WIP Wednesday

I've been mostly working on a cross-stitch sampler.  After several days of intense work, I burned out and started looking for something new to knit.

I found an advent calendar sock yarn pattern that is really fun.  We have a basic toe-up pattern and supply a bunch of sock yarn leftovers.  Every day from December 1-24 we get instructions on what colors to choose.  On day 1, you knit one round.  On day 2, you knit two rounds.  On Christmas Eve, you have a new pair of socks to wear.  I'm trying to stick with a group of colors that I think will play well together.  I'll select the colors based more on that than the exact color that the instructions tell you to use.

The day 1 instruction was to pick a color based on what time it was when you started knitting.  You look at a color wheel and see where the little hand would be pointing if you put a clock on top of it.  My color was orange so I picked a yarn that had a peachy-orange in it.  There are two ways of doing the sock.  Some will be doing plain stripes.  I'm doing it the colorwork way where we do patterns.  Day 1 was knit 3 of the main (toe) color, knit 1 of the color of the day.

Day 2 was unexpected.  You pick a date, such as your birthday.  You convert that number into binary (there's a link to a converter).  That give you the pattern.  It is a zeros and ones so the zeros are the main color and the ones are the contrast color.  You use your birthday again with another converter to get the color.  Two rounds with purple.

The main color is actually cranberry.

My other active project is the new Club Mac (as in Macbeth) sock.  It is called Knock, Knock, Knock.  I don't know enough about Shakespeare to understand the reference.  I do like the pattern.  It's very cable-y.  Cableish?  Whatever.  I've only got the cuff done on one sock so far:

Sigh.  Even with multiple attempts, I have a choice of a picture with accurate color or a picture in focus.  I'm going to have to work hard to get these done.  I think the leftover yarn will work great with my advent socks.

Now go see what Tammy has been up to.

Stash Enhancement Saturday

I had an odd shopping attack and ended up at Simply Socks.

The "awesome" thing on the bottom is a tote bag which was a nice surprise.  It is part of Simply Sock's anniversary celebration.  The yarn on the left is some Arne & Carlos.  I wouldn't have picked it up just by the colors in the yarn ball.  When I saw some socks knitted with it, I had to have it.  The crazy Regia was a total impulse buy.  It was on sale.  I had an idea of something I wanted to do with it but have already forgotten.

The big treat was the stitch saver (the two purple caps with the elastic between them).  I got one as a swap gift and use it constantly when I make socks.  My cat loves it.  I can't leave it out on the table when I'm knitting or she'll grab it.  I'm afraid she'll run off and hide it somewhere.  I've been looking for another one and was so happy when I found it on Simply Socks.  I bought two.

Finished Friday

The Name of the Doctor scarf:

I was horrified to find broken yarns in one spot.  It was only on the dark blue layer and it happened after I took a picture last week.  I suspect that little sharp cat claws were the cause.  I managed to sort of darn the holes together.  It isn't obvious except if you were to run your fingers over the spot. 

I'm glad it is done.

Stash Enhancement Saturday

It's another flaky senior moment:  I bought black yarn instead of the dark blue for an upcoming scarf.  It isn't so bad.  I'll surely need fingering weight black yarn at some point.  I had a 10% off discount code that I could apply to the replacement yarn.  As long as I had a code and I could get more yarn for the same shipping cost, I had to buy some extra.

This is Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift in the Wild Violet colorway.  I've always wanted to try some Jamieson's yarn.  The next sock project that appears will get it.

Finished!

The mystery squares afghan was mostly a stashbusting project.  There are 45 different patterns in the squares:

This is the Arts & Crafts blanket.  I'm still not where I'd like to be doing colorwork, but I'm mostly satisfied with how this came out:

My knitting mileage for 2015 is now the same as the year-end number for 2014.

WIP Wednesday

One!  Only one WIP currently.  Okay, there's the cross stitch sampler, but it is on hold until I get more floss.  I can hardly believe that I've finished or frogged everything else.  This is the Name of the Doctor scarf.  I first started it as a Ravellenics project in 2014.  I actually forgot that until I looked at the Ravelry project listing.  It is now over 80% complete.

It should be obvious why it has taken so long.  Double knit with laceweight yarn does not lend itself to speedy completion.

Now run along and see what Tammy and friends have been up to.

Love Your Library

I  don't think it is a coincidence that the last time I posted was the last time the sun appeared.  I'm sorry for people who live where they desperately need rain.  You're more than welcome to what's been falling here.  Yuck.

I've been really good about finishing things and not starting new ones.  I have been adding to my pattern library, though.  As soon as Spilly Jane's book showed up on Amazon, I ordered it.  It won't arrive for another week.  I bought Geek Knits at the same time because it saved the postage.  Yes, that's the excuse.  I'm most tempted by the Muggle Artifact Sweater.  It's a fair isle-style vest, modeled in the book by Joel Hodgson (Mystery Science Theater 3000) and Adam Savage (Mythbusters).  I'm also considering the Star Trek uniform sweater for my cat.  She is considering me not doing it.

My November Love Your Library will probably come from Adorn by Knit Picks.  It has mini versions of several Spilly Jane mittens.  It has mini hats with cable designs from Hunter Hammersen.  It's got other stuff, too.  I'm thinking about doing  a whole garland of mini knits.  Berroco had a new set of mini sweaters.  So freaking cute.  Also, they are free.