FO: Mince Pie Mayhem (Finally)

I have an FO!  And it's Friday!  I am more than thrilled that I finally finished a project this month, and it was one of my most challenging in a while.  It took long enough, right?

These are Mince Pie Mayhem from Socktopus.  It's a gorgeous pattern that is so deceptively complicated this is actually my second attempt.  The first is still stuck in a bag up in my stash cabinet, hiding from the shame of defeat.  But not any more!

The tricky thing about these socks is that every four rows you are doing a cable crossing of knits and purls and there's no way to knit them without taking all the stitches off the needles and rearranging them (at least no way that I could find).  And because the stitch pattern pulls in, it is way more than my normal 64 stitch circumference.  But even trickier than the cabling was the heel turn.  Actually, I could not make it work, so after three tries I finally gave up and switched it out for a garter stitch short row and then rapidly decreased down the foot.

But the best thing about these socks is the yarn.  I got this skein of Space Cadet as a Christmas present and I absolutely love it.  The colors mix with the sparkle perfectly to create a beautifully melded pallet that was a real joy to work with.

I just wish the sock had gone a little more smoothly.

FO: Heliopath Vest

Yesterday one of my coworkers jokingly asked me how being married is any different from dating except for (in my case) living together.  She caught me off guard because all I could think of were serious answers.  Little things like I get a good night kiss every night even if I'm already asleep or I'm so secure in our relationship that I've started singing in the shower.  Or the fact that I now get presents like this

Which turn into this

That's right!  On Monday I finished my Heliopath Vest by Emma Welford out of The Plucky Knitter Plucky Sweater in Sticky Toffee.  I was so excited and happy with the result that I proceeded to wear it for the rest of the day including to a full staff quarterly meeting at work.  Nothing makes me feel more smug than when someone walks over and says "I'm guessing you knit that".  I should be more modest, but in an organization full of outstanding creative individuals I have to take me accolades where I can.

I was really nervous about knitting the size 34 once I got about halfway through the body of the vest.  Even though I wanted a fitted look I became very concerned that it would be too small.  Fortunately I trusted my gut, the advice of Emma, and my swatch and powered through.

It was a lot easier to memorize the pattern than I had originally thought. The cable is logical and adorable and I made liberal use of my stitch markers.  It was a little slow going if I wanted to read, but got me through many a football game or match and hit that autumnal cable craving I always develop this time of year.  And then you get to drop stitches!  That was one of the most decadent feelings I have ever had.

Oh, and the buttons?  They're Gnome Acres.  And so stinking cute people admire them more than my stitches.

To see more proud finished objects, head on over to Tami's Amis!

FO: Makai

Where has this week gone?  I swear it was Monday like yesterday.  Now it is all just a blur of heat, work, and House Cup knitting.  Last week I showed you what I turned in for detention, and this week I seem to have decided that I am going to turn in homework for at least four classes.  First up?  Potions.

You may not immediately recognize this pattern, even if you are familiar with it, because I blocked it a bit differently.  This is Makai by Mel Ski knit in Another Crafty Girl Strong Sock in the Residual Boulders colorway.  I had an absolute blast knitting up this pattern and really enjoyed the inventive way in which it is shaped.  It's just enough that I had to read through the pattern several times but not enough that I could not read while working on it.  Mel actually has a few video posts in which she explains each portion of the shawl and I highly recommend watching them.  Sometimes you just want to stop thinking and let someone else show you exactly what to do.  Or maybe that's just me.

This was my first project in Another Crafty Girl and I really enjoyed the yarn.  I can now see why everyone enjoys it so much.  The shawl is designed to look like waves breaking and I thought these colors just worked to make that happen.  The pattern is also great to break up pooling.  It was not until after I blocked it that I saw the odd striping pattern the yarn had fallen into.

