skein

Socks progress

Another pair of socks is off the needles.

These were part of Get Knitted Lorna's Laces sock club which has now finished.  This shade is Laendler.  I like my LL's to stripe, so it's just plain knitting, top down, with a garter stitch short row heel.

Started: August 27th

Finished: September 18th

Needles: 2.25mm

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock, Laendler.

A lovely quick knit.

The mystery socks for SKA are going well. Clue three is done, and I'm thinking that the next clue will be the final one, and will entail knitting the foot and toe.

The yellow's ... yellow!  Quite bright! This has the Eye of Partridge heel, not sure if it's obvious in the photo (but it clickable to enlarge).

SKA September Mystery sock

I seem to be drowning in Nesta at the moment, but I do have other things on the needles!

SKA's September challenge is either a Wendy Johnson design in any colour, or yellow socks, or a mystery sock in yellow yarn.  I'm doing the mystery sock (designer is Nancy Bush!) and we've had two clues so far.

Clue one was the cuffs, ending with a cool braid.

 

This is the real colour, the following photos are looking a bit washed out, but it was cold and gloomy outside when I took them!

I had to reknit the braid, mine was a little loose.

Backs - just 1x1 ribbing and then stocking stitch.

 

Fronts - a pretty lace pattern, very easy to memorise, so great for carry along knitting.

 

Very sunny yellow!

 

New England Socks

This is a pattern which has long been on my wishlist, and I've only just gotten around to knitting it, purely down to SKA and the June theme - Nancy Bush patterns.

Pattern: New England Socks by Nancy Bush
Started: June 6th
Finished: June 25th
Needles: 2mm
Yarn: Regia silk, pale blue.

Love the pattern!  I think I avoided knitting these because of the smaller needles and longer leg, but really, the pattern means that time flies.  I've been knitting on other things in between, but the second sock, for example, took only four evenings.

I keep thinking that I'll have a break from sock knitting, but it's addictive, and there's soooo many patterns I want to knit and haven't yet.  I'm not going to participate in SOS (summer of socks, ravelry) this summer, due to NaKniSweMoDo, but with SolidSocks and SKA I think I have my hands full anyway.

Hey Teach! is going well.  Back and two fronts are done, just sleeves to go - but as I've only used three of five skeins of Cotton Fleece for the body I'm going to knit longer sleeves, so it's Sleeve Island time.  I now know why I need many wips (or maybe just two or three) - my hand is aching from spending knitting time on just this garment since Friday.  I'm resisting casting on, but a ball of Zephry laceweight, in marine blue  has jumped out of box #3 and is sitting next to me now....

Current knitting

Mid week knitting catch up. 
I had a whizz weekend as far as knitting goes.  Finished the mystery blanket squares for June on Saturday and cast on several socks on Sunday, as well as finished a small Ishbel.  But then I spent wasted the past few evenings dithering, looking through crochet books, thinking I might start that crochet blanket I've been meaning to start for the past six months.  No such luck, the yarn is back in the bag behind my chair, and I'm back to knitting!

1) Ishbel knitted, just needs blocking.

This is the small shawl, and the knitting part really doesn't take long at all. 

2) 2x2 ribbed sock, in an alpaca sock yarn (label is missing). A bit boring,  but if I pick it up now and then it will eventually get finished.

3) Solidsocks June. The theme is white/natural yarn. I'm using some Gems Pearl. Pattern is Evelyn Clark's Taking Turns, and I'm down to the heel already.  A very easy pattern, this is the current carry-along project.

4) SKA June. I'm knitting a Nancy Bush pattern called New England socks, in pale blue Regia Silk.
This is the second attempt at this pattern (I am too impatient sometimes, and rip out too soon) and the third attempt with this yarn so I'm hoping this time it's a good combingation of yarn and pattern! 

This is the back - this pattern is continued for four inches, and then it's just plain stocking stitch.

And this is the front. 

Regia silk is lovely, but it's a bit floppy, and when I think of this sock I think of a nice woolly sock yarn.  But I'm surprised at how nicely it's turning out.

5) Dawn - NaKniSweMoDo #6.  I have 10 rows of ribbing on the back (you work your way down over the shoulder) and the back neck edging to finish. Oh, and the buttons, and the sewing up, but these shouldn't take too long.

Finally,.
6) Not started, but we found out today that an ex work colleague has given birth this morning, to a baby girl.They've been trying for several years, so this is very happy news for them.  So, what does that mean? Better get the baby wool out, quick!  I may have to drop everything for a few days and get a cardy to her asap!

