Motivation to Finish

I really hoped to finish knitting these socks this past weekend, but it didn't quite happen.  I am on the last repeat with a toe to go, so I did make quite a bit of progress from this picture that was taken on Saturday.

I really want to cast on this yarn for a bright pair of socks so I think I will ball it up and put it in front of me as motivation to finish the others up.

Planning a Spin, Spinning a Plan

I have taken this braid of FatCatKnits superwash merino in Moxie.

I have split it into six (almost) equal bumps.  I think one of them might have one more gram or so.

I have started to spin the first bobbin for some three ply sock yarn.

Another FO and a Big Spinning Project

Well since I have been doing a lousy job of posting lately I totally forgot that I had a project I had finished.  I knit these socks for a lady that I work with. These are the Jeck socks and I used Socks that Rock in River Rocked.  These were a fun knit and took too long because I just messed around and wasn't in any hurry.

I have also started a large spinning project.  I am hoping I will have enough to make a Mondo Cable Vest or maybe a short sleeved cardigan of some sort.  I am using natural BFL and Wild Ivy BFL and I am going to ply the two together.

I have finished three bobbins of the natural.  I don't have enough bobbins to spin it all at once.  I have spun six of the eight ounces that I have of the natural wool.

Here is the first bobbin of the Wild Ivy BFL.  I am almost done with the first two ounces of the eight that I have of this.

First Finished Object of 2012

This is my first FO of the new year.  Sadly these were on the needles for almost six months.  I am so glad they are done.

Vanilla Socks
Started August 27, 2011
Finished February 3, 2012
Needles Size 0 Addi Turbo Circulars (two circular)
Yarn S.R. Kertzer On Your Toes with Aloe

I am not a huge fan of this yarn.  It was very splitty and there was a knot that changed the direction of the yarn stripes which was kind of irritating.

Finished!

I finished my Christmas knitting.  I really don't knit for Christmas but someone asked me to make a pair of socks for her mom for Christmas so I said I would.  Her family does "special" things for Christmas and she thought her mom would LOVE a pair of hand knitted socks.  I thought it was a really sweet thing to do for her mom.

Hermione Everyday Socks
Socks that Rock Lightweight in Rocktober
Needles 1.5 Knit Picks Circulars
Started November 15, 2011
Finished December 18, 2011

I really enjoy knitting with Socks that Rock it is one of my favorite yarns.

I started a couple of new projects yesterday.  I am making the Sockhead hat out of some handspun.  The roving was dyed by Wild Ivy Designs.  I also started a pair of Jeck socks.  I am using Socks that Rock in the River Rock colorway.

Almost

I made lots of progress but didn't quite get as far as I wanted.  I am just a couple of inches left of being done with the first sleeve on the sweater.  The striped socks I didn't really make a goal for but I did knit about an inch on them.  The other socks I am in the process of decreasing the gusset. 


I am making a new goal and I am giving myself until December 7th.  I will finish this sweater, finish one of these first socks and at least work on the other one.  I am also going to dig out my Twist cardigan and start putting that in the mix so I can wear it this winter.

The hat I will show off tomorrow.

Four Projects and Three Days

I have four projects that are currently being worked on at the moment.  I have three days until the end of the month and I am curious to see how far I can get on them in the next three days.

In the left hand corner at the top is a Selbu Modern that I started a couple of weeks ago.  I am only about ten rows from being done with the chart so I am hoping to finish it in the next three days.  The Tiny Tea Leaves sweater needs one button band, the sleeves and the buttons sewn on.  I would like to finish a sleeve.  I have two pairs of socks on the needles.  The pink and yellow ones were started in August right after we moved to our new house, when I hadn't knit for a week and I was getting kind of crabby so I cast on a vanilla pair of socks.  I still haven't finished the first one.  The second pair of socks is the Hermione Everyday socks, I am knitting these for someone to give to their mom at Christmas.   They need to be done in the next couple weeks.  I would like to at least get the heel turned and all the gusset stitches decreased before the end of the month.

