Oooh, look, FOs! and WIPs too!

First off, we have a pair of socks that have been a loong time coming. Yup, I finally finished the Ice Christmas socks (aka Eunice from Cookie A's sock book). I added a repeat to the leg, and um, they look good. Not a huge fan of the yarn (Knit Picks Imagination), since I prefer my sock yarn more tightly spun, but they look good.

 Then we have a WIP, the Anniversary socks from Favorite Socks, in Ella Rae Lace Merino. While not technically a sock yarn, it's the right weight and is a dream to knit with. I started these on Monday, and am already on the foot. Pattern looks complicated but isn't really, but do watch out for the errata!

 Another FO, this one completed back in August. This is a really simple knit, co 60 stitches, work the Elegant Ribbed pattern from the Elegant Ribbed Stockings from Favorite Knits, and just remember to do a thumb. The nice thing about these is that there's no left or right hand. And yes, I made up the pattern myself. The yarn is Ella Rae Lace Merino again, and I used less than half the skein. Thinking of making a cowl with the rest....

 And a WIP, Peach Roam. Ambrosia got frogged, and since it's finally getting vaguely cooler I thought a cardigan would be nice. Enter Roam. I like the linen stitch, and it's a pretty brainless knit. This is important, since I've had a migraine for almost two weeks now and brainless is about all I can manage.

 And another FO. A pair of socks (yes, there's only one in the picture, but I promise there are two and they're both done). This is from More Sensational Socks, done in Berroco Comfort. It's a 4 stitch repeat, and right now I can't remember what it's called.  Anyway, this was the fastest I've ever knit a pair of socks, since they got done in 2 weeks flat.

Oops...

I finally took the plunge and tried on the Ambrosia top last night.  Well...

So much for um, not flashing people.  Or fitting.  I was knitting the medium size, and had started the neckline rows earlier, but that hasn't helped.  I'm not quite sure what to do at this point.  Maybe pull back to the raglan increases and switch to the small size?  Or just pull it all out and start fresh with the small size?  Or pull it all out and go to a smaller needle?  Color of pic is slightly off, as I took it with my computer's webcam (it's the easiest way to take pictures of myself).

I'll try to head over to Lovin' Knits and see what they suggest.  If it was a pullover, I'd probably just add a lace panel to cover and provide modesty, then add more decreases at the waist.  With a cardigan, I dunno how I'd make that work.  I could certainly add more waist decreases, but that doesn't solve the problem of a neckline that's trying hard to be a waistline instead.

In other news, I finished my first Elegant Ribbed Gauntlet, except for the thumb.  I need to cast on for the second one, but I got distracted (shocking, I know) by the Ice Christmas socks.  Worked on them for the first time in months last night, and the second one now has a heel flap and turn!  I also finished the scarf a while ago, and am really happy with it.

Current plans are to:
1. Fix ambrosia.  Or frog and restart.
2. Finish Ice Christmas sock.
3. Do second gauntlet and write up pattern.
4. Find the two other wip socks I have floating around here.  Frog or finish them.
5. Ignore urge to cast on more socks.

A sweater in progress and other wips

Well, I did end up starting a sweater.  Ambrosia from this summer's IK. And while I did a great deal of knitting on it over the weekend, I did no work on it at all on Tuesday. Why, you may ask? Because I needed to wind another ball of yarn for it, and I have no swift or ball-winder so it takes me a while.  Anyway, here's a picture. I've just put the sleeves on waste yarn, and about to start the front shaping. Since I didn't want such a low neck in front, I'm starting the front neck shaping after 3 rows instead of 9.

 I ended up working on the scarf instead, and it's past the halfway point now.  I'm quite happy with it, and it looks like I'll have plenty left over.  Maybe I'll make a pair of handwarmers to match?

And then, because this week ended up much more stressful than I had hoped, I cast on for something else.  Okay, I bought yarn, then cast on for something else.

Sorry about the out of focus, the camera did not like this.  This will be a pair of hand warmers done using the Elegant Ribbing from the Elegant Ribbed Socks from Favorite Socks.  Originally I had planned to do a cabled knot in the center, bordered by two simple cables, but then it occurred to me that the variegated yarn wouldn't really show that sort of work and I'd have to re-chart the motives for working in the round anyway, so I decided to go with the Elegant Ribbing instead.

And while I was taking pictures, here's one of Versatility...

In person, the cabling, lace, and bobbles are much more visible, I swear.

I have a pecular craving to start working on socks again, but I am trying to resist. I want to finish Ambrosia before summer's over, and I have many WIPs.  Must finish what I have before I start more.  Really.

Stupid Yarn, Stupid Brain

I have become slightly obsessed with knitting a sweater. Now, not just any sweater mind, but this one.  I want to make it out of the grey cascade I have, minus the stripes. It is the middle of summer here, currently over 90 degrees, and I want to make a sweater. Even better, I want to make a sweater using yarn I currently can't find. The Cascade is in a sealed plastic bag somewhere in my bedroom, but where I dunno. I got busy organizing my closet to get rid of clothes I can't wear anymore (almost all my wardrobe) and things have gotten buried. It's my own fault for not putting it in with the rest of the stash.

I know that part of the reason I'm so obsessed with this sweater is that I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to manage anything complicated on Tuesday.  I know I'll need to knit, and I'm starting to think my best bet may be to grab that gorgeous cotton yarn and do a tank top of some kind. Hmm, should find tape measure as I can't remember what my bust measurement is, and guessing would probably not end well.  (I think I'm 37, 33, 42 but I've also dropped a jean size since my last measurement so Merlin knows what it is now).

