Progressing Quickly

One cable &  joined in the round

I've got to say that this shell is progressing pretty quickly.  Really enjoying knitting this top.  For a number of reasons...first it's not a sock.  It's pretty clever construction that moves top down.  That's a good thing because you can try it on as you go.  I have yet to do so...probably should too.  I don't want any surprises when it's done.

After some knitting magic I've joined the right to the left sides and started knitting in the round.  One cable is done...5 more to go till I'm done.  Pretty sweet.  Better stop the bragging now...remember what happens when one gets too cocky with one's knitting.  Hope to finish by the end of the week so I can cast on April's sock...still no pattern or yarn chosen.  I should get on that soon, but now I'm possessed...knitting the shell and watching eaglets. 

I haven't mentioned watching baby eagles have I?  I've been following two nests...one more local and another out in the wilds of the Midwest.  It has been fascinating watching these birds and equally interesting how some people react to watching nature. 

A Brief Break in the Sock Action

Back view

Since I finished my March socks a week ahead of schedule I decided to take a break from sock knitting.  I managed to cast on the Mondo Cable Shell  by Bonnie Marie Burns of Chicknits last night.  I have had the pattern for ages.  I had thought the computer 'ate' it when it crashed awhile back.  Thankfully it was merely 'lost' in a file I don't remember creating...does that ever happen to anyone else?

Color Variation

I'm using another skein from Three Irish Girls.  It's called Rosea Organic Merino which is 100% merino...oops, organic merino.   The colorway is a semi solid collection of purples called Sea Nymph .  I love the name although when you see the color it doesn't scream either the Sea or for that matter Nymph to me...not that I know what a nymph looks like, ha.  I got lucky and it's knitting up at the correct gauge and the variations of color are looking splendid so far.

Only one concern...is there enough yarn?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I have a double skein that's says it is 480 yards at 8 ounces.  After weighing it I have a wee bit more at 8 5/8 ounces...pattern calls for 475 yards.  So if the Knitting Gods are kind I'll have enough...if I get cocky you know what will happen.  I'll get  smacked down with at least an inch left to knit.  The plan...not to get too full of myself.

Forgot to Mention the Yarn

My March socks are done.  I meant to add a few words about the yarn I used for my Kellswater Socks.  It's called Adorn...a lovely merino with a nice amount of nylon added.  The yarn should be fairly durable given the amount of nylon at 20%.  Even with the nylon it still feels very soft to the touch and has enough bounce to make the cables pop.  The skein is BIG at 430 yards...still have 37 grams left after finishing the socks.  It was hand dyed in various shades of blues by Sharon and her gang of merry dyers at Three Irish Girls in Duluth, Minnesota.

This was my first time using anything from my stash of Three Irish Girl yarn.  I have several skeins of various weights and fibers thanks to my 'membership' in their Stash Menagerie.  It was a really good way to get a wide variety of special yarns.  It also made it difficult to stop participating in the club after several months...it seems as if you can't stop with just one.  In my stash I have aquired: Adorn, Springvale Bulky, Elenya Alpaca, Springvale DK, Roslea Organic Merino, Springvale Super Merino, Glenhaven Cashmerino in all kinds of special exclusive colorways.  I have a few patterns in mind for each one...just need to relocate my notebook.  I can't seem to put my hands on the darn thing.

Of course anytime Sharon posts a new colorway I drool on the keyboard...so far I have resisted a few.  Others were not ignored quite as well and are spending time amongst the stash.  A few will be participating in my Self Imposed Sock Club.  I'd best get cracking on choosing next month's yarn and pattern...

My March Socks

I finished early once again.  I'm not sure how it happened since I was sidetracked a few times by the white stuff...otherwise known as snow.   Along with a few days spent snow boarding and the last several days outdoors working in the yard I didn't think it possible to finish so quickly.

This month's Self Imposed Sock Club pattern was Kellswater by Sara Morris in the Spring 2012 Issue of Interweave Knitting.  I truly enjoyed knitting this sock.   Not only was it my first toe up pattern it was also the first time using 2 circular needles to knit a sock.  I always thought I would be one of those knitters that used DPN's (double point needles) for my sock knitting...not anymore.  Now it would seem I have crossed to the dark side...can't wait for that discussion with my knitting buddies.  

That's what I love about knitting there always seems to be something new...could be yarn, technique or pattern it doesn't really matter.  I love learning new stuff...it keeps it fresh.  I feel pretty certain that I will continue using the circular needles to knit my socks.  The other thing that surprised me was the ease of doing the sock 'toe up' rather than the conventional 'cuff down'.  I even learned another cast on technique...the Turkish or Eastern method.  A bit fiddly starting out, but once a couple of rows were complete it moved smoothly. 

rope cable

Back of sock...anchor and tree

The only problem encountered was with the needles.  My brand new wooden circular needle developed a rough spot that kept snagging my yarn.  I broke out some 220 grit sandpaper and some wax paste to fix the spot.   It got me through the sock although I'm not too pleased that the wooden needle seems to be splitting apart.   Of course these may be jinxed...remember the first set arrived broken.




Details:
Pattern:  Kellswater Socks by Sara Morris

Yarn:  Adorn by Three Irish Girls, 80% merino, 20% nylon, 3.5 oz./430 yards, colorway: Rhys

Needles:  2- US 1 24" circular needles

Gauge:  32 sts x 48 rnds

Short row heel

Modifications:  I changed the pattern slightly when I reached the heel.  I ended up doing a traditional short row heel rather than the combination of knits and purls.  The sock didn't need all the fuss at the heel...and I didn't like the instructions written out row by row. 