So, this week I'm going to try to block Ishbel, finish Dawn, knit a baby garment and finish sock 1 of Taking Turns, and knit the leg of New England socks! 

Marie Antoinette socks

As usual, my camera is being a bit petulant about the correct colour!
This photo taken at home before I left for work (too pale and pink)

and this one taken outside work an hour later (too dark!)

and this one an hour later!

This last one is a better colour. 

Pattern: Marie Antoinette by Knitspot
Yarn: Fleece Artist Sea Wool, in Amethyst
Started: 2nd May
Finished: 21st May
Needles: 2.25mm
Modifications: none

I love the bees pattern, I love the beehive pattern.  Easily memorised, so you don't need to refer to the chart.  Having pattern repeats to work is a little like knitting with self striping/patterning yarn, one always wants to work to the end of the repeat, I'm sure it speeds up the sock knitting.

This was knitted as part of May's SKA (ravelry group).

Unfortunately it's pretty difficult to take a photo of the back of your leg!  Especially first thing in the morning, with people walking past!  I wanted to show off the bees a bit better, you can't see them on the top photos.  And btw, this is a more realistic colour!

oops, a bit out of focus too!

These were very nearly not finished last night.  All day yesterday I had an urge to start something new, which wasn't a garment nor a sock - a shawl! Those shawls at IKl are terribly tempting! Looking at the Wollmeise colours and shawls on ravelry had me convinced that I'd get in last night, go straight to my Wollmeise stash and cast on. Common sense prevailed. i had half a foot to knit, and Primrose Path needs finishing. 

I bet I start a shawl over this Spring bank holiday!

Eleanor Socks

These were suck a quick knit!  Remember that I tend to work on several things at once, so  finishing these in 9 days makes them quick - and they were a pleasing knit.

Pattern:  Eleanor by Monkey Toes. This is a ravelry link, the designer died suddenly and her website no longer works.
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy, Cool Fire
Needles: 2.50mm circular, changing to dpns for the foot (no reason, I fancied a change)
Modifications: none, except for working one more pattern repeat on the leg.

This had joined Juta's stocking as being a great lace pattern which is so easy that you can carry it around with you without having to refer to a chart or instructions. 

Smooshy's a great sock yarn, too, it really makes smooshy socks. My other knitting has been Rowan's Glace, a cotton yarn, Jamieson's chunky shetland and now Gjestal Naturgarn No.1, so Smooshy feels very soft and luxurious after these 'harsh' yarns.

A great knitting project.  I have another two pairs of socks which I want to finish in February - the ones I'd planned to knit (Lorna's Laces GK December yarn for Chris) and ones I didn't plan on  - some dk alpaca socks, cast on this morning on the way into work. These will be for my brother, who needs warmer socks for his arthritis.  I bought some alpaca socks last year at the IKL day, and he loved them, commented on how much warmer they were than the other handknitted socks (which were wool and he'd thought were the best until the alpaca socks). These are long overdue!

Snow! And an unexpected knitting day

Late on Sunday evening it started snowing

Monday morning

Some child decided to walk across the virgin snow

Not me!

I actually left for work this morning, completely disregarding the travel news.  A 10 minute walk took me 20 minutes.  I had to walk slowly and try to stay on the inside of the path as the kerb was nowhere to be seen! 
Ticket office open, station closed!  So I headed off to the bus stop.  No buses!  I'm not near a tube station, so I had to go home. I popped out about 10am for bread and eggs, and was amazed at the change from 7am this morning - the main road was largely clear of snow, but had lots of that brown slush.  This is the South Circular, so it's a main road!  The roads leading off were still covered in snow, but the pavements were starting to get compacted snow. Tonight it's not snowing but the temperature is freezing. Joy.  If I do go out it'll be like a skating ring, and I live in a hilly area!

I haven't done much knitting.  I worked on the Bog Jacket until I'm ready to start a few colours of stripes. Jamieson's chunky is discontinued, so I thought I'd try J&S. They've discontinued their chunky too!  They had a few colours left - some grey, some blues, but Chris turned his nose up at those.  I've settled on some aran weight yarn and I'll just have to knit it double. I  suspect it will be a tad thicker than the chunky, but I don't care - it's for the sleeves, so if the stripes are thicker I don't think it will matter too much.
I tried to take a photo of the Bog Jacket with a snowy background - very unsucessfully!

