knit1frog2

unveiled

I can't believe I hadn't said anything earlier!  Sockapalooooza!  The person that I knit the sockapalooza socks for is Laura aka Affiknitty!!  I am seriously relieved that the socks fit her!!  HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF over here, I'm just sayin'.  She wrote a really nice post about them here.  I love that she actually liked the chocogummies!  If you haven't tried them, I know it sounds really odd, but man are they gooood.

I can't believe how many Monkeys were made this time around!  It's kind of fun to have a pair knowing that there are tons of other people who are wearing their monkeys as well!

So, the pink sweater...I can't seem to put it down.  knitknitknitknit.  Finally though, I needed to stop to give my arms a break.  You wanna see?  Take a little peek...

pink, slightly puffed sleeves?

I am really liking this so far...and I pray that I will not look like a football player in a pink sweater once I have it on my shoulders.

Now...should I make that trip to WW?  Hmmm.  Okay, if I do, this has GOT to be the last purchase until I work my way through my stash.  I've said it.  Now I've got to stick to it.  Stick to your ticket.

i <3 my sockpal danielle

Well gosh.  I made it back from the conferences for work safely, though I have never been so exhausted in my entire life.  The conferences were in Vegas...which in theory sounds like fun, but the early morning and all day briefings which then morphed into dinner with co-workers, late into the early morning 'fun' afterwards and all of the smoke really can wear one down.  Repeat this many times.  Oh yes.  And there was the 100° weather while we were there...and no, it wasn't the typical dry desert heat.  Vegas was having thunderstorms, so it rained off and on and um...talk about muggy.  Thank god for the A/C in the hotels, but wow, it felt like hitting a wall when we had to go outside to go to another location.  I think I also got heat exhaustion b/c I wasn't drinking enough water.

After retrieiving my luggage from the Alaska flight to find that my suitcase handle was completely ripped off on one side...seriously, was it stuck under the plane wheels and pulled SO hard that this happened...I headed home.  While I've had the suitcase for awhile, I've only used it about 8 times and the handle was more than sturdy and could have handled even the average baggage handler.  At least mine didn't come out completely wet (inside contents wet as well) and stinky as one of my friend's suitcases did.  (I'm not sure if I want to know what his suitcase was drenched in.)  We had to go and buy him clothes while his regular clothes were being laundered (he was from out-of-town, but came into Seattle for a continued work visit).  The good news is, Alaska is going to pay for the repairs (had NO idea they'd do this, thanks to Scott for the idea!) and the luggage place will direct-bill Alaska, so no funds had to leave my hands for this.

Better news was...when I came home, after wearily lugging my broken-handled suitcase up the flights of stairs (thank goodness there was a handle still operating on the horizontal side), I saw a box on my stoop.  I didn't remember ordering anything, so I was confused.  Confused and exhausted I should say.  Seriously, the late nights went into last week since my out-of-town friend was here...not that I was happy to see him go, but I really could use the sleep.  Back to the box.  It finally dawned on me the next day what it might be (I told you...I've been EXHAUSTED)!  I opened it and saw this:

feast your eyes...

Ohhh...so excited!! It was my socks!!  The card...soooo funny!!

My socks take charge!

I slowly unwrapped it...oooo!

doesn't this look lovely??

And then...

This candle smells SOOO good!

Apparently my sockpal finished my socks ON HER HONEYMOON!  (yes I am yelling that, b/c Danielle...you really didn't need to do that! ^__^)  The proof?  My socks have seen more sights than I have!! 

My socks hangin' out in Scotland
And then visiting the cows...moo!
socks well travelled

I absolutely LOVE my socks.  Love love love them!!  I've always wanted Monkeys, yet have never seemed to knit myself a pair.  I LOVE the color!!  It is absolutely, hands down one of favs!!  la la la, such a happy color.  I tried them on and I noticed that Danielle even made my socks with shortrow heels!!  While this definitely was not a prerequisite from me, I do have to say that type of heel fits me the best, so I am absolutely thrilled that they were made this way! 

See for yourself!

I am sooooo happy!!

