Hey ya’ll this is going to be a long catch up post. All of the pattern links are to Ravelry and the rest are to different websites (I will note the websites).
I never mentioned that I had joined the Socks From the Toe Up KAL over on Ravelry. When I received Socks From the Toe Up (Amazon link) by Wendy Johnson (her blog) in the mail I absolutely feel in love with every pattern in the book. Then while cruising Ravelry I found this group and just had to join even though I tend to have trouble actually working on KAL projects (the whole, oh look shiny and away I go on another path thing). We are doing one pattern from the book every month and for those who want we are also voting on one of her free patterns to knit each month as well. When I first read that I couldn’t believe it because I thought I would have trouble knitting just one pair of socks each month and for people to think they could knit two pairs I thought was crazy. Well, count me among the crazy then because for June I finished both pairs in time and I am so pleased with myself since it pushed me to actually knit everyday. I had become lax about knitting everyday and was sometimes only knitting on my days off. For June we had the Lacy Ribs from the book and Sprucey Lucy for the free pattern.
I made the Sprucey Lucy’s for myself and am in love with them, except for the yarn choice. I actually really took the time to check fit and everything and they are the best fitting pair I have made for myself. I am really loving how well the heel fits me, so I will be using the Slip-Stitch heel from Wendy’s book on most of the socks I make. I already know from my Leyburns that short row heels don’t work for me due to my instep, so those are out, but I will be trying the Gusset heel on one of them at least to see how they fit. On the yarn front I love the feel of and the stitch definition of the yarn, but the colorway was not the best choice (for anything, it looks nothing like the sample sock that made me purchase it). So onto Sprucey Lucy photos and details.
Started: June 1, 2009
Finished: June 30, 2009
Needles: 2 US 1 (2.25mm) 16″ KnitPicks Harmony Circular Needles(KnitPicks) – done 2 at a time (2aat)
Yarn: Jojoland Melody (Jojoland) in a colorway of pale greens, purple, bluish green, and a yellow-green
Cast On: Turkish
Heel: Slip-Stitch
Cast Off: Sewn Bind-off
Mods: I made the toe more rounded by knitting the first 6 rows of the toe as increase rows and then finished the increases normal. I also only made the cuff about 3-4″ high as I prefer shorter socks – had to do at least 2″ of the pattern before ribbing to meet the criteria of the KAL. I also make the ribbing so that it was working in a sort of pattern that flowed with the pattern already established.
I made the Lacy Ribs for my grandma. Back in April when my great-grandma passed away my grandma saw me knitting the Diagonal Lace socks (FO photos later in this post) and wanted to try them on. So I let her and she fell in love with them and asked me to knit her a pair – of course I made sure I didn’t have to use the same pattern and also checked on colors she liked. I ended up falling in love with this pattern so I will most likely have to go back to it and knit myself a pair at some point. I hope she likes them and that they fit – I had told her that it would most likely be towards the end of the year so I had to guess at the measurements. I took the sock that she tried on and made the Lacy Ribs skinnier since the Diagonal Lace socks were a little loose on her. I hope they come at a good time – my Uncle Lou pasted away yesterday (her brother). He was in poor health, but it was still completely unexpected. I am hoping that these socks will give her some comfort during this rough time. So onto Lacy Ribs photos and details.
Started: June 20, 2009
Finished: June 29, 2009
Needles: 2 US 2 (2.75mm) 16″ KnitPicks Harmony Circular Needles(KnitPicks) – 2aat
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Yarn (CHPY link) in Fingering in the Opps! colorway
Cast On: Turkish
Heel: Slip-Stitch
Cast Off: Sewn Bind-off
Mods: I made the toe more rounded by knitting the first 6 rows of the toe as increase rows and then finished the increases normal. I also only made the cuff about 4-5″ high as I wasn’t sure of how tall Grandma would like her socks – had to do at least 2″ of the pattern before ribbing to meet the criteria of the KAL.
For this month the patterns for the KAL are the On-Hold socks from the book and the Nanner socks for the free pattern. I have plans to do both if I can finish them. Unlike last month though I am not going to cast on for both pairs to start. I started with the On-Hold socks and am loving the yarn – so far I haven’t gotten past the toe increases due to being very busy, but I have nothing to do for the rest of today and tomorrow so should make some progress on them yet this weekend. I really hope I can finish them and get to the Nanners as I have had the Nanners (yarn and pattern) sitting in my knitting basket for almost 2 years. Here is a progress photo and details.
Started: July 1, 2009
Finished: ???
