Addicted to the Go Terps! Socks

I have not done any of the other knitting I should be doing. I'm really, really enjoying the fair isle and spelling the words, and the knitting on dpn...

So, what's the problem? You see, tomorrow is Easter. I'm Ukrainian Catholic and we're on the other calendar. I spent all day baking yesterday with my dSIL and dMIL so that's all ready. But... I've been saving several cadbury eggs and have promised more little chickies to members of this side of my family. My family by blood has theirs already and I figured I had plenty of time to work on these. ARGH! All I want to knit are go team socks!

No progress on the lucky wrap sweater. The fuzzy beaded scarf is now at 56" but I have to figure out exactly how I want to do the beaded fringe. I started the ribbing on the sockotta lace socks, but I'm really not so thrilled with that.

Hmm, maybe it's the wool vs. cotton?

Comments

I was using a free plug-in program for my comments. I started using this well before blogger offered comments and I decided to keep the plug-in after blogger added comments because it allowed smilies and other icons. Well, the plug-in web page has been down for a while, so I just decided to ditch it. I'm pretty sure that means that older comments are gone. Aack.

Anyway, you can still leave comments. It should ask you if you have a blogger account but you don't need one to comment. Just choose to comment anonymously.

Finished my Right sock of the Go Team Socks

This is the 6th sock of the 6sox knitalong. Mine is in University of Maryland colors: yellow, black, red, and white. The first one says "Hell in a Shell!! UM" and the second one will just say Go Terps! twice. The first one is done. It's a little big but works ok. The majority of the wool is from the donations from the weaver friend and is Harrisville 2ply. The yellow is Nature Spun from my favorite LYS. I did these on my homemade bamboo DPN. I had forgotten how I like to knit on DPN. It seemed to go faster than knitting on 2circs. I guess it's good to mix things up a little.

It's funny because that one view looks like I'm saying UM Hell. Oh, well, I guess I should have thought of that before!

Fo: Wrist Warmers for my co-worker

My dear co-worker, LP, has carpal tunnel and is in a lot of pain so I made her these spiffy wrist warmers. They're out of the same yarn as the fluted bannister socks I made for Dad. 100% Merino. When I was modeling them for the picture I almost didn't want to give them away. So soft and squishy!

Here's the pattern if you're interested.
Using size 4 DPN and ~sport merino
CO 60 stitches
K2 P2 Rib for 2.5", decrease 4x evenly around
Continue until 3" from CO edge
BO 5 continue pattern around (you're now knitting back and forth)
BO1 at the beg of the next 2 rows
sl1 continue pattern around, each row until 5" from CO edge
CO 1 at each end of next row
CO 5 and rejoin around
Continue pattern until 7" from CO edge. BO.

And here's where I was a week ago on the socks

Just catching up on posting. I've now turned the heel and am headed up the legs.

Here's a detail of the lace

Finished the back of the Lucky Wrap Sweater

I actually finished it a week ago when I took this picture. I'm now about 6" up the right front.

New sock for 6sox

They're team socks. I would have, like, never in a million years done these otherwise but I'm looking forward to them. This is what I'm going for

Here are my choices for officially trademarked UM slogans:

• Go Terps!
• Hell in a Shell (I kid you not, it's trademarked)
• Fear the Turtle

Anyone have a graph of a terrapin? One that looks like Testudo?

This is crazy

Normally I just talk about myself in this space, but I wanted to link to this article because it's so crazy. I might just have to try it. Knitting two socks at one time on 1 set (yes, that's right 1 set) of DPN! The link was up on socknitters. It's from a 1918 needlecraft magazine although I believe there's a more recent book. Hmm. Might be faster if you got the hang of it. Does anyone know why the second sock is done wrong side out? Just to keep them separate? Hmmm. Well, here's the link.

Darning Socks

My cool striped socks developed this terrible hole in the foot. Not to mention that they're kind of fuzzing up. I have plenty of the yarn left so I decided to darn them. Searched online and found these very clear instructions from Holly Shaltz. I don't have a darning egg so I used what was handy -- a computer mouse. Not ideal but it seemed to work. I hope I get better at this with practice. On second thought, I hope I never have to do this again! Here are the pictures:

And now in other news...

