Rainbow Chills

Year End

In 2006 I finished:

• 14 pairs of socks
• 2 baby blankets (Curlicue and Rambling Rows) and 2 baby hats
• 2 shawls (Icarus and Swallowtail) and 1 stole (in Jade Sapphire Cashmere)
• 1 tank (Ingenue in Alchemy yarn)
• 2 sweaters (one for Joshua and one shop sample)
• 1 baby dress (shop sample)
• 1 Calorimetry headband

At the beginning of 2006, I had a few unfinished projects in the stash. Still unfinished: the Branching Out Scarf, Rachel's baby blanket (she's 10 months old now), the Turkish stitch scarf. The single socks that were lonely at the beginning of the year, well, they are still lonely. I really should never put things down because, clearly, I don't pick them back up. Not on this list is the Santos sweater that only needs one and a half sleeves knit and a tank in Vittadini yarn. I started those in 2005.

I'm not sure what to do with this information. Same as last year, I guess. I know these things are sitting. I'm not making any goals to do anything about it. The only thing I have any guilt about is Rachel's blanket. Her parents know it's coming at some point. I talked to her dad about it last week. I told him she'll get it by the time she goes to kindergarten (kidding).

I have a bunch of unfinished projects from 2006.

• Casino Shawl
• My So-Called Scarf for my mom
• Feather and Fan scarf in Brooks Duet
• a single Stashbuster Spiral ankle-length sock for Michelle
• a sweater in Cash Iroha (not sure if I'll finish or rip this)
• 1 never ending Log Cabin square of sock yarn leftovers

I'm not one for goals or resolutions but I'd really love to finish a sweater for myself in 2007. I've only knit myself one sweater (Rogue) and it's high time I knit another.

Here's to a great knitting year in 2007!

Christmas

Christmas was wonderful. It's hard to convey what a day of family, fun, and experiencing love in your life is like. I guess it's different for everyone. This is probably the best picture I have to show it:

Abigail saying "cheese," me, Joshua, Michelle, and Eve. We had the best time with our nieces and nephew on Christmas. From Abigail's sweet personality, to Joshua and Michelle playing Diego's rescue, to Eve taking a nap in my arms, there is nothing more beautiful than children on Christmas.

As for knitting, I did get a few knitting related gifts. Santa left four hundred yards of Habu cashmere in my stocking and two skeins of Lorna's Laces sock yarn under the tree along with Jane Sowerby's Victorian Lace Today. A few years ago my dad started buying my siblings and I a gift just from him- seperate from the shopping that my mom does. This year he surprised me with a gift certificate to my favorite yarn store, Loop. I was shocked that my dad took the time to go to Loop and get that special gift!

On the drive to and from my sister's house for Christmas dinner, I made a good deal of progress on Michelle's STR socks. I finished them last night:

Four candles! The last of the socks with candles pictures!

Specs:
Pattern: none to speak of. See here. Substitute Eye of Partridge heel.
Yarn: Socks that Rock Medium weight, Puck's Mischief colorway
Needles: US2 Clover bamboo double points
Yarn Source: The Fold, Rhinebeck 2006
Start date: sometimes between 12/14 and 12/21 according to blog records
Finish date: 12/26/06
Recipient: Michelle
Rhinebeck yarn update: 9 skeins of sock yarn purchased, four pairs completed, five to go

I'm heading back to work for a short two-day work week. Friday, it's a train trip with one knitting buddy to go visit another. We've been planning since Rhinebeck-- I can't believe it's almost here.

May you all enjoy the rest of the holiday week. Best wishes for a safe and happy New Year's celebration.

Bad sock juju

I have had HORRIBLE sock luck for the past week. I have used four different yarns, two needles sizes, top down and toe up, and countless patterns. Michelle says that I have experienced this before but I sure don't remember being this frustrated with my dear friend "sock knitting."

I'm so glad I neglected to show you this pair when I finished a few weeks ago. Otherwise, this post would be a whine-only zone!

Specs:

• Yarn: Trekking XXL
• Needles: US1 Clover double points
• Pattern: See other Trekking socks
• Yarn Source: Rhinebeck 2006, Carodan Farm booth perhaps
• Start date: November 13, 2006
• Finish date: November 30, 2006
• Notes: I put the socks on over black hose before work yesterday just for the pic. Please pardon the weird legs.

