Knitter in Progress

socks for Rage 2011 , a photo by KnitterinProgress on Flickr. I finished a pair of socks for Rage last night during my hockey viewing time(LETS GO PENS!). I actually started this pair of socks in April. I finished the first one quickly then it got back-burnered with spring and summer. When I wanted to start the second sock I had Rage try on the first. . .it didn't fit. Apparently my young man is getting very big feet SOOO I had to rip out the first finished sock and reknit the pair. He is now at a 60 stitch cast on(I usually use a 64 for me)--he's 8 almost 9. Rage picked this color on our trip to Texas last year. It's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Satsuma. Perfect October orange :) I can't even tell you how proud I was that he picked Lorna's Laces. He and his sister had their pick of the sock yarn(she chose Noro sock). Neither kiddo may want to knit but they sure can pick yarn ;)

Diva's Noro socks Generic sock pattern This is the second time I have used Noro Sock yarn and I still do not like it but Diva picked it out so I soldiered through. If Noro would dye yarn using the base that Socks That Rock uses THEN I would be loving it. Gift blanket Part one of 5 This is the Cables and Tweed pattern from a Patons Canadiana afghan book. I am hoping to give this as a Christmas gift which is why I am starting it now :)

1. Find a new magazine to subscribe to since I kicked Interweave Knits to the curb after 8 years as a subscriber. Done 3/16/11 Country Living and I am toying with the idea of Vogue Knitting 2. Finish my slow book and then read Kresley Cole's newest book, Dreams of a Dark Warrior . Finished Blood Trinity 3/15/11 3. Finish Diva's socks and start Rage's. Finished Diva's 3/12/11 4. Finish two pages of Bramble and the Rose. Still no stitching in March :( 5. Post pictures of above mentioned projects here and on Ravelry(at least the knitting on Ravelry). Done 3/16/11 6. Lose 5 pounds. I lost 4 pounds this month :) 7. Make healthier eating choices on a more consistent basis. --ongoing challenge--

In February I will: 1. Finish a book. **Nope but in my defense I am reading a book that is progressing very slowly and not keeping my attention--I'm about halfway. 2. Finish Diva's socks. **I finished one--one to go :) 3. Finish at least two pages of The Bramble and the Rose. **I did not get any stitching done this month. 4. Lose 5 pounds. **I lost 3 and I am happy with that :)

I made this pair of socks for my Grandmother to keep her toes warm this winter :) Stats: Needles--sz. 2, magic loop Yarn--Online sock Pattern--Classic Beginnings Socks for the Family I am almost 100% positive that this will be my last finish for 2010 unless I have a major knitting binge in the next few days. I am going to be making a blanket square with the leftovers--that "may" get done before the end of the year if I actually have time to sit and knit. And totally off topic but has anyone ever checked out this blog, And Then She Saved ? I saw a news feature on it a few days ago and I think it's a brilliant idea although I don't think I could go as spartan as she did.

I have started, and restarted, and restarted, and restarted this pair of socks too many times to count. I have finally finished the first one. I branched out and learned magic loop for this one and I learned a new toe up Cast-On. I followed the pattern exactly and they are just a little bit too long in the foot BUT I am not ripping it out. This yarn is sticky and knots easily. The pattern was fun as it is a departure from traditional sock structure. On to number 2! Stats: Needle: 1.5 40" circular Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Sock Pattern: Skew from Knitty

I made these for my friend's birthday. I loved the pattern and the yarn. Pattern: Show-Off Stranded Socks(Ravelry) Needles: 1.5 dpns Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight, Hard Rock This pattern uses up a bunch of yarn but I love the construction. I think that the basic construction of this sock would be perfect for a beginning sock knitter. The heel is made with increases and decreases instead of picking up stitches--which, from what I've noticed, seems to be the arch nemesis of new sock knitters.

I have had a severe case of Second Sock Syndrome(SSS) over the last year. I have three finished socks and none of them made a matching pair. I have started to remedy that. Stats: Yarn: Red Rocks Fiber Works Needles: Size 2 dpns Pattern: Rick, from Sock Innovation And, although it's a little late, I have my picture for the Totally Useless SAL . I have added to both jars over the last month. Lots of red in the stitching jar thanks to the Bramble and the Rose :)

I finished two socks in October. One I posted about the other day and the second is right here: I also started another sock(nothing like having three pairs going on at the same time). It is the Braided Gem sock from Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn. I like the pattern but the yarn is another story. It's Mini Mochi from Crystal Palace. It's really soft and the color is stunning but it is a nightmare to work with. It splits, it has knots, and it is almost impossible to rip out.

I started(actually restarted for the fourth time)a pair of socks over the weekend. I had been wanting to try making a pair of socks using the Fibonacci stripe method and I thought doing a pair in Pens colors would be perfect. So my dilemma has been whether or not I need to cut the yarn between the bigger stripes--hence the multiple restarts. I finally ended up with cutting the yarn before each repeat of eight(I'm doing stripes in the following order: 2, 3, 5, 8, 1) and even spreading it out that much is going to leave a boatload of ends to weave in so this will probably be my first and last pair of Fibonacci striped socks ;) I thought about doing jogless stripes and then decided I didn't feel like adding that into the mix. Now that I have a pattern down, it makes nice mindless knitting.

now that the Playoffs and Finals are over. It was very difficult for me to knit during Pens games--I get more than a little distracted while I'm cheering on my boys. I've turned the heel on this Rick sock(from Sock Innovation by Cookie A) and I'm surprised and pleased with how this colorway is knitting up. I really wasn't sure how the colors in this yarn would work with this pattern considering that most of the time variegation tends to eat up any pattern but so far so good. I really like the pattern too; honestly, I like just about all the patterns in that book(even with all the errata). It may be the only knitting book where I actually knit every pattern in it.