Huge flattery received today - my dear sister told me she wore HUGE holes in the socks I made her. Why is this flattery? She must have worn them a ton -- I have a pair of socks out of the same yarn just made maybe a month earlier and they're just fine. COOL! She's sending them back to me and I'm going to repair them. There might even be an extra pair in the package on the way back : )

The lucky cardigan is going well. I'm chugging along on the back, probably about 5" up. Pictures to come, eventually.

Bought some Cascade 220 from my favorite LYS, felted a swatch, ready to go on my dh's camera bag as soon as he figures out how big he wants it.

Working on the scarf with the beads - about 31" along, I'm going to go until I run out of yarn (or almost, then do fringe. I still have about 40% of the skein left.

Working on the sockotta socks -- I'm slacking on them because I have a conference next week and I figure they'll be good for the trip and down times.

Easter Chicks

Walkersmom originally posted a link to a pattern on KR. Of course I had to make them better!

Here's the pattern I finally came up with:

Easter Chick Cadbury Egg Covers

Yellow cheap acrylic worsted weight yarn (I recommend the stuff that's about 88 cents)
4 DPN in size 6 (what gauge? if you have 7's, cool, 2 circs, cool, magic loop, fine...)
Plastic google eyes (huge pack at Michaels' for $2.99 -- should be available for less elsewhere)
Orange felt (about 20 cents)
Glue gun (or craft glue)
Scissors

Cast on 8 stitches evenly around the 3 needles
1) Join, Knit the first row increasing in every stitch by knitting in the front and back
2) Purl this row and all even rows (until you get to the ribbing)
3) Knit, increasing evenly 4 times around
5) Knit, increasing evenly 4 times around - total of 24 stitches
Continue on alternating K and P rounds until you've finished about 12 rounds total
13) *k1p1*
14)*k1p1*
Bind off in pattern (ok if it's tight).

Use the yarn left from your cast on to draw the top circle tight so there's no hole - darn over it if necessary. Weave the other end of the yarn.

Cut a small triangle out of felt. Use glue gun and attach eyes and beak to chick. Voila...

Getting Lucky!

I just got my yarn yesterday and I'm working on the swatch. I wanted to knit this sweater anyway (hence my little design for spike) but it's the perfect time right now: KAL, RC selling Rowan 4-ply, ready for a new project, spring is coming...

This color is Fandango. Isn't it great?

The big green monster... is ... GASP....

not wool?

nice little swatch before felting




after forever in the washer with 160degF water, dishwashing liquid, on "ultra heavy" cycle





eek. so then I lit it on fire a la Fran

bleep, bleep, bleep (the censors got to my blog), what the bleep? I distinctly remember buying wool and in the skein it looks just like lopi. What is this stuff? I'm guessing now that it's some funky wool-acrylic blend. When I held the flame close it melted and shrunk up. The wool caught fire and ashed but something melted and left a bump. I guess the old dh won't get a felted camera case out of this after all. Hmm. Maybe I'll have to go shopping at the lys this weekend...

Fuzzy Beaded Scarf

I wanted to do something to demonstrate adding beads with a tiny crochet hook (size 13/14, 0.9mm). I was originally going to spell out "let it snow" or do snowflakes, but I guess I'll just stay with this nice pattern. Understated but very pretty. This way you get the contrast of the shiny glass beads with the fuzzy yarn without skinning the yarn by running the beads down it.

You take the crochet hook, put a bead on it, then pull the loop through ... either before or after you knit it. Somewhat time consuming but very cool. I think I'll do some beads on the fringe, too. Yes, this scarf will curl -- it's nothing but stockinette, but I don't think that will matter.

Snow Day!

