Blog Avoidance

Wow, it's been exactly 5 months since my last post. How much do I suck? In case you are curious, I am not dead. Nor do I have any other good excuse for my shameful lack of blog posting. I have, however, been knitting. But I still haven't attempted to fix that shawl (is anyone really surprised?).

In an attempt to get back into the swing of blogging, I have updated my Gallery. I have listed every single stinking pair of socks that I have ever knit (cuz I'm anal like that, in case you haven't noticed). Anyhow, it contains several things I have never blogged about, so you may want to check it out.

Here are some teaser pics from the Gallery:

Chipman's Block Mittens

Cashmere Fingerless Gloves

Silk Garden Ribbed Hat

Cascading Leaves Socks

Ugly Purple Sockotta Jaywalkers

Manly Greenish-Brown Trekking Socks

6-ply Regia Socks

Cabled Bearfoot Socks

American Girl Doll Socks
(made from Trekking, of course)

Lacy American Girl Doll Socks

Simply Lovely (or not so lovely) MISTAKE Lace Socks
(Trekking XXL again)

Crazy-Patterned Opal Socks

More Trekking Socks
(Apparently I am addicted to Trekking XXL. It's like crack.)

Mother/Daughter Socks
(click for cute stuffed bunny picture)

Strange Blue & White Opal Jaywalkers

Plus some oldies from several years ago:

Brown & Natural Stranded Socks

DK-weight Purple & Green Socks

Crazy Furry Socks

And much more in the Sock Gallery.

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Oh, and if you are looking for some entertaining blog reading, go check out my friend Rachel's new blog, Diary of a Mad, Mad Housewife. It is a wickedly funny look at the trials and tribulations of a slightly paranoid "Suburban Mommy". It's good stuff.

Yeah, I Bought More Yarn. . . Sigh

Look at what my Yarn Enabler, aka Melissa, has procured for me -- Noro Silk Garden in color 217. I just love these colors. And it is softer than I expected, too. But not cheap. No sirree, Bob.

This yarn is going to be used to make the Lady Eleanor Stole from Scarf Style. I've had my eye on this pattern for a while, especially after seeing this one at Fig and Plum. However, it was the gorgeous colors of Aimee's that made me take the plunge. I just can't stop looking at it -- I'm in looooove. So, I'm being a copycat and making it in exactly the same color. [Oh shush, I'll get back to Rogue eventually. Gotta go with the inspiration, right?]

I've also decided to start knitting items for the Dulaan Project. It's an organization that collects items to send to impoverished children & adults in Mongolia, where the temperatures get down to -40ºF at night.

Here's a picture of my first hat to donate to this project. It's just a simple ribbed hat made with two strands of stash yarn.

I started this in desperation the other day when the rest of my family was sitting down to watch Zathura (really enjoyed this movie, by the way). I was in a panic -- frantically searching through my knitting bags (and the various piles of knitting that are distributed throughout my family room) for something easy to work on so I could concentrate on the movie. It was kind of funny actually, I was all like, "Wait, wait. Don't start the movie yet -- I can't find any knitting!"

I am such an addict. I can't just sit when I watch movies any more; I must be knitting. Otherwise I get so restless. My hands need to be busy so my mind can concentrate. This becomes an issue when I visit people who like to turn off all the lights when they watch movies (Hi, Sister#2).

Anyhow, easy hats and scarves make for good "movie knitting", so I'm going to try to keep some of these Dulaan patterns ready to go for movie nights here. I might try this Double-Thick, Super-Warm Dulaan Hat pattern next. It appears to be just a big tube which you fold in half and gather together -- an easy way to get extra warmth without the complexity of double knitting.

Herringbone Cloche Woes

Thanks to those who voted in my Scarf Poll. I'm going to wait a few more days in the hopes that some more people will come out of hiding and participate. Currently "Rip It" is leading by only a few votes.

