Gauge Swatches Lie

Arrrrggghhhh!

I swatched like a good little knitter and what good did it do me???

None!!

Off to the Frog Pond I go...... 7 spi my hind end. pblttttttt!!

Never trust the gauge swatch it is just laying there waiting for when you finally try the garment on and then... then it laughs maniacally.

Sneaky little....

Wow, it's been a long time

Lots of knitting has been happening. Mostly Christmas knitting. I have several FO's but no pictures of them because I'm knitting like my fingers are on fire. Lots more to do. I will update when I have more time. I haven't even checked email for 3 days and now that I have I don't have any time for posting here.

FOs

I finally finished the socks. YAY! I'm still not sure that I like the heels but they are officially off the needles and given to Jolene.

I finished the shorts for Monkey and they are cute, the pockets don't even look too bad.

Tony's shorts and the dragon still languish in time out.

I of course started a new project, a pair of socks for Tony that I thought I'd give him for our anniversary. LOL I only started them 3 days before and am knitting them at 10 spi AND he has huge feet. I didn't finish them and so bought him a gift and will give him the socks for Christmas if I can hold out that long.

I will take and post pics later today.

Very long time

Well now this has really been a long time with no updates. I have had crazy eczema on my hands this spring and so have knit only a very little bit. I still haven't finished the dragon, I hate sewing things up. The socks came out of time out for a bit then the heels looked stupid and I didn't want to frog so back in to time out they went. Tony's shorts have a few more rows. The bag was finished. And also I made a bath mat for my brother's house warming.

Then I made a tiny dog sweater for my mom's new puppy.



And my project that is almost done is a pair of cargo shorts for my Monkey. Although since all I have left is to sew on the pockets, things are not looking good. I HATE sewing things together because it always looks like complete crap. Ah well, maybe they will get done soon, hopefully before it is too cold to wear them or he outgrows them.

Lots OTN

I haven't posted here in a while but have completed two pairs of socks. One for Tony and one for the Monkey (Little T's new name).

They are knit using worsted weight wool and were meant to be Thuja from Knitty but I only realized now that I messed up the seed stitch rib and made my own. I really like them.

Tony's are made from some Peace Fleece from my stash. Maybe Zarya Fog?

Monkey's are made from Purewool left over from Jolene's hat.

OTN now are a dragon, almost done just need the front legs, wings and the spikes need to be finished (all right not almost done).

Shorties for Tony with a long ways to go. I didn't think a pic of some ribbing was worth putting up.

A string bag that I'm thinking is big enough.

And the socks and purse are still in time out, although I'm thinking of letting the socks out.

Wow, I've just counted and that means I have 5 projects OTN. Wow

Now onto stash enhancement.

I've ordered some more Purewool, (yummy) which I can hardly wait for, with my Christmas money. And I have a shopping cart pretty full at Knitpicks that is just waiting for me to pay and complete the order. I've also planned a trip to my LYS for tomorrow, if I'm not prevented by the massive amounts of snow. Holy Moly that's a lot of snow.

No, I'm not addicted to wool, thank you for asking. My stash was getting too low.

Christmas Knitting... done.

Casserole Mitts for my mom and SIL the pink ones are sewn from Goodwill sweaters, the brown are made from Cascade 220 and a combination of two patterns.



Slippers for Jason (the green and brown) made from Lion Wool that I hand dyed, MIL (blue) from 1 ply Purewool dyed by me, and D (rainbow colors) 1 ply Purewool also dyed by me.



Sun hat for a gift exchange, made from some cotton of some sort from my stash, I lost the ball band, and loosely based on a picture from a pattern I found online.



I added the ribbon as a special touch of my own.



I also knit a pair of socks, a marlin ( in previous posts), 6 stocking caps from my own pattern, a cabled cap from here http://www.girlfromauntie.com/patterns/shop/celticcap/detail.php , and several dish cloths. All of which I forgot to photograph before I gifted.

Lots of knitting no posts

I've been knitting lots these last few weeks. I knit a pair of longies for N. I made a pair of slippers for MIL and discovered after felting that they were way to small. I also made a pair of shoes for Little T and had the same shock after felting. Then I made a pair of shoes for him that fit. I then knit a hat that was way too big so off to the frog pond with it. Then a sun hat which actually turned out, I just need to decide if I want to put ties on it. Now OTN I have a pair of socks for me and a hat for Tony. My mom has my camera today so I will have to add pics later.

