It's a Fight!

Looks like Blogger and Bloglines are not getting along again.....or it could just be the usual Blogger glitch. I thought there were far too few updates in my Bloglines queue. Then I noticed the dreaded red exclamation points. By clicking on the blogs sporting them, and then going directly to said blog I'm finding tons of postings on Blogger blogs that Bloglines is not picking up. Sigh. No wonder I was going through withdrawals.

In the extra time I wasn't spending reading all my favorite blogs, I actually have been working on some knitting. I am into the last repeat on the leg of my Embossed Leaves socks using the fabulous Sundara Fern. The colorway obscures the pattern a bit, but I love them anyway. I had to drop down to a size 1 Addi--the size 2 was way too big--but I haven't frogged the partial leg still on the 2.

I'm halfway through the 3rd repeat, so one more repeat (calls for 3.5) before I start the heel stuff. So far, I've used 13 gm of the 50 gm skein--love my digital scale.

Yesterday I abandoned the socks in favor of the Stora Dimun shawl. Theresa sent me a link for a cool Shawl Progress Calculator--thanks, Theresa. I must get the info into the spreadsheet so I can see if I will be short on yarn. (Although now that I look at the pattern and the spread sheet, I'm not sure that it will work for the shape the pattern is worked in. In addition, I can't find anywhere in the pattern where it actually says how many rows there are! Just work until there are x number of stitches and do something funky. The end of the pattern sort of scares me as it is very vague. Not good for a new shawl knitter like me.) Prior to my last posting about being worried about not having enough yarn for the shawl, I was working from a photocopy of the pattern so that my book won't get messed up. Well, I didn't make a copy of the photo of the shawl. Because of that I was under the assumption (you know what "they" say about assuming) that I was working the widest part of the shawl and that the pattern would just decrease down to the point. I thought I'd take a look at the actual pattern in the book yesterday, and lo and behold, I was wrong, way wrong. Yes, I am working the widest part of the pattern, but it doesn't run across the top of the shoulders, it runs down the side, across the squarish bottom, and up the other side. So I may be further along than I at first thought. Boy, I'm hoping.

Anyway, after figuring out that little piece of information (this is only my second shawl, give me a break if that's the way they all work) I picked up the actual knitting which hasn't seen the light of day since we arrived back home last Wednesday night. I worked happily across the first row--all knit thankfully, but there are no stitch counts for me to periodically check to make sure I'm still on track with the right number. Next row is like row 39 or something (had just run a lifeline in on row 38)--right side row. I get through about 3/4 of over 400 stitches and I realize something is off. Those little yo's and ktogs and ssks aren't landing in a nice pattern. The thing is so squished on my 40" circs that it's hard to see any of the pattern without risking losing stitches off either end. I stuck on some point protectors and spread out a section near the beginning of the row, where I knew I was right. Okay, the little triangle thingy I'm working on goes here.....scooted further down the row....still okay.....further down the row.....hmmm, not so much. Worked my way back to see the last place I had it right and stuck a colored paperclip on the last stitch of a correct repeat..... and proceeded to tink back. Reworked the section actually knitting two stitches together at one point to make the knit stitches land in the right place on the forming triangle. Got to the end of the row--short a stitch. Yeah, I know, I did knit those two together, but I had to to get the pattern to work out. * The last 3 stitches called for k2tog, k1, so all I did was just knit the 2 stitches, do the 8 stitch border and turn....and pray that I hadn't screwed the whole thing up. My lifeline was a joke, since I had run one in on a row that was wrong. I proceeded to knit through the next row, not knowing if what I did fixed the problem or messed it up more. Next odd row, I worked the pattern very slowly, holding each repeat up to the light to make sure the 7 knit stitches were falling in the right place on the triangle. They all seemed to do fine. The real test would be at the end of the row--would the stitches come out right. At first I thought I was shy a stitch, but one was hiding under the jump ring I'm using as a marker. Hurrah!!! I'm going to knit the next even row and run in a lifeline, for sure!

