Column of Leaves Scarf - DONE!

It's done and being modeled by one gorgeous boxer boy!

(yes, I'm a photo moron and that's the edge of my sweater sleeve in the upper left corner).

Call me mean, but I'm excited it's going to be cold and snowy this weekend so that I can wear my new scarf. :)







Here's a better shot where you can see the detail of the pattern:

Toe Up Sock Class

Yesterday I taught my first toe-up sock class and had a really good time, I hope the students taking the class enjoyed it as much as I did! I was excited that everyone got to take home one whole completed sock after the two hour class -- ok, so it was a tiny sock, but it was a sock!

Friday night's Sit 'N Knit had a handful of new people which was really nice. I love to see what everyone else is working on and what they've finished up. I started a pair of socks, but ripped them out yesterday morning when I realized that they were going to be too big for me, but that I didn't have enough yarn to make them into socks for my wonderful husband. Cast on same yarn yesterday afternoon using a provisional cast-on for a short row toe, which I had never done. Unfortunately, again, the socks were going to be too big (I was following a lace pattern that I wasn't sure how to adjust smaller) -- so rip, rip, rip again.... This morning I picked up the SAME yarn again, started the socks and they are going swimmingly. The yarn is Brown Sheep Wildfoote in a navy/hunter green/magenta-ish purple colorway and the pattern is the beaded rib from Sensational Knitted Socks, my favorite sock book!

Photos to come at a later date.

Valentine's Day

DCP01870
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I told my husband not to waste $50+ on roses for me....instead this morning I got a little bag with these inside!

Yippeee!

Oops!

While surfing around on Ebay last week, I "accidently on purpose" picked up two skeins of Lorna's Laces hand dyed Shepard Sock in the 'Hawaii' colorway.

It arrived today. It's gorgeous and it's begging me to get out the ball winder.

However, I will resist as...sigh...I'd like to finish the Column of Leaves scarf before spring. I am about 75% of the way through it and it's going quicker than when I first started. Tonight is a 'sit on the couch, knit and watch Heroes' night, so I hope to make good progress.

I just need to keep my eyes on the goal....finish the scarf, start the socks!

Column of Leaves Scarf

Column of Leaves Scarf
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

The scarf is still in progress. I'm starting to wonder if it will still be cold when it's done.

Otherwise, I'm wearing this freaking scarf in the middle of June.

The spinning is coming along...

Not bad for a beginner!
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Since getting the wheel for my birthday last November, I've been very remiss in spending time with "Anansi" (that's the wheel's name).

Most of what I learned about spinning with a wheel has been through reading books and trial and error, resulting in very mixed (aka pretty crappy) results on the bobbin. Anyway, yesterday I met with a spinner at my local yarn store where she sat with me, watching and giving me some pointers -- the biggest was "stop treadling with the music, you're going too fast!!"

Remember this Project?

DCP01865
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

To refresh your memory, last year I signed up for a "Mystery Stole" KAL online.

I had always admired lace knitting, stoles and wanted to give them both a go. Being me, I jumped with both feet into a project that really tested my inabilities. Never knitted with laceweight yarn? [Nope.] Never used a chart? [Huh? What's a chart?]

In the past two days, 2 different people asked me whatever happened with this project. To both I admitted that it was "resting" in it's project bag, patiently awaiting me to pull it back it out one day.

Today was that day. I pulled out the tote, gently unrolled the work, straightened out the needles and took a good look at it. Are there mistakes? You betcha. Can I live with them? Hell, yes.

All in all, taking a good look what I've already completed, I did really well for not having a good idea what I was doing and just knitting along without a clue. (laugh).

Dirk is working late tonight, so I'm going to sit down with with this project and try to knock out the last 2/3's of side 1 of Chart 3. The black lines are placeholders across the work to section off each of the charts, which start in the middle. On the far left side you can see that I've got quite a few rows of side 1/chart 3 already started.

Secret Pal 10: The Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I'm a huge fan of sock yarns! I like most types of yarn -- wool, cotton, merino, angora! I get a lot of my yarns through KnitPicks and have not be disappointed with any of them. I'm not a fan of cheap acrylic, I do however like a higher quality acrylic blend like Encore Worsted.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

My favorite circular sock needles are stored in the little Addi Turbo baggies that they came in. Exciting, eh?

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I started knitting just over a year ago. A friend showed me the basics and then I got every book that our local library had on the shelves. I'd rate myself a very adventurous intermediate knitter.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I think so.

