Many updates and new stuff!

 Since I've been physically occupied with surgery haven't done much knitting until now. Thanks to a very good enabler friend who took me shopping at Michael's, I found a book and some yarn.

Now most of those projects I will never get to but it does serve as inspiration and at least one project caught my eye. Oh and most of the yarns were not your run-of-the-mill type of yarns of course but substitutes are not hard to find.

Case in point: The Starbird Shawl. Brown and blue paired together is my weakness and this being a shawl got my attention immediately. Well, the yarn they used is a high end eco friendly type yarn that sells for $40 a skein. You need two just for the gradient, don't remember if the solid was the same price but even so, that's way too high even if someone else is giving me money for it. Frugal as always.   I remembered the yarn company Hobbii that has incredibly beautiful gradient yarns out of cotton blends mostly but that's fine.

The closest I found was Twister in 'Nordic Winter' that wasn't blue and brown but close enough  and they dye match the solids in a list of colors right on the product page. So just have to look for what color you need then go find the solid to match. They even have a little paper tab on the center pull! For a lot cheaper by the way, and the yarn is the same composition as well. Very soft 55 cotton/45 acrylic and the gradient is over 1000yds! Solid is almost half that and half the price of the gradient which was just under $40. More yardage for less cost, yes please! So that's in a 'future project' bag at the moment because I got other projects to finish.

The green 'Faux Braid Pad Foot Sock' is finished! With only a tiny bit of yarn left by choice  in case of needing to patch a hole. It also fits but, it is only one sock. This was a pattern test so not critical to get the second one done. I loved how the colors striped at the heel and I can see how it stripes through the lace as well. The other ball is waiting in the box...

I was able to find a set of 'sock' circular needles on Amazon for cheap, which is a danger I know, but I have been itching to get these Sheepicorn socks finished! The set 6 sizes from zero to 4 and all of them 47 inches long! Now having gotten excited about them and did check reviews,  I decided to get them.

They're from KnitPal and yes, an off brand that specializes in bulk collections and stuff but when there's a need and want, you go with what you can afford.
Firstly, they are not a straight needle tip, they have a bend toward the cable, not a bad thing, I've knitted with needles like that before but the tips are really long as well. The cables are a bit stiffer than I am used to working with but are nylon covered silver cable but they're workable. The join is smooth just have to allow for the bend in the needle which is 5.5" which is fine. So size 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4. I  needed the size 2, I have yarn that calls for size 4 (the shawl) and another sock yarn that calls for a 2 or 3. So I'm set! One downside is having to size the needles and figure out how to mark them accordingly but that's an easy thing because I also got a new needle/hook sizer while at Michael's. I would say these are on par with the original Twist cables from ChiaoGoo that have the metal cable core.

A friend bought me the black/grey Kroy socks a while ago and then when in Michael's I picked up the green/turquoise. Now with the new needles I split the big ball of Sheepbacca from Laser Sheep yarns I've had for years and then looked at the black/grey, looked at the brown... slightly different gauge but there's a pattern waiting to be made with those two I know it. 

One other yarn I don't have a picture of yet is from Premier that has a collection of sock yarns in different themes and one is Fruits. Because I had just visited another friend who has all manner of fruit trees and Dragonfruit growing... I  had to get the one in Dragonfruit.

Socks are very hard to get right and even though this looks stunning, I'm going to be making a pair of long fingerless gloves instead. The other reason is this is acrylic and 'PBT' which I had to look up and is basically polyester. So not so much for comfy socks that need to breath. As per AI overview: "PBT yarn, derived from the polymer Polybutylene Terephthalate, is a type of polyester yarn known for its excellent elasticity, durability, and resistance to chemicals and UV radiation. It offers a comfortable and breathable feel in fabrics and is often used in sportswear, swimwear, and other applications requiring stretch and recovery. " So yes, it's stretchy but I'd rather have wool/cotton on my feet or variations of that. Besides I owe her a new set of gloves.

I'm happy I get to work on the Sheepicorn socks again and the cable will accomodate both socks all the way through the heel turn. Now to decide on what to pick up next....

