tentenknits

all in good time

So of course just when I see Nova's Snickets (having always loved Isel's from way back) I feel compelled to cast on a pair only to have Magknits go kerplunk!  (ETA: HOORAY to Ravelry Downloads!) The forums also helped with finding out how to grab now "lost" patterns with so many knowledgeable people chiming in.   I cannot stress enough how much Ravelry ROCKS.

I also must say who ever created the Wayback Machine is pretty genius, too! However I can't help but feel a kind of polterguise-ness about it knowing that there is a "ghost" out there of websites long gone.  Like they're stuck in some website Limbo.  Don't walk into the light, Magknits!

Now I love making socks but it may come as a shock (or perhaps not, since you all know how much I love making sweaters, too) that I have only one full pair of socks to show for - the Jaywalkers!

I have a single sock for the Embossed Leaves socks stuffed somewhere in my drawer.  A Monkey somewhere in my closet wondering if it will swing from my feet with a pal one day.  Yup, only the Jaywalkers have prevailed!  That's not to say I haven't knitted other pairs of socks... my boyfriend got a comfy pair a while ago as did my friend Dana - oh and my Dad did too (which were thus stolen by my brother)  But for me just the pair. The only solitary pair.  So my feet were excited to see me cast on for the snickets!

I've also been asked to make a belated birthday pair of socks for my sock stealing brother.  I'm feeling a little Log Cabin in Malabrigo or Manos to spoil his London feet!

In other knitty news...

I'm just short of a one repeat done before I get to the pretty edging of the Icarus shawl.  I've been working on a few rows here and there between some late high school nights which I had last week - it's been wonderful seeing this grow!   I am so excited to get to the pretty edging and LOVE working with the Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace!  It's beautiful and soft and not to mention has Tons of yardage. 

SO as you can see I'm all ensconced in the knitting right now and am still working on the from scratch sweater - but that's for another post!

I am going to Boston this weekend for a little getaway with my mom and close family friends.  A girls weekend away! I am so excited to visit a few LYS up there, too! Windsor Button and A Good Yarn, I'm talking to you!  Any other good Boston shops I should hit up?  Let me know!

Happy Hump Day!

hand me a banana

January weather has arrived. It is currently 29 degrees outside. There apparently was a flurry last night but I didn't see it.  Despite the fact that the warm weather made me nervous about global warming and NYC going underwater because of the ice caps melting, I kinda loved having that warmer weather.  But now that it's colder I can now enjoy knitting inside without feeling guity I'm not taking advantage of our Indian Winter.

My CP is now to large to lug around with me. The fronts and back are done and now it's all about the sleeves.  Brilliant Cara is planning on doing hers in one piece.  A great move that I didn't consider. It will be good seaming practice for me but if I make another I will so combine them.  With my quick progress on CP I found myself without a transportable knit on the needles... what was I do to but to cast on some Socks!

(I took the pics inside around 5ish so the lighting is a bit dark.) These are the Monkey pattern from the current issue of Knitty.  The yarn is STR in Prove it All Night.  I'm using size 1 addis (the pattern called for size 2s) and I might be moving it down to 0s.  So far I love how it's coming out! It may be a tad on the bigger side but I can't really decide since it's just two repeats in.  The pattern is pretty simple and memorizeable once you get it going.

I'm also loving the color of this yarn!  It's got subtle color change from the pinks, reds to greys... not to mention how I have that song stuck in my head as I knit with it. I know I'll be swinging from the trees when these are done.

I was showing my knit group last night and a bunch of them hadn't knit socks yet.  What's exciting about that is I might be teaching a sock class at the shop!  It amazes me how far I've come as a knitter.  From back in the winter of '03 sitting patiently with my Stitch N' Bitch book to now being a potential bonafide teacher of the craft.  Who freakin' knew?

Autum

I know I know. You're gonna tell me to stop talking about the fall.  That it's STILL summer in your book.  That you will happily wear what ever key summer article be that bikini, mini skirt, flip flops or whatever that you picked out, right up until the HOUR the season turns over.  But my friend, did you feel it this weekend (if you weren't being rained upon) - the breeze, the wonderful cool breeze... the smell of fresh cool air, the Halloween paraphernalia in the local CVS or equivalent?  Oh Fall is certainly almost here.  I've already shared with you why it's my favorite season and now presenting:

(cheesy knitter alert!)I cannot get over how fabulous this sock is!!!  The way it pooled completely cover the leaf repeats! I"m freakin' beside myself here!!  It's gorgeous! I keep taking it out and looking at it. Sticking my arm through to the foot so I can see the leaves properly.  Putting it on the one foot and pretending the pair is complete.  Yeah I'm nuts.  But it's just that it came out so much better than I had expected! The sock is a wee bit bigger than my foot but I'm not going to get nitpicky here... I love it.  It's fabulous and I love the fall!

BUT... like all things there is something that's foreshadowing the completed pair.. Will I be able to finish the second with the yarn I have left.  I do not have one of those weight doohickeys so I kinda did the whole putting the sock in one hand and the left over yarn in the other and shaking them a bit.  Very scientific, I know.  Here's what's left:

Perhaps I'm being hopeful but it does FEEL heavier than the finished sock.  I'm going to just keep going and pray to the knit God. I've seen people all over the Internets go through this situation - some with success and others with sad failure.  I am a glass half full kind of girl so there's a pair in my future even if I may need to buy another skein. (gee that wouldn't be so bad not would it.)