Since I finished my Kai-Mei socks, I need something else to keep my fingers busy during my Pens games. I started another pair of socks from the Sock Innovation book. Originally I was going to use Mini Mochi yarn BUT it was not working out at all. The yarn is too fuzzy and loosely spun to work for socks like these. So I pulled out some Red Rocks Fiberworks yarn and now I'm in business. I wasn't sure about the pattern showing up with this yarn but I like the way it's knitting up. Stats: Pattern: Rick, Sock Innovation Needles: size 2 dpns Yarn: Red Rocks Fiberworks

I finished some socks that I've been working on during the hockey playoffs. They are from Cookie A's book and I love the way they turned out. Stats: Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug(Blue Parrot) Needles: size 2 dpns Pattern: Kai-Mei(Cookie A) I made the leg 5.5 inches long which is about an inch shorter than the pattern required and I'm glad I did or I would have run out of yarn. I loved the way the pattern worked; it was fun to try something different.

I'm a couple weeks late for Socktoberfest but here are the socks I was working on: Finally, after a false start(back in 2007) and a long vacation in the WIP pile, my Horcrux socks are done. Here are the stats: Needles: 2.5 dpns Yarn: Jojoland Melody Pattern: Horcrux socks from the Six Sox KAL I loved this yarn because the colorway is the same as the cover of the Half Blood Prince, but the yarn itself is kind of pain to work with; it's very splitty.

I think I'm going to work on finishing up socks that are already on the needles. I Heart Gansey Socks: Horcrux(one or both colorways I've started): **the pictured sock is actually frogged, so I'll be starting from square one with this pair**

I finished Rage's socks. A few months ago he went through my Socks That Rock stash and found a skein of lightweight in the Lapis colorway and he insisted that I make him socks with it. He loves them(he wanted a pair so he could "skate" around the kitchen like his sister does with her handknit socks). Stats: Yarn: STR lightweight in Lapis Needles: size 2 dpns Pattern: Classic Beginnings Socks for the Family(Wyman)

After the Wee Tiny Sock swap I still had the urge to make some tiny knitted things and I loved the idea of such a quick swap, so imagine how pleased I was to find the Reducio Sock swap on Ravelry. I signed up, made not one but two socks, got some goodies, sent my package on its way, and waited patiently for mine to arrive. Which it did yesterday, and here's the loot: All this fun stuff was from Knitting Gnome who was not only my spoiler but also the host of the KAL--very cool! Go by her blog and check out her baby gnome--it's too cute :) My pal was a Hufflepuff. Jenny is blogless but she is on Ravelry . I sent her a casual sock as well as a dress sock. Plus I sent her some other goodies which in my mailing excitement I forgot to photograph. I had a great time and I'm hoping for a Harry Potter related mini swap of house sweaters, hats, or mittens in the near future.

This weekend seemed to go by especially fast. Friday I was out the with the knitting crew. And there was a Pens game which I dvr'd because I was out and apparently Rage decided he wanted to watch something else(ie. Spongebob)and decided to turn the channel he guaranteed that I only got to watch the first period of the game by turning the dvr off early. Saturday was just full of cleaning--inside and outside--it is amazing to me what the wind blows around here. I found a ton of stuff in the yard that came from God knows where. And my neighbors came back from Disney World and we just had to get the scoop on everything as the KiP household will be heading to the happiest place on earth in a matter of weeks--Tower of Terror, here I come! Then, of course, it was Robin Hood night on BBC America. Sunday was a gorgeous day--way to nice to be inside. And it was Mother's Day. And the Penguins played last night. My DH, Rage, and Diva got me a Sidney Crosby jersey for Mother...

I finished Diva's "Stabbing" socks as I so lovingly refer to them. As you can see they are fraternal. Diva doesn't care and it made them more interesting and less labor intensive to knit. Stats: Yarn: Opal Pattern: Classic Beginnings Socks for the Family(Wyman) Needles: size 2 dpns Now I have some squares to knit and I need to work on my cross stitch sampler. I hope all of you have something fun to keep you busy this weekend :)

This turned into a very productive knitting weekend for me. I think it was all the inspiration I gleaned from the Harlot's visit to Denver on Friday night. I finished one of the stabbing socks(as I now so lovingly refer to them). I made a lot of headway on it as I was waiting for the Harlot to speak. I was also inspired to start something else this weekend. The Barn Raising Quilt from the Knitalong book. This is going to be quite an addictive pattern. My plan is to make a blanket entirely out of Socks that Rock but I started out with a couple of practice squares from my bag of sock scraps which Diva informed me would be great for a blanket for her to watch TV under, SO this project may turn into two blankets instead of one--it's not like I don't have enough sock yarn for about 15 of them ;) I think what I am really enjoying about it is that I can whip off a square while sitting and watching TV and since the pattern is so easy to memorize and the squares are so portable it i...