Am I ever ready for a long weekend!

I am soooooo glad this week is over and we are heading into a long weekend. Let's just leave it at it's been hectic to say the least.

I've managed to get some "stress relief" knitting in and finished up a couple of projects. First off is another pair of baby socks. My co-worker says they get cuter with each pair. Sounds like an invitation to make more precious baby socks to me!


Pattern: Feather and Fan
Yarn: Knit Picks sock something or other leftovers
Started: 5/17/2007
Finished: 5/19/2007

Although, not really on track to meet my May goal, I did manage to get some knitting done on the Leg Cozies. I will not be making these as long as the pattern calls for. Jenn doesn't want them to pool so much around her ankles. And, like mother like daughter ..... her legs are skinny enough that I won't be doing the increase rounds either. This project just gets simpler and simpler. I am hoping to put some more effort into these on Monday and see if I can't get close to finishing them by month's end.



I finished the first of the Knee High to a Grasshopper socks and have some progress on the second. The lace pattern is knitting up pretty quickly and I am hoping to have the pair complete tomorrow.



Also on the "finished" list is the first of the Tofutsies socks. I stalled a bit on the second as I don't relish miles of straight stockinette, but I plan to make this my main project for Sunday and see how much of it I can get complete. I just might get caught up on the 52PP projects if I put my mind to it.



As I had hoped, I was able to complete the Surplice Lace Top last weekend in plenty of time to wear it to dinner with my parents. I love this top! It is cool and comfy. Not socasual that I can't wear it to work, yet not so dressy that I can't wear it with jeans and tennies. I've worn it several times since completing it.


Pattern: Surplice Lace Top, Nashua Handknits North American Designer Collection No. 4
Yarn: Nashua Ecologie Cotton
Started: 4/21/2007
Finished: 5/19/2007

Almost as soon as I cast off the Surplice Lace Top, I cast on for this little summer top. I love the neckline and collar! I am knitting it in the called for yarn: Takhi Cotton Classic.



I am just about an inch shy of the armhole shaping on the back and hope to have this top completed fairly quickly.



Why the need to finish the tank so fast? Well, as if I hadn't purchased enough stash for projects in the past month or so, I made yet another purchase yesterday. I decided to spend my lunch hour browsing the bookshelves at my LYS yesterday and they had a copy of "No Sheep For You". I idly picked it up and wouldn't you know it opened up to this little number!



It was love at first sight, and I immediately forgot about the 4 or so sweaters I have lined up to be cast on and decided I simply had to have this sweater in these exact colors. I poured over the silk yarns but just couldn't find one that had all 3 colors needed. Each yarn had 2 and nothing else I liked as much as the 3rd pictured. I engaged the LYS owner in the search and we were about to give up when something made me look up. There it was!



An unopened bag of Alchemy Bamboo full of beautiful skeins of green, purple, and orange yarn! I am drooling all over it as I type this and can't wait to be able to cast on. I am hoping to have enough willpower to wait until the tank is done, but I've said that before. And, we all know how it ended lol.

Back on Track

I think I'm back on track knittingwise. A bit of progress on all of my projects on the needles, and I even started another project. Yell at me for it if you will, but I just can't seem to stop myself from casting on when I decide on something I want to knit.

This week I finished up one pair of baby socks, and started a second. I had originally planned on finishing both pair last weekend, but another project drew my attention away from them. Eventually I'll make my way through all the leftover bits of sock yarn I have and my co-worker's baby will have toasty toes for quite some time. This pair marks pair 5 for the 52 Pair Plunge. I'm a bit behind schedule there, but do have 3 other pair on the needles right now in various stages of completion. If I focus a bit on these I should be back on schedule in no time.



I mentioned in my last post that I had gone in search of ribbon for the Elegant Ribbed Stockings. It didn't photograph really well (I'm sure if I whine enough about the photos, hubby will purchase a new digital camera!), but it's a yellow and green plaid and I am in love with it. I'm thinking a nice green vest over a yellow top will look cute with these. Maybe with walking shorts, maybe a skirt. Not sure yet.