Blue socks are done!!!

 Still other projects on the needles, hoping to get replacement needles for the Sheepicorn socks. Let me tell you these were a pain to keep going. I don't mind the pattern but the yarn doesn't show it very well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These fit alright but are tough to get on over the heel so the reknit of the green/yellow socks has begun and those are going to be a bit roomier. This yarn does not stretch a whole lot so it acts more like cotton than wool (Interesting pooling on those heels right?)

I dropped way too many stitches at the beginning of the cuff and had to separate them so I could work on the mistake, took the cuff completely down and was able to knit it back up again. I did about four rounds of half twisted rib (only knit through the back on the knit stitches) and then gave up on that because I timed myself and it was taking almost ten minutes to do one round. Counted the rounds and was able to make them match. You can see the snug heel fit so if anyone knows someone with long narrow feet, let me know.

An unexpected find on our community table. Someone was cleaning out old purses and I found this one. Magnetic snaps, pockets inside and out, adjustable strap and a zipper to close the top, VOILA! New project bag! Then I was rifling through a storage cupboard and discovered an old lunch bag that would also work for a small project bag. Front two pockets on this one can hold stitch marker containers, small scissors, small tape measure and whatever else. Inside there's a pocket big enough for crochet hooks and gauge ruler, back zipper pocket is good for maybe the same thing or a paper pattern. Not quite big enough for my ipad but close. So small project bag and fashionable too!

Since I don't have a good set of long needles in the size I need, the green/blue/yellow 'Faux Braid' socks will be done one at a time. Writing notes on the pattern as I go for stitch counts and might use a different type of heel for this set. Wish I had some blue or green for the heel but oh well, Tofootsies isn't produced anymore and last time I asked in a yarn group if anyone had some I actually had someone laugh react to my request so.... not happening.

That's all the news for now, once a month something happens, happy knitting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frustrations of finding needles

 So I was hoping to buy a replacement needle for the one that broke on the Sheepicorn socks. LYS doesn't have the size and length of the type I need, Knit Picks is expensive if I wanted to get two sizes that I need it would be about $25. They have 'some' needles on sale, and in the nickle plated don't have the size and length I need. Grrumble. Going through Amazon for Chiao Goo is on hold due to choosing to boycott for ordering online (not going to go into details here but if you've been following the news, explanation isn't necessary). So I'm stuck with working on the gloves still, and decided to pick up the crochet project that was going to be a blanket. I am using a dark royal blue as a border on the multi color piece that's been languishing. Decided it will be a good mat for Rocky to lay on in the kitchen window.

I have decided that these socks will not be fitting any natural foot so when I get the courage I'll be taking it off the needles and rewinding the yarn to start again. It's still sitting in the corner, banished from activity until I decide to do that. I love the Faux Braid pattern, just the sole will be standard knit with a padded heel I think. 

I just spent most of my 'hobby money' on some soil and fertilzer for the garden instead. Priorities I suppose are determined by the constraints of commerce.

That's all I've got for now, just plugging along.

Gloves are shaping up and a demo sock

 The gloves are working out much better by not increasing as rapidly halfway up the thumb and then I didn't write down how often I increased every other and every three rows but it's turning out better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No puckering and a lot closer to the thumb. I decided to increase every other row once then every third row twice and at this point going to increase every other row. I'm liking it.

The green experimental 'Faux Braid Pad Foot' sock is... a work in progress and will be frogged and re-designed.

 

The issue is the braid pattern is a lot looser than the sole of the sock making it fit oddly and the slip stich fits too small. I looked at the slip stitch sole pattern and... they only do it on the ball and heel not the entire length. Which makes a lot more sense.  I wrote addendums to the pattern for adding in extra stitches on the sides so will see how that works out. Will also look at the pattern again more closely, the reason why I only got the idea is because that is a top down pattern not toe up.  It's a demo sock, now I know it doesn't work in this configuration and will try again.

That braid pattern though is really nice, I like it, does need some attention but it works well for a sock, just not this pattern. The slip stitch works really cool with the color pattern but maybe not in this configuration.

