, blogging continues to be sporadic. The dishcloth craze has subsided. The sock mojo has returned. And spinning continues.

I have two pair of socks on the needles at the moment.

Handspun Sunkissed Socks

These are being worked in my very own handspun (roving from Funky Carolina). I'm very happy with how this first sock has turned out. The second sock is on the needles and is almost half way done. I'm hoping to have this pair completed by the weekend.

J Knits Waving Lace Socks

This is my first time using J Knits yarn. Its not as soft as some other yarns I have used, but I'm confident it will soften after washing. Its not splitty and has been easy to work with. I like how these are turning out, except for the cuff. I followed the pattern for the ribbed cuff, instead of doing what I usually do and knit the cuff with a 2x2 rib. I'm not really a fan of the 1x1 rib.

Spinning updates and pics to come in a future post.

Where have all the socks gone?

2007-06-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

I've been in ~~kind of~~ a sock rut lately. I used to be a sock knitter...a hard-core sock knitter. I always had at least one pair (but usually two) on the needles at all times. All of my free time was spent knitting socks. I didn't suffer from second sock syndrome (a.k.a. SSS). I had my sock plans laid out several pair in advance. I don't know how it happened, but the sock mojo vanished.

I think it all started with this pair. I liked working with the yarn, but I didn't really like how they turned out. Way too busy for the pattern.

Then I started working with the April Socks That Rock Sock Club yarn. Yep, the Silkie Socks That Rock. I love the colors and its very soft, but the yarn is splitty and I don't like working with splitty yarn.

That's the Retro Rib pattern from 25 Favorite Socks.

In an attempt to woo my sock mojo back, I decided to temporarily abandon the Silkie Socks That Rock and work on something that I thought would knit up pretty quickly. So, I pulled out all my medium weight Socks That Rock. I lined them all up and picked the color that I thought would be the most fun to work with. (As a side note, I was kind of shocked to see that a lot of my Socks That Rock colors are similar.) I decided on Seal Rock and picked the Thuja pattern from Knitty. In theory, this should have been a really quick knit, size 2 needles, thicker than usual yarn, a pattern with only a 2 row repeat. It took me a little over 3 weeks to finish the pair.

Pattern - Thuja
Yarn - Socks That Rock mediumweight in Seal Rock
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 7 st/in

I don't think my sock mojo has completely returned yet, but I do think it's lurking around the corner. I've got yarn picked out for my next pair or two (although since the June shipment of the Rockin' Sock Club arrived today, I may be rethinking those plans a little). And looking around on Ravelry has inspired me to get back to socks.

It's a Sickness!

2007-06-06T18:30:00.000-04:00

It all started innocently enough. A few months ago, I decided to make a Ballband Dishcloth for blogless Mary for a monthly Dishcloth Exchange that I participate in.

Yarn used: Sugar & Cream in Over the Rainbow and Hot Orange
After finishing it, taking a picture, and sending it on its way, I didn't give it or the pattern another thought.

Then for the May exchange, I decided I'd make another one for blogless Marilyn.

Yarn used: Lion Brand Cotton in Mixed Berry and Sugar & Cream in Hot Green
Things were a little different this time.

Before I even finished the second Ballband Dishcloth, I visited the Elmore Pisgah site and decided to make a purchase.

This picture only shows a portion of my order (the 6 big balls of white cotton that I ordered (they were on special, I couldn't resist) are not pictured).

After finishing the second dishcloth, I immediately cast on for another. And when that one was done, cast on again for another. You get the idea. I even went out and bought another set of size 7 needles so I could have more than 1 going at a time.

Yarn used: (from left to right) Peaches & Cream Fiesta Ombre and Peacock; Teal Ombre and Sunburst; Gumdrop and Sunburst; Sour Green Apple and White; Pink Lemonade and Apple Green

With all the yarn I bought and all the yarn I already had, I've got lots of possibilities for more of these. And for now, there's no sign that I will be slowing down.

And More Fiber Arrives

2007-05-27T08:58:00.000-04:00

The Fiber Fairy continues to visit. Here are last week's arrivals...

Nuclear Pancy, Superwash Merino from Pigeon Roof Studios. Also included was a sample of their Superwash Sock Yarn. Very nice stuff...and very tempting too!

Weeping Cherry, Merino/Tencel from Funky Carolina She included a little sample tuft of roving too!

