Monday, July 30, 2007

Six down...


one to go! Here are Mittnz #6; I just have one pair to go for the Mittnz Challenge. Details:

  • Lamb's Pride (I think) worsted? bulky? I dunno--it was donated.

  • Brittany DPNs US Sz 6 (largest I have)

  • Elizabeth's mitten pattern

With the size 6 DPNs, I got a gauge of 4.5 stitches per inch, and it's tight. Should keep someone's mitts warm!


I haven't cast on yet for my Weekend Sweater; I find I am just a wee bit trepidatious. Will I like it? Will it fit right? What if I don't? What if it doesn't? Only once before have I made a whole sweater, and that was at least 15 years ago. To help me procrastinate, I worked on the b/f's Manly Washcloth:


It's ready for bind off. He'll be pleased.


Then I started, then swatched, then started again with this Wildfoote yarn I got in a swap some time ago:


I decided I like 8 stitches/inch better than the recommended 7. Once I get past the cuff, I plan on making these plain Jane stockinette. One, because I think that will show off the beautiful yarn best, and two, because I have a hankerin' for hours of mindless stockinette.


Hmmm...hours of stockinette. Maybe I ought to consider making a sweater.

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Saturday, July 28, 2007

Inching along

I actually have something to do at work today! Fortunately it requires lots of waiting, so it isn't reducing my knitting time much. Which is good, since I am inching along on GBF sock #2. I got in a couple of hours of quality knitting time (on the clock, no less) while I watched a technician try to fix the Internet connection at one of our stores. He worked a lot harder than I did, but I got more accomplished. I finished the ribbing on my sock; he replaced everything but the satellite dish. Still no Internet. Monday he returns with a replacement dish. I'll return with my sock.

Earlier this week, I found my Sz 3 circular needle, and was able to swatch for my Weekend Sweater. Recommended gauge for Telemark is 6 stitches/inch. With a Sz 3 needle, I got 11.5 stitches per two inches. Fortunately for me, this is an EZ pattern! I like the way the swatch looks at 11.5 stitches, so I'm set. Just plug my gauge into EPS, and I'm good to go. I love you, EZ. Tonight, while the b/f & I have a NetFlix evening, I'll be casting on 188 stitches to start my sweater. :)

This morning, as usual, Hilfy cried at the back door. As usual, I opened the door. Not as usual, she actually went outside and explored a little.

Ferocious beastie.

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Saturday, July 21, 2007

Mittnz #5=FO

Mittnz #5 are complete!

Details:

Double-stranded tapestry wool for the cuff, 1 strand tapestry wool + 1 strand mohair for the rest
US Sz 6 DPNs; 4.5 st/inch
Elizabeth's fabulous pattern, smaller size (except I made the cuff 2.5 inches long, since my gauge would result in a larger mitten)

This is my first time working with mohair, and I love how fuzzy these mittnz are inside! However, if I make another pair with this same yarn combo (and I have lots more), I must go up at least one needle size. I was knitting so tightly with the size 6 needles that I frequently had to take breaks to prevent sore wrists.

I also finished GBF sock #1. This yarn feels just as delicious on the feet as I expected! I hope it wears well, because boy-o-boy, I'm in love. Must cast on today for sock #2.

Mittnz #6 are in progress, this time with Lamb's Pride worsted. Again with the size 6 DPNs; again, a size larger would be easier to work with. I would be further along with them, but when I sat down today to work on them, I suddenly had this on my lap:

I love you too, Hilfy.

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Sunday, July 15, 2007

Hardly Working

Yesterday was a very busy day, which is why Caturday was postponed until today. First I had to pack up and ship a router than I sold on eBay, then I had to finish up some web site work for a client, then I had to get my auctions listed for club99 on eBay (if you want to go take a peek at them, go ahead; I won't mind. There's some knitting-related ones). Whew! I would have liked to have some time to work in the garden, but no luck.

This morning, I was up bright and early to get ready for my "day job" (as opposed to the consulting work I do on the side--see web site work mentioned above). It was a lovely cool morning, and when I opened the back door, all three cats went outside. First Daisy:

Who trotted down the back steps and started nibbling on the grass. She was slowly, cautiously follwed by Yitzhak and Hilfy:
Who pretty much stayed on the top step, wishing someone would let them back into the nice safe house. The bunnies who occasionally show up in the back yard are safe from this trio; their biggest worry seems to be overgrazing by Daisy.

Today, I'm working on my GBF sock at work. Doesn't seem to have grown much, does it?

I have about an inch to go before I start decreasing for the toe. I have been working on my other two projects, as well, but I think I'm just a slow knitter. It's a good thing I don't have a family relying on my production to keep them warm! If I did, we'd probably all be patched and darned from head to toe. :)

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Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Back to normal


For about a week, I had a grand total of 1 (one) project OTN: my GBF socks. That's right, I was monogamous for 7 whole days. But things are back to normal now; in addition to the socks, I cast on for Mittnz #5, as well as the Manly Washcloth requested by the b/f.

