FO: Gil Ain't No Holla Back Girl

I have been knitting garments with some measure of success for about two years.  For a while everything I made was amazing, but then I found myself in a bit of a hit-or-miss patch where nothing seemed to turn out quite as planned.  So when I decided to make some changes in needle size and stitch count on the Holla Back Tank I was really nervous.

I went down to a size US 4 needle and knit the front per the size 36 directions.  This gave me a fabric with a density that I liked.  Not too tight, but not see-through either.

After I finished the front I looked at it for quite some time, trying to decide if it was too big.  It wasn't but when paired with a similar size back it would be more sack-like than sexy.  And for once I wanted to knit something that would turn out the way I imagined.  So I took a deep breath and cast on for the size 32 back.

It took me several times to get the first few inches of chart correct, but I finally vowed that I would not rip back again and stopped second guessing myself.  Emma Welford wrote up excellent directions and even though I found myself yelling "Is this what you mean by stretched?  That's going to be too tight to be anything other than a medieval binding!" it worked out perfectly.

Some designers you have to second guess, but Emma is not one of them.  She does not hand-hold through the pattern, but she does give you all the information you need and trust you the knitter to be intelligent enough to put it into practice.  The pattern, like all of the Holla Knits collections, is absolutely lovely.  Even without the KAL the support is superb.  When I was first deliberating over what size and needles word somehow got back to Emma, who left a comment on the blog offering her assistance if needed.  I highly recommend it and am really looking forward to wearing it to celebrate my birthday tonight.

For more FOs, check out Tami's Amis!

Pride Goeth (And Goeth, And Goeth)

When I started Sock the Vote I may have expressed some concern that I would not be able to finish all of the requirements on time.  And then when I started Liz Abenathy's sOcktober KAL I may have been very hesitant to tell anyone for fear I would fall into serious disaster that would leave me hating the best month of the year.  Well, they say pride goeth before the fall, but it's my birthday, so maybe they'll let it slide just this once?

I already showed you my Neon Neelys on Monday.  That single sock was all I needed to submit for the pattern prize on the 16th.  I would have knit both but I had a slight malfunction.

Yep, you are seeing that right.  Brand new Knitter's Pride needles snapped in half because of an enthusiastic SSK.  Fortunately this was after I finished Neon Neely #1 and before I cast on the second, so I subbed out the needles and have already finished the week 2 requirements for Sock the Vote.

Part of me wishes that the requirements were more challenging, but we don't listen to that part.  Plus, my sock knitting mojo is never as present as it is now.  So I should go back to working on that dreadfully boring stockinette sweater.

For more WIPs, check out Tami's Amis!

A Neon Sort of Peace

This weekend Chris and I took a much needed escape.  I had just worked two of our biggest events of the year at my place of business and I desperately needed to take the time to relax away from any obligations or errands that often pop up when I have a day off.  So we packed an overnight bag, grabbed some travel knitting, and drove out to Western NC to see my family.

On the way there we listened to NPR and I worked on the Neely O'Hara socks (affectionately known as my Neon Neelys) which I had not touched since casting on earlier in the week.  By the time we got to my parents' house I had completed the heel flap.  By the time I went to bed I had turned the heel and started the gusset decreases.  I was in shock.  I had never knit a sock this fast.  It was rather incredible.  But it did not stop there.

The next day I went out to visit my mom's school, which is set in the most beautiful mountain lake town.  The above photo is one of the trails her cross country team runs.  It was stunning.  While there I helped out with some things and knit a little more.  When she did afternoon car duty I sat on a rock at the top of a hill, knitting under the trees and feeling like I was in a movie.  It was one of the most incredible knitting-related experiences of my life.  The music teacher who was helping played harmonica between cars and the weather was just warm enough that I did not feel chilled in my tshirt.  It is no wonder, then, that by the end of the school day I finished the foot of the sock.

As I am sure you can guess I finished the sock that night.  I write about this not to say "hey, look how much I did! be in awe!" but rather to point out just how much one can accomplish under the guise of relaxation.  I spent time focusing on the people I love and being present in the time we had together, rather than focusing on how much I miss them when I am not there.  All the stress and worries of life and work and just being an adult faded into the background for a while and it was just me, my family, and my crazy stripey sock.

FO: Byzantine Cowl

Today I can present you with the item that I feel has taken me to the next level of my knitting.  The Byzantine Cowl.

I received this as a club shipment from Dragonfly Fibers and knew I just had to cast it on.  One of my things I wanted to learn this year was colorwork.  I was a little nervous, but since I had the yarn all picked out for me and the pattern ready to go I decided to give it a try.  Like most things I try out I did not do any research or take a Craftsy class or read an article.  That would probably have been helpful, but I decided to go with the directions alone with a little help from the random tidbits I have heard people mention.  Knitting with two hands?  Evidently key for a continental knitter.  I'm not sure where I heard about it, but I'm glad I did.

The actual pattern is genius.  I was completely addicted to trying to finish just one more row of the chart.  Stephannie Tallent wrote up very clear, but very concise directions.  The entire pattern is three pages, with one introductory "front" page and one full page of charts.  I love that I did not get lost in a lot of written out directions.  I just got to knit.  In fact, I loved it so much that I have begun eyeing her book California Revival Knits.  There is a peacock cowl that must one day be mine.

