Never say Never

When I started to knit socks, I never thought that I would knit them with size 1 needles.  Well, that changed.  Now I love using size 1 needles.  I feel that the sock is a denser knit and fits my foot better.

Then, I always thought that I would NEVER use size 0 needles.  Well, guess what?  For the first time, I AM using size 0 needles and it isn’t so bad.  I wanted to knit a pair of socks using a skein of yarn from my Wollmeise stash.  I picked Red Hot Chili in the 80/20 twin (since I have two skeins of this color).  I started out with size 1.5 needles using the no purl monkey sock pattern.  I didn’t like how it was knitting up and I didn’t like the pooling.  I went down to size 1 needles and used a basic sock pattern.  Still more pooling.

Then my knitting teacher pointed out that the knitting was loose and the repeat was longer.  So, stubborn me, decided to go down to size 0 needles with the same number of stitches on the needles (64).  I decided if I was going to use size 0 needles that I would use Addi’s and bought one in lace circular and one regular circular.  The striping is much better and I do not mind knitting with the smaller needles. Go figure.

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the red striping also has a hot orange stripe on the top and bottom of the red.  I am so happy it finally worked out.

This week, I finished the Hearts-O-Plenty socks by Monica Jines.  I used size 1 needles with Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga yarn in Pink Katydid.  I love these socks.

I also finished the March Mid Month KAL.  The pattern is Waves of Love by Sue Schaeffer.  I used Peaches in Crème yarn in Strawberry Cream with size 6 needles.  It’s a nice pattern.

I guess March was a pink month.

Spring is getting closer

Well, tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  I am so glad for that.  Yesterday was beautiful.  The temperature got close to 70.  Today is a little cooler, but the sun is shining.  Soon Maggie and I will be sitting on the back porch.

I am still working on my Hearts A Plenty sock by Monica Jines.  I am using Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga in Pink Katydid.  Boy, do I really like the color of this yarn.  I would love to have another skein of it to make a small shawl.  I think it would look so cool!

I am close to half way finished with the Sunny Baby Blanket.  I really like this pattern.  I am using a size 8 needle with Plymouth Encore in colorway 9626.

I got my Loopy Ewe Spring Sock Club Shipment.  The yarn is Lorna’s Laces Honor, which is a 70% baby alpaca and 30% silk.  The colorway is called “The Loopy Ewe Shuffle”.  We got two patterns.  Wendy Johnson designed a shawl called Fire and Ice and Debbie O’Neill designed a cowl called Trickle Down.  Also, another Baggu bag came with the package.  This is the larger size.  It’s nice, but I prefer the smaller size.

One more shipment of this club will come next month.  I believe that I will not renew this club for the last half of the year.

Yes, I know…..more yarn?

I’m sorry, but I can’t resist.  I had to have these skeins of yarn.  If it makes me happy (which it does), then I say go for it.

I love String Theory Colorworks continuum yarn.  Simply Socks had a skein of the color Trifolium for St. Patricks day.  The yarn is so colorful, I couldn’t resist.  Can’t wait to see how this will knit up into a pair of socks.

Of course, I couldn’t pass up another skein of Twisted Limone’s Tangy 100 yarn in the color Northern Sky.  I guess you could say that stripes are really on my mind.

I was at my local yarn shop (The Knitter’s Edge) and they had a sample made up in the pattern 198 Yards of Heaven scarf by Christy Verity in Mountain Colors Twizzle in the ruby river colorway.  I love the yarn and the pattern looks great in this yarn.  It only takes one skein of yarn (198 yards), so how could I pass this up?

I was checking out the Loopy Ewe web site and came across Stricken Smitten's sinful sock yarn.  So, I had to try this in the color Plink.  Purple is one of my favorite colors.

Finally, one of my knitting friends put out a request for knitted baby blankets for a niece who works in a cardiac unit for children.  The Knitter’s Edge had some colors of Encore on sale, so I bought 4 skeins of color 9626 (it looks like a light denim color) to make the Sunny Baby Blanket.

So yes, I bought more yarn, but I am furiously knitting away with a smile on my face.

Girasole is Finished

Yes, I finally finished the Girasole.  I am so excited.  I just have to block it.  I really enjoyed knitting this pattern.  I got tired once I got to the edging and it seemed that it would take me so long to complete that I let this project sit on the needles for over a year.  I finally got it back out and after getting back in the groove, it took me less than a week to complete it.  I still have to block it, but here are the pictures.

I used Cascade Eco Alpaca in natural with size 10 needles.

