Socks by the sea

My Snappy Sweater wasn't the only knit to get some sun on my photo shoot - my Noro socks got in on the action too. I finished these sometime in late spring and they've hibernating until this week. They fit me better than the photo shows (I had just taken my shoes off and was goofing around with the settings on my camera).
What can I say about these babies? It was a simple ribbed sock, knit from the top down on 2mm dpns. Good and mindless. The colour changes kept things interesting - I love watching the colours play out, it's brilliant. The Kureyon sock yarn has the same issues that the worsted variety does - that irritating thick and thin business and off course those breaks in the yarn that mess up the colour patterning. But, we all know it and we keep going back for more. It's those colours, they sucker me in every time - this is funny because for those of you who know me (Mammals, this one's for you), you know that I'm not into "colour." I prefer monochromatic colour schemes, subtle shading, nothing too "loud." Except, it seems, in my socks.

Happy knitting!

A Snappy New Fall Sweater

Here is the latest addition to my sweater wardrobe, the A-line jacket from Drops. I love this sweater! I'm a big fan of the Drops patterns, but this was the first one that I have actually worked up. I searched it out on Ravelry and read all the reviews and they were right - it is an easy knit. I will admit however that I did not strictly follow the directions. There were a few modifications - I lengthened the body by a couple of inches, did a three needle bind-off for the shoulders and knit the sleeves in the round to save myself the seaming. I also decided to omit the buttonholes. This was not some clever design element, or an attempt to improve the pattern. This was me not paying attention. I didn't even notice. I happily knit all the pieces, seamed them together and THEN noticed my mistake. Sheesh. Well, there was no way that I was going to undo everything I had just done to add buttonholes so I decided to fake it. Under those big silver buttons lurk some shiny silver snaps. Cheating? Probably, but they work and you can't notice, so good enough for me.

Harrisville Yarns Orchid with Cashmere was the yarn of choice and a new one for me. This yarn is okay - not super, not sucky, but okay. I found it almost like a pencil roving - a little weak in spots, but easily fixable with a good spit splice. I'm betting that this stuff felts really nicely. I also have a feeling that this yarn will pill (think Malabrigo), but I'm hoping not too badly. The stitch definition is nice and I really like the way the double moss stitch showed up. The sweater is lightweight and warm and I'm happy with the fit. The only changes I would have made, aside from remembering the buttonholes, would have been to knit a few rows of double moss stitch instead of the garter stitch/2x2 ribbing along the bottom edge. Minor stuff to be sure.





Ah, the hazards of the self-portrait. Me, looking pleased to at the beach in my new sweater.

What's next for Through the Back Loop you ask? Well, I've still got a major commissioned piece to start, finish and mail, but I need to knit for me too. This morning was chilly and I was reminded that I really need a new scarf and some mittens. I'm also feeling the need for some colour work, so mittens it is - easy to carry around and relatively quick to knit up. An excellent alternative to all the lace coming my way. Now the hard part - picking the pattern and choosing the colours! While I struggle with these momentous decisions - I'll wish you warm hands and happy knitting.

It's in the bag

Hurray for pretty patterned napkins - they're just the right size for a project bag.

I dug out the sewing machine this week and made myself 2 zippered bags to carry my knitting around in. I modeled them after those super handy zippered pouches that sheet sets come in. Sewing is something I enjoy, but not something I do on a regular basis. It would probably be easier if I ever used a pattern, but I tend to make it up on the fly. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, but I do need some practice putting in a zipper and there is a reason that there are no shots of the interior (somebody needs to work on prettifying the seams and that's all I'm going to say about that).

Then I decided that if I had fancy new knitting bags, I better have some knitting to carry around in them - my Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road were just the thing! I had admired the pattern for a while but a crazy notion that they would be too hard. I was happily proven wrong. The pattern is easy to follow and the yarn was lovely (and continues to be so, as I have quite a bit left over).

The colour is most accurate in the third pic - rats to living in such a dark apartment!