OK, I promised to give an update as to what was going on with the Herringbone Cloche from Vogue Knitting Hats & Caps Two. To review, this is the pattern that has you knit 3 triangles and seam them together to make the crown of the hat. Then you pick up stitches around the bottom of the crown to knit the brim flat, which you then seam. The stitch pattern used in this hat is herringbone stitch. It can be found in Barbara Walker's first Treasury of Knitting Patterns, where it is called Little Herringbone. It is also the stitch pattern used for the popular My So Called Scarf available at Sheep in the City.

I love this stitch pattern, but after two unsuccessful attempts to make an appropriate-sized triangle, I have given up on the hat-construction method given in the Vogue hat book. I see no way that three triangles of the size given could ever fit a normal human head. Also, I have only found two instances online of someone actually having made this thing, and they both apparently ended in the creation of an ill-fitting hat.

Therefore, I have given up on the book's instructions and and have decided to knit the crown in the round, and then pick up the brim stitches and knit that in the round also. So I searched all over the internet, but I was unable to find directions for how to work herringbone stitch in the round. Not one to be daunted by a challenge, I experimented a bit and I think I have figured it out.

I was going to post my instructions here but I am having a hard time explaining them right now. Maybe I will post them later if this hat works out.

I knit this swatch on big needles to test my new herringbone stitch in the round method. The blue yarn shows what would normally be the wrong-side rows. The bottom-most blue row was knit from the right side with my new 'in-the-round' method. The next two blue rows were knit from the wrong side with the original purl-based method. I think they look the same. What do you think?

Well, I have started knitting the crown of the hat with this new method. It is very slow going though, so my progress has not been stellar. I've tried it on and it does fit my head so far. But keep your fingers crossed. I think it will will get tricky when I need to start decreasing.

I bet Sister#2 is now regretting that she picked this particular hat pattern. I think I'm regretting having shown it to her...

Oh hey, I came across this Authors on Tour site where you can listen online (or download) podcasts of certain authors speaking about their latest books. I really enjoyed listening to Al Franken and Audrey Niffenegger (I loved her book, The Time Traveler’s Wife). They also have some interesting authors coming up. I'm looking forward to listening to Lemony Snickett. Check it out.

No Olympic Knitting Here...

Olympics? What Olympics?

Here's what I've been working on lately. The argyle socks that I promised my Dad exactly one year ago. [How's that for turnaround time?] This is the 2nd sock. All I have left to do is adjust the toe a little. Then I will be DONE. Just in time for my dad's birthday.

These will be my dad's first pair of handknit socks. I hope he enjoys them. I'm just glad they are done. They've been causing me guilt for too long.

After seeing the pictures of Eunny's mini-argyles, I am really tempted to try something like that. I will try to restrain myself and remember that I have two other pairs of socks waiting in the wings to be finished (but what fun is that?).

In other news, Sister #2 will be quite happy to see this picture. That could only mean that -- I've finally started her hat. Yay! [She's been soooo patient.]

It's going to be the Herringbone Cloche from Vogue Hats & Caps Two. I'm using Rowan Felted Tweed. I really like the color of this yarn with all the cute little fleckies in it. However, I'm not sure about this hat pattern...

The pattern has you make 3 triangular shapes for the crown, then sew them together and pick up stitches all around for a brim. That's fine, except the dimensions of the hat given seem kind of small (20" around and 6" deep (w/o brim).

My gauge is off, which I discovered by knitting the first triangle above. I did some calculating to figure out what size these triangles are supposed to be (based on the given gauge). Then I calculated how many sts & rows I'd have to do to get the right size triangle. That's where I'm at right now. After I finish one of these correct-sized triangles, I will have to determine if three of these things will really make a properly fitting hat. I am having major doubts.

That said, I am loving this herringbone stitch pattern. It's got great texture, and it's not stiff at all. Very slow going though. And if you make a mistake -- look out. Big pain to rip back here.

Bad Unicorn... Bad

Sister#2 finally picked a yarn for her Herringbone Cloche. Isn't it purrrty? I'm happy cuz she chose something that I'm excited to try -- Rowan Felted Tweed in color 151 (Billberry). I've never ordered from Jimmy Bean's Wool before, so we'll see how that goes.

