Drive by blogging

Just a quickie blog post to show I am still knitting.  And yes, I am still knitting socks, lol.

Progress on the "Katniss" socks.  I hope to have them finished in a day or two so I can post them for Nerd Wars.

Hope everyone has a great week!

New Beginnings

"The beginning is the most important part of the work"

~Plato

New socks started...

Yarn: Cascade Heritage Sock, Grey  Pattern: Patchwork Weasley by Erica Lueder

 Yarn: Gaia's Colours Umaj, Solis (green)   Pattern: SKA Jan12 Mystery Sock, Blathnat by Irishgirlieknits

WIP Wednesday

Not much knitting going on... but I did finish Clue 2 (on one sock)

... and clue 3 has been printed off

WIP Wednesday

A new month, a new mystery...

Clue #1

Solid Sock August Mystery Sock, designer Jeannie Cartmel, in Brown Sheep Wildfoote, color Vinca Minor (purple). 

Clue #2 printed off and ready to start.

Another pair of socks!

Ta da!!!

I finished the YOSS July and Solid Sock July socks.  But sadly not by the end of July.  But! they fit perfect and I love them (even though they are white).

And in case you're wondering what my initial bag looks like with the needlepoint attached....

... I love it!!!  (and yes, I do have the next needlepoint project ready to start)

Time

It is August already?!  

Where has all the time gone?   

And I didn't get the July sock finished in time to qualify for a prize. 

 

But, I am close.  I expect to have these finished in another day or two and you know what that means...
yep... I get to start August's sock!!  The Solid Sock group has a mystery sock for August.  I must wind some yarn for a mystery!!

"The bad news is time flies.  The good news is you're the pilot."
-   Michael Althsuler 

Just in time...

...yep, finished just in time

St Brigid's Carnamoyle Stockings in Lion Brand Wool (worsted weight) color Midnight Blue

I finally have a pair of socks finished in time for the Solid Socks ravelry group. Yea! my name will be entered into the random number generator for a chance to win some sock yarn!! 

And, these same socks count with the YOSS group!
(a 2fer!! can't beat it!)  but there is no prize for this group. The object is to use up some of your stash.

Not only do these socks have a cool cable, they have heel, arch and sole shaping!

I have never done this type of shaping on a sock so it was interesting to try. Of course when you read the pattern you're like, huh?  I've learned you just have to do it.

So you decrease on the heel stitches at the same time as decreasing for the gusset.  After all the gusset decreases are done, you increase for the arch shaping.  This extra shaping really makes the socks hug your foot. Now I just need to figure out the math so I can do this shaping with sock yarn.

I wonder how many of my wip socks I can get done before February 1st?  The Solid Socks group start a new mystery sock in February, the YOSS (year of stash socks) start a new sock for February, and I haven't even checked Sock Knitters Anonymous to see what the sock is for February.

Decisions.... decisions....

WIP Wednesday

Sock mates...

WIP Wednesday

Still working on the Solid Sock Sep/Oct Mystery sock.

 

Mystery solved! One sock down, one to go.

And I couldn't resist starting a basic ribbed sock with Halloween colors!

String Theory Colorworks, Continuum Striping Sock in Little Ghost Nebula.     It has cashmere in it! so soft!

WIP Wednesday

Solid Socks Sep/Oct Mystery Socks

and if you want to see them modeled...

The String Theory Caper Sock yarn is a dream to work with! Cashmere is sooooo soft!!

WIP Wednesday

Almost done with Hagrid's Motorcycle socks

I should get the second sock done by tomorrow.

And I worked on the Solid Sock Sep/Oct Mystery Sock. I'm working on the heel which isn't showing in the picture.

I am using String Theory Caper Sock (it has cashmere!! and it feels wonderful to work with)

And I worked on the Shawl Collared Cowl.

I am using Cascade Pure Alpaca (100% baby alpaca) in blue and size US 6 & US 7 needles. I know the pattern calls for US 8 & US 9 but to get gauge I had to go down two needles sizes! (mentioned in previous blog).  I love the yarn and the pattern. The yarn is so soft and will feel wonderfully warm around my neck. (I do hope we get a few cold days this winter)  The pattern is well written and is working up quickly. Great pattern!!

WIP Wednesday

... on a Thursday

There was some trouble loading clue 4 for Hagrid's Motorcycle socks (red). So... while waiting... I started the Solid Sock Group Sep/Oct Mystery sock (blue). 

The clue was finally loaded but since it took so long, they also loaded clue 5. So now I can finish Hagrid's socks. I'm about 4 inches shy of finishing the foot & toe on the first sock. Meanwhile, clue 2 has come out for the blue sock. 

In other news, I pulled some DMC threads for a Christmas stocking I need to start stitching.

WIP Wednesday

Socks!!!

...and it is the beginning of a new month. You know what that means...yep, another sock to start!

WIP Wednesday

I've been working on socks (no big surprise)...

Of course I started the new Sock Knitter Anonymous (SKA) May Mystery Sock (clue 1 finished on one sock). And I couldn't resist starting the Solid Sock May/June Mystery Sock (clue 1 finished on one sock). I did work on the SKA March Mystery Sock (I know, it's now too late for them to qualify for a prize but I still want to finish them). And I did work a teeny bit on the Solid Sock April/May Mystery Sock (I have until the end of May to finish them)

But mostly I've been knitting on the test knit...

I'm loving the pattern! I did start out with the recommended needle size which is for a man's sock. But! I think I'll be keeping these for myself so I went down a needle size after 4".

And then I spent a few hours playing with yarn colors (I have the SSYC colorcards) to see what combination I could come up with for some striped socks. Yep, I'm toying with the idea of knitting a pair of stripey socks for the SSYC Summer of Color sock contest. (I don't want to mention I looked at colors for a mosaic sock... I'd probably be way over-extending myself trying to knit two pairs of socks for the contest in addition to the other socks I have on the needles!)