Grab your knitting needles and come relax with me.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tiger Socks: An FO!!
Woot! Finally I finished something.
Mic's Tiger Socks (rav link with details). I finished them on Monday (Lorelei's birthday) while we were at the library.
What to work on next? My swallowtail is very close to being finished--I just need to work on the beading. Sandy thinks I should work on the Celtic Tote next. She has a good point. But I have the Austin Knit Out in a few days--it would be fun to arrive with a new shawl--IF I can get it finished. Hmmmm.
I did work on the Lace Ribbon Scarf--it's my only other project that is immediately available on the needles. I finished one ball of yarn. So now it's half way done.
I have been called out. And I am missed! I feel loved...thanks all.
Life has gotten very busy. Homeschooling Micci takes up a lot of time...and my spare time is spent knitting. And I am feeling a bit boring. No big knitting news or anything. And so far monogamy is working...although I am being tempted (here's a rav link).
I am being a good girl.
I have worked on Mic's tiger socks...I started the heel turn at the game last night (more on THAT later). I also worked one the Lace Ribbon scarf...I nearly knitted through one skein of yarn so far. And I snuck in a square for a charity project.
It was for the Knit Nite at the Silver Stars event I organised last night--but I think I'll collect these through out the year.
On to the knit night!! I actually had people show up!! It was doubtful for a while.
First the knitters!!
That's Wendy and David there. Super serious sock knitters there...smirk. I love getting shots where no one expects it---I need to work on my technique I know. I need to be more bold and ask for a smile or two...LOL.
Wendy's Clan, plus soon to be daughter in law at the end there. The chica in the red knits--but I had just given her a prezzie so her lap was newly occupied. (Yes I handed out bribes to those that came.)
The kids all had fun too ;-).
I hope to make this a yearly event.
Really that's what's been going on knit wise with me.
Okay--I took the advice of a reader and am knitting on the tiger sock and only the tiger sock. I knitted on it during the Silver Stars (WNBA) game last night...got a little over 2 inches done--woot. When I got home, I continued knitting on...but then I heard a whimper.
Looked down: it was coming from my knitting bag. It was the Lace Ribbon scarf....begging for my attention. Poor neglected thing!
Still, I held on to my sock needles--and continued knitting.
Trying to help me in my pursuit of knitting monogamy suggestion; I take it one day at a time. Focus on ONE project a day and on the next day--continue on OR work on a other one.
Sounds good to me. Especially since I really need to work on the squares for a charity blanket for The Knit Nite with the Silver Stars next Saturday. Like always the days ran away from me--a week to go and I hadn't started on a single square.
So I am think of giving some monogamy in my knitting a try. I tend to have at least 5 knitting projects going on a one time...and I really don't spend a significant amount of time on any of them. Sorta just skipping around.
So I really don't get anything finished.
It's getting rather aggravating--especially when I don't feel right starting new projects because I have nothing finished.
But what to concentrate on, Lace Ribbon Scarf, Swallowtail Shawl, Tiger Socks, Celtic Tote or those two skinny lace scarves I have been working on my my little shop.
Jamey suggested I work on the project that is closest to the finish line. That would be the shawl, but it's in time out (I am beading the edging and the beads are giving me troubles--and I need to tink half a row). I think the socks are next, then the tote and skinny scarves. Course I am really loving the Ribbon Lace Scarf--so I don't want to stop knitting that. And knitting on plain jane vanilla socks doesn't sounds appealing.
I finally finished one of Micci's socks. Only took a few months--sigh.
I had a lot of questions about how I do my stretchy bind off. I used Peggy's Stretchy Bind Off. But a lot of people were confused about the half hitch loop. So I took pictures of the process. (Some are blurry, I apologise.)
With your right thumb loops yarn as shown, tail in your hand.
Slip working needle into the loop on your thumb from the bottom.
Slip thumb out of loop, leaving loop on the needle.
Pull the yarn by the tail.
Pull tight.
All done! There's the half hitch loop.
