SKA Sock Down Begins! Thursday, September 1, 2011

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it. 

Wow, am I a knitting knerd these days?  But it is September 1 and the Sock Down for Ravelry's Sock Knitters' Anonymous Group has officially begun.  I thought about staying up until midnight last night so I could cast on my socks, but, decided that that was ridiculous, and went to bed.  Anyway, I am working on a pair of socks that I started BEFORE the clock started ticking, so I need to actually knit on those anyway.  It is 8:30 and I have not cast on my challenge socks yet!

I am going to make the Glass Slippers sock pattern by Cailyn Meyer for Samantha for my first challenge.  Then (and perhaps simultaneously) I will make the KAL Mock sock in what I hope is Chartreuse.  Since I am trying to finish my birthday gift to my niece, Hannah, I will be making 3 socks this month.  Wow, but I can do it.

Updates:

1. Life first

We went to the Mariners/Angels game on Sept. 30th.  A friend of my son's (Luke) set up the night as a charity event.  He promoted and sold the tickets on Facebook, giving the extra money he made to charity.  We went with a group of Juniors and their families from our high school, Interlake.  It was a blast, though the Mariners are horrible this year and they lost like 13 - 6.  There was one particularly bad inning where the Angels scored 8 runs.  It was like being at a T Ball game, watching the Angels run around and around the bases.  Luke told me that 3 of the Angels batted twice that inning.  LOL!  Sad that the stadium was empty, but with the Mariners playing like that, what can you expect?  Of course, QWest Field is absolutely gorgeous, and a beautiful place to spend an evening.  Our weather as been weirdly cold all summer, though the rest of the nation has been sweltering.  I wore a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and then a fleece jacket over that.  I was still cold.  9 innings of knitting though.  I worked on the socks for my niece, Hannah.

2. Rain Socks

All done.  Even blocked.  Just waiting for Allie to come pick them up.

3. Hannah's Ballet Socks

2 funny/sad things about these:

a. Toes Mess  I had the toes about 1/2 finished, when I noticed that I had somehow dropped a stitch.  Ripped them out and started over.  I almost just went on, but really, they ARE a gift, and it was the toes for goodness sake.  Just start over, Carol.

I am still a bit unhappy at how sloppy the increase rows look.  I tried to get a close up photo:

I am not sure what to do about that, or what is causing it.  I am thinking that I am trying to knit too tightly, so these rows are just loose by comparison.  Maybe, I should drop down a needle size and not worry so much about knitting tightly.  Anyway, I have finished the first 10 rows of the foot with the beautiful pattern:

Here is a close up (I hope) of the pattern:

Before I worked on James's Aran Afghan from the Great American Aran Afghan, I would never have attempted a pattern like this. 

b. Second funny thing.  Before I started Hannah's Ballet Socks, I did the math.  But I didn't keep it on my computer, as I usually do.  I printed out the pattern, and wrote all my how many row notes on that page.  Of course I lost the page.  This morning, I decided that before I knitted any more rows, I had better do the math again.  She has a short fat foot (my sister's words), so a size 7.5 but wide. 

Here is the Math for those of you who like that stuff:

Size 7.5 Wide

9.5 in long

100% stitches = 88

75% stitches = 66

50% stitches (# on each needle) = 44

Toe rows (TR) = 1 + 9 (increases) + 2 + 2 * 8 (increase, even) = 28 rows

X = desired sock length = 9.5 in

Y = # rows in gusset and heel cup = 75% total stitches - 1 = 66 - 1 = 65

Z = (rows / in) = 11

TGL = X - (Y / Z) = 9.5 - (65 / 11) = 3.5909 in

TGLR (Toe-to-Gusset Length in Rows) = TGL * Gauge = 1.590909 * 11 = 39.5 rows (rounding down to 39)

Total Rows to Knit in Foot = TGLR - TR = 39 - 28 = 11  rows then start Gusset Increases

If you didn't see the number of rows before I start the gusset increases I will repeat it:  11

I have already knit 10 rows.  Thank Goodness I did the math before knitting on.  I would have been taking out rows... not my favorite activity.

1 more row, and I start increasing.

