Titanic

What a great day I just had! The girls were at camp, the hubby at a conference and I had the afternoon to myself. Do you think I caught up on housework? Or do you think I put in a film I have not watched since it's release, and knitted socks. Hmmm let me think....Yes- I had a blast watching Titanic and knitting my Crosshatch socks.

Although I do have to say I am dissapointed in the sizing from mSKS. On first calculations, I needed to knit 96 stitches. I started at the toe and increases seemed to go on forever, so I quit at 84. Then after about 16 rows I reallized the socks are still too big. So instead of frogging, I went down a needle size. They fit much better now, but I am going through yarn at an increadible rate. I wonder if I will get much of a leg on these socks. Oh well, I am enjoying knitting them anyhow.

First Blocking experience

I have finished the shell of the white summer cardigan. When I tried it on, though, it was TINY. I guess with all the ribbing, I will have to block it. So my first attempts seemed to work OK. I pinned the sweater to the ironing board and sprayed with cold water. Looks better, but I think it still turned out alittle on the small side. (Actually after comparing it with the pattern photo, it is definately small.....I'll still wear it though). Check out the ribbing photo, isn't it pretty? Now it is time to pick up stiches and start working the sleeves.

Pattern: Katia Twist Jacket (pattern no longer available on-line)

Modifications: 1. worked as one peice instead of 3.

2. Finished shoulders with kitchener stitch.

3. Work both sleeves together on one circular needle.

Yarn: Reynolds Saucy White, 100% Cotton, Worsted weight

Needles: Denise Circular #7

I am Officially addicted

Ok, not only do I have a yarn stash, but I currently have 5 active projects on needles. I think I have finally made it into the realm of nutty knitters! And proud of it. Right now I am busy trying to get to the sleeves on my white sweater so I can feel comfortable starting a new project. I want to start the "Cozy Moss Shrug" from "Runway Knits". It seems like it will go quickly and I am at a need for completing a project.

Ooh and let me show you the socks I have started (although they too are on hold till the sleeves get picked up). Are they great; my best pair yet! I am proud and hardly past the toes (hee hee hee). Hope they continue this way. I am using a size US 0 circular needle, and the Regia Bamboo yarn. Knitting the Crosshatch Lace sock from the toe up (duh) from Charlene Schurch's book "More Sensational Knitted Socks".

I'm Back and Finally finished my Socks

Wow, what a wonderful trip; chock full of fun and driving. We all really enjoyed ourselves. The girls especially liked the caves and caverns. They are like sponges in learning new things. We had fun and an education too. And the most fun they had was the time spent with their cousins in Mississippi!! Which was the goal of our trip.

My girls also enjoyed going on the rides at Hershey Park, and meeting my college roommate Cindy. They hit it off quite well and we all had a really nice day! Sarah said, "I like Cindy, she's cudly!" :-) Too sweet.

When that was over we did a long weekend trip in New York City with the family, to celebrate my husbands 40th. Had a blast! But now all I want to do is sleep, rest and maybe knit. I didn't get much knitting done on the trips, but I did finally finish the socks.

Of course, they are not very good. Unfortunately the pattern, which would be gorgeous, is lost in the multi-colored yarn I ended up using. There are a few mistakes on the foot, and then I ran out of the brown and had to end the toe with a new yarn, they even feel a bit big....but, that could be the result of using 100% cotton on the foot. All said and done, I will still wear them! And I am not completely dissillusioned, I will try another pair of socks......My wonderful Mom bought me a bunch of sock yarn in a yarn store in Memphis! (and I added a few too). I am going to start a sock using the Regia Bamboo next. And I want to finish my summer white sweater. Which is a long way from done....maybe 1/3 the way there?

Road Trip almost here

Today I am going to make all final preparations for 2 weeks away. So I will have to put down the knitting for a bit. Tomorrow we celebrate Father's Day and my Birthday (which is actually on Monday).

