Beauty School Dropout

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September 27, 2007

FO: Arctic Monkeys

Woo hoo!  The crazy-tall kneesocks are finally done!  I am really looking forward to wearing these this fall.  They will be so nice and toasty warm.  

Project Details:

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A., available from Knitty

Yarn: 2 skeins Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Devon. 
Somehow I ended up with two different dyelots - but in the end I don't think it's all that noticeable.

Needle Size: Size 2 Knitpicks 40" circular needle (my first magic loop toe-ups!)

Pattern Modifications:  I knit these socks toe-up (with the pattern up-side down - it looks just fine.)  I cast on 24 sts to start, using the magic loop method.   I did Wendy's short-row heel with ten wraps on each side, and followed MisoCrafty's instructions (and pictures!) on how to pick up the wraps.

I added calf shaping by doing the YOs from the pattern in between two pattern motifs, for two repeats of the pattern.  On the second repeat, I moved the YOs back to the center and moved out again, so at the end of the second set of increases, I had a 5th pattern motif on the back of the leg.  I then increased 8 more stitches by doing the YOs in that motif in the next pattern repeat, but not the pattern decreases (so there ends up being a column of 4 purl stitches on each side of that motif).




Time to knit: July 2007 - September 2007.  They went a lot quicker than I thought, considering how tall they are. 

Final impressions: Good stuff.  I'm glad I finally took the plunge and tried a toe-up sock.  I like how it lets you use every last bit of yarn.

Posted by zarah at 6:58 PM | Comments (9)

September 26, 2007

It was a surprise, all right...

So, yeah....  it's supposed to be a surprise when you fold up the wierd looking thing and it ends up looking like a perfect baby sweater.  But this one.... it's surprising indeed.  What is going on with that bottom right corner?  It's not folded up funny, it really does veer off on the angle like that.  Surprise!

I guess my friend Melissa's baby is just going to have to wait a little longer, because I cannot possible give this thing as a gift.  The only thing I can think is that I forgot to increase on the outside edge of the mitered square several times.  Any other explanations?  

Posted by zarah at 9:05 PM | Comments (5)

The blog is fixed!

Hmmm... I'm not really sure what was wrong, but my blog was broken for a few days, and now it has magically healed itself!  Anyway, comments should work now.  And I can post!  I started a new pair of socks for Matt, I still need to post a picture of my finished Monkey socks, and I'm slowly but surely making progress on the sleeve of the Ice Storm Sweater.  (That thing is killing me.  But I'm determined to finish it in time to wear for this fall/winter.)  Oh yeah, and I managed to royally screw up the Baby Surprise Jacket.  You have to see it to believe it.  I'll try to post some photos tonight.

Posted by zarah at 6:45 AM | Comments (1)

September 18, 2007

Sweaters all around!

The birthday sweater won't be appearing on the blog again until after my husband's birthday, so.... I'll have to find something else to entertain around here.

I started knitting a Baby Surprise Jacket for a friend's new baby. I'm not really sure what size it's going to turn out, so I figure I better knit quick so I can get it to the baby before she grows out of it!

ETA:  No, I didn't spin this yarn, but my friend June did!  It's really, really soft, too.  And superwash!  Perfect for baby Ally. 

Posted by zarah at 7:10 PM | Comments (5)

September 11, 2007

Ice storm sweater resurrected!

Well, the weather this time around is certainly much better. I've started working on the sleeves of the Ice Storm Sweater. (If you don't remember, here are some of my pathetic posts from when we lost power for ten days last winter.)

I think my goal for this sweater is going to be to finish it in time for my vacation to Santa Fe in late October. I think it will be pretty chilly there in the evenings, so it would be cool to be able to wear my own customized sweater.

Speaking of Santa Fe, I've also got an idea brewing for my vacation knitting - I think I'm going to do a pair of Santa Fe-themed socks,

In totally un-knitting-related news, I did my first mediation today! I know I didn't do perfectly, but we got the case settled and it was a really good learning experience.

Hopefully I'll have a finished sleeve for you next time I post!

Posted by zarah at 6:38 PM | Comments (7)

September 8, 2007

Clean Sweep

I was rifling through the "knitting bucket" I keep in the living room yesterday, and I realized I have a LOT of abandoned projects.  Generally, I'm pretty good about sticking to one or two projects at a time, but once I set something aside, it's like it never existed.  I'm declaring the rest of September to be Clean Sweep Month! 

1.  Ice Storm sweater.  It just needs sleeves.  How hard can that be?  But I haven't picked it up in, oh... 8 months!  Ridiculous.  Magic loop sleeves, here I come!  (hmm... I hope I wrote down my needle size somewhere.  It's not in Ravelry.  Bad Zarah!)

2.  Glee tee.  If I hurry, I can still wear this before it gets too cold!  I think I stopped knitting it because my needle was too crowded and I need to get a longer one.  Yarn shop, here I come!

3.  Sunrise Circle Jacket.  I planned for this to be a long term project, so it's probably going to stay on the back burner for now.  It requires a little more concentration than I want to give on most days. 

Posted by zarah at 9:02 AM | Comments (5)

September 5, 2007

Knit Together

Anxiousdog Kate has put together a new knit night for the Springfield-area knitting crowd... here's the details:

I'll be there tomorrow, after having sushi with my husband and some friends.  Hopefully I'll see you there!  (Except you, Tammy.  You'll just have to suffer in North Carolina.  Terrible, just terrible.) 

Posted by zarah at 7:05 PM | Comments (2)

September 3, 2007

Labor Day Mega-Update!

Woo hoo!  I love days off, especially when they make a three-day weekend.  I spent most of the day furniture shopping* with my parents, but now I'm home enjoying a relaxing evening.  Matt's going to throw some steaks on the grill pretty soon, and I've got baked potatoes and brownies in the oven.  YUM! 

Update #1 - Cobblestone Progress! 

This sweater is cruising right along!  As you can see, in this picture I've attached the first sleeve to the body of Matt's sweater.  I already started working on the second sleeve, and I'm really amazed how quickly I can knit them using the magic loop method.  I still like my DPNs for socks (I think) but I think I'm sold on using the magic loop for sleeves. 

I think I've said this before, but I REALLY like this yarn!  It's Peace Fleece in the DK weight (color: Sheplova mushroom - are there red mushrooms?)  It has a really pretty heather look to it, and the yardage is amazing.  I'm knitting this whole sweater (43" chest) with 4 skeins!  (That means fewer ends to weave in, too!)

Update #2 - Mismatched Monkeys 

 

 

Well, what do you think?  I definitely think I ended up with two different dyelots.  It actually doesn't look that bad in the picture, but it's a pretty noticeable difference in person.  I've considered overdyeing them when both socks are done.  

Am I being paranoid?  Or would the color difference bother you, too?  I'm just worried that I will ruin the beautiful colors if I dye them.  

* So... furniture shopping.  My dad always complains when he comes to visit me because my guest room only has a double bed in it, and my parents are used to a king size.  (So basically I think my mom ends up getting squished against the wall.)  So, my dad is always saying that he needs to buy a bigger bed for my guest room.  Matt & I decided to upgrade to the king size in our room and move the queen size to the guest room.  Thanks Dad!

 

 

Posted by zarah at 6:05 PM | Comments (7)