Trick or Treat

Still have a cold (yes, I have decided that this is a cold and not allergies), but I have been feeling good enough to knit.

I completed my Halloween socks using Vesper Sock Yarn in the Trick or Treat colorway. I used size 1 1/2 needles. This is the second pair of socks I have knit using 2 socks on 2 needles and I am really starting to like this method. It seems to take longer, but once you are finished, both pairs are complete. I really like the Vesper Sock Yarn by Knitterly Things. Her colorways are terrific and the striping is certainly wonderful.

I also turned the heel on the Sereknity socks in the Vineyard colorway. I may even be able to finish these socks by the end of the week. I like this yarn and the colorway. I am using size 2 needles.

I may have been sick, but it didn't stop me from buying yarn. Kraemer's got more Indie Dyer in stock and I couldn't resist these colorways. I don't have color numbers or names but the yarn base is Louet and it is wonderful.

I was finally able to snag some sock yarn from Sweet Georgia. This is a superwash sock in the colorway Sunsets and Car Crashes. Can't wait to knit this up.

Then, I couldn't resist Yarn Chef's sock yarn. I got three skeins. From left to right: Trees in Spring (Bouillabaise, which is 100% superwash), On a Cruise (Minestrone, which is 75% superwash, 25% nylon), and Moldy Jack O Lantern (Bouillabaise). I love the colors and the names.

Finally, from the Loopy Ewe, I got 10 skeins of Dream in Color Classy in the Don't be blue colorway, which is exclusive to them. I am going to knit a sweater with this yarn. Can you believe it, I am going to knit a sweater? I am going to use the Twist pattern from Chic Knits. I plan to finish the sweater I started in 2004 first and then I will move on to this pattern. Wish me luck!

Well, off to knit. After all, I have much to do.

Is it a Cold or is it an Allergy

This was a rough week. It started on Monday, when I began to feel lousy. I had a slight sore throat and then I had to keep blowing my nose. Thank goodness it started in the middle of the afternoon. By the time I got home, I was down for the count and didn't resurface until Thursday. I did nothing but sleep and blow my nose. I was so glad when it stopped. I feel better but still am not sure if it is an allergy or a cold. I'm leaning towards a cold.

Thursday, I started knitting like crazy and I was sure ready for it since I have so many projects in the works.

I finished up socks using Creatively Dyed yarn in Watermelon Juice. I love this yarn. It is so soft and amazingly warm on the feet. I used size 2 double pointed needles with this basic sock pattern. I'm glad that I have more in my stash. It does have 10% cashmere in the mix and maybe that is having an effect on why I love the socks.

I started on the Vesper Sock yarn Trick or Treat socks last week. I got the yarn from Knitterly Things. I love how this yarn stripes. I really need to hurry up and finish them for Halloween. This is the second pair of socks that I am knitting on two circular needles (size 1-1/2) with a basic sock pattern and I am really starting to get the hang of it and enjoy the two needles.

I finished up the October Mid Month Dishcloth KAL. The pattern is called Autumn's Country Quilt by Sue Schaefer of Harvest Moon Designs. I used size 6 needles with Peaches and Creme cotton yarn in Yellow. I enjoyed this pattern.

It's so hard to believe that it is the end of October already and Christmas is around the corner. That also means tax season is near and I will be back to work again. Yikes, I got to get knitting!

I need more time to knit!

I have been getting quite a bit of knitting completed. I finished the starfish washcloth. This was really a fun cloth to knit and I highly recommend you all to try it. I used Pinky Stripes in Sugar and Cream with a size 7 needle.

I also finished the first sock of a basic sock pattern using Creatively Dyed yarn in the watermelon juice colorway. This sock is so soft. I have to cast on for the second sock. See, I should be doing these on two circular needles. But, I still love the double pointed needles.

I'm still working on the prayer shawl and the Serenknity socks. I was lucky to purchase some Halloween colored Vesper sock yarn from Knitterly Things. I was stalking the site the day she said she was going to put it up and boy did it go fast.

From left to right: Trick or Treat, Witchy Woman, Spooky, and a wee skein sock kit called the Great Googlie Mooglie. I think I will work on winding the Trick or Treat yarn into skeins and cast on today for that sock. After all, it is October and Halloween will be here before you know it.

I also got the next colorway in the Plucky Knitter sock club. It's called Lisa Carol Fremont. I love the light green colorway.

I also got some Rowan demin yarn for subscribing to their magazine. I love the denim color (I think that is my new favorite colorway). I got 6 skeins. Now I just have to decide what to knit with this yarn.