 

I will frog it all back to the toe and do the braid pattern and just knit on the sole. Also make it a bit wider as well. 

That's been my knitting adventures for the week. More pictures and updates when there's more progress.

Sigh.

Just not a good knitting week and pattern design

 I looked at the blue gloves again and decided.... the thumb gussets had to come out. They are much too big, not going to have sloppy knitting on my hands. Literally. 

 

 

So yes, I frogged both of them all the way back to where the gusset starts. This gives me a chance to also get them both in sync with row sequence as well. Not too much frustration with picking up stitches. I made sure to stop where an all knit row was to make it easier. At least on the first one I did. Second one, sill my was distracted and had to be careful picking up the slip and knit stitches. It's not a rush project, won't be needing them for another nine months at least. 

 

Oh and I decided not to rip out the green cuffs for the other pair and just knitted the first two stitches together on the round. A couple of reasons why I chose to do that; first, I really, really did not want to restart them again. Second, the first two inches are at the thicker part of the arm and a little extra room by one stitch is actually a good thing.

 

 

 

 

I decided to try a new stitch combination on a sock. This is going to be 100% an original design for me and so far, pretty happy how it's turning out. Temporary name is 'Faux Braid Pad Foot Sock'. Because that's what it is. The pattern on the top of the foot, and the leg, is called 'Faux Braid' and the sole is a three row alternating S1K1/K/K1S1. So it adds just a little extra padding to the ball of the foot and when I get to the heel will see what type of heel will work best with the stitch. I tried to do the four row slip stitch but it curled too much so I researched to see if anyone else had done a slip stitch on the sole of a sock and someone did. Voila! The striped yarn is working out really well and I am now considering taking out the blue 'wave' socks completely down to the toe and doing a pair in this pattern.

This is an older pair of socks I own, they're good 'summer' socks because they're rather thin. What looks like moss or seed stitch is actually faked. They add an extra loop inside the sock so it thickens the stitch so technically this could be either a slip stitch or seed stitch. The yarn, of course, is much thinner than anything I want to use so in order to copy this pattern from a commercial sock will be interesting. 

Toe and heel are contrast colors and the sole is straight knit, not a problem. Making the stitch counts to  look similar is the thing. A narrow band of seed stitch, two stitches of plain, the wide band of seed, two knitted and the other narrow band of seed. So.  Starting with a women's medium, 32 sts on top to work with divide in half is 16, half again is 8. 6 seed, 2 plain st, 16 seed, 2 plain, 6 seed. The calf/leg part is a mock 3-1 rib. Technically it looks like a 3-1-1 (p1k1p1k3) but commercial stitches are deceiving. 

When I actually figure this out I'll be looking for a plain or semisolid yarn to work it in. I love colors but sometimes a solid color works better for a pattern. It feels good to be creative but I want it done now.

Right?

Again with the six rows forward eight rows ripped.

 The scarf is also coming along nicely, as it's my go to project if I'm watching a movie or need something almost mindless to work on. Then there's.... another needle parted ways and on the Sheepicorn socks to boot. I'm just getting to the heel gusset on those and the tip just folded and came off. So that has to wait until next month to get a new needle. Wish I had enough money to buy multiples of the sizes I need. Oh and I should get a new needle gauge as well. Mine is the old white plastic one that the writing is almost all worn off.

 

 

 

 

I also discovered another mistake...with the green glove cuffs. I somehow added in an extra stitch on both of them. That's an inch of knitting done and it goes all the way down to the cast on. So. I will have to pull them off the needles and restart. Sigh.

 

The pattern on the gloves calls for 16-18 sts for the thumb gusset, I saw another pattern that said 19 but it was a different pattern. I just knitted this to 19 stitches and it is way too loose. Going to have to take it back four or six rows. The length for the palm is fine, but the thumb gusset is horridly too big. So glad I have them separated and can stop the other glove where it is. I forget that this is supposed to fit snugly because it is supposed to have negative ease.

 

So glad I have them separated and can stop the other glove where it is. I forget that this is supposed to fit snugly because it is supposed to have negative ease.

