Well, today was a momentous day in the knitting of the first sock! I turned the heel! It wasn't even too hard, but it made me feel disproportionally clever. If you've been afraid of knitting socks, give it a try - I can see how people love it. I've just finished the gusset shaping, and tried it on. It fits my foot, which means it'll probably fit Sweetie's narrow foot. Unfortunately for me, his foot is longer than mine, which means I've got about 5 inches to knit before I get to shape the toes.
I'll try and post a pic soon. I'm too bleary eyed to attempt it now. I'm going to admire them again, then hit the sack.
Sock knitting rules!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Spring and Socks (er, sock)
I don't know about you, but I'm unfortunately prone to the Feblaharies. This time of the year, I have a hard time believing that spring will ever come. One of the first things I look for are the earliest cherry blossoms. Not the ones that will burst out all over the city in a few weeks, but the rare few early ones that appear just after the snowdrops. The other night I was driving home from class in the dark and rain, when I spotted dapples of ghostly white in the trees along the road. I went back a few days later and confirmed, to my delight, that the first blossoms had arrived.
My spring feeling has been nurtured by the beautiful sun we experienced today. I went for a walk, bought some art supplies, and went ice skating. Sweetie and I have been skating the past few weekends, and it's a lot of fun. When you try something new like skating, it's always a delight at how fast you seem to progress. I felt a lot less wobbly today than the past times we went.
I've been working a bit on the sock at night these days. I'm finding the ribbing a bit dull, but the self striping yarn provides the modicum of amusement I need to keep knitting away on my tiny needles. This is my first time using 2 mm needles and the going is a teensy bit slow! However, the thought of learning how to turn a heel is also keeping me going. Here's a shot of my progress so far:
In other knitting news, I've started listening to a few knitting podcasts this week. I've tried Lime and Violet, and Stash and Burn. If you have any favorites to suggest to me, please let me know! This may be a slippery slope...
My spring feeling has been nurtured by the beautiful sun we experienced today. I went for a walk, bought some art supplies, and went ice skating. Sweetie and I have been skating the past few weekends, and it's a lot of fun. When you try something new like skating, it's always a delight at how fast you seem to progress. I felt a lot less wobbly today than the past times we went.
I've been working a bit on the sock at night these days. I'm finding the ribbing a bit dull, but the self striping yarn provides the modicum of amusement I need to keep knitting away on my tiny needles. This is my first time using 2 mm needles and the going is a teensy bit slow! However, the thought of learning how to turn a heel is also keeping me going. Here's a shot of my progress so far:
In other knitting news, I've started listening to a few knitting podcasts this week. I've tried Lime and Violet, and Stash and Burn. If you have any favorites to suggest to me, please let me know! This may be a slippery slope...
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Foliage Finished, and First Socks Started
Well, this post has been a long time coming. This semester is kicking my butt a bit more than I expected it to, and sadly there's no end in sight. Nonetheless, I've found some time to finish Foliage, the red-orange version, which has been keeping my head cosy for the past week or so.
I've also just begun my first pair of socks! I'm very excited about this. I'm using Silver's Sock Class top down sock tutorial to attempt them. The socks are going to be for my Sweetie, and as such I've chosen some superwash wool in a manly colourway: DG Confetti 100, colour 19.05, which is a self striping yarn in various greys. I hope I can make a successful pair of socks and then try some fancier socks. There's a beautiful skein of Cherry Hill sock yarn in my stash. I'd love to give a sock like Monkey a try, or the Jaywalkers, but decided to try a simple pair first. I don't even know how to turn a heel yet!
Change of subject: the other day I was out for a walk in my neighbourhood and I spotted some graffiti I'd never noticed before. It may be new, or it may be that I've just not noticed it before. Here's a shot for you to enjoy:
The caption painted on the wall says "a end in sight".
Coming next post: sock in progress shots!
I've also just begun my first pair of socks! I'm very excited about this. I'm using Silver's Sock Class top down sock tutorial to attempt them. The socks are going to be for my Sweetie, and as such I've chosen some superwash wool in a manly colourway: DG Confetti 100, colour 19.05, which is a self striping yarn in various greys. I hope I can make a successful pair of socks and then try some fancier socks. There's a beautiful skein of Cherry Hill sock yarn in my stash. I'd love to give a sock like Monkey a try, or the Jaywalkers, but decided to try a simple pair first. I don't even know how to turn a heel yet!
