Another try... 

So...what IS that purple thing?

Well, I thought I should post the beginnings of my first REAL project designed by ME. I'm taking a "Design to Fit" sweater class at ImagiKnit. We are actually 3/4 of the way done, though my sweater is barely started! Hmmm...no wonder I never designed my own sweater before--too much planning! OTOH, I can get anal and when I take a class, I take it REALLY SERIOUSLY. We should swatch? 3-4" at least? Oh, OK...(swatch, swatch, swatch...) Gotta make sure it will be just how I want it...(swatch swatch swatch...) Can't decide! Can't make up my mind!!! I like this...no, I don't!...I need to try this...and THIS!!!! PHEW! I could go on forever, but there was NO WAY I was going to knit the equivalent of a sweater doing a swatch!

I finally settled on the 2-color ladder twist design for the bottom edge of my sweater. Ao far, so good, though the garter stitch ended up looking alot longer and the twist portion a lot shorter, so instead of the 3 repeats I had planned, it became 4.


The beginning of my sweater...I'm using Karabella Aurora 8 in purple. The second color is Karabella Aurora Melange. 

And the winner is...

The winner is...the 2 Color Ladder with Twists! 

No, this is NOT a scarf...It's a swatch on steroids! Almost 2 skeins later, it kept going! 

Socks that Rock Colorways and Variance

Thought I'd show off some of my newly acquired Socks that Rock. The far left is a sock being knit in Celestine-it's an orange/lime/lavendar combo. The two balls on the right are both Spring Fling colorways, but it is interesting to see how the different skeins end up shades different. Not necessarily different 'dye lots', but I think the proportions that the colors were dyed in...I love them both and don't mind that they are not 'identical'. I have read somewhere that this is the nature of hand-dyed yarns...


Another pic, flash used here... 

Socks that Rock! Yarn...

Things to share... 

So here is another pic of the three skeins of Socks That Rock (STR) yarn from Toni at The Fold (www.handspinning.com/thefold). One pic was taken with flash, the other without. I think both pics can give a pretty good idea of how they look.

AND I'LL BE GETTING MOOOOORE AT STITCHES WEST!!!-YAY!!!!

Latest Socks on Needles

This more orang-ey picture is truer to the "Copper" colorway, though in person, the color is much brighter with more gold coloring to it than is shown. 

Now don't get me wrong-I LOVE this yarn and the color. The photo does not do the 'copper' color justice in any way, since the color really is richer and more vibrant looking. I just would have loved a more mustardy color for this pattern.

Kansas Wheat Socks

This picture looks more how I wish the yarn color looks, but it doesn't...This pic does seem to show the stitch definition better, though...
 

I was trying to be good and finish other sock projects before starting another, but sometimes things just don't work out that way! I had been dying to do these socks since I purchased the yarn (JUST* for THIS pattern!**) I am so glad I finally caved, because these have gone along quite quickly and quite frankly, I am just not motivated to finish any of my other pairs at this time. As for the aran socks from the Six Sox Knitalong, I think I messed up in the pattern somewhere and thus, haven't touched them in some time. Face it, when you get to points like that in knitting, picking it up to work on is no longer 'knitting'; it is, instead, a deciphering of a puzzle, which can take time. And if you are in the mood for KNITTING and seeing some KNITTING produced, a project like that is just not rewarding! (Loved the color, loved the way it was starting to look...hated that I took a wrong turn somewhere!)

*AWESOME Socks that Rock yarn, available from Toni at The Fold!
**Jeanie Townsend's "Kansas Harvest" pattern, also available through The Fold

A recent completed item...A reduced-size "Headhugger" from Michele Wyman's pattern. The gauge was around 3.75 st/inch and I used the 2.5 gauge directions to make it a kid-size hugger. 

My new wristwarmer!

OK, wrist warmer now posted! 

YES, I DID make 2, but they look exactly alike and I could only take a pic of one, since I was using my right had to take the pic! I used my merino/silk "Muriel" yarn from ARTFIBERS and they feel pretty darn good! I had to alter the VooDoo pattern to 36 stitches, since the Muriel is bulkier and my hand/wrist isn't that big.