And, of course, I could never just order 2 measly skeins of yarn... what a waste of shipping charges that would be. ;) So I also ordered me some Addi Turbos (whoooooosh, imagine Brenda Dayne's great sound effect here) to use for my Rogue Olympic event -- I need all the help I can get to finish that on time.

I've been making slow progress on my Jaywalker socks. I'm using Plymouth Sockotta, which normally I really like for socks (at least for socks that are all stockinette). However, it does NOT work well with this particular pattern. Sockotta is 45% cotton and thus has less stretch than an all-wool sock yarn, and this pattern NEEDS stretch due to the zigzag type of stitch pattern. It's now pretty hard for me to get these on -- and I made the large size. I may have to donate them to someone with petite little ankles -- Niece#2 maybe?

I'm almost done with the first sock, but I'm bored, bored, bored with this pattern. Not to mention that this purple/brown color combo is kind of barf-tastic -- not sure what I was thinking there. But maybe I'm just sick of socks.

So, to alleviate my boredom I brought out another project from my big ol' Heap of Abandoned Projects - the Forbes Forest Scarf from Scarf Style. I'm making it in Jo Sharp DK Wool, which I like a lot. I've only completed a couple pattern repeats, but I'm enjoying the pattern so far. Not sure about the bobbles though. . . I'm not a bobble sort of person, but I guess they are cute here. Anyway, if this is ever finished it will be for my husband, henceforth referred to as Uncool Guy (so named by Nephew#4.)

Oh, and have you seen this - very amusing. Found via Marnie Talks.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my Log Cabin Socks. And, since some people showed an interest, I will be writing up the directions for my anatomically correct sock toes very soon. So stay tuned...

She caught me...

Well, Sister#2 finally checked out my blog and discovered that I am knitting lots of things OTHER THAN the cloche-style hat that I had promised her over Christmas. OK, OK, it's getting moved up in the sidebar from "Potential Projects" into the current projects section. [Let's just hope my dad doesn't check my blog for the status of his argyle socks.]

Here is the hat she has selected. It's the Herringbone Cloche from Vogue Knitting Hats & Caps Two. It calls for Kersti Merino Crepe, but Sister#2 wants it in a plum color and I don't think that yarn comes in plum (some multi-colored purples, but no plum). Soooo, I'll have to look for other plum-colored options in the 22st=4" range.

Here's what I came up with:

• Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in color 023 (plum).
• Filatura Di Crosa Zara in color 1523 (dark purple).
• Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk in color 28 (plum). Or maybe their 100% Alpaca Sportweight in color 512 (eggplant).
• Rowan Cashsoft DK in color 513 (Poison - love that name) or Felted Tweed Yarn in color 151 (Billberry, or maybe 148 - Sigh).
• And, last but not least, South West Trading Company Optimum DK in plum.

It's hard to tell just by the online photos whether these colors are more grape (bad) or plum (good). If you have any experience with any of these yarns, leave me a comment. By the way, this doesn't count as me increasing stash cuz SHE'S supposed to buy it. I'm just the knitter. So no resolutions broken here.

Got my the Feb-Apr issue of Cast On magazine yesterday -- yuck, ick, ugh. And what is not yuck, ick, ugh is so very ho hum. Why, oh why, do I subscribe to this magazine? For the technical articles -- bah! Even those are not worth it anymore. The best thing in the magazine is this bicycle seat cover. Sigh.

In sock news, I have finally finished my Log Cabin Socks. I just have to weave in the ends. I have mixed feelings about them. Will post pics and details tomorrow.

Blocking Pin Review & Candy Cane Hats

The new issue of MagKnits is up and I'm a little bummed that it is mostly stuff for babies, since I have no babies for whom to knit (kids, yes; babies, no). I do really like this Medusa hat though. I'll have to find some relative who wants one, as I am not really a hat-wearing person.

I finished knitting the red scarf today. I knit it in two halves and will be grafting the halves together tomorrow hopefully. It's blocking now. Pics tomorrow.