Danielle even included some skeins for future socks...and how did she know that I would LOVE those colors as well?!!  I am thrilled, over the moon, estatic with my new treasures.  Danielle, really, thank you SO much, these socks will be treasured for the days to come!  I will be wearing them to work tomorrow!!  yay! 

good things come to those that wait

(for all posts related to sockpalooza4, pls click on the link below the post)

At least this is what I hope my sockpal says this upon receiving the socks!  Yes folks,  I am donnnnnnnne!!! 

Here they are...

I swear the feet aren't that big in person

It feels so good to be done...I've been keeping my eyes open for fun treats to put in the box that I send these in...wow, done a whole couple of months early!

Hmm, that above picture seems small, like you can't really see what they look like! Here is a closer view...

good ol' Diagonal Ribs

I pray that these will fit my sockpal...please oh please...

The details...

Pattern:     Diagonal Rib Socks from Interweave Knits online pattern

Yarn:     Socks that Rock in Nodding Violet, mediumweight

Amount:     120g

Needles:     INOX size 1 (2.25mm) circular

Start date:     Sunday, 20 May 2007

Completion:     Wednesday, 6 June 2007

The cast on was done holding both needles together and magicloop style.  (I just canNOT seem to knit socks one at a time...just can't...the second one would never be finished.)  The yarn was lovely to work with...really resilient and boingy!  I'd actually like to knit myself a pair of socks with this yarn!  The pattern was soooooooo easy to remember and execute.  I definitely will be knitting myself a pair of these in STR one day.

Now, what should I work on next??

All of this socktalk...I was really hankering to get my hands on the embossed leaves pattern from the Winter 2005 IK.  Of course it's the ONE that I do not have.  Something dawned on me the other week...the local library!!  Sure enough, they had it and I reserved it and quick like a bun-bun I had an email telling me it was waiting for me on the pickup shelf.  NICE!

visit your local library!

Or wait, do I want a pair of Jaywalkers?

Dear sockee pal,

(sockee, not sock-or),

I really have enjoyed knitting your socks...even though the teeny weenie beanie needles have endlessly poked me in the most sensitive part underneath my fingernails at times.  I didn't even mind the 3 attempts at turning the heel on the 2nd sock, I promise.  I have not sworn ONCE when the stitches flew off of the end of the needle time after time, which left me no other choice than to rip back to a point where I could successfully pick up the pattern.  Really!

Why have I been in such a good mood about it all?  It's because I honestly enjoy the idea of sockpalooza and I've enjoyed it time after time!  It's such an awesome experience watching everyone's progress and then when the exchange is finally underway.  I really do hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed making them.

Here are some progress pictures...

short row heels!

And a closer look at the short row heel...

yay for rounded heels

I have a little secret...I cannot knit those heel flap thingies.  Well wait.  I can, I just prefer not to (and I hope you don't mind this).  Oddly for me I find it takes a lot more work b/c either the flap is too wide or too tall and I want them to fit.  Then there's all that picking-up-of-stitches thing...sigh.  The few times I've tried to knit them, I just haven't enjoyed it.  There is something so satisfying about knitting and then incorporating the short rows...kind of like a pac man gobbling up energy pellets or something.  You also get immediate satisfaction b/c when you've finished, the heel is turned and you can just move on.  The other way you've got to knit the flap, pick up the stitches, incorporate everything by ssk'ing and k2tog'ing and then you can finally move on. 

Yay for socks! 

Love,
Your sockpal

the great houdini

If you are looking for sock news, I have none except to say that I ordered some STR in Puck's Mischief and Rolling Stone.  Oooh, can't wait until it comes!  I pray it doesn't smell like McDonalds.

images courtesy STR (hover over for names)

Oh!  Wait, I DO have sock news.  The pattern that I'm using...Diagonal Ribs...IK posted it as a free pattern today!  Check it out if you're interested...interesting timing I thought...

So Monday, I cast on for the impromptu V-neck remember?  I started knitting away...la la la...it wasn't until later when I realized that well, my gauge was getting tighter and tighter with each row.  gah.  Not only was the knit slowly turning into a stiff, matlike fabric, it was also much smaller than it should be.  Case in point, when it was time to split out the stitches for sleeves, well, it was only 8" in diameter.  I do not have skinny arms, never have, probably never will have--I can do pushups afterall.  I did try it on and wow, this would just NOT work.  Enter lovely ball winder...wind wind wind...back into a cake to start...again.  sigh.