I think I need to cast on something other than a sock...I'm craving something different.  Tomorrow I need to investigate the possibilities...between stash and patterns.  Oh and I need to decide on my next pattern for Sock Club.  All that plus I need to finish the yard work we've started a few days ago...so close to being done.  One load of mulch left to go and the destruction of one more bed.  What fun!

Can I just Say

I love knitting toe up socks.  When I decided to do something totally new this month I had no idea that it would be this much fun.   I'm not sure if it's the toe up pattern or if it's using the 2 circular needles to do it.  Whatever it is I'm enjoying the experience.

That is all...

Finally Some Spinning

Louet "Northern Lights"

After posting yesterday I actually pulled out the spindles and spun for about an hour...maybe more, maybe less.  I lost track.  I love that it's so calming and time just disappears.  I decided to try my hand at spinning a bag of Louet Northern Lights that I had squirreled away a while back.  I thought at the time that I would hold onto it until I had a wheel.  It is a whopping 1/2 pound bag of pencil roving in the colorway "Picasso".  Due to the large amount and a definite color pattern I wanted to wait until I had a wheel to spin it all at the same time.  You know what they say about 'the best laid plans' right?  No wheel yet, but I do have a  couple of empty spindles to fill and a need to practice on something.

Plied Yarn

I went ahead and spun a small amount, plied and washed it...looks pretty decent.  I seem to still have some consistency to my spinning even though it's been a few months.  I'm pleased about that...my dear husband thought the "yellow looked too thick" until I had it washed and had it hanging to dry.   He now says that "the yellow doesn't stand out".  I'll take it.

Time Marches On and It's March Already

BFL

I have a confession to make...I have not spun any fiber since Thanksgiving.  I was actually spinning everyday until I ran out of fiber.  Christmas was fast approaching and I was told "not to run out and buy anything " so I was stuck with nothing.  Time marches on and I was gifted some roving or 'combed wool top'... from Woolgatherings and Webs.  Actually quite a bit of new fiber found its way into the stash over the Holidays.

Polwarth

My oldest and his lovely wife who also happens to be a knitter surprised me with 4 ounces of BFL* (Blue Faced Leicester) in the most lovely spring colors of greens, yellows and blues.  They also sprang for 4 ounces of Polwarth** Wool Top in woodsy colors...blues, greens and browns.   Both tops are from Woolgatherings and are really beautiful...so soft.

BFL- Gaston

Targhee- Bandon

Targhee- Deep Lake

The other fiber bundles came from Webs...from my husband.   I have a couple of bundles of Targhee*** in greens and blues in a colorway called "deep lake'.  Some really scrumptious BFL in blues and purples in the colorway 'gaston'.  The last bundle is also Targhee in reds and oranges in a colorway known as 'bandon.'

I now have lots of roving, but still haven't spun a darn thing.  Why?  My problem is that I'm afraid of messing these up.  What to do about that is where I find myself today.  I need to practice, but I don't want to mess up. I'm thinking I need to assign a day to the task...maybe then I'll throw myself back into spinning.  Weekends may just be for spinning since both days start with 'S'...yeah, I'm stalling.  I think I'll just go spin now before March is suddenly gone.


*BFL (Blue Faced Leicester)
**Polwarth
***Targhee

Progress is Being Made

Powder Day!

Packed Powder & Blue Bird Skies

My March sock is moving along quite well.  I have managed to knit the entire foot and complete the short row heel.  Pretty good considering I was sidetracked by 8 inches of powder at Snowshoe on Monday.  The one and only thing that can put an end to my knitting faster is the mention of snow.  Snow means skiing or boarding, not sitting indoors and knitting...some may find that a very strange thing for a knitter.  Stranger still is if I wake up to a Powder Day then all knitting will be abandoned for the entire day...and maybe the night depending upon the level of tiredness one feels after a soak in the hot tub. 

Let's just say that sock knitting did not occur while some mindless knitting on Winged moved forward long enough to finish one more triangle.

Wing

As for my socks I had been using 2 different sets of needles which were slightly different in size yet there's no appreciable difference in gauge that I can measure.  My only complaint with this arrangement has been that one of the cables was only 16 inches long and the accompanying needle was too short.  I could knit the pattern just fine, but my hands would start to cramp after a few hours of knitting. 

New circulars in place

Happily when we returned from our winter side trip my needles were waiting for me.  Last night I switched out the old mismatched circulars for my new ones...I'm moving along quite nicely. 

      I leave you with one final picture of Winter...I love snow!

Morning Wakup

Where There's a Will

I decided tonight that I really wanted to cast on my March socks.  It didn't matter that my needles were in pieces...March 1st means cast on.  I decided that I would pull out the US 1 24" circular set I bought from Holly Spring Homespun and match it up with my 16 inch long circular.

I used my husband's micrometer to measure the two sets diameters and see how large a difference I would be working.  Turns out not too much...only 0.18 mm.  I figured I could at least get the toe cast on and work it until the different lengths drove me nuts. 

So far I'm enjoying the heck out of this new technique...who knew.  I measured the gauge and so far I'm right where I need to be at 32 stitches over 4 inches.  The only problem is the discrepancy in the lengths of the 2 sets of needles.  The 16 inch long circular feels too short...the actual needles are shorter, but it feel tight as I knit.  On the other hand the 2 sets are different so I pick up the right needle every time.

Behind and It's Only March 1st

Looks like I'm already starting from behind on my March sock and it's not my fault.  I ordered new needles last week to use for the pattern I chose for March.  I was pretty excited to get the package the day BEFORE I needed to cast on the socks.  I was less than thrilled to find the contents of the packages damaged. 

Both needles are broken, therefore, no casting on will be happening today.  I guess I should have gone for metal rather than wooden ones.  A call was made and thankfully 2 more needles are heading my way...just won't be here to cast on new socks on March 1st.  That's unfortunate...behind before I've even gotten the chance to begin.