5. What's your favorite scent?

I love earthy scents like patchouli, sage, ylang ylang. Scents that are too flowery make me sneeze.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I *love* Green and Blacks chocolate! And the Cadbury Fruit and Nut bars.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I am very much a do-it-yourselfer! Yes, I spin and am a beginner on both the wheel and drop spindle. I would love to have a better drop spindle than the one I am currently using.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I've got eclectic musical tastes that range from The Grateful Dead to Joy Division! I have an MP3 player that I love to listen to audio books on!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like purples, silver, greens, browns, rusty reds -- really, I'm not picky about color.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married to the love of my life. Have boxer dogs who lay around on the couch all day and cats who own the place.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Yes

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

SOCKS! I'm a sock nut because they are quick, easy and portable!

13. What are you knitting right now?

A lace sampler scarf with laceweight yarn, another lace work patterned scarf but in worsted weight, a pair of socks and would like to start a pinwheel sweater!

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Very much so, they are the best kind.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Depends on the project, but I mostly use circular needles in either aluminum or bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes, both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Less than a year

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Apparently, yarn and roving...(laugh)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I subscribe to Interview Knits. I have a few books on my wish list: Favorite Socks:
Twenty-five of the best sock patterns by Interweave Knits; Knitting Without Tears and Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmerman

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'd like to get better at Fair-Isle and try steeking.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes, on sock knitting. I wear a size US 5.5 women's regular width.

23. When is your birthday?

November 18

What I've been doing...

*Still working on the Column of Leaves scarf. It's coming along just fine, it's eating yarn up like you would not believe though! I'm definitely going to use every inch of the 440 yards that I have.

* Little pink socks on the needles as well. I'm rarely without a pair of socks in progress. :) The yarn is a cotton/elastic blend that I picked up over the summer. I can't find the ball band ANYWHERE and I'm in desperate need of a second ball. We no longer have it at the shop, so I'm hoping that I can show it to the owner or someone else at the shop and they'll recognize it. Otherwise, these socks are just going to be anklets.

Next projects I'm thinking about:

* Elann's Pinwheel Cardi: I love the look and am dreaming about the colors I'll choose.

* I'm so intrigued by steeking a fair isle sweater, so I've got a pattern for a small teddy bear sweater that will be knit fair isle in the round before I....gulp...cut out the arm holes. I figure I'll start with a small sweater. It can't be THAT hard to knit up a sweater that you've put a lot of time and effort into can it? (LOL)

It's snowing here again. I'm all wrapped up in my zip front fleece onesie. Dirk calls it "the potato sack". It's basically a big square of fleece that zips up the front, has long sleeves and two little ribbed holes all the way down at the bottom where my feet poke out. It's amazingly comfortable and perfect for lounging around in.

Football Alternative for this weekend

DYI TV is running a Knitty Gritty Marathon, Sunday Feb 4, 5-11 pm ET, to give an alternative to the SuperBowl. They are encouraging viewers to knit or crochet 7x9 squares for Warm up America. I hope it's a success; and it is telling that the network decided to do this instead of, say, a plumbing marathon!

http://diytv.com/diy/shows_dkng/

Work in Progress: Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf

Been working on a new scarf for myself since Dirk got the last one that I made. There area few (glaring to me) mistakes that suddenly have suddenly appeared too many rows back for me to think about ripping it all out without bursting into tears. The pattern isn't really hard but there was a weird stitch that I'd never done before that was throwing me a curve ball until I got some help in an online knitting community.

I'm eternally grateful (snort) to my husband for pointing one the mistakes out. Here's a peek at how the conversation went:

Me: "Look how far I've gotten on this scarf. I finally got that stitch worked out, but I'm leaving in the first bit where it went a little wrong. Can you tell?"

Him: "Not really, but what's up with that other spot that looks weird?"

Me: "What spot!?" (as I twist the scarf around to face me in a panic)

Him: "There...right below your thumb."

Me: "Shit"

Him: "erhm, uh, yeah, I can barely tell....(from all the way across a not very well lit room)."

Me: (holding up project with tiny tears ready to spill..) "Crap, there's another mistake'

Him: "I still love you even if you can't knit for crap"

Striped Socks!

Striped Socks
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I finished these socks last night - and they are the tallest ones I've made for myself so far. I originally intended to make them knee socks, and would have had plenty of yarn, but ...sigh... I get so excited once I get the foot and heel done to bind off and put my finished socks on!

I usually make my cuffs as long as the foot from heel to toe for a nice balanced sock. But these are 2 inches longer than the foot. Maybe I'll be patient enough for knee socks some day!

The only thing that bothers me about this pair is that the color is off between the two of them. The yarn was the same color and dye lot, but one is significantly lighter than the other. I pulled from the center of the skein so I am pretty certain it isn't fading from sunlight or anything.