In any case this is the bind off I used in my knee high socks. Works like a treat.
Look at all the sock progress! Courtesy of my sister Kim. Every so often she'll tag along to a knitting group or beg me for some knitting during a Silver Stars game. She's a knitter, but not a Knitter--ya know obsessed. She's made quite a bit of progress. But.
Yes there is a "but" because this is Birdy's blog--and Birdy is short for Birdwell and Birdwell is anal--especially about things she makes.
Can YOU tell what is driving me mad?
Yes, gauge. As I told you last post. I am a tight sock knitter and well Kim is not. It's not that big of a difference. But it is bothering me. And I want to tear out that inch that Kim knit. (She incidentally knit that inch quite quickly--which is totally unfair).
Seriously this week flew by and although I actually had knitting content--I just couldn't seem to blog about any of it. And although I am suffering from a sinus infection right now (and am pondering just how much snot the human head can hold before it explodes), I must keep my lovely readers updated.
Hmmm, knitting progress or new toys--hmmmm. Eeny Meeny Moe...which one?
KNITTING!
Anne suggested I purl the black to add interest (esp for me since I tend to shy away from pure stockinette). So I tried it.
Eh.
It looks better in the photograph than it did in person. It seemed that the purl made the black too dominant--it threw things off for me. So I ripped it back to the marker (which if you like you can get at the shop) and have since knitted it past the point where I frogged it. I have learned doing socks that sometimes boring stockinette can be relaxing and necessary.
I have been working on my skinny scarves intermittently. I am about half way done--3 feet along. They are getting to the point where doing two at a time is becoming cumbersome. I had hoped buying two wee bags to keep the yarn in would help. I might try tucking the scarf ends in the bags as well--see if that will help.
Now the toys.
I have been looking for a bound graph paper note book (with little teeny squares 10 to an inch). I finally gave up and bought a tablet and a portfolio case to hold it in.
I like the polka dots. It's bigger than I had in mind, but it'll work. And it's already in use and have proven very handy.
I also got something I had my eye on for a while now.
And it's red.
I also ordered (much to the dismay of Jamey--but I had to celebrate a large BK order!!) some needles from Knit Picks. One set is for Super Secret Project 3 and of course a set of 16 inch size 0 circulars for my crazee scarf. I even dreamed about getting them last night, I am THAT excited. I was a tad disappointed they didn't come today. LOL. They only shipped on Tuesday. I ordered enough needles for some upcoming projects. Woot.
The picture drought is over! I finally made enough progress on Mic's tiger socks to show you a picture.
Mic is really excited that his socks resemble socks now.
I took some time deciding what should be the top and bottom of the sock.
Unfortunately my favourite part of the sock (if you remember is two stitches in the middle of the first tan stripe--in the whiter part between the tan) is on the same side of the weird zebra toes. So my favourite two stitches will be on the bottom of the sock.
Yes, anal and weird, but you've been reading long enough to know that already. I am also good at pointing out the obvious.
I am not about an inch after the heel and I am following some advice from Anne. I am purling the back parts to add some interest. I am only a few rows into it--so we'll see if it looks okay. It's too early to know if I like it or not.
Well now that the Silver Stars season has begun...I am knitting in a large public. A few games ago I was even caught on the JumboTron knitting.
Here's my sock! I was actually knitting on a Super Secret Project--but I can't snap a picture to show ya'll --so my sock is a stand in.
Kim arrived on Thursday for her stay--we're not sure if it's temporary (as in she'll move back to D.C.) or permanent (as in she'll stay here until she has enough money to get an apartment here in SA). The kids attacked her when she got here and have been very reluctant to letting her out of their sights.
My mom sent this beauteous necklace--I LOVE it. I put it on as soon as Kim got her luggage (a day after she arrived-looong story).
Front end knitting right now is pretty boring. I am still knitting on the scarf and tiger socks. But they are both boring to look at...the scarf has grown a foot. Well no--that's not true...I am really enjoying the tiger socks. Watching the new colors that grow under my fingers is just fun to watch.