Posh and Sweet Magnolia, Bluefaced Leicester from Yarn Pirate

I finished 2 spinning projects.

2-ply Pumpkin colored Corriedale from The Sanquine Gryphon

2-ply Fuzzy Fibers Corriedale

I've got more spinning in the works and will share pics of those soon.

May Socktopia Socks

2007-05-18T12:27:00.001-04:00

May Socktopia Socks
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

I finished my May Socktopia socks. These are for the 'Fiesta' theme.

Pattern - my usual top down with Eye of Partridge heel flap and kitchenered toes
Stitch Pattern - Stockinette Stitch Triangles from More Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn - Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farms, 80/20 Superwash/Nylon
Needles & Gauge - Size 1 1/2 DPNs, 7 1/2 st/in

Next up will be my Silkie Socks That Rock Club yarn for April.

The Fiber Fairy

2007-05-15T18:21:00.001-04:00

The Fiber Fairy visited me several times last week.

Yarn Pirate

Blue Faced Leicester, colorway = Bloom

Hello Yarn

Superwash Merino, colorway = Blue Raspberry

Merino, colorway = Mixed Berry

Funky Carolina Fiber Club - May

Superwash Merino, colorway = Sunkissed

Hello Yarn Fiber Club - May

Blue Faced Leicester, colorway = Cricket

A Little Fiber Stash Enhancement

2007-05-09T18:34:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I got up bright and early and headed to the MD Sheep & Wool Festival. I arrived on the Fairgrounds about 8 a.m. It was a great day with perfect weather. My fiber stash grew a lot.

Spirit Trail Fiberworks Superwash Merino Roving

Cloverleaf Farms Roving (from top to bottom: Wool/silk, Blue Faced Leicester, Merino

Party Roving from Puckerbrush Farms

Merino Roving from The Drafting Zone

Corriedale Roving from Fuzzy Fibers

Wool Roving from Dancing Leaf Farm

Some spinning accessories...Woolee Winder and extra bobbins, 2-yard niddy noddy, and Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning book

I only purchased 1 skein of sock yarn from Spirit Trail Fiberworks.

Just in Time

2007-05-01T18:34:00.001-04:00

April Socktopia Socks
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

I finished my April Socktopia socks, just in time yesterday.

At the beginning of the weekend, I didn't think I was going to make it. But by Sunday night, I was sure I could do it. I didn't get much knitting time on Friday or Saturday, but I spent the better part of Sunday knitting. By the end of the day, I had only the toe of the second sock left to complete.

Here are the sock details.

Pattern - Oak Ribbed Socks, from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn - Opal Pettcoat, color #1297
Needles & Gauge - Size 1 DPNs, 9 st/in
Socktopia Theme - Sunshine on my shoulders

My next pair of socks will also be for Socktopia. I'm going with the Fiesta theme for May. After that will be my April Rockin' Sock Club socks.

April is Almost Over

2007-04-26T18:51:00.000-04:00

April is going to be over soon. I don't think I'm going to get my Socktopia socks finished in time. It's my own fault, since I didn't start them until April 17th.

Here's what I've got so far.

My April STR Club shipment arrived today. When it didn't arrive yesterday, I caved and looked at the spoiler pictures that were showing up in blogland. It is gorgeous and I love it! It will be making an appearance on my needles very soon.

This is a new yarn....Silkie Socks That Rock (81% Merino, 19% Silk). The color is called Walking on the Wild Tide.

Gina asked in the comments about the Eye of Partridge heel flap. Here's how I do mine. Like a traditional heel flap, I work on half the total number of stitches. It is a 4-row repeat. Row 1: Slip 1 (as if to purl), Knit 1, Repeat across and turn. Rows 2 and 4: Slip 1 (as if to purl), Purl across and turn. Row 3: Slip 1 (as if to purl), Knit 2, (Slip 1, Knit 1, repeat to last stitch), Knit 1 and turn. Repeat these rows until heel flap is to your desired length (ending with a purl row). Then turn the heel like you would for a traditional heel flap. Once you have a few rows done, you can see that your slipped stitches are bigger than the rest, so if you lose your place and can't remember if you are supposed to do a Row 1 or a Row 3, you can knit the big stitches and slip the small ones.