Notes:
CTH method
Cascade Sassy Stripes Superwash
US 1 needle
Magic Loop

What I've been knitting lately!

First, my lovely husband requested a "long black scarf". He stopped in at the yarn shop while I was working to pick his yarn out, of course the first skein he picked up was a small $20.00 skein of super soft alpaca. (snort). I politely pointed out that I was *not* knitting a $60.00 handwash only scarf for him and shoved two balls of Cascade Superwash into his hands.

I used the popular "Irish Hiking Scarf" pattern, which was super easy to memorize and worked up fairly quickly. I used almost all of both balls of yarn (440 yards!), but he loves it because it's long enough for him to wrap around his neck and still have a nice amount hanging down in front. He's literally worn it daily since I made it, so I'm guessing he's really pleased with it.

The only thing that I don't like is the way the one end flares out -- I think this is the cast on edge. However, I think if I blocked the whole scarf this would be solved. I'm already thinking about what color I want my Irish Hiking Scarf, I know there are two balls of Cascade Superwash in a heather green at the store that would be gorgeous. (Putting on psychic hat....I predict a trip to YarnArts this afternoon to get some heathered green superwash wool.....)

<-- Here's a nice closeup view of the cables --dog hair, flared end and all.

For about the last six months I have been totally entranced by a felted fair isle bag at the shop that was knitted by one of the women who also works there. So, I finally sat down with some wool, some graph paper, a calculator, a pencil and a really big eraser to try to design my own fair isle pattern for a bag. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. There are some things I would have done differently for the shaping, but overall it I think it turned out great. I bought grommets yesterday for the handle to slip through, but apparently I can't count and need to got get another set so that I have enough. The bottom is round so it's a barrel shaped bag, which you're not really seeing in the photo and the top is bunched up where I folded it to dry into the folds that I need to grommet. I'll have to get some sturdy plastic canvas to cut down to size for the bottom to hold the bag up properly.

Well, it's almost lunch time and I have some things I need to finish around the house before I head over to the shop to get me some heathered green Cascade Superwash!

Woven Two Handed Fair Isle

whoo-hooooo!!

For weeks, I've been dreaming of a felted fair isle tote bag. On Friday morning I sat down with needles and wool and knit, unknit, reknit, unknit and reknit until I finally got the math right for a flat bottom that is circular.

On Saturday, I sat down with graph paper and drew out a fair isle type pattern and with lots of determination *finally* got how to complete fair isle with no floats.

This afternoon, I bound the bag off. Now I need to decide what color and style I want an i-cord handle so that I can felt both the bag and handle at the same time.

I'll post photos tomorrow!

I've got yet another pair of socks!

I've had this yarn hanging around in my knitting bag forever! I but when I saw a friend knitting a pair of socks with her yarn just like it, I dug mine out because I loved how her socks were turning out. It's Crystal Palace Bunny Hop, which is a microfiber, nylon, angora blend. It's super thick and very soft.

I used my standard two at a time on Magic Loop (US 3) with the Crazy Toes and Heel method. The ribbing is the garter rib from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Socks book.

The fit is awesome and I love the colors. I will definitely get some more of this yarn for additional socks!

Magic Loop Crazy Toes and Heels KAL

On the Crazy Toes and Heels yahoo group, I was asked to help with a KAL using the CTH method with Magic Loop to knit two socks at once. This is my preferred sock method since I get great fitting socks and no second sock syndrome!

I'm a little nervous about running my first KAL, but I figured I'd give it a whirl! If it goes to crap, we're all in this together, right? (wink)

Here's the materials that you'll need to get started:

Sock Yarn: either two balls of 50 grams each, or one 100 gram ball *which will require you to work from both ends of the yarn* Be aware that using a self striping yarn and knitting from both ends will make the socks "fraternal" and the striping will be upside down on one sock.

Needle: Your favorite size needle in a 47" to 60" cable length. Some people use a shorter cable, if that works for you then go for it, but for two socks at the same time, it's helpful to have lots of cable to move everything around on. I prefer my Addi Turbo, but I also use the KnitPicks or Denise needles with the long cable when I am using a larger needle size, like a 4 or 5.

Other materials: Standard stitch markers and double loop markers for CTH method.

Pattern: We're going to make this up as we go! wooo-hoooo! You can use your favorite leg/cuff pattern once we get cast on. I'm planning on a simple garter rib from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Sock book.

Get your materials together and we can cast on on Friday, January 19th -- this should give everyone enough time to get their materials together, ok?