I'd show you a photo of what I've got so far with the shawl, but it's just a big blue-green blob crammed onto my circs, so you'll have to use your imagination.

*I think the origin of the problem was when I joined the yarn in the middle of a row--I know, I know, not a wise move, but when you're worried about running out of yarn, you use every little bit you can. I don't think I can do a spit splice on a wool/silk blend--didn't even try. Just used old and new together for a couple of stitches. I think the next time I came through after the join, I might have divided one of the double stitches into two single stitches--giving me too many in that one section--the place I needed to k2tog to get the pattern right was right above the joina couple rows below.

Cycling Socks are Ready to Ride!

My cycling socks came off the needles last night, and yes there is a tiny variation in the gusset for some reason. The first sock has been washed and dried--feels great. They fit the same and used the same amount of yarn (24 gm each). I must have made the heel extension a little longer on the second, so it didn't require that the heel flap be as long, and therefore not as many gusset stitches to pick up. Anyway, I have all the details for the second sock.

Yarn: KnitPicks Dancing (Jazz, I think) 50 gm ball (this ball actually weighed in at 47 gm without the label, each sock weighed in at 24 gm, so I had to break into a second ball for just a few rows of the ribbing)
Needle: Addi Turbo 0, Magic Loop one at a time
Gauge: 9.7 stitches per inch (34 stitches = 3.5 inches unstretched)
Pattern: Cobbled together by me. Toe up anklet with heel flap, heel turn, and gusset.

Turkish cast on: 12 stitches per needle, increased every other row until 34 stitches per needle
Stockinette stitch on foot for length of 6.5 inches (from toe to where leg joins top of foot)

I was looking for a traditional looking heel with heel flap, turn, gussets and found one here. The heel described in the pattern in the link is the basis for the one I used in my anklet socks. I adjusted the pattern for the number of stitches I needed for my sock.

Work heel extension on 34 stitches, starting with wrong side row, Row 1: S1, purl across. Row 2: S1, knit across. Repeat these two rows until the back of the heel is reached (approx 2 inches in my case)--finish with a purl row

Heel Turn
Row 1: S1, knit 17, K2tog, K1, turn
Row 2: S1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn
Row 3: S1, K6, K2tog, K1, turn
Continue this pattern as established in rows 2 and 3 until all stitches are consumed. Finish with purl row.
Needle 1 (heel turn) has 18 stitches, Needle 2 (instep) has 34 stitches

Back of Heel/Gussets
Row 1: Knit across needle 1, pick up 17 gusset stitches; Needle 2~~knit across instep stitches, pick up 17 gusset stitches.
Row 2 Needle 1: Knit 26 stitches and place marker, knit remaining stitches; Needle 2: knit 34 instep stitches; then knit the gusset stitches onto needle 1 as follows: knit 9 stitches, place marker (34 stitches between marker), between markers S1, K1, knit remaining 9 stitches. Let needle 2 be the start of each row.
Row 3: knit
Row 4: Needle 2: knit; Needle 1: K1, ssk, knit to marker, s1, k1 to next marker, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all gusset stitches are consumed. 34 stitches on each needle.

Ribbing
K1, P1 around for approximately 1 inch of ribbing or until the ribbing is the length desired. Cast off loosely. Weave in ends. Take 'em out for a ride!

Springtime!!!

There and Back Again

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

Oh wait a minute.....that's the wrong story, much better, but it's not mine, so I won't continue it. Our There and Back Again story involves 18+ hours of driving through three states and over 1100 miles. Yep, road trip!

On Monday Mr Fix-it (dh), Math Guy (ds #1), and I left on a road trip to visit ds's prospective college. I had planned on much knitting, but wasn't able to do as much as I had hoped~~do you realize how long it takes to loosely cast on 449 stitches?!?!? And then how long it takes to actually knit one row of said stitches?!?!? The knitting I did get to revolved around the Stora Dimun shawl from Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. By the time we had pulled into the driveway at home last night I had completed a sad 27 rows of the pattern and already started to worry if I would have enough yarn. The 27 rows makes up almost 5 inches of knitting, but the first 350 yard skein is almost gone--I'm hoping I can get at least another row or two out of it. I guess part of the problem is that the pattern starts at the widest point and works down to the narrowest, so I may be okay, but I can tell right now that the rest of the project will be knit with more than a bit of worry about the amount of yarn the garter stitch is inhaling.