(aack. lost this post the first time, trying to remember it)

Don't get me wrong -- I absolutely love my job -- it's just that it's nice to have an unexpected day off now and then. My whole place of work is closed today because we're supposed to get 6-10" os snow. It's snowing right now. Here's my plan for the day: knit, take a long soak in bubble bath in the soaking tub, knit, make beef stew in the crock pot, make some bread, knit... maybe clean the house if I get energetic.

I just got Folk Socks by Nancy Bush (Interweave, 1994) from the library via ILL. I'm going to have to buy this because it's really wonderful. The front cover shows Uke socks that my dh says are like the style the Kiev Rus guys wore ~1000 AD. I'm definitely going to try some of the different heels and toes and maybe the Mamluke socks which are really beautiful.

I'm also really excited because I'll be able to get the Rowan 4-ply cotton in Fandango to make myself the wrap sweater our of SnB Nation by Stoller (2004). RC listed that she had it to offer on KR and I'm going to buy it with the money I made teaching the sweater class at my LYS.

Here are my works in progress: finally some socks out of the sockotta I bought ages ago, a fuzzy scarf as a trial of putting beads on as you knitt with a crochet hook (pictures to come), and a camera case for my dh out of the big green monster left over yarn based on Lucia's pattern. These are mostly in the beginning stages since I finshed the baby sweater and socks really quickly.

Finished Stashbuster Spirals

These are the 5th of the 6sox knitalong patterns. I can't believe I'm the 7th person done. In the past I've been in the 200s. Here they are. The colors really don't come through in the picture, but you can get the gist.

Infant Tulip Wrap Sweater, the pattern

Feel free to use this print this, make changes. If you redistribute, please give me credit. Please do not sell this or any derivative works.

I've done the best I can to type these instructions clearly. Comment if you see a typo or if something could be better clarified.

Infant Tulip Wrap Sweater

Fits 0-6 months (perhaps more?)

I was inspired by the garter stitch wrap top in Erika Knight, Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, New York: Collins & Brown, 2001, p. 61. But I didn’t really want to do garter stitch or even one piece construction and didn’t have yarn the right size so I decided to make up my own pattern. For some of the dimensions and the shape of the sleeves and armholes I referred to Kate Buller, Style Your Own Kids’ Knits, New York: Collins & Brown, 2002.

100gm double knitting yarn (I used Paton’s Pearl Double Knitting)

(with absolutely no extra, you may feel more comfortable with 125gm or so)

Size 4 needles (either a circ or also have 2 dpn in the same size) or size to get gauge

3 stitch holders

Tulip Stitch (from 365 Knitting Stitches a Year, Woodinville, WA: Martingale, 2002, May 1)

Multiple of 8+7

Row 1 (right side) Knit

Row 2 (and every even row) Purl

Row 3 k3 *yo sl1 k1 psso k6* to last 4 stitches yo sl1 k1 psso k2

Row 5 k1 *k2tog yo k1 yo sl1 k1 psso k3* to last 6 k2tog yo k1 yo sl1 k1 psso k1

Row 7 (same as 3)

Row 9 Knit

Row 11 k7 *yo sl1 k1 psso k6*

Row 13 k5 *k2tog yo k1 yo sl1 k1 psso k3* to last 2 st k2

Row 15 (same as 11)

Row 16 Purl

Gauge – row gauge, unfortunately, matters. Take my dimensions and do the math if you need to.

Over Tulip Pattern: 5.5st and 8 rows to the inch. Any time I needed a little more I snuck a stitch or two at either end, not in the middle of the pattern.

Back

Cast on 55 stitches using a cable cast on.

Rows 1-4, seed stitch

Rows 5-on maintain pattern.

At 6” from cast-on edge, bo2 stitches

Next row bo2 stitches

Next 6 rows bind of 1 stitch at the beginning of each row. You should have bound off 5 stitches each side for a total of 45 stitches across.

Knit even until you’re 9.5” from cast-on edge. Knit 12, put the next 21 on to a stitch holder. Turn. P2 tog. Purl back. Put these 11 stitches onto a holder. Attach yarn to the other side. K2 together, purl back. Put these 11 stitches onto a holder.

