Test Knit Socks and a Tension Fail

Ok, so I finished the first of the Colour-work socks.

However. . . I had a tension fail.

As you can probably see, the tension on the second set of the stitch pattern is very different then the set on the first stitch pattern.  And I have absolutely no clue why that happened.  It's the same stitch pattern, same needles, so the fault isn't in the written pattern, just that my tension varied.

Now yes, your knitting tension can vary during the day, or even longer.  But this is a more extreme example of that!

Well, suffice to say, even blocking didn't save it.  While yes, I finished the test-knit, I'm still going to have to frog back to the heel and re-knit that part on larger needles.

Colourwork Test-Knit Socks and KAL Progress

So I have yet another pair of test-knit socks.

The colour-work socks don't have a pattern live yet on Ravelry, but they're progressing along ok.

I'm using the Blue Moon BFL Fingering I got at Lettuce Knit a while ago, and then Knit Picks Stroll Solids in White.    It'll be interesting to see how they turn out.

Also, I'm further along with my entries in the Sweet Georgia KAL.

My River Runs Through It Mittens:

And the Glacier Sweep Shawl:

Things are progressing well on the knitting front, it looks like!  I'm hoping to have some more things finished up soon.

Another single sock. . .

So I finished my test-knit Foare Socks. 

I really do like them -- simple enough to be brainless, but the colourwork keeps them from being too boring.

I've also never done that type of heel before.  I do think I screwed up my YO's on the heel, but I can darn over the holes if they annoy me too much.

Now I have yet another single sock from my test knitting!  Not that I really mind. 

More Socks

It seems I have a love of test-knitting socks.

In this case, I'm testing knitting Foare Socks (and no, I'm not quite sure how you pronounce that, but the pattern is awesome, regardless).

It's a colour-work pattern, so I balled up both colours, and it came out quite well.  I think the colours should work well together.

For the lighter, (and main) colour, I'm using the other skein of  Tanis Blue Label in "Frost" that I originally got in case I needed it for the Gox Socks.  Well, the Gox socks are getting closer to done, and I don't think I'll need it, so, I put it to use.   The darker colour is an inherited mystery yarn, so I'm happy to try and use a bit more of it up.

The other nice thing is that the pattern is a lot of basic stocking stitch, which makes it wonderfully brainless television/computer knitting.  That's good, considering that the deadline for having one sock done is Jan 19th. 

Short Socks

I thought I'd posted this before, but it looks like Blogger ate my post.

So, I also finished the first of the Flying Hearts Socks for a test knit.  It came right down to the night of the 15th.  That's what I get for trying to take on too many things at once, I guess.

Anyway, given both a possible shortage of yarn, and a tightly looming deadline, I made these quite short at the ankle.

I usually wouldn't make them this short, but this way I can wear them with my running shoes in the summer (they're lacy enough I wouldn't want to wear them in the winter).

Also, I found that while people suggest the elastic bind-off for toe-up socks, as you can see from the photo, it's actually a touch too big and didn't contract enough.  They do still stay up ok, which is the important part, though.   I think I'll stick with the cable bind-off for my toe-up socks from now on, unless it really looks like they're going to be tight. 

One Christmas knit left, and updates on the Sock-Along.

I finished the Pine Cone Mittens yesterday night, and got a picture this morning in the sun.

I am glad to have yet one more thing done.  The pile of WIP's is starting to come back down to a manageable level, which is nice.

Currently, I'm frantically knitting on my test-knit socks to make the December 15th deadline, but I should have most of today and tomorrow to try and finish them.

Unfortunately, I've kind of given up on the Sock-Along.  If I do manage to finish, great, but I'm honestly not expecting to at this point, sadly.  I've been neglecting my socks, and I don't think I can knit two more socks by the 15th.   It was good incentive for me to make those hand-knit pairs of socks I wanted, though!

Ok, I am insane.

Hello all!

So, with this pile of Christmas Knitting still not really shrinking, plus the Sock-Along is still going. . .

And I add two things to my knitting.

The first is a new sock test-knit.  It's pretty, and just called my name so much I really rather have to do it.

I'll be using EliteSpun Fingering Weight in 'Sky.'

And the second. . . do you remember that Fairview Scarf pattern I bought a while ago?

Well, Tanis Fiber Arts is hosting a holiday Knit-Along.  So, I figured I'd give that a try.