Carving Pumpkins

Today we carved pumpkins and lest you think that I am really THAT talented, four words, Pumpkin Saw and Stencils. Ahhhhh, they really made carving 5 pumpkins so much easier.

Also, OTN are a pair of longies for N made with 100Purewool 3-ply in the Nuts colorway. I am in love with this yarn, it isooooooooo soft and the colors, oh the colors are gorgeous. The waistband is 100Purewool 1-ply undyed, I wasn't sure if I had enough of the Nuts to make the longies for N so I went with a contrasting waistband and maybe cuffs depending on how much yarn I end up having.

And of course The Socks remain UFOs and are in time out contemplating all that they have done wrong.

For future projects; I am planning shorts for Tony from some Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, in three colors, he wants stripes. And some longies for Little T with some more of the delicious 100 purewool in Blue Sea and Brown Lilac. I am going to design them as I go, starting from the ankle and knitting upwards. I am going to make them with Fibonacci stripes and want the narrowest stripe on the bottom.

More sock problems

Again, why don't the stripes match????????

On other projects. I finished K's hat.

I got the yarn for Tony's shorts and for more longies for N and Little T. So which to start first?

I think N's longies, I'll probably cast those on tomorrow. If I don't decide to frog the darn socks again. I am contemplating cutting out the part of the yarn that keeps coming out wrong and just leave in the other stripes.

Nursing necklace

My craftyness for the week is a nursing necklace. I've been looking for one that I liked and could afford (which honestly is probably an impossible quest) and didn't find one. When I was at the store the other day I found these beads and for just over $7 I made this.



Close up of the stones.



I love it. And so does Little T.

The socks strike again

Why, oh why, oh why don't the stripes match?????

Yes there are the same number of stitches on both socks, it doesn't make any sense at all and I reeeeeeeaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyy don't want to rip them out again.


AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG

Let me tell you a story

So, as you know, I am making our holiday gifts this year. And Jolene requested a pair of socks. I am beginning to think that someone somewhere is trying to tell me that I shouldn't make them for her.

Jess and the Socks of Doom

I found some beautiful self-patterning sock yarn in a blue and grey colorway. It is perfect for Jolene. Exactly the colors she loves.

First I had to separate the skeins of yarn.
I've read that you have to separate each skein in half to be sure that they match. So I went to the store to buy a kitchen scale. And they didn't have one and/or I couldn't find one or an associate to help me find one. I had to go to two other stores before I finally found one and, then proceeded to buy one that wouldn't work for my purpose. I then had to return that scale and get a new one. Whew two weeks after I bought the yarn it is separated into two balls and I'm ready to cast on.

The Cast on
So first I decided to have a short row toe because I like them better so I'm knitting along and I have holes in my toes, so I tear them out, and then I have holes in my toes, so I tear them out. Then I decide that the yarn would look better if I did the other kind of toe, so I tore them out again.

Then I cast on some toe up socks using Knitty's Magic Cast On
http://http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html about 7 times.

At last here we go
So I am knitting along and the socks are going wonderfully. Look they are coming out perfectly...but wait...... Wha.... why.... what!


Why are they different? Do I have the wrong number of stitches somewhere? No, they are the same, but they are different, but they are the same, but they are different, buttheyarethesamebuttheyaredifferent........AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! What did I do??????? I tore them back.

Then I started knitting them again. Yay! they are the same!! Wooo Hooo! But... wait.... they look a little big

So I tore them back again and I'm knitting and..... wait a minute.... they are different again. Ah, forget it. I don't care. They can just be different..... can't they? But wait............... they look a little too small. AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGG!

Now they are too small and they are different!

RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP!

So I cast on, using Knitty's Magic Cast On. Crap. So I cast on. Crap. So I cast on. AAAAAHHHHH CRAP! So I cast on and YAY!!! Here we go........................again.

What is it with me and socks??

More FOs

I finished D's slippers, they just need to be felted.






I also finished a swirl wash cloth.