As you can see I have started a pair of socks from More Sensational Knitted Socks. I really wanted to do a pair of the Six-Stitch Tessellated pattern with 4 balls of cotton yarn I have to match. But after reading about 100% cotton socks I decided that maybe I ought to try to mix in some wool. I decided on using left over sockotta and one ball of cotton to hopefully increase the elasticity. Then I picked a Ten-Stitch Mosaic pattern. I have to say I don't like the way they are coming out. It must have to do with the patterning in the sockotta yarn. It seems to mess up the eye in seeing the lovely Simulated Basket Weave Pattern.

And of course I am glad I am not doing this with 4 strands. As you can see I am working 2 pair simultaneously. Running yarn each from outer and inner strands and boy have I got a tangle that seems impossible to get out. The strands are still feeding OK, but when the tangle gets too bad, I will have to cut and restart somewhere. I always seem to be learning. Next time I will take the time to split the balls before starting a multi-yarn sock.

The texture is created on these socks by doing the even rows all purled. This is a real adventure for me, as I really dislike purling. But it is not too bad. Just slowing me down a bit. And unlike large items, the slightly looser purls don't seem to be causing a problem. I was going to take it all out (to the ribbing) and do something simpler, but as I progress I don't "hate" the socks, they just don't look as nice as the picture. I will still wear them though. Which reminds me, this is my first "real" pair of socks for me! The cotton ones don't fit in shoes, and do stretch alot, so are more like bed socks. The last 3 pairs of socks I made for my girls were all done toe-up, which worked GREAT for me, these cuff-down will be a new adventure.

Speaking of adventure, we plan to start out Monday at 5:00am to get to NJ before rush hour traffic. Pick up Grandma and head to Hershey. A few hours of Hershey fun and a night at a farm house. Found a really cool website for farm style places to stay in PA (http://www.afarmstay.com/). We are staying at the Stone Haus Farm B&B. Then we travel to Kentucky to check out Kentucky Down Under. From there to Nashville and our final stop in Horn Lake, MS. We'll stay visiting cousins and family for 6 days and then venture back. No plans yet for the return trip. Mostly winging it with the hopes to stop in DC on the way. Have a great June and I'll be back early July!

More Sensational Knitted Socks

It's here!!!!!!!!!!!
I planned this perfect playdate with the girls and a friend. We were to go to Davis' Farmland. A great place where the kids play and play and I just sit and knit and knit. But as it turned out, it is SOOOO cold out there today. I got only 2 rows done and finally I said, "Girls, we must go I am simply frozen". Feeling a bit down about my plans going awry, I saw at my door a package.....my sock book arrived! Yeah! Now while the kids destroy my clean home (cleaner was here today) I am going to read my book and pick out a pattern to do on my trip! Yahoo! Just had to share this.

Getting ready for vacation

Since we leave on a 2 week driving holiday on June 18th I am trying to get a few "travel size" projects ready to take along. I started a white cardigan, which I think I will enjoy when it is done. It is quite different than anything I have done to date. It is all with an interesting ribbing, and I am actually working it back and forth. But I still had to make a few changes. Why would anyone write a pattern than is 60% purl when all you have to do is reverse the knits and it can be 60% knits and still looks exactly the same? And much more pleasant to work. Especially since I really dislike purling at almost all costs. But this patter is fun. It switches around often enough to not be annoying. I could never knit a whole row of purls (that's why I have taken a liking to steeking).

I haven't decided yet what I am going to do when I get to the arm hole shaping. Should I just continue as one piece and steek the arm holes, or when I get to the arm holes just bite the bullet and work the rest as 3 separate pieces? Any suggestions? I really can't decide.

Here are 2 pics of my girls first finished knitting projects. Both with help from Mommy and both as gifts for new babys. They like to give gifts!