4. Goals Today

10 rows of Hannah's Ballet Socks

Cast on Samantha's Glass Slippers

check out and maybe cast on KAL sock

Aren't goals a wonderful thing?  GET GOING

C. A. Losi

The Blueberry is Dead Monday, August 29, 2011

My son, James, and I drove to Orem, UT last Friday.  We were driving him to his new job with the Utah Regional Ballet  and college at Utah Valley University.  He has been driving our old minivan, which he calls "the Blueberry," for the last 2 years.  We took it in to the Dodge dealership to get it all ready for the drive, 150,000 mile check up, new tires, brakes, radiator, all the gaskets replaced, etc.  About $2000 in repairs. 

We left at 3 am, driving east on I 90 then southeast on I 82 and I 84 through Washington, Oregon, and into Idaho.  Very beautiful driving, but it was 90 - 100 degrees F.  At about 2 pm, 20 miles west of Twin Falls, Idaho, the car stopped accelerating, then just... died.  James was driving and managed beautifully to make it to the side of the highway and stop under an overpass in the shade.

We called AAA and they sent out a very nice man who hooked us up and drove us to town.

The oil pump had failed, and we "blew a head gasket."  The engine was destroyed.  Our choices were to put in a used engine for about $2000, a rebuilt engine for about $3000-4000, or abandon the car for scrap.  The repair shop will pay us $150.  Well, we chose the last option.  The car's bluebook value is only $3000.  We rented another minivan, transferred all of James's stuff, and drove on.  With the dead van delay, and all the highway expansion projects in Utah, we arrived at his new apartment at about 11 pm. 

His very nice roommate, Lance, came down and helped haul all the boxes up to James's room.  We then headed for a nearby motel for the night.  James unpacked the next day (Saturday), we bought him all the extras he needed for fixing up his room and starting school. I flew back home on Sunday afternoon.

What does this all have to do with knitting? 

I had hoped to knit while James drove his part of the 14 hour trip.  In fact, I was knitting Allie's Rain Socks when the Blueberry died.  Once we rented a new van, however, my knitting while driving ended.  James is only 18, and since the rental company charges more if drivers are under 25, I did all the rest of the driving.  I did have a chance to knit while James unpacked on Saturday, and again on Sunday while I flew home.  I was hoping to finish up the Rain Socks, and get going on Hannah's Ballet Socks.

I am ALMOST finished with the Rain Socks.  I just have to decide how wide I want the ribbing at the top to be, and what type of bind off.  Then I will wash and block them and they are good to go.

I have the toes of Hannah's Ballet Socks about 1/2 way done.  In other words, I am barely started. We have tickets for the Mariners vs Angels game this Tuesday night.  I plan to KNIT like crazy at the game.

SKA Sock Down news:

2 yarn packages arrived while I was on the trip to Utah. 

The yarn for Samantha's Glass Slipper  Socks is here.

It is "Midway" Shepherd Sock by Lorna's Laces.  I think the purplish gray beige colors will look a lot like glass when it is knit up.  I am excited to get going on this pattern, but can't start until the Sept. 1 official start date.  I have rolled one ball so far, though, and will knit up a swatch to get ready.  The pattern calls for 9 x 11  on #1 needles.  That means, probably, that I will try #0 needles as I tend to knit loosely.

I also received my "light green" yarn that I ordered on EBay.  I thought it looked pretty "chartreuse" in the photo, and am happy to see that while it is not BRIGHT chartreuse, it is pretty chartreuse, rather than just light green.

It is by Kuka Yarns, and is their Wool De Luxe Fine.  I am hoping to knit the Mock Sock Mystery challenge.  I have absolutely no idea what that means, what it will look like or anything, but I am willing to go for it.  The yarn is really a very cool color.  I bought 4 skeins.  My nephew, Jacob, said he liked green, and my great-nephew Zach likes green.  I might be able to make them matching socks. 

We shall see.

Now to finish the last row of the Rain Socks and bind them off.

Long Live the Blueberry.

C. A. Losi

Looks Chartreuse to Me Tuesday, August 23, 2011

I have joined Sock Knitters Anonymous on Ravelry.  They do this year-long knitting challenge called:  Sock Down.  It starts in September and runs through the next August (hence the year-long part).  Every month there is a sock knitting challenge.  Participants have 2 months to complete the challenge.  People who complete are then entered in a drawing for prizes.

I AM SO EXCITED.  Can you tell by my caps lock?