If ever you feel the need to stir up a little drama and speculation, just go outside to take pictures of knitting in an urban neighborhood.  My neighbors already seem to find me odd and this just sealed the deal for them.  Guess I'm the only woman they've seen climb over briar bushes to take pictures of a shawl on a log in an effort to get more of a natural photo.

To see more finished objects, probably from people who don't weird out their neighbors quite as much, check out the gang over at Tami's Amis.

FO: Sockhead Bounty Hunter

I feel a little weird blogging about this project just because it fees like everyone has knit this or is knitting it again.  But I really have had this on the needles for at least a year.  Why yes, it is a completed Sockhead Hat out of Haldecraft Bounty Hunter.

If you know the Sockhead pattern you know that this about half the height of the actual pattern.  The total hat used under 280 yards.  I waffled a lot about how tall to make my version, but ultimately I decided that as I do not have a lot of hair to fill out the fabric then there is no need to make it any longer.

Like many other extremely popular patterns I was originally not drawn to the Sockhead pattern on matter of principle.  It is an extremely basic pattern and I just did not see the appeal.  Fast forward a few years and I am over my need to only knit complicated patterns all the time and now find value in the more basic handknit.  Plus I now have all these crazily verigated skeins that need patterns that highlight their beauty.  So I'm embracing the simple knits, and appreciating the ones so clearly written they have gone viral.

And what FO would be compete without a puppy photo?  Helo is now officially part of a handknit family.

To see more FOs, probably with fewer puppies, check out the linkup over at Tami's Amis.

FO: From the Ground

I finally finished!  I finally finished my From the Ground (adapted version of Theresa Gregorio's To the Ground).  I don't know why, but these legwarmers took me forever.  Maybe because they have 113 stripes a piece plus twisted ribbing.  Maybe because I had to reknit the bind-off.  Then again maybe it is because I am an epic procrastinator.

Despite how long these took me I really enjoyed the pattern.  This is the second of Theresa's patterns that I have knit (I knit her Milk Maiden a few years ago).  The original is knit top down, but I reversed them to knit bottom up so that I could use more yarn to reach my Camp Loopy goal of 800 yards.  The result is just this shy of cosplay, but that is more due to my color choice than the pattern.

Ultimately thigh-high legwarmers are probably not practical for my daily life, but when did I express any desire to be practical?  I can't wait for fall when I have fixed my bike and my job miraculously no longer has a jeans and tshirt uniform and I can ride around a dress and sweaters like the bag lady hipster I sometimes aspire to be.

And for the record, I fully blame my inability to finish these on Pretty Little Liars.  I was too busy yelling at the tv on Tuesday and then telling everyone I know, ok really just the dog, that I totally called that reveal.  Have you seen it?  Because I totally called that!  There was just no way I could concentrate on knitting with all of that excitement.

To see other finished objects, check out the gang over at Tami's Amis!

FO: Kleio

Did you know that Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup has opened sorting for Fall 2013?  I am so excited!  I really hope I get sorted into a house this term.  Last term was the first time I knew about sorting in time to sign up and as a total newbie I was asked to play as a NQFY (Not Quite First Year) to improve my chances of being sorted this term.  I turned in at least one (sometimes two or three) projects per term, so my odds of sorting are better than some.  Maybe I actually shouldn't be telling you about this.  That way I improve my chances for less competition.

July was a killer month for me and I just barely squeaked by with a finished project to turn in at end of term.  I knit Kleio by Romi Hill from her second 7 Small Shawl booklet.  This was also my Camp Loopy 2 project, knit with Dragonfly Fibers Dijini Sock in Octopus' Garden (green) and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Molly Ringwald (pink).  And boy did this take way longer than anticipated.

It is not that this shawl is necessarily hard.  Romi lays everything out for you quite clearly in the pattern.  It's just that it requires that one uses one's brain.  I made it through the first Latvian braid only to completely screw up the lace panel beyond recognition.  I ended up spending a nail-biting evening ripping back to the braid without losing stitches because the thought of trying to drop down into the braid and knit back up was enough to give me anxiety.  The second time through I used stitch markers for the pattern repeats and that really saved me.  If only I had thought of that the first time around.  Or had at least used a lifeline.