'Elifine Socks'

'Elifine Socks'
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I finished them last night -- and I love them!
The pattern is 'Elifine's Socks'. The pattern is well written and easy to read.

The yarn is Knit Picks 'Palatte' in cream, which was leftover from Dirk's black socks with white toes and cuff stripe. The yarn is a bit splity to work with, but very soft.

The only thing I would change is that I used the stretchy bind from the Magic Loop booklet. It's almost too stretchy and flares a bit on my leg as you can see in the photo. I suppose if the socks had been longer the flared part would be on a wider part of my leg.

As usual, I knit these both at the same time on Magic Loop -- which is my favorite way to do socks. Honestly, I don't think I would have made it through a second one if I did them one at a time. Lace socks are hard work and it's easiest to just get them done at the same time.

Knitty Heart Scarf

This weekend's knitting project was super quick and easy! I started this scarf on Saturday afternoon and finished it yesterday. The pattern is from Knitty's Breast Cancer Awareness PDF.

It was knit with Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Bulky. I did have to lightly block it to flatten the edges that wanted to roll due to the amount of stockinette stitch used. It could probably use another blocking -- I'm not really good at blocking due to impatience. LOL

I really like the pattern and it's a great introduction to lace patterns for someone who hasn't done much lace knitting. The bigger needles (US 15) and bulky yarn make it easy to see where you are in the pattern and learn to read your lace knitting. The finished scarf will go to YarnArts tomorrow as a store sample for Valentine's Day gift ideas. Doesn't Maxwell look charming in a pink scarf? He's obviously very sure of his manliness. My husband asked if the scarf was for him since it matched his pink MP3 player...laugh...

As a side note, this is the first time I'd worked with Lamb's Pride. I've been spinning for just a short time and have been frustrated with how my yarn looks - but while making this sweater, I realize that this is almost exactly how my spun yarn looks! At least it's not the overspun twisty stuff of my first tries at spinning!

Side Note...

A friend mentioned to me today that she was worried when she saw in my blog that my husband was out of town for a few days earlier this month.

So this is a public note to any nutters out there: We have two large boxer dogs. One is a large male who has been through protection training by someone who trains K-9 unit (police) dogs. The other is a female who was rehomed to us so because we are willing to work with her and her aggression issues towards people and other dogs. Both dogs are extremely protective of me, my house and my knitting.

I also have a very large broadsword in the house and would have no qualms about taking an intruder's head off. Remember in some states it is legal to use lethal force to protect your home.

The end.

My Silly Husband

DCP01828
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Even though our anniversary isn't until tomorrow, Dirk got his sweater last night -- I'm terrible about holding onto a present for someone. I was just so excited to give it to him.

He loved it and as soon as he got it out of the wrapping, he put it right one.

(Please ignore the pile of shoes in the photo -- with all the snow we've had we've accumulated a ton of boots by the front door...)

Note: Dirk is also wearing a hat I knitted him and his felted clogs. :)

Dirk's Sweater 2006

Dirk's Sweater 2006
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here's where I was yesterday afternoon. Last night I finished the first sleeve and started the second sleeve.

Obviously the sweater didn't get completed in time for Christmas, but our wedding anniversary is this weekend, so I'm hoping to have it done for then!

The sweater is laying on top of one of my husband's favorite sweaters so that I could check the size -- and they are almost exactly the same.

The grey faced boy in the photo is an extremely nosy boxer dog who refused to get out of any of the shots I was trying to take. He just turned 10 years old, so he'd allowed to be a pain in the ass....that and I adore him. :)

Still working on the Christmas Sweater....

raglan top down sweater
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I'm about 9 inches into the 16 inches of the body, then I've got the sleeves to finish.

Not bad progress considering it's been on the needles just about a week and I can only work on it when my husband isn't around -- which is difficult when we both work out of the house!

First go at lace socks!

DCP01773
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I cast these on Sunday morning, but haven't worked on them at all this week as I'm taking advantage of the empty house to work on Dirk's Christmas sweater instead!

(By popular request the pattern is:
http://autoscopia.com/amelia/assets/elfinesocks.pdf)

My perspective on knitting looks like....

DCP01778
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here's the typical set up of me knitting:

- sitting cross legged on the futon
- Allie tucked up against me so that I periodically bonk her on the head with my left elbow
- on the ottoman is the home phone, the cable remote, my cell phone, a pen, pattern notes and a cup of tea.

Top Down Raglan Crew Neck

Top Down Raglan Crew Neck
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Husband has been dropping not so subtle hints that he would *love* a sweater.....so while he's out of town this week, I'm knitting like a mad woman trying to get as much of this project done as I can!