Actually, I'm nervous but excited (and no, there is no music or choreography joining in).  The goal of the sock down is to push knitters to try new techniques and new designers.  Well, that is not hard for me.  Actually, every sock I make is a new designer (if it is not designed by the author of Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks).  And I know that technique only...

We can't cast on until September 1.  I am really hoping that doesn't mean we can't "swatch."  I am busy swatching all the sock yarn in my stash.  All 5 different yarns.  Swatching takes me forever, as does all knitting, and I don't want to have the wrong gauge 3 times delaying the CO (cast on) of a challenge.  I am mostly using my size 0 needles, as that seems to work for when they ask for size 2 or 1.

The challenge for September has 3 different designers, all members of Ravelry, all with free patterns on the site, or knit a sock all one color:  Chartreuse, or do the knit-a-long mystery sock designed by Lise Brackbill (menagerie on Ravelry)

1. 3 designers

They are:  Caoua Coffee, Cailyn Meyer or Janneke Maat. Wow.  I checked them out and the designs are beautiful.  But O!  for someone who has made very simple socks so far, so complicated. And, all the designs I found are top-down.  That super scares me.   I chose a design from each of them and emailed it to myself so I could print them all out (I usually write this on my laptop which is not attached to a printer, whereas my desktop computer is).  

I can't decide which design I will try.  Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.  It would help if I could decide for whom the socks will be made...  Samantha wants a pair of "knee socks."  I could do that without a pattern, just doing some type of ribbing like the socks I made for Zachy.  But, O!  if I could make her one of these.  Also, my niece, Hannah, has a birthday in September.  She likes pink.  I was going to make the "Ballet" pattern from Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks.  But as it gets closer to Sept 1 and I have not finished Allie's Rain Socks 3rd try (more on these), I am afraid to start another sock project.

2. Chartreuse Sock

I have been reading the thread for September in the group, and there is a lot of angst about what actually is Chartreuse.  Most of that angst is coming from me!  I have very little yarn in my "stash."  Mostly because I haven't been knitting for long, but also because I am really trying to stay sane about buying yarn.  I am trying to buy for specific projects, then KNIT THEM!


I checked Pacific Fabrics, Jo-Ann's, and Michael's since we don't have any real yarn shops any more in our city (and we are the 4th largest city in WA).  I saw some chartreuse, but nothing in a sock yarn.  I spent 2 days searching on-line for chartreuse sock yarn, and everything I found was out of stock.  People in the group were posting photos of their yarn in the thread (lol that sounds funny, very fiber oriented).  I would then look up that particular yarn.  Always sold out, out of stock, etc.  I don't have to use chartreuse.  I can use any yarn I want for the 3 featured designers or the mystery knit-a-long.  But, it has become a weird obsession.  I must have chartreuse yarn.  


Finally, I found some yarn on Ebay.  I have no idea if it is actually chartreuse.  It is named "light green."  It is always so hard to tell true color from photos on a computer.  I bought 4 skeins of it : 4 x 100gr Skeins KUKA WOOL DELUXE FINE Yarn Light Green.  Who am I kidding?  if it is not  chartreuse  I will be disappointed.  But the dye is cast, so to speak.

People in the group were freaking out about what is really chartreuse.  If you don't use the right color, your socks don't count for the prizes.  As my friend Zeke (in my online game Aion) would say, "FOR GLORY!  and medals."  or in this case Prizes.


3. Mystery Sock


I plan to use my "chartreuse" yarn to knit the mystery sock.  It is a "mock."  WHAT IS THAT?  I have no idea.  A mock sock?  a mock heel?  maybe the latter.  If it is mystery, how do you know it will fit?  again no idea.  I knitted the mystery shawlette this summer from WendyKnits.  It was really fun.  I am definitely going to do this part of the challenge.


4. Goals

We have 2 months to finish each month's challenge.  Though a new challenge will start in October, I could work on September's challenge until Oct. 31 and still have finished on time.  What is my goal?  Well, my stated goal is to finish 1 sock for each challenge.  That is a sock a month.  The goal of my heart is to finish 2 socks for each challenge.  The goal I will accept is to finish a sock every 2 months, learn many new techniques, and have fun.


