Actual Knitting and a Small Velolution

Psssst, look, knitting! (Pardon the photo quality, my camera was out of batteries so these were taken with my phone.)



That's right, one whole complete sock. The pattern is Hedera by Cookie A, the yarn is Mama E (in saffron, I just love the color).

In other news I went to the bike shop on Sunday with the cutest boy ever and got a new bike!



There are 3 days a week (when I don't drive my daughter's carpool) that I can bike to work and in the summer I can bike every day. I'm excited to spend less on gas and more time outdoors. I also discovered that I am really out of shape so it's doubly good for me to get my ass on a bike.

Here's one last pic for you; new sock, new bike, old cat. :)

WIP It Good

Yet another WIP.



The first of these is done but I need to redo the thumb because it's too tight. This WIP is also on hold until after the Hat of Insanity is done.

Pattern: Herringbone Mittens with Poms
Yarn: Cascade 220 (left over from the Sheep & Wool hat)
Needles: US4 & US6

Nor'easter

Well, I woke up this morning to find this:

Yep, we're in the middle of a nor'easter with an expected 12"-18" of snow.  My plans today include knitting (obvi), watching some Star Wars (episodes 4 & 5 are on deck), and cooking some corned beef and cabbage.

Here's a WIP and an FO to keep you entertained.

Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight

Color: 1 skein Loch Ness and 1 skein Tanzanite

Needles: US6

Time to complete: I knit it for about a month on and off

This may look like an FO but don't let it fool you, there's only one sock so far.

Pattern: Plain stockinette, short row heel and toe, 72 stitch sock

Yarn: Regia Design Line, Kaffe Fassett

Color: fire (4259)

Needles: US1

Time to complete: This first sock took me 4 days

Some Clever Title

<political blogging>
I tend to keep things on this blog pretty fibercentric but every once in awhile I run across a story that just can't be ignored. Please go over to Alas, A Blog and read about Pfc. LaVena Johnson, her suspicious death and the Army's atrocious mishandling of the subsequent investigation.
</political blogging>

For those of you who are all fiber all the time fear not, I've finished reverse engineering the hat I tried on a Sheep & Wool and should have a pattern written up within the next couple of days. I've also been experimenting with some double knitting and picked up CPH again!

In family news, even though Elah was a half an hour late for her own birthday party, she had a blast. Pictures over at flickr

I'm a bad blogger.

First the good news: I'm all better! That's really it, there's no bad news.
It's been a long time since I last posted and even longer since I replied to anyone's comments. I do still have all of your emails and I will reply soon.

I didn't really knit all that much while I was sick but I have been trying to work on a sock pattern for the Summer of Socks. Here's my test sock. I didn't end up going with any of these patterns.

Click the pick to go to flickr and see all the patterns.
I really like the top pattern but I think it's too much like the snicket socks to be original.
I did eventually settle on a pattern and am in the process of test knitting and charting now.

I also received my package from my last.fm/ravelry swap partner.

The package is awesome! It contained a CD, a card, some beads (not pictured) and a beautiful skein of Cider Moon yarn in Hocus Crocus. I've been wanting to try Cider Moon and I adore the colors.

Here's the playlist from the CD.

This is the second time I've done a simple package and one skein swap ad I love it!

Also in pre-sickness knitting I made a pair of Saartje's Bootees for a woman at work who's expecting.

The yarn is left over from the Bloody Mary socks I knit for my Sock It To Me pal.

What else?

Oh, I've picked up my hoop again for the frist time in about 15 years.

My first practice project.


A shirt I made for Elah's first day of school. She'll be in 2nd grade this year (!) which at her school makes her a Tau. It's a big deal, for the first 2 years she was in the same classroom so this is her first big change in awhile. She loves the shirt and when I gave it to her she gave me a huge hug and told me that she thought she'd cry. Only I could have a child who gets verklempt.

*whew* OK, that's it for now. Sorry it took so long Stoneking and Jess.

Day of Packages!

My Yarn in a Tea Cup package arrived from Jessica today. I love everything in here, thank you Jessica!
The package contained 2 skeins of Caudia's Hand Painted, a delicious cookie covered with chocolate and a beautiful mug. I really love the mug, it fits in my hand perfectly, I'm super excited to try the yarn, and believe it or not, I haven't eaten the cookie!


Leyburn socks in progress along with the beautiful socks blockers I just received from Chappy's. The yarn is some Koigu I've had in the stash for years.


These stitch markers also came with my sock blockers, what a pleasant surprise.

One Down, One To Go

Marigold #1 is done! I love this pattern, this yarn, this heel. Unfortunately my shoulder doesn't like all the knitting I've been doing so I think it will be a no knitting weekend for me. :(

Marigold Revived!

