February 2007 Archives

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

The good: It's pretty, right? Nice subtle color changes, nice long length, great pattern.... I really can't say anything bad about this sock. I really enjoy knitting it and it's coming out great. Matt requested fairly long socks, and the 20 pattern repeats called for in the pattern make the perfect mid-calf length.

The bad: I'm going to run out of yarn. I weighed the rest of the ball, and I'm already almost at the half-way point. There's no way I can knit the whole foot without dipping into the yarn for the second sock. I have come to terms with that. So.... here's where you guys come in:
    A. Keep going, and knit half the foot with different yarn. It will be inside a shoe anyway.
    B. Rip back and have a shorter leg. Socks this nice shouldn't be messed up with mismatched feet.

Ordering more yarn is not an option. All the STR mediumweight in this color is sold out.  Grr....

ETA:  Matt prefers option A - he really wants the longer socks.   

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

It's done, it's done!

Project Details:

Pattern: Lizard Ridge by Laura Aylor, available at www.knitty.com

Yarn: Noro Kureyon - approx. 18 skeins, Cascade 220 for edging

Needle Size: Size 8

Skills needed: cast on, knit, purl, wrap-and-turn short rows, mattress stitch, picking up stitches

Pattern Modifications: I changed the crochet border to 10 rows of garter stitch

Time to knit: November 2, 2006 - February 22, 2007

I was truly obsessed towards the end of this project.  I have no other explanation for getting this done so quickly.

Final impressions: I LOVE this afghan.  LOVE IT!  I haven't woven in the ends yet, but I'm thinking about putting a flannel backing on it to make it a little sturdier.  Plus, the back has all the seams on it, which aren't super comfy.  

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

Woo hoo!  I get ridiculously excited about these Knit-Ins, but when else do I get to be surrounded by so many kindred knitter souls AND so much yarn?  It's so fun.  Plus, I always want to show off a project, so I get really motivated to get something finished or start something cool. 

That's just a little hint that I've been knitting as fast as a can to finish a certain project I've been working on for a really long time, which will have its debut at the Knit-In tonight!  A full blog report will be forthcoming, but there's something really special about revealing a finished project in person, to people who can really appreciate it.  Plus, I think the shop owner will probably appreciate it, since customers really seem to go crazy for a project after they've seen it in person. 

Since that project is finished (at least the knitting part), what will I work on at the Knit In?  I know I should work on one of those sweaters.......   maybe I'll take the shrug with me..... but I really want to work on those pretty socks I started!   

Yep, the finishing for Lizard Ridge continues... I don't mind a little bit of seaming here and there, but sewing together that many squares is just ridiculous.  And I've already decided against the crochet border, I think I'll do a plain garter stitch border instead.  But picking up all those stitches?  Hoo boy. 

On a happier note, I see that Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting is knitting the same shrug I am, so I guess I better finish mine up quickly so I can email her and show her how cool it really is. Oh wait.  That involves more seaming and picking up stitches.  Maybe not.  One thing at a time, after all.  

Ozarks knitters - don't forget about the Knit In at Simply Fibers this Friday Night! 

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

I'm proud to report I've finished all the Lizard Ridge Afghan squares.

While I deal with getting them all sewn together and and putting the edging on, you won't blame me for starting a new project, will you?  (Yes, I know, I have two sweaters that need attention.  Shut up.)

After I got such great ideas from my last post on Matt's socks, I couldn't resist! Let me introduce to you the Retro Rib socks suggested by Ms. Gray la Gran. The pattern is from an old issue of Interweave Knits (W04), but my LYS had a copy in stock so I just bought it. I like trying out new stitch patterns when I knit socks, but sometimes I need a little hand-holding through the heel section.

Anyway, isn't it turning out pretty? This is STR mediumweight in Obsidian (one of their "watercolor wave," or semi-solid colors).

Hooray for local knitting friends:

Brianne - she's pregnant and just got in a car accident.  But her husband/guest-blogger assures us she's okay. 

Tammy - my knitting partner in crime - we are totally each other's knitting enablers!

Lana - the most prolific charity knitter I've ever met!

and the new kid on the block - Meredith!  (She's only been blogging for about a month - go say hi and give her some encouragement!)

Anyone else out there that I haven't met yet? 

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

Pretty, huh?  I figured you guys might need a break from the all-Lizard-Ridge, all-the-time blog entries that I've been churning out lately.

It's my very first skein of Socks that Rock, in the Obsidian colorway, mediumweight. (It looks all brown in the photo, but there is actually quite a bit of dark gray in there, too).

Since I began knitting in earnest in late 2005, I have made socks for myself (2 pair), my sister, my mom, and my grandpa. But I've never successfully completed a pair for my husband, who is so sweet to put up with my knitting obssession and tendency to leave bits of yarn, needles, patterns, books, projects, etc. on pretty much every flat surface in the house.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, the guy deserves a pair of socks!  He only likes dark socks, and he has given the official stamp of approval for this color.

