On the Needles

I was asked "just how many projects are you working on." The funny thing was I didn't know exactly the TOTAL number...I work on about 5 routinely, but have a few more just sitting in their bags. I decided it was time to count them out so here you go:

Monkey Socks in Fleece Artist
1 sock complete, other sock frogged due to "gauge issues" I need to recast this one and get busy because I love the feel of these socks...too bad the colors are fall. Missed that season didn't I?


Branching Out Scarf using the recommended yarn, Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a nice green tone. I'm not 'in love' with this and I'm only about 10 inches along...may need to frog this one.


Retro Rib Socks found in Favorite Socks by Evelyn A. Clark using Jitterbug.
One sock completed, the other sock is down to the foot section with about 3-4 inches to completion. These need to be completed! I've left them far to long sitting in the bag. I'm taking these on the ski trip so I can get them done.


Ella in Handmaiden Sea Silk in the ocean colorway.
I love this wrap...it's been hibernating since October so it also needs a resurrection.

The other projects are: Here and There Scarf, Her Ski Socks (my own pattern), and the Whitby Socks. I've been working on these daily so I know that these will be complete soon. So a total of 7 on the needle projects...no too bad since 3 are being worked on and should be competed in less than a week. Nice to see the list written down..now time to knit!

A New Yarn Adventure

My friend, B and I went out to Holly Springs Yarn Shop today for the first time. A very nice shop with friendly people. We enjoyed our trip out to the "country" which isn't all that far out in my eyes. I love to drive doesn't matter how "far out" it may be I'm game to go.

Of course I bought yarn....I always do...a sickness is all I have to say about it. Sock yarn can never count as 'stash' in my opinion. I bought some of Kathy's Scarlet Fleece it's Tubular X2 in persimmon. Already been wound and ready to start a pair of socks...a very Hokie feeling colorway!

The other two skeins were from Wisdom Yarns in Chicago and Boston. I loved the socks done up with the different patterns...know nothing about this yarn, but could not resist the patterning. The two different skeins will pattern out differently- one stripes (Boston) the other with stripes and splashes (Chicago). I'm looking forward to seeing how these work up.

Her Ski Socks

I started on Her Ski socks...don't think I'll have the pair complete before the ski trip, but I may get lucky. I'm trying out Grumperina's "pretty way" of picking up the gussett stitches. I do like the look although not easily seen with the yarn I'm using for the socks. A nice & easy technique for picking up the stitches. The gussett area seems flater...important in a ski sock to have no rubbing inside your boot.

Pattern: standard ribbed K3P2 pattern from cast on of 60 stitches

Yarn: Jo Sharp DK Wool in owl for the cuffs and brocade for the leg/foot.

Needles: size 4 Clover Bamboo

The heel is ribbed as well due to problems I have had in past ski socks...the ankle area sags. I did a slip stitch k1 to the end on the right side, then purled the wrong side.

Shaped Edge Sweater

I started to swatch for the Shaped Edge Sweater from Out of Town by Debbie Bliss. I'd really like to get started and hopefully finish before the Spring weather comes...yeah I know that's not going to happen, but I'd like to. I should have started last month when I got the pattern book from Mosaic

Looking forward to working on this though. I'm using Sublime rather than the called for DB Cashmerino Aran...kind of glad the shop didn't have enough stock of the color I wanted to use in the DB after reading comments on Raverly and other sites regarding it's pilling problem. The Sublime feels very similar to the DB Cashmerino Aran which is the one thing I loved about the sweater- the softness. In the "granite" colorway...better get busy!

Corkscrew Scarf

Corkscrew Scarf
Originally uploaded by cindiknits2

Pattern: Teva Durham's Loop-d-loop Corkscrew Scarf

Needles: Clover Bamboo size 8

Yarn: Artful Yarns Broadway, 1 skein (101 yds per 50 gram skein), color- chorus line.

Jo Sharp's Alpaca Kid Lustre, #852, 1 skein (121 yds per 50 gram skein)

Also used 1 skein of Unknown yarn that was similar in color, but had extra loops of yarn throughout the skein.

My friend originally bought the skein of broadway and the unknown skein at the LYS to do this scarf, but never started. She 'gifted' the skeins to me to get the stash levels down in her home. I decided that if I could get a hold of the book I'd do the scarf for her. The local library had a copy on the shelves...the knitting only took a day or so. I enjoyed knitting the scarf and only wish I'd had more yarn to make it longer.

More Malabrigo

Beautiful day today...exchanged some Malabrigo in the blue colorway for more Red Mahogany for my Here and There Cabled Scarf . The red is just working so well I knew I would not do anything with the blue so why not return it for someone else to enjoy. I'm enjoying working on the scarf even though it seems to be progressing slowly. I'd like to get this finished in time for a ski trip in another 10 days. I'll see how much time I have for knitting during the DAY...oh nooo.

I also could not resist the Malabrigo Lace in a deep blue (indigo) rather than the light blue ice currently in the stash. Maybe I should see about another exchange...for now that's about it. If I'm going to get my "work" done I'd better get to it.

A New Look for the New Year

It's a New Year and I thought I'd play with the look of the blog and add a few new features. Maybe it will help me to update the blog more than in the past. We shall see how it goes.

I do love the flickr badge...so easy to do who knew? My plan for knitting in 2008 is more socks...my current addiction. I also need to finish Ella...almost was done in the fall until I had the worst thing happen. I picked up the knitting in the WRONG place and out fell the needle. As you know if YO's are involved a mess will insue...it took several hours of frogging back and picking up what stitches I could, then tinking until everything was back onto the needles correctly. I have not knit on it since, but the time has come to finish up.



I did finish my oldest project, YEAH!! My husband's blanket that had been started last March and finally finished last weekend. My only regret is that I now know how to spit splice...why did I not know to felt two strands together? So when I see the areas I added another skein I kind of cringe...the spit splice dissapears so nicely. Another lesson learned.



I'll be test knitting another lace project for Dragonwing Arts...will start next week using some Malabrigo Lace in the stash. I also have the yarn needed to do Debbie Bliss's Shaped Edge Sweater...using Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran in granite. I hope to swatch and get started on this one soon. It always seem as if I have more 'projects' than I have the time to knit them all, BUT I can try to can't I?

Holiday Recap

First post of the New Year...a recap of FO's for the 2007:

5 small (2.5") knitted Christmas ornaments

4 large (4") knitted Christmas ornaments

7 pairs of socks

2 felted handbags

2 lace shawls

2 scarfs

4 hats

1 pair mittens

1 pair felted clogs

3 calorimetry headbands

1 Mermaid Jacket

I guess that's not too bad since I think of myself as a process rather than product knitter. I'm most pleased with the Mermaid...by far the most intense knitting done to date. Not that it was hard just that I had difficulty wrapping my brain around the pattern instructions. Once I started writting out the pattern by row things moved very well...I could check off the row and keep track of all the "at the same time" instructions HF gives in her pattern. I was much happier and relaxed with the knitting and the final product fits beautifully. It's back on the 2008 list for my Mom...need to find the right colors of yarn.

Still finishing up another Koolhaas Hat for youngest...he thinks the original is too big. This one has only 96 sts CO and knit on US size 6 and 7's...also shortened the height by one repeat, doing only 4 pattern repeats. I hope to finish by Saturday in time for his return home.

Need to pick out projects for upcoming ski trip...thinking socks would be the easiest. H's blanket is just too large to trek to the Mountains!