It's just Socks?

With 4 skeins of sock yarn sitting around staring at me, waiting to become more than just a ball of yarn, I search Ravelry for sock patterns.

Why knit socks when you can get a pack of 10 for $6? I like how something is always going on with socks. Cuff, leg, heel, gussets, foot and final toe - reverse for toe-up. The yarns can be solid, varigaited, self-stripeing, the list goes on. The patterns can be just a good basic sock to colorwork, lacey, ankle, crew, knee-hi, enterlac, easy to complicated.
You can knit socks with:
1 - 5 Double Pointed Needles (my preferred method - I still have my bamboo size 3 dpns that
see lots of sock yarn)
2 -Two Circulars (I find this method fun and easy - and no dropped or lost needles!)
3 - One Large Circular - using one long circular - 36 -40" to knit the socks (I am about to try this
method. I'll see how this goes)
You can do variations on the circulars: two socks at a time!

You can start socks at:
1 - Cuff down
2 - Toe-up
3 - Horizontally - which results in a seam.

I usually knit my socks cuff down. I am going to do a toe-up design next. Hmmm, haven't had much luck in getting a good start on toe-up socks. Again, enter search mode, finding Magic Cast On. Ding. Ding. Ding. I love it! It's neat, easy and works everytime! What more could I want from a cast on? Thank you Judy Becker!

Came home from a get-out-of-the-house run with...another skein of sock yarn. (total skeins of sock yarn - 5). Yes, there are people out there with more sock yarn than can be knitted in a year. (If they are knitting other things too), I'm not one of them. I think having 5 skeins waiting - 3 on-the-needles, 2 on deck waiting is plenty for me!

Socks...wonderful knitting projects. Fast, fun, portable and well liked. What more could you want in a project?

Must Resist

I swear I can here some yarn calling my name wanting me to cast on a new project. Spent this past Lent working on any WIPs (Work-in-Progress). Finishing up the putting together, or making up as they say in the fiber world.

Dare I list what is on-the-needles? Why not? Let's be wild!

1. Granny Square skirt - hmmm it's at the making up stage - on the shelf
   
2. Chicken Potholder - 3/4 of the way to the finish - next to the laptop. When I'm waiting on the dail-up I work on potholders...great way to make Christmas gifts all year!
3. Titicaca - cardigan - 1/4 done - in the project drawer in the living room
4. Spring sweater - froggin' it and remaking
5. Prayer Shawl - 3/4 of the way done.
6. Socks- hubby's - 1 done casting on tonight for it's partner
7. Socks - DD#3's - cast on and that's all that's done
8. Horse sweater for GD#2 - 3/4 done- having a heck of time keeping the color changes straight.
9. Miss Molly Doll - 1/4 done - the legs...need to get fiberfill before I go any further.
10. Strawbeary - again need fiberfill - 1/2 done.

Not as bad as I thought! I won't list what's in the queue for casting on...I think I would scare myself!

To the needles and string!

I Bought Yarn Just Because...Sort Of...

I went to the LYS (local yarn shop) to find a pattern for a cute sweater for the under utilized group of 4-10 size for kids. Never go w/ your family. Hubby, dd #3 and son, as I looked for patterns to knit, they were enjoying the rest of the store. When we met back up, they started checking out yarn.

"Mom, this is nice"....feeling weak at the knees. "This is awesome sock yarn - I love the colors". DD#3 knows my weakness for socks! I knew better than to reach out and touch it. Dear Daughter #3 has a pair of socks started on the needles already. I usually finish a pair of socks before I buy more sock yarn. I resisted! Then it called to me I swear! A wonderful black to light gray skein of the softest superwash wool I've come across. Same yarn DD#3 liked but it made me think of Hubby. Who likes crew socks, size 10 shoe- more knitting. The skein never left my hand. Even joked that they don't see a skein in my hand. Up to the register w/ the patterns I found and the yarn. I bought a skein of yarn just because I fell for it. Didn't make it half way home before I had a pattern figured out for Hubby's socks. Wouldn't ya know, I left my knitting bag at home. The first time I left at home on purpose and I needed my sock needles!

