What do you get when you have a guest blog photographer with a ton of jet lag and a knitter who gets paid to photograph? Pure chaos. I didn't realize how picky I was on how things are photographed and I really don't understand how one takes blurry pics while the auto-focus is on. But look, I have pictures again!!

These are only my second pair of socks ever