You may notice that this shawl is not blocked to its full potential.  This is because I don't own any blocking wires.  Until now this has never been a huge problem.  I just soak the shawl and pin it down on a towel, placing my straight pins where I want the shawl to pull out into points.  But because the applied edging is such a detailed trim, that does not really work.  Until I get my hands on some (I'm hoping to get some of the Inspinknity wires), it will be more of a long scarf.  Hopefully this cooler weather continues so I can get some wear out of it soon.

To see more finished objects, most likely finished to their full potential, check out the gang over at Tami's Amis!

FO: Myrta Mitts

I have a rather old FO for you today.  Yesterday Alex Tinsley released a new pattern, the Myrta Mitts, which I test knit for her back in February.  It may be disgustingly hot now, but let me tell you.  I am already fantasizing about wearing these mitts on a long chilly walk to work.

The pattern calls for bulky weight yarn, which I don't typically have in the stash, but I happened to have this skein of Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky that a non-knitter gifted to me a few years ago (I guess soft really is a universal language).  I cast these on one Saturday morning to knit while we went to a movie and ended up finishing them that night.  Bulky yarn and size US 10 needles can do magical things.

Ultimately the only thing I am not super fond of with these mitts is the color.  It does not match anything else in my wardrobe and it is not as bright as I tend to go with my knitting.  However, they are super soft and cozy and so I learned to love them.  The thick palm contrasts nicely with the thinner arm to make a unique bit of luxury.  I highly recommend giving them a go.

To see more finished projects, most likely posted in a more timely fashion, check out Tami's Amis!

FO: Bad Oyster

It's the final FO from the old apartment!  Unfortunately my camera also died the same day and our charger is broken, so I had to take these photos on my phone.  Sadly they don't do the awesomeness that is Bad Oyster quite enough justice.

I originally intended to use this Highland Handmade sock yarn (in the Uber colorway) to knit socks, but the color was so verigated that every design I tried seemed to look too busy.  I am not a huge fan of fringe, but I decided to give this design by Alex Tinsley a go and immediately fell in love with it.  The construction is so basic yet innovative that I don't want to tell you about the construction because that will give away the pattern.  Let's just say that it is knit without purling and there is steeking involved.  I have never cut my knitting as part of a design process before, so it was a little nerve wracking but very exciting.  I stayed up far too late one night because I could not stop making fringe.

The shawl is a lot of fun to make.  It's more of a small funky scarf than an actual shawl, but it makes for a great accessory.  I wore it out with one of my old teacher dresses to give a bit of edge.  Come fall I think this will be a staple part of my wardrobe.

To see other great finished projects, check out the linkup over at Tami's Amis.

FO: Riding on the Metro

A lot of times in my knitting I try to follow patterns as closely as possible.  I've even been known to use the exact yarn down to the exact colors in the pattern photos.  Sometimes in knitting you just need to go with what has been proven to work.  And then sometimes you have to challenge everything.  Take this sweater for example.  Alex Tinsley's Northern Line is a gorgeous sweater with a contrast hem knit in yummy Malabrigo.  While I absolutely love it, it is not necessarily a good idea to wear a wool short sleeved sweater in 95 degree heat with crazy high humidity.  So instead I substituted a cotton blend and ended up changing almost the entire pattern.

 

I don't know what made me think that using a cotton and plant fiber blend (Knit Picks Shine Worsted) would knit up the same as the Malabrigo, but at first I actually cast on for a larger size.  After realizing the neckline could fall almost completely off of my body I ripped back and cast on a smaller size.  Then I tried it on when I split for sleeves and it was still way too big.  The sleeves started essentially at the waist line.  So I ripped it back again and took off the sleeves where it felt natural.  And it worked!

