Saturday, August 30, 2008

Greenjeans

So, as promised, there's new progress and new stash enhancements.

First up: Embossed Leaves sock. I'm not happy with the fit. As you can see the toe is way too long, which was unavoidable because of the way the pattern flows into the toe decreases.

I knit this on 2.75 mm needles as the pattern called for that size. I think that I'll frog it and try again with something in a 2.25 mm needle. I think that'll make a big difference in the fit. Failing that, this pattern isn't for me.

Moving on. I cast on a new sock instead of fixing the Embossed Leaves one.

Hedera by Cookie A. I adore her patterns. I've knit several before, and there will be more. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Blackberry colourway and so far, I'm in love with this sock. The pattern is so incredibly simple, and yet, it creates such a beautiful effect. Love it!

Mystery Stole 4 begins Friday, September 5. I am now prepared. I showed you my beads last week, now here is my yarn:

Knit Picks Shadow in the Hot Rod Heather colour. Red is notoriously hard to photograph accurately, but on my monitor, this picture is pretty good. Friday can't come fast enough :)

So, I found a diversion. In the same shipment from Knit Picks, I got my first set of Options needles. So I cast on for a project that's been waiting for a while now:

This is the beginning of Mr Greenjeans by Amy Swenson. The yarn is Briggs and Little Tuffy in the Blue Jeans colour. I think that's appropriate, Blue Jeans/Greenjeans. It's fate :)

One last thing I got was this:

This is an experiment. I have a gift knit on my horizon that I want to be easily washable, but pretty and soft and natural all mashed together. So I ordered one ball of Knit Picks Swish Worsted superwash wool to test knit and wash before I bought a large project worth of yarn. It's the Clematis Heather colour and is really pretty. I think I'll get more of this colour for something for me... after I recover from my tuition payment.

So there you have it. Lots going on. More to come. Hopefully with some regularity. I'll keep you posted.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Teaser

So, I'm at work (can't you tell), but I thought I'd post a quickie. I finished the first Embossed Leaves sock, but I think it's too big, and too loosely knit, so I think I'll frog it and start again with smaller needles. I'll post pictures later to show what I mean. So in the meantime, I started a new sock, cause, you know, that's what I do :) Again, there will be pictures later. It's a beauty.

But that's not the important part! I have mail waiting for me at the post office! My KnitPicks package came with my Mystery Stole 4 yarn in it. I can't wait to post pictures. Or blog about it :)

Be back soon.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Where did August go? I was pretty preoccupied through the majority of this month, but it's the last week of August already and school starts next week! Why is it that the time always speeds by when you don't want it to? On the plus side, since I wrote my final, I've had actual knitting time! Behold:

Finished Annetrelac socks!

To recap quickly, because this pair of socks took a ridiculously long time to finish. The pattern is: Annetrelac Socks by Sandy Beadle and appeared in the Holiday 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in the Misty Moor colourway which I love! I knit these on 2.5 mm needles (dpn for the entrelac, 2 circs for the stockinette). I'm very happy with how these turned out.

Onward, however. Just in time for school to start back up again, Mystery Stole 4 will begin! I'm waiting impatiently for my yarn to arrive, but in the meantime I'll share these:

Very tricky to photograph, beads. I tried in the tube and you couldn't see that there were individual objects inside. This is the best I could do. The yarn I've ordered is a heathered red, so these beads, which are actually a hematite colour only clear, ought to pop. I hope. They should also sparkle. They have some cut spots on them to catch the light. I'm expecting the yarn to arrive later this week or early next. I've got my fingers crossed.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Hi. I have emerged from under my school-related hidey hole, and have some actual knitting to report. Not a lot, but some. So let's get to it.

First, I have been working on my Annetrelac socks. I finished the first one:

And took to second sock in progress on a field trip:

I'm channelling my inner Yarn Harlot with these pics, but it was fun. One of the really wonderful things about living in Ottawa is the Central Experimental Farm. I actually live across the street from this corn field in the middle of the city.

There were cows, trust me, they're there.

And far more importantly, there were sheep:

I wonder if they recognize the sock...

In other knitting news, I finished something:

This is a baby blanket I knit for a co-worker who has since had her little girl, and taken possession of the gift. That makes it bloggable, right?

It's a simple garter stitch blanket based on a washcloth pattern. It's knit out of Sublime Extra-fine Merino DK, which is lovely! I almost wish I could have kept this blankie for me. I did manage to keep back 4 balls though, so maybe something. It's 25 inches square, knit on a 4.5 mm needle. I really love this project.

Not one to settle for a single pair of socks on the go, I also cast on this:

Embossed leaves by Mona Schmidt from the book Favorite Socks. This is a pretty simple pattern to work with, and I'm enjoying them quite a bit. The yarn is On Your Toes Bamboo, and is really slippery and really, really splitty, but I love the fabric it's making. The colour is really pretty too. This picture is a little more accurate:

A nice close-up on the leaves which really pop.

So anyway. I've got a little under two weeks before the fall term starts, and I've joined Mystery Stole 4, so there's yarn acquisition to be done, and there should be some actual activity on this here blog. No promises :)