Back to the trip....

Math Guy yesterday morning right before we left for home. The school is in Ohio and offers mechanical engineering, which is what he is interested in at this point. There were at least 30 families touring the school on Tuesday while we were there~~I'm sure due to the fact that many schools are on spring break this week. We took a tour of the facilities, went to chapel, and Math Guy went to a senior level engineering class while Mr Fix-it and I took some down time in the student center. Then it was off to lunch arranged by the school with one of the engineering profs and later a one-on-one tour of the engineering labs led by the professor. He spent almost two hours with us answering questions and showing us around. MG and MrFI were practically salivating as they got up close with the myriad of experiments and projects the engineering dept is involved in now~~several for competitions later this summer. After presentations by the admissions and financial aid depts, MG spent the night in the dorms and MrFI and I headed to a nearby town for dinner. (After an 8 hour day, we needed to regroup. Tons of information and walking left us on overload. A good steak dinner hit the spot for us.) MG is ready to sign on the dotted line right now, but he first needs to get through the SATs next month and wrap up his junior year well. Plans are already in the works for classes for next year so that he can "finish strong," as the president of the university emphasized in chapel on Tuesday morning. It was a long three days, but very profitable and enjoyable. We learned a lot and were impressed with the school and student body.

On the way home I shot some photos of the clouds over the foothills of the Blue Ridge mtns as we zoomed by at 70 mph. It was a beautiful day for driving, and since I've been enjoying the sky photos I've seen on other blogs, I thought I'd share some of mine from our trip.

Quite a few of you have asked about pattern information for the cycling anklet socks I am working on. The second is still not finished, and as I'm knitting it, I'm double-checking the notes I have from the first to make sure that what I wrote down is accurate and complete. I hope to have the sock completed and pattern specifics up by the end of the weekend, so stay tuned!

Happy Resurrection Day!!!

The Lord is Risen!!!!

He is Risen Indeed!!!!

Mail Call!!!!!

A package, pour moi? What in the world can this be????

As a Bear with Very Little Brain would say, " A little smackeral of something for me?" Oh yes, Dear Pooh Bear, definitely a sweet little smackeral of something wonderful!




Two skeins of Sundara sock yarn in the colorway Fern (so much for the yarn diet for SYAC) that I have been coveting for oh so long, from a brand new yarn shop~~Pure Knits. Please note the hand written note and bag tied with grosgrain ribbon to match my yarn!




"Unwrapped, please?" you ask, most happy to oblige!











And of course, a close up! Won't this yarn be fab as the Embossed Leaves socks from IK Winter '05?







In other knitterly news, I finished the first of my anklet cycling socks last night, and even if I say so myself, they are da bomb!!!! Just what I was hoping for! I worked it toe-up with a heel extension, turn, flap, and gussets. Way cool! I sort of winged it and hope that lightning will strike again for the mate. The yarn is KnitPicks Dancing in either Jazz or Ballet, I think, I can never keep them straight. It hugs my foot, just like I need it to. I hope to cast on the second this evening, but you never know, that Fern yarn is calling to me! Can I endure the siren's call and remain true to my cycling sock? Only time will tell :o)

This is why I knit and bike......

Dh was taking some photos of his "toy" yesterday, so I thought I'd share them with you guys as the reason I bike and knit :o)
All kidding aside, other than his 'Skins season tickets, this is his only extravagance. Both pretty expensive yes, so I have no qualms about my little ol' obsessions hobbies of biking and knitting. ;o)

A Meme I'll Do

Lanie (go give her a cyberhug, she's been under the weather since last week) did a cool meme using Wikipedia; as a former history teacher I found it very interesting and thought I'd pass it along. Participate as you will.