Watermelon Tourmaline Socks

2007-04-18T18:20:00.001-04:00

Watermelon Tourmaline Socks
Originally uploaded by shannanstitches.

My sock drawer is overflowing with socks these days.

Pattern - my usual top down with Eye of Partridge heel flap and kitchenered toes
Stitch Pattern - Stansfield #11 from Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn - Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Watermelon Tourmaline
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 7 st/in

This my 10th pair completed this year. And my 30th pair since I started knitting socks!

Pumpkin Singles and Brown Yarn

2007-04-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

My first small skein of 2-ply handspun.

This is the Corriedale roving I purchased when I got my wheel. I was anxious to try plying after I had 2 bobbins with singles on them (neither bobbin was very full). I don't think it's too bad for my first try. I plied up the rest of the brown Corriedale singles over the weekend.

I started spinning some of the Correidale roving I purchased from The Sanguine Gryphon on Sunday evening. My singles are getting better in the consistency department, but I'm still getting a lot of overspinning. Guess I'll just have to keep practicing.

I'm really getting excited for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in a few weeks. Last year, was my first year attending and at the time I was only knitting socks. I was overwhelmed by all the colors and fibers and people. This year, I don't expect to buy much sock yarn (my stash is overflowing in that department as it is), but I do expect to fondle and buy lots of roving. Hopefully, this crazy weather we have been having will straighten itself out and we'll get a nice weekend!

What I've Been Up To - Part 2 - Spinning

2007-04-16T18:53:00.000-04:00

I had some questions in my previous post about spinning. I am a brand new spinner. I took a beginner's class in August 2006 at Cloverhill Yarn Shop. My purpose for taking the class was to give spinning a try. Since I don't know anyone personally who spins, I figured this was my only way to try it out. I discovered in the class that spinning is a lot harder than it looks, but it was something I wanted to pursue. I also got to try out a few different types of wheels. So, I started saving my money to buy a wheel. I had my heart set on a wheel that is a little more expensive than others out there, so I knew it would take some time. In February, I placed my order and the wait begain. I got very lucky and my wheel arrived just before my long 4-day weekend at Easter.

I spent several hours over that long weekend getting acquainted with my wheel (knitting during the day and spinning in the evening). I purchased 2 - 4 oz bundles of roving when I picked up my wheel. They are both a Corriedale Cross, one in brown and the other in white. I decided to start with the brown. My first bobbin of singles was lumpy and bumpy. My second bobbin was much more consistent (although a little overspun in some places). I had taken pictures of both bobbins before I plyed them together, but the pictures didn't turn out (and stupid me didn't check to see if they came out before I started plying). Plying went ok (I think). I finally pulled the yarn off the bobbin this past weekend and washed it. I really need to get a niddy noddy because winding the yarn around my arm, makes for a very small skein. (I'll try to get a pic of the yarn when the light is better.)

And, naturally, now that I have a wheel, I've been consumed with purchasing fiber. The only good thing about that is that I'm not buying more sock yarn. I made my first fiber purchase a few days before I was notified that my wheel had arrived. I joined the Funky Carolina Fiber Club. It was totally an impulse buy because I had told myself I wasn't going to buy any fiber until I had my wheel. But I'm so glad that I signed up. The April roving arrived Easter weekend and I love it!

Merino in April Showers colorway

Over the course of the long weekend, I made several purchases. Some more Corriedale roving in solid colors from The Sanguine Gryphon and some Merino from pippikneesocks.

Corriedale in red and pumpkin

Merino in Hester colorway

Then I got the notice about the Hello Yarn Fiber Club. I was tempted but thought, I'm already in one Fiber Club and Sheep & Wool is only a month away, I don't need this. So, I turned my back on the computer and went on to other things, but less than 24 hours later, I was back at the computer, creating an account and securing my spot in the club.

That's all for now. Hopefully, I will be back sooner (rather than later) with another update.

What I've Been Up To - Part 1 - Knitting

2007-04-12T18:59:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post. I always have good intentions to blog more, but then I never seem to get around to doing it. And then when I do finally get around to blogging, I end up with too much to blog about in one post. So, I'm going to split up my long post into two; one for knitting and one for spinning.

I finished my February Rockin' Sock Club socks last night.