I'm not one to buy yarn because the sale is 80% off original price just to have it. I am not one who sees a ugly, I mean really ugly mustard yellow 100% wool on super sale and buy up the last 20 skeins just because it's on sale. Wait, I mentioned this in another post...fast forward.

I do buy yarn when it's on 80% off, in the color, content and amount I need for a project that all the details are in my knitting journal. Sue me, I like to make notes...(I can never remember if it's 653 yards in a worsted weight or 356 in a chunky weight). A beautiful 100% cotton, in a natural that I coveted while it was full price, I will buy! I need 6 skeins! The Cherry Tree Hill, a sport weight mohair boucle in Serengeti (bright pinks, yellows, oranges and reds) original price $35 for $7.56 - in the basket it went. I also tossed in a couple of skeins of Red Heart texture yarn in gold too. Total of $117 worth of yarn for $30 bucks!

The Cherry Tree Hill is going to be a sleeved wrap. The cotton a basic cardigan - gotta love wardrobe builders. The gold yarn is already made into prayer shawls. All had a purpose before I bought them. Just waited like a vulture for the discounts!

Back to that wonderful black/gray superwash wool sock yarn. It calls to me daily. It's where I can see it. I need the needles that are already in the middle of the cuff of DD#3's socks. Talk about getting it done! Happy Happy Joy joy - I bought a skein just because, sort of!

2009 Lenten Practice

I've finished the baby sweater. I mean the sweater is totally complete! Down to the blocking and making up! There is a first for everything! Let's see that's 3 prayer shawls, a two-layer lace hat and a baby sweater I've finished so far.

Which means I had to go WIP diving to find something else to finish. Chealee's bday is coming up in May. Have a Horses, Horses (www.marymaxim.com) sweater with the sleeves and back done, that I started before Christmas. Just need to do the intarsia front and that is why it is sitting in the WIP pile. So here I am making small progress on the sweater. It's a pattern that is best done in small doses, while things have settled down at the end of the day and all I have to think about are the color changes.

I have been diligent on my Lenten practice. I have all that new yarn to play with and I have yet to fight the cast-on urge! Seems that this year, I am determined to get this done! The mind is a powerful thing!

At least I am getting things finally finished!

During Lent

The Lenten Season is a time of preparation, penitence and prayer. It is also a time that some denominations "fast" from something. No chocolate, no chips, pop or tv during the season, meatless Fridays. It must be something that is difficult to abstain. I've done the chocolate thing...not pretty but I did it! Change has come to this Lenten practice: add something that helps you or others. Something that you need to do but as all habits take 21 days to make or break, Lent is a great time to start!

So what have I decided to do during Lent? Thought of my cola habit, chocolate, adding miles to my walking, the list was interesting. After a recent yarn purchase...$117 worth of yarn for $30! I needed to add another option: Finish all WIPs! Seeing my list here on my blog shows I have many things to finish or rip out and reskein the yarn for a future project. So after my huge "shopping spree": hey, I got clearance yarn for 80% off and I was waiting for just that for some of the yarn I got! I don't like paying full price! Sales and discounts are the thing!

Back to my WIPs...after my 3rd Prayer shawl, I realized that yes, finishing what's sitting on-the-needles, stitch holders and maybe I am not really happy with that project is a perfect Lenten practice for me! The new yarn is calling me! I want to cast on something new but I need to finish at least 6 things first! (I didn't say I wouldn't start anything new - I have 3 bday presents and an Easter sweater to cast-on.) I must finish all current projects by Easter!!!!! Anything started now does have deadlines - most of them happen to be in Lent - go figure.

These projects are getting done! So far, 3 shawls, and a two-layer alpaca hat. At the moment I'm working hard on Hannah's baby sweater. That is the other thing I'm doing during this time; working on the current project and only the current project. That takes patience and self-control I must admit! I have a pair of tipless gloves I'm designing, Jolie's bday sweater, the intarsia sweater for Chealee, the cardigan in a wonderful cotton call from deep inside the dresser where I put my stalled projects, I crave the variety they all bring!

