Harvest Sock Swap

day56
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

These are the Cafe Curtains socks from the Harvest Sock swap. In that swap, we knit one sock and sent the materials for the rest to our partner. I had to frog my partner's very nicely knit sock to redo it to fit my weird leg. I feel kind of bad about having to do that. Someday I may be able to do a sock that fits properly and explain to someone else how to do it. That day has not arrived yet.

My latest project is Garnstudio/Drops Design's Sideways Garter Stitch socks. It isn't toe up. It isn't cuff down. You knit the full length of the sock and sew from the toe, up the sole of the foot and up the back of the leg. There's some short row shaping for the heel and the leg. Mostly it's lots and lots of garter stitch.

Christmas knits

day50
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I'm almost done with the Harvest I frogged the one that was so nicely done for me and redid it. I skipped a couple of lace repeats and made the ribbing a little smaller, just to make sure I'd have enough to finish.

I got the snowflake socks done. I will not photograph them until they've been steamed. I'm hoping they'll look a little better with some smoothing. I'm doing better with the floats, but not quite where I'd like to be yet.

Santa didn't get me the needles I want, but he did give me a lovely check. I'm going to let myself have a few treats with the money, including the Knit Picks Harmony dpns. I don't think I need the Options set yet.

Rockin Sock Club

day47
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

This is Bella Coola/Nuxaik, depending on your language. It's the final skein in the 2007 Rockin Sock Club. The pattern that came with it is by Cat Bordhi. It's another toe-up. I don't have a preference when it comes to toe-up or cuff-down. I've discovered that once the heel's turned, it always feels like it'll be forever until the sock is finished. Silly, yes?

I've got to get back to cleaning the house and packing for my holiday trip. I've got about a four ounce batt and my drop spindle set to go. There's the snowflake sock, which is coming out better after a complete frogging. I better come up with at least one more project to take with me, just in case.

Merry holidays!

Harvest Sock Swap received

day46
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

Thank you, Jennifer. I've been wanting to try Maizy yarn and now I can.

Another pair?

day42
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I've been like a horrible bratty kid lately. I don't want to do anything that must be done. I don't want to finish anything that I started. I've got one pair in hibernation, one on the needles, one frogged, and one that will probably be frogged. Do I restart or finish any of them? Ha! I pick up my drop spindle and turn it all into pretty pink yarn. Then I have to see if my spinning attempt has resulted in usable yarn. I cast this on and am creating my own sock pattern. I plan for them to be anklets, mostly because I don't think there's enough yarn for much more leg. The lacy pattern part is from a design book and is called Willow. It's also very similar to the pattern on one of the socks I'm avoiding.

I think I'll get through these before I start any more, but I'm not promising anything. I found a bag of roving and my spindle's calling me to play with it. There's another pattern all printed out right next to the computer. I've got yarn and needles for it. It wouldn't cost a cent and I wouldn't have to leave the house to start it. It's not calling as loudly as the spindle, but I can hear it. :)

Ribbet

day39
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I've been swimming in the frog pond for the last couple of days. Two of my projects are colorwork. I'm trying to improve how I do color. It's so depressing to look at all the perfect Snowflake socks other people are doing. Their socks are nice and smooth. Mine are lumpy, even with much effort. We won't discuss the mess in the picture. It's my Ravelry anklets. Or rather, it was one of them.

Sigh.

On the good side, Lime & Violet reported this advent calendar of knitting patterns. The site's Norwegian, but the patterns are available in seven other languages. Go check it out! I downloaded a couple of them today. With a mouse click you have them all ready to print out.

Peppermint

day36
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

Everything's peppermint around here lately. I have peppermint kisses (like the chocolate ones, only these are white "chocolate" with peppermint bits). I have candy cane shower gel. I think half of the holiday cookie recipes I'm contemplating are peppermint related. I shouldn't have been surprised by the sudden urge I had to spin up the lovely peppermint-colored batts I got last month. It's nice soft merino that looks like solid pink but has little bits of nearly red in it. I bought it because it involved a donation to breast cancer research. I'm an idiot--I should've kept track of the person who did it so I could get some more of her fiber in the future. It's really nice wool.

I couldn't wait

day35
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

These are my Secret Santa goodies that Wendy sent me. I held off on opening them for something like a week, so it wasn't a total lack of self-control.

I especially like the sock yarn. Big surprise there. It's from Rocket Yarnand the coloway's Retrograde.

It was a thoughtful and generous gift, Wendy, thank you!

Naughty!

day33
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I'm starting to feel a bit better after being mostly sick since Thanksgiving. That must be why I was naughty today. Cast-On Cottage and Only Ewe and Cotton Too are on the same road, about 5 miles apart. I allowed myself to go to both of them and indulged in a bit of retail therapy.

The white yarn on the far right is some Lorna's Laces. I'll use it with a skein from one of the Hogwort's swaps to make Snowflakes. It's the December Sockamania sock. I just joined, so I thought I ought to jump right in and do it. I'll do them right after I finish the crazy-colored Lavender Lace socks.

The remaining yarn is for the Ravelry socks I'm making. Or will be making, after I finish the Snowflakes.

I asked for the Knit Picks Harmony needle sets for Chrismas. I've discovered I like the harder wooden needles much more than bamboo. You should see my size 1 bamboo. All of the needles are slightly curved from use.

I'll start in on my neglected, non-knitting project tomorrow. Maybe by next week I'll have that done and can start getting myself real employment.

I'm easily amused

day32
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

Look at the way my new Knit Picks dpns match this yarn.

I like the dpns a lot and am going to ask Santa for more of them.

Free yarn!

I spotted this on Ravelry and thought I'd post it out here where maybe somebody else could benefit. If you live in the US or Canada, you can win a money to be spent at your Local Yarn Shop.

Blue hat, version 3

day29
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I hand spun the yarn for this. I tried the Madge pattern twice. It was not quite long enough. This one just barely covers my ears, but it'll do. (this post is also a test, as my computer's behaving very strangely, Internet-wise)

You're soaking in it

day28
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

I'm making the Madge hat from knittyspin. The yarn came from a batt called Nursery Rhymes. It's merino with metallic fiber. The fiber reminds me of Hologram embossing powder, a favorite when I was obsessed with rubber stamping awhile back. I got the batt when I was at SAFF last year. It's from The Tail Spinner. I'm just hoping that there will be enough yarn to do it. The batt was 1.5 oz and the hat was made with 1.25 oz of homespun. This should be enough to keep me out of trouble until the December Sockamania pattern arrives.