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. 

Slippers that look like slippers!

My other big project has been trying to finish up the Fall Lake Slippers. 

Since my roommate's slippers kind of died, she's asked for new ones.  I don't mind obliging. 

Anyway, slipper number one is almost done (I'm about half-way through the last repeat).

With the bulky-weight yarn they knit up quite quickly, which is nice when I want a quick-gratification project.   Once this is finished, I just have to whip-stitch it to the sole and it will be done.   Then it'll be onto slipper number two!

It's KAL time!

So, I mentioned in a previous post that I'm doing a knit-along. 

Well, I started yesterday.

Here is my Evening Star Cowl in Malabrigo Sock.

It's kind of deformed right now, because it's jammed onto a 9-inch circular.  But it's working out ok, for the most part.  I am finding it hard to do a ssk with a YO with the Aero needles, just because they really are not pointy.  But I can work around that.  Otherwise, it's working out really well. 

The deadline is the 6th of October.  It's going to be tight, but I think I can make it -- and even if I don't, it's still a major push to actually make this pattern.

. . . but wait, there's more!

I've signed up for a Sock-Along that EatSleepKnit is running on Ravelry. It looks like it'll be a lot of fun.

There are two patterns:  One is Froot Loop (non-Ravelry link here), and the other is Elementary Watson.  They're both free patterns; so all I have to get is the yarn.   It starts October 1rst and runs until December 15th.

In order to be eligible for prizes, the yarn has to have been bought at EatSleepKnit, either previously, or as part of the sock-along now.  If you're buying specifically for the sock-along, you can let them know and they'll take 20% off of the sock yarn you're buying for the sock-along.  This post has all the details.

Anyway, I took advantage of this and bought two skeins of Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label.  One Skein in "Peacock" and one skein in "Natural."  I also bought a bunch of Sweet Georgia Superwash Worsted (to make the free shipping and it's a power boost yarn, too).

What makes this really awesome is that this purchase brought me to the point on their Yarn Lotto that I get a free subscription to a magazine of my choice for a year!  I'm going to choose Interweave Knits, which I've heard really good things about.  I've still got to sort the details out, but that shouldn't take too long.

So, I'm going to have lots of knitting to do!  But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

My first KAL

So, I've decided to join in my first-ever knit-along.  It's a pretty open idea, with the challenge of knitting a cowl, there's no specific pattern.  Start date is September 22nd, end date of October 6th.

However, I'm not usually much of a cowl person.  If I want something around my neck, I'd rather have a scarf.  That being said, I love hoods.   Now, if it gets cold enough, yes, I want a proper hat, but hoods are great when the weather is cool-but-not-cold, or to wear under/over a hat when it gets really cold.

When I saw the Evening Star cowl, I fell in love.   I'm a Lord of the Rings fan, and so the entire e-book appealed to me.  Pretty much everything in that e-book has gone into my Ravelry queue, which is actually kind of exciting.

That, and it was a wonderful marriage of yarn and pattern -- remember that Malabrigo Sock in Solis that I won a while ago?   Well, it just seemed to completely suit the pattern.


Unfortunately, I don't have a free set of 4mm circulars, except a short 9 inch Aero circular.  I've tried swatching on that (we're allowed to swatch, we just have to start from scratch on the 22nd), and it works.  Sort of.

While, yes, I can jam 144 stitches onto the 9 inch circ, it's not pleasant to do so, and yes, it is the right size, but the Aero tips (these are quite old Aeros, they were originally my mother's knitting needles) are very round and I find I'm more pushing the yarn around then knitting properly. 

Unfortunately, apparently it's hard to find 4mm needles!  My LYS apologized profusely, but they didn't have any 4mm circulars (in any length). (It's not their fault, they're waiting on some orders).  And I won't get the opportunity to  go to another LYS until at least this Tuesday, after the start date, and there's no guarantee they'll have the needles I want.  Considering I'm not a fast knitter, I don't want to wait until Tuesday (possibly later) to properly cast on. I'm going to need every second of my knitting time to attempt to make this deadline.

So, I'm going to start on the Aero needles, and I've gone and ordered a 24 inch 4mm Hiya Hiya circular from EatSleepKnit with my newest order of yarn.  If it arrives in time, I will switch to it, if not, I have it for another project.

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.

Knit Night fun!

Well, I went to Knit Night over at The Knit Cafe last night, after a few weeks of not being able to make it.

I got a lot done on my projects, which is great. . . and I came home with more yarn.

I usually don't buy yarn unless I know exactly what it will be, but the two skeins of Manos del Uruguay Wool Classica in "Blue Jay" just kept calling my name!

Once I got it home and had a look through my patterns, I realized it would make a perfect Tweed Hat and Scarf,  yet another pattern from Knitting Everyday Finery. It's a very versatile pattern book! (My only worry is if it pools funny, but I won't know that until I start knitting!)

Going back to the Knit Cafe for a second, I also found out that they will be hosting a class on designing your own sweater in November/December, and I'm really tempted to sign up. I've got a stash of Briggs and Little Softspun that I've got my own sweater idea for, and this might help me figure out exactly how to get the idea I have in my head translated into an actual sweater design.

Project Update -- September 16th

Well, it's been a busy knitting week, but there are only a few big things of note:

1) I finished the soles on the Fall Lake Slippers and started into the slipper foot proper.

I'll sew in the ends later.

While I'm quite happy with the pattern in general, I do have to say that the pfb back stitch is -hard-!  I'm discovering that purling through the back loop, in general, is just really fiddly to get the needle into place.

2) An update on the Pyjama shorts.

I finished the left leg during a Role-Playing session.  Haven't cast on the right leg yet.

Yes, the bottom curls a lot, there's actually a purled fold line there, the bottom of the leg is folded up and seamed. 


3) Finally, though there's no picture, I've started the increases for the sleeve on the Cable Sweater.  The sweater's taking a while, but hey, I'm ok with that.  It's a slow but steady project, and I'm actually quite enjoying it.  I'm a little worried I might run out of yarn, but I'll deal with that if it actually looks like I will.