Froggy went a frogging

I finally fished this UFO out of the basket.  I started this Summer Tee about a year ago.  The pattern is from a Verena Magazine and is called Celebrity.  Click here  to view it on Ravelry or go to http://verenaknitting.com/ .  I am knitting it with Kretzer's On Your Toes Bamboo yarn with US Size 7 (4.5 mm) needles. 

Several hurdles had to be overcome.  At first I decided that I  didn't want all that lace across the chest, so I added a stockinette portion in that area.  But when I was done, I really didn't like the way it looked.  I then knit the back and about two-thirds through held the fabric against the front and realized that I had two different dye lots and the back was considerably darker than the front.  Then the hunt started for the same dye lot.  I finally found the same dye lot at http://yarnmarket.com/ .  It was the last ball.  So after all of that I put it aside and finally dug it out again a week ago.  Of course by then I had forgotten the problem with the dye lot.  I unraveled the front which had the stockinette section and started reknitting it in the lace pattern.  I was almost to the arm hole when I went "duh" it's the wrong dye lot.  So froggy hopped onto my shoulder once more.  Can you see how this has become a chore rather than fun? But I am almost to the armhole again and decided that the only way I was ever going to finish this project was to tell about my travails and post a photo.

My current mantra is: "Thou shalt not start another project until you have muddled through this one."

Knit on Merrily!

It's been a month already...

...since my last post.  How time passes when you are busy.  In the meantime I've finished three sweaters none of which have been photographed since the weather has been frightful.  But I'll take our snow storms over the hurricanes in the Midwest and the South any time.  To tide me over until I get pictures of sweaters, socks, and afghan squares, here are some things I've found on the Internet.

"Knit on, merrily!

A year-long project: Part 2

And the afghan project continues.  Klick here for details and January photographs.  Here are the five blocks for February.  In fact, I liked both sides of one block, so I took photos of boh sides.  I'll decide which side to use when I put the afghan together.

Can't wait till March.
Knit on Merrily!



A year-long project

Vicki Mikulak of Simple Knits is offering members of The Yahoo group Holiday Mystery Gifts  four afghan squares per month throughout the year. My version is being knit with a double strand of off-white sock yarn since I still have two 3-lb.cones bought from WBS several years ago. So here are photos of the January squares:

Honeycomb

Acorn

Waves (Now that I look at the finished square, it sure looks I missed something in the directions. Oh well,this will make it uniquely mine.)

Meandering Cables



I am anxiously waiting for February's squares. 

Knit on Merrily!

This year's sock knitting has started

The first two pairs of socks for the year 2012 are done.  One pair for me and one pair for the orphanages in Kazakhstan.  To keep me motivated, I have joined a Ravelry group called "12 socken projekt" (12 pairs of socks project).  A free pattern will be offered each month, along with links to other free sock patterns if you don't like the one offered. Here is a link to the blog  and the link to the Ravelry group .  This month's sock pattern is called "chicken ladder."  It's an easy pattern and even if you do not understand German, the chart should be easy to follow since the chart represents 15 stitches, i.e. one needle of 4 DPNs.  I used Alpaca with a Twist Socrates (30% Merino, 30% Alpaca, 20% Nylon, 20% Bamboo).  I used 1.75 mm DPNs since the yarn is just a tad thicker than regular sock yarn and the pattern is a lace pattern.  I have narrow feet and want my socks to stay up. It's a wonderfully soft yarn with the Bamboo giving it shine and the Alpaca giving it warmth.  I am not so sure how well it will wear since, as far as I am concerned, the yarn doesn't have enough twist.  It won't matter in my case since I never were shoes with closed heels and rarely closed toes, even in Winter.  Birkenstocks all the way. 



 Please excuse the wrinkled sheet, but this was the only spot with enough light. There is too much snow outside to find a suitable spot for a photograph.

The second pair was actually started in December, but didn't get finished until January.  The socks are knit with a very old ball of Opal sock yarn.  The color is rust. The socks were knit with 2.25 mm DPNs. The pattern is called Basketcase and can be found here on Ravelry.  These socks are for the two orphanages in Kazakhstan that are supported by the Motherless Child Foundation. It's never too early to get started.  If you are interested in knitting sweaters, hats, mittens, scarves or socks for an appreciative crowd of kids, you may want to check out our group of knitters.

...and the same wrinkled sheets.

Knit on Merrily!

It's January 7, 2012 and...

...and I haven't even shown my Christmas presents I received.  So before January gets away from me, here are the photos.

Blue faced Leicester and silk, Blue faced Leicester, and Suri Alpaca and Silk and Merino

 Suri Alpaca, Merino and Silk

And then I bought sock and sweater yarn with money from my other daughter:

Now I just need to decide what to knit with that hand spun yarn?

Knit on merrily!

The last of the knitting for 2011

At the request of my son, I wound up the year with a scarf and a pair of men's socks. He has just moved to Washington State and wanted to gift friends with some of mother's hand-knit goodies.

The socks are knit with worsted weight Cascade super wash in a k3, p1 pattern with every other row knit in stockinette.

The second project was a scarf, "just like you knit for me."  Of course, I had no idea what pattern I had used and had forgotten to record it on Ravelry.  The yarn for my son's scarf had come from a now closed yarn shop's basement via a dead friend.  I remember her saying that it was a French yarn. So tooling around Ravelry I found this  scarf.

 I used just under 3 balls of JoJoland Melody, fingering weight yarn.  I was a little disappointed with the yarn:  too many knots and no discernible pattern repeat in the coloring of the yarn.  But I think it turned out fine.  Now I just have to make it out of the snowy driveway and mail the goodies.

And just for good measure, here is a photo of my son's scarf.

Knit on merrily throughout 2012.