Socks with advent candles, week 2

Calorimetry:
After my annoyance with socks, the new Knitty came out and I offered to knit this pattern for Michelle.

Specs:

• Pattern: Calorimetry
• Pattern source: Knitty, Winter 2006
• Yarn: Lorna's Laces, Shepherd Worsted
• Needles: Lantern Moon, US8
• Start date: December 9, 2006
• Finish date: December 10, 2006
• Notes: The shaping in this pattern is done using short rows. In the Pattern Notes, the designer explains that the holes formed by short rows are to be expected. What is not explained is that there are ways to rectify this. I used wraps as I would on a short row heel. I simply did not pick up the wrap on the final hole, thus creating a button hole. I do not understand why wraps weren't used in the writing or editing of this pattern. Any thoughts?

Second picture of my face on this blog in two months-- is this a record?

Weird pic but whatever. A note on the lipstick: on Black Friday, Michelle and I went to two Sephora locations in Manhattan and had the salesgirls help us find the perfect red lipstick for each of us. Mine is this one in Smitten.  I adore it!

Random:
On a totally different topic, thanks for the concern about my lack of posting and emailing. I'm good. The meds seem to be really working. The holidays always help me perk up. Trouble is that I am SO busy. Work is really, really busy and when I get home at night, I just don't have it in me to be online. Right now, I'm using my morning meditation/prayer/knitting time to blog. I'm going to squeeze in a few rows on the Casino Shawl before getting in the shower though. Need this morning alone time to start the day off in a peaceful way. Pop in the Sarah McLachlan Wintersong CD or another holiday favorite, pour a cup of coffee or tea, and knit away by the Christmas lights and advent candles. You should try it!

Jingle Bell Rock

Pattern: none- 56 stitches, picot edge, flap heel, kitchenered toe
Yarn: Socks That Rock, medium weight, Jingle Bell Rock colorway
Needles: US2 Clover bamboo double points
Yarn Source: The Fold, Rhinebeck 2006
Start date: Thursday, November 30, 2006
Finish date: Tuesday, December 6, 2006
Notes: This was an easy and fun sock to knit. The medium weight yarn is so much heavier than what I usually use so this went super fast!

I love that this color is Christmas themed. I am deep in the spirit of the season.

Socks with advent wreath

I love December!

Rhinebeck yarn update:
I bought 9 skeins of sock yarn. I've finished three pairs, six to go. One sweater and one shawl also to be completed.

Curlicue 2

I finished the Curlicue yesterday.

Before blocking:

Specs:

• Pattern: Curlicue Coverlet for Baby by Oat Couture
• Pattern Source: Loop Yarn
• Yarn: Knit Picks Shine in Cream.
• Needles: US5 Crystal Palace bamboo circular
• Dates: 11/2 to 11/25/06
• For details on the first Curlicue, the post is here.
• Notes: I used a provisional cast on in the first section. In the final section, I did not bind off. I picked up stitches on one of the sections that would be seamed and then used a three needle bind off to connect the four sections that edge the seam. This was a modification I vowed to make after the first Curlicue.

Finished shots:

Pink picot

I finished this pair of socks for Michelle yesterday. I love them.

Specs:
Pattern: none to speak of. Cast on 72 stitches, picot edge a la Claudia, knit in stockinette until desired length, heel flap with garter stitch edge a la Elizabeth Zimmerman (36 rows on the heel flap), gusset decreases to original number of stitches, knit to base of big toe, toe decreases to 7 stitches per dpn, kitchner.
Needles: US1 Clover double points
Yarn: Trekking XXL in color 05, lot 5770
Yarn and needle source: Rhinebeck booths (helpful, eh?)
Start date: October 26, 2006
Finish date: November 13, 2006
Recipient: Michelle

Notes:

• Since I was knitting with Trekking, I cast on for the second sock with no regard to where I was in the color repeat, forgetting that this yarn stripes very predictably (Trekking never does that).  The stripes are off by about a half inch. Michelle, in her wiseass way, says that she refuses to wear these mismatched socks.
• I have had a problem with laddering recently in a way that I have never noticed before. I really need to do something about it. I know solutions for getting rid of ladders. I just haven't done anything about it.
• I totally didn't expect the colors in this yarn to behave in this way. I have knit with one other colorway of Trekking that striped in a predictable way. It's such an anomaly for Trekking that I never expect it to do this.