Change of subject: the other day I was out for a walk in my neighbourhood and I spotted some graffiti I'd never noticed before. It may be new, or it may be that I've just not noticed it before. Here's a shot for you to enjoy:
The caption painted on the wall says "a end in sight".
Coming next post: sock in progress shots!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Foliage. Part Deux and Diving Ducks
I've been battling the beast that is grad school this week- reading, writing, and reading some more, which makes for very dull knitblogging. Last night, I finally got my head above water and cast on!
The hat jag continues, and seeing how much Sweetie loves his Koolhaas made me want to knit another hat for myself. And there was that skein of Malabrigo in the stash...
I'm taking another crack at Foliage. I knit one for my SIL for Christmas using 3.75 mm needles. It turned out nearly too big for her, and certainly too big for my tiny, tiny head, so for this go-round I'm knitting with 3.25 mms. Hmm, I notice the yarn looks kind of orange in the picture; in real life it's more of a red orange. I'll make sure and take my next pictures in natural light.
Today I went for a lovely walk by the water with a friend of mine, and was quite excited to see some ducks I'd never seen before. I haven't identified the first ones I saw, and they were too reticent for me to get a good picture of, but I did get some pics of these guys:
They're Goldeneye ducks, a diving duck that winters on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and, according to this site, eats molluscs, crustaceans, small fish and aquatic plants. We watched them dive down to the rocky sea bottom and nibble at the seaweed.
I love unexpected urban naturalism! My poor friend had to put up with my nature geekfest, but I can't help myself! I must have watched too many episodes of Wild Kingdom as a child.
I'll leave you with a shot of a cheeky pair of Mallards, who were not at all shy about having their picture taken, and who I strongly suspect were looking for a snack.
The hat jag continues, and seeing how much Sweetie loves his Koolhaas made me want to knit another hat for myself. And there was that skein of Malabrigo in the stash...
I'm taking another crack at Foliage. I knit one for my SIL for Christmas using 3.75 mm needles. It turned out nearly too big for her, and certainly too big for my tiny, tiny head, so for this go-round I'm knitting with 3.25 mms. Hmm, I notice the yarn looks kind of orange in the picture; in real life it's more of a red orange. I'll make sure and take my next pictures in natural light.
Today I went for a lovely walk by the water with a friend of mine, and was quite excited to see some ducks I'd never seen before. I haven't identified the first ones I saw, and they were too reticent for me to get a good picture of, but I did get some pics of these guys:
They're Goldeneye ducks, a diving duck that winters on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and, according to this site, eats molluscs, crustaceans, small fish and aquatic plants. We watched them dive down to the rocky sea bottom and nibble at the seaweed.
I love unexpected urban naturalism! My poor friend had to put up with my nature geekfest, but I can't help myself! I must have watched too many episodes of Wild Kingdom as a child.
I'll leave you with a shot of a cheeky pair of Mallards, who were not at all shy about having their picture taken, and who I strongly suspect were looking for a snack.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Koolhaas complete!!!
Hooray! The Koolhaas is finally done! I know I should be good and take the pictures in natural light, but I couldn't wait.
It's finished, and thank goodness it fits. I was having a devil of a time swatching it, and finally decided to just plunge in. I did check the gauge as I went, and is seemed to be shaping up ok. I went down to a 3.75mm and 3.25mm needles to accommodate my perpetually loose knitting. I haven't blocked it yet, but as our forecast is calling for snow I'm not sure I'll get a chance for a while. It's currently on Sweetie's head right now, as he sits at his computer.
I'm not sure what the next project to hit the needles will be. I've got some lovely red=orange Malabrigo worsted to knit Foliage with, this time for me. I could also dig into the UFO bag and dust off an incomplete Backyard Leaves scarf from Scarf Style. I called a halt to it when I realized I'd screwed up an SSK several rows previously. I might be confident enough to go back and attempt a fix. There are also two beautiful balls of Louisa Harding ribbon yarn that call to me from my stash.
On a completely different topic, I've been looking anxiously for signs of spring, and finally found one in the form of some snowdrops.
