Finished Objects and Fluffy Mail May 3, 2013

I finally have some FOs to post.  First off are a pair of socks.

Original pattern

Great Adirondack Yarn Co Caribou, Black Magic II

US Size 2.5 (3.0mm) Needles

They were my, “knit when I have five minutes to spare project,” which is why they took so long to complete.  I ran into a couple of snafus in the second sock where I had more stitches on my bottom needle than my top needle.  I of course found this out as I was half way through kitchnering the toe.  I just frogged back to the bottom of the foot and added another pair of decreases because I was not going to add in more yarn to do another two rounds so I could decrease properly.  A few years ago, that is what I would have done, but now it’s not like anyone is going to be looking that closely at my toes.  I did do something a little bit different, I did the heel flap 3.25″ rather than the 3″ I usually use.  I’ll have to wait and see if that makes any difference in how they fit.

Another project that’s finally finished after much frogging and gnashing of teeth is my Saroyan Scarf.

Saroyan

Madelinetosh Pashmina Sport, Golden Hickory

US Size 8 (5.0mm) Needles

I ran into all sorts of trouble with this one, but it’s finally done.  The skein was definitely more than 100g — I weighed the scarf for the yarn marathon and it came in at 101 grams and I still have some left over.  I couldn’t get a good shot of the whole thing, but it’s just a bit more than the length of my sofa.  It grew a lot when I blocked it and it still curls despite the garter edge which I find annoying.  My main complaint with the pattern and something which would have made it so much easier for me to do was she charted the leaf pattern but didn’t include the increases and decreases on the chart.  As it turned out I ended up only doing 4 increases per repeat as opposed to five because I was having such problems following the written instructions.  I put in the decreases on the chart myself and when I was done after only five repeats (I used 8 in the increase section) I knew I was in trouble somewhere.  I had to frog back to the straight section and start all over again with four decreases per repeat.  I also changed where the decreases went.  In the increase section she has the MILs right before you started the leaf pattern but on the decrease section she has you do a k2tog, k1 before the leaf pattern.  I changed it so it would be even but if I were to make it again I’s do MIL, K1 and K2tog, K1 so there would be a solid edge running next to the leaf pattern.

All in all the leaf pattern is pretty and the yarn is so soft and warm so it’ll make a nice addition to my winter wear next year.  I ended up with 8 pattern repeats in the increase and decrease section and ten repeats in the straight section.

Now onto fluffy mail!

This is for a sooper seekrit project so I can’t say more.

On the needles right now (aside from the green sweater I keep saying I’m going to start working on again) is a sock I’m knitting up using instructions from Socks From the Toe Up: Essential Techniques and Patterns from Wendy Knits by Wendy Johnson.

The good news is that the stitch count she uses for her size large socks is just about what I use for myself when I knit with my US size 2.5 (3.00mm) needles, so I don’t have to change anything on that count.  This means I can knit all of the socks in the book without having to muss with the pattern repeats.  I’m doing the heel flap sample sock and the annoying thing is that I have to figure out myself how to accommodate my high instep.  I think I’m just about at the point where I would begin the gusset increases so I’m going to have to break out the book and figure out how to make the change for a larger gusset.

One thing this reminds me about toe-up socks — how much I hate M1Rs, especially with a blunt tip needle.  I have to say I’m very disappointed with my Knitpicks size 2.5 needle because it’s barely pointier than my Addi Turbo needle.  It is a bit pointier, which makes a M1R a bit easier, but it’s still a PITA.

I’m woefully behind on the yarn marathon, but I’m still not up to speed on my knitting.  If I can ever get than damned sweater finished, it will bump me up considerably, but as it is I’m lagging behind at not quite a mile.  So here’s hoping for getting my knitting mojo back.

Sweaters and Socks March 3, 2013

And fluffy mail too (which is for socks).  I succumbed to KnitPicks sock yarn sale and bought way too much yarn, but it’ll keep me in socks for some time to come.

The first three are Stroll Tonal in Canopy, Kindling, and Wine Tasting.  The Kindling I am planning to use for Salted Caramels from the Knitter’s Book of Socks.  I don’t have plans for the other two skeins although I may try Veil of Rosebuds in the Wine Tasting.  A friend of mine is sure it will be stretchy enough to fit my feet so I’ll have to wait and see.  I also got 4 balls of Felicic Self Striping in Cochineal to make myself a pair of stockings.  I’m hoping I can get them done in enough time to wear them this spring while it’s still on the chilly side, but if not there’s always next fall/winter.

I also got two 40″ fixed circulars in a US Size 2.5 (3.0mm) and US Size 3 (3.25mm).  I’m using the 2.5s on my current project and I’m only seeing a slight difference between it and my Addi size 2.5.  The cable is a bit more flexible on the KnitPicks needle and the stitches slide a bit better (but that’s because it’s not worn like my Addi needles).  While there is a definite difference between the Addi size 1.5 and the KnitPicks Size 1.5, the 2.5s are much closer.  I’ve heard tell that Addi has come out with dedicated sock needles.  I’m going to try and pick up a set when I go to New York City next week to I can test them out.

Oh, and did I mention I’m going to New York City?  I’ve had the trip planned for almost a year as a birthday present to myself.  My husband will be tagging along while we got to different yarn shops in Manhattan.  Our first stop will be Knitty City for hopefully a sweater’s worth of Tosh Merino Light.  Then we’ll hit The Yarn Company, swing down to Korea Town for lunch and walk over to School Products Yarn to see if I can score a cone of their Provence Lace Merino for another sweater and maybe a shawl too.  After School Products, we’re headed down to the Village to hit a few shops and Purl Soho.  Hopefully the husband won’t be too bored by the end of the day, but he has his e-reader and will just find a corner to read a book while I shop.

Onto WIPs!

Here’s my sweater.  I picked up a 16″ US Size 9 (5.5mm) HiyaHiya needles to use for the sleeves.  I know I could have done the whole thing using magic loop, but I tend to pull the end stitches a little too tightly and I don’t want a line of tight stitches running down the whole length of the sleeve.  I started decreasing the body stitches and am almost at the end of my third ball of yarn.  I think I’m going to do the sleeves 3/4 length because I’m really afraid I’m going to run out of yarn on this one.  I don’t think that I will, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.  The reason why I don’t have at least one sleeve done is because I’ve been working on a sock.

This is the Rick sock pattern by Cookie A from Sock Innovation.  I wanted to do something different from a standard lace sock and this yarn is too colorful to really do any of the patterns I liked from The Knitter’s Bock of Socks so after much debate, I chose Rick.  The yarn is Manos Alegria and I’m really liking the way it’s knitting up.  The yarn has a great feel to it and a nice sheen.  I’ll definitely be using it again.  I altered the pattern by adding another repeat to bring the total stitch count up to 72.  I’ve found several other people who have done that on Ravelry in the project pages so I have some guidance on how to do the heel and the instep.  I’ve just finished the leg and am getting ready to start the heel flap.  Depending on my mood, I should have this finished by the end of the week or my sweater may have sleeves.