Finishing March

I finished all three pair of socks that I had on the needles the last time I posted:

Vegetable Thin Socks

Pattern: Basic Sock

Yarn: Noro Kuryeon Sock in color 255

Needles:  Size 2.25mm dpn

Notes: these actually took longer to knit than I liked because I started getting a little too much “muddiness” in sock 2 and had to keep trying different reds until I got enough contrast.  There is a lot of red in this colorway.

Sunday Swing Socks / April Selection Personal Sock Club

Pattern: Sunday Swing

Yarn: Creatively Dyed Steel in Kino Fuji

Needles: size 2.25 mm dpn & ML

Notes:  The original pattern was Cirque, but the cables got lost in the patterning of the yarn and there also seemed to be a bit too much ease in these and I really didn’t want to go down a needle size.  I started them out on dpn, but didn’t like the division of the stitches for the pattern so I switched to circ and finished them ML.

March Mystery Socks / SKA group Ravelry

Pattern: March Mystery sock

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Lauma

Size 2.25mm ML

Notes: this was my first mystery KAL and I have to say that it was a great experience. I love this pattern and really had so much fun knitting it.  It knit up so fast that by the time I finished the second clue in the first sock, I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait a whole week to work on them again, so I cast on sock #2 and knit it through the second clue so I could do clue 3 on both socks and have more knitting time with the pattern.  They fit great too!

I also started a couple of other projects in between.

I found this Shamrock and Four Leaf Clover Pin (by Cheryl Andrews) pattern on Ravelry and made up a couple in worsted, then I made up a couple in fingering; just a little March fun.

I also started a shop sample for the class I will be doing in April … this is actually a baby blanket pattern, but it will end up on the back of my couch … to protect the spot currently covered with Saucey hair.

Inside out square in Cascade 220 superwash

 Then I cast on for a KAL at work that I’m helping with, I don't have a pic of this project since I barely got past the gauge swatch, but I think it will be a fun KAL.  I'll post more about it when there is something to show.  The project is the Desert Vest from the Rowan Savannah collection.

 

As you might guess, I didn’t make much progress on the sweater or shawl due mostly to letting myself get distracted by the new projects and other ideas. 

I’ve got a lot going on knitting wise and hopefully something will make for good posting in April.

Happy Knitting,

Nana

PS.  Baseball season opens this weekend!

Paging the Seaming Fairies

It seems like I’ve been on the go so much lately, but I have been fitting in time to work on things here and there. Here’s an update on what I’ve been knitting. Unbiased is done except for the side seams, the bottom seam and the handles: The baby bunting is very close to being finished; just the front neck and sleeves (oh and more seams to sew; sigh, there’s still a lot of finishing work up ahead for me.) Driver (gloves) is finished: (or at least for now, since upon trying them on, I discovered that I picked up the stitches on the wrong side of the band for the left glove, thus the strap goes the wrong way… fortunately, there’s enough yarn left to knit one more) Basic Socks Class socks are done: Blue Jean socks: New socks OTN: Advanced Sock Knitting Class Socks; Bavarian by Candace Eisner-Strick, from Vogue Knitting Ulitmate Socks book: (The yarn is more violet than the blue that it looks like in this picture) And last but not least....Undulating Rib by Ann Budd from Interweave Favorite Socks Book (no picture, too little to show) Whew! I really have been knitting!

Weekend Update

So the knitting accomplishments for the weekend: Finished knitting left glove and completed right glove to start of knuckle cut-out for the “Driver” class sample pair. Class 2 on Thursday will hopefully get us to the finger knitting ... there's still a whole lot of ends to weave, but that's next week!

Completed class sock #1 to beginning of toe shaping, knitted sock #2 through gusset to prepare for final class tonight. The lesson portion is toe shaping and grafting. This should be a finished pair by tomorrow. The next sock class will be an advanced class and hopefully I’ll be able to get that sample started tomorrow or Wednesday. Knit a swatch for an adult size Santa Cruz hoodie which will be for DD #1. She asked me to knit her one last Christmas after seeing the one I did for Eli, maybe I’ll get it done before December. Although this will probably be the only “Christmas” knitting I do this year; unless, of course a few washcloths or something small like that slip off the needles. (no pic though, not much to look at)

Call me thrilled though, because I did also finish both books I’ve been reading. The one for our book club (last Tuesday) called “Hot Flashes and Cold Cream” by Diann Hunt. I wasn’t especially fond of this one. The central character overreacts completely to turning 50 and I found very little I could sympathize with in her drama. Maybe I’m just more practical than that. The second I enjoyed a great deal more; it was “I Can’t Wait To Get To Heaven” by Fannie Flagg (same author as Fried Green Tomatoes). The central character was much more fun and likeable and the story was just a pleasure to read. You just really wanted to see what sorts of things she came up with next. An interesting thing to note is that both books shared a common theme about living your life to the fullest and not worrying so much about little things. Both ended up having a good message, I just thought the delivery of the one was a little too superficial and predictable for my taste.