So onward and upward, it's been cold and cloudy today, perfect weather for working on warm knitting.

Two steps forward, and five rows back

 I was chugging along on the gloves, working on the other projects then was looking at the gloves after starting another sequence after a knit row and saw an extra long float. Hmmph, okay that's about two rows back so put a stitch marker in it and start to tink back the rows, I then looked at it again and ....damn, it's a dropped stitch because now two more rows are loose.

This is turning out to be a problematic project. I have to unknit all the rows now and it's going to be at least three rows of slip stitch and one more row of plain knit. Hope I caught the wayward stitch, it's so hard to tell with the dark yarn. 

I am further along on the green set of gloves for my son, the issue is I'm using a joined set of cables for a nearly 47 inch long needle set. The other problem is, the join causes a stitch jam when I'm pulling it through. The colors on this one is more subtle and I had hoped to use another yarn for the slipstitch but couldn't figure out how to do that easily so.... just plain green which is okay. This yarn coordinates well with the yarn I used for his hat.

I am really loving this particular stitch though and am considering using it on a pair of winter sock/slippers. Maybe that aqua blue scratchy yarn that I can never finish a project with. It would be warm and cozy for socks and since I don't have a lot of sensation in my feet anymore, so it should work out. Just working the yarn is difficult. 

I am flat broke and wouldn't you know at least two yarn companies are having sales. Simply Sock Yarns and KP are both having sales or a promotion and I think another company is as well.

Now, if you have a sci fi geek in your house or are one, like I do, and specifically a Star Trek fan, these socks may be worth the effort to learn color work.

Star Trek Socks by Laura Hohman on Ravelry for free! I saw them being knitted by the Yarn Dragon (who is much more advanced than I am) and found the pattern. On the Ravelry page it shows someone had done it in white and pale rainbow colors which is wonderful! My sweetie only wears black socks and given the problems I'm having with the navy blue Hawthorn....no black. So, eventually, when I get the budget for more yarn and a few other projects are finished, these will be a possibility. The directions call for DPN's which is another thing I do not want to deal with again so I would use two circulars instead. Easier to manage and... would have to do them one at a time given having two yarns at a time being worked it would make doing two socks at a time even more frustrating. The pattern used Stroll solid from KP which I think would be okay for the main color but the contrast definitely would want something more colorful which would be something like Stroll Effects or Tonal.

I could go yarn shopping but am going to not get into it due to several other things going on with projects that need to be finished. Being a good girl and focusing on what needs to be done first. 

Progress is pursued

 I have both of the mitts going now, the second one is being worked on more to catch up to the first one, with the replacement needled. Here's the thing, I misremembered what size the needle was and got a US 2.5 (3 mm), I double checked and ... they're supposed to be a size 2. No wonder it was so tight initially! Well that and I was knitting entirely too tight.

 I only have about an inch more to go on the second one to start the thumb gusset and be caught up with the first one. I think the thicker cable is also keeping the stitches a bit larger and looser. Yes, that is a 40 inch ChiaoGoo Red Lace needle, if I had paused just a half minute longer I would have gotten the next size up so I could fit both of them on the same needle. It's working out fine the way it is.

Now... me being impatient and frustrated because I almost ordered the wrong size needle AND it wasn't delivered when expected because ... lack of lighting at the gate. That's something else entirely. But I decided I needed to start another project ... yes... I know.

 

I have had about a dozen of these balls of Italian sock yarn for years. It was from a 'moving/consolidation' of a fellow knitter. This was years and years ago but those are all my colors for sure and snagged the entire bag. Not knowing..what to do with them. Then I started working the yarn and every project as abandoned and frogged. It is not soft yarn at all. It's machine washable supposedly but feels like some of the scratchiest wool from an old sweater. It must have been just my hands being extra dry the other day because it's not so bad today but still not as soft as Merino superwash.

 I decided to start a pair of socks anyway but only work with it for an hour or so before my fingers start getting sore. The other thing is, it calls for size 3-4 needles and I do not have the right cables to go with that size. I did find a size 1 40" and thought, well it's going to be socks might as well be tight.