So, I entered my birthdate--not year, of course, just month and day, into Wikipedia and out spouted tons of interesting dates--births, deaths, events. Lanie said to choose three in each category....hmmm.....don't know that I can limit it to that few. But here goes:

Births:
1792 - Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet (d. 1822)
1901 - Louis Armstrong, American musician (d. 1971)
1929 - Yasser Arafat, Palestine leader (d. 2004)
1968 - Daniel Dae Kim, American actor (Love me some LOST)
1971 - Jeff Gordon, American race car driver (Yuck, my current LEAST favorite NASCAR driver)

Deaths:
1875 - Hans Christian Andersen, Danish writer (b. 1805)
1997 - Jeanne Calment, the oldest ever human.
1998 - Yuri Artyukhin, cosmonaut (b. 1930)

Events:
1265 - The Battle of Evesham of the Second Barons' War is fought in Worcestershire, with the army of future King Edward I of England defeating the forces of rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester and killing de Montfort and many of his allies. This is sometimes considered the death of chivalry in England

1873 - Indian Wars: While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the United States 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, clash for the first time with the Sioux (near the Tongue River; only one man on each side is killed).

1892 - The family of Lizzie Borden is found murdered in their Fall River, Massachusetts home.

1914 - World War I: Germany invaded Belgium; in response, the United Kingdom declares war on Germany. The United States proclaims neutrality.

1944 - Holocaust: A tip from a Dutch informer leads the Gestapo to a sealed-off area in an Amsterdam warehouse where they find Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family.

1964 - American civil rights movement: Civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney are found dead in Mississippi after disappearing on June 21.

1964 - Vietnam War: United States destroyers USS Maddox and USS C. Turner Joy are allegedly attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin. Air support from the carrier USS Ticonderoga sinks two, possibly three North Vietnamese gunboats. Years later, the claim of NVA attack was revealed to be false.

1993 - A federal judge sentences LAPD officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell to 30 months in prison for violating motorist Rodney King's civil rights.

The history teacher in me had to have more events on the list.

I do have a knitting update to post, just need to get some photos first.

Retro Rib Socks

I finished the Retro Rib socks in STR Farmhouse last night.

Details:

Pattern: Retro Rib from IK Winter '04

Yarn: Socks that Rock Farmhouse, 360 yds, 130 gm

Needle: Size 1 Addi Turbo

Gauge: 8 spi over stockinette

Start date: 4/2/2006 Finish date: 4/7/2006

Cuff length: 5 in to top of heel flap

Amount of yarn used: approx 100 gm, 30 gm left

I wore them out to eat last night with dh, and they sure are comfy. I followed the directions as written with the exception of not running the pattern down into the top of the foot. I sort of like seeing how the STR stripes in its natural state. There is more green in the right sock in the above photo, so there must have been more green at one end of the yarn, than the other. I don't know whether to knit with two balls of yarn alternating every couple of rows, or just to continue as I did with this skein. I don't mind the fraternal twin nature of socks. I guess if I want them to match more closely, I have the option of alternating two balls.

This is my first time with a heel flap, heel turn, and gusset, and I do like the way it looks and feels. I would like to put this type of heel on some of my more basic toe-up socks and have found a number of ways to do this on the 'net. Don't like short rows, and this type of heel makes a nice change from my ever-present afterthought heel. I like the challenge of learning something new.

(It's stormy out today, so the colors are not as vibrant as they were in my previous post, but true to how they looked in today's light.)

My Precious.....

It's become a bit of a cliche in the sock knitting world, but I just gotta say that Socks that Rock rock my world!!! First, check out a picture of the colorway Farmhouse rolled into a center pull ball~~partially used. Aren't those colors great!?! I had trouble with this yarn when I first received it--full of knots. I think I have at least four places where new yarn begins in the two balls I rolled~~all in the second ball. Blue Moon very graciously took care of the problem~~turns out they had trouble with the mill in late December and early January, but all is well now. It's taken me this long to get to knitting up this luscious yarn because of other projects in the works.