Needles: 2 US 1 (2.25mm) 16″ KnitPicks Harmony Circular Needles(KnitPicks) – 2aat
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill (CTH) Supersock Merino (CTH link) in the Birches color
Cast On: Turkish
Heel: ???
Cast Off: ???
Mods: I made the toe more rounded by only casting on 8 stitches instead of 15, then knitting the first 6 rows of the toe as increase rows and then finishing the increases normally (had to add an extra increase on each needle to account for correct stitch count, should have cast on 9 stitches).
Now onto the Diagonal Lace Socks. I love these, but they are too big for me. Not only are they too loose, but they are also to long – by about an inch. Oh, well they do make very comfy socks for lounging about the house in. Now, for the photos and details.
Started: March 11, 2009
Finished: April 10, 2009
Needles: 2 US 2 (2.75mm) 1 circulars – 2aat
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight (Blue Moon Fiber Arts link) in the Pink Granite color
Cast On: cannot remember – probably Judy’s Magic Cast-On (link to directions)
Heel: Slip-Stitch
Cast Off: Sewn Bind-off
Now, onto a life update. Obviously I mentioned my uncle’s passing. I would like to note here the message my sister put up on Facebook (do I need to say it – Facebook link)
Rest in Peace Uncle Lou (great uncle) – I will always remember you as the life of the party and I am really proud to have used my daughter’s name as a way to continue your daughter’s legacy… it means so much to me.
Now I want to explain what she meant. My Uncle Lou had a daughter named Tammie Lorraine who died of cancer when she was a child. My mom at the time was around 10 or so and was really close to Tammie, so when Jenn was born she asked Uncle Lou if she could use Lorraine as Jenn’s middle name. Almost 24 years later when Natalie was born my sister asked Uncle Lou if she could continue the name. When my mom asked he was touched and then when my sister asked he was even more touched. I just cannot believe that the “life of the party” is gone – he was always so much bigger than life and so warm and welcoming that it will be hard to go home and not see him.
My mom is healing as well as can be expected. She is finally back at work – with restrictions, but back. We still are not sure how much of a permanent effect this will have on her as she is still in therapy and regaining lost motions. That she will end up with a partial disability is undeniable, but as to how much it is anyone’s guess. We are hoping for the best, which is all that we can do.
My sister has a tentative c-section date of August 31, 2009 to have her baby. She is having a boy and the main reason that the date is tentative is because he is measuring about 10 days too big. She was 30 weeks on Wednesday and was measuring at almost 32 weeks, so they may end up either taking him early if he starts to get way too big or she may go into early labor. She has a name all picked out, but we are not telling anyone until he is born. Right now the plan is for mom to go up the Saturday or Sunday before the c-section and stay until the Saturday or Sunday after. The same day that she leaves will be the day I head up for a week (hopefully – my vacation hasn’t been approved yet) so that she will have help for the first 2 weeks after the c-section. Which with Natalie (2), 2 dogs, a husband, a home, and a newborn she will really need. I will keep ya’ll posted on any developments with her.
Current knitting is the On-Hold socks (and once they are done the Nanners). I also need to get the baby’s blanket and sweater done because he will be here before you know it. I am also making an identical sweater for Natalie and will make some winter white corduroy pants for him and a skirt for Natalie to wear with them for photos. I am making the Tulips Sweater in stripes of winter white, pale olive, mid olive, and dark olive for both of them. I thought that it would make for some awesome Christmas photos of the two of them. I also need to keep working on Christmas gifts and really need to find a pattern for Natalie’s poncho. I would also like to take my Feather and Fan Shawl (that I was working on last year when Brandon died) out and rip back (I made a lot of errors working on it at the hospital) to the start of the lace and finish it. I would really like to get this project done because the longer I wait the more the memories of those dark days come back to haunt me when I work on it. Plus, I could really use the finished shawl to keep warm in the house. Normally we keep the house fairly warm in the summer (around 78 to 80), well this year for some reason Dad is keeping the house at 72 – which while nice when you are warm can get a little chilly. Especially for me since I knit at my computer desk normally (which is the only chair in my room, so unless I want to watch a bunch of stupid TV it is my only option) and my computer chair is directly under the air vent. I wish there was some way to rearrange my room, but with all of the furniture, books, and yarn that I have in here it is impossible to come up with another way to work it all in.
Well, this post has taken me several hours in between eating and cleaning so I am going to go for now, but not before I say Happy Forth of July to all Americans, especially to all the men and women who serve in our armed forces.
