DK Socks - finished!

The technicolour DK socks are finally done! I bought the yarn for these from Woolfest last June and finished the first sock way back in August 2006 .

Yarn: Schoeller & Stahl Limbo Color Col: 2539 - bought from Web Of Wool stall [less than 3 balls]
Pattern: Free with yarn.
Skills advanced: My kitchener stitch is getting better I think, but I can tell that it's the kind of stitch I will need to refresh on once a month or lose it forever!

I made these socks deliberately different - I didn't want exact stripe matching. I did have a bit of difficulty with the stitch on the heel turn but a quick email to Web of Wool resolved the problem - they were very friendly and accommodating.

I did have to sew up the holes in the ankle - although the pattern said the stitch [with which I had difficulty] would render holes invisible this seriously didn't happen with me. Big line o'holes!

I love them - they are so colourful and cheer me up always!

Work those WIPs!

Above: some Almond macaroons from Cookies Galore - made on Sunday, intended to be frozen and brought out for Valentines day. Well ... they weren't frozen and we've nearly finished them! I feel that they are a bit chewy, which must be the egg white that I had to beat. Do I beat it less or more to make them less chewy next time? I figure less, but if anyone can help? ...


On the knitting front - Jaywalkers have been picked up again after a long spell on the WIP shelf. Every blogger on the planet has knitted these so I really need to move on from this project!

I've lost a Brittany sock needle to the cause, and got a replacement from the lovely staff of the Brittany company. Then I broke another one and didn't have the heart to ask for another replacement, so I bought a 2nd set. Now I should have enough spare to get through the pair - and if I ever make these again I'll go metal all the way.

They are so tight to pull on [well the one sock that I have tried so far...] that I'm scared they are going to give, but once they're on ... they fit so well! This is Opal Cotton yarn, which is machine washable and lovely and soft.

Central Park Hoodie is moving slowly. I'm onto the sleeve ribbing - hardly the most exciting pic in the world so I didn't bother. Instead I'll pass on a hot Lorna's Laces supply that I learned about at last nights Stitch n Bitch. Apparently about $12 shipping for 10 skeins to the UK - which makes them cheaper than getknitted [unless you get hit for import duties!]

Click here for the eBay shop o'joyous Lorna's Laces.

Fire Scarf - FO

Another FO: Fire Scarf.
Materials: Jaegar Merino Matchmaker Aran [discontinued] in grey and firey orange.
Pattern: My own -
CO however many sts to make it how wide you want it.
Gauge ... it's a scarf, I'm sure whatever it knit's too will be fine!

Row 1: K1, M1, K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Row 2: Knit

Change colour randomly to suit you.
Knit until long enough.


I finished this scarf quite a while ago - it just took me a millenia to weave in all the bloody ends! I started this before I realised that you could carry yarn up the side. To be honest though, the width of some of the stripes would have meant that yarn couldn't have been carried up the side.


The yarn was dyed with Kool-Aid [see sidebar for details] which was much fun - and I love the contrast between the silvery cool grey and the electric fire hot oranges.

I was about halfway through the scarf when Kathleen illuminated me on making invisible stitches. I had been picking up the loop between stitches and knitting it as every other stitch. However, if you knit through the back of the stitch it will not leave the big holes [see pic below]

All in all I love this scarf - it's exactly the vibrant contrast I was looking for, and the yarn is lovely and toasty!

Catch-up

Well it's been over a week since my last blog update ... those who know me will know that issues in my personal life have been taking their toll of late. The stress and sadness have led me to cancel driving lessons, my stall [for this month anyway] and also to lose the ability to accept that my bank is not an empty vault of cash. Oh yes, in order to cheer myself up I have been yarn shopping on an unprecedented scale ...

The yarn above however, was won in a Pass the Parcel game at my Stitch n Bitch meet. It is a Shetland wool that is still oiled and requires a wash in Fairy Liquid of all things. Whether this is after knitting or not I am unsure - can anyone advise? Thank you to Gloria for donating this lovely lovely yarn - which is a much nicer shade than the camera can capture.


So what have I bought? Well ...
Online: A Texere catalogue [I will try and remember to bring this to the next meet - pictured above and below], the latest Vogue Knitting and Knitsimple, and a Rowan membership.
By phone: the boy has bought me for my Valentine's pressie - a subscription to Knit1 and Knitsimple.
In person: [K1 Yarns] Brittany 5mm dpns, Noro Knits pattern book, a K1 Yarns bag, and 2 balls of Olive Green Artesano Alpaca Inca Cloud for the hat I'm knitting.
[HK Handknit] 2 balls of creme Lana Grossa yarn for an Aran hat, 2 balls of Noro Silk Garden #8 [for my sister for armwarmers and so doesn't count!], another Clover Row counter as mine has walked. There is also an £11.80 on the receipt but I have no recollection of what I bought...

I am trying to restrain myself from getting a Vogue Knitting International subscription and am going to try really really hard not to buy anything knitty related this month.

Has this made me any happier? Well of course! It is yarn, or yarn-related after all. But really I will not be happier unless I resolve the issue at hand - and I don't feel strong enough at present to tackle it. To those that know .. despite ongoing tension on my part, things have been OK so far this week. Unfortunately I cannot speak freely about this issue on a public blog I'm afraid - I'm not just being secretive to be mysterious and annoying.


Onto happier subjects - Central Park Hoodie is coming on quite well. Almost finished the right front and then I can begin the sleeves. After this the hood and ribbing home stretch! I haven't yet added buttons to anything and so am looking forward to encountering this new skill.

[edit] I nearly forgot to mention - the ribbing issue in the last post - not an issue. I was just looking at it without 'looking at it' properly. There was no need to frog after all. And I measured the pattern size diagram against a cardi that is perfect on me, and it's bigger - yay! all's well and all that!


And a wee final note; a great UK website mentioned in Vogue Knitting - Office Lendorff - a genius way of combining my two passions of knitting and gaming!