And then, high on my sleeve success I decreased for the waist at a much faster rate but only until it felt like the right place.  And it worked again!  Clearly I was on to something so I continued to go with what felt natural.  My last modification came when I realized that the turned neckline did not work as well as the rolled eyelet band that was its setup, so I left it and knit the hem to look the same as the sleeves.

I am thrilled with my success, and have determined to never knit a heavily modified sweater again.  I think I'll go back to knitting replicas of pattern photos.  It's far less stressful.

For more less stressful FOs, check out the gang at Tami's Amis.

FO: Nasturtium

As you guys have probably noticed, I've knit a lot of socks.  Not so much that I would consider myself to be primarily a sock knitter, but enough that I have established what construction I like and am comfortable plugging a stitch pattern into it.  Yet my favorite pair of socks has consistently been the second pair I ever knit (my first pair went to live with my aunt).  Knit in Knit Picks Imagination, these basic toe-up anklets have stood up to years of wear, possibly because of the alpaca content.  So recently I decided to try to duplicate my success.  I bought more Imagination and found an actual pattern because you know I could not make it through another pair of stockinette socks.

Kristen Kapur's Nasturtium is a killer pattern.  This is an easy to memorize chevron pattern knit top-down with an eye of partridge heel.  It was absolutely perfect for all the time I spent in cars and on airplanes last week and a very fast knit.

And the Knit Picks Imagination is just as lovely as I remember.  I bought two skeins of Fairy Princess, but I actually only used one, with mere yards left over.  The colors are bright and vibrant and the alpaca is soft and comforting.  Paired with the pattern it is such a lovely result.

For more FOs, probably not photographed on yet another stormy evening in North Carolina, check out the gang over at Tami's Amis!

FO: Mona Lisa Dragon Rider

So you know how a few weeks ago I told you about drinking the koolaid and falling down the rabbit hole of stripey socks?  Well, here is further proof of my addiction.

This was my Camp Loopy 1 project.  The prompt was to knit with a yarn I had never used before, which was the perfect invitation to pick up another skein of self-striping.  The Loopy Ewe carries a lot of lines I had never tried, but I finally landed on Desert Vista Dyeworks because this colorway, Mona Lisa, was such a departure from my usual socks.

What really makes these socks is the pattern.  Alice Yu's Shur'tugal is one of those magical patterns that looks great in any kind of colorway and so was perfect for self-striping.  It kept the color without obscuring the pattern and was a lot of fun to knit.  Seriously, every time I find myself wanting to knit socks I start with Socktopus.  That book is amazing.

To find more great FOs, check out the gang over at Tami's Amis!

FO: Woodland Grave Beret

I don't know when hats became a big part of my wardrobe, but they seem to be here to stay.  They are one of those items that I did not realize I wore a lot or knit with great frequency until a family member I had not seen in some time knew about my hats from pictures.  Then I began to assess my hats, wonder if I should knit fewer, give some away, stop wearing them as much.  But I quickly realized that I love my hats.  I'm completely addicted to them and so far I have not found a point which I would consider too many.  That being said . . . I seem to be on another hat kick.

But how could you not knit another Alana Dakos leaf beret pattern?  This only makes three (I gave away a fourth).  And they are just so well written and charted that they are a dream to knit.  Pressed Leaves is has a lot more purling than the others I have knit, but it is just as satisfying

.

I bought the yarn specifically for this pattern while at Stitches South at the Cephalopod Yarns booth.  The purchase itself was an impulse buy, but I justified it by only buying one skein for which I already had the perfect pattern.  Traveler is an excellent yarn.  It is DK weight, which I do not knit with all that often, and brought out the stitch definition in the pattern perfectly.  And don't get me started on the color (Candy Kingdom).  Since when do I have a thing for pinks?

To see more FOs, head on over to Tami's Amis!