Oooh Boy, These Are Some Nice Mitts

I’m sad to see the end of project to make the Susie’s Reading Mitts out of the lovely wool/cashmere yarn. It sure feels good to have that beauty running through your fingers. Lucky me, though, I now get to enjoy the beauty on my hands and arms!

Yay for outdoor photography and the good camera. This is realistic.

In the non-cropped version of this photo, which I am NOT sharing, the sun makes a nice pattern out of my cheek wrinkles that looks like those wavy patterns sand dunes have. That’s Suna living up to her name, I think. This is a really nice intermediate project where you can learn how to make a picot edging and a thumb gusset. I did see on Ravelry where one knitter posted the technique she uses to make a thumb gusset with no holes around the join, if you are interested. The lace part is a very, very, easy way to start with lace—it looks much more complex than it is. It’s ideal for any luxury yarn you may have, since it doesn’t take much yardage and shows off the beauty of your yarn in the big stretch of stockinette.

I have another whole skein plus some leftover of from the first skein. Maybe I have enough to do the gloves I originally set out to do!

Well, so, I finished that, and I did work a bit on the striped scarf. I got to a section where the semi-solid and the stripe were rather similar, but even that is a nice, mottled effect. Ha, I was thinking how much I wished I had a photo of this when I realized I actually had brought the project with me. So, see what I mean?

See on the right how it is rather blendy?

You can also see that I am about finished with the first skeins of yarn. And as I figured, it really isn’t long enough, so I’m glad I got the additional skeins. This is another lovely yarn to work with, so I am happy to make the scarf long. Turning to less lovely yarn, I was asked by my coworker, Mike, to make him some slippers like his dear departed (rather grumpy) grandmother used to make for him every year. He even showed me a photo of them. So, off I went to Ravelry, and sure enough I found some that look a lot like the grandmotherly ones. These are made using two strands held together, so they go very quickly. I made a sample using some yarn I had bought at Michael’s for no real reason. At least it’s wool (Paton’s Wool Ease I think) but it’s more sturdy and long-wearing than soft and lovely. Here’s what I made (and these DO look better on a foot):

A bootie

I went down to a size 9 needle and the gauge turned out a bit tight. Plus I made the small size, so I got one that would be excellent for a ten-year-old child, I think. But the exercise told me that I need to do the decreases differently from the instructions—they don’t look really pretty to me.

And it reminded me how little I actually enjoy knitting with two strands on large needles. One of my size 9 Knitpicks wooden needle is loose where the wood joins the metal, so I need to glue it back in (and one of my clear plastic 9s is missing!). But, for the next one I try, I am using size 10 needles and making the medium adult size. I think that will fit me. On this one I am making the stockinette portion solid, and using the variegated yarn just in the sole and cuff. Those will be for me. Mike’s going to go out and get Red Heart in his favorite colors, then I will make him a pair of large adult ones. I think that will work. I’ll have him try mine to see if they fit, though. These work up so fast that at least the torture of using acrylic on large needles won’t last long.

I am amusing myself a bit now that I am back to knitting. Once more there are larger and larger piles of yarn around the place where I sit to use the computer or watch TV. I need to edit out some of those “yarns in waiting” so it all doe all doesn't take up so much space. No photo of that is forthcoming.

Suna's New Pathway

Here's the product of my weekend's knitting. I made three pairs of socks using techniques from New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi. I was informed on Friday that there was going to be a baby shower for a couple in my choir, and since I can't contribute monetarily to a gift, I figured I'd make socks. And why not learn something at the same time?

There isn't quite as much page turning and number calculating in the baby socks as there is in the larger ones, so I had a pretty fun time. The first ones I made are Little Sky, the white spotted ones, which I used worsted weight yarn I'd dyed with Kool Aid last year. The yarn sure looks cute. The second ones are the pink Coriolis ones. I do want to make some Coriolis socks, so at some point I'll break down and resign myself to knitting a whole pair of socks with a book at my side. The blue-ish socks are Charlie's Wiggle Socks. They are way cuter than the photo in the book, and were probably the most fun to make. I tried to not think of umbilical cords while making the cables (and watching the movie Shaolin Soccer, what a combo). Not sure why Cat had to put THAT image in my head. I'm glad I had a reason to knit the practice socks. Now I am ready for some new pathways in adult size socks!

It helped a lot to get all the knitting I wanted to get done accomplished. I felt in control of something in my life! I also got more done on the Juno Regina--it's probably halfway done by now. Plus, I started the Half Pipe Hat out of Son of Stitch 'n Bitch for Tuba Boy. I love the yarn I chose, Cascade 128. It is a very thick tweedy yarn, black with flecks. I thought it would give the right gauge, since the pattern called for two skeins of camel yarn, but it's even thicker than two skeins of camel, so I had to go way down in needle size to get gauge (size 3, where the original calls for 9). But, it's not too tight or anything--fits his head, and he seemed really happy with the progress so far. I'd like a hat out of that yarn, myself. I can't wait to put in the little brim! This will be a quick and pleasant knit. Aah.

Thanks for looking at all the patterns I posted! I have a few more, then will go more slowly and add them as I make them. A couple of things people have asked for patterns for I just can't do--some of my sweaters and socks are too "improvised," so I can't write them down.