So.... (as if I need more projects going right now) my question is, what "manly" patterns do you recommend?  He liked the Gentleman's Fancy Socks that I knit for my grandpa, but I like to try different patterns, so I'm open to other ideas.

Only two squares left to go on Lizard Ridge!!!  (Yes Tammy, I knit another one last night after your party.  I'm freakin' addicted, that's all I can say!)

I blocked the rest of the squares (well, they're drying in my spare room right now) and starting playing around with different layouts.  It's going to be so pretty. However, it is starting to dawn on me that I have some severly neglected projects waiting to be completed besides this blanket.  I know I'm not going to be able to focus on them until I finish The Lizard, but when I do finally finish, I need A PLAN.  Because, you know, I'm a girl that likes lists!  So, here we go:

1.  Raglan sweater - if it's still cold out, finish the sleeves.  They're not getting any shorter by waiting.

2.  If it's starting to feel like spring, abandon the sweater for warmer weather gear.  Decide whether the shrug really needs reseaming (I'm pretty sure the answer is YES) and just bite the bullet.  I'd really like to finish that thing in time for the first day of spring - aka - my birthday!

3.  As a reward for finishing something, cast on for Green Gable with that Cotton Fleece that's been hanging out in the stash for over a year.  I meant to knit it last fall, but I think it will be really cute for spring/summer.

Yes, it's true.  I have been churning those Lizard Ridge squares out with prodigious speed.  It is rather odd for me to be so single-minded in my pursuit of finishing a knitting project.  I usually have at least 3-4 different things on the needles and actively in progress at any one time. 

I think this long period of cold weather is really making me want to finish that blanket, so I can snuggle up underneath it!  My silk shrug is really beautiful, and it's really not too far from being done, but I know I won't be able to wear it until at least March.  So what's the rush?  I guess I could be working on my raglan sweater, it would keep me warm.  But that requires math at this point in the pattern, and that's the last thing I want to do when I get home from work.  

Actually, I think the real reason I love the LR squares so much is because at this point (19 squares done!) it is totally mindless, without being boring.  It's the perfect knitting project.  This is really nerdy, but i just LOVE that row after the short rows, where you go back and pick up the rest of the wraps and everything looks neat and tidy again. 

Sooooo much more satisfying than folding laundry or vacuuming!  =)

I've got a day trip to Bentonville Arkansas tomorrow for work.  That's right, I'm taking on Wal-Mart in a court case!  Wish me luck (I'm gonna need it!) 

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

Also..... eek!  Look at all those loose ends!

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

I'm not a regular participant in Eye Candy Friday, but I couldn't resist this picture.

Look at that lovely tubular cast-on! (I'm so proud of myself, can you tell?)  I used this tutorial.

After working so long on exclusively the Ice Storm Raglan sweater, I was feeling a bit of cast-on-itis.  I have about 2/3rd of a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (colorway - Irving Park?) that I've been wanting to use up.  I tried several fair isle patterns, but I don't have much experience with that technique, and it really wasn't working for me on the tiny metal needles.  I decided a nice striped sock, with a solid contract color would be just the thing.  I think it shows off the colors of the variegated yarn really nicely and HOORAY! no pooling of the colors!  Other than that, it's just a plain stockinette on size 1 needles, so these socks are gonna take a while! 

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Originally uploaded by kerner.

Here it is - the much-anticipated "ice storm sweater"! I actually started knitting this the week between Christmas and New Years, but I made most of my progress during the two weeks of the ice storm. I'm using recycled yarn from the Cutaway sweater I knit last year. It was my first sweater and I didn't do a very good job on it, so I decided to rip it out and try again. This time, I'm doing a basic top-down raglan sweater using this pattern.

A few notes on the pattern so far:

1.  When taking measurements, measure a sweater or shirt that fits you well, not your actual body measurements.  For some reason, I followed this advice on everything but my neck measurement (maybe because it's hard to measure the neck of a sweater?)  But I ended up with a very close-fitting neckline on an otherwise fairly relaxed sweater.  I tried to rip back the neck a bit, but I couldn't quite figure it out.  

2.  The ratios don't add up.  It wants you to have 25% of your stitches for each sleeve, plus 33% for the front and 33% for the back, plus 8 stitches for the raglan shaping.  Ummm... that's way more than 100%.  Maybe I'm just missing something, but I just had to rejigger the figures until it added up, but roughly keep the same proportions.

3.  I haven't started the sleeves yet, but I'm afraid they're going to be quite a bit more voluminous than I normally like them.  This pattern dates back to the 80's or maybe even earlier, so I think it's just a matter of changing styles.  

I've actually gotten a bit farther on this sweater than the picture shows.  I finished the body and put on a reverse stockinette edging around the bottom and neck.  I'm really happy with the fit except for the puffy sleeve possiblity.