I also blocked my Multnomah scarf.  Here is a picture of it blocking and after blocking.  I love the blocking wires.  This is the second project where I used the wires.

I also started another pair of socks.  The pattern is Hearts-a-Plenty by Monica Jines.  I really like her patterns.  I am using The Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga yarn in Pink Katydid (from the bon bon kit) with size 1 needles.  I love, love, love this color and would really like to make a lace scarf out of it.  I hope she offers this color again.

I have had another busy knitting week.

Spring May Just be Around the Corner

It has been a little colder, but the temps have been in the high 30’s or low 40’s here and it feels a lot warmer than it has been.  It seems as if we will be in for some warmer weather for the next week, although we may have some rain.  Rain is okay.  What really makes me happy is that all the snow is melted in my yard.  So, no snow is wonderful.  Even Maggie keeps going to the back door to go out on the back porch.  Once I open the door, she sniffs and walks back in the house.  She’s ready to be sitting on the porch.

I did get quite a bit of knitting finished this week.  I finally completed the ripple afghan I was knitting for our new lazy boy chair.  I used Fantasy Naturale in color 8013 using size 8 needles.  I was really glad to be finished with this.

I also got the multnomah scarf completed.  I started this project back in 2009.  It feels good to get this off of my needles.  It wasn’t a bad pattern.  I guess I just got caught up in casting something new on the needles and this got put on the back burner.  I used String Theory Caper sock in color oban with size 3 needles.  I still have to block this and will probably do it over the weekend.  I will post the blocked scarf once that is done.

Also completed is the Eternity Scarf using Berroco’s Flicker yarn in color 3307 with size 9 needles.

I finished the March KAL for my dishcloth group.  The pattern is Katie the Kangaroo by Sonia’s Knits.  I used Peaches and Crème yarn in color misty grey with size 6 needles.

In my one dishcloth group, we had a dishcloth swap.  I was a  partner with Norma in Missouri.  She lives around St. Louis so she sent me a Darrel Waltrip dishcloth and a postcard from St. Louis.  I love the color.

After all of this finishing, I cast on for a new sock and cowl. I also plan on finishing my Girasole. I just need to knit the edging, but that will take some time. Pictures and details will be on the next blog post. Only 14 more days until Spring.

The needles are clicking

I’ve been doing great in the knitting department.  I finished the mushishi cowl.  I used size 9 needles.  It came out great!

I also completed the February Mid Month KAL in my dishcloth group.  The pattern is Weave Me Wash Me by Alli Barrett.  This was a fun knit even though there was a lot of seed stitch.  I forgot that I was knitting the seed stitch pattern.  I used Peaches and Crème in shaded pastels with a size 6 needle.

Then, I finally blocked my calendar scarf that I finished in September.  It came out really nice.

Two of my knitting friends and I are knitting socks where we each take turns picking out the pattern.  We all finally finished the embossed leave sock, so here is the picture.

I was able to snag three skeins of Wollmeise Twin from the Loopy Ewe.  I got Red Hot Chili, Grapes for Sheri, and Gewitterhimmel.

And, last but not least, I was able to get another ball of Twisted Limone Tangy sock yarn in the jelly bean colorway.  This is a really nice color!

I’m getting close to finishing the Eternity Scarf.  I should be able to finish it by the end of the week.  I will soon be starting the feather and fan stitch on my Multnomah scarf.  I’m concerned about this part of the pattern as some knitter’s were having trouble with it. Only 6 more repeats of the pattern on the blanket I am knitting.  I should be finishing that up in the next two or three weeks.  It feels so good.

Yarn Clubs Plus

I got my first shipment of yarn from Club Loopy.  The yarn is from the Alpaca Yarn Company and it is called Paca Heels and Toes.  Along with the shipment, I got a sock and shawl pattern as well as a Loopy Ewe Baggu bag.  Love this shipment.

The Cookie A sock club shipment also came.  I got two exclusive sock yarn patterns as well as two cookie recipes with String Theory Caper Sock in the Solas color way.  The yarn appears to be green in the picture, but it is really a blue color.

The Sanguine Gryphon had a special package you could buy for Valentine’s Day.  It is called the Bon Bon kit.  I got 4 skeins of Bugga yarn in the following colors: From the top, clockwise – Pink Katydid, Purple Ochre Sea Star, Devils Flower, Tropical Shield Bug.  Love this kit.  I already have a sock pattern figured out for one of these skeins.  The question is, which skein?

In addition to the Bugga, I also got 2 skeins of Codex in the color Again and Again.

There are so many nice yarn clubs out there this year.  I passed up the String Theory Colorworks club.  Maybe next year.