I did manage a few rows on Mermaid 2. Not a lot of progress on this project, and I don't really expect much too soon. I'll keep plugging away at it a few rows at a time over the summer, and once Fall hits I'll work on it full force.



Most of my progress this week has been on the Surplice Lace Top. I've sewed in the second sleeve now and am just about halfway through the last piece to be knitted. Tomorrow night should bring the last of the seaming and weaving in of ends. Hopefully this will be ready to wear to dinner Saturday evening.

Lots of Knitting, Lots of Stash Enhancement

I decided to do some knitting last night and save the blogging for tonight. Might have been a bad idea since I wound up stuck at work until almost 8pm! *sigh*

I did finish the washcloth Wednesday as I thought I would. Meeting my May goal of completing 2 of these should be a snap. It knit up really quickly in some yummy cotton yarn. I have 2 more balls of this cotton set aside for other washcoths.


Pattern: My own from one of those gazillion pattern stitch books
Yarn: Catania
Started: 5/9/2007
Finished: 5/9/2007

Since I finished Mermaid 1, I decided to devote some time to the Surplice Lace Top. The Lace pattern is knitting up pretty quickly, and I love the Nashua yarn! The color in this photo is a bit off I think. It's a much softer yellow and slightly variegated. Hopefully, once finished, I can get a better photo of the true color in natural sunlight. I don't think my goal of finishing this by month's end will be difficult to meet.



I've slowed down quite a bit on the sock front. Seems my attention keeps wandering. That's what I get for buying too much pretty sock yarn! I've finished just about 1/2 of each of the below pictured socks. The Tofutsies (pictured on the right) is a great yarn to knit with, but I'm bemoaning my choice of straight stockinette.

The BMFA Silkies (pictured on the left) is so scrumtious! I really want to buy more of it, but I think Paul might just scream if one more package shows up on our doorstep in the near future. Not sure what the poor thing is going to do when I get my backorder lol.



I finally pulled out the Leg Cozies for Jenn and worked on them a bit last night. This pattern is going much quicker than I gave it credit for. She just may have these by the end of the month!



To make up for 2 unfinished pair of socks, I cast on another baby sock last night. Hope to have the pair done tonight, then finish another pair tomorrow. That should keep me on track with the 52PP and give me time to finish up those unfinished pairs.



I blogged about the purple Mermaid I cast on earlier this week, so I decided to show you the colors in the 3rd kit I received. This one will be for me and I can't wait to knit it. The colors are so much fun, and much brighter than they photographed. Wonder if I can have all 3 Mermaids knit before the end of the year .... hmmmmm.



There has been much stash enhancement going on in my knitting life lately. When I went to JoAnn's to get some ribbon for the Elegant Ribbed Socks, I saw they had some yarn on sale and poked about until I found something I wanted. I picked up enough Bernat Cool Crochet to make the Josephine Top from the latest IK. I love the soft pinks and browns. They will go well with some silk pants I got for this summer. I also picked up several skeins in a deep chocolate that I believe is destined to become a crocheted lace jacket.



On one of my many recent trips to KM, I picked up this yummy yarn on the 40% off sale shelf. It will become the Talored Scallops Jacket pictured on the cover of Lace Style. This will be a perfect jacket to keep in my office since it's so dang cold in there all year.



On yet another of those KM visits, I picked up some goodies for socks.



Tonight when I got home, my Webs order had arrived. I finally bought one of those grab bags, just to see what I would be surprised with. I can honestly say that I am not disappointed and will purchase more of these in the future. I was a bit afraid that I would wind up with a ton of novelty yarn that I would never get knit up into anything, but look at what I wound up with. Two of those are Cascade, and three are Filatura di Crossa. I am in love with the navy colroed ribbon yarn. Can't wait to find out what they all want to become.



Yesterday, the postman brought my Elann order (also photographed here is the Regia Bamboo that just wouldn't fit in the above photo). The brown is Elsebeth Lavold Angora and will become a yummy sweater. The gold is Luna and will become a lace skirt.