So it will hopefully be a Fairview Scarf in Silver Label in "Cobalt."  

I'm actually really excited, since this has been queued for me for a while now.

However, I now have a great many WIPs.  This could be . . . interesting.

Gox Sock the first is done!

Well, the post title pretty much says it all.  I finished up the first of the Gox Socks at about 11:30 tonight.

I could have waited to get a better picture tomorrow morning in sunlight, but I'm impatient!  (That and I have lots to do tomorrow, so I didn't want to have these languishing without a picture for too long).

Since the test-knit only asked for one sock, this means that they can be back-burnered for a while while I focus on holiday knitting and my various KALs.

They're actually -really- comfy.  The arch shaping felt a little odd when I first tried it on, but it works out well.  Don't let the odd look of this sock deceive you, it really does work. 

Almost done. . .

I've been knitting up a storm over the past few days, and, well, I've got some work to show for it.

My Gox Socks Test Knit is almost done, I've just got the toe decreases left to do.  The pattern is actually really enjoyable.  It's the first time I've done a sock with arch shaping, and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be.   The deadline is the 30th of September, so I should have them done with days to spare. 

As much fun as these are, though, I think the second sock will get sidelined a little, just simply due to KAL's and Christmas knitting.  But that's ok.

I'm knitting away on a few other projects, too. Hopefully I'll have more pictures for people soon. 

Sock Gussets and more pretty yarn

So, I'm about half-way through the gussets on my Gox Socks.

 

They're going to be tight to the Sept 30th deadline, but I should be good.  I'm actually really enjoying this test-knit.  These socks promise to be nice and warm.

Also, I was out at the Purple Purl yesterday (The Purple Purl is about a block north of my volunteer sites, so it's really convenient when I'm out there),  and I picked up the skein of Silver Label I was planning on getting.

Tanis Fiber Arts Silver Label in Cobalt:

I'm -loving- the colourway, and it should look -awesome- knitted up.

I no longer fail at cast-ons!

So, after my spectacular inability to cast on, I've finally gotten some actual work on the Gox Socks test knit.

Now that I can apparently not screw up something simple, I'm actually really loving the pattern.  It's an involved knit with cables and twists, but it's reasonably easy to remember.  (Though given my luck with it I don't think I'll bring it as my transit knitting!)  It's also producing a nice thick fabric that promises to be very warm.

Also, I took the 2.25 mm needles I just freed up, and am now using them for these.  Since this pattern uses arch shaping, I've been warned that all the gusset increases happen on one needle, so the longer the needle, the better.

But I'm really enjoying these, now that I don't fail at casting on!

Test-Knit Woes

Ok.  So remember how I started a new test-knit?

Well, I did. And I'm loving the pattern.

However, I think it's cursed.

This is my 4th attempt at a cast on.

The first, I accidentally twisted my cast-on when joining in the round.

The second, I screwed up the cuff pattern badly enough that I just decided it was easier to unravel.

The third, I had a double-pointed needle come loose of my knitting while it was in my bag, the yarn caught on my notebook, and I had an unraveled mess.

So, attempt number four is going well.  No pictures yet (nothing really of substance since I haven't finished the cuff yet), and I'm holding my breath hoping I don't have to cast on -again-!

However, despite my trouble with the cast-on, the pattern's looking pretty awesome.  It's the first time I'm doing a sock with arch shaping, so it also looks a touch intimidating.  But the designer's been awesome about answering questions, so I'm not too worried if I get stuck.

New Socks Test-knit

So, the details on my new test-knit.

The pattern is called My Gox, and the Ravelry database page for it is here.

I picked up two skiens of Tanis Blue Label from The Purple Purl today for this; and I have to admit, I'm actually really excited about these, despite my mounting pile of other knitting. (I even had enough reward points to get 25 dollars off, too!)

So, Tanis Blue Label in Frost:

 

It's a neat colourway, and I think it will really suit the pattern (not to mention, I'm loving the Tanis Blue Label for socks.  It seems to work really well.) 

I was hoping to only need one skein of Blue Label.  I still might only need the one.  But in speaking with the designer, the yardage for the pattern is just enough that I'd rather have the second skein.  I'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.  And, I have plans for that second skein anyway -- the leftovers from the Gox Socks will (hopefully) become the Birch Leaf Socks from "A Gathering of Lace."

