Round 2 Begins

What the ????

We actually got some snow today, but as it was about 35 F while it was falling, it didn't stick.

It just make the higher elevations slushy and slippery so that we had to cancel our Eastside Stitchers Fiber Friday.

I had so much stitching to do today.  I got up at about 6:30am and got right to work on my Transfiguration OWL Afghan.  I have one more square to finish (well 1/2 of one now) and a border to hook, and it is all done.  Well, I have to sew in the last 4 squares.

Sock Madness Teams were named yesterday, so I was expecting the Round 2 pattern to be released today, and indeed it was.  I got my email with the pattern at about 9:00 am, but I made myself finish the afghan square round I was hooking.

The pattern is by Caoua Coffee, and is really interesting.  It has intarsia in the round.  I have never done intarsia.  I am learning as I go.  It isn't tough, but I am not sure if my tension is the most even.  I hope it all evens up in the wash.

I am using 2 yarns from my stash, a pretty purple (plum) from Cascade Heritage Socks, and a nice delicate pink from Spud and Chloe.

We cast on with the dark color and ribbed for a bit, so I started mine 2-at-a-time.  The cast on wasn't specified, so I used the Slip Knot Cast On from the book, Cast On Bind Off: 54 Step by Step Methods by Leslie Ann Bestor.  I have used this before, and it is stretchier than the long tail cast on, but it is a bit fiddly.  The hardest part of this cast on for me is keeping the slip knots close together so the top of the sock looks neat.  This was a bit of a problem today, but I think they look fine.  It took me quite a while to get both socks cast on, though.  I am definitely feeling a bit of time pressure.

I knit through the cuffs,

then had to separate the sock to 2 different circular needles (I am using my 2 new Chiao Goo Red Lace size 0) to work on the intarsia.  My son, Pookie, came home after school, and realizing that It Had Begun, he brought me the apple snack, and did the dishes for me so the kitchen was clean.

I kept up my strength with healthy snacks.

When the Doc got home, he also realized that the Round had begun, so he made a frozen pizza for dinner.  What good sports I have.

 I have finished the intarsia pattern on the first sock, and just begun it on the 2nd.  I had to stop checking the progress thread as it is just too intimidating to see how fast the other knitters are.  I took this progress photo at about 4 pm as I wanted  to have decent light.

Yes, it is supposed to look like that.  The intarsia is very subtle.  Wait until you see the finished design.  It is really cool.

It is now after midnight so I am going to get some sleep and get back to work when I wake up.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with somewhat stiff shoulders.

Pamina!

Hello!

I have finished my January socks.  I was able to triple-dip these socks in 3 different groups that give prizes.  Because, it's all about the prizes.  Some people are process knitters.  Some people are product knitters.  I am a prize knitter.  If there is a prize involved, or even just the chance for a prize, I'm in.

The January challenge for Sock Knitters Anonymous  included the designer Caoua Coffee.  I really love her designs, but was intimidated last year by the shear number of cables.  I have learned so much about knitting from this group.  The monthly challenges have encouraged me to just go for it.  I would not say these cables were easy. But, they actually weren't that tough either.

The January challenge for Solid Socks is Yellow.  Perfect for using up my Miss Babs Yummy in Squash Blosson.  I am so glad that I had a light colored yarn for this pattern.  It really helps to show off the cabling.

The final part of the triple dip is Harry Potter Knit Crochet House Cup.  I was able to turn these in to Divination.  The prompt talked about herbs that can help in concentration.  The first example given was the Cat's Paw.  We could craft something inspired by the bark (used for tea), the yellow leaves, or some other aspect of the plant.  Of course, I chose the yellow flowers. 

Also, I was able to tie in the climbing nature of the vines to the twisting and twining cables in the socks.

I really love how the pattern becomes part of the heel pattern.

In the end, Beena was happy to help me photograph them.

I am still working on my socks for December.  These are made from my own pattern, and I am really liking them.

When I finish them, I will be sure to post photos.

Until then, goodnight.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with new socks.

Pamina

Hello!

It is so windy tonight!  A bit scary with our tall trees. 

I am busy trying to get a ton of projects in some type of finished state.  I didn't finish my December socks for SKA and SolidSocks, but, since SKA gives you 2 months, I can still submit them for the prize drawing if I am finished by December 31.

I have finished turning the heels, and am ready to start the gusset and heel decreases.  These are toe up, as I am using up 2 partial skeins of yarn and didn't want to run out.

I don't have any new photos, just the ones I took last December when I realized they were way too small, and I had to frog back the heels and increase 2 more inches on the feet.

This has been a really fun knit.  I am writing the pattern myself, and it's pretty simple, but I think interesting enough that I'm not bored.  Once I have gotten above where shoes might hit, I will start adding beads.  The December SKA challenge (well one of them) is beads.  SolidSocks is blue for Dec.  Which I am a bit bummed that I didn't finish on time for, but I am not at all bummed that I will still have some socks from this gorgeous yarn.

I already posted photos of 2 of the afghan squares I have finished so far this month.  I also made one more tiny afghan square, of my own design.  If you can't tell, my big New Year's Resolution this year is to Design.  This is the first square for a Baby Afghan:

I'm calling this square "Year of the Boar."

The other project that I have made some progress on is my January socks.  I am doing the designer challenge for SKA, and am knitting Pamina by Caoua Coffee.   These are so detailed, so intricate, so twisted cabled, that it is taking me forever to do one row.  I am again using 2 partial skeins, the SolidSocks challenge is for yellow, so I am using up my Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock Yarn in Squash Blossom.  I get so many compliments for the first pair of socks I made with this yarn.  I'm a bit nervous that I will run out, as I have big feet, so I might do shorter legs.  The pattern calls for 3.75 repeats of the pattern before starting the heels, and I might take out one of them.  I will have to see how short that makes them in the leg.

Anyway, here is what the cuff and 1/2 of the first repeat looks like:

I'm knitting them 2 at a time, and that is working ok.  There are a few rows where you have to move stitches, so I am putting the moving stitch on a locking stitch marker, dropping it from the needle, and picking it up when I come around the sock.  It is working great, and the designer, thoughtfully warns you 1 row ahead that this is happening, so I haven't had to slide stitches around because I forgot to do it.

Peace.
Yours,

f1bercat
shaping the planet with yellow sock cuffs.