The new heel is awesome! I definitely started the short row heel too soon and I think that's why it was so tight across my ankle. Short row has been good to me but it can't compare to the fit of a heel flap and gusset. A big thank you to Wendy of Wendy Knits for coming up with this incredible technique, I love, love, love this heel.



Sock: Marigold
Heel: Toe up gusset
Yarn: Knit Picks bare

Marigold Progress

Here's my marigold progress so far. I am loving the pattern and the yarn.
Unfortunately the sock is tight across the top of my ankle (the bendy spot), I think it's because I started the heel too soon. I may need to frog, add a repeat or two to the foot and redo the heel.



*Edit
I guess I should add some details. The sock is Marigold from Flint Knits and the yarn is Knit Picks Bare hand dyed by me (and Elah).

Sunday Afternoon

Just a reminder, we will be getting together for a little Knit & Natter at Viva Espresso from 2:30-4 today.

One Cable Twist Sock is done and I've started the second one.

I'm finding that with the pattern reversed, the twist is tighter and I need to use a spare needle to do the cable. I know that there are other ways to cable without a needle but I'm afraid to drop my slippery sock yarn so I'm going the safe route.

Aija has been doing an Etsy Friday and while it's not Friday, I figured I'd share some of my Etsy purchases with you.

1. Nerd Necklace, 2. Knitty, knitty, 3. Even superheroes need a break, 4. Owl Cards

And while you're getting sucked into the black hole that is Etsy, go check The Other Emily's new store! Ocho is my fave.

Summer of Socks Begins

Happy Summer of Socks 2007! I cast on Adrian's Cable Twist Sock.

I was at a conference in Killington all day today. I took some pictures of the mountain and stopped on my way home to take a few pictures. I'll post about it tomorrow.

1 down, 1 to go

As promised, here are some pics of the first finished Sidewinder.

Tuesday Was a Good Day

I took Tuesday off to hang with my family. It was bloody hot outside but we had a good time. Elah and I went out to breakfast and then ran to the grocery store. Next we went to the park and Grayson came along. We don't see him nearly enough; he's sleeping when we get up in the morning, gone by the time we get home and we're in bed buy the time he gets home at night. He leaves for UNCG on August 14 so I've been trying to spend time with him as often as I can.



We ran into my mom at the playground because she was doing a plumbing job at the school and my step mom who was dropping my mom off after lunch so we had a little impromptu family gathering. Playing at the park when it's so hot works up a sweat so we stopped by the corner store to grab a bag of ice and went home to enjoy some iced Red Zinger tea.

Next Elah and I went through all our clothes and ended up with 3 kitchen trash bags and a large box of clothes we took to Salvation Army. Elah normally doesn't like to part with anything whether it's broken or doesn't fit or whatever but she did a great job. Later she told me she was trying to be generous.

For dinner I grilled chicken marinated in lemon juice, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. I also grilled corn on the cob and made potato salad. Elah helped me prepare the food and we pretended we were on our own show on Food Network. For dessert I made a peach galette.

Finally, after dinner and after Elah was in bed I got some time to knit. This picture is from Tuesday morning.



The first sock is now done and I brought my camera to work today to take a picture. The pattern has been fun and I've been thinking about all the horizontal design possibilities it opens up, i.e. cables around the leg.

The good times ended this morning when we woke up to this:



That crane is taking that entire tree (what you see is only part of it) and putting into that wood chipper. It. Was. Loud.

Sidewinder

I started the Sidewinder socks a few days ago. Here's my progress so far.
(Actually I have less progress because I had to frofg it to the beginning of the second heel shaping but it's close.)

Update (finally)!

Wow, I have a lot of pics to share here. First, the. non-knitting news. I went to go see They Might Be Giants and had a blast! I could blather on and on about it but Stoneking did a great job over at her blog (even if she did expose me in all my nerdly glory) and Bill also has a pretty sweet post. Apple has finally agreed to replace my iMac. They don't make mine anymore so I was upgraded to an Intel machine with all the same junk as my current computer (17" screen, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, etc.). I always regretted not buying the 20" so I asked if I could upgrade and pay the diff. I can and I am. I'm also getting the better graphics card. So, my experience wasn't fun and I don't think it should have been so hard to get a replacement computer but I am so excited at the prospect of a shiny new iMac that I can't help it.

On to knitting............


I ordered those a while ago but they were on backorder. When they showed up it was a total surprise. They're pretty big; I included a penny for scale. Purchased from patternworks.


I joined the PureKnits Yarntini sock yarn club a couple of months ago and my first package arrived Friday! Included is a Yarntini self-stripe colorway called "pure breeze," a beautiful handmade bag from misocrafty, lip balm (also called pure breeze) that smells like the beach (think tanning oil and tropical drinks, not empty beer cans and sun-baked seaweed), stitch markers from Dress Up Your Knitting, a sample of Soak and Cool Socks Warm Feet. *whew* I've decided that I will finally cast on a pair of Jaywalkers but first I have some WIPs to finish up.