Finished Object: Fetching Mitts....

DCP01758
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Ok, so the photo doesn't really show the finished project real well - but damn, Allie's cute isn't she?

The yarn is some Encore Marble that has been floating around in the yarn chest for about 10 months.

The pattern is super easy and quick; this one of more popular "one skein" projects of the year. This is my second pair and I've got some

exquisite green cashmere/merino blend yarn for pair number 3!

Yet more socks....

I've had this sock yarn hanging around in the yarn bin forever -- actually it was some of the first sock yarn I ever bought at the old YarnArts location BEFORE I even knew how to knit socks. :)

Yarn Used: Schoeller Stahl Limbo Mexiko in Color 2587
Needle: Addi Turbo US 3 60" Magic Loop
Pattern: Based on Crazy Heels and Toe heel and math (toe up - two at once)

I cast these on on Tuesday night when I finished up the felted bag and got them completed through the first heel. Last night I finished the second heel and completed the leg all the way to the cast off. This morning I cast them off with the stretchy crochet cast off in the CTH book. I've got small feet so socks are a quick project for me; especially with thicker yarn and a US 3 needle.

Before I cast them on, I pulled out oodles of yarn from each ball trying to match up the pattern for identical socks. I finally got frustrated and figured I'd go with "fraternal" socks instead. About 15 rows into the socks, I realized that the two balls were wound in opposite pattern direction -- which I thought was very weird and I've never had this happen in self striping yarn?

Finished Object: Moebius Felted Bag

Pattern: Based loosely on a bag pattern from Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury of Magical Knitting.

Yarn Used: JJ's Handpainted Kaleidoscope(rainbow) and Galway Pure Wool Worsted Weight (purple)
Needles: US 11

Here's the bag unfelted, with Allie, a small boxer dog, for size reference (and tiny cat in the upper left corner...)


Here's the bag post felting (14 minutes in the washer). Again with Allie, the same small boxer dog, for size reference:

I love Cat's moebius knitting technique and have made a number of her projects. Once you get the hang of the cast on, the patterns are quick and easy to knit up.

The Cabled Cardigan is DONE!

Well, ok it needs a zipper....but it's all knitted! The sleeves went remarkable fast and I'm so glad that I used the Magic Loop method instead of DPN. Especially, since I didn't have the right size DPN and didn't really want to have to buy a set.

And I love it and thrilled with how it turned out. Can you tell from Charlie, the cat's face how much he likes it as well?

I think he's jealous and wants his own sweater.

Here's another photo where I think you can see the cabling on the front a bit better:

Cable Front Top Down Raglan Sweater.....

It's in the home stretch -- I've got about 6 inches left on the second sleeve!

The final bit will be putting in a zipper...I'm a little scared of wrecking the sweater, but I've got a plan to minimize it by machine sewing the zipper edges to a crocheted chain and then handsewing the crocheted chain the cardigan front edges.

Photos to come!

Felted Hat!

Recently my LYS had some store samples of felted hats that I have been dying to make from a FiberTrends pattern. This weekend my parents came into town and my mom went with me to the LYS to check out the new yarn shipment.

She asked me to make her a hat and she picked out some nice 14 ply chunky tweedy wool. I'd tell you the brand if I had the ball band right in front of me, but I don't and I'm too lazy to get up and go grab it off my knitting chest.

Here's pre and post felting photos. It looks a little funny in the post felting photo because it was still wet and had been tried on by me, my mom, one of our boxers and my husband just before we took the photo.

It really came out cute, was SO easy to knit. I started and finished it in just a few hours -- so less than 24 hours after picking out the yarn, my mom was wearing a (slightly damp) hat!

I LOVE BIRTHDAY GIFTS!!!!

Everyone knows that I will immediately open any box or bag given to me no matter how far it is from the date of celebration.

Yesterday I got an envelope in the mail from my in-laws. I asked my husband if I could open the envelope. He said yes, but if anything inside had wrapping paper on it I couldn't open it. SUCCESS! Just a white jewelry box. :) (With nice blown glass earrings inside)

Today I got a big box from my mom. I called her to tell it got it. Her reply? "You opened it already didn't you?" I didn't. I waited until we were on the phone together. She was smart -- she gave me unwrapped goodies in the big box to try to keep me out of the other smaller box inside that was sealed with tape. I told her it was a shame that she used such crappy packing tape -- the small box just 'popped' open ALL ON IT'S OWN! (nah, she didn't believe me either...)

Anyway, I am now the giddy owner of the new KnitPicks Options needle set. However, I do think I'm going to still save up for a Denise set as well. A girl needs choices in her life, don't cha' think?