I used Fibre-Isle's Lovit Yarn (100g - 450 meters). It's a blend of merino, Lyocell and Canadian Bison. It felt a little twine-like in the beginning, but after being handled, it softens up considerably and feels pretty darn luxurious on my tootsies. With the 30% Lyocell content I was worried about elasticity and wanted to make sure that my socks wouldn't end up in a puddle around my ankles - to that end I think that Conwy was a good choice. The twining cable pattern hugs my leg pretty well, so far no slouching. I almost wish that I had made them longer, but I'm an impatient knitter and I wanted them finished now. The natural oatmeal colour of the yarn was also a factor in the pattern choice - it was crying out for a nice textured pattern to make it come alive. Plus, texture makes for a more interesting knit.

I really like the idea of having bison socks, it some how makes my feet feel warmer. This yarn was part of a present from my dad - he may not knit, but he's got good taste. This summer the Man and I, along with my sister and nephew, visited my dad in PEI. I had hoped to visit the Fibre-Isle mill, but after hayrides, giant potlucks, sightseeing and general vacationing, there just wasn't enough time in our weekend for a trip to the mill. Since I couldn't go to the mill, the mill, in a way, came to me. I was spoiled rotten with a gift of Bison sock yarn, 2 skeins of Niji lace weight and the Baby Cable shawl pattern. Bison-o-rama here I come! I'm hoping to have the shawl finished by the end of November so I can show him what it looks like, but it may not happen - I've got a time sensitive project on the go and it gets precedence for the time being.

Well, that's me for now. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get out and get some photos of my Drops sweater, snaps and all. Happy knitting!

I'm glad I went...

... to Pacafiesta. Despite the threat of tropical storm Kyle, Mammals, the Man and I hit the road in search of alpaca goodness. And I'm happy to report that we found some.

While the Man went off to talk alpacas with the exhibitors, Mammals and I made the rounds. After today, I have decided that I most definitely need me some alpacas and cashmere goats.

I spent a bit of time talking to the woman with the cashmere goats and got to pet them for a bit - very friendly little critters. I was trying to convince myself that I could take one home and pass it off as an exotic breed of dog, but decided against it. It was the horns. Dogs just don't have horns. Or cloven hooves.

The Man has discovered a love of alpacas and has declared, on the record, that they are in fact cool, and that he would like to have "some" in the future. To which I say, sweet! Think I can train them to sleep on the futon?

Alpacas and goats and bunnies. Oh my!

In addition to soft sheep and awesome alpacas, there were also a few angora bunnies. I'm fairly certain that the bunnies are actually very small under all that fuzz. I have a love of angora - so soft! So luxurious! So incredibly bad for my allergies! It seems so unfair to react so badly to something so soft (picture swollen, itchy eyes and itchy, runny nose. Beautiful). But who can resist those twitchy little noses?

Lest you be misled into the belief that it was all animal gazing, we ogled some yarns too. Oh the yarns! Rich, chocolate browns, creamy natural whites, silvery greys and that was just one booth! I steeled myself against temptation and was pretty successful. I could not resist the colourful sock yarns of the The Black Lamb Hand Weaving and Spinning Shoppe. They had so many lovely shades that I had a hard time picking just one ( and I am proud of myself for only purchasing one single skein - we all know how I feel about sock yarn). I chose one in a various shades of grey, pewter and blues - picture the ocean under a cloudy sky. It's pretty soft and I'm looking forward to knitting it up some time in the nearish future.

The fibre fondling didn't stop there - I also picked up 2 skeins of a 50% alpaca 50% merino blend from Legacy Lane Fiber Mill. Two squishy skeins of grey/blue softness. I haven't really decided what they'll eventually become, but as Mammals says, anything that soft belongs around your neck. I do need a new scarf - well, can you ever really have enough scarves? I say no. Mammals, not to be outdone, scooped up 2 skeins of chocolaty brown alpaca and some crazy -coloured sock yarn too. She's on a serious scarf kick right now and I'm looking forward to seeing what

she comes up with.

Mammals and I cuddle up to some yarny goodness.