Oh, and speaking of test-knits, the pattern for my previous pair of test-knit socks (I should really finish the other sock of that pair!) just went live.  They're Pacific Rim socks, and the pattern is a) really fun to knit, and b) a great way to use up oddiments of sock yarns.

The Mittens are Done: No More Grubby Hands!

So, if you recall, I was working on a pair of fingerless mittens to keep the crap, crud and general -stuff- off of my hands while using the wheelchair?

They're done!

I finished them up at Knit Night last night. I was one of the last people out, trying to actually get them done, and the ends woven in!  I really do find I'm more productive with my knitting at knit-night.

. . . maybe it's because there's no internet. . . :D

Anyway, when I pulled them back out for a picture today, I had missed an end.  That was a two-second fix, though.

I really like the pattern. The cable on the back keeps things interesting.  They're called Flying Geese Mittens, by Mel Clark (who is very awesome and really sweet about answering questions on Ravelry, by the way!).  They're from a book called Knitting Everyday Finery, which I picked up off of Amazon and am totally loving.  The book is in print and easily findable on Amazon (and I've seen a few stores stocking it too). 

The mittens knit up very quick, (when I'm not ignoring them in favour of other projects!).  Only comment is that the small isn't that small.  If you have smaller hands, like me, you might want to take out a few more stitches around.  For my purposes right now, a touch loose is perfect, because that way they can also go over coat cuffs and such and keep them protected.  It's an easy fix, though, and several people have put how to make them a touch smaller in their pattern notes on Ravelry.

I've also signed up for another sock test knit, so there'll be more on that soon!

Blocking Tutorial -- how to block an acrylic (or partially acrylic) project:

Hello!

So.

I have to block my Test-Knit socks.

And I promised a tutorial on how to block acrylic a few posts ago.

So, here we go.

You'll need four things.

1) Two towels.They should be ones you won't worry about too much if they get a bit of dye bleeding out.  It shouldn't happen, but it can; and the last thing you want is your nice towels with a stain on them.

2) An Iron that has a steam setting.  If you don't have a steam setting, there is a work-around.

3) The object you want to block, in this case, my sock,

4) And water.  I figure that doesn't need a picture. 

Take your object and get it really wet with cold (or at least room-temperature) water.  For this sock, running it under a tap for a few minutes should suffice. 

If it's a bigger project, you might have to immerse it in water. Try not to rustle it around too much, you don't want to accidentally felt any natural fibers, or cause any ends to come out.

Put it on a towel to transfer it to a flat surface.  Here, I've got it outside on our balcony.   Then, cover it with a single layer of the other towel.  (The single layer part's important.)

Now, iron the object with the towel over top of it.  Use the steam setting. 

Be cautious, though.  Since this sock is partially acrylic fibers, we don't want too much heat.  Blocking acrylic is permanent, as you're actually melting the fiber just a bit  (acrylic is basically plastic, after all!).   If you over-block acrylic, you 'kill' it, which takes away all elasticity and gives it quite a bit of drape.  "Killed" acrylic can be useful for some things, but a sock isn't one of them.  And because this is a mixed fiber project, killing the acrylic would be a bad thing, since the wool wouldn't change nearly as much.  I'd have hideous tension problems.   So, block anything with acrylic in small increments.  It's better to do too little and have to do more, then do too much.  You can't undo blocking acrylic, unlike blocking natural fibers.

You want a single layer of towel between the iron and the object.  This allows heat and steam transfer without scorching the acrylic (you'll scorch and melt the acrylic if you put the iron on it directly, this is a no-no!)

If you want to be cautious, you can do a double-layer of towel and take more time. 

If you don't have a steam iron, boil some hot water and keep a small bowl of it nearby.  Pour it onto the towel in small amounts, making sure it soaks through both the towel and the finished object.


Here, we're blocking up near the cuff.  Since again, "killing" acrylic is irreversible, I've pulled the towel down so I can see and don't accidentally "kill" the cuff, because the cuff is acrylic, and the one spot in the sock where I really need the elasticity.

Once you do one side of the object, flip it over (if necessary) and repeat on the other side.

 

And there you go, there's your finished object, all set to wear.  Put it on as soon as you can stand the heat, so it will dry into shape. 

 

Finally, since no project is complete without kitty-assisted blocking (as demonstrated by this Ravelry thread,  and to a lesser extent in this Ravelry thread) I had a fuzzy little helper, who also liked to get in the way!