I have an FO and new handspun to share next time.

12!!!!!!

I made one of my goals that I set this year.  I have knit 12 pairs of socks.  I probably won't finish my other goals but I completed one.  I will probably finish a couple of more pairs before the end of the year.

Details

Pattern: Petunia Dursley Double Eyelet Socks
Yarn: Handspun UrbanGypz in Mr. Blinky
Needles: 1.5 KnitPicks Options circulars
Started: October 14, 2011
Finished: November 15, 2011

I love love love this pattern.  It is very easy to remember and goes pretty fast.  The yarn was a joy to knit with and spin.  I think these will be one of my favorite pairs to wear.

Going To SAFF!!!!

I don't get to go but the socks I knit for UrbanGypz get to go.  They were mailed off yesterday and are now making their way across the United States to get there in time for next weekend.

The blue, green, brown pair is the Harvest Dew Pattern done in UrbanGypz Merino,Cashmere,Nylon blend. I knit them on 1.5 US needles.  The color was is Aqua Mod.  This yarn is so super soft and squishy and I really enjoyed knitting with it.

The blue, orange, rust, yellow pair is the Petunia Dursley Double Eyelet socks knit in the Superwash Merino blend..  I also knit them on 1.5 US needles.   The color was So Ready for Autumn. I loved the colors and they made me happy when I was knitting them.

New Yarn and Progress

I finished spinning and plying half of the fiber from a couple of posts ago.  It is BFL dyed by my friend, Ivy.  She has been dabbling in dyeing and I think she does an amazing job.  I navajo plied this and I am thinking of either spinning some white or getting some white yarn to make a stranded hat of some sort.  I still have 50 grams of it left to spin but not sure how I am going to do the rest of it.  It is about 180 yards.

I am still plugging away on the socks.  The first one is complete and I am almost to the toe on the second one.  They need to be moving on so I can knit something else.  I am really wanting to cast on a shawl or a hat soon.

First Sock Syndrome

I know a lot of people that say that they have to start the second sock immediately after the first one so they are not struck by second sock syndrome.  I don't seem to have that problem.  I get the second one done pretty quick but I sure do have a problem getting the first one done for some reason.  It isn't because I don't like the project.  I think it is because I think I can crank out a pair of socks in a week or two and when that doesn't happen I seem to lose interest a little.  I guess I have a mental block when it comes to that or something.

I like both of these projects and I really want to finish them so hopefully I will have started both of the second socks by Friday.  I think I just need more time in my day.

Now Broadcasting from a New Location

Well, I didn't fall off the face of the earth but I did move.  This is the front of our new home. So far I am really liking it.  (So not enjoying the unpacking which I am still working on)

This is the back of the house.  Yes, that is a swimming pool in the back yard and the kids love it.  It will be time to close up the pool for the winter soon but I am sure we will get lots of use from it next year.  At the top of those stairs is the most awesome little sun room that I have turned into "my" space.

Along with moving and getting the kids in school (they went back three weeks ago), I got a job.  Little Buddy is in all day kindergarten so I got a part time job working at the lunchroom at the high school. I find that I really love working there but mornings are a little stressful for me getting them ready in time so I am not late for work.

I haven't had a whole lot of time for knitting.  This is all the knitting I have done in the last three weeks.  I even had a stretch of about a week without any knitting at all and it was making me very crabby.  I am just making a vanilla sock.

I have finally had a little time to do some spinning.  I am still working on this BFL,  I am excited to see how it will ply up.

Will I Make It???

I have been participating in The Knitgirllls 5K Stashdown this summer.  I am currently at 5012 yards and I need 5460 to finish.

This yarn got me to where I am now.  It is 412 yards of merino that I dyed with food coloring.  It didn't really turn out the way I wanted to I am debating if I want to try to dye it again or just leave it.

