Spiders!

In progress photo's of The Gardener, I think I got the hang of casting on for the toes using the magic cast on that Amanda suggested. The first yarn attempt did NOT work out too well for me, so now these socks are being knit in Araucania Ranco Solid in Lime green.

I have been "leap-frogging" these socks, having found that I seem to finish just a little faster (as in not get second sock syndrome) when I am working on a Mystery Sock. So..I knit two toes, on the second toe I moved onto the foot to where the gusset increases begin (did I mention these begin in the middle of the bottom of the foot? Cat Bordhi came up with it!!) then I switched socks and knit from the beginning of the increases to the end, switch again to get as far as the heel and so on and so forth until I got to where I am today.....two feet and one leg.

The vine lace pattern on the front of the leg is really easy to do, a couple of repeats and that chart got lost in the shuffle on my desk, but it is in my brain now so I don't need it!

One leg and some kind of cuff to go! :)

~M

Practically Identical

Stripey and loud was the order of the day for these socks! I think that they fit the bill perfectly and if you account for the fact that the man has one foot extended you will notice that I finally got it right and those socks are practically identical!

No real pattern on those bad boys, just knit 2 purl 2 ribbing that spirals around the leg and instep of the sock. Short row heels and rounded toes complete the "pattern". :)

Next up ?

The Gardener which will be a challenge if for no other reason than I have never knit toe up socks before!

~M

And that's all there was....

I finally finished my March Mystery Socks from SKA on Ravelry. If you like twisted stitches, delicate lace and micro cables this is the pattern for you! I do, so I think it is a fabulous pattern! I can just about guarantee this pattern will show up on the blog again, both myself and the Drama Queen think it rocks! The cat does too and refused to move out of the way while I was trying to take pictures.

Stats:

Currently un-named mystery sock pattern,
size 1 (US) needles, worked magic loop to make it portable
Land O Lace Steffi in Pennock, this is a Just Abouts colorway and let me tell you it is well worth your time to check this yarn out. Seriously decadent feeling, while still being easy care for the gal who isn't so hot at sorting laundry!
Made to fit my feet, but unfortunately that means they also fit The Drama Queen so they are apt to be missing from my sock drawer.

Being a fairly concentration intensive project I had to cast on something simple for movie watching!




Standard 72 stitch sock, in 2 by 2 ribbing that spirals (every 6 rows move the stitches one to the left) with a short row heel. Cascade Sassy Stripes and size 1 needles, knit this far while watching Monsters Vs Aliens and the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The baby blanket progresses but isn't really photo worthy!

Is that all there is?

The week has blown by and all I have to show is the heels of my March Mystery Socks...not that they have been the only knitting, just all I have to show...

But as Peggy Lee sang "If that's all there is my friends, then lets keep dancing."

~M

CatchUp Sunday

I just realized that I never posted the "together" picture of my Silver Gauntlets, so here they are. Now these mitts should be across the country on the hands of a 12 year old. The Drama Queen was a little upset about that turn of events, but has been mollified with the thoughts of some different ones for her very own hands.

Stats: Burnished Gold Gauntlets from Bad Cat Designs, you can buy the pattern at Ravelry or just click on the left hand side of the blog and buy directly from her website
Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere in Sterling less than one skein. If you knit Netsuke Wrap
you will have enough left of the second skein to knit these.
Addi Lace Needles size 0
Craft Store glass beads
Techniques : Knitting in the round, cables, lace and beading


I also finished Clue 2 on my March Mystery Socks. It is amazing the different row gauges that are out there, the designer ended up with a 7 inch tall leg, mine is closer to 8.5 inches and I have seen everything from 6 inches on up on the group pages at Ravelry!

I am still working on Veil of Isis as Baby Blanket II. I have only been working on this during (rare) lunch breaks and (many) conference calls at work so it is going more slowly than you would expect. I have just completed the third corner pattern. I might have to swap it out and bring something else to work as I need to have this finished in less than three weeks.

~M

When Good Knitting goes BAD

Once Upon A Time there was a cocky knitter who, having just cast of a fairly complex, large shawl with no pattern repeats and teeny, tiny needles, bragged to herself that she had "Aced this one!"

The knitting gods heard her and laughed from on high.

She soaked the finished shawl and meticulously pinned it out on blocking boards, tape measure in hand and pins in her mouth to make sure that it was just right when...

She got hit in the face with a bead!


So distraught was our knitter she could not even take a proper photograph to show the gaping hole in her knitting and many bars of chocolate and not a few glasses of wine did little to console her.

Eventually our knitter dried her eyes and picked up some more tools of the trade.

In this case, a sharp sewing needle, another bead (the one that hit her having disappeared during the crying fest) and started re-weaving her work.






Good bright light was required along with an embroidery hoop to stabilize the work (not pictured, don't ask why but I kept taking it off and futzing with it between shots) and if you look closely at the picture above you can see the end of the yarn sticking out from where she started to weave it in.

Another blocking session was required to straighten things out all the way (again blurry, she must have been coming down from the anxiety attack but still shaking) but finally she was happy with the results!
Persian Princess revisited to show that everyone has good knitting go bad!

~M

Sock Starts on Sunday

Clue 1 of the March Mystery Socks from Sock Knitters Anonymous. I LOVE, LOVE,LOVE the yarn which is from Land O Lace. The second clue comes out tomorrow, so I am ready just in time. This pattern has a lot of twisted stitches and cables along with lace elements, all my favorite things in one small package!

As promised yesterday :

Snow Queen Stats!
Colourmart 2/28 Extra fine Merino in cream. I had a full cone and still have quite a bit left, enough for a smaller shawl. :)
Sizes 1 to 4 (US) needles, I changed sizes whenever I felt like it to get the extra change in, as written there would be three size changes from start to finish and I put in four.
Techniques : nupps, nupps and more nupps, adding beads "on the fly", multiple double decreases (left leaning, right leaning and centered vertical) and that fiddly center start.
My shawl blocked out to just on 62 inches across, and is, in my opinion, the prettiest thing I have ever knit!

If she follows her usual trend, Andrea will have the pattern for sale, if you didn't get into the knit along group, shortly but in the meantime check out her post about Ingrid.

As things are starting to thaw out here in Ohio I am off to make a career of mopping up muddy dog footprints from the floor!

~M

Massive Pictures for Silent Saturday

Details to follow. :)

~M

Sterling Silver

A little while back I used this yarn to make a wonderful, convertible wrap. Netsuke in Sterling Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere with glass beads left enough yarn and beads for a pair of gauntlets! Not quite finished objects, last time I checked like feet, hands come in pairs and there is only one mitt finished so far, wonder how far I will get tonight?

Before you ask...yes it is another Bad Cat Designs pattern and can be purchased right from her blog here!