I like hats

During my sock craze, I always had to keep the momentum going between mates so that I wouldn't fall to SSS, second sock syndrome, and have a bunch of singles. That would bother me to no end...so I usually went no longer than a week break between first and second sock. Now I'm kind of into hats, in fact, a lot into hats. It feels very good knitting one thing and being done!


I've been enjoying Noro Silk Garden, using Christa Giles' pattern for garter ribbed hat (purchased from Urban Yarns). She used two skeins, but I found it very easy to get away with one. I was most pleased with the fit, so I tried another colour way.


This the colour I'm on now.


Here's another, made last year, from Noro Iro using a spiral rib pattern.


And here's the one I re-knit sans flaps. I just ripped back to remove the ear flaps, and finished with a simple rolled brim. Quite sweet, oui?



The weather is cooperating very nicely for me right now. It's cold, sunny and dry - I just love having so many choices to keep my head warm!

Cable Progress, not so much

I've slowed down on the Cable Sweater. It takes so much concentration for every stitch I can barely stand it. There are pretty well no breaks at all where I can cruise along. Well, maybe one row per 20 row repeat. I've decided "reddy" is not a good project for hockey games or waiting times. It's only good for an hour ot two of complete uninterrupted time, usually when kids are in bed. Of course this is at nighttime when I don't have the most energy to carefully read the pattern. This could potentially take me more than two months to knit, what a concept! Bottom line is, it's taking a lot out of me, and I had to do something else for a bit of a breather....

.....so I swatched the yarn for Wicked, and am looking forward to some easy knitting on easy street! This colour is very rich and pretty in real life! I got gauge with this swatch and hope to whip it up pretty fast.

One more thing: I took apart a hat I had made for myself (it had ear flaps, it wasn't working for me unless I was cruising around Whistler village, which is not too often, who am I kidding....I digress) and am now re-working the bottom so it is simple ribbing. I feel good about re-making something I know I will wear instead of thinking I will wear. I'm going to need it, it is so cold right now! Thankfully the furnace guy came today to do his magic with the old beast downstairs. It has made a wonderful difference to everyone's (ie. my) disposition.

Sockfest

Finissio! Nice, hm? I'm still a little sensitive to the colour change from sock to sock, from the same skein and all, but I am reassured by anyone I show them to that that is the beauty of hand-dyed yarn, go with it! They are lovely, the colour was most pleasing to knit with all the way through. I knit these from the toe up using the Master Coriolis pattern (from this book) but added 2 extra stitches to the width of the band. I finished off with Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind-off (explained in the same book) which I really like for elasticity at the cuff. These will make a yummy gift down the road.

The photographer of the above socks showed off the ones he was wearing - these are also Fleece Artist Basic Merino in mineral. This was my first ever pair of socks I knit, and it's been a sock craze since.



Here's another pair from Cat Bordhi's book, the Tibetan Sock. This sock I knit in a class with Sivia Harding at Urban Yarns, using Koigu's Kersti yarn. It is modifed from the pattern: the original calls for casting off a few rows above the top of the heel so it's kind of like an ankle sock. Instead, I repeated the leg pattern until the skein was gone. The colours are so rich it's a shame not to use it all. It is quite thick, and knit up very fast on 3.75 mm needles! Seriously, I knit the second sock in two days, it was that quick. It washes up so well and is incredibly soft, I am looking to knit more in another stunning colourway.



I have lots more special sock yarn stash, not sure if I can whip up another pair before Christmas, but ya never know!

Diversions

I was gung-ho to finish the socks. I left the first sock cuff on a scrap of waste yarn, then started to knit the second from the other end of the ball, knitting from the toe up, so that I don't have to worry about running out of yarn. This is what I noticed:

The colour seems to have changed a bit. This gorgeous handpainted wool seems to have more oranges and pinks in this end of the ball, while the first sock, knit from the other end of the ball, had more blues and greens. I'm not sure what to do. What would I do? Cast off the first sock, then start the second from where I left off? Or just carry on? I must stop the sock for now and mull this over.


This was a happy distraction. M and I worked on some painted and stitched paper tidbits for future cardmaking.






She had painted cardstock in a set of colours and textures, cut them up after drying, and then set about adding tissue paper, beads, sequins and simple stitches with embroidery floss. We were very productive (rather, she was, since I was fussing with my sock colours).


Embellishments for cards!








There was a hockey game on Saturday night and I did not want to waste valuable knitting time while sitting in front of the TV (since the sock is on time-out), so I rummaged around in my stash and found a big lovely ball of Colinette point 5 (one skein). I started something new in the second period..


...and I finished it during After Hours HNIC. A beautiful new scarf! 8 stitches. Row 1: k1,yfwd, repeat across row ending with k1. Row 2: k across row, dropping the wraps in between each stitch. I used the whole ball. Love this!

Cashmere cloche complete

This was fast and easy! Made great progress while waiting at the dentist's office for M, and her brother D was busy playing video games. Next thing you know I was saying, voila! The swirling stripes are quite pretty and I'm happy with the effect, not to mention the softness of the knitted fabric. Sorry I couldn't get a model to show the exact depth on a human head, but I'll round up someone sooner or later for one of my FOs. This little hat wil make a great gift, it's already destined for a friend!

Speaking of which, I found a friendly looking little package waiting for me on my front doorstep when I got home this morning. Look what I opened up!

This is Artyarns Supermerino, earmarked for Wicked by Zephyr. 500 yards of sheer beauty in dusty plum! Sigh...can't wait! I ordered from fabulousyarn, based in NY. They have a discount program which I took advantage of, and with our dollar, well, why fight it? It was a great deal!



But first...I must do my best to avert second sock syndrome, and this weekend, I'll begin the mate. That's right, I finished the first one already, and it's as pretty knit up as it was on the skein!