Yes, I DO sometimes make other things...

A non-knit item!!! ;) 

So here is my quilt of the year! I've only been working on this for about two years! Finally got the last border on and will need to piece the backing and send it out to someone ELSE to quilt for me! So here it is-the 'quilt of the year', since I only average the completion of about 1 or less per year!

No wrist warmers yet...

Baby jacket and hat (the hat's upside down...) 

But here is a little number I made and just gave to the latest arrival at work. Since the baby arrived the day before Thanksgiving, I titled this outfit "You may NOW celebrate the Holidays!". The hat is actually show upside down, since I had already attached the hat to the jacket and was too lazy to detach it for the pic!!! Basic beanie style hat; garter ribbed at the bottom, body in stockinette...

Voo Doo Wrist Warmers!

Done and no pictures to show...! I need to get some up soon. I'm actually working on a crocheted ponchito, too, and am quite impressed with it's progress.

I had to post because questions keep dwelling in my mind: will I EVER pick up those Amble socks and work on them again???? Will I ever work through my stash? OK, let's not answer that one, but...Can I at least make a dent in it? And does the size of my stash mean a lifetime moratorium on yarn purchases???? I don't think I can live with that!

What's even more sick is knowing that last I checked, my sock yarn alone was more than I can ever knit in a lifetime--and I STILL can't figure out which skeins to get rid of! Or, rather, can't part with any, though I need to seriously whittle it down. Even the ickiest colors appeal to me. Yes, I may have several SIMILAR colorways, but they are NOT the same and each has it's individual appeal! How does one decide?

Well, that's my quandry of the day! Pictures soon!

Why Chips?

And what do these have to do with knitting? Well, nothing, but I LOVE these chips to the point that I probably now buy them as often as I shop for yarn!-UGH! And I was NEVER a chip person! So, I go to the Kettle Foods site and what do I find? A link to images of all their chips! (Yeah, for real...go ahead, click!) What else could I do with a nice picture of my favorite chips?



My FAVORITE chips! 

Looking for a Charity knit project?

And a helmet liner! 

http://www.operationhomefront.org/Community/knitters.shtml

If you have been thinking about knitting a helmet liner for the troops, here's a pic of one I did! EASY as a hat, so don't hesistate--do it! You can find the pattern and more info at the link above. Or click below...
HELMET LINER

There are a couple of better pictures at this site, too, of examples of helmet liners.

Could these REALLY be the socks I started so long ago????

Oh! Look what I found in my picture files! 

Who knows how long ago I started, but these were completed in August! (YAY, ME! A completed project is quite the accomplishment for me!)

And a close-up of...how uneven my stitches are!

A closer-up detail, though there is not much to see! Hopefully, those who are familiar with this pattern can't notice that I missed the entire first row and was too lazy to tear back and add it in...I fell behind with these and have only maybe doubled the size of the cuffs on these to date!  

I am happy to report that by now, my stitches are looking a tad bit more even. I am putting blind faith in EZ's statement that over time the stitches all work themselves even! (OK, maybe it is just my laziness and resistance to frogging...)

Trust me, though, I am not a perfectionist and know that my pudgy legs will stretch the pattern enough to MAKE the stitches even!

My 'Amble" socks from the Six Socks KAL 

I'm really knitting...

No pictures right now, but I have been completing things here and there...This past weekend I tried out some booties-made two pair that were quite fun to do! DRAT-forgot to take pics of the VERY cute ones! (I'll make MORE...) Finished some Opal DK self-striping socks and am working on a SECOND CIC vest! Hmmmm...maybe that ought to be my next pic? Gotta work on that...

Another Stitches of Violet pattern (I got the basketweave sock pattern there, too)! I saw this pattern on her blog and decided I needed to make one to donate to CIC! Fun and easy-I finished it over this weekend using Woolease Bulky. I didn't have any Bulky Lopi and saw the Woolease Bulky when I stopped in at my local craft store, so I made it out of the Woolease. I made a little notch in the front neck area, just for fun... 
The pattern is at this link:
Cozy in Cables Toddler vest pattern