I am a bag freak and I was so excited to be able to buy a bag from Green Mountain Bags. She puts the bags up on a Thursday night and they go quickly. This is the medium carpet bag. The workmanship is wonderful. I would really like to get a bigger bag from her as well. I will just have to keep stalking her web site.

The end of the year is coming up so fast and there are so many projects I need to finish and want to start. I definately want to complete the sweater I started in 2004, a beach tote that is almost finished and a shrug that is close to completion. I just need more time to knit!

Two Socks on Two Circular Needles

I finally finished the River Rapids Sock. I was so excited because this was the first time using two cable needles. I am a die hard double point needle person, but I really liked this method. I had a bit of a problem picking up stitches at the heel, but did overcome it and the socks came out fine. It does take longer to knit, but then you are knitting two socks at a time and when you are finished, both socks are done. The trick is to use two different kinds of circular needles so you don't get mixed up. Another tip is to put the two balls of yarn in a plastic bag while you knit. It helps to control the yarn. I used size 2 needles (Knitpicks) and Indie Dyer yarn for this sock.

I love the heel on this sock. It looks like a star pattern.

So, I jumped on the bandwagen and started another pair of socks on two needles. This time I am knitting a basic stockinette sock using Sereknity yarn in the color vineyard. It's a light sportweight yarn and I love the feel of it. I am using size 2 needles. I ran into a problem casting this sock on the needles. I was getting a gap at the one side of the join. After casting on three times and ripping out the stitches, I cast onto double points, knit two rows and transferred the stitches to the circulars. How is that for determination?

I also worked on dishcloths last week. I finished the October KAL for my dishcloth group. The pattern is Frankenstein's Monster Cloth by brileyknits. I used size 7 needles with Peaches and Creme yarn in olive green. I enjoyed knitting this cloth and the size was smaller than other cloths that I have made before.

I also completed the dishcloth from Rachel's Knitting Group. The pattern is called Zig with a bit of Zag by Noreen Hunter Talbot. I used size 6 needles with Sugar and Cream yarn in cornflower blue. This pattern was really fun to knit. The size was much larger than any other that I have knit before.

My knitting class started another dishcloth for the month of October. It's the Starfish washcloth pattern. I am using size 7 needles with Sugar and Cream pinky stripes. I am enjoying the short rows on this dishcloth.

Last, but not least, I started on a prayer shawl. I'm not sure who I am going to give this to, but I have wanted to knit one for awhile. It's the standard pattern for a prayer shawl from the Prayer Shawl Ministry (knit 3, purl 3). I am using Lion Brand Homespun yarn in candy apple red with size 11 needles.

Off to knit some more!

Sock Yarn Clubs

Do you belong to any sock yarn clubs? I currently belong to the STR group and Plucky Knitter. In the recent past, I belonged to Yarn Pirate. I'm not sure how I really feel about sock clubs, but I do know that it's nice to receive a package in the mail with sock yarn that other knitters won't be able to buy for awhile.

I have belonged to the STR group since almost the beginning. I missed out on the first shipment. I love their yarn and most of the patterns are nice, but I currently have so much of it and the club is getting pretty expensive. I'm not sure if I will rejoin for next year. I recently got the September shipment. The colorway is wonderful and I like that it is the lightweight yarn.

I do like the itty bitty hanks of yarn and the little gifts we also get with the shipment.

I joined the Plucky Knitter yarn club when she started it. Her yarn is very nice, but again, I have so much of it that I canceled after this last three months is over. I also recently got a shipment from her and I really like the colorway (Cat) and the yarn.

I recently signed up for the Unique Sheep's Color Co op that starts in November. I'm looking forward to this club because I didn't know about her last one and there is one pattern for a sheep washcloth that I am anxiously awaiting to purchase. It won't be available until November. Her yarns look really nice.

I also signed up for the Intentions Yarn club that starts in February. Violet of Lime and Violet fame is behind this yarn club and the yarn looks wonderful. She apparently had some at the Loopy Ewe and it sold out very quickly.

Last but not least, I joined the Sundara Yarn Sock collection. I love her yarn, but it is often hard to get because it goes quickly. By joining her sock yarn club, I am guaranteed getting the yarn. I picked the warm collection. We will see how it goes.

I really wanted to get in the Loopy Ewe sock club and the Wollmeise Sock club, but I missed out on both of those. I was really disappointed. But, maybe things worked out for the best.

So, what yarn clubs do you belong to? Let me know how you like them.