What you (sort of) see is the main body and one partial sleeve. It's not as short as it looks; the sleeve starts where the waste yarn starts, I've just extended it to make full length sleeves. You can (sort of) see the short row shaping on the sleeve as well.  I really wanted a snow shot!

 I've started some socks too - Eleanor Socks by Monkey toes.

Yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy, Cool Fire.  These are mutually for ravelry groups SKA and SolidSocks February themes - a Monkey Toes pattern for the former, and pink for the latter.  A great pattern - very easy! Just what I need at the moment.  I'm off to bed early tonight, will get up very early and see if the trains are running. Chris thinks not!

Godiva socks

January SKA socks (ravelry link).  January's challenge was either beading (technique), or any online magazine sock or a mystery beaded sock.  I chose to knit a beaded sock, and chose Godiva by Lucy Neatby. 

Started: 2nd January
Finished: 22nd January
Yarn: Natural Dye Studio Angel - silk, baby alpaca and cashmere. Can't beat it!
Needles: 2.25mm circular

The silver and turquoise beads are rowan/jaeger beads, about size 6 (not the smallest ones) and the other beads are some anonymous ones I had in stash.

I quite like this way of adding beads - purl a stitch, slip the bead near to the work, purl another stitch. 

These are destined to be bed socks, they're just so soft!

Empoisonnee socks

My December SKA socks (ravelry link)

Pattern: Empoisonnee by Yarnissima.
Started: 25th December
Finished: 2nd January 09 (my first FO of the new year)
Needles 2.25 circular
Yarn: Wollmeise merino Im Kalten Polar
Modifications: none!

It's a toe up sock.  You knit a short row toe, then the foot, and start increasing for the gusset.

Then it's up the leg

Finishing with the cuff.

The only horrible bit was the 28 rows of twisted 1x1 ribbing under the cuff (no point in continuing the pattern!), and of course a lot of the cuff is 1x1 twisted ribbing.  I've knitted most of the sock with the knitpicks metal circulars (easier for cable manipulation) but for the ribbing I changed to the wooden circulars, I was in danger of piercing my finger!

I tried to capture the colour, I really did.  Two camers, auto, manual, flash or no flash.  I've even tried different times of day. No joy.  The colour is much deeper, and very jewel like.  Rich teal, rich blue and rich wine.   It's lovely. Amazing how my camera(s) have eliminated all trace of teal and have lightened the colour significantly. 

Chistmas socks for Chris.

I seem to be on a roll. I think it's down to three days of nothing doing except cooking, reading, watching tv and knitting.   I want to do an annual round up on the 31st, and my New Year's resolutions on the 1st, so I need to get this post in, quick 9and another two posts, hopefully!)

Started: 22nd December
Finished: 26th December
Yarn: Wolle Rodel dk weight, chosen by Chris when we were in Germany this October.
Needles: 2.75mm dpns.

Sock #1 finished on Christmas day, and sock #2 finished on Boxing day (in the small hours) - with the help of a good book, as it's all plain knitting. these are my 29th pair of socks this year! I'm on pair 30 now, and as these are the only wips I have, I expect that I might finish them by 31st!

Not my idea of a photo, but Chris would like to point out that his felted moccasins are wearing out!  I do have some suede patches, and might just stuff the hole with some wool rather than knitting another pair right now (the yarn is packed away in the depths of stash).

I've cast on another pair of socks too.
These are for ravelry's SKA group - I've chosen to knit Yarnissima socks for my December socks. 
Pattern: Yarnissima's Empoisonee from Twist Collective
Yarn: Wollmeise superwash merino, im kalten polar
Needles: 2.25mm circular

I've decided to knit these socks in unison, rather than knitting one, then the other, and forgetting what I've done (I'm useless at notes). It's been toe 1, toe 2, foot 1, foot 2, gusset and heel 1, gusset and heel 2 - that's as far as I've reached.  I'll finish gusset and heel 2 today, then it's just the legs of both.

The colour is wonderful.  It's a blue-purple, a blue and an emerald green (which isn't showing  up on this daylight photo!).  The pattern plus yarn combination equals much knitting gratification!
The pattern is available for download.  I think this might be another favourite toe up pattern, lots of plain areas and it's fairly easy (so far). The pattern does change on the leg, but it looks fairly simple.

It's the only thing on the needles, can't believe it!