Snowdrops are so delightful. They're the bravest of blooms, poking their heads up before anyone else, and risking getting caught in a snow shower. Best of all, they signal that the crocuses, daffodils and tulips will be along, each in their turn. I should be able to take spring for granted, but every year I watch for the first glimpse of the snowdrop.
It's finished, and thank goodness it fits. I was having a devil of a time swatching it, and finally decided to just plunge in. I did check the gauge as I went, and is seemed to be shaping up ok. I went down to a 3.75mm and 3.25mm needles to accommodate my perpetually loose knitting. I haven't blocked it yet, but as our forecast is calling for snow I'm not sure I'll get a chance for a while. It's currently on Sweetie's head right now, as he sits at his computer.
I'm not sure what the next project to hit the needles will be. I've got some lovely red=orange Malabrigo worsted to knit Foliage with, this time for me. I could also dig into the UFO bag and dust off an incomplete Backyard Leaves scarf from Scarf Style. I called a halt to it when I realized I'd screwed up an SSK several rows previously. I might be confident enough to go back and attempt a fix. There are also two beautiful balls of Louisa Harding ribbon yarn that call to me from my stash.
On a completely different topic, I've been looking anxiously for signs of spring, and finally found one in the form of some snowdrops.
Snowdrops are so delightful. They're the bravest of blooms, poking their heads up before anyone else, and risking getting caught in a snow shower. Best of all, they signal that the crocuses, daffodils and tulips will be along, each in their turn. I should be able to take spring for granted, but every year I watch for the first glimpse of the snowdrop.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Umm, how did I do this?
So, last night I was knitting in bed and listening to a podcast on my ipod. This is not my normal practice, but Koolhaas is not done, and I didn't have any other time to knit yesterday.
Somehow I lost my stitch marker that delineates the end of the round. As a result I knit THREE ROUNDS of the p1-kbl2-p1 repeat. In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "D'oh!"
Sigh. I will be tinking those tonight, unaccompanied by any distracting podcasts. Seriously, how did I not notice this? Also, my stitch marker never did turn up. I can only assume it has been devoured by the duvet.
Somehow I lost my stitch marker that delineates the end of the round. As a result I knit THREE ROUNDS of the p1-kbl2-p1 repeat. In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "D'oh!"
Sigh. I will be tinking those tonight, unaccompanied by any distracting podcasts. Seriously, how did I not notice this? Also, my stitch marker never did turn up. I can only assume it has been devoured by the duvet.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Koolhaas progress
The progress is, admittedly, modest. I am really quite pleased to have finished the first pattern repeat of the Koolhaas, as now I can actually see the pattern emerging. Hooray for no longer knitting on faith!
I'm embarrassed to recount some of the mistakes I've made to date, but let's just say they were simpleminded, to say the least. Here's hoping the next few repeats go a bit more smoothly. At times I've resorted to frantically counting stiches to make sure I'm still at the right place in the pattern. I hope it'll all be worth it in the end when Sweetie has a new hat, particularly because our forecast is for clear but cold weather.
This week we were treated to a day of sunshine, and a beautiful view of the mountains. Now that I'm trying to carry my camera with me more often, I find that I'm stopping to look at the world around me with fresh eyes. I'm looking for the moments of beauty in my daily life, and I'm remembering to stop and breathe occasionally. I think that's a good thing.
Off I go to knit a few rounds. I'm sure the blackberry margaritas have worn off by now! I wouldn't chance it otherwise.
I'm embarrassed to recount some of the mistakes I've made to date, but let's just say they were simpleminded, to say the least. Here's hoping the next few repeats go a bit more smoothly. At times I've resorted to frantically counting stiches to make sure I'm still at the right place in the pattern. I hope it'll all be worth it in the end when Sweetie has a new hat, particularly because our forecast is for clear but cold weather.
This week we were treated to a day of sunshine, and a beautiful view of the mountains. Now that I'm trying to carry my camera with me more often, I find that I'm stopping to look at the world around me with fresh eyes. I'm looking for the moments of beauty in my daily life, and I'm remembering to stop and breathe occasionally. I think that's a good thing.
Off I go to knit a few rounds. I'm sure the blackberry margaritas have worn off by now! I wouldn't chance it otherwise.
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