Practically Perfect in Every Way

September 21, 2009 at 2:36 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting | 2 Comments
Tags: monkey

Why yes. Yes I do. (Thanks for the Sock Summit swag, Michelle!)

Pattern: Monkey
Yarn: Yarntini Variegated in Pumpkin Spice
Needles: My faithful CP bamboo DPNs, size 0 aka 2.00 mm
Mods: Only four repeats on the leg instead of six. Sherman short-row heel because I wanted to learn. I decreased to 60 stitches for the foot by decreasing 4 stitches on the sole.

I’m just… well… I’m just pretty proud of these socks. This was the best possible outcome – perfect yarn and pattern. If I was a better blogger I’d do an in-depth dye-job comparison between the Yarntini and the Yarn Pirate that I used for my last pair of socks. The Yarntini has much longer color stretches, so it knits up nicely at 60-64 stitches around. The YP has shorter color lengths, so it does the nice variegated thing at 44-48 stitches around.

Ah yes, the heel. I used the Sherman Short-row tutorial over at Mel’s place. I’m still not sold on short row heels for my feet, but I think I like this technique the best. I might try the afterthought heel next, I’m not sure. I don’t have any socks on the needles right now, because I’m working on a dress for Ladybug. (I know, she’ll probably hate it and never wear it. But at least this time it has some red in it.)

Uh-Oh, Baby is Waking Up

September 3, 2009 at 1:16 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting | 1 Comment

Time for a quickie -

Pattern: Improvised, aka 44 stitch 2×2 ribbed sock with short row heel (Yikes, twice in a row. Am I sure I’m me?)
Yarn: Almost the last of the Yarn Pirate M/T in Dogwood. There’s a tiny ball left for darning. If I ever darn them.
Needles: CP US 0, 2.00mm DPN’s

Pic spam:

I’m very happy with how these turned out. Apparently, this yarn prefers to be knit at 40-44 stitches around. Shall I dare try them on the baby toddler now? It’ll be fun watching her wipe-out on the hardwood floor!

They are a pair

July 22, 2009 at 12:34 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting | 4 Comments

As you may recall, I previously finished test knitting the Calvin sock for Turtlegirl. Well, I’m back with his buddy, Ripple.

This time using a top-down construction that also uses the riverbed architecture. The pattern on the front is made up of knits and purls, giving a nice wavy effect and it also plays very nicely with the hand-painted yarns.

See? (As always with Flickr, click for bigger.)

And you totally can’t tell them apart from their backsides.

Just like their namesakes.

What I’ve been up to

July 9, 2009 at 8:36 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting | 3 Comments

This:

I just have to say that this is my foot, and I’m making it arch like that. Fun photoshoot.

It’s a forthcoming pattern from Turtlegirl – the Calvin sock. I test knit the smallest size for her. I’ve got to say, I really love the slip stitch pattern; the variegated yarn just sings instead of falling flat.

The yarn is Cider Moon Icicle in Avocado. I’m very sad it’s no longer available!

More pictures:

Can you tell I was having fun with Photoshop filters?

See how pretty the slip stitch is? It’s so very easy, too. The garter border makes it easy to keep track of your rows, and I love that it starts right at the tip of the toe.

The sock uses the riverbed sockitecture. Very interesting; it makes a nice deep heel pocket and for a girl like me with a narrow foot but a high instep, it works very well.

All good things must come crashing to a halt

June 30, 2009 at 1:00 pm | In Socks, knitting | 2 Comments

I had to frog some socks again.

Pretty, huh? Too bad I couldn’t pull it up past my heel.

I swear this yarn is cursed. I’m going to try these now.

Everything, except I’m sure I forgot something

May 6, 2009 at 9:54 am | In Ladybug, Socks, knitting, me | 2 Comments

I feel like blogging!

First up – the Monkey socks. Ripped. They were spiraling in a way that annoyed me. The yarn is much happier now as a 60 stitch stockinette sock. Boring, maybe, but at least I’m satisfied.

Second topic – Ladybug! She hasn’t made much of an appearance lately on this here blog. It’s time to remedy that. She had a little “Spring Tea” concert at preschool last night, and boy was she cute!