So, this Lenten season has me knitting all WIPs and working them one at a time until they are done. Maybe one or two can become the bday presents! There are times I want to set down the very long series of garter stitch (knitting every row) and grab something more interesting, but I say a prayer for strength, take a deep breath or three, and make a pot of sweet tea and sit down and pick up the needles and get the project done! Easter will shine bright and warm, and I'll have everything I've neglected and sitting in the dark done!!!!

The Seasons are Not in Alignment

It doesn't matter how well you plan. It doesn't matter how fast you knit. It doesn't matter who/what or why you are knitting. The season you should be knitting for is the next one!

Knitting a sweater takes time. Lots and lots of time. You buy the newest magazine, dreaming of a wonderful 100% silky cotton sweater for Spring. You find the perfect pattern right in the middle of said magazine. You even have the yarn laying-in-waiting for just this project.

The tail-end of Winter is giving you a taste of Spring - weather is warm enough for a sweatshirt in place of a heavy coat. You cast on...you knit for a few inches enjoying the feel of the cotton and the fabric you are creating. You set it down and go to bed and dream of how nice that sweater is going to feel on a still cool Spring day. You wake up - snow, snow and blowing snow. Spring is just around the corner but Winter is reminding you it is well, Winter. Cold, harsh, cold Winter.

That wonderful Spring sweater looks at you, you look out the window at the blowing snow, you look at the sweater and again at the snow. Bam, you go diving into your WIPs and find something warm, thick and soft to work on. It is amazing how just a little snow can make you yearn for chase away the cold knitting instead of the knitting that you need to do for the coming season! It amazes me how a little precipitation can make you switch your knitting!

Redwing Blackbirds are back! That means Spring is very near!!! Probably should get back to that Spring/Summer knitting. After I finish this warm, thick pair of slippers!

A Knitter Doesn't Let Another Knitter...

Knit a hat with a super chunky yarn on a size two circular! The frustration for the new knitter. The fabric that would be created...not gonna even think about that!

Kristy is a new knitter. She bought yarn because she liked it and wanted to one day knit. Kristy went to Mt. Bruce fall weekend and bought a 'how to knit socks on two circular' book and two Addi Turbo circular needles - size two. You see where I'm headed yet?

There was a knitting group at our local library where I taught knitting and had fun. Invited Kristy and she has a knack for it. Her tension was awesome. Kristy learned how to knit and purl in less than 15 minutes and still had awesome tension! It has begun.

Kristy and I went for a LYS run. She found some yarn that she wanted to make into socks. Kristy doesn't start small does she? We tried the two circulars...it wasn't working for her. I loaned her a set of bamboo double pointed needles...she was on to getting a sock started and finished! Huzzah Kristy! She now is suffering SSS - Second Sock Syndrome...it's on the needles and that's about it.

Enter the bulky yarn. Kristy wants a soft hat. A soft barn hat. She's trying them on her size two circular. I must admit I prefer to knit hats on a circular. No need to sew up the back which is the way I like it! Kristy says she wants a hat without a seam. Makes sense doesn't it? Kristy admits she has ripped it out a few times. She doesn't have a pattern she was just gonna figure it out on her own. Guts that girl! I told her how to start her basic hat. Measure her head, find the stitches per inch she was getting. Multiply the head measurement and her stitches per inch to get her cast on number. She asked about a folded brim, told her how. Then explained she would need to knit the body for 5 1/2" then we would talk decreases. Kristy want to really start this hat. I had her read the yarn label - it calls for size 10 needles. Not a 2 a 10! Yes, you read that right! A 10!

I let her go for the night. While working on a sock on two circulars size 2, I kept thinking of Kristy's hat...grabbed the phone and offered my size 10 circular. I just couldn't let her do it. I couldn't let her try and knit that hat with bulky yarn and a size 2 needle. Remember the yarn Kristy bought for knitting one day? That yarn could work with her size 2!

Kristy will get her hat. She will continue knitting for the rest of her life. I will have a partner-in-crime for Local Yarn Shop runs! A knitter enables another knitter to knit!!!!! My good deed for the day is done! Huzzah!