I am currently knitting this pair of socks out of UrbanGypz Superwash Merino.  I am halfway done with the leg on the second sock and when I finish them I will have used a little over 300 yards for the pair.

I started a Noro Bias Scarf last week at Knit Night.   I am about a third of the way done with the yarn so I have used about 130 yards of it.


I also have some spinning on my wheel that I might be able to finish as well.  I am thinking I will make it but I am not sure yet.

Dragonfly Socks

I finished the Dragonfly socks over the weekend.

Pattern: Dragonfly Socks
Started: June 25, 2011
Finished: July 23, 2011
Needles: Size 0 DPN's
Yarn: Cascade Heritage Sock in Campfire
Yards Used: 340

So, I had to start a new pair.  These are Sunday Swing socks and I am using Two Windows Dye Company Knitty Bits 2 sock yarn.

Still A Success To Me

I didn't make the two miles like I had planned but I think it was a success to me nonetheless.   I was able to finish the Kick Sack yesterday.

 I was also able to finish my Electron Socks yesterday also. These two projects added 655 yards to my total. I ended up with 1021 yards knit in May, which is around .58 miles of yarn knit.

I got closer on the spun yarn.  I ended up with a total of 1356 yards spun including this Black BFL from Gale's Art.  I am planning on using this for another Forest Canopy Shawl I think.

Three out of Four Ain't Bad

I didn't quite finish my goal of finishing those four projects by today. I am okay with that though.  I did get three of them finished.  The sweater still needs buttons and the shawl still needs to be blocked but the knitting is done.

One is Done

I finished one of the four Take em Out projects.

Pattern: Simple Skyp Socks
Started: March 6, 2011
Finished: April 4, 2011
Needles: 2.5 mm Kollage Square DPN's
Yarn: Hill Country Yarn in Bluebonnet

I am really excited since this yarn is from my stash.

Takin' Em Out by Tax Time!!!! (Knitting Edition)

I realized today, that I didn't finish one single project in March.  So I have declared the next fifteen days as "Take 'Em Out by Tax Time."  I am going to get these four projects done by April 15th.  All but one of them is over half way done so I think it is a goal I can accomplish.

Simple Skyp Socks,  first sock is done and the second one I just finished decreasing the gusset.

Coffee Bean sweater, just needs the ribbing on the bottom and the two sleeves.

Nypon Shawl, one more repeat of chart A, 6 rows of chart B and then just 16 rows of Chart C.

Mockery Socks, these might be the ones that do me in but I am going to give it my best shot.  I am on the heel flap of the first one.  

I will have my spinning goals in the next post.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk Sock

I finished my Rock Chalk Jayhawk socks this week.

Pattern Stansfield 14 from More Sensational Knitted Socks
Started January 13, 2011
Finished February 22, 2011
Needles Size 0 Addi Turbo Circulars
Yarn Lorna's Laces in Lorikeet


I think they turned out great and they should since this is one of my favorite yarns to use for socks.  I always know that I am going to get a great sock when I use this yarn.  I think this is at least my fourth pair out of this yarn and they are always some of my favorites to wear.


This is my fourth pair of finished socks this year.  So I am doing pretty good for my goal of 12 finished pairs by the end of the year.

The Soap Opera of the Needles

Pattern: Vanilla Sock w/Hemmed Cuff
Yarn: 2 Windows Dye Company Sock 2
Started: December 19, 2010
Finished: January 19, 2011
Needles Size 0 Hiya Hiya DPN's

This pair of socks ended up being worked on with three different sets of needles.  I started out trying the 9 inch circular.  I really hated them.  I knit for about ten rows and I couldn't take it anymore so I switched to KnitPicks Harmony DPN's.  They were working fine until I broke one.  I know that you get six in a package but I broke one a long time ago so I only had four and I prefer using five needles when using DPN's.  After I broke that needle I switched to the Hiya Hiya's.