Mittnz #5 are made with double-stranded tapestry wool for the cuff, and 1 strand each tapestry wool & mohair for the rest. Elizabeth's wonderful pattern again. I'm using size 6 dpns because that is the largest size I have, but I really should be using a size or two larger. These mittens are knit tight, which is great for warmth, but not so good for my wrists. I've never used mohair before; I like the way the mittens are somewhat fuzzy on the outside, but very fuzzy inside! When I was a kid, these fuzzy mittens would have made me swoon; I loved anything fuzzy. If I could remember how old I was before I gave up my flannel blankie, I'm sure I wouldn't confess to it.

The Manly Washcloth is a simple man-sized garter-stitch square--about 9". I would have started on it weeks ago, but I couldn't find the &^%$#@! skein of Sugar N Cream I knew for a fact that I purchased. Looked though every stash box twice, and the most likely boxes were searched thrice. Found it Saturday where it didn't belong: in a box of items destined for my eBay store.

What's that you say? Where is the Weekend Sweater? Surely I've started swatching, at least! Well, I'm trying to remember where the size 3 circs are that I'm pretty sure I bought some time back, but have never used. Recommended needle size for the Telemark yarn is size 3 or 4, so if I can find the size 3 needles, it's a pretty good bet they'll work. *sigh* I'm going to have to go search through some boxes again. I seriously need to organize my knitting stuff. Later--now I'm going to knit.

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Saturday, July 07, 2007

Sweater Makin's Have Arrived!

My order from Knit Picks arrived! Look at all that wooly goodness; I'm so excited! Here's the sweater I plan to make:
It's the Weekend Sweater from Spun Out #46, a seamless, yoked pullover with some simple purled bands in the yoke. I have a little bit of concern over how I'm going to bind off the neck stitches. I'm going to have to find something stretchier than what I used with the Lopi vest; it has a bit of a scoop neck and it just fits over my head. If I use the same method with this smaller crew neck, I don't think I'll be able to put it on! I might convert this to a neck-down sweater, since my cast on edge is stretchier than my bind-off. Decisions, decisions. I'll ponder that while I swatch tonight.


Daisy sez: "If I position myself between her cell phone and the mail she needs to post, maybe she'll take me with her instead of leaving me alone today!"

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Friday, July 06, 2007

Still recovering

We had a fabulous 4th, from which I am still recovering.

The b/f's father is an amateur pyrotechnician, so we had lots-n-lots of fabulous fireworks. Unfortunately, it's not legal to set off fireworks where we live. Fortunately, a friend of the b/f lives where it is still legal, so he invited all three of us--the b/f, his father, and me--over. Hooray!

The drive to the friend's house takes about an hour; double hooray! Knitting time! I took my GBF socks along for the ride. Right now, they are the only things I have on the needles; I love the yarn so much that I haven't wanted to work on anything else. The Panda Wool is so silky-soft, I'm eager to finish the socks so I can wear 'em! Unfortunately, about 20 minutes into the drive, there was a little bump in the road, and I dropped a stitch. A stitch that was bordered by yarnovers. Arrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh! I had to put my knitting aside for the rest of the drive since I knew I would need magnification and a steady hand to fix it.

In spite of this knitting setback, we had a great time. In addition to fireworks, the b/f took his spud gun, which is always a lot of fun for the kids. Nothing beats shooting potatoes at a piece of plywood and watching mashed potatoes spray in every direction!


The fireworks were beautiful, and the weather was perfect--rain in the morning (to reduce any fire hazard), but clear skies thereafter. Everyone was duly impressed by the pyrotechnics, and the b/f's father got to hear everyone's oooohs and ahhhhs. We dragged our tired selves home quite late, washed off the grime (lighting fireworks is a dirty job), and fell into bed.

Thursday, I slept late, woke refreshed, and ate a delicious breakfast prepared by the b/f. Thus fortified, I tackled my dropped stitch problem. Convinced I had it fixed, I knit a couple more rounds and set it aside for the day. The b/f and I went target shooting; a thoroughly grimy and fun-filled afternoon. Came home, cleaned up, ate dinner, then plopped my tired self down on the couch for some quality knitting time. Knit a couple more rounds before I realized &^%$#@! I hadn't fixed the dropped stitch problem after all. I had the correct number of stitches, but holey-moley, it looked bad. The area where I had "fixed" it had these huge honkin' holes about three times bigger than the holes that were supposed to be there. There was much muttering as I tinked back 5 rounds, back to the round before the problem area, so I could knit it over, without any bumps to bounce stitches off my needle. Then I soothed myself with an hour of knitting while watching an episode of Stargate SG-1.



I feel much better now.

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