Just because I couldn't pass it up, I snapped up several skeins of Kornucopia. It is going to be so much fun to tell people I am wearing a lime green sweater made from corn lol.



I know there have been more recent purchases, but they must be buried under the newest of the haul. Eventually they will be pictured .... as projects in progress if not before.

Woohoo!! The Mermaid is done .....

I haven't posted in quite some time, but there has been knitting progress nonetheless.

I finally finished the Mermaid jacket. I love it!! It fits really well, and the colors are great. Only one photo to show. The front shot didn't turn out very well at all. Must teach husband about how knits look so much better when the sun is shining on them instead of them being hidden in the shade. *sigh* Other photos will have to wait until he is home again .... yep once again he is travelling on business :o(


Pattern: Mermaid, Hanne Falkenberg
Yarn: Hanne Falkenberg 2 Ply Shetland Wool
Started: 2/15/2007
Finished: 5/5/2007

I also finally buckled down and finished up the last few repeats on the Chevron Stripes Hand Towel and finally got around to taking a photo to post. More linen has been purchased for towels for the half bath, and much cotton has been purchased for matching washcloths. I cast on for one of them this evening and am just about 1/3 through it. Progress photos tomorrow (if I remember to blog lol)


Pattern: Chevron Stripes Hand Towel, Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Eroflax Linen
Started: 3/12/2007
Finished: 5/4/2007

The other 2 Mermaid kits I ordered arrived, and I have cast on for one of them. I decided to start with the sleeves this time since that's where I kind of lost interest in the project on the last one. We'll see if this helps speed the knitting process up some.



I know the month is 1/3 gone now, but I'm going to post my goals anyway. For May I am hoping to accomplish:

2 bathroom washcloths
Jenn's leg cozies
Surplice Lace Top
Knee High to a Grasshopper socks
Tofutsies socks
2 pair baby socks

Light at the end of the ......

...Mermaid??

Why yes, I do believe I finally see the light at the end of my Mermaid. I finished one sleeve Saturday, and cast on the second yesterday. This should be complete just in time for the other 2 kits I ordered to arrive. Ummmm yep, I ordered 2 more Mermaid kits Friday. One for me in fun greens and blues, and one for my mother in luscious purples. I think I'll start with the sleeves on both those when I cast them on.



I've completed my 4th pair of socks for the 52 Pair Plunge. I can't wait to get the ribbon for these. I love them!!


Pattern: Elegant Ribbed Socks, Favorite Socks
Yarn: Heilo, Dale of Norway
Started: 4/21/2007
Finished: 4/30/2007

Warning!! Rockin Sock Club spoiler below. If you don't have your kit yet, and want to keep it a surprise, close your browser now :o)










I received my kit last week, and I'm so proud of myself for holding out until yesterday to wind the yarn into a cake lol. Like I really need another pair of socks on the needles right now. Wasn't my last post about finishing in progress projects before starting new ones??

But, I ask you, who could resist casting on these?? The yarn is a silk/merino blend and it's luxurious beyond words. I see myself ordering more of this once it's available.



I am making the regular length version of the Grasshopper socks, but will be buying more of the Silkie yarn to make the knee high version at a later date. Aren't these beautiful?



I made myself put down the sock in progress last night and finished up my required number of ridges on the Mermaid sleeve. I'll continue to do this until she is done, then all bets are off and the Grasshoppers will have my full attention!

Too Many Projects!

Well, I've gone and done it again!! Just when I was congratulating myself on the new project self-control, I had to go and cast on yet another one.

The goal was to have 1 sweater, 1 pair of socks, and 1 misc. project on the needles ONLY! As of tonight's count, I have 2 sweaters in progress, 2 pair of socks in progress, and 2 misc. projects in progress. Time to buckle down and finish some of these.

Although I won't post a photo until it's washed and blocked, I did pull out the Chevron Stripes Hand Towel and do the last couple of repeats tonight. I will start on weaving in the eleventy-gazillion ends tomorrow night, and should have it through the laundry and photographed by this weekend. Whew! Now only have 5 projects on the needles.