Icarus

I finished the knitting on the Icarus shawl on Sunday morning.

The edging before blocking:

And after:

The point:

I ran a length of cotton sock yarn through each loop on the top edge, and thus, only used three pins on the top edge.

I blocked it to the dimensions in the pattern- 72' on the top edge, 36' from the top to the center point.

I stink at taking pictures of myself (nice bra strap):

Again:

Specs: Icarus Shawl

• Designer: Miriam Felton
• Pattern Source: Interweave Knits, Summer 2006
• Needles: Inox, US4
• Yarn: Skacel Merino Lace in Navy
• Yarn Source: Stitch DC from this visit
• Started: sometime between 9/28 and 10/2, according to blog evidence
• Finished: 10/29/06
• Notes: I knitted this exactly as directed. The charts were easy to follow. The body of the shawl has prompted some claims of boredom from other bloggers but I enjoyed it thoroughly. The final two rows took about 21 minutes to knit, each. The bind-off took about 45 minutes.

For those of you who echoed at Rhinebeck and in emails that I never show my face on the blog, here's one for you:

Socktoberfest Jaywalkers

I finished my second pair of Jaywalkers this morning. These are also my second finished pair of socks during Socktoberfest.

Specs:

• Pattern source: Magknits, September 2005
• Designer: Kathy/ Grumperina
• Yarn: Socks That Rock, Medium weight in Garnet Dreams
• Yarn Source: The Fold, MS&W 2006
• Needles: US1 Clover bamboo double points
• Started: sometime between 10/2 and 10/11 based on blog evidence
• Finished: 10/25/06

More specifics: I used the 84 stitch version of the pattern. They are slightly loose above and below the ankle but the heel is snug. My first pair are the same way.

I'm very surprised how well these socks match. You never know with the hand-dyed yarn but these worked out just right.

I plan to cast on for a simple pair of picot-edged socks in Trekking today. I love new sock yarn!

Socktoberfest kick-off

For the second year, Lolly is running the Socktoberfest celebration. Since 1500 of us have signed up, you may have heard this bit of knitting news.

Today, I finished my first pair of socks in October.

Stitch Pattern: Slipped Stitch Rib (pg 47)
Source: Sensational Knitted Socks
Designer: Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Bitterroot Rainbow
Needles: US2 Clover bamboo double points
Started: 9/22/06
Finished: 10/2/06

My goal in October is to knit up some of my sock yarn stash before Rhinebeck which begins on 10/21/06. I'm especially using yarn that I bought at MS&W in May. At this point, I've used three skeins out of six. Stay tuned.

Finished Swallowtail

This morning, I realized how strange my life as a knitting-blogger is.

8:30 on a Monday morning, I'm setting the self-timer on my camera and taking pictures of my back. Sure, sure-- technically, they are pictures of the finished shawl, but still...

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl
Designer: Evelyn Clark
Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 2006
Needles: US4 Inox circular, 24 inch (the tips weren't quite as sharp as I would have wanted for the P5tog but I managed)
Yarn: Lacey Lamb, 100% extrafine Lambswool, 825 yards/60 grams in Beige-- or at least that's what the English stickers on the Japanese ball bands read
Finished: September 28, 2006

Notes:

• I don't have the exact start date on this but I think it took about two weeks to knit.
• I used a portion of the yarn but not the whole thing. I don't have a scale so I'm not sure how much I have left over but it's a sizable amount.
• The pattern was fun and fairly easy to knit. The only thing I wished was that I had a chart that combined the first row of each chart with the last row of the chart before it. I knit lace relying strongly on the cues the row before gives me. I hate relying on the numbers. It is really helpful for me to know that things are lining up with the row before and each new chart makes me a tad nervous.
• Sharlene commented on the size in the comments to the previous post. Michelle was really concerned about the size when I was binding off but I used the measurements in the pattern to block it and it is just about the size that the pattern notes. It's certainly more scarf-sized than other shawls I've seen but I think it'll be a cute knit to throw over my shoulders in the office.

I'm currently working on the Icarus Shawl from the IK Summer issue and on sock #2 in a pair made with Mountain Colors Bearfoot that I bought at MS&W 2006.

More finished pics:

I love it!