the start off

I got a little carried away with the macro lens today... Above is a picture of the first 5 rows of my new lace project. Yeah, I know... it isn't even lace yet - it is just plain garter stitch.


One thing I hate doing is making balls out of lace weight yarn. Someday I will have a ball winder. I swear that will be my next big knitting gadget purchase. Of course even the cheap ones are like 30 bucks... but I am sure it will be worth the money. Hanks are beautiful when all twisted up when you buy them. But not so beautiful when they get so tangled while you are balling your yarn, you haver to cut the yarn like I did today. (bah!)


So while Harland was on the computer, I decided to pick out which yarn to use for this project. I decided on Knitpick's Shadow in the color vineyard. I was thinking at the time of purchase that I would make something for Amy with it... but it isn't as purple as most of her purples. Then I decided a branching out scarf for my Mother-in-Law Wendy would be good. So that is what I am making - this scarf for her for Christmas.

So I suppose I am on my way. I haven't decided if I will try and do any lace work today or not. The official rules for the Amazing Lace say you can start anytime... so that is what I will do! I'll let you know what I do on monday.

The amazing Lace

So my KB has totally suckered me into doing a lace knitalong this summer. Well, okay, I agreed mainly because I have three skeins of lace yarn and I wanted to make some gifts for Christmas. So the first attempt will be Knitty's Branching Out scarf which you can see the recipe for if you click here. I have wanted to do this scarf for some people on my Christmas list but I had a really hard time with lace earlier in the year and became very disenchanted. But with this challenge I shall try yet again.

Here is the website to the if you want to join in the fun. Click here for Amazing Lace
I'll also make a link to it over there. I have been really bad at updating this site lately - but I guess with this new challenge maybe I will get back onto the knitting ball. My hand was hurting so for a while I put my knitting aside. Maybe I will finish that orange sock this weekend.

Cheers y'all.

karma restored.

Well lookey what I got in the mail today - my new knitting book!!!

And yesterday I sent away my dear Susan's birthday gift. Today I get my new sock knitting book I have been waiting for (what seems like eons).

Anyway - this can hardly be a coincidence. You see I knitted that present (more on said present later when she gets it- with pictures) a long time ago, like before Valentine's Day. And now I get the book. After I mail it.

So it wasn't sock Karma, it was just plain knitting gift karma.
(although in my d-fence... I did tell her I was waiting to send it to her birthday).

Rock on, I have to go read.

Bad Sock Karma

So I was talking to my KB today... well, okay I was talking to him in my head because I was throwing down an e-mail to him (some people have pets or plants to talk to, I don't have either here in TDC so let me be). Anyway, I was writing an e-mail to dear KB and I was complaining about the fact i have not yet gotten my book from Barnes and Nobel that has to do with vintage sock patterns. It is called "knitting vintage socks" by Nancy Bush.click to see it here

I have been stalking this book on various book sites, trying to see inside the book, reading little snipets here and there. I want this book! I want to read it! See knitting is bad because it is very similar to cookbooks. I read cookbooks and dream about the things I don't have the time/space/supplies to make. So I can read a pattern book the same way!! And since I have been obsessed by socks lately... well it fuels my obsession. The internet sock sites are not enough!! Especially since hubby hogs the computer doing this little thing called "job searching".

Anyway it has been 3 weeks since I ordered the book. Our mail has been wacky lately and I haven't gotten a package on time recently (except some sock yarn from knitpicks). So today while writing to KB I had this idea. I must be having Bad Sock Karma because I have made two socks without mates. So maybe I will not get the book until these pairs are finished.

I better get cracking today since I still have an inch of ribbing to do on the orange sock. I am way behind.

And clearly Yoga has not helped the sock karma because I have done yoga 2 days in a row.

the complete sock!

Now I just have to knit the other one!!
(but I am going to finish the other orange one first)

as the heel turns

Hopefully I am redeeming myself and lack of knitting by working on this new sock. I have had this yarn for a while... But I needed to learn how to use DPNs and stuff before making a sock with the good stuff. :)

first of all I love the colors of this yarn. This picture is a little off color wise because it was a close up and I couldn't use the flash so it is by the table lamp which is yellowish. But I love the way the wrong side of this sock looks... don't you?


I have just finished the turn of the heel. I can not believe that you can make yarn do this! It is so exciting! I want to put heels on everything! I really hate knitting the ribbing because it is not second nature to me and I have to think. And while I have to think while turning the heel... it just is so cool when it is done that it tickles me to death!


Here it is in close up.


Okay that all being said I am not sure I like the way the color variation is coming out. I like the orange and the red stripes around it. And I kinda like the way the light green created a swirl around the sock onthe ribbing. But then above the heel it stopped swirling and became a big blob. I guess that is what knitters call "color pooling". I can share their frustration because I liked the swirl. I do not like the pool so much. Luckily the heel came and shook things up. And I love the way the bottom of the heel came out stripey. Don't remind me that no one will see it. hee hee.


And please don't worry, I will never make anyone socks this colorful unless they request it.
:)

I have been a bad knitter lately

Well letsee... I can't post any completed projects now. Why? Because I have none. I tried to make booties to go with the baby hat, and I failed. Nothing cam out right. Ugh. So I guess I will wait until after their deadline and mail the hat. Maybe I will make another hat, in a bigger size and mail that as well to help with the guilt I have for not being able to make some booties AND not getting them the hat on time.

Sigh.

Also last weekend I hurt my hand and so I couldn't knit until friday. Such a bummer. I started on a new sock because I couldn't find my other one I had started! It was a rather bad knitting week.

Anyway, If you like flowers I have some nice tree blossoms on my regular blog - all different kinds. You can check them out at www.yublogkorea.blogspot.com

But I have no knitting news. Hopefully next week will be better!!!