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New sock pattern: Winding Way

Not very long ago, I reached a point in my knitting where I felt confident enough to try my hand at a few small original designs including my Step Lively Beret (Ravelry link) and an as yet unpublished colorwork cowl. Then I saw the notice from Wendee of HazelKnits about the Socks Revived contest where she most graciously offered a discount on a skein of her Artisan sock yarn for those interested in entering the contest. As I already knew her yarn to be lovely, I didn't hesitate. Instead, I ordered skeins of Chuckanut Drive and Spanish Wine thinking that they would look good together. The wild variegation of the Chuckanut Drive is lovely in the skein but maybe a bit bright for my semi-solid tendencies. The Spanish Wine meshed so nicely and made the colors in the Chuckanut pop. I had to fiddle about with a couple of patterns before settling on one that played to the strengths of the yarns together. I took my husband's comment on my first attempt that if he squinted he could see Andean llamas frolicking about as an indication that I needed to frog and try again!

I ended up with a simple overall zigzag pattern that was easy to work without being dull. I designed these socks in my favorite way, toe-up with a short row heel on two circular needles. I love being able to try on as I go, not have to kitchener, and use up as much yarn as possible. I am really happy with the final pattern and loved using the HazelKnits Artisan sock yarn. I made the smaller size and used approximately 65g of the main color (Chuckanut Drive) and 62g of the contrast color (Spanish Wine). These socks would be good for a first colorwork pattern as there aren't any long floats and the chart is easy. Pattern is available for free on Ravelry: download now

Dear Page,

True to my word, I have cast on for your original pattern of the "Step Lively" beret. I have to say that the tubular cast-on is phenomenal! Really, really like it. Before I had read through your directions, I had already gone to Knitty.com to check out the tutorial on it. Then reading your directions, it was easy to accomplish. Here's the morning's progress:

Please note how much you mean to me... I'm using dpns because I don't have a 16" circular #4!

Here's what I found in my stash to use:

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Love,
Mom

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ETA - 2/14/2010

Well, I've finished knitting through the directions you sent and can only assume that I'm ready for the directions to decrease the beret and finish up. Here's where I am now having finished seven pattern repeats (if you include the set-up rows and the first cable row):

Look forward to the next installment of instructions.

Love,
Mom

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ETA 2/15/2010

I have finished the knitting of the beret. Still have to wash and block it. It took under 150 yards (40 grams) of DK weight yarn. Here's a picture of the top:

Can't wait to see it blocked!

Love,
Mom

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ETA 2/15/2010

As requested, here are the blocking photos:

It's drying now.

Love,
Mom

I decided to try the Fresco Fair Isle Mitts from the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits. I had some leftover Zitron Trekking XXL yarn from a pair of socks I made and a couple of balls of Jojoland Melody that I thought would be complementary, both with enough variation to make using only two colors instead of the 5 the pattern called for a possibility. I used two circulars (2.75 mm) for the ribbing which I made shorter than the pattern suggested and two circulars (3.00 mm) for the body.

Here's a picture of the back of the mitt:

And here's a picture of the palm of the mitt:

The pattern called for using 3.25 mm needles for the body and I'm sure it would have made a difference. As you can possibly see by this next picture, the mitt turned out quite a bit smaller than expected:

These are really more child sized than adult. I will have to try again maybe increasing both the needle size and the length.

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Well, thanks to the blizzard I have finished the other mitt:

As you can see, the color came out quite a bit different from the first mitt. That's what happens when you use variegated yarn and in such small quantities that you don't really see where the color changes occur. Altogether, these mitts only took 21 grams of fingering weight yarn. But maybe the difference in color will help my granddaughter tell the right from the left more easily.

One of my goals this weekend was to try to knit the "class" sock from a Christmas gift book, Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. I have knit two pairs of socks in my knitting life, one cuff-down and one toe-up but both using the short-row heel method. I wanted to try a sock with a different heel and thought I'd start small. The "class" sock is knit in worsted weight yarn (some leftover Caron Simply Soft) and is only 32 stitches around. I used the two circular needle method ('cause I hate double pointed needles). I'm quite proud of my sock:

It measures 5 1/4 inches from back of heel to tip of toe and 5 3/4 inches around. My Kitchener stitch bind-off still needs a bit of work...there's a bit of an "ear" on one side of the toe.