Pattern - Eleanor, a Socktopia Exclusive Pattern
Yarn - Socks That Rock, mediumweight, Monsoon
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 7 st/in

I'm still working on my Watermelon Tourmaline (also in Socks That Rock, mediumweight) socks. I'm going to try and not cast on another pair for a few days, so these get my ~~undivided~~ attention.

Sock Progress and Something New

2007-04-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

Here are some pics of my current socks in progress.

Monsoon has been getting the most action because it's been on the needles a little longer.

Watermelon Tourmaline is growing as fast as it can.

Both yarns are Socks That Rock in mediumweight.

And now for something new! After months of saving my money, 5 and 1/2 weeks of waiting after placing my order, and battling the Baltimore Beltway at rush hour I picked up this...

It is a Schacht Matchless Single Treadle and it works like a dream. I'm anticipating less sock knitting and lots of spinning practice in my future.

Emerald City Socks

2007-03-30T16:49:00.000-04:00

Pattern - my usual top down
Yarn - Lisa Souza Sock!, Emerald City colorway
Needles & Gauge - Size 1 DPNs, 9 st/in

These socks are doing double duty in knit-alongs. I originally chose this color for the March Socktopia theme of "It ain't easy being green". Then I realized that since they are green, they also work for the Green Socks KAL.

It was nice to work on a pair of plain stockinette socks after a few pair with stitch patterns. But, now I'm back to using stitch patterns.

Monsoon in Eleanor (a Socktopia Exclusive Pattern)

Watermelon Tourmaline in Stansfield #11 from Sensational Knitted Socks

A Quick Post

2007-03-23T18:31:00.000-04:00

I finished my first Emerald City sock on Wednesday. I immediately cast on for the second sock and worked on the cuff. But then I noticed that one of the sides was longer than the others (I use 4 DPNs and a 5th to knit) and there was a little hole. At first I thought maybe I'd thrown in a yarn over between needle joins but realized that couldn't be right because I had the right number of stitches. So, since I was only a few rows in, I decided to rip it out and start over. As I was ripping, I noticed that at one point, the ripping was going in the opposite direction. I guess when I put my sock down and picked it back up, I knit in the wrong direction. Good thing I decided to rip it all out, I never would have figured that out if I would have just tried to ladder down and fix the hole.

I had planned to cast on again last night, but life had other plans. About 2ish in the afternoon, I started feeling sick to my stomach. Yep, I got the stomach bug that the kids had earlier in the week. Fortunately, it was a fast moving bug and by 10ish that night, I was keeping liquids down, but it really screwed up my plans for the night. So, tonight I will be casting on Emerald City sock #2. And tomorrow is still going to be the day to start my STR Club yarn for February!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2007-03-20T18:26:00.000-04:00

Everyone else was doing it, so I did too!

Pattern - Monkey with a few modifications
Yarn - Austermann Step, color #01
Needles & Gauge - Size 2 DPNs, 8 st/in

I'm back to only one project in the works. My Socktopia socks for March. I've got less than 2 weeks to finish them, so I'm going to give them my full attention for the week. I should definitely finish the first sock and will likely have the second one started. But complete or not, on Saturday, I plan to cast on my February Rockin' Sock Club socks.

Sock Plans

2007-03-11T09:24:00.000-04:00

Since finishing my Opal socks, I only have one pair of socks on the needles. I am currently working on Monkey socks with Austermann Step in color #01. I like the pattern, but I'm not convinced that this is the right yarn for it. The yarn is very soft (which is really nice), but I've had trouble with it being a little splitty. I'm planning to keep going with it, though.

I've decided to go with the "It ain't easy bein' green" theme for Socktopia this month. I will be using some Lisa Souza Sock! in her Emerald City colorway for it. I'm feeling lazy now, since my last couple pair were done with stitch patterns, so these are going to be done in plain stockinette. I cast on last night but I only have a few rounds of ribbing so far.

My Rockin' Sock Club package arrived earlier in the week. I love the color! It's probably not something I would have picked on my own, and it's different from anything I've used so far or that I have in my stash. I won't be using this month's pattern. It's toe-up and I'm definitely a top-down girl when it comes to socks. I picked up a pattern (Central Air) from last year's club at Stitches East in November, so I'm planning to use that.

Now that daylight savings time is upon us, I hope to be more regular with my blog posts. I can't get good pictures without real daylight so I usually save my posts for the weekends. And since weekends tend to be full of running errands and chores, the free time I do get, I like to spend knitting.