Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Mega Boots Stretch socks - DONE

Finito! I am wearing these socks as I type. They are comfy and beautiful. I'm terribly amused that I seem to be following the Yarn Harlot's steps (Mega Boots Stretch socks in an orangey color, Must Have Cardigan), and am fighting the urge to write her to ask what we'll be working on next.

I'm taking up my mom's stranded sweater. Chances are that damned Harlot will do something just the same, custom project and all!

These are patch-toe, toe-up socks. I'm glad I was able to knit the cuffs just as long as I'd wanted. Well, in the end, it was just as long as I could stand it. I had yarn left and could maybe have done another inch, but by God, I was done, done, DONE.

Next up, another pair for my little munchkin. Yeah, the one who's nearly up to my chin, bless his pointed little head.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Two posts within one month!

I wonder if I start a new project each time I blog. The latest one is that I started the Bell Sleeve Pullover from the 2007 (or maybe 2006) Pattern "A Day" Calendar in Merino Stripes in the "Chili & Chocolate" colorway. This was because I wanted to go to our LYS's knit night, and felt obliged to use yarn I'd bought from her. And I'd rather be working on a sweater than something small these days. (I do have some balls of sock yarn and some more Taos for felting left.) The other sweater-sized set of yarn I have from her is Plymouth Encore in a delicious charcoal grey (color 520), from which I plan to make the Charcoal Ribbed Cardigan (scroll down) from Interweave Knits (because I have no imagination and can never envision a sweater in colors other than those in which it's presented).

So I have like 3 rows done on the BSP and it looks... fine. I'm still mixed on the yarn. Is it too orange for me? It looks good next to my skin but I don't choose orange much.

Bell-Sleeved Pullover

As for other projects: The Must Have Cardigan is coming along well. I'm in the sleeve cap shaping now (YEAH) and it is close to being done--the knitting, anyway. I'm a little concerned about having a lot of sleeve to fit into a normal-sized sleeve cap opening, as I increased a lot to make it big enough for my arm size. I'm decreasing like mad to get down to the last 13 stitches, which all get bound off at once. Then it's massive sewing and the knitting of the button bands. I do need to find buttons for this one.

As TheAmpuT mentioned in the comments, I'm very close to being done with Captain Underpants. Here he is so far:

Captain Underpants

Am thinking of teaching G how to knit i-cord and set him loose on the arms. The Bernat Soy is really quite pleasant to work with. Not splitty at all despite its being very stranded looking.

And the Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch socks are nearly done! I had been thinking of knitting the cuffs till I ran out of yarn. I think they would be practically knee socks if I did that. I will probably finish them this week. They look great to me and feel even better. I can't wait to start another pair, maybe out of Rabbitch's yarn this time.

Meilenweit socks

Another reasonably active project is Tubey, on which I've started a second ball of yarn. By my calculations, the 10 balls I have should be enough (I'll still put the sleeves on waste yarn and knit them top-down last). It is a lovely yarn. I am still concerned that the front will be SuperSlut low on me with my high bustline. Maybe I'll massively modify the pattern with bust darts, waist shaping, and a higher neck. It is a cute pattern as is but... anyway, here is the fabric of the back (st st):

Close-up on Tubey


What's up next? Well, I do want to get my mom's pullover (top-down, round yoke, FI-style patterning with Noro Kochoran 34) done. Since it'll be on size 9 or 10 needles (as opposed to my Must Have Cardi on 7s), it should be quick. Also, I seem to knit stranded knitting lightning fast. I'll probably finish it by her birthday in early July. Perfect summer wear, eh?

Back to the knitting! When I'm done with this pesky work thingy.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Couldn't be prouder

Tonight, I had an opportunity to go to our LYS's knitting night. G had said he wanted to make a dark blue scarf, so I got out the ball of Cascade 220 Superwash that I had, size 8 straight needles, and packed them up for him.

