Two Tired

Two repeats. Between doing a computer set-up and organizing and printing photos, knitting has taken a back seat recently. I completed the second and started the third repeat on the Chatelaine shawl.



I finished the back of Nougat/Melon. With the sleeves cast-on gradually to the body, I'm not sure if they are wide enough after shaping the back neckline. Me of the extra-large upper arms didn't take that into consideration. It's cute, I'm in limbo. There may be a trip to the frog pond.

I'm need a vacation.

Cascading Leaves

Fresh off the needles my first SOS '07 pair. I really enjoyed knitting this pair of socks. The pattern is addictive and well written. I also learned a new heel technique, the Round heel.


Specs:
Pattern: Cascading Leaves - Townsend Sock KAL
Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn 036
Needles: Size 2 US Inox dpn's
Size: Women's 10
Started: June 21, 2007
Finished: July 3, 2007

When I completed the first 6 repeats of the second sock I realized that I had done 7 repeats instead of the 6 indicated in a previous post. There are 22 grams total remaining from the 2 skeins of yarn, 10 from the first skein and 12 from the second. This is my first time using the Round heel and these socks are bit large for me to try and judge the fit. I'll be awaiting the verdict from mom.

Remainders

Leftovers, scraps; odds & ends, the more items you knit the larger the pile becomes. They're also extremely difficult to part with. Much, much harder than the actual garments they were used to create. If you're lucky, there's only a gram or less remaining. In extreme cases there may be several skeins. Either way, they become more stash.

I don't have a hard time tossing the odd yard or two, but when it's more than half a skein I tend to toss it in a basket I've set aside for this purpose. The sock ends go in ziplock in case there's a need for repairs. I've had to repair socks only once so that bag continues to grow as well.

Reducing the sock remainders became a goal when the sock stash exploded. It's been a relatively simple problem to solve when knitting for myself. I like my socks longer, my feet are large and my calves are about 14" in length above the ankle which allows me to get maximum yardage out of most 50 or 100 gram skeins. Out of the trio of socks below only one, the Broad Spiral Ribs pictured in the middle, consumed an entire 50 gram skein.




Even though I had concerns about the yardage for the Cascading Leaves, I need not have worried. I have about 10 grams remaining from the first sock and could have another repeat or two.

Theresa commented that the sock bag in the previous post "could double as evening bag. The smallest version is an ideal size for an evening bag. Excluding the flaps, the medium bag that I made is approximately 8" x 8" x 2" making it neither too bag nor too small. I can easily carry a hat or some other type of small project.

Upgrade

This evening I retired the old faithful sock bags easily recognizable as your standard run of the mill zippered plastic bag from the linen section of any store. I've been using them as projects bags for several years and when they start falling apart I simply replace them with another.


I usually carry my large knitting bag at all times and depending on where I am, I'll either take the entire bage or pull out a project bag and take it in with me. Lately it seems that even if I have a sweater in the bag I'll usually work on socks which are always packed.

Today I completed the upgrade.


The pattern is McCall's M4884 by sewing with Nancy in red and gold brocade from Hancock Fabrics lined with gold print cotton. While the execution is far from perfect, I haven't sewn in years and it's showing, I'm excited to have sat down at the sewing machine once again and made something. It's packed with the three pairs I'm currently working on and the essentials. It'll seem a little strange the next few days not toting the big heavy bag to work everyday, but my shoulder, back and neck will be grateful.

One of my nieces asked for a lap quilt a while back so I'm thinking that might be my next project. I also purchased some black brocade fabric at the same time for a sock bag for mom. These days she rarely knits and in retrospect I'm realizing that it might not have been a good idea. It's hard for me not to include her when I start thinking about making or doing something knitting-related. However, it's something I'm going to have to work on since she doesn't seem to have that much of an interest in most things craft-related anymore.

Yesterday I hosted several knitter's from the guild for a small knit 'n sit at my house. The food was great and the company fantastic! I truly wish I could muster the energy and time to do things of this sort more often.

Good Sockage

SOS started at 5:01 this morning. I was still turning over in my bed all comfy cozy at that time, although I'll admit that if it hard started at midnight I would have cast-on socks.

On the way out this morning, I grabbed a skein of Sundara Sock and a skein of Regia Cotton Color planning to make my decision on one of my breaks. When you narrow your options it's interesting how quickly a choice can be made. It took minutes.

Sundara Sock + Cascading Leaves = Sock Heaven!


The pattern is from the Townsend Sock KAL. I've been a member of this kal for at least two years and have yet to knit any of the socks. Cascading Leaves is an easily memorized 8-row repeat that is addictive.

I originally purchased the yarn with this pattern in mind and never got around to starting it. I'm still a little leary about the yardage though. The ball seems to be disappearing at an alarming rate. These are for mom who likes her socks much shorter than mine so there's probably more than enough yarn and I'm just being a little paranoid. I'm more comfortable in about the 200 yard per foot range.

Chatelaine is on the needles and I'm loving the addi Turbo Lace needles. I'm so glad that I waited the week it took them to get here. There's not much to see as I haven't completed the first repeat and already one thing is crystal clear. I cannot knit this pattern and watch interesting TV. Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes.

What's in a name?

Sweater in Nougat from Sandra Nr. 6 - June '03. The yarn is Tahki Satin from the stash purchased several years ago during a clearance sale at the lys. It's a wonderful melon color that screams of things tropical.


A not so "plain Jane" sock on the needles in Regia Cotton Top Color. I bought this last year when I purchased the Bamboo Color and for some bizarre reason I thought it was variegated as well. The disappointment has worn off finally and mom likes the colors so it worked out okay. The other skeins are Cotton Color and they aren't self-stripping. All is good in the land of Fiberitis.


Loveliness still abounds with Glads and Stargazers making their appearance in the flower beds. This one caught me by surprise this evening ...


and mom rescued these Gladiolas before the storm got them yesterday morning.

SOS starts at midnight. I'm furiously going through stash, books and other collected patterns to find the right pairs. Some top picks so far are :

1. Cascading Leaves - Townsend Sock Knit-Along
2. River Rapids - Sockbug
3. Heart Crook - More Sensational Knitted Socks
4. Friday Harbor - Knitting on the Road

And the list goes on and on. So much sockage, so little time.

On Design - Lace

This week I've been swatching and calculating stitches and proportions for a stole. Not just a any stole, but a stole designed for a raffle by an organization of which I am a member. I've chosen the pattern - Chatelaine from Barbara Walker's Charted Knitting Designs A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns.



I've done the calculations for the execution of the body and that part is pretty much a go for know. The difficult part is picking out the edging for which I've consulted Sharon Miller's Heirloom Knitting. (If you're interested in knitting shawls and other fine lace articles this book is a must have.)I've narrowed the choice to 6 edgings which are appropriate for the pattern and stitch count.

My brain is at present farting out on the technique for attaching said edging. This isn't my first time attaching an edging, I did it on the Shaped Triangle Shawl from A Gathering of Lace, but those directions were neatly written out for me. I'm going to plunge ahead and work on the body of the stole and practice the edging in the hope that by the time I'm ready to attach it my brain will have caught up with my reading and my hands.