Yarn, I Love Yarn

Knitting is back to making me happy again, where it had been feeling a bit like an obligation for a while (I must finish this project or else no fun, I must do this because I am obligated to, I like what I am making even though this yarn feels unpleasant so the knitting isn’t fun…).

Yes, much as I love that Kauni Jacket and am happy with how the Itchy Shalom came out, I am quite ready to knit with pleasant, soft and sumptuous yarn. So, I am!

As the photo shows, I have started the Flit ‘n Float scarf from the current Knitty, designed by my email list and blogging companion, Birdy. I took the photo Sunday afternoon, so I am a ways farther on it now. I am ready to start Chart B as of lunchtime knitting today. I chose the pattern because I liked the big ole ruffle at the bottom and also how there is a very lacy part at the end, but also more solid parts in the center. I have chosen to knit it on fairly small needles, US size 4, to make it perhaps more solid than the original, to bring out the yarn.

The yarn is Fleece Artist Nyoni, which is wool, silk and mohair sock yarn that they forgot to make superwash, or something, so they didn’t want to sell it as sock yarn. Instead, they sold it in 800 yard hanks for use in scarves, shawls or garments. It sold out very quickly. (I went over all this last month in this post). I just love the way this yarn feels in my hands, which is good, since I’ll be working with it a while on the scarf! And I also love the way it looks—there is a bit of sheen and a tiny bit of shine on top of that. I have a feeling there will be leftover yarn when I am finished, which just might become a beret to go with the scarf. That would be pretty.

That’s not the end of my fun with yarn that feels good! Last night I re-started Bridget, as I promised I would. I had completely forgotten why I whipped out the entire back in such a short time last go-around! It’s because that single-ply merino yarn from Plain and Fancy Wool, Co., is just heavenly to touch. It practically knits itself. And I get to use nice, wooden needles on it, too. After using the honking big metal needles on that slippery wool for Itchy Shalom, that’s a relief (I am using my trusty Addi Turbo Lace needles on Flit ‘n Float, because my wooden size 4s are occupied on something—probably it’s the other lace scarf I need to finish, Juno Regina from November 2007 (sigh, I will get to THAT one, too—it’s on the WIP list, though I moved it to “hibernating” on Ravelry).

So, on Bridget, which you may recall is a simple cardigan with seed stitch borders, I decided to do the body all in one piece this time. That way I will KNOW if it fits or not. Now, of course, I am worried that it will be too big. I went from US 4 to US 6 needles and am making the largest size. In my gauge swatch from yesterday I still wasn’t getting 5 stitches per inch—more like 5.25, so I figured I would go up a size more than I originally intended. I think I will end up with the right size, and in any case, it won’t be WAY too big, just not snug, if it’s slightly large. I’ve only done the cast on and three rows, and it is looking about right. I just enjoy knitting on this—there’s just the minimal shaping on the waist, and otherwise, acres and acres of stockinet. It’s a nice project to work on when you can’t concentrate! I will show the buttons I have for Bridget next time—I keep forgetting to take a picture of them.

So, I am all happy with knitting at the moment, which helps distract from job hunting and such. That’s why there haven’t been many hints or technique discussions—my mind is full of decisions, financial thoughts and that kind of thing. That will pass!

I Am Consistent!

Hercules Sock-a-Rama
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I went to the sock drawer this morning to find Blue/Green socks for the "dress your school colors" day at work (I dressed in the kids' high school colors, since orange and blue don't suit me and I own no Gator or Illini items). What did I see was a sock I made last year and wore a lot. I also saw my Sea Wool socks I finished a few weeks ago.

Whoa, look at that, sez I. They are the SAME colorway.

I must really like those colors to have bought them twice, a year apart. At least they are different in composition, and I knitted them differently. I guess I know what I like. And it's those subdued colors.

Not much knitting happened yesterday, but I still got to toe toes on the worsted weight socks. So you'll have a photo of one of them tomorrow. I don't know whether I will put them on me, where they will be too long, or on Lee, where they will be too short. No one in the house is a men's size 9.5.

The exciting weekend plan is to finish the lace sample and trudge along on the top of the pentagon. Round and round plain stockinette in a solid color is something I need distraction to work on; otherwise it's pretty boring. However, the bag will be SO cute...need to finish it!

In other news, I seem to have won another contest over at the Campanula for the Cure KAL, so I think I will stop entering them and let someone else win. I anxiously await prize announcements, though, since their sponsors are people I've never bought stuff from before.

I'm also really happy to have inspired at least one other knitter to work on Kaylee. She posted a work in progress photo on my Flickr pages, so go check it out!

Monday's New Thing: Textured SeaCell Sock

Textured SeaCell Sock
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Happy Monday. Though I didn't post this weekend, I got good solid knitting in, and here's the result.

This sock is really attractive in person, perhaps the nicest looking sock I ever made when it is on a foot. It has some kind of elegance that is hard to describe. The colors are so subtle and change ever so slightly throughout the sock, making it less "harsh" than some multicolored socks.

It's a toe-up version with a "normal" toe and a very interesting heel that's found in Wendy Johnson's eyelet lace sock--uses short rows combined with increases to make a nice rounded heel turn.

I am sure glad I finally settled on a pattern. As a reminder, The one I chose came from a Wild Horse Farm pattern called Bees Knees that I bought online. It uses an interesting texture created by using an SKP then knitting into the passed stitch. That makes the colors mottle a bit more than they do in the plain stockinette part. You can see it pretty well if you click the enlarged image. The top is just a 1x1 rib with the stretchy bind off where you knit two together over and over. I used a larger needle to bind off, and perhaps went a bit overboard on it. But it sure goes on easily.

The Sea Wool is nice. Sometimes it gets a bit "squeaky" when you are knitting tightly. But it has a nice sheen, and is twisty, which I like. One little issue is there are some slubs and little undyed spots. I will say they add character, because the parts that ARE dyed are just lovely. Whoever does the Fleece Artist dyeing does a wonderful job.

PS: new info: socks are now named "Neptune" in honor of an email list member who said that's more like what the colors looked like, rather than Hercules

Thanks to All

Thanks to those of you who commented on the Forget Me Not socks. It's so nice when the designer sees her work knitted up by someone else and commenting, so thanks to Laura!

I am also grateful for the suggestion from nrdgrrl (I fixed the spelling) on how to do the original Sea Wool pattern more successfully. It's funny--the way I don't get ladders when using DPNs on socks is to not knit the border stitches too tightly--I should have thought of that for these socks! Especially since I am well known as NOT a tight knitter in the first place! I will give that pattern another try, because it is a nice looking option for hand painted yarns.

I really like how bloggers help each other with patterns--how Yvonne P and I knit the socks at the same time and kept each other updated. And how people share such helpful suggestions with each other. Thanks to all who read this, and please, leave a comment if you wish--I like hearing from you and visiting your blogs, too.