I cast on a Mermaid sleeve Sunday evening and have been working a bit on it each night. I really need to put some more effort into finishing this sweater, but all I can think of is cool linen and cotton tops for summer.



Speaking of cool cotton tops for summer, I cast on a new sweater for the Sweater A Month Knitalong. This one is from the Nashua Handknits Designer's Collection, like the crochet tank I just completed. I love the lace pattern and so far it's going pretty quickly. The yarn is yummy. Nashua Handknits Ecologie Cotton. I love the subtle shading .... and whadayaknow, it's not pink!






Also cast on, although it shouldn't have been, is the Leg Cozies pattern from Lace Style. Jenn says the leg warmers are "really cute" .... and we know that's saying a lot from someone who "doesn't like knitted stuff". I will forgive myself for casting on a project ahead of schedule since it is a gift for my daughter. Well, that, and I haven't yet cast on something for the Lace Style Knitalong. Hopefully these will go quicker than that hand towel did.



There has been some, but not much, progress on the sock front too. A couple more repeats of the ribbed cable pattern and I will be ready to turn the heel and knit the foot of the first Elegant Rib Sock. These are knitting pretty quickly for the amount of time I've spent on them. Due to the weight of the Heilo no doubt.



Even less progress on the Tofutsies sock. I should know better than to do straight stockinette socks. You'd think they would knit quickly since there is no thinking involved, but my mind wanders too much doing straight stockinette and I wind up putting them down in favor of something with more challenge after only a few rounds. Looks like there may be more baby socks in the near future to keep me on track in the 52 Pair Plunge.

Sock Sunday?

Today's blog post is supposed to be about socks, and nothing but socks. Problem is, I spent the day happily knitting along on just about anything except socks lol.

I finally pulled Mermaid out of the bottom of the knitting bag and finished the body piece. It was not the chore I kept imagining it would be, so I'm hoping that once I cast on the sleeves progress will continue at the rate it was about a month ago. I haven't seamed up the collar or shoulders yet, but this is basically what she will look like. I am so happy with the colors I chose. This will be a staple piece of my wardrobe next winter.



Yesterday I did the final few rounds on the ribbing of the second Hidden Passion sock. Finishing these keeps me right on track with the 52 Pair Plunge. Three complete pair of socks in three weeks. I hope I can keep up the pace :o)





Pattern: Hidden Passion, Favorite Socks
Yarn: Cider Moon Haiku
Started: 3/22/2007
Finished: 4/21/2007

As I thought, I was able to finish all but weaving in the few final ends on the V-Neck Tank. After showing her to some fellow knitters yesterday I've decided that I will, in fact, try to wear her to work. If I get strange looks I'll know she is a bit too loud for the workplace and only wear her during non-work hours.


Pattern: V-Neck Cotton Top, Nashua Handknits North American Designer Collection No. 4
Yarn: Mondial Lucente
Started: 4/6/2007
Finished: 4/20/2007

I couldn't decide which pair of socks to knit next, so I quit struggling with temptation and just cast on both pairs. As long as both are complete in 2 weeks I will call the experiment a success.

Even though they are knee high and made of 100% wool, I've been dying to make the Elegant Rib Socks from Favorite Socks. I am using the called for Heilo and will purchase ribbon to wear them like they are modeled in the book. These, of course, will sit in the sock drawer until fall, when it is cool enough to wear them.



The other pair of socks that was calling my name are some plain vanilla stockinette socks made with Tofutsies. I've seen some comentary on the yarn over the past week or so, but don't agree with those who don't care for it. I guess it's all just a matter of taste, but I find the colors fun not ugly. I wonder what type of needles those who find the yarn too splitty are using. I'm not having trouble with splitting so far, and am knitting mine using rosewood dpns from Lantern Moon. Maybe since these needles don't have too sharp a point I am having more success than some.



I am just about to outgrow my sock drawer. Any other knitters having that problem?? What is your solution?