Speaking of blocking, I got to use my new blocking pins that Santa brought me in my stocking. They are the Clover ones with the double pins and the pink and blue tops. I think these are the overpriced ones they were selling in that store that had never heard of blocking your knitting. [Price is no object to Santa, apparently.]

Well, I'm sorry to report that these pins suck royally. Or, at least, they do with my blocking board (which is the big gray one they sell at Patternworks). These Clover pins bend way too easily and are hard to push in. I finally got myself to AC Moore this evening and purchased some good old T-pins (40 for a whole $2.59 -- whatta bargain). Why did I not think of looking in the sewing aisle earlier? Especially when certain people even suggested I go to a fabric store. Must have been my unnatural fear of fabric stores. That and the fact that I don't know where any are. Anyway, I'm happy now -- I bought three boxes of pins. So now I can go super-anal and pin every inch of whatever I block. [You know I will.]

Went to see King Kong today -- great movie. Tried knitting while watching, but that was kind of a bust. Got about two inches of the wrist warmers I'm working on done, but then I got all messed up and there were too many dark scenes to sort it out. Anyway, there was a lot of action that needed to be concentrated upon -- not a good knitting movie.

Well, I will leave you with a picture of a hat I made as a Christmas gift for my niece. Here are the details:

Pattern: Candy Cane Hat from Handknit Holidays (love that book)

Yarn: Cascade 220

Needles: US 7

Mods: I only did a nubbin at the top, instead of the long knotted umbilical cord sort of thing in the pattern. My 16-yr-old half brother commented that this made it look like a breast, but he is a perv, so I am ignoring him. I think it's cute. I also added the braid sort of thing at the bottom of the stripes. This is done by purling while alternating colors and stranding the unused color on the right side so it forms little slanting lines. I can't find my notes, but it looks like I did two rows of this, stranding the colors the opposite way in the 2nd row. This is a cool technique I learned at a great Annie Modesitt class at Webs a couple of months ago.

Notes: This hat was fun to make and I love the way it came out. If any friend/relative wants one, let me know -- I'd be glad to make another.

In fact, I liked it so much I already have made a variation of it for my daughter. Here I used up some old Cascade 220 remnants I had lying around. I ran out of the navy blue yarn halfway through and had to switch to gray for the top of the hat. This didn't turn out so great because the gray doesn't have enough contrast with the heathery blue so you can't really see the swirl on the top. But, hey, I used up leftover yarn, and that was the goal. I also added a little checkerboard strip to the bottom, surrounded by more of those braid things.

This was the very first pompom I have ever made. Not sure I enjoy making those. I did learn that more yarn is better when it comes to pompoms.

One More Christmas Present Down

Sorry about the quiz yesterday. The link didn't work. Here it is: STUPID TEST

OK, this is only my 3rd posting, but I am already massively annoyed by the way this post editor is replacing my double spaces after a period with single spaces. This is causing me pain. Must...find...a...way...to...fix...it.... Aarrrrrggggghhhhh!

In knitting news, I finished a hat for one of my nephews last night. Here it is, modeled by my lovely daughter.

I think the hat came out pretty well -- overall I'm pleased with it.

Here are the specs:

Pattern: Ribbed Cap, from Vogue Knitting Caps & Hats Two

Yarn: Noro Kureyon, color 163

Needles: US7 (pattern called for 8's but hat was coming out much too large, so had to rip and and redo with 7's)

Notes: Had just enough yarn to make the hat. I was a little worried for a while, but it just made it. I've never used Kureyon before and I really like the color I picked, but I will not rush out to get more -- at least, not for a project in ribbing. The yarn is a little scratchy and rather uneven and it left my left middle finger kind of sore after knitting for a while. I normally hold the yarn in my right hand, but I find that my ribbing is neater (specifically the purl stitch after a knit stitch) and a little faster when I knit continental. However, this was just painful with this yarn because I guess I was squeezing my fingers to get better tension or something. By the end of the project I had a big groove in my middle finger. Oh well, I'm just glad it's done. Ribbing makes me tense.