Finishing

I have been doing great in the finishing department.  It’s so rewarding. What is also great is that I have been completing some old WIPs.

I completed the basic pair of socks in String Theory Continuum yarn in the Galactic Ghoul color way using size 1 needles.

I finished an old WIP called the Leaf Lace Scarf by Janet D. Russell.  I used Ella Rae lace merino yarn in a blue color way using size 3 needles.  This is the first project that I really blocked using blocking wires.  It worked out really well.

 

I also completed  another old project.  A scarf using Habu Cork Chenille and Tobi Moire yarns with size 10 needles.  I was really glad to be finished with this.  You just knit every row, but with two skeins of yarn that are fine threads, it was easy to make a mistake when knitting.

This morning, I finally blocked  my Calendar Scarf.  I finished this in September, but never blocked it.  I used Dale of Norway Baby Ull yarn in a natural color with size 2 needles.  I love this yarn.  I will definitely do another Calendar Scarf using the same yarn, but in a different color.  I will post another picture when it is dry from blocking.

I started an Eternity Scarf by Michele Wang.  I am using Berroco’s Flicker yarn with a size 9 needle.  The color is 3307 a dark grey.  This yarn is so soft, but does dry out your hands.

Well, off to knit some more.  I am close to finishing the Mushishi cowl.  I would like to finish this by the end of the week. Then next old WIP up for finishing is my Multnomah shawl and then the Girasole.

Great Knitting Week

February is going so fast.  I can’t believe that it’s almost half over. I have been doing a lot of knitting this week.  That is a good thing.

I finished the February Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is called Betsy the Bass by Janet Nogle.  I used size 7 needles with Peaches and Crème yarn in the Delft Blue colorway.

I also finished another Darrell Waltrip cloth.  The pattern is by Rhonda White.  I used size 6 needles with Sugar and Cream yarn in Beach Ball Blue.

I have been working on my String Theory Continuum Basic sock in the Galactic Ghoul colorway with size 1 needles.  One sock is complete.  This yarn is soft and plush.  I just love it.

And, I have been working faithfully on the Leaf Lace Scarf using size 3 needles with Ella Rae lace merino yarn.  I’m so excited that I am just about finished with this scarf since I started it in May of 2009.

I also bought some new yarn.  I got Berroco’s Flicker yarn in color 3307 (grey).  I will be casting on tomorrow for the Eternity Scarf using this yarn.  It’s so soft and pretty with the flicks of sliver in it.

I couldn’t resist buying another skein of Twisted Limone sock yarn in the Liquorice Lime colorway.  This picture looks like yellow and black, but it’s really lime and black.

Looks like we will be having some warmer weather in the next few days.  By warm I mean it will be in the 40’s.  I hope a lot of our snow and ice melts before we get another storm.  Maybe the Groundhog was right and spring is around the corner.

Snow and Ice

Well, we are in the middle of two storms.  Today we had snow mixed with freezing rain and now there is a lull in the weather, but late tonight or early tomorrow morning, we will be getting an ice storm.  Needless to say, I have been knitting away.  Perfect weather for it.  I just hope that we don’t lose power.

I finally finished the Moebius scarf that I was working on.  I was using Araucania Panguipulli in color 5.  I used size 10 needles.  I really enjoyed this knit and learned a lot about moebius.  I will definitely try knitting something again using this method. This is really nice and warm around the neck.

I also completed the Basic Sock I was working on using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in the pullman colorway.  I used a size 1 needle for this sock.

I did start another basic sock using String Theroy Colorworks Continuum sock in Galactic Ghoul.  I really love this yarn.  It is nice and soft.

I was really glad that I got into the CookieA sock club.  I wasn’t going to try, but it’s CookieA and I’m sure the patterns will be great as well as the yarn.  I’m also participating in the Loopy Ewe club, which is a three month club.  I will try the three month club and decide if I want to stay in after that.  I am debating about the String Theory sock club.  She is going to open up memberships in February.  I have time to make up my mind about that one.

I am still working on the Mushishi (Plymouth Yarns) cowl in color 09.  This yarn is really fun to knit. I am using size 9 needles.

Still frogging some old WIP’s that I didn’t see me finishing, but I did start up on the Leaf Lace Scarf that I started several years ago.  I have an incentive, since one of my Yahoo Dishcloth groups is having a scarf KAL.  You can knit any scarf, so I am knitting this for the month of February and hopefully will finish it.  I will post pictures of this on my next blog post.

Stay warm and safe. Only 46 more days until spring and hopefully the Groundhog won’t see his shadow tomorrow.