I finally cast on my first sock on Sunday afternoon using the Retro Rib pattern from IK Winter '04. Love. It. I knit a bit on Sunday, but not too much, and not at all on Monday until I got to SnB on Monday night. At that time I had one inch of the cuff and maybe three 4 row repeats of the pattern done. By the time I went to bed early Tuesday morning I had turned the heel, picked up the gusset stitches, and completed one decrease row, just to get it established. (This is the first adult size sock I have knit from the top down with a heel flap and gussets. All my other socks have been toe-up with either short row (blech) or afterthought heels. I did make the Class Sock from Sensational Knitted Socks on Sunday to practice this type of sock before using my precious STR in the fullsize version.) On Tuesday afternoon I finished the first sock and wore it around the house all evening while making dinner and working on the second sock. Here is my progress as of this morning.

And a close up of the Retro Rib pattern~~I think it holds up quite well even though the Farmhouse is busy.




Plus a close up of the striping of Farmhouse in stockinette.


Sadly, I could have made the cuffs longer. When I finished the first sock I had 16 gms of yarn left--poot. Oh well. Next time I'll know better.


Got a cute Tiny Terror story to tell~~ on Tuesday when I was heading for the stash bin to get the second ball of Farmhouse so I could start the second sock, TT asked, "Where ya going, Mom?"

"Right here, honey, " as I opened the bin and pulled out the ball.

"Oh, your knitting store, " he immediately replied.

Got a grin from me, and I thought, "Yep, kiddo, Mom's own personal knitting store." But I just replied, "That's right!"

Yeah, he's already well-trained at three. He even knows the way to my lys. Just wish I could get him to sit still while I was actually in the shop.

Edited to replace original photos with more color accurate ones.

A Question to Ponder

Yarn Harlot posed an interesting question today on her blog:

Not just complicated, but long too... Socks that go all the way to the knee of
some really tall person. Lets say that you knit these (did I mention that it
takes a long time?) and you give them away and now that person (who you
obviously really love, since sock length is clearly related to affection level)
can do as they please with them. How do you want them used? Tenderly? Rarely?
Often? With so much affection that they get big holes in them, or with so much
affection that they are worn once a year and will last a lifetime? What would
you consider the greater compliment?

Hmmm.....an interesting question to ponder.

I am definitely in the "wear it so often it is worn to a frazzle" camp. Then ask me, and I'll gladly knit you another--even better than the first, because I know you will appreciate it. I've been fortunate of late in my hand knit gifting. My husband wears the socks I made him in November virtually every night. My mom, dad, and grandmother, likewise, often wear the socks I made them for Christmas. However, my grandmother is not known for using the gifts one gives her (handknit or store bought), so to see my socks on her feet is a true compliment. Just recently she was going through the treasure chest that is her dresser and came across a tissue wrapped parcel. Upon opening it she found a scarf I had made her as a Christmas gift back in 2000. She had never worn it. Forgotten she even had it. Sigh. The very next week she had it on in church. Warmed my heart to see it around her neck, and hear her proudly proclaiming that I had made it for her. Some gifts I have sent off into the world, and I have no idea if they are used or appreciated because the recipients live faraway, so I don't get to see the item again. I often wonder if it is loved, and I hope that the person I give the item to knows how much I love them, and that I am trying to show them that through the gift. Can a non-knitter or anyone who doesn't create something with their own hands know all that is involved in giving a gift made by hand? Can they possibly understand the angst of finding the perfect yarn and then the pattern? Or vice versa, as I often find a pattern that will be perfect for someone, only to be stumped with matching a yarn to the project? Do they know the hours that we spend making the item, all the while thinking of the person for whom the gift is intended? They cannot see us late at night, hurrying to finish the item as the hours of Christmas eve dwindle into the early morning of Christmas Day. I'm not sure that they even know how very much more we invest of ourselves into a gift that we make especially for them, rather than if we had just scurried into a local gift shop or book store and picked something off the shelf.