5. Allie's Rain Socks 3rd try.


Disaster struck last night 3 different ways:  a. I somehow dropped an entire row.  I don't know how I did it, but I managed to pick up every dropped stitch.  This was really hard as they are very tiny, the ribbing makes it very hard to pick up the purls, the light in the TV room where I usually knit was low as my husband was watching TV, my eyesight is not the best after 5 hours of knitting.  b. I messed up the k1p1 ribbing.  How could I mess up such an easy pattern?  Well as I increase for the gusset, this pattern calls for working back into the ribbing, which means every row I have to alternate knit or purl.  I am incapable of remembering which to use.  Again, the light was dim, and I had some trouble telling whether I was supposed to start with a knit or a purl.  I tried to knit back, but this yarn is a bit splitty if I have to go back.  So finally, I just gave up and went on.  I hope it doesn't feel too weird.  c. I got off (somehow picked up an extra stitch) in the heel of the first sock, so that pattern, too, might look a bit weird for one row.  I am just muscling onward.

C. A. Losi

Stash News Friday, August 19, 2011

Yay!  I got mail!  Yesterday I got a delivery from Webs Superstore.  4 skeins of Valley Yarn Huntington Mauve (color number 21), and 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh Sock Fragrant. 

I want to knit the "ballet" pattern from my Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks book for my niece, Hannah.  She likes pink, and is a dancer.  The pattern specifies the Valley Yarn Huntington yarn.  I never use the yarn specified by a pattern.  I always think I know better, and, well, I just like different yarn sometimes.  This always leads to gauge problems.  This time, I decided that I would use the yarn used in the pattern.  2 problems:  they didn't have pink (it is on back order EVERYWHERE), and when I clicked on the "comments" by customers, they all said that although it is a pretty yarn, it "splits."  I am going to try it anyway.  The Mauve is ...  almost pink?  dark pinkish?  Well, I hope Hannah likes the color anyway.  As I am still working on my 3rd try Rain Socks for Allie, I will "work" on these socks, um... how do I say this?  They will be my "sit and knit" project for the bathroom for the time being. 

I cast on 32 stitches, and am swatching in the round right now.  I am actually using the specified needles, too, size 1.  I was going to drop down one size, since I think I knit loosely, but I will try to go with the pattern exactly.  If the gauge is off, I will drop down.  I have decided to knit the swatch in the round this time, since my last gauge swatch was so off.  I think it is just too different when I knit all K instead of back and forth with rows of K and rows of P.  We shall see.

Speaking of "sit and knit,"  I have been really sitting and crocheting.  I have been working on motifs from my Irish Crochet And How To Make It book on Kindle.  I still am not sure what I am going to make with these little bits...  So far I have made:

Rose and 2 leaves,



A wild rose motif which includes:

The full Wild Rose.

 A "half-rose,"

a Rosebud.

And various sizes of Wild Rose Leaves:

 

This one is the "large" leaf.  I especially like how the picots look like pointy edges on the leaf.

As you can see, none of this is put together.  I need to lay it all out, and crochet "stems" connecting all of the parts.  As the leaves have those cool picot edges, I will crochet picots on the stems to be the "thorns." 

I also have been working on a "Blackberry" motif.  So far, I have made 4 "large leaves."

You can see how different these leaves look from the both the Rose Leaves, and the Wild Rose Leaves.  I love how round they seem. 

Anyway, I am taking a break from this to get started on Hannah's socks.  So, I will be working on both Allie's Rain Socks and Hannah's Ballet Socks simultaneously.  I might make a copy of the pattern of one (or both) since the 2 projects will be kept in different locations.

My goal today is to get to the gusset of the Rain Socks.  I have about 5 rows to go.  Definitely do-able!

C. A. Losi

Goodbyes Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Last night we had a goodbye party for my son, James, who is leaving in 1 week to attend Utah Valley University and dance in the corps of the Utah Regional Ballet Company.  He is thrilled.  We are thrilled.  He is the first student from his very tiny studio (also the oldest) to get a paying job dancing.  We had the other students from the studio over after class/rehearsal (they are working on a modern ballet) for a small party.  Lovely to have all the girls here, and one male friend (Logan) who took at the studio part time 2 years ago, as well as my youngest son, Luke, who also dances.

I am so excited for James.  I am so sad to see him go.  He is a great kid.  I will miss him so much.  I keep waiting to get, I don't know... tired? of my kids and eager for them to move out.  I do not feel this way.  I want them all to live on our street and come over Sundays for dinner.