So pretty and I can't decide which side I love the most (which is important once I start turning the heel).
And yet, there is a sweet spot on this side of the sock, that just thrills me (Yes I am easily amused). Isn't it neat? Yeah I thought so, just me.
Oh and most importantly: the Ravlery merchandise I ordered Saturday came in the mail yesterday. Woot!!
It fits beautifully and I can't wait to wear it to the Knitting Potluck tomorrow. It's even nice and long (perfect for my long torso)...no belly shots!
And a wee pin for my knitting bag: the Ravelry logo. It's so cute! It's about the size of a dime.
And I had intended this to be a photo free post--haha! I also got a decent picture (finally) of the lace stitch markers that have become popular among my customers.
Because of Jamey, I have definitely become a stitch marker girl. I am finding so many uses for them. I am using the dual use ones to mark the placement of random _____ and ____ in my super secret pattern. I even used the extra large size lace markers for the tulip blanket.
One of the gals at my cabin in WHIBSIB snapped a picture of me in my socks.
Ain't they cute!
I have already broke into the yarn I bought at Yarnivore. I am making two filmy mohair wraps/scarves. The blue yarn is goign to be a straight garter stitch. I don't have enough progress yet (I keep tear out) to show a picture of it, but since the Apsen has bit of silver fuzz running through it at odd intervals it should produce a fun pattern. The Kid Mohair, brownish/purplish yarn I bought is coming together in a really pretty scarf---but it's a new Birdy's Knits pattern. I am not sure if I will offer it for straight sale or enter it into the many contests/publications at my finger tips. So for a while, it'll be a Super Secret Scarf....no pictures. Just lot's of torturous hints.
I have knitted enough orange into Mic's Tiger Socks to make them actually look like tiger stripes--Mic is very pleased. "Tigers! Raaaaooor!!" But only a few more rows--not enough to take a new picture--give me a few more inches.
Man I had so much fun and I didn't wanted to come back so soon. Apparently, Mic thought I was never coming back. Poor kid.
Lot's of hilarity ensued!
Here's the super cute Alpacas and sculpture garden from Old Oaks Ranch in Wimberly. I especially loved the bears sculpture and the mice and books sculpture.
Jamey made a bunch of stitch markers for me to sell to my fellow knitters (I am a terrible enabler)...he was very surprised how few I brought back. He didn't realise how special his dual use stitch markers are.
I also finished my Neverending Socks! See that little bit of yarn that was ALL the yarn I had left--including the yarn ends I wove in.
I finished them an hour before we went out for the day on Saturday. I even stayed up to 2 am trying to finish them. I had to stop three rows from bind of because I kept seeing things and I found out that I can't count past 1.45 am. It was such a fun high to finally finally be done with these socks. I didn't manage to take pictures of them on me, but I will pluck some pictures that my friends took.
One of the girls made me a sweet, beautiful market bag for making all the WHIBSIB badges. AND gifted me a Pooh Bear dressed up as a bee. I feel loved!
I also bought some yarn...of course! At Old Oaks Ranch I bought some beautiful Claudia Handpainted Silk lace weight. Ooo I have plans for this pretty little hank (ha! little it's 1100 yards!!).
It's so incredibly soft.
We decided to go west from Wimberly on the way home and stopped at Blanco for lunch. Yummy yummy HUGE plates.
We stopped at Yarnivore before we reluctantly agreed it was time to go home and end our Yarny Adventure. I bought some alpaca sport weight for Skinny Lacey scarves for the shop. And for some reason although I am allergic, I bought some mohair for some filmy scarves--also for the shop.
And since I finished my socks, I started Micci's tiger socks.
These were started minutes after I finished the Neverending Socks--on Saturday morning.
This weekend was a nice recharge and a great affirmation amongst friends.
NOTE: It did rain, QUITE a bit...but only at night when no one was out and about. So it (the buying of the super cute polka dotted umbrella) worked--sort of.
