Excuse the blurry picture

Snow Queen from BadCat Designs has started and here are the first three charts in merino 2/28 from ColourMart. I don't know what is up with me taking blurry pictures today, usually my camera does a fantastic job of auto focus, but today I couldn't seem to work it at all! It is that Alzheimers setting in I am sure.

Run back to Andrea's blog and read her post on working nupps in the round. There is a definite learning curve and I worked through it on my for real, actual shawl...probably not the best idea but these first few charts only have 6 nupps total which was just about enough to get the idea without casting on a doily to practice on.

I feel bad that this is the only knitting I have to show you, not the only knitting I have done lately mind, just the only public variety!

I am going to dig through my stash in search of the perfect yarn for this which might well be my Ravelympics knitting. Unless you have a better idea?

~M

Mystery Socks

One picture, two socks....there is a third sock in my car with the cast on for the fourth, just didn't bring them in. :)

When One plus One doesn't equal two

I had this great plan for taking pics of the two finished socks and calling them a pair, after all what is a pair of socks other than two cuffs, two legs, two heels, two feet and two toes......

What you mean there is more to it?

What more could there be, two completed socks makes one pair, right?

Pity the camera batteries need charging or you could see how wrong that statement was.

One teal Mystery Sock and one purple Hermione Sock probably don't make a pair!!

So instead I finished the second Mystery Sock and have a pair and a half, just the thing if you happen to be Jake the Peg, or plan on running any three legged races.

Pictures will follow tomorrow.

~M

Nothing to show for a bit!

Not that I haven't been knitting, really I have been knitting my little fingers off, I just have nothing to show for it...yet!

In order to distract you, I again direct you to Andrea's blog for another little preview of Snow Queen. If you haven't joined the party yet do not despair! Right there in that post Andrea tells you that not only will you be able to purchase a full pattern once those of us "in" are done but she has something really cool planned for our summer knit along.

Ok, back to my knitting stories. Let's see there is a project that ran out of yarn two rows before the end (I winged it, contrast yarn was involved and while it doesn't look quite the way I anticipated I am still pleased with the results and hope that when I get around to getting photo's you will agree) there is a VOI baby blanket on the break-room table at work that has nearly hit the end of the first ball of yarn and the second pattern repeat for the corner, one mystery sock through clue 2, with it's mate nearly there waiting for me to work clue 3, two thirds of a Hermione sock needing a toe with it's mate waiting for those self same needles....another big project that handed me my needles and I handed them right back...see I have been working hard!

Speaking of challenges, it is nearly that time again. Knitting Olympics or Ravelympics 2010 are very, very close. It might not be the best time for me to be looking for another challenge, the ones at work with our conversion might be just about enough, but you know, somehow knitting stress beats work stress every day of the week! I have joined the ColourMart Team and still need to decide what would be a suitable project. I have a little altar to Richard and his cashmere, merino and silk blends.....and would love to hear your ideas about what to make! Pattern suggestions anyone???

~M

What's on your needles

Socks on Sunday. The plan is to knit more of them than I did last year in the hopes that they do end up on my feet. You will never guess who ended up buying (shudder) socks to wear the other day....

To help that plan along I have two pair going right now, one is the SKA Mystery sock for January and the other is Hermione's Everyday Sock. I have linked you to patterns before, too lazy to look up the links now. :)

When I mentioned the TNNA knitting yesterday I hope you read the blog post that BadCat Designs had up with her pictures....a new knit along starting soon in a group near you! From her blog :

Finally, I am getting ready to launch my winter project. It is going to be a Pi shawl, using the traditional construction (thank you, EZ.) I did try to stretch the limits of that construction and I trust the project will be challenging and fun. If you belong to either of my YahooGroups you will get the details by later today. I will post details here next week, so stay tuned!

There is one more WIP not in the picture about...I cast on for VOI, yes again! Maybe this time I will pay attention and knit it the right way and end up with another baby blanket.

~M

TNNA projects

Hop over to BadCat Designs to see the two new pieces for Jade Sapphire that made their debut at TNNA this weekend.

Netsuke Wrap. in silver and red is a truly unique piece. I wore the silver gray over black at Christmas having sewn ribbon through some of the points to turn it into a shrug. That version is knit in JS 2 ply cashmere and is soft and floaty and very elegant.

I also had a marathon knitting session making it in the official yarn (new for Jade Sapphire and called Angel Wing) in red. It is a thick and thin, soft as butter...no softer!...handspun that makes for a very warm and cuddly piece.

Beaded Serpent in lilac with Miyuki seed beads was snapped up by the Drama Queen almost before I could take the pins out from blocking. Knit from the middle to both ends that never get cast off, Andrea came up with a way of lining up the center stitch that is pure genius! If you have ever been annoyed by invisible cast on and pick ups that don't quite line up in pattern you have to take a look at this pattern, I know I will be using the technique again.

Ask for the patterns where Jade Sapphire yarns are sold, they aren't in stores yet but will be soon, and if you are able to go to TNNA say hello to my knitting for me!

~M

Roll Top

They're finally done, for such small socks, no leg to speak of, they seemed to take a while to get done!

Stats:

Roll Top Socks
Leftover Ranco Multi
Size 3 US needles

Two half size socks (these and the Tardis Socks for my neice) and there is still some yarn leftover!

~M

How did you ring it in?

Craziness abounds at Chez YarnDiet, there was marathon knitting which turned out just fine Thank you, and staying up too late watching Harry Potter Movies with the kids but I rang in the New Year my favorite way by knitting just one more row!!


SKA on Ravelry has been having monthly challenges, above you will see the starts of this months Mystery Sock in the catagory "beads and textures other than rib". Knit Picks Gloss in Kenai, some black "pearl" (really they are glass) beads and size 0 needles. As soon as I find my other size 0's I will knit the other cuff, but in all it's glory here is clue one!


December's challenge was "leftovers and partials" with the partials being things like legwarmers, yoga sock or anklets...a partial sock. I knit one pair early in the month and at the very last minute cast on for some anklets for me! Recognize the yarn? Yep, it is no other than body of a Tardis! The Tardis Socks were happily recieved and have spent some time on 6 year old feet. :)

And just because I didn't have enough to work on (Hello, there are pregnant people at work there must be baby things lurking off camera) I cast on for some of Hermione's Every Day Socks. Obviously watching Harry Potter Movies did something to me.

Other than a bad case of startitis I think that the New Year is starting out in my usual pattern of enhancement......


Looks like one of the cashmere fairies was here!

~M