FO: Zokni

HOLY LACK-OF-BLOGGING, BATMAN.

Sorry, guys. My last post was on Valentine’s Day. Ridiculous. I am so sorry about that. I hope that I can update this blog more throughout the summer. If you feel so inclined, you can follow me on Twitter, or on tumblr.

Now, let’s get down to it. These past 2 weeks, I was home in Sugar Land, TX, with my family. You may remember the 2 pairs of socks I finished when I was home in December. My parents’ house has the best knitting mojo. When packing for the trip home, I decided to take the Zokni socks that I had let hibernate for a while (until about 3 weeks ago, when I picked them back up and had to rip out the heel. YIKES!) in hopes that I would be able to finish them while at home.

And, sure enough, I did finish them!

Project: Zokni (Ravelry link)
Pattern: Zonki Socks by pepperknit
Yarn: KnitPicks Essential in “Grass”
Mods/Notes: I did these toe-up, instead of top-down, as the pattern indicates. I was a little worried that the leaf pattern wouldn’t look as nice if I did them toe-up, but I wasn’t ready to take the top-down plunge yet. I didn’t make any changes to the chart, just flipped the direction I knit them in.

These might be the socks that I am the most proud of. They fit. They are pretty. AND THEY FIT. They are somewhat stretched over my ginormous heel, but it is not so horrible that they rival The Great Azure Sock Breakdown of 08.

I did 5 repeats of the chart on the leg, and they are just the perfect height. I did a little more ribbing than the pattern calls for.

UPCOMING EVENTS/THINGS: I want to start knitting with my Opal Harry Potter sock yarn. I have 2 balls of the Ron colorway, and one of the Dumbledore colorway. I already have project names picked up for them on Ravelry, but I have no idea what pattern I want to do. One ball of Ron is saved for straight stockinette socks, so that leaves one of each colorway that is completely open to suggestions. If you have any suggestions, leave ‘em in the comments!

FO: IRK

IRK Hat

Project: IRK (Ravelry link)

Pattern: Hurricane Hat by Andrea Goutier

Yarn: Wisdom Poems (Ravelry link) – less than 1 ball

Notes: OMG I LOVE THIS HAT. It is so freaking awesome. Started Friday night, and finished Saturday night. The yarn makes me think of the ocean, and, combined with the pattern, makes it a really, really special hat. The project title comes from the three most significant hurricanes in my life: Ike (2008), Rita (2005), and Katrina (2005).

Poems continues to be one of my favorite yarns. It’s not as scratchy as some other wools, which makes me super happy.

I bought 2 balls of this colorway at the yarn store, just in case. I might make some mittens out of the second ball. Or a little scarflette. Maybe. Some sort of matching set would be cool.

Also.

♥ HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!! ♥

FO: holding up my end of the deal

My sister Kathryn and I had a deal.

The story is: we were on the phone, and I was being secretive about what was inside her Valentine’s Day package I had just put in the mail. THEN, she was being secretive about something “bad” she had done while we were on the phone, so we made a deal:
She would tell me what “bad” thing she did, and I would post a picture of something that is inside the Valentine’s package that she is getting soon.

SO HERE IS MY END OF THE DEAL.

KK's Purple Earwarmer

AAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAA. The above picture is not her actual surprise, but rather something she comissioned, which IS inside the Valentine’s package. She said, “Just knit me the brim of a hat!”

I wanted to keep it for myself! I like the the rib-cable-rib pattern. I want to use it on the ribbing of the next sweater I make.

So, Kathryn Elise, there you go. I have held up my end of the deal.

(It turns out her “bad” thing was that she had gone on this blog, looking for a picture of what was inside her Valentine’s package, but didn’t find anything. For the record, the idea to show her something inside but not the actual surprise was my plan FROM THE START.)

FO: Serenity Now!

THE BLANKET IS FINISHED.

In time to turn in for Charms homework.

It is blocking on 2 towels in my living room.

All in all, it’s smaller than I anticipated, but it will be displayed on my bed until it disintegrates into nothingness.

I have no idea how to block, guys. I just pin, spray, and hope for the best.

What the hell do I knit now??

FOs, WIPs, and PIMPs

I have more things to share!

First is a scarf that was actually meant to be a WIP in this post. But! I finished and blocked it last night.

Purple Fan Scarf using leftoever Palette I had from KK’s Phineas socks. CO 36, 2 repeats of fan stitch pattern. Very good mindless knitting.

It is going to be sent to Jessica’s sister Jonnie (whose favorite color is purple) for her 19th birthday.

Next is my project for the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup over on Ravelry.

This is my project for Charms class. Our assingment is the Patronus charm: either as a messenger, or as a comfort/depression treatment (the explicit directions were to “make something that would make us happy”); I chose the “comfort” aspect.

The pattern is Serenity, by Laura Wilson-Martos. I have been wanting to knit this blanket for about 8 months, ever since I first discovered the pattern. But then I had to do Christmas knitting, and I had a dye lot fiasco, but when the HPKCHC Charms class came along, I KNEW that this would be my project. The pattern is simply glorious, and Laura was kind enough to help me out when I accidentally misread a line, messaged her on Ravelry, and then felt like an idiot when I realized my simple mistake.

I’m about 1/5 of the way done, I think. (I’m inclined to underestimate my progress, so that when it takes longer than I think it will, I won’t be disappointed.) I bought 6 balls of yarn for it and just broke out the 2nd ball last night.

Also, this project is now MUCH farther along than the picture would lead you to believe. I took the pictures after the first day of knitting this project, which was Jan 4th, I think. It is getting more and more difficult to photograph because it just keeps growing. I am almost to the point of needing to switch circulars because the one I am currently using is too short.

