First Socks
Pattern: Fiber Trends Hellen’s Socks 3 / 1 Rib Cuff
Yarn: Zitron Trekking XXL #101
Needles: Size 2 aluminum DPNs

First socks ever! …and I love them! As you can see, I sped through the second one, and it is actually closer to the fit I want. The first sock was a little big, and I can only attribute this to becoming accustomed to the small DPNs. Nevertheless, they fit very well.

I finished the socks last night at my parents’ house… I did not have a darning needle with me to finish sew it all up. I loved working with this yarn, and as you can see, the colors stripes do not match up… but this does not bother me…

Frankly, I am not sure you could ever really match the stripes effectively with this yarn. It is not patterned uniformly, so as you pull the yarn out, you never know what color will be next!

The weekend was nice, and a great way to relax and have some fun before heading back to school this afternoon. On Saturday, I had plans to meet up with Becca, and go down to DC. I wanted to introduce her to one of my other knit girls, Jenna! It just so happened that this meeting coincided with a big sale at the DC yarn shop, Stitch DC on Capitol Hill.

We all found some good deals! Becca picked up two hanks of Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky to make the Newboy cap in SnBN. (I have yarn for this pattern too!) Jenna got a great deal on some Rowan to make Bonne Marie’s great new Cutaway cardi.

…and I cheated a little on my yarn diet… I got this:

Five hanks of Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool in #27 Periwinkle! Only $18 with tax! Can you blame me? with a deal like that?

After making out at Stitch DC, we headed to Chinatown for dinner, and then down to the Warehouse Cafe for some knitting time. Becca finally got her yarn from Knit Picks (she got Andean Silk in Sangria — I got the same yarn in Lettuce) and we both swatched for our Hourglass pullovers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Miss Jenna started her second sock with this great handpainted yarn.

Sunday was great too. We went to see my parents for the afternoon. We watched Guess Who, which was pretty cute, and ate a great dinner. My parents are great cooks!

…and mom’s new dessert creation: the Napoleon!

…best of luck to all of our family and friends in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana… we are thinking about you…

I think it is confirmed… I am addicted to knitting socks. I cast on last night for Trekking sock 2 … worked straight through my TiVo tapings of Daily Show and History Detectives (anyone else watch that AWESOME show?) and then took this baby with me to work. Knitting in the car at 5:30 am, eating lunch with me and touring the Archives, and sitting and knitting after dinner… this sock, and her knitter, have had a long day!

Naturally, I am already thinking ahead to my next pair of socks…

I have a small sock yarn stash (plus some sport weight cotton that would make cute anklets gifted to me by some special girls.)

So, my question: what socks should I make? do you have a favorite pattern that you recommend? or is there a sock book that you can’t live without? what is your favorite sock yarn? please let me know!

Remember that praying mantis egg pod that Kris bought on Ebay back in May? Well, today I saw one of those babies all grown up: big, healthy and GREEN!

I think she wanted inside because she could smell what Kris was cooking:

Homemade gnocchi with vodka sauce and garden-fresh zucchini!

Update Recipe is from Food Network : Gnocchi and Vodka Cream Sauce ENJOY!

Virtue Beret
Yarn: Rowan Cotton Tape in Glint (from sweet Kris!)
Pattern: It’s A Tape Thing (Rowan 2004)
Needles: Size 11 and size G crochet hook

This hat was easy and fun. It is mainly knit in reverse stockinette, with a band of crochet (4 rows) around the edge. I modified the pattern a little making the crochet band shorter and smaller gauge (it called for a J hook, and I used a G) and I got the fit I wanted–it was way too slouchy with the J hook. The only thing about it? This hat is hard to wear with bangs. It smushed my hair down and made my bangs go in my eyes, hence wearing it further back on my head in the above pictures.

The yarn was absolutely great, and I will definitely use it again. It is like knitting with shoelaces… but in a good way! The other pattern that I have had my eye on in this book is Angie. I will probably wait till next spring before I do that though…

I have not yet cast on for my Kidsilk Haze cami, and I am glad that I waited. I was going about it the wrong way! The directions in the book, Weekend Knitting, were very unclear about what to do with the DMC Cotton, and I just assumed that it was held with the KSH throughout the whole knit. Thanks to Terhi and Blossom, I now realize that the DMC is used for a crocheted edging around the neckline, sleeve holes, and hem.