At the LYS, I cast on 18 stitches (he wanted a scarf about 4" wide, and the stated gauge is 4.5 sts/in) with a long-tail cast-on, knit the first row, and taught him. He learned fast. Got a little frustrated at times, but really caught on.

My boy knit two rows tonight!

Could I be prouder?
Does Rabbitch hide out under beds, cradling cashmere? Well, actually, she does...

Good Lord, I skipped March

Oops, no March posts at all. Well, there wasn't a lot to post. I moved forward on my car knitting, which was my pair of Meilenweit socks. I'm halfway up the ankle and still loving them. I challenge red lights with them. I say, "OK, I'm touching my knitting, light. I'm knitting a stitch." Usually, I just have to think about picking it up and the light changes.

I knit on them at Disneyland and OH was I glad I had it with me. We did well with lines, getting there early, but at times, it was a lifesaver.

I also knit way up the sleeves for the Must Have Cardigan... and then ripped them out completely. My beefy arms simply wouldn't have fit. Plus, as I was ripping down to the cuffs, I remembered that I'd forgotten to use the smaller needles on the ribbing for the cuffs, so riiiip, I started over. And increased much more rapidly. Tried 'em on a few inches ago, and they were comfy but a tad snug. Am hoping blocking gives me a bit more room. I'm not ripping them again. I shall have to wear it over turtlenecks if they're still a bit snug. I'm still loving the pattern, but more than ready to be DONE DONE DONE with this one.

I finished the first ball of Plymouth Suri Merino for Tubey. I measured it to calculate if the 10 balls I bought from DiscountYarnSale.com would be enough. I do think it will! I will, however, stick with my original idea of putting the sleeve stitches on waste yarn and knit them last, to whatever length they work out to. I am concerned that the construction of the sweater will mean the front is way too low for my high bustline. I do want to wear this sweater in public without looking like Busty McSlutty. I may knit the front higher than the back if necessary. I'm also going to knit the pieces separately and seam them, as I read someone else did; when she picked up the stitches, she said it looked sloppy every time.

I found the started "Captain Underpants" toy that I thought I'd lost at church one Saturday. I didn't care quite so much for my time (or the cheap yarn), but I did care about losing a set of the dpns from the Options nickel set my sister got me for Christmas. I was happy to find 4 of the 5; happier still to find the last one behind the couch. I finished embroidering the body (underpants stripe, face, and nipples), stuffed and finished knitting the top of the head. Now I just need to make arms, legs, and a cape, and I can move on with my life.

I did start the Baby Bobbi Bear for G during vacation. I love the yarn (Sugar & Cream from Beverly's on sale); the color is perfect and it's plenty soft. But the gauge is going to be pretty different. I had used the stated 8s, holding the yarn double; too thick and awkward. Started again holding the yarn single (I do think it qualifies as a worsted rather than a sportweight); the fabric is just too loose. I think the stuffing will show through. I'll try again on 7s and then 6s if need be. I found one gal who did it on 4s! That's a little too serious.

Hm, what else is there? Well, when I'm done with the MHC (seaming and button bands after I finish the sleeves), I'll start my mom's sweater for real. It'll be a pullover, perhaps seamless, with fair-isle type patterns in the yoke and maybe the cuffs and waist. On size 9 or 10 needles, and mostly st st, it should go way faster than the MHC, which is on its third month now. I've read of folks who aim to make 12 sweaters in a year! I hope to finish 4, and realize that's a lofty enough goal. Some day, I'll even get back to the tape-yarn sweater I started and then realized I hated the inverted "V" at the front. I don't think I even finished frogging that one.

I do want to finish more socks soon. I've been looking over my sock yarn and it is still quite extensive. Time to use up more!

Oh, and I did one row on the Shetland Triangle the other night, as G finished reading before bed. chuckle I do love lace, but I guess I'm much more intent on finishing other stuff these days.

At least I'm not starting on a new craft, like weaving, like some crazy hares I know...