As with every shipment, this installment of Club Dragonfly was great.  The yarn came pre-packaged with just enough for each color all tied together.  It is so soft and the double thickness of the two-sides makes it a squishy delight.  When I do knit that peacock cowl, I think I will be contacting them so that I can use the same base.

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

Geektastic Thursday: The Return!

It is October, and you know what that means.  Well, yes, it does mean sock knitting (lots and lots of sock knitting), but it also means the official return of network television!  Sunday, though technically September, was the start of my personal television schedule with the return of Once Upon a Time and Revenge on ABC.  I am so excited that they have decided to air these two back to back as both have excellent writing and the themes fit together nicely.  I felt like I had attended a class on the different flavors of vengeance after watching those premiers.

Next week the CW threatens to dominate my week with the returns of Vampire Diaries and Supernatural (did you know a certain fan-favorite red head is returning?).  I am sadistically hoping that Elaina cannot survive the transition to be a full vampire.  She can die and Cathryn can take her place.  But honestly the story quality could drop and I would still watch as long as there were hot men running around.  That is what I come to the CW for anyway.  Which is why I am so excited for the series premier of Arrow.  It isn't Justin Hartley, but this new guy looks promising.  I'm looking forward to having green leather on my television every week and hoping that the writing measures up to the standard set by Smallville.

But what you should really be giving The CW props for is the television premier of Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog.  Every geek I know will be tuning in to watch Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris compete for the affection of one Felicia Day (she's going to be on my tv two nights in a row!) in an epic musical love story.  I simply cannot wait.

There is so much more fall television to geek out about.  Castle, New Girl, Parenthood, How I Met Your Mother, and Grimm have already returned, and Don't Trust the B in Apt 23 is back later this month.  Gossip Girl is getting ready to start its final season, though I have yet to finish last season.  Before we know it it will be winter hiatus time and we will all flock back to Netflix and cable.

Now you know just how much television I really watch.  I would apologize, but really I can't.  I love it.  When Once Upon A Time went to commercial on Sunday I ran into our bedroom to inform Chris that television was way better than movies.  And it is.  It is second only to a really good book and much more amenable to complicated stitch patterns or colorwork.  I love television and I will not be ashamed!

Guess That's Why It's Called Socktober

I seem to have contracted a new disease.  I'm calling it KAL-itis.  It's the fear of not participating in a KAL because one does not want to miss out on any fun.  It may also be related to a lack of in-person knitter interaction.  The only cure is to participate in a regular knit night or VKN (Virtual Knit Night).  Sadly my computer does not have the memory to support VKN madness (it is still contemplating blip-induced suicide),  and I exhibit incredible hermit-like tendencies, so I am stuck with a badly managed case.

Right now the problem seems to be related to socks.  As it is October, this is not entirely surprising.  I already mentioned my Lindsay socks for Sock the Vote, which I cast on yesterday.  So far so good -- or as good as it can be with only three rows.  I have to make it down to the heel turn by Monday.  Why I selected such an intricate stitch pattern I cannot possibly explain.

The other KAL I've been sucked into is Liz Abinante's sOctoberfest.  Similar to her Cowl KAL, she has released a free sock pattern, Neely O'Hara, which must be knit by the 16th to earn a new pattern she will be releasing mid-month.  This second pattern has a value of $6, but is free if you finish one sock by the deadline.    I am helpless in the face of another one of Liz's KALs and so I have cast on using my only "uncalled" skein -- the Lollipop Socks yarn that was the start of a vanilla sock in a previous life.  Turns out even when I'm reading, listening to music, and functioning on four hours of sleep I still cannot handle that much stockinette.  I guess that is why the Abalone from the Stockinette Zombies' KAL has hit such a rut.

For more WIPs that are probably more than a few rows of sock ribbing, check out the lovely gang over at Tami's Amis.

Watching Cast On Dates Pass Me By

Yesterday was the cast-on day for Sock the Vote, but I have not cast on yet.  Instead I have been furiously knitting away on my Holla Back Tank in an effort to get it done before my self-imposed, unannounced deadline of my birthday.  Don't you just love self-imposed deadlines?  No one but me cares if I have the tank done by then, and realistically I should not be wearing a tank top in October, but I am still suffering under the stress and fury of finishing it in time.  

I think I can make it.  Whether or not I get it done in time to have help getting pictures this weekend is another story.  I could have finished it yesterday but then I went to the laundromat, took a nap, and swatched for another sweater.

I did at least take my supplies photo for Sock the Vote, thus officially declaring myself part of yet another knitalong (what was that I said about not jumping in on any more KALs?).

I have had this pattern (Lindsay by Liz Abinante) for a year, but never knew what I wanted to knit it with.  You may recognize the yarn as my Yarn Pirate from the Ravellenics.  I decided that I would never wear a shawl that reminded me of camouflage. and so I frogged that puppy.  I know the color choice may seem a little unorthodox for Lindsay Funke, but one of my favorite Lindsay moments is when she goes to protest the war and ends up dancing in a cage wearing a rather wet and revealing camouflage outfit.  Plus I am hoping that in socks the yarn pools up a bit and brings more of the neon to the foreground. 

I know that this is a 100% superwash merino and I am totally breaking my no nylon no socks rule, but Lindsay is a decadent, fickle creature and she won't take no for an answer.