I've pretty quiet lately - as in I'm sure some of you might have thought that I fell off the face of the earth - there has been lots of knitting, just not documented knitting. I finished the Drops sweater a few days ago - all finished except for the buttonholes which I forgot to add. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I didn't even notice. Instead of unseaming and ripping back, I've decided to fake it - snaps. After bar hooks failed to work out, I'm confident that snaps are the way to go. When all is washed and blocked, a fashion shoot and post will be in short order. I've also got some hats to show off and some other goodies in the works. So please stay tuned. Until then, happy knitting!

Pacafiesta 2008! Woot!

Save up your pennies - Pacafiesta 2008 edition is September 26-28th. I am excited! See you there!

Fun with blocking and a Trellis update

A few weeks ago I ordered a blocking kit from Knit Picks. I wanted to see what the fuss was about. They arrived in their nifty mailing tube and sat unopened and neglected for a few days until I had the time to block out the Trellis scarf. Trellis, if you remember, was not an inspiring sight fresh off the needles, all wrinkly, bunchy and scrunched up from being lugged around in my purse and whatnot, lace never is. I broke out my new blocking wires and got to work. What a difference between blocking with wires and using pins alone. Blocking wires can accomplish amazing things, transforming one's knitted lump into a piece of open, lacy goodness.

I'll admit that threading the wire along the long side of my scarf was not the most fun I've ever had, but the patience paid off. Using these wires means goodbye to puckered, uneven edges. No more scalloping! It's much easier to ensure that your item is a consistent width from top to bottom and allows you to adjust things as needed. So much better than the alternative of using a million dressmaker's pins. I am a convert. Trellis is now washed, blocked, wrapped and ready for gifting. I'm always a little anxious when knitting for someone else - I know what I like, what colours and patterns that I prefer, and therefore tend to second guess myself when knitting gift items. I'm reasonably confident that I've chosen well in matching up the pattern, colour, fibre and recipient.

After putting the finishing touches on Trellis, I returned to a project that I had begun for myself but had put aside. I bought a skein of the Fleece Artist's Suri Blue in the marine colourway. I love that yarn - slightly fuzzy, light, warm and beautiful. I chose to knit up a shoulderette version of Laminaria from Knitty. I was intrigued by the Estonian stitches and was looking for a challenge. It was an enjoyable knit - even if I did have to frog the whole first edging because I couldn't find my mistake. Unlike Trellis, where I found it easy to "read" what the stitches were doing because of the predictable geometry of the pattern, I found it much harder to do that with Laminaria due to the organic nature of the shapes and therefore harder to find my mistakes. After I got used to the pattern and could "read" the situation better, it was smooth sailing.

The pattern is well written and the charts are clear and error free. I did modify it slightly by taking the suggestion of a knitter on Ravelry and changing the k3togs in the second half of the Star chart to sssk for a more balanced pattern - a minor element, but one that I'm glad I did. I was completely underwhelmed when I cast off - so small! So uninspiring! So not what I was hoping for. Blocking saved the day (or is shawl?). Blocking was essential. It totally opened up and the designs that I had been trying to read were suddenly very apparent and beautiful. I am pretty happy with my version of Laminaria and I recommend the pattern to anyone who wants to learn a new thing or two and is looking for a more challenging lace project. I'm looking forward to wearing this one!

After all this lace, I'm looking for a bit of a breather before I plunge back in. Today I cast on for this after hearing that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a really chilly winter. No holes, no double yarn overs and no k3tog, ssk combinations, it should go pretty quickly (or should I say that out loud? Did I just jinx myself?).

Happy knitting!

Old MissKnit had a farm. . .

. . . and on her farm there were some sheep, e-i, e-i, o. After all the intense lace activity of recent weeks, I really wanted a fun, easy project and these sheep by Fiber Trends were just the thing. I love them. I intended to just have the one, but quickly realized that one is the loneliest number and that he needed company. Then I thought some more and thought that a third would really round out the group. The fourth, made of left over Noro, is a gift for a friend who is more than a little obsessed with that crazy colourful yarn. Good times all the way around. After all the laceweight it was pretty nice to have a heavier weight yarn and needles in my hands. Plus, knitting a three dimensional object is pretty satisfying. As an added bonus, I've got myself some sheep friends. Sweet. Now I just need to name them. . . .