Fronts

Are the same, but mirror images. I will save time and not repeat.

Cast on 50 stitches using cable cast on.

Knit 4 rows in seed stitch.

Rows 5- maintain pattern. 50 is not divisible by 8+7, I k2 did pattern k1 for the left hand side when you’re looking at it. K1 pattern k2 for right hand side.

Knit even for 3”.

Start neck edge decrease – this will go on for ~5.75”. On neck edge k1, dec 1, maintain pattern across. Purl rows, purl to 3 stitches from the end dec purl 1.

At 6” (remember to keep on doing the neck decreases, you’ll have to pat your head and rub your tummy to do all this and make the pattern pretty at the same time), bo2 at side edge. Next three purl rows bo1 at the side edge (this should be the same as you did for the back).

When you have 12 stitches left, knit even until you’re at ~9.75”. Do a three needle bind off with the back. Fudge the extra stitch on the front.
Sleeves

Make 2 the same.

Cast on 31 stitches using the cable cast-on. (yes, I could abbreviate what I have below, but that always confuses people)

Rows 1-4 seed stitch

Rows 5-10 31 stitches in pattern (pattern from now on)

Row 11 increase beginning and end of row (like 1 stitch in, invisible or bar, either is ok)

Rows 12-14 even, 33 stitches

Row 15 inc beg & end

Rows 16-18 even 35 stitches

Row 19 inc beg & end

Rows 20-22 even 37 stitches

Row 23 inc beg & end

Rows 24-26 even 39 stitches

Row 27 inc beg & end

Rows 28-30 even 41 stitches

Row 31 inc beg & end

Row 32 even 43 stitches

Row 33 inc beg & end 45 stitches

Row 34 inc beg & end 47 stitches

Row 35 even

Row 36 bo2 continue on across 45 stitches

Row 37 bo2 continue on across 43 stitches

Row 38 dec 1 beg & end 41 stitches

Bind Off.

Ties

Make 2 the same.

Cast on 4 stitches. Knit back and forth in seed stitch until it’s 10”. That is plenty long because they will really stretch and you’re tying them behind anyway.

Finishing

The shoulders are already done. Use mattress stitch. Sew on the sleeves matching up the center of the sleeve with the shoulder seam. Sew up the right hand (when looking at the sweater from the front) seam. Sew the left hand seam from the sleeve down to 3” from cast off edge. Leave about a 1” hole, and sew the rest of the way down.

Bind off the stitches on the holder (21) using a two stitch I-cord. Do a single crochet down both neck sides to stiffen, and make less likely to curl. Reinforce the hole in the left side seam with a single crochet, chain stitch, or buttonhole stitch. Sew the ties on to the neck edges at the top of the straight part, before the neck decreases. Weave in all ends. Voila.

Finished the Tulip Wrap Sweater for Spike

First, here are the sleeves (awww, they are so cute)

I will write up the pattern, but here it is done and then modeled.

New Design and Work in Progress

I wanted to make a little wrap sweater for Spike (she's 1 month old today) so I looked through all of the library books and just really didn't see what I wanted. There were a couple that were ok, but nothing just right. I decided to design my own. It's using Paton's Pearl DK (I only have 2 skeins, so I'm thinking that I'll be short) in a nice purple (color on the screen isn't just right). I'll type out the whole pattern when I get finished, but it's using the tulip pattern from May 1 on the stitch-a-day calendar. So far I've finished the fronts and the back and am about a third of the way up both sleeves. I'm doing them both at the same time to see how the yarn runs out. I figure this sweater will work for spring, summer, and early fall. Specifically, I think it will be nice for Easter.

Progress on the spiral stashbuster socks

These are great. I had to re-knit the heel, but when I settled down and followed instructions it actually came out pretty well. I like the figure 8 cast on but Queen Kahuna's is so much easier I'm not sure I'll ever do it again. Just another weapon in the armory (trick up my sleeve? tool in the toolshed?). Next socks are going to have a Pharoh toe...hmm.
Here's a close up of the heel: