I don't check this blog too terribly often, as I was certain my only reader was Phil and I knew that while she's a wonderful and supportive friend, going on about knitting projects and lovely yarn - is probably pretty boring to a non-knitter.
Lo & behold, I have a comment... and NOT just from any commenter! The author of the book I used to knit my socks (even though I totally messed up the name of her book)... posted a comment - on my socks... I feel so excited! AND she had just posted about going to a Yarn Harlot event - which I had wanted to go to so badly! One day, I'll get to see her - I swear! Anyway - here I am feeling quite excited by getting a comment from someone who is out-and-about in the knitting world!
Here's a link to her blog..... 2-at-a-Time-Socks
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Pair-at-a-time Socks
OK, I have NEVER knitted socks before. There was just this negative idea about spending hours and hours and hours to knit a pair of socks, when you can buy a pair for a couple of dollars that just kept me from even considering it.
But, a co-worker has been doing them, and having tremendous fun... and it's gotten my curiosity up. But, knowing that it takes about 12 hours to knit one sock, and knowing that once your done, having to turn around and start over on sock number two? Well, that's just kind of depressing concept.
So, I went out and bought a book, called pair-at-a-time knitting. The idea is that you knit both socks simultaneously on the same needles. Still takes the same amount of time, but you avoid that whole depressing condition that's got an official nickname "second sock syndrome". Which means that there are LOTS of knitters out there who make a sock, but never quite end up making it's pair - which how depressing is that? All this singular socks who never even get to the point of getting worn, to getting washed to losing their match! Their match never gets made!
Knowing that I'm a prime candidate for second sock syndrome. I figured that if I was going to learn how to knit socks, I was darn well going to do it two at a time and try to avoid that second sock syndrome.
HA! I failed miserably. Not in making the socks, if I do say so, I think they're quite cute. I failed to avoid second sock syndrome? Why? Because in the book, the first time you do this, it's QUITE CHALLENGING.... and they strongly recommend that you use two different colored yarns one for each sock so that you can tell them apart and not mess up. SO, I ended up with two different socks. If I want to make 2-pairs, I can, but that would involve making a second set of mis-matched pair-at-a-time socks. Guess what? I'm not going to bother! Totally have second sock syndrome. These two lonely socks will never meet their sole-mate (sorry, couldn't talk myself out of that pun!).
But, a co-worker has been doing them, and having tremendous fun... and it's gotten my curiosity up. But, knowing that it takes about 12 hours to knit one sock, and knowing that once your done, having to turn around and start over on sock number two? Well, that's just kind of depressing concept.
So, I went out and bought a book, called pair-at-a-time knitting. The idea is that you knit both socks simultaneously on the same needles. Still takes the same amount of time, but you avoid that whole depressing condition that's got an official nickname "second sock syndrome". Which means that there are LOTS of knitters out there who make a sock, but never quite end up making it's pair - which how depressing is that? All this singular socks who never even get to the point of getting worn, to getting washed to losing their match! Their match never gets made!
Knowing that I'm a prime candidate for second sock syndrome. I figured that if I was going to learn how to knit socks, I was darn well going to do it two at a time and try to avoid that second sock syndrome.
HA! I failed miserably. Not in making the socks, if I do say so, I think they're quite cute. I failed to avoid second sock syndrome? Why? Because in the book, the first time you do this, it's QUITE CHALLENGING.... and they strongly recommend that you use two different colored yarns one for each sock so that you can tell them apart and not mess up. SO, I ended up with two different socks. If I want to make 2-pairs, I can, but that would involve making a second set of mis-matched pair-at-a-time socks. Guess what? I'm not going to bother! Totally have second sock syndrome. These two lonely socks will never meet their sole-mate (sorry, couldn't talk myself out of that pun!).
Half-done with sweater
It is definitely taking forever to do! I got a lot of work done on it while I was laid up... but then there was a damaged knitting needle issue that I had to get new ones. Didn't trust "A" to run to a knitting store to pick up the needles for me... so I got them online.