I just put the sleeve stitches of Rusted Root on scrap yarn! It seemed like it took forever (I swear I'm going on a diet so I can finish my knits faster!). It's actually going quite fast, I'm just being impatient. I'm excited about knitting top down, I don't have to remember what I did on one side so I can duplicate it on the other. If I have enough yarn I'll lengthen it because once it goes over my bewbs it'll be pretty short in the front. If I don't have enough yarn (or probably even if I do) I'll wear a long tank underneath.



Here's the back of the Central Park Hoodie knit in Jo Sharp Silk Road DK Tweed. I haven't been knitting it lately because I fell in love with Rusted Root.


The first sock is done for Elah's teacher. It's Online sock yarn I received from my Secret Pal 9. I actually finished this one about 6 weeks ago but never took a picture. I need to get the other one done because school is done soon. The teacher has big feet (for someone her height), this is a 72 stitch sock.


One more sock that needs a mate. This one has a short row heel and a star toe. The yarn is Lorna's Laces, gifted to me when I did Yarn Aboard.


Watch out, it's a FO! Chek me out, I'm all cammo. Simple stockinette sock with garter short row toe and heel made with Panda Cotton.

Pattern: My own.
Yarn: 2 balls, Crystal Palace Panda Cotton (they have a similar yarn coming out his fall)
Colors: Fall herbs
Needles: Inox Grey US 1 crics for the stockinette and Addi Turbo US 0 for the ribbing
Time to complete: I should just leave this tid bit off the list but I think that if I keep posting in with some lame answer then shame will make me a better note taker.
Details: I usually knit a 68 stitch sock but the Panda Cotton was so stretchy I only cast on 60 stitches. When I make socks like this again I'll add about 5 rows of garter to the shot row areas. These socks were the first time I used a sewn bind off for toe up socks. The bind off is great; it is nice and stretchy isn't tight at all.

Damn, I'd better get knitting so I can show ya'll some more.

Where is Emily? Brought to you by the letter F.

I know I haven't been around much but I'm fixin' to come back! My last paper of the semester, a literary analysis, based on the historical cultural norms of early Christians, of the parables of Jesus in the synoptic gospels, is almost done. It's my last assignment of the semester. What does that mean for you, dear reader? It means I'll have time to sleep and post.

Not only that, but the sun has returned to Vermont and natural light means that I will be posting some update photos this weekend. Curious? A progress shot of Central Park Hoodie, a picture of Rusted Root (my latest proj), the finished Panda Cotton socks, one completed Lorna's Laces sock, one completed sock I'm making for my daughter's teacher and, finally, the book weight. *whew*

See ya this weekend!

PS I may be in love with Apple again. Guess what's coming to my house?

All About Feet

The sweater is coming along. So far I've completed the back, the left front and the left sleeve. In the meantime I have two new FOs to share.

Grayson loves his LSU slippers! Here's a pic picture pre-felt.


And another post-felt.


Pattern: Fiber Trends felted slipper pattern
Yarn: Lamb's Pride worsted
Colors: Amethyst and lemon drop
Needles: Circular US 13 (9mm)
Time to complete: I should really start keeping track of this. About a week I think.

Have you seen all the baby booties popping up on the interwebs? Well, I've got the fever and a woman in one of our offices recently gave birth, perfect!



I loved knitting these because they're fast, cute and all from stash yarn. Now I just need more of my friends to get knocked up...
Pattern: Christine's baby booties
Yarn: Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere in color 9295
Valley Yarns Longmeadow in melon
Needles: Clover US2 (2.75mm) 5" DPNs
Date Started: 4 April 2007
Date Ended: 5 April 2007

What's Up?

Here's a little knitting update for you. I can't stop buying books.

I also have two more on the way, Magnificent Mittens and Sweater Workshop. Seriously, my books are starting to compete for space with my yarn. I don't know what to do, I feel like I'm torn between my two favorite children...

I've also been trying to practice my color work (with a color in each hand) since I've never done it before and I want to make Grayson a pair of Komi mittens for Solstice. The following examples are with Telemark. First I made a felted java jacket (the second picture has the most accurate color).



And for a swatch I made a mini-thumbless-mitten.


I like the yarn (not the color combo) but I might want to use a yarn that's a little finer. My gauge was 6 sts/1 in and I'd like it to be at least 8.

I also made this hat (wool/angora) for Elah earlier in the fall. It made from yarn by a local hand spinner. I actually saw her today at the big local craft fair and while I didn't buy any yarn I did buy a spectacular green Tara (pics soon).


Finally a picture of the stalled Print O' The Wave stole. Catherine's birthday is in February so I think that's when she'll get the stole. I think I'll make her a pair of Fetching for Solstice. The yarn is Shimmer in Turquoise Splendor.