Of course, I'm showing the best side of it in this shot:

Next to tackle a real pair of socks with gussets! I'm hoping to find a pattern that is toe-up rather than cuff-down because it is easier to try them on as you knit to get the best fit.

Dear Mom,

I am trying to decide what project I'd like to tackle for the 2010 Ravelympics which begin in 17 days. I have joined Team Sundara so that I may finally knit up some of the beautiful yarn I have collected. At first I was certain that I would cast on a beret of my own design using the color Deadly Nightshade. However, I have been enjoying my fair isle pirate mittens so much that I am thinking some more colorwork might be in order. Here are some of my choices for the event (notes available if you click through to flickr):

What do you think of these? Any thoughts? I was thinking that the Tulip and whatever might look nice in a Selbu Modern or La Parisienne beret. The other two might make a nice Daybreak shawl. And then there is always using my Deadly Nightshade to knit an Ishbel. I have been wanting to knit these patterns for a while, so any of them would be fun. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

I have started a cowl/neck warmer; a little project hopefully only using a single skein of yarn. I'm using a skein of Blue Sky Alpaca Silk in a very pale sage color. The stitch pattern is from a very old Woman's Day knitting magazine that was used for a baby sweater, It creates kind of a "quilted" look. But now that I've got about 6-8 inches knit, I can't make up my mind if I like the right side or the wrong side better. Please help me decide....

Right side:

Wrong side:

What do you think?

Dear Page,

Just to keep you up to date... I finished the OpArt Baby Blanket. Here it is pinned for blocking:

Overhead view:

Side view:

While this was not a challenging project it took progressively more time to knit the rows as each row increased by 4 stitches. On the final rows, there were over 700 stitches! There were a multitude of ends to weave in since each stripe had 4 ends. I find working with the darker yarns difficult as I don't see them well without extremely good light. I chose to use a loose bind-off since the designer of the pattern said it needed to be "heavily" blocked.

I used Knitpicks Swish DK which turned out to be very soft. It should wash nicely, too.

Love,
Mom

Page,

As hard as it is to believe... I have finished the Dale of Norway Baby Violets Cardigan!

I know you have despaired of me ever finishing it!

It took me two years to complete this project most of which was procrastinating doing the steeking since it was a new and terrifying technique for me. It took me at least 6 months to screw up the courage to do the steeking on the body, which, as it turned out, wasn't actually that difficult. Once I did the steeking on the body I couldn't move forward until I steeked the sleeves. It took me another 6-8 months of procrastination to get the sleeve steeks done. Then it went really quickly picking up the stitches for the neckband and then the button bands. The facings were sewn down covering the cut ends of the yarn, the buttons sewn on and it was washed, blocked and ready to present as a birthday gift.

I followed the directions for the 18 month size but it will probably fit up to a six year old! Since it took me so long to finish this project, it's a good thing the sweater turned out as big as it did.

Close up of the Violet motif:

Close up of the buttons which I found at a Joann's Fabric store in Carlisle, PA:

Close up of the interior of the button band and hem:

Interior of the back:

I will admit a certain pride in this project. It is possibly the most ambitious knitting project I have yet undertaken. And judging by the comments from the folks who have seen it up close and personal, it is well done. Most say it will become a family "heirloom" to be passed on to newer generations.

I hope the recipient will wear it in good health for a long time to come.

Love,
Mom

Dear Mom,

With the cold weather snap, I found that I was without a decent cowl. My previous one was always way too loose and slouchy to provide any real neck warming power. Thanks to Ravelry I found this wonderful free pattern: Darkside Cowl. My Malabrigo Worsted in Velvet Grapes was a perfect match for this project and a couple of days later I had a finished object!

It is really wonderful, soft, and a great fit. I cast on fewer stitches to get a snugger cowl and it worked perfectly (full details here). It needs a quick bath, but will be a terrific cold weather accessory. I still have over half a skein left of the yarn, so enough for another small project!

Page,

I have finished the Noro Striped Scarf! It really was a fun and relatively fast knit and the end product turned out beautifully! At least in my opinion.

It is approximately 5.5" wide by over 6' long. It needs a good soak then dry and it will be ready to wear for the remainder of the winter.

Love,
Mom