Yay Me!

Yes, I know I sound like London from The Suite Life of Zac and Cody (or Suite Life on Deck if you're currently watching the show), but I got over another "blah me" hurdle and finally started my Knit Along Project for Goldenbird's New Techniques year long KAL! And I've found that I'm learning a few new techniques.

I decided on the Mini Mochi Entrelac socks (and if they don't fit me, I may cry until I totally dissolve, because I think they are going to be a lot of work).

source

I am using Premiere Yarns Deborah Norville Collection Serenity Sock Weight Yarn which is nice and cheap, 50% Merino Superwash, 25% Bamboo, and 25% Nylon. It is a little splitty, but at $4.50/230 yards, the price is right (but I am realizing I'm going to have to get more, as size 3 needles are recommended, and I'm using size 1 - as per the pattern, and I need 500 to 550 yards and I only have 460). And the colorwasy are lovely. I'm using Chili.


socks by PaulaStitches

AND, to get started, I had to learn a Provisional Cast on, which totally geeked he out when I watched Lucy Neatby's great video on it, as it's crochet AND knitting at the same time!! Could anything be better? You can watch the video here.

So, I'm only on the first knitted layer of the first sock, but I was so excited about knitting a few stitches that I had to blog about it. Why have I not been knitting? I LURVE to knit! Look for updates, I will try not to gripe as these are my mortal nemesis, socks.

Yay Me!

What? Knitting content?

I know. It's been an inordinately long amount of time since I posted anything about knitting on my formerly knitting blog. But guess what, knitty friends? I'm writing a knitting post! This is all brought on by the fact that I joined Golden Bird Knits' 2001 New Techniques Knit Along and am feeling that urge to pick up the sticks again. She's having a giveaway right now; go check out her site and become a follower (and the KAL is on ravelry).

Anyhow, I have never knit a pair of socks that properly fit me. My calves are genetically large and I have a very very very high arch. So when I go to put on my knitted socks I (a) can't get my foot into them and/or (b) constrict all of the blood in my calves to the point that my foot looses all circulation. I Want to knit a pair of socks I actually like! And in the process, I'll practice a few techniques.

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Crystal Palace Yarns has a really cool pattern for entrelac socks that uses two single pointed needles. The Mini Mochi Entrelac sock pattern offers me a chance to learn entrelac and also learn a new sock making technique. The ravelry reviews on this sock have said that it is a large sock, which fits my huge calve needs, too. And it's so darn cool looking, and would give me an opportunity to use some of the self striping yarn that I have.

This pair of kilt hose was knit by Ravelry member mrsmcg

Then there's the Tiorneach Kilt Hose. They have a lovely lace edge which hides a garter to hold up the sock. The calves are ample and the pattern uses DK weight yarn. I have some cashmere blend Karabella yarn that I've been holding onto forever, waiting for the right pattern, and I think this might be it. And I like the "seam" detail that runs up the back of the hose. This pattern was designed for man legs and can also be modified, so I'm thinking they just might fit me.

So what do you think? What pattern do you fancy? I'm not sure which to start with, so let me know what you think!

Short Migrainous Post

I've had a migraine for the last few days. So I haven't much wanted to write. I get them often; this one is s doozy.

From We Heart It

I am working on a few things:

* A pattern for some gauntlet gloves with a Celtic motif

* A new book I bought on creativity which I will talk about a lot, most likely

* My lace, which I realize I haven't posted a picture of

* I also want to finally finish my Michael Kors sweater (that I think I've been working on for 2 years now).

* The yarn still needs unraveling and rewinding

* Hopefully I'll place some cute vintage stuff on the store's site in the next few days

* Oh, and taking lots of Excedrin migraine to keep this headache under control.

Hope all is going well for all of you and I'll write more tomorrow!

A Total Knitting Headache (and some Pretty Pictures)

I finally have some lace cast on. After 3 attempts at starting, frogging, and starting again, I finally have almost a repeat of my pattern (of many many repeats). The last row I knit, however, was one of the most excruciating knitting experiences of my life - many, many, many dropped stitches, discovering that on the row below there were holes where there weren't supposed to be holes which threw the whole pattern off, oh, and there weren't holes where there were supposed to be holes!!! It took me almost an hour to knit 99 stitches to fix all of the problems that popped up.



BUT - I was able to fix them! And not everyone would have been able to, or would have had the slightest idea what to do to correct all of the problems I found.



SO, although I now have a rip roaring headache, I feel good about my improving knitting skills, and I may just have something worth publishing a photo of pretty soon!


(all photos from We Heart It.)

Lace Knit Along

Now here is something that I am excited about! Kate Creates is hosting an
Adventures in Lace Knit Along which I've joined. I am not good at knitting lace. In fact, I pretty much suck at it. It's one of those things that I've thought I really needed to work on. So what better way to improve my skill than join a knit along hosted by one of my favorite bloggers?



The rules are simple (you can't complain about these!):

1. You can use any pattern.
2. You can use any yarn you wish.
3. You must have fun.
4. Anyone can join at anytime - there are no deadlines.
5. There are no more rules.

Here are the patterns that I am considering. I could only get tiny pics of them, but I've placed their Rav links below. What should I knit? They are all so beautiful!


Absinthe by Sara Morris


Vent d'est vent d'ouest by Marie Adeline Boyer


Woodland Lace Socks by Keere Ann


Victorian Lace Scarf by Rachel Leverton


Baudelaire by Cookie A.

So I'm really excited! First, I've never knit a pair of socks that I actually liked, second, I have so much yarn for this type of thing it's ridiculous, and finally, maybe I'll knit some lace that actually had holes in it!