They had us all packed into one of the little classrooms, and we got to sit on the teeny tiny preschool chairs.

Thirdly, Hubby is on Facebook and is totally addicted to it. It’s so cute how thrilled is gets when he finds someone he knows or knew 10 years ago. But in the pretty cool category, he found a friend from college who lives in the same town as we do, and has two kids close in age to ours. We met them for dinner on Saturday night!

Finally, my surgery. I had my gallbladder out on Friday, and now I get to tell you about it! (Warning, pictures behind the cut.)

Continue reading Everything, except I’m sure I forgot something…

Coordinating Socks

March 27, 2009 at 12:31 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting | 3 Comments

Two FO’s for the price of one!

Pattern: Flutter-By Sock(s) (Rav)
Yarn: KPPPM p408
Needles: US 0, 2mm DPNs
Started: October 2007
Finished: March 13, 2009

Mods: None, really. I just did my star toe instead of a wedge.

Pattern: Daisy Sock(s) (Rav)
Same yarn, needles
Started: March 13, 2009
Finished: March 26, 2009

Mods: Started out with the 64 stitch CO, but decreased down to 60 stitches. Probably should have decreased sooner.

The real color is somewhere between these two – the first picture is too blue, and the second is too pink. But I couldn’t go outside to take pictures because it’s too cold! It’s mitten weather again! The forecast is for 12″ of snow tomorrow.

While Waiting

March 13, 2009 at 1:37 pm | In Socks, WIP, knitting, me | 4 Comments

My mittens are done! However, they’re still wet – 24 hours after I washed them. I was hoping to take pictures and do the FO post today.

So instead, I started a sock. Technically, it’s the second sock of a pair, but, well, these socks are going to coordinate instead of match.

I’m using this:

That goes with this:

And making this. (No pictures yet, it’s just a cuff at the moment.)

Of course, the big news for today is that it’s the last day of my employment with my current company. I did support work for Circuit City, and in case you hadn’t heard, they went bankrupt. I stayed on and helped close down my stores, but now my company doesn’t need me. I’m lucky; I get a severance package and with the COBRA subsidy we can at least consider affording it. I’ve got a good job prospect IF they decide they’re going to fill the position (grr, government jobs with their waffling on whether or not it’s a total hiring freeze or if they can give the go ahead they already gave.)

So don’t cry for me yet. I’m choosing to be somewhat optimistic – there’s lots of time to knit and fill out applications during the day.

Today is for me

February 4, 2009 at 1:44 pm | In FO, Socks, knitting, me | 1 Comment

Today I have finished socks:

Pattern: None. My own. Simple 48 stitch CO. 3×1 ribbing for a while. Make swirls. Mirror swirls if you’re so inclined.
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needles: 2.00mm US 0 DPNs
Size: Ladybug
Started: October 17, 2008
Finished: February 4, 2009

I am so sick of this yarn. It’s being put into the bag of scraps, and we’ll see if I can bring myself to knit with this colorway ever again.

To inspire me to finish these socks, I did the second one with a short row heel. I think it turned out well (who am I kidding. This is my best short row heel ever. Let’s not discuss how it’s my second short row heel.)

I also ended up with the second one being a little bit shorter in the leg. My gauge was also tighter. Eh. Ladybug won’t care.

Today I joined Plurk:

I’m not much of a joiner. I don’t do knit-alongs, because there’s no way I could keep up. So why plurk? It’ll probably be good for me. Maybe help me open up or something. I dunno. If I fail at plurking, I can always quit.

Today I am wearing pajama pants:

Dude. You so did not want to be me last night. Pidge had some issues. I don’t know what they were, but they prevented her from sleeping for more than a couple hours at a time.

Today I reached the point in the Yarn Harlot’s archives where I started reading her blog:

Did that make sense? In an attempt to fill my pumping time with lots to read when google reader was empty, I started reading her archives from the beginning. (Does it freak you out that her first post had 19 comments? Crazy.) Also, my favorite post of hers that I had never read? The goat fiber one.