PS My husband is an enabler -- he actually went upstairs and brought back down a wrapped gift that he had hidden away that I was not supposed to see until Saturday. I opened it. And I love my new boxer dog sculpture.

How much do I love my husband?

Lendrum Double Treadle
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

[.......................
T-H-I-S.
...............
M-U-C-H!
...................]

Not only does he get me a KICK-ASS birthday gift, but he gives it to me 11 days early.

I'm done with the body of my cable front cardigan and awaiting more yarn to complete the arms. It's going to be really nice. :)

Also on the needles right now:

1) Socks for amazing husband in a boring black with white toes and a white stripe at the top of the cuff.

2) i-cord handle for a felted bag that I started and finished knitting while watching football on Sunday.

The Cabled Cardigan is Going Well!

DCP01720
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here's an update on the cable front cardigan that I started recently. The raglan sleeves are waiting on stitch holders and now I'm just going round and round and round on the body.

The pattern calls for ribbing at the bottom, but I think I'm going to skip that bit. It also calls for the collar to be stitched in half towards the inside to give it weight, again I think I'm going to skip that and instead fold it to the outside.

I can't remember if the sleeves are supposed to be ribbed at the cuffs, but I don't think I'd like that either. I wonder if I could pick up stitched and make a cable around the cuff?

Other suggestions on a different cuff idea?

10 Knitterly Things You Don't Know About Me: A Meme

1. I'm not a "thrower", I knit continential.

2. I recently have taught myself to purl backwards so I don't have to turn my work. It makes for an easier time when using two colors -- no ball tangles!

3. I'm a lifeline addict when working on lace. My lace project has a lifeline at least every 10 rows.

4. Everyone knows I am a sock addict, but I'm shit at traditional heel flaps which is why I use short row heels.

5. When I learned to knit I just couldn't understand casting on and had to look at a picture everytime!

6. I tried to learn to knit two years ago, thought it was too hard and quit.

7. I'm obessive about finishing project and the thought of having UFO's hanging around bothers me. The only exception is my lace stole and that's because I can't knit longer than about an hour at a time on this on.

8. When I learned to knit, I made 1 or 2 scarves, got bored and jumped right to socks!

9. I can't knit when it's too quiet. I like watching TV, listening to a book on tape or being with friends.

10. I never leave the house without a knitting project. You never know when you'll have a few extra minutes!

So that's my list. Are you surprised by any of it? Or did you really already know all of these things about me?

Think Pink

In honor of the women who have touched my life and have been affected by breast cancer, I intend to "think pink" with my next project.

-- With each stitch I knit, I send out a prayer to each family who is devasted by this disease.

-- With each stitch I purl, I celebrate each family who has beat this disease.

-- With each row, I am grateful for the time I am still able to celebrate with my mother.

Yarn Humor....

yarnhumor
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Cable Front Top Down Raglan Sweater

Cable Front Top Down Raglan Sweater
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Typical of me, when I want to try something new I jump in with both feet. I started my first big sweater project over the weekend. It's a cardigan with a cable front and raglan sleeves. I'm knitting it top down so that I can avoid the whole seaming and adding sleeves issue.

The pattern is a Paton's booklet pattern I got from a friend who works at the LYS. I'm thrilled at my progress so far!

The pattern is fairly easy to read and the questions that stumped me were pretty stupid ones. (Example, the pattern said "place a marker in the stitch" for some reason I wasn't getting that I actually PUT THE MARKER IN THE STITCH. duh, then I was a little confused on the wording for the repeats but got that situated with one phone call to the very helpful friend, Debi, who gave me the pattern).

The yarn is Cascade Ecological Wool, which is one of my favorites.

Patriotic Socks

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I attended a weekend long workshop last weekend -- and because I know I can't sit still for very long I made sure I had knitting with me to keep me focused.

ta-da! Patriotic socks. Originally, I was going to make them tall socks, but when I tried them on at this length they screamed "WE'RE DONE!"

Aloha long tail cast-on
Magic Loop on US1
Short Row Heels
Fortissima sock yarn

These will be posted off in the mail to my mother this weekend. :)

The "Poncho" Socks are Done!

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Thanks to my husband for taking a picture of my feet. Though the socks are actually much lighter in color than they appear.

They are a top up, stockinette foot, short row heel with K2P2 ribbing on the cuff on US1 (Magic Loop). No pattern, just winging it as I went.

Teeny Tiny Preemie Baby Hats

Teeny Tiny Preemie Baby Hats
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Making these for the Knitting Guild Charity Project. I love a project that takes less than an hour or two.