Yes indeed, they are a tight knit and I started with the 'Magic No Gauge' sock pattern but the increases were awful!

I had to double check the pattern but I was doing it right, double increases every other row but that is way too steep. It also started with only 16 stitches (eight on each needle) which makes for a very pointy toe.

When you have something that works, stick with it and don't try to improve on it. Of course because I'm knitting uber tight with smaller needles it rolls horridly and I also went for 68 stitches for final count instead of 64. The next step is, what stitch pattern to do for the foot and leg? I realized that the colors are reminiscent of water, and then thought of Pandora (Avatar) and now need to find something that works like a vine pattern or leaves or waves or something. Also hope I can change to a size 2 needle but will see what happens with that. I'm working about an inch more two more on the two just straight knit for strength in the toe while I research a possible lace pattern.

The Sheepicorn socks are also not abandoned, I work on those in the evening when I have my dark blue blanked on the bed and the lighting isn't as bright. It's been rainy and cloudy the last few days so only working on the darker colors when I'm at the desk with overhead lighting. Same with the Hiking Scarf because that is stupid simple but is getting long so I need room to sit up straight to work on it. 

More updates when they happen of course, nothing too exciting going on while projects progress.

So... decisions were made

 I realized I was not happy with the way the mitt was turning out, so I restarted the thumb gusset after frogging back. I then kept doing it in pattern and then it had two elongated stitches from a slipped stitch that didn't get picked up so I restarted.... and still was not happy and realized the increases were not even on the two sides.

 

 

 

 It was not turning out as neat and tidy as other gloves have knitted and that increase discrepancy.... not gonna put up with it so I frogged it back again. 

 

So I now have two cuffs started and just might put both on the same needle using a cable connector and restart, keeping the increases in between markers and keep the slip stitch pattern on the rest of the body but regular knit on the thumb and fingers. I compared my results with the actual pattern photo and there's was not as professional looking at all at the 'seam'.

 

Adjustments will be made and I will make these gloves! The pattern keeps my interest with the slip stitches just not with increases in the mix. So there will be a band of maybe three knit stitches when the increases start. 

The hats arrived at their destination and the boys were happy to have them. At least they were smiling when he sent me the picture. That's one reason why I want to get the gloves finished is to send them off as well in sort of coordinating colors to the hats.  I cast on with the lighter green Hawthorne thinking it would be easier if I used a lighter colored yarn but the needles and cables are already on the purple ones so I might as well just fix that problem and get them finished.

That's my update for now, ribbiting ribiting.....

Progress and hats are off!

 I finished both hats in record time, it helps with worsted weight yarn they work up so quickly.

I hope they fit the guys and aren't too small. I sent a photo of me wearing the green one to show what the sizing is. They are loose-ish so enough play in the stretch. I mailed them off today and should be up there in about seven days or so. It took me about nine or ten days to make the green hat, I can see why a lot of people just make hats for charity, easy pattern, works up fast and you can have one done in about a week.

More progress on the Cypress Hill mitt. Started on the thumb gusset but it was too confusing trying to work the slip stitch with increases so decided to do flat knitting. It's ended up with a little poof at the bottom so I may have to use some extra yarn and stitch that in.  The cuff and body are a bit snug on me but will see what happens later. I decided to start on the second one since I have the needles free and hoping by the time I finish the ribbing on that one I'll be done with the body on the first one. I doubt it because I'm working the ribbing on the second one for now. I think I'll do that until I'm long enough then go back to the first one and finish it. I wish I had the needle to do both of them at the same time but it was just too confusing. I hope to use the green yarn as well in the same pattern. The slip stitch doesn't stretch crosswise easily so the green ones I might size up to a 3 for the main body for a bit more ease. 

I rediscovered the blue wave socks in my main bag of projects, those are going to wait because the pattern is a bit more fidgety and the color is dark. I also picked up the Sheepicorn socks and am working a four row repeat in the evening when I'm sitting in bed. Sometimes two repeats. 

That's all for now, just working the patterns trying to keep calm and knit on!