 Isn't she cute?

So, I hope this helps some people, and proves that acrylic (and mixed-fiber projects) can be blocked.   If you're looking for more information on blocking, there's oodles of info and examples on this Ravelry thread (which is where I got a lot of my information from, too!)

Kitchener Stitch and the Knitty e-zine

Let me preface this rambling with:

I hate seaming.  I always have when it comes to knitted stuff.

So I can't believe it took me this long to learn about the Kitchener Stitch -- I mean, I was looking for ways to avoid seams in my knitting since I was a teenager.   How did I not know about this?

Ahem.

Anyway, I've finally finished the toe on my Test-Knit socks.  I've just got to do the Kitchenering.  (Spell check insists that is not a word, I disagree!)  But, despite my love of this relatively new technique, it's not second nature to me yet.

So, I hunted through my web history for the tutorial I found last time.  It's nice to have something up on the computer screen for reference, and Knitty is a great resource -- not just for techniques and tutorials, but for patterns, too.  I've already made a few things using patterns from Knitty, and have several more in mind.

You can find most (I'm not sure about all) of the Knitty patterns via Ravelry, and best of all, they're free!

I hope you can find something you like!

Deadling Knitting and Progress!

So many things to knit, so many deadlines!

First, I promised you an update on the Birthday Socks.
 

I'm almost done the heel flap.  I find I'm actually pretty productive at a Knit Night.  That's part of why I go.


Next up is my Test-Knit. These have a July 31 deadline, so they're rather looming over me right now.

 

 But, there's not a lot more to do with them.  I've only got 10 more rows of the chart, and then the toe decreases.  Since I'm stuck at home today waiting for a repairman to show up (and discovered that due to an emergency call somewhere else, they're not coming today. . . urgh!) I might as well make good use of my time.

And finally, a new project to this blog, my Christmas Scarf.

It took a few tries to get a photo of this that was remotely ok.  And yes, I've started Christmas knitting in July (actually I started this in April!).  :D  I don't want to be knitting on Christmas Day, like I was last year.


/I made my father fingerless gloves last year for Christmas (this was before I was on Ravelry, so the project isn't there), and I was weaving in ends while in the car to his place on Christmas morning.

He just laughed about it, and didn't really mind./


So yeah.  Lots of deadline knitting over the next few weeks.  The ability to play video games and knit is really helping me get through all of it. I'm currently re-playing Mass Effect 1 but I've bumped the difficulty to Hardcore.  It's not easy.  I get lots of knitting done while waiting for the Mako's* shields or Shepard's health to regenerate. . . 

In addition to this stuff, there's other things on my needles too, as you probably well know if you've read some of my other posts. This includes the Birthday Gloves, which I haven't really touched since last update.  There are also more Christmas/Birthday gifts in planning -- you can see them on my Ravelry Queue here, if you're curious.

And yes, some of those are Christmas/Birthday 2014 plans.  Those are things where I've already teased out subtle hints about design and colour from the recipient so that I know they'll like it, and I'm not really worried about those at all beyond having things written down.

It's going to be busy. 


*the Mako is a drivable tank that you can take to various planets in-game. It has shields, but they take a while to recharge after getting shot.

Project Updates -- July 16, 2013

So, I've got a few updated projects on my Ravelry Projects Page, and thought I'd show the pictures here too.

1)  My current test-knit (test-knit thread is here, for those who are curious)

I've just finished the heel and am continuing on the foot.  I'm quite loving the pattern (pattern's not live on Ravelry yet, sorry!)

( Edit: Pattern went live and is here.)

It's funny -- I was worried about these not fitting, but they're actually a touch too small before blocking.  (And yes, before you ask, you -can- block acrylic no problem, when I get a suitable project done, I'll show you how I do it!)

Edit: And here's the tutorial, for those who are curious!

2)  Birthday Socks

Yes, the crazy birthday knitting (for the moment) payed off -- I'm 3 rows short of the heel.

And, with a bit of practice, the pattern is actually memorable.  It just took a bit longer to 'stick' in my head then other projects did, it seems (or I'm getting better at memorizing patterns -- that works too!)  That makes these my convenient transit project now, since I don't need to have the chart out in front of me any more!

Well, that's it for now.   I'll be heading off to my local Knit Night tonight, and I'll see how much I get done!