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.

Something else cast on! (Was this a good idea?)

So, pretty much as the link says.

I'm just currently balling up the yarn for a pair of Marilyn Shorts, from the same pattern book as the Flying Geese Mittens I made previously.  The book's called Knitting Everyday Finery, and I've been very impressed by the patterns inside.

Was this a good idea?

No, not necessarily.

I've had the yarn for these for a while -- I got a bunch of Skeins of Spud and Chloe Sweater at the Toronto Knitters Frolic earlier in the year.

The main colour is going to be Skydiver:

with the contrast stripes in Ice Cream:

I wasn't originally planning on casting these on for a bit, since I had so much other stuff on my needles.

But I'm finding that all of my (super-old) pyjama bottoms have started to wear out and just can't be patched any more.  So, I need new pj shorts, and these should suffice.  I'm hoping to eventually make several pairs.

Also, interestingly enough, the pattern calls for Rowan Wool Cotton. In the Ravelry Pattern Database, it's a DK-weight yarn, but the pattern actually calls for a sport-weight yarn.  So I'm not sure exactly how this is going to work out.  I'm definitely going to have to swatch this.

Somewhat Belated Birthday Present

Short post right now, but I wanted to update people. :)

I finally got around to taking my birthday money, and ordering a Yarn Swift, like I said I was going to.

Like I said before, I've heard very good things about Hornshaw Wood Works, and so I decided to get a swift from there.  It's a bit more expensive, but an umbrella swift just isn't an option, and I've always like supporting local crafters.  Besides, I'd rather shell out more now then just have something that will break in a few years.

As usual, despite the Canadian and US dollars being almost at par, the exchange rate doesn't actually reflect that, but I've just come to a grudging acceptance of that.

It should arrive relatively soon, and I'll put it to work winding sock yarn from Stoddart Family Farms. (I got some of their yarn at the Toronto Knitter's Frolic, and I intend to get more at next years Frolic if they're there again.) 

Otherwise, It's been a much less hectic knitting schedule now, so I'm just going to take some fun projects and wander out to knit night tonight after dinner.

Lucky Lotto!

Wow.

So my final order (for now) from Eat.Sleep.Knit came today.

I got 6 skeins of Sweet Georgia Merino Silk Aran in the Saltwater colourway.  It's another yarn currently on power boost.

It's a little brighter then I thought it would be, but it's still a gorgeous colour.

However, tucked away at the bottom of the box was a Yarn Lotto ticket that ended up being worth 100 dollars of store credit!

This is awesome.  I'm going to send this out tomorrow.  It takes a while to get to them (international mail and all that), so I want to get this out as soon as I can.

Well, there's absolutely nothing wrong with cheap/free yarn. :D

First finger done! (And more math)

Ok, so I've gotten the pinky finger done on the Birthday Gloves.

I'm generally happy with how it turned out, but I've learned two things.

1) This pattern requires -a lot- of math to make it work.  Not necessarily hard math, but it's just making sure that things line up right and work right.

The pattern expected that I would do the pinky finger on 4 needles, 18 stitches on the needles.  That just seemed too finicky, so I went down to 3 needles.  Unfortunately, all of the pattern dicrections for the decreases at the top of the needle are written as "k2tog, k to end of needle, ssk."  So I had to do the math to figure out where the decreases were supposed to go on my 3 needles.

To make matter worse, you do the decrease round twice, with the same description.  But on the second decrease round, it doesn't make sense.  After the first decrease round you have 8 stitches decreased, (and 10 on the needles).  Ok, fine.  But 10 stitches won't give you 4 stitches per needle on 4 needles, so you can't do both k2tog and ssk on the same needle.  Three needles would have three stitches, and one needle would have 4 stitches.

I just ended up doing it as (k2tog, ssk) repeat to end, and it seems to have turned out ok.

2) I think I'm going to do the thumb next.  Because it's an afterthought thumb (which I've never done before but it doesn't look too hard)  I can do it whenever I want.   The reason for this is simply that it should make it a lot easier to try them on for rough sizing or to get pictures (my giftee's hands are only a little bit bigger then mine.)

Despite all the trouble, I am -really- liking the pattern, and I do plan to make a second pair (for myself!)

Birthday Socks are done!

Well, the post title pretty much says it all.  I finished them this morning with about 3 hours to spare.

They're currently drying outside after being steam-blocked.

Here's a better look at the pattern:

Oh, and if anyone ever says you don't need to block socks; that's not necessarily true:

The right sock is post steam-blocking with an iron, the left sock has not been touched.

I just got the socks wet and then ironed them, using the steam setting of the iron to keep them wet (see my steam-blocking tutorial if you're curious).

As much as these were awesome to knit, I'm glad their off the needles. That deadline got really -really- close.

Note to self: give more time for birthday and Christmas knits next time!

Briggs and Little and Cats!

So, remember that Briggs and Little order I mentioned?

Well, it came today in a big brown bag of yarn.

So I pulled the yarn out to sort it, get photographs for my Ravelry stash, and get it put away.

But first, this happened.

 Kitty number one decided that the brown bag of yarn made a great hidey-hole!

But, that's not all.

Once I had the yarn out, kitty number two went a little nuts. . . apparently she -loves- Briggs and Little!  She didn't do anything other then nuzzle it, so I wasn't too worried.  She had both me and my roommate laughing! 

As you can probably see, she eventually nuzzled all the yarn away from her!

So yeah.  Briggs and Little is apparently definitely kitty-approved.