Yes, my period of not making the most visually exciting products continues, with a photo of one each of the two pairs of socks I am working on.
I must say that the brown acrylic worsted-weight socks came out more handsome than I'd imagined. And besides that, they appear as if they will be very warm and cozy on cold winter days. The soft Toddler Aran by Sirdar really IS soft, too! Making them on size 3 needles created a slightly more compact fabric than the navy socks had, so they will be better for Lee's dad. Lee actually likes the navy ones from last week just as they are, because he wants them to "breathe" (they're wool; they'll breathe).
At the last minute I decided to "gussie up" the Fortissima Socka Disco Colori socks for my sister and added a garter stitch crenelated top border to them. The top treatment is from Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks for Warm Feet, and I used it on another pair of socks I gave away a few years ago. It looks nice both folded down and standing up. The challenge now will be to see if I can get the heel on the second sock to come out like the first one. The symmetry looks very nice, even if it wasn't exactly planned! I'll be sure to break for the heel on a blue row and hope for the best! Gosh, wouldn't it have been SMART of me to write down how many center stitches I left? Hmm, I think there were 11 wrapped stitches. I'll just have to count!
I have a long bus ride followed by two days without too many planned things to do this weekend. Hoping to get the second socks mostly done during that time. I look forward to posting more "exciting" photos soon.
Showing posts with label thuja. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thuja. Show all posts
Friday, September 7, 2007
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Two Socks in Progress
Yes, I am caving in and letting you see my two socks in progress, aka SIPs. That's quite the exciting duo, isn't it? Not Suna's usual glaringly bright output.
But, elderly farmers with cold feet will appreciate a lovely brown top-down sock come fall (whenever that "falls" in Texas). That sock is now ready to have its toe done, since I got quite a bit more done after I took the photo last night and today as I listened to the Eggmen, a Beatles cover band, entertain at lunch (every once in a while paid employment has perks). If you're in Austin, check them out--they are one of the best Beatles cover bands in town (are there only two now?).
And below that is the one for my sister in Fortissima Disco Colori. You can sort of see the silver highlights gleaming in the flash. Odd colors, aren't they?
This is fairly tedious stuff, but I figure I will not feel guilty for switching to "me" projects if I get at least two holiday gifts out of the way (three if you count the navy ones I gave Lee). My hope is to be back at that surplice top I keep threatening to return to by the end of the weekend. Go me!
At least no other garment projects are tempting me. I actually want to work on the ones in my queue!
But, elderly farmers with cold feet will appreciate a lovely brown top-down sock come fall (whenever that "falls" in Texas). That sock is now ready to have its toe done, since I got quite a bit more done after I took the photo last night and today as I listened to the Eggmen, a Beatles cover band, entertain at lunch (every once in a while paid employment has perks). If you're in Austin, check them out--they are one of the best Beatles cover bands in town (are there only two now?).
And below that is the one for my sister in Fortissima Disco Colori. You can sort of see the silver highlights gleaming in the flash. Odd colors, aren't they?
This is fairly tedious stuff, but I figure I will not feel guilty for switching to "me" projects if I get at least two holiday gifts out of the way (three if you count the navy ones I gave Lee). My hope is to be back at that surplice top I keep threatening to return to by the end of the weekend. Go me!
At least no other garment projects are tempting me. I actually want to work on the ones in my queue!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
The Lost Weekend
Well, it feels like a lost knitting weekend to me. I planned to work on two simple socks, and my pentagon bag. I thought I'd get a lot done on a three-day weekend of easy knitting.
HA! I was so wrong! But, that brings me to why I started this blog. I didn't want to be one of those "look what a great knitter" I am people who churn out stellar designs right and left at a prodigious rate. I wanted to chronicle the ups and downs of a good knitter, but not necessarily a great knitter. I thought I'd enjoy reading later how I progressed on some things, and perhaps learn from my mistakes or challenges. And thought others might learn, too. So, this post will tell about some mistakes and what I did about them.