I have several other projects I want to do, like Bella Paquita in the purple Calmer I have, but I can't get that darn sweater out of my head. It's not like I don't have enough stuff on the needles, after all my current WIPs are....
Versatility in Malabrigo. I've given up on the shawl I was making with it, as the book has vanished into the aether, and instead am making this. I've been wanting to for a while and thanks to the weight loss, I could actually wear it.
(no, no picture of this, sadly. It doesn't really transport well)

the Raha Scarf from Knitted Lace of Estonia. This may or may not stay with me. It may end up as a gift for mom, I haven't decided yet. I started it Saturday and am already on my 5th repeat. I am loving it, and it's just what I need right now, easy but not boring. If only I hadn't decided to try straight needles again with it. I now remember why I stopped knitting with straights. I always get the yarn snagged on a needle end during purl rows and it's annoying.

And the hibernating stuff...
Ice Christmas socks: I'm on the second heel flap and haven't touched them in months.
That other pair of socks: yeah, haven't even gotten one leg done
Nubby Trinity: Last worked on during Knit in Public day. I've gotten distracted by other shawls, ones that are not in lace weight.
The Grey Lehe: I need to find the notebook that tells me where in the pattern I am.

But hey, there has been some finished stuff!
First off, the Verdant Rose Shawl. It's an Evelyn Clark pattern, found in Knitter's Book of Wool.  I love Evelyn Clark's patterns with a passion. Love, love love!

This was made using one skein of hand-dyed sock yarn.  I didn't quite have enough, so I added a very simple crochet edging in some left-over lace-weight, the same lace-weight I used for my first lace shawl. The color isn't quite accurate, it's more blue-green than shown, but none of the pictures I got really captured the color right, so I went with the one that showed the lace best.

And the Ink Shawl. Again, sock yarn (knit picks actually), knit on size 9 needles. I ran out of yarn again, so most of the border is missing. I also did it in garter stitch rather than stockinette, mostly cause I knew that way I wouldn't have to fret about curling.

It looks kinda odd because I wrapped it around the tree to show the lace pattern. I've yet to block it. And yes, that is a stray puppy hair right in the middle.  Pattern is the Fountain Pen Shawl, from Interweave Knits, and I did 5 repeats of lace instead of 10 and it's quite big and likely to grow once blocked.

Maybe I'll just grab that big ball of green laceweight I have and start making Old Shale from Knitting Traditions? It's garter most of the way.

Stitches South. It's a dangerous place

Yes, I am fail blogger. I know.  But I just got back from Stitches South (note, post was postponed till proper yarn pictures could be taken, thus explaining why this is being posted 2 days after Stitches South ended, and 4 days after I actually went) and felt I should warn anyone ever considering going to a stitches event... it is a dangerous, dangerous place.

Imagine, tons and tons of yarn in an enclosed space.  There are yarn fumes, lots of them.  There are gorgeous handdyed skeins, heavily discounted skeins (and bags!), spinning wheels, nifty knitting notions, books, handknit scarves, shawls, and just about anything you can think of that involves fiber.

I went in with a budget of only the cash I had in my pocket.  I came out with...
One skein Miss Babs "Yummy" handpainted sock yarn in color Mallard Var.

One skein Acero from Brooks Farm Yarns, color ?  variegated green/blue/purple  (again sock yarn)

One addi lace turbo size 2 circular
and that was all my cash

But I did have my credit card and well, 2000 yards (10 skeins) of Araucania Pomaire cotton yarn color 19 was just too pretty and 2000 yards for 54 bucks!  That's a shawl and a summer top right there.

So yes, budget FAIL.  But I did the math and a top and a shawl for that cash, I'd pay about that or more in a shop and this way I get the pleasure of knitting it.

In other news, the skin issues continue.  I can't knit laceweight yarn right now, so instead I've been working on the Ice Christmas socks and cast on a new shawl.  I have decided on a new crafting goal though... one thing done a month.  Hopefully that will help me keep my WIPs from exploding.

Pictures of WIPs

Sadly, I appear to have developed a rash/blister thing on the thumb and first two fingers of my right hand which pretty much prevents me from knitting.  But I did get pretty pictures of WIPs, so I will share those...

Here we see the Nubby Trinity shawl in closeup.  Look at those colors.  So pretty.  It's sitting on a brown pillow to really show them off.

The Trinity shawl in a tree, which really shows a) how big it is and b) how airy it is.  Laceweight on size 10 needles makes for a great texture in this pattern.

And the Ice Christmas sock.  This one's now done, and I have started on its mate.  And yes, it's in the same tree.  A creative photographer I am not.

Knitting.

Not been doing much of that lately. Mostly been working on job search and playing WoW. Thus my Olympic socks, well, I have about two inches of one cuff done. They've become my D&D project, especially since I MUST get something else done before Anachrocon.

The Nubby Trinity Shawl. I started it in September to have an example of a colorful Victorian piece, and thus it needs to be done before I give my talk.

I also have been remiss with picture-taking. It is sad when I can't identify my Ravelry projects because I can't remember the names and there's no picture. So tomorrow has officially been designated...

Melfina Takes Pictures of Projects day, with a side order of Melfina attempts organization. Should be fun.

What to do for the Olympics?

I did get the Edwardian Boat Socks done, and here is a very bad picture. Sadly, the only camera I have right now is my laptop's web cam, and that makes it a bit challenging to take sock pictures. But, yes, that is me.

And since the Olympics start Friday, and I have yet to finish knitting a pair of socks for the month, I thought it seemed like a good idea to find a pattern I like. I wanted something with a bit of interest without being too complicated, and I couldn't really find anything in cookie a's book that fit the bill. Finally I hit knitty and found...
Pyroclastic. I like the simple to knit yet complicated-looking lace, and the nice detailing. I think it will look splendid in this...