I re-cast on that night and was determined to get back to the point where I was at before the frogging and yes, all before going to bed.  US9s were used this time around.  US10s produced a too floppy and airy knit.  After that point, I threw it to the side, exhausted and somewhat disgusted.

So that brings us to today...the Px from the orthopedic surgeon was good...my rotator cuff isn't torn!  Hooray for some things...

Anyway, I picked the v-neck back up just a bit ago to throw on another few rows...and here it is...

look dad!  no hands!

Don't worry, the sweater isn't standing up on its own...there is something hiding inside to help with the photo.  I have to say, this is one of the cleaner v-necks that I've ever completed.  It would be great to wear as is, but I plan on adding some k1,p1 ribbing later.  I did slip my arm through the armhole and success!  Honestly though, I am wondering if this will end up being steeked because of the warmth it will provide.  That or I can always ship it off to a good home to someone who lives in a cold climate...anyone?

sleepy and scary

I woke up today at an inanely late time.  I don't even want to tell you how late, it's so embarrassing...but when I woke up and saw that it was raining (actually *pouring*), it made more sense to me.  It's SO much more quiet when it rains...it really muffles the sounds from the everyday sounds...neighbors clanking around, cars starting up outside, etc. plus, I must've needed the sleep.

On the way to the kitchen, I thought since it was all rainy out, I'd wind my hanks into cakes...at least two of them and cast on for gauge.

McTaggart Tweeds from Beaverslide

Possibly you can make out the purl bumps in the gauge swatch?  There are 8 which means that I used a US8 needle.  It always makes me feel satisfied to remember to do clever things like that.  One thing was evident...the brown yarn (which I actually like better) gave closer gauge than the puffier grey.  It also knitted up much cleaner than the grey.  I've been wanting to knit a knockabout sweater anyway, so I'll use the Heathered Charcoal for that and order up more Tamarack.

Why scary in the title?  One could be that I've decided to buy even more yarn (the Tamarack), the other may be b/c I watched one of the scarier movies in awhile.  I never heard about it the first time it came out (did it go straight to DVD?), but it was on after I had settled in with my cereal and coffee.  Egad.  Scary.  It was called Stay Alive.  yikes.  I must think of something cheerful now.

For Sockapalooza4 news...

Yes, I've cast on and started!!

argh, pooling...but at least it's pretty

The above socks are called Diagonal Rib from IK Winter 2004.  Speaking of Interweave Knits...I really don't like their 'new' web system.  What happened to all of the great patterns that subscribers could peruse by inputting the code word printed on their subscribed magazine?  Maybe they think it's more "friendly" and "accessible" to have free patterns for all, but I miss the huge wealth of resources that once was on that site.  It's pretty lame now.  They give 4 free patterns and you can no longer search the archives.  How I hope they reinstate this functionality when the newsletter site is really launched.  I'm glad that I downloaded this pattern when I did AND that I was able to find it on an old HD.  Yes indeed.

I suppose this should be posted on the Sockapalooza4 pligg site, but I find the site a bit overwhelming.  I wonder if anyone will actually see it since people 'vote' for posts and other posts get buried if not voted for.  Yeah, what?  That said, I do realize that it's got to be challenging to find a way to corral 1,006 knitters' updates and the like so that's not to say that I don't appreciate the effort going in for this year's Sockpal fest, it cannot be simple.

For the sock savior socks, I want to use a pattern called Zokni socks from Pepperknit...it's such a lovely pattern.  Oh shoot.  I just checked and all of the sock savior socks have been taken!  Maybe I'll check back to see if anyone needs a pair of socks later in the summer.  You never know.

I've never knit with STR yarn before and I can see why people like knitting with this yarn.  It's lovely and springy/sproingy and does not split easily.  I am looking forward to knitting a pair for myself at some point!

socka-wha?

