Color Story

I started knitting the Late Summer Socks the day the state fair started in Iowa.  I initially dubbed them the State Fair socks for that reason, but it really didn't work as a project title.

Coffee, beer, a sock-in-progress and chocolate... what more does a knitter need?

As I continued to knit these, I began to notice something about the colors in these socks:

They were a nice reflection of the colors nature was putting on display here in Iowa as the summer came to an end and fall started to stake a claim on the landscape. 

Late Summer Socks

They are now finished and mailed to my DD #2 who was born 30 years ago this week.

Wait 'til you see the colors of the new socks I just cast on... I hope nature lives up to that palette this fall!

Happy Knitting,

Nana

Things are Progressing …Slowly

Here are a few of my older WIPs … before I get to the really exciting sock stuff :)

You maybe remember I’ve been working on a shawl since (February) forever… it got just a little bigger.  I’m actually almost to the halfway point where the triangle turns into a square with lots of decreases (maybe then I’ll feel like it’s progress)

I also cast on for the Lucia Tee, a knit-a-long at work, this should have been a quick project, but I might have allowed myself to become … distracted… (ooh, shiny new sock pattern)... so distracted in fact, that I don't have a current project photo of the progress.

 

Then, I cast on a new pair of stripey socks just to have something to carry in my bag for car knitting and other wait-knitting.  Just my usual two-x- two Noro-striped sock recipe using colors S95 and the leftover S150 from my stash of NKS leftovers.

Late Summer Stripeys

I'm debating whether to keep these or gift them to someone with a September birthday, (I'm really loving the pop of the fuschia heels and toes). 

And finally, these, a quick little pair of Iowa Hawkeye themed footies for a friend, that only need the toes grafted:

Hawkeye Shorties

 There are plenty more WIPs in my basket, I hope you will stay tuned. 

Sneak preview - guess what this is...

 Happy Knitting,

Nana

Actual Knitting Content

I really have been knitting; I’m just really lackadaisical about sharing my progress;

So in the interest of not driving readers crazy, I thought I’d try to do a little post every day this week about what I’ve been doing. 

Here are couple recent FO’s

My August personal sock club selection: Pumpkin Vine socks in a very non-pumpkin, eye popping turquoise:

Something Lacey Socks

Pattern: Pumpkin Vine Socks by Fern Pea

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM in color 2130 104(turquoise)

Size 2.25mm dpn  

I enjoyed this pattern, but it won’t make a repeat appearance in my knitting queue anytime soon.  It was frankly a little on the intense side.  The pattern is repetitive, but not easy to memorize so you really need to stick with the instructions; it is not charted because there is a changing stitch count (decreases in one row, increases in another) I wouldn’t recommend this to a newbie.  It makes a pretty sock, but is really bad for carrying around or social knitting.  I guess I’m a little bit of a glutton for punishment though, because my September selection is even more intense and very chart heavy.  (But it will be gorgeous if I survive the knitting part)

I also finished my August Mystery Socks:

Pattern: KLC August KAL as yet unnamed by the lovely Jen Hansen

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Vancouver Violet
Needles: Size 0 magic loop

The next thing is a quick little cowl I whipped up out of this yummy Rabbit Ridge yarn that I got in Alaska.  There might eventually be a pair of fingerless mitts or mittens to match, but the leftover yarn is in my back burner project queue for now.  I give you the Forget-me-Not Cowl. 

Forget Me Not Cowl Un-blocked

I have since blocked it and it looks better than this pic, if I get a chance I will post a better picture. I doubt I will take the time to write up this pattern, but if somebody asks, I can give them a recipe.

 

That’s all for today, stay tuned for the first installments of the WIP series…

Happy Knitting,

Nana

How Not to Start a Sock

If the instructions say something like "cast on 76 stitches, work k1, p1 rib for 14 rounds"
Do NOT cast on 76 and proceed to k1, P1, P1, k1, P1, etc until you get to stitch 37 and realize you are now doing P1, K1... 

and especially do not think that you are smarter than the knitting and can just fix it on the next round by continuing with P1, K1...  you may get to stitch 75 and realize that once again you have somewhere along the way done a P1, P1 instead of K1, P1...

And I further would not recommend that when you (curse) frog and cast on again that you mindlessly cast on without actually counting stitches...

If you try this method, the best bet is to put the knitting aside and go log on to Ravelry and study sock cuffs made by compentent knitters who can follow a simple k1, p1, rib.


PS No actual yarn was harmed in the research for this blog post and further a third cast on attempt did yield a perfectly lovely and competent start to a  new sock.