Two Socks on the Needle

Two Socks on the Needle
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Back when I was learning to knit I made a poncho -- very badly. The poncho had dropped stitches, my gauge was off by a mile, the tension was all over the place, it didn't fit well and in a nutshell was as a disaster.

However, not being a wasteful person I recently carefully ripped out the poncho, balled up the yarn and tucked it into my "to be knit" stash basket.

When we left on our most recent road trip I tossed this yarn into my travel bag and started a pair of socks with it on the way home. :) They are *way* nicer than the crappy poncho. The yarn is an acrylic blend by Encore in worsted weight. But I am using a 2.25 mm/ US1 needle (magic loop) so they are a super tight knit and looking great.

I won't talk about how I'd ripped the heels out no less than 4 times because the yarn was splitting on me since the heels are now done and have no holes in the short row wraps.

Little Pink and Sparkly Socks

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here are the little anklets I made on the drive down to Las Vegas over the weekend. As always it's nearly impossible to take a good picture of your own feet and capture the colors as well!

The pattern was 2 socks on 2 circs toe up with aloha long tail cast on and the 'crazy toes and heels' heel with side gussets and a slip stitch patterned heel. I also stopped the ribbing around the ankle so that the stockinette would make a nice little curled edge.

Yarn is a Fortissma in pink with stripes and a silver metallic fleck that was gifted to me by a friend who had part of a ball left over from her anklets. In hindsight I should have kept going up the leg since I still have yarn left over, but honestly, I'm impatient and just wanted the socks off the needles and on my feet.

Missing in Action, but Still Knitting

I have been trotting around Colorado, Utah, a bit of Arizona and into Nevada with friends from Britian over the past week and a half. However, this did not prevent me from starting and finishing one pair of socks and casting on another pair. :)

A friend gave me the leftovers of some sock yarn from a pair of socks she just finished and was able to make a pair of anklets using the yarn. So, now we have matching socks. How sweet...

I also cast on another pair of "Fetching", but didn't do something right on the pattern and wound up getting to the final rows on the second one and realized they did not match. (rolls eyes). I ripped out the second one, THEN realized that the first one is the wrong one. Twice I've tried to recreate what I did wrong on glove one with no luck. To keep down my frustration, I'm going to rip out the first glove as well and tuck away the yarn for another project.

Knitty's "Fetching"

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

On Friday night I saw one of the these gloves that someone else had made and thought they were so cute I had to give the pattern a whirl myself!

I learned two things with this pattern:
-- cabling
-- thumb gussets with waste yarn.

The pattern is so easy to read and these knit up uber fast. I made the first one in just a couple hours and then cast on and made 1/2 the second one while watching a movie last night. I just finished up the second glove this afternoon in about an hour.

I'd like to experiment with using beads in this pattern -- and make myself another pair in the cashmere/merino I was oogling on Friday night.


EDIT: I used Encore yarn, a wool/acrylic blend.

The socks are done!

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Cute, eh? However, now I have nothing to take to tonight's 'Sit and Knit' except my mystery stole and that is nearly impossible to work on when I am too busy running my mouth to count.

Guess, I'll dig around in my little stash and take a look at some of the new MagKnits patterns in the issue that came out today.

I'm a sock pimp....

In my quest to overtake the sock world with handknit socks, I taught a friend how to make a teeny tiny sock last night.

I am currently amassing a collection of very small squirrel sized socks in this quest to teach the world the joys of sock making.

The Latest Socks!

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

(Austermann Step Sock Yarn with Aloe and Jojoba added)

This striping pattern is what happened when you start one sock from the middle of the ball and the other from the outside -- I think it looks cute that they are similar but not the same. The white and purple are reversed on the two socks (the other color is a forest green).
The bottoms are also plain stripes as apposed to the the chevron pattern on the top.

Hang on, I'll share a photo:

Crazy Toes & Heels Socks #2

I started yet another pair of socks last week -- the day after finishing up the previous pair. I tell you socks are my "crack addiction" of the knitting world. With the current pair I used the "no wrap" short row heels, but without the gusset like the previous pair, from the CTH book. One word: wow! The heels have no unsightly gaps along the middle like most of my short rows. Only one hole and that was due to a malfunction of the needles, ok, ok, it was operator error.

These socks are also done with a chevron pattern from the Sensational Socks book. I got both heels turned this afternoon and am making my way up the legs this evening.

I'm going to feed the dogs, open another Heineken and settle down in the sunroom to try to get 1/2 way up the cuffs on these socks.