And I so liked the swirl pattern I decided to make a hat for K with the same pattern at the top. I am also going to add some shaping to it so that it will cover her ears. I'm just making it up as I go along.

String bag

I decided that I wanted to make something for myself so this week I made 1 and a half string bags. lol The half is because I thought I had more of the yarn I started with, but of course, didn't. So I started again with other yarn and completed a bag. I love it. I am going to use it for when we go to the Library and when I have a few more made I'll use it for a shopping bag.






I don't like the white though, so I am going to dye it at some point next week.

Socks Done!

Yay! I finally finished the socks (except for weaving in the ends, but that doesn't count). I'm so relieved to have them done. And now I'll start some more, lol. Yep, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Here is some yarn I dyed for D's slipper socks she wanted rainbow colors and this is what I came up with. Yes I know it is sideways but I have no idea how to turn it now that it is on here. (I forgot to turn it before I uploaded it).

Longies

The longies for the KAL are done, and they turned out great.




They have a Fibonacci sequence stripe on the legs. Here is a close up.



They should fit Little T for quite a while, probably for the whole winter. The cuffs will roll down another 2.5 inches.



Also, they look like they will fit N, but she refuses to try them on. The little butt! LOL



I've finally finished the heels of the socks with NO holes. YAY!!! But now I've decided that they are not to be for Jolene, because I was naughty and bought new yarn that she will like better. Instead the socks that have been my nemesis for so long will go to Janiece. Which is good because honestly I am getting sick of them and she has smaller feet. LOL

Socks and Longies

I've still got the socks to finish. I'm taking a bit of a break from them while I participate in a Longies KAL.

I'm making longies for Little T out of some green and blue Peace Fleece, I'm combining several patterns and sort of making my own so that they will be just how I want them. I want them to be more cargo pant style so I've increased two inches from the waist measurement for the hips. I hope that the hips and legs will be quite baggy, but I'll have to see how they turn out.

For the socks I've finally got the toe done with only one hole in each toe and I intend to use my tail to sew that hole closed. Yay! I've knit quite a bit on them and have just started working on the heels for the third time. The first time I started the heel too soon and the socks were way to short, the second time I messed up on the short rows and had huge holes. I think that I have the way of it now, I was doing the short rows wrong, and when I get back to them it should go very quickly.

I also still have the Lion washcloth OTN but I think I hate it and may just take it out and come up with another plan.

For future projects I still have a list about a mile long. LOL

I just got a catalog from KnitPicks and a coop I am in just opened a database for Purewool. I am admittedly a yarn addict as I plan just how I am going to get my hands on some more luscious yarn.

Is there a twelve step program for yarn addicts????

Tank top done

And it turned out really cute, if I do say so myself. LOL

Next I will be working on the socks. Again (sigh) I'm beginning to think that top down socks aren't such a bad idea. Or that top up socks aren't such a good one. lol Ahhhh, the holes, the holes are driving me crazy. First I tried making a short row toe and hole, hole, hole, hole, hole. Then I tried making the other kind (I can't remember what it's called) and hole, hole, hole, hole, hole. Darn it all. Off to http://www.knittinghelp.com/ I go. Hopefully I can find something to make them work. I really want to do toe up socks so that I can make sure they fit right.

I am also still working on the Lion washcloth, here and there and I need to make Little T some new shorties as his are getting a bit small. I am going to buy the Sheepy Pants pattern and try that one for a bit of a change. I like that she has so many cuff options on that pattern.

Ahhhhhhh Socks

Well I have frogged the toe of the socks 5 times now. And now there is a mess instead of a nice neat ball. I am sooooooo frustrated with the socks that I have started working on a Lion washcloth instead.

I told Jolene "Maybe you'll get socks for Christmas."

Aaaargggghhh, maybe I should start some top down socks but I love the idea of toe up because you can try them on as you go.

Oh well, the socks are on a back burner for a bit, I'm going to finish the Lion washcloth and then the tank that is giving me fits, then I need to make Tavis some more shorties becuase his are getting too small.

So sometime after all of that and after I get the sock yarn in some semblance of order I will cast on yet again for the socks.

Poquitos on models

Well I said that the poquitos fit both Little T and N. And here they are.