I know that I had the pattern all picked out for my sock pal...but I cannot find it anyplace on my HD.  ugh.  I was so delirious after looking through many many patterns, that I thought I saved it in the appropriate folder...THOUGHT.  I looked today and well...nuthin.  man.

This means that I have to search and slog through all of the patterns out there all over again to find it...I haven't the faintest idea what it was called (yes that would have been helpful)...but again, many many patterns, eyes crossed and red at conclusion of attempt, thought I had saved it so I wouldn't have to remember the name.

Something interesting...I wound my cruller hanks into yarny cakes and the Little Bunny FooFoo seemed light.  At first I thought it was b/c it was in the Seduction weight...but it wound up SO quickly.  Hmmm.   A quick plop on the scale and hmmm, 3-3/4oz, not 4.  The other 2 cakes weighed on the heavy side, but they were both mediumweight.  I wish the site gave gram weight.  Oh well.  Oh, and even though the yarn for my sockpal is called Nodding Violet, the swatches didn't show that much purple.  It does have purple, much more than I thought it would.  I have learned my lesson...go by the name of the yarn, not the color swatch shown.  Well unless the yarn is called something like Lucy...and in that case I was hoping for a bit more of that lovely blue...it only had a couple of splotches.  Hmm.

I thought I'd check the Nodding Violet gauge...the specs say US2 (2.75mm) = 8sts/inch.  Have I become a loose knitter?!  I am getting 7sts/inch on addi US1 (2.5mm).  Even more odd, I dropped down to INOX1s (2.25mm) and am getting the same gauge, just a skoshi tighter.  That and the ugly join on the INOX needles.  Ugh.  Having to pull over the last stitch at every end of a round is cumbersome.  What to do, what to do...

INOX 1 (2.25mm) = 7sts/inch? hmmm.

Maybe after some food and coffee I will try again...

20% off? eek.

Editor's note:  This post is longggggg and has a lot o pictures...get some snacks, make yourself comfy...here we go!

I went to get my hair done in the U-district...thought if I had time, I'd zip over to Weaving Works since they were having their 20% off sale...it started on Thursday and I debated whether to go on opening day, but it all sounded so stressful and I have quite a stash already and there wasn't anything that I really needed...right?  Right.

So this AM, when I woke up (wow was it nice to sleep in until 9:30 instead of waking up at 5:10AM!) I logged in and took a look at patterns to see if there was anything that I couldn't live without.  I found one...an obscure little scarf and yarn I had never heard of.

I walked in and was immediately surprised at the lack of crowds...wow, what a relief that was!  (AND I got a parking spot in the lot!)  No maneuvering for space in front of yarn, no reaching wildly to make sure you got all of the skeins needed...none of it!  I perused the Noro lackidaisically...the Kureyon was pretty picked over.  I was okay with that.  On a shelf there were two lone skeins of this pretty Silk Garden Lite in pinks and greys!  Ooooh I grabbed both.  As I rounded the corner to see what else was there, I noticed...the Noro, it had a greenish blue in the middle and some red of the skeins.  Um.  No.  I didn't want those colors with pink!  So I looked on the shelf that I now stood in front of and saw this:

Rowan Tapestry

This, I thought was incredibly pretty and would make a nice scarf...I put the Noro back.

Next stop was the cotton section...I had NO idea they carried Brown Sheep fleece cotton!  I had just downloaded a cutie pattern that calls for this, but I didn't know the yardage.  I also saw that there were only 2 skeins of the Pinkaboo and I honestly wondered whether Z had picked the other two up.  Then my phone rang and it was Z!  I had to ask and sure enough, it was her that took the other two skeins...!  hahahahhaa.

Honestly, I'd never really looked at all of the yarns at WW...I had the handful that I typically looked at and bought...so today, I thought I'd really take a look.  WOW.  They have SO many different kinds of yarns that I couldn't believe it!  They even had Elsebeth Lavold.  What?  Yeah, I had never heard of it before either, but since I'm kind of on a scarf kick after that Razor, if WW had it, I would pick up the 2 skeins that it called for.  That couldn't hurt...right?

Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy

So then I look down and ooo DB Cathay...but the cupboards were pretty picked over...it IS Saturday afterall, the 3rd day of the sale.  I grabbed the two that were on the shelf and got on my phone.  Thank goodness for smartphones.  I quick brought up the Magknits page for the one and only Picovoli.  It said I would need 6 skeins.  I'd ask one of the sales ladies whether they had 4 more...it was a long shot, and hey if they didn't have it, I wouldn't be heartbroken, b/c remember, I only went for the scarf yarn above.

Yikes, they had the 4 skeins in the back.  It was like it was meant to be...

it's picovoli time!

Well, then something went awry.  I'm not sure what happened.  I blame it on low blood sugar.  Okay, I can't really, so I blame it on thirst!  But, I ended up getting the Calmer that I was dying to get the last time I was at Hilltop for a hoodie...I wanted to make the sleeves another color and figured I would get that with the 20% off at Hilltop and the rebate that I have there...wonder if they'll still have the yarn tomorrow?  We shall see.

now, do I get the burgundy or the sea green?

Um...and well, I haven't posted about it yet, but I'm working on a lacey scarf...I tried a couple of years ago and for some reason, I just couldn't do it...it's weird, but something just clicked and it is coming together after the razor...so I couldn't leave this behind either...

cracksilk haze...oooo

I was looking at the books and whatnot...and found this book was nicely put together and had some nice, basic patterns that I could springboard off from into other patterns...

patterns & supplies

Lest I forget...my STR yarn came...!!!  Hooray!  But, when I opened the package...it smelled a little odd.

lucy, nodding violet, LB foofoo

The smell...I wondered if perhaps the USPS person had stopped off at McDonalds and put their happy meal in the back with the packages b/c it smelled like um, french fries.  Isn't that WEIRD???  The yarn IS pretty though...see the one on the right?  It's a little shinier than the other two...I thought I'd try the FooFoo in Seduction...god, it's beautiful...it will be interesting to knit it up.  It's airing out right now...

So you know what this means, right??  Sockapalooza4 can officially begin here...I will wind the hank into a cake this evening!  mmmm cake.

rainy days

Rainy days bring...rainy day socks!  Yes, I am practicing for sockapalooza4.  The sock pattern is from MagKnits.

looks like a smiley face!!  I didn't plan this!

What can I say...ever since I saw these at Purlygirls one evening, I knew I had to cast on for them, that and I've always wanted to try picot! 

oooh the picot!

It's much easier than I thought it would be.  The socks also have a provisional cast on.  I've always wanted to try this too.  I found a lovely tutorial on it here.  Note to self, tahki cotton is too slick to use as the waste yarn and easily comes undone.

socks on the brain

How appropo, while I was online looking for patterns and yarn for socks for my sockpal, I saw that I had an email from my sockpal that I will be getting socks FROM!!  Yay!  She is getting married in 3 weeks and is in the process of planning the wedding--how exciting!  Magistra Socka :) if you're out there, I was very happy to hear from you!  Thanks for the email!

I have been searching and searching for patterns and I just bought the sockyarn to be from (drumroll please...!!) SOCKS THAT ROCK!  Yay!  I've always wanted to try this yarn, so it couldn't be a better time!  Of course I couldn't resist picking up some for myself as well.

This is for my sockpal...I think she will like this...

it is right up her alley!

I couldn't resist...and since I was on the site...

oooh how I love these colors and many of the others on that site!!

(hover above each for the colors...images courtesy of Socks That Rock)

oooh boy!

OH! I finished the Razor scarf...it's blocking out in the living room to open up the bits of lace.  I have to say I am pleasantly surprised with it so far!  But, why is it that no one ever comments about the smell of wet blocking items?  P. U.!!!!  Man, the smell of wet alpaca wafting thru my tiny place...ugh.  I'm sure if I had a cat, it would at first hide behind the furniture, poking its head out slightly to see if a wet dog was laying in the living room...and if I had a dog, I'm sure it would be barking madly at it.  I did use my new supply of SOAK, so that was kind of fun...it smelled goooood!  Well before I pulled it out of the tub anyway.

I'll take some pictures when it's done blocking!