Back to Mom's sweater

I have finally picked up the sweater that I am making for my mother once again. On the left you can see the cable in the front which will run on either side of the zipper (steeked in). On the right you can see the cable patter I placed running down the back. This sweater (although large) has been alot of fun. I am using Neck Down Jacket #201 by Knitting Pure and Simple. I added the cabling and started a few experiments. One is to steek the zipper. Which I know will work just fine. The other was to work the sleeves and body together. This was really cramped and did not work as smoothly as I would have liked. And as I was so concerned with doing this, I forgot to start the sleeve decreases after an inch.....Oops. But I am not one to rip out unless it is a terrible mistake, so I will just have to do more vigorous decreases starting now (I am about 8 inches into the sleeves). If it looks awful, then I will rip it out.

Next, I have been searching high and low for a spring cardigan for me that would look nice in a white mercerized cotton. I think I found one. I just did a small swatch and like the way the ribbing looks. Although I am not sure how to measure the stitches per inch in a rib. With it squashed together, stretched apart or somewhere in between? I chose in between and the numbers are the same as the listed gauge for this yarn (Reynolds Saucy). I am using a pattern that I printed out a while ago, but can't seem to find it on-line anymore. (need to run, be back soon).

The pattern is called Katia Twist Jacket and is not online anymore. Supposedly the Katia Twist is a bulky (4/in) and I am using a worsted (5/in). So I will do the modifications, as well as working it in one piece rather than 3 (and then the sleeves), and we'll see how it comes out. I love trying new things.

And I ordered a copy of More Sensational Knitted Socks as it looks like great fun! It will be my second book purchase......Oh no am I hooked? Better get myself a job.....but then when would I knit????? I really am enjoying this new hobbie!

Socks are a lot of work!

I have finished a couple of pairs of socks for my girls. They are small and went relatively fast, but still I felt it was a lot of work for something so small. The girls love them! I finished 2 pair of sockotta. 1 with a short row heel and another with a nicely worked heel. It looks nice and fits well. Thanks to Pat who led me to these instructions: http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTwiddershins.html.

I was a bit dissapointed in the sockotta yarn, as the first time they were washed, the colors got washed out. They look much less vibrant. I don't know if you can see that in the photo, but it is obvious. And notice the different heels. The ones on the right look more "finished" I think.

Then I made a pair using Lorna's laces sock yarn that I found at the Fiber Loft in Harvard, MA. The yarn felt wonderful to work with, so soft. And made a lovely pair of socks. Wish they were mine!

I discovered something else dissapointing. I had purchased a size 2 needle (addi turbo) for too much money, but I wanted to try socks, so it didn't matter. Then when I bought the Lorna's yarn, I bought another size 2 needle (Inox). Well, I discovered that the Addi is actually a 3mm and the inox is a 2.5mm. Although I preferred making the socks on the 2.5mm I like the addi needles better (because the yarn slides around easier). My dissapointment lies in that I thought a 3mm needle was a us size 3 needle. Oh well. live and learn and remember to read the fine print!

Not much time to knit lately

First let me show a picture of the completed baby outfit. Too cute.

Now let me take a minute to show you my very Firsts:

My very first sweater, not nice, but wearable. It is now my favorite knock around "sweatshirt". My first pair of socks are toddler size. You should have seen my daughter trying with all her might to squeeze her feet into them. So I thought I would make it again, but a little larger and I ended up with socks that fit me. I haven't a clue how to size socks yet, obviously. And now I am trying again.

The sweater and socks are made with knitpicks Shine worsted. Very soft and comfy, although tends to pill and shed quite a bit. I used "North Country Cotton Baby Socks" Pattern.

This time around I am using a pattern for "2 socks on one circular" and trying to make it small enough for my 6 year old. I am using a self striping Sockotta yarn, which is great fun! I used the "magic toe" cast on, which is fabulous. I will always use that! But the pattern uses a short row heel and I really don't like it. At least so far. It doesn't look as nice as the heels in the top down pattern I made before. Any favorite heels styles out there?