Today I took Luke to the DOL (Department of Licensing) to turn in all his paperwork and make an appointment for his driving test.  WOW, we waited 1 1/2 hours, but the people who work there are very nice.  The guy set us up with a driving test on Saturday morning.  I am so excited for him.  He is a good, careful driver.  I don't know how many people can say that about a 16 year old boy. 

I spent the time at the DOL working on the 3rd try Allie's Rain Socks.  I am about 1/2 way down the foot.  I hope to be working on the gusset by the time we drive out to North Bend on Saturday for the test.  I figure I will be on the heels next week. 

Growing kids, growing socks...

I got my first issue of Interweave Knits.  LOVING IT!  I will talk about it tomorrow, although I have already poured over this issue.

C. A. Losi

Gauge Nightmares Saturday, August 13, 2011

I just want to make a pair of socks that fit my daughter perfectly.  Is that too much to ask?  The Rain Socks (2nd try) were looking super skinny.  Remember, Allie complained that the first pair I knit were knit way too loosely, so I dropped down 2 needle sizes.  I broke one of my beautiful wooden needles trying to knit tighter in size 1 needle.  I am now using size 000.  The stitches are beautiful, and I don't have to worry about being super tight.  Also, there seems to be no laddering at all.  

HOWEVER, These socks are soooo skinny.  

So I remeasured and my stitches/in are way off.  I can't make an accurate gauge.  IDK why this is so hard for me.  I've been knitting with a 7 stitch / in gauge, and it's really more like 10!  Allie said the socks fit easily on 2 toes.  The beautiful yarn will stretch over her foot, but that's now how they should fit.  And, I know she will never get them over her heels.  So big do-over #3!  At least I had only completed the toes and about 1/2 of the toe - gusset.

7.9 x 10 = 79, this just seems so huge.  And 78 ends up with odd numbers on each needle,

so 76 for 100%

100 % = 76

75% = 57

50% = 38

25% = 19

Toe to Gusset length (TGL)

X = 10 1/4 in (desired sock length for size 7)

Y = 56 stitches [gusset and heel cup (75% of sock width - 1)]

Z = 11 (rows / inch)

X - (Y / Z) = 10.25 - (56/11) = 5.06818 inches

Total rows 5.05818 x 11 = 55.75 rows (rounding down) to 55 row for TGL

Toes = 19 rows

foot = tgl - toe = 55-19 = 36 rows

I will make the toes, then knit 36 rows, then start the gusset increases.

Tearing out yet again!

C. A. Losi

Moving day Friday, August 12, 2011

I helped my daughter, Allie, move her stuff out of storage and into her new apartment.  And by "I helped," I mean, my youngest son, Luke, helped.  I mostly supervised.  It seemed like I carried box after box from the storage place to the suburban, then into her apartment, but it was really Luke who carried most of the stuff.  He carried the mattress and box springs, and the TV.  He is 16, but Oh, so strong.  James was supposed to be helping, but he was watching "Troy."  Wow, I was so mad at him.  It took 2 trips, and James did show up for the last trip, which included the couch.  The couch was super heavy.  The only thing we still have to move is her dresser. It is still at our house and has a big mirror attached.  It needs to be taken apart.  Am I bad because I don't want to do any of the heavy lifting?  I want the boys and Mark to do the heavy stuff.

I have finished the toes and 21 rows of the feet of the Remake of Allie's Rain Socks.  It is going somewhat slowly because I am using the 000 needles.  It seems nice and tight, though.  And I am not trying to knit super tight. 

I have made 2 blackberry leaves for my new Irish Lace motif.  They are really neat looking.  Very round.  Honest.  I need to bring everything downstairs and photograph it all so I can post photos.  I am having so much fun making these lace figures.

I have been reading the Ravelry.com Sock Knitters Anonymous group notes for the Sock Challenge for 2010.  It started in September.  I really want to do the challenge this year.  I know it will really push my knitting abilities.

I was also reading the newsletter from Interweave, Knitting Daily about their Knitting Lab Event.  I was just reading the headings of the different classes offered.  I was so tempted.  It was like (excuse me if this offends you) knitting porn!  There are classes offered that teach different cast ons, different bind offs, different heels and toes, as well as specific projects.  It would be impossible to choose!

Some day I will go to a knitting convention.

C. A. Losi