Here's the back piece:
Here's the back piece:
Promised slideshow of a trying on his sweater
"A" is off of his computer this morning - means I have time to sneak on and make my slide show. "a" was playing superman the day we tried this on - so there was no 'holding still' and making nice for the camera. What was I thinking even trying? LOL
So here is my Super-a doing his best Super-a poses!
So here is my Super-a doing his best Super-a poses!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Afghan pieces
I've mostly been working on dishclothes - and I know those are probably pretty boring to view, so I haven't been posting them. I've worked on my sweater a LOT - only then I had a small issue with the plastic knitting needles I'm using.... I got a slit in the needle itself and it would keep 'catching' the yarn. So, I tried filing it a bit/cutting it a bit... and it only got worse. I ordered new knitting needles to replace them via eBay - so once those arrive, I can go back to work on it again.
I also finished my ski cap/scarf the night before my first trip to the Mountain to go skiing... one of these days, I'll snap a picture of it & my progress on my sweater.... I swiped my camera back from "A" so I could get pictures taken - right around the surgery; and he managed to sneak it back before I got anything done.
So - these pictures, I had to snap before I shipped them off.... so sorry for the quality - this is off my cell phone.... These are donated pieces of an afghan I'm donating to a project that an online group has put together to provide 'comfort' to a mother who recently lost her child. Not much 'comfort' I think - but it's something that several of us at least can do something.... and hopefully the message still comes across that there are those who care and wish they could do more.
Basically these are adaptations of washclothes - so ... sorry, you're still getting more poor 'washclothes' only - I get to lay the name on as if it is something different - LOL!
A little bizarre - this is called scales.... and is about a 1/2 inch thick --- very 3-dimensional!
Bobbles - again, bizarre, but not as bizarre as the scales... this has little 'bobbles'... that are basically balls that stick out of the pattern. I'd never done them before, and even reading the instructions two or three times didn't quite give me what I needed to know to figure it out. I had to search online & watch a video... that helped a lot. I think that the instructions just were a little too 'unclear' if you'd never done one before. Now that I've seen it done, it was pretty easy.
Heart Cables on Stockinette panels - I love to do cables even though they can be quite time consuming. I think they add a nice touch. This has simple enough cables on it.... the stockinette panels - are basically the sides that are 'smooth'.
Adagio Ensemble - I don't know if I like this one very much... it's just kind of 'odd'.... different, so I guess that's cool. But still kind of weird.
I also finished my ski cap/scarf the night before my first trip to the Mountain to go skiing... one of these days, I'll snap a picture of it & my progress on my sweater.... I swiped my camera back from "A" so I could get pictures taken - right around the surgery; and he managed to sneak it back before I got anything done.
So - these pictures, I had to snap before I shipped them off.... so sorry for the quality - this is off my cell phone.... These are donated pieces of an afghan I'm donating to a project that an online group has put together to provide 'comfort' to a mother who recently lost her child. Not much 'comfort' I think - but it's something that several of us at least can do something.... and hopefully the message still comes across that there are those who care and wish they could do more.
Basically these are adaptations of washclothes - so ... sorry, you're still getting more poor 'washclothes' only - I get to lay the name on as if it is something different - LOL!
A little bizarre - this is called scales.... and is about a 1/2 inch thick --- very 3-dimensional!
Bobbles - again, bizarre, but not as bizarre as the scales... this has little 'bobbles'... that are basically balls that stick out of the pattern. I'd never done them before, and even reading the instructions two or three times didn't quite give me what I needed to know to figure it out. I had to search online & watch a video... that helped a lot. I think that the instructions just were a little too 'unclear' if you'd never done one before. Now that I've seen it done, it was pretty easy.
Heart Cables on Stockinette panels - I love to do cables even though they can be quite time consuming. I think they add a nice touch. This has simple enough cables on it.... the stockinette panels - are basically the sides that are 'smooth'.
Adagio Ensemble - I don't know if I like this one very much... it's just kind of 'odd'.... different, so I guess that's cool. But still kind of weird.
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