(And no, I don't have any updated on the Mystery Stole. Still on Clue 3, side 2. It's taken a back seat to my sock obession...maybe I should change the blog name?)

08-22-06 Socks

08-22-06 Socks
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Yay!! The stripes almost match! They are off by one row but wooo-hooo! I love these new socks.

They were knitted two up, toe at a time using the "Crazy Toes & Heels" method which results in NO HOLES on the short row heels. (there are no wraps, so no wrap holes -- just the one small hole where I slipped a stitch that should have been knitted.)

The hair on the floor is because Matilda was laying in the spot prior to me snapping the photos -- however, there is just no way around NOT having hair on the floor in our house.

Crazy Toes & Heels Socks #1

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here are the first socks I made with my new Crazy Toes and Heels book. These were made two at a time with two no.3 circular needles with Fortissima sock yarn (which incidently I love how the stripes worked out!)

The toe cast on for these socks was UBER easy and not nearly as slippery at the Magic Loop figure 8 cast on which I find difficult to get started. The heels are the "crazy heels" that a started by creating large gussets as part of the sole stitches and then use a modified short row WITHOUT wraps -- which means no holes up the side.

I'm only about an inch into the cuff, so if I sit down tonight I'm hoping to be able to knock these out by tomorrow's Knitting Guild meeting.

I am also still working on my Mystery Stole and am starting Clue 3. I am working both sides, so I am done with Clue 1 & 2 on both ends.

Hello, I'm Pixie and I'm a Sock Addict....

I started ANOTHER pair of socks last night. This time I am using the "Aloha Cast On" from the 'Crazy Toes and Heels' book and working two socks on two circulars. When I get to the heels, I will also be using the heel process from the 'Crazy Toes and Heels' book.

Photos to follow on some future day.

:)

Completed Socks: Magic Loop 2 Socks at Once

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I've been dying to try the Magic Loop process to make two socks at once on one long circular. I cast the socks on Friday a week ago, worked on them here and there and finished them up last night!

wooo---hooo!

It seemed to go much faster this way than with the '2 circular/1 sock at a time' method I have used in the past and I'm thrilled at the results. The best part is that the foot sections and leg sections are the same length, unlike my other socks that don't quite match.

Have a full glass of wine, empty needles and sock more yarn in my basket -- life is good!

Henry David Thoreau the Llama with his Alpaca Friends

Henry David Thoreau the Llama with his Alpaca Friends
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

I had a wonderful day at a local alpaca farm where we were invited out for lunch and to visit with the alpacas!

After the completely crappy and heartwrenching week I've had, getting a kiss from an alpaca was just what I needed.

The owners of the farm (http://www.lavenderfieldsalpacas.com) were *so* generous allowing us to come out there, answer the 10,000 questions I had and providing dessert for our lunches.

What's up with my Mystery Stole, you ask?

Honestly, nothing.

It's been sitting in it's bag resting.

I got all wrapped up in finishing the Clapotis project for a while there, and then when I stopped in at YarnArts for a beer, erhm, I mean to knit the other day I needed something to work on that did not require 100% concentration, a chart, two colors of highlighters etc., so I figured out the Magic Loop technique to cast on two socks at once on one needle.

The two sock project is going well so far, but I'll a little fuzzy on how I'm going to do the heels. I'll do one and if I'm totally confused, it's easy enough to slide one sock onto stitch holders while I turn the second heel.

I'm off to the Nanci Griffith concert tonight with a friend, and of course my two little socks on one needle are stuffed into the bag with a bottle of wine, some hummus, pita bread and some granola. I'm a hippy girl at heart who can't go anywhere without knitting, granola and a bottle of wine. :)

I've shed the Clap......

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Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Last night I finished up my Clapotis! It was a fairly easy project, just had to watch your markers and pay attention to the pattern. I'd definately make this one again.

I haven't blocked it and am not sure if I will. It's fairly large -- to big to wear like a scarf while I eat crossiants.... but will look great as a light wrap while I drink wine in the park.

I'll get my lovely husband to get a photo of me wearing it later this week.

EDIT: Karen, thanks for the suggestion NOT to block this project!

HandDyed Yard

HandDyed Yard
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Dry Kool-Aid + a damp white boxer = a giant mess.

I got a BUNCH of natural colored wool that I niddy-noddied up into smaller hanks so that I could experiement with dyeing with Kool-Aid. I got some *great* results! Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the gorgeous coral-red skein or the turquoise with maroon-ish bits before I gave them away as a birthday gift.

And because I'm obssesive, I've already planned what part of the front yard I can dig up for a new garden where I can harvest my own plants for making natural dyes.