Happy Socks!

I finished my Happy Socks, and as their name suggests, I'm really happy with them.  I used 1 ball of Zitron Trekking XXL (colour 550), and 1 skein of Regia 4ply (colour 44, charcoal grey) for the toes, rear of heel and ribbing at the top. 

I am in pursuit for the perfect fitting hand-knit socks for me. I used a generic short-row toe-up technique, worked in a k3p1 rib for the top of the foot and stockingette for the bottom, threw in a toe-up gusseted heel, and made increases up the back of the leg for the calf. I wrote down all the details in my notes on Ravelry, but they were written for my own guidance, not as a pattern, and details I don't generally need to note are omitted (basically, if you are new to sock knitting, I suggest you follow a basic beginner sock pattern and don't follow my notes). 

The socks will be on display in the store until the fall, at which time I'm reclaiming them!

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Birthday Socks

Finally! I have a few minutes to share something finished. Actually, it's more like "Finally! I finished something!".

On display for your pleasure are my Boyfriend Socks. They are/were a birthday gift for my boyfriend. i made them with 2 skeins of leftover Regia 6-ply Design Line Kaffe Fassett and half a skein of the same yarn in a solid. The 6-ply is a bit thicker than a normal sock yarn, I knit it on 3mm needles, and the socks weren't really as big a commitment as they look. 

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

Silk Garden Sock Log Cabin Blanket

I am working on a crochet log cabin blanket in Silk Garden Sock.. So far, so good!  The colours look great and the crocheting is easy. Above are 2 blocks folded up and stacked. 

Otherwise, I've been busy with work, interweb stuff. I will try and produce for so you can see more! :-

Ice Cable Freebies

Those Brits sure do like their ice cables (if you didn't know what an ice cable was before, you sure will now). I know you are fed up with woolly outerwear by this pooint in the season, but the socks, hat, hot water bottle cozy, and purse are still appropriate. Actually, the hot water bottle cover looks like an easy project, except for the fancy-shmantzy cables.

Ice Cable Socks  &  Ice Cable Hat                          

 
Ice Cable Bag   &   Ice Cable Hottie



Ice Cable Mitts  &   Ice Cable Scarf

i would knit comfy socks (& update on my progress)

if i could knit i would be making Comfy Socks on 8mm needles with 2 skeins of Malabrigo Aquarella or Fleece Artist Slubby Blue ....



.... or Clafoutis Bed Socks on 5.5mm or 6mm needles in:

• Lang Mille Colori Big (1 ball)
• Misti Baby Alpaca Chunky (2 skeins)
• Malabrigo Chunky (2 skeins)
• Dream in Color Groovy(2 skeins)

And a quick update about my poor little arms ... they are doing quite well!

the wrappings on the right arm were getting loose and i was curious so i got sneaky and took them off to inspect the damage. there really isn't much, a pristine incision and some steri strips. pretty remarkable, eh?! the right arm really does not look orthopedic surgery-esqe. it just has a big band-aid on it now to protect the incision, hardly looks broken at all. 

the left wrist is more interesting. the cast was getting loose so i went back to th fracture clinic this morning and it was a sight when they took it off. it's swollen & bruised, as expected, but the sight was 3 hooks sticking out of the skin!  i sure did not expect to see that. i wonder how they will be extracted in the end?  will i need more surgery or will they just be yanked out with a pair of pliers?  i am getting the impression that orthopedic surgery is a field indirectly related to construction. 

anyway, when i saw my wrist i almost passed out.i don't know if it was from the sight or the rush of pain. in retrospect i suspect it was the pain, but at the time i just kept trying to envision grosser things than my limp, iron-maiden hand. i grew up next door to a reconstructive surgeon and the pictures in the trade magazines lying around his house were always a strong incentive to stay out of trouble.  after a few seconds of evaluating my proximity to fainting i gave up and the very nice casting tech, Phil, suggested i lie down. so in the end i did not faint at the sight of my hideous appendage. i guess this story only has a modest amount of value. 

anyway, i have to get back at it!  i'll be back at work tomorrow, wednesday, on my normal schedule until sunday. so see ya later gator!  ;-)

Sockhead Alert!

Check out Matt's (from manspun yarns) Sockhead Hat! he is using Misti Baby Alpaca Handpainted Sock Yarn in the colour 'bird of paradise' (I'm waiting for more of it to come in, it's back-ordered).  You can follow his progress on Ravelry, and the free pattern is HERE.

recent projects

So here is how my Crochet Market Bag in Super 10 Cotton worked out! it looks pretty good, but I have not yet tested it on vegetables. In the picture it is comfortably holding 13 skeins of Brown Sheep Co. Lamb's Pride Bulky, so i think it qualifies as big. I'm working on a redux in grey with a smaller hook and different stitch.

I've been working on my next sock doll but I've taken a break before I dress her and giver her a face. Creativity runs in cycles. It's knitted in Regia 4ply design line Kaffe Fassett Landscape Celebration 4355

Liane and I have been working on a top down cropped sweater in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton. We've been holding 2 strands together, so it's going along pretty quickly. I have taken out the bottom seam to lengthen it, because while it looks right on the mannequin it's actually short on me. We made a small but it is proving to be very stretchy and fits me. I think i can block it even bigger if it warrants it.