So yes, please, show that you love the socks, shawl, sweater, hat, whatever, that I have made for you by wearing it, just as I have shown how very much I love you by making it.....

Sock Plans

Since I have joined the SYAC with the intention of knitting up my sock yarn stash, I took yesterday morning (TT--Tiny Terror had a stomach bug) and worked out a plan for almost half of my stash.

Already on the needles are:

1 pair of anklets in Knit Picks Dancing to be used as my spring/summer cycling socks, if the fit and feel works out.

1 pair of Retro Ribs from the Winter '04 IK in STR Farmhouse (already rolled into balls in the top row of the photo--directly below the blue/white ball). I'm really liking the way this looks, just hope the yarn holds out. (I used my cool, new scale to evenly divide the skein into two balls. Love. It.)

In the future:

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Somerset (top row, 2nd two skeins--aren't those colors yummy?!?!) Fancy Silk Sock Knitting Vintage Socks (KVS)

Magic Stripes Denim (bottom row, 1st skein) will become Jaywalkers for dd. After I saw Trek's I just knew I had to make a pair of these for dd.

Strawberry Mocha by Roxanne (3rd skein in from the right, bottom row): Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks (SKS)

English Garden also by Roxanne (directly above the Strawberry Mocha): Well, I have several choices for this yarn.
* Child's 1st Sock from (KVS)
* Child's French Sock (KVS)
* Conwy Knitting on the Road (KOTR)
* Unst (KoTR)

Trekking Burgundy Stripe (bottom row, 4th from left) Chevron (SKS)

Mountain Colors Bearfoot Bitteroot Rainbow (top row, brightly colored next to STR in skeins) Slipped Stitch Rib (SKS)

Knit Picks Essential Dusk (top row, 1st on left) Amble (Six Sox Knitalong)

Silja Brown (bottom row, last going from l to r)
* Thuja
* Tech Guy Socks
* Lichen Rib Socks (KVS) adapted

Either one of the remaining Trekking skeins or one of the STR skeins Feather and Fan by Wendy

I'd also like to make the Pomatomus with another STR or Trekking

Any suggestions for what to do with the remaining yarns? See something that would totally not work as I have planned? Let me know!

Sock Yarn Flash

There ya go guys, my pitiful little sock yarn stash--all 22 skeins (I have 4 on the way from Briggs and Little Mill . I bought some of their Sport to be used for socks for me and future Christmas gifts.) In a previous post I went through and named each skein and colorway, if I remembered. In my big, beautiful, antique salad bowl there is enough yarn to make 17 pairs of adult socks, with the addition of the B&L, I'll have enough for 21 pairs. If anyone would like to help me augment my stash, I'd be more than happy to accept donations :o)

I forgot to mention yesterday that I bought a cool lightbulb at Walmart. I assume that it's something like an OTT light, but never having seen one in the wild, I can't say for sure. It's made by Lights of America, but I cannot find the specific light on their site. It's a compact fluorescent that fits in a regular light socket--gives off 100W but only uses 25W, and is called a Sunlight bulb. "Natural spectrum light--Provides soothing glare free light--Enjoy natural daylight indoors."~~from the packaging. I think I paid around $8.50 for it. Tried it out last night, and WOW! I was working on my FLAK, and it brought out every little shade of color in the yarn, just as the outside light does. Bright, clear, white light. It was amazing how much darker the room seemed when I turned it off, even though there were other lights on in the room. Shocking how yellow the light from a regular bulb seems after using the new one. I should have taken comparison photos with an incandescant light and the new one, but I didn't think of it then. I'll try to remember to get one or two one evening this weekend. I noticed that there are LOTS of these compact fluorescent lights around--even GE and Phillips had some out on display. Seems that these are fairly new in our Walmart--I don't recall seeing anything like these last time I bought regular light bulbs.