The Disco Cololori Sock
So, I have mentioned working on socks for my sister in Fortissima Disco Colori. Here is a link to the yarn and colorway if you want to look. I am making them at 68 stitches, because she has a wider foot than I do. I thought I ought to put in a gusset, since she also gets swollen ankles/feet, so they would go on easier. I made a ten stitch gusset, knitted a very deep short-row heel as a result, then decreased. And when I put it on...ooops, it was for perhaps a size 10, not a 7.5-8 US women's shoe. And it was big. So, I ripped out the whole heel. Sigh. Then I knitted a heel from the point where I started the gusset before. Oops. Now it was too short. Then I read, duh, that the foot should be around 6.5 inches before starting the heel, not 6. So I ripped again. Then I said, "Hmm, maybe I should try this other way of doing short rows..." which resulted in holes. So I ripped a third time. the fourth heel HAS to be fine, because the poor yarn is TIRED and getting a bit frazzled looking.
But, as you can imagine, this all took a lot of time. I feel like I actually only accomplished one heel in three days.
The Man Sock #2
At the same time, I also started the second pair of Man Socks, the one that really WILL go to Lee's dad. I am again using worsted weight yarn and the Thuja pattern from Knitty. I decided the gauge was a bit loose for my taste, so went down a size in needles to US 3. I thought maybe that would make them too tight, so I added a repeat, to 48 stitches around instead of 44. I knitted the ribbing and about two inches of sock. Then, hmm, they looked big. Lee tried them on. Argh. Big (and his dad is a skinny farmer fellow). So, I ripped them out and started again. Now they are fine. But again, it doesn't LOOK like I made much progress for a 3-day weekend!
All the wrapping of unraveled yarn caused me to actually look at the ball band, which I had not done when I found the yarn hiding in the 50% off rack at the back of the LYS. I had mostly noticed it was a manly medium brown and it was pretty soft. And it said it was "Aran" weight. I did NOT see the word "acrylic" on the label. I figured we didn't sell that stuff, ha ha. However, I only spend $2.80 on it when my discount kicked in. And it IS soft and a nice color. Here's a link to its information--Supersoft Toddler Aran by Sirdar. Says it is "100% Courtelle" on the website, whatever THAT is.
I decided it's fine--acrylic keeps you very warm, and Lee's dad's feet get very cold. So, another lesson learned: please read the yarn label even on sale yarn.
The third yarn I chose for his socks is a medium blue and made from wool. I'll post what exactly it is, later. There isn't as much of it as there is the Cascade or Toddler Aran, so I will do those toe-up in a simple 2x2 rib and stop when I get to the end of the yarn!
Pentagon
No photos yet, but I am progressing on it. There's just a lot of knitting around and around in the top of this bag (in lovely turquoise bamboo!) so I can only do so much at a time. I think just another inch or two and I will make the drawstring casing. Then I can show it to you.
HA! I was so wrong! But, that brings me to why I started this blog. I didn't want to be one of those "look what a great knitter" I am people who churn out stellar designs right and left at a prodigious rate. I wanted to chronicle the ups and downs of a good knitter, but not necessarily a great knitter. I thought I'd enjoy reading later how I progressed on some things, and perhaps learn from my mistakes or challenges. And thought others might learn, too. So, this post will tell about some mistakes and what I did about them.
The Disco Cololori Sock
So, I have mentioned working on socks for my sister in Fortissima Disco Colori. Here is a link to the yarn and colorway if you want to look. I am making them at 68 stitches, because she has a wider foot than I do. I thought I ought to put in a gusset, since she also gets swollen ankles/feet, so they would go on easier. I made a ten stitch gusset, knitted a very deep short-row heel as a result, then decreased. And when I put it on...ooops, it was for perhaps a size 10, not a 7.5-8 US women's shoe. And it was big. So, I ripped out the whole heel. Sigh. Then I knitted a heel from the point where I started the gusset before. Oops. Now it was too short. Then I read, duh, that the foot should be around 6.5 inches before starting the heel, not 6. So I ripped again. Then I said, "Hmm, maybe I should try this other way of doing short rows..." which resulted in holes. So I ripped a third time. the fourth heel HAS to be fine, because the poor yarn is TIRED and getting a bit frazzled looking.