I hate it when knitting directions are vague! (and the picture in the book did not help either…) Thanks girls… I sure would not have figured that out on my own!

Last night was a sad night over at the Lolly house. One of our all-time favorite shows, Six Feet Under, had its series finale. Gosh, I am going to miss it. I love those characters and the storylines so much… now Sunday nights just won’t be the same.

While watching the last episode, in its 75-minute glory, I finally finished Trekking sock #1, through my tears and sobs…

Yeah, yeah, it took me long enough. I still have a whole other sock to go. Maybe I will finish it by December. Well, sock 1 is a little big. I knew this was going to be the case… thank goodness it is not really big. It is still very wearable. So my first sock is officially finished… I am proud! (Why is that I am more nervous about putting my feet on the internet than I am about putting my face out there?)

A large part of my weekend was also spent on reading. I don’t get much time to read what I want anymore with grad school, but this two week break (now only 1 week left) has given me the chance to read for fun!

This book received rave reviews in 2003 when it came out. I bought it then, figuring I would be able to fit it in. Not until 2005 did I even open the cover. Wow, what a great story though! This book has been so engrossing. It is a non-fiction about the events surrounding the 1892-3 World’s Fair in Chicago. The author really did some great archival/library research for this one! … and you know how I love that!

Have a good one!

I regret to say that unlike many of my previous entries within the last seven days, this entry does not include pictures of glorious finished objects… but I do have some progress shots of my first pair of socks!

IKEA man has his hands full!

Front view of sock, along with the side view. As you can see, I successfully turned my first heel (hey, it was a big deal to me!) and I am now working on the instep gusset. So far so good–the only thing I notice is that this sock is going to be big around the cuff. I think that using the 12" circs in the beginning may have stretched it out…

I went ahead and read the book… I knew once I started I would not be able to put it down (and that held true!) Monday was totally devoted to Harry Potter–and I really loved it. This book was great, and I am so ready for the 7th one!

Feel free to email me with your stellar theories about Book 7!

While discussing Book 6 with dear Heather on the phone last night, I organized my stash, and balled up some skeins that I have had waiting for awhile. I think I found the prettiest skeins in my stash… but what to do with them? Scarves are always my default answer–but anyone else have some ideas to throw in?

Zitron Unikat and Noro Transitions–I just love the way they look all balled up. Plus, they are so much easier to stack and organize in the stash!

A BIG THANKS to Kathy at Knitigator for sending me 4 balls of Cotton Ease in Sugar Plum! This color is so pretty. It will be perfect for a tank or a tee–perhaps a Tivoli?

Stay cool (or warm if you are in the southern hemisphere!) Take care!

Many thanks for the comments on my sister’s birthday present Seaweed sarong! Small quickie projects are very addicting–I finish up one, and I have already started another! While reading and doing some homework, I cast on for this Trellising Market Bag with some Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton that has been in my stash as long as I have had a "stash".

The easy lace eyelet pattern is working up quickly in doubled yarn and size 15 needles. The bag will be perfect for trips to the farmers’ market, and even for my books and school notebooks.

Unfortunately the pattern I am working from does not have a complete picture of the bag, but you can see a finished one at Jane’s blog. She made one last week and already gifted it away.

(Updated to add: the pattern is a product of Koenig Farm Spinnery, who were at the MDS&W festival–unfortunately I cannot find this exact pattern for the "Knitted Trellising Market Bag" on their website, but it may still be downloaded/ordered if you contact them by their email or phone numbers at the bottom of their webpage)

After a long hiatus on my part (due to classes for school), I met up with the Knit Nite girls last night for a fun dinner and a little knit time. It has been over two months since all four of us were together. We ate at my favorite restaurant (where I got my favorite soup) and had some time to catch up on stories.

Pixie and Heather, Donna and her great new knitting bag, and Ei modeling her nearly finished Birch.

Donna, me and Heather all have socky WIPs going on right now–both of theirs are in the lovely Tess yarns purchased at MDS&W, and my sock is in Trekking XXL. Here comes the Sock Parade.

… Today is my sister’s birthday, and this is the first time I will not be able to actually celebrate it with her… but I will send that belated birthday sarong!

On the other side of the world, in the middle of the blue Pacific, my Mimi sis turns 22. A very happy birthday to you! I love and miss you and can’t wait till our trip in October!