I. LOVE. THIS. PROJECT.

Finally, I need to advertise. My dear friend Dani is hosting a little contest. Her sock club, Rock Your Socks Off (link to etsy), is about to get underway, and she wants YOUR ideas for bands/artists/colorways/etc that YOU (yeah, YOU!) would want to see in a sock club. The winner gets a choice of an existing colorway from Dani’s etsy shop, or they can have their suggested colorway dyed especially for them by Dani! What a sweet deal!!

As a frequent recipient of Dyed by DaniDo yarn, I can tell you that this sock club is going to be a lot of fun. So, get going, knitters! Reserve yourself a spot in the club using the esty link above, and go email Dani about your colorway ideas!

great big FO post

THE CHRISTMAS KNITTING ALL GOT DONE.

This is going to be a REALLY long post, so I’m trying a cut link for the first time ever. We’ll see how this goes.

But first, here is a little preview of what’s behind the cut.

Marie Club Monkeys

Mardi Gras Socks

Dad’s French Press Cozy

Purple Phineas Socks  and The Biggest Socks Ever

Also under the cut: UT Hats, and the Grand Canyon Beanie.

the goodship failure

Hey! I am Laura, Captain of the Failboat. Seriously.

I blame my Winter Concert. It has been sucking my will to knit, among other things, but now that it’s done (it was last night, December 10th, and it went really well!) I can post about knitting stuff!

I have been working on Christmas presents. I really have. I have things knit for everyone in my family, with the exception of Mom’s, which I am 90% done with. I’m about 75% done with KK’s second knitted gift, and have plans for Rachel’s, I just have to buckle down and get them done.

This means that I haven’t been working on stuff for me. Yeah, I did the sweater. And yeah, I did the neckwarmer. But I haven’t progressed on anything since. It still have 1.5 Mardi Gras Socks done, and I still have a ways to go on the Marie Club Socks. Christmas knitting has sucked my will to knit for any other purpose.

I say “sucked my will to …” but it should really be along the lines of “consumed my attention,” because knitting can’t really suck the will out of anything. It’s too fun for that.

OH! THE MOST EXCITING THING EVER: I signed up for the “Hogwarts Knitting/Crochet House Cup” on Ravelry! I CANNOT WAIT. Two of my favorite things combined: 1) knitting, and 2) the Harry Potter fandom!

For this, we are sorted into Houses, and I hope to be put in Hufflepuff. It was my first choice. Also, we have “classes,” which are essentially challenges, and we earn House Points. So, for Herbology last term, the assignment was to make a dishcloth out of hemp or a organic/natural fiber. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS TO START! The Winter Term starts in January. I cannot wait, it’s going to be so awesome.

Now that my concert is over, I feel that a lot more knitting will happen. HOPEFULLY!

Last thing: I like this layout, but I need a custom header. Ideas, anyone? My computer with Photoshop is on the fritz, so it will be a while before I can make one, but I want some ideas.

PATTERN: Aubergine Dreams Neckwarmer

MATERIALS:

• 1 hank Araucania Magallanes (242 yds/hank; about ½ hank) Or roughly 100-120 yds your choice yarn
• US 9 (circular or straight) needles (or size indicated on your ball band)
• 2 buttons of your choice

Gauge should be somewhere around 5sts and 5 rows/inch in pattern stitch, but it is not crucial for this project.

CO 23.

Begin pattern stitch:

Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k2 [sl 1 as if to knit, k3] to end
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, k2 [p1 through front loop (stitch will be twisted!), k 3] to end

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 20-21 inches. End with WS row.

Work buttonholes:
RS: Sl 1, k1, bo 1, [sl 1, k3] 4 times, sl 1, k1, bo 1, k1
WS: Sl 1, k1, co 1, [p1 through front loop, k 3] 4 times, p 1 through front loop, k1, co 1, k1

RS: Sl 1, k 2 [sl 1, k3] to end
WS: Sl 1, k 2 [p1 through front loop, k3] to end
RS: Bind off all stitches.

Attach buttons so they align with buttonholes.

Block if desired, and WEAR WITH PRIDE.

FO: Classroom Sweater (plus sock yarn!)

THE CLASSROOM SWEATER IS COMPLETELY FINISHED!

I wore it to school today! But for some strange reason, the air/heat wasn’t working AT ALL in my classroom, and it was literally so hot I was sweating, so I had to take it off. :[

But I was clearly VERY EXCITED to be wearing it!

Also, on Monday afternoon, I went over to my dear friend Dani's house and helped her dye yarn. We did 40 mini-skeins for a Fiber-Box contribution she was doing, and then we dyed some in her 'Modern Romance' colorway, and then she had 3 skeins of KnitPicks sock yarn that she said I could "play around with." Oh, and we also destroyed a Pyrex dish. Literally, it exploded all over the kitchen. Nobody was hurt, thank goodness.

We decided, since there were 3 skeins, that I would keep one, and Dani and Christina would get the other 2.

Here's the first skein I did, which I dubbed "High Voltage."

Dani has the 2nd skein I did, called "Radioactive." I WISH SHE WOULD TAKE PICTURES OF IT. HINT HINT. :]

This is the 3rd skein I did, called “Bag of Crazy,” going to Christina. We didn’t name it until after I’d given it to her. (She told me to take it home and take pictures of it, though, and that’s why I still have it.) I tried to do Mardi Gras colors, but the purple became more of a navy blue, and the green isn’t right for Mardi Gras.

So, that’s all for right now. I finished one of the UT Hats. I need to make 2 more. I’m very optimistic about Christmas Knitting this year. Because I finished the classroom sweater waaaaaay sooner than I thought I would, it means that I have more time to knit for Christmas gifts AND more time to knit for me! Most exciting.

the waiting game

DRY, ALREADY.

Classroom Sweater is blocking.