But, as you can imagine, this all took a lot of time. I feel like I actually only accomplished one heel in three days.
The Man Sock #2
At the same time, I also started the second pair of Man Socks, the one that really WILL go to Lee's dad. I am again using worsted weight yarn and the Thuja pattern from Knitty. I decided the gauge was a bit loose for my taste, so went down a size in needles to US 3. I thought maybe that would make them too tight, so I added a repeat, to 48 stitches around instead of 44. I knitted the ribbing and about two inches of sock. Then, hmm, they looked big. Lee tried them on. Argh. Big (and his dad is a skinny farmer fellow). So, I ripped them out and started again. Now they are fine. But again, it doesn't LOOK like I made much progress for a 3-day weekend!
All the wrapping of unraveled yarn caused me to actually look at the ball band, which I had not done when I found the yarn hiding in the 50% off rack at the back of the LYS. I had mostly noticed it was a manly medium brown and it was pretty soft. And it said it was "Aran" weight. I did NOT see the word "acrylic" on the label. I figured we didn't sell that stuff, ha ha. However, I only spend $2.80 on it when my discount kicked in. And it IS soft and a nice color. Here's a link to its information--Supersoft Toddler Aran by Sirdar. Says it is "100% Courtelle" on the website, whatever THAT is.
I decided it's fine--acrylic keeps you very warm, and Lee's dad's feet get very cold. So, another lesson learned: please read the yarn label even on sale yarn.
The third yarn I chose for his socks is a medium blue and made from wool. I'll post what exactly it is, later. There isn't as much of it as there is the Cascade or Toddler Aran, so I will do those toe-up in a simple 2x2 rib and stop when I get to the end of the yarn!
Pentagon
No photos yet, but I am progressing on it. There's just a lot of knitting around and around in the top of this bag (in lovely turquoise bamboo!) so I can only do so much at a time. I think just another inch or two and I will make the drawstring casing. Then I can show it to you.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Man Socks on Man Toy
These are definitely not the most exciting knitted items I ever produced, but they will do the job. I tried to make them more exciting by posing them on Lee's motorcycle. Scary and manly they are now!
These socks are Thuja, from Knitty.com, which are worsted weight "house socks" for a man. Originally they were to be for Lee's dad, but I made them slightly too long, and Lee loved them, so now they will be for Lee when it gets cold in the winter. I made them in the classic Cascade 220 superwash, so they could go in the washer and dryer. They are navy bluem and have a garter rib pattern for a little interest. They knit up really, really quickly, so they would make a great holiday gift!
I got the yarn to make a brown pair and a ligher blue pair for Lee's dad. I may knit those on a size smaller needle, since these seem loose to me (even knitting on size 4s, when the pattern calls for 6s).
I am knitting a pair of gift socks for my sister in Fortissima Colori Socka Coliri Disco (or something like that) in an odd combo of tan, blue and gray, with silver highlights. I'm doing them in standard toe up with no patterning or anything, and have just about finished the heel. I'll take my time on these and work on other things along with them.
These socks are Thuja, from Knitty.com, which are worsted weight "house socks" for a man. Originally they were to be for Lee's dad, but I made them slightly too long, and Lee loved them, so now they will be for Lee when it gets cold in the winter. I made them in the classic Cascade 220 superwash, so they could go in the washer and dryer. They are navy bluem and have a garter rib pattern for a little interest. They knit up really, really quickly, so they would make a great holiday gift!
I got the yarn to make a brown pair and a ligher blue pair for Lee's dad. I may knit those on a size smaller needle, since these seem loose to me (even knitting on size 4s, when the pattern calls for 6s).
I am knitting a pair of gift socks for my sister in Fortissima Colori Socka Coliri Disco (or something like that) in an odd combo of tan, blue and gray, with silver highlights. I'm doing them in standard toe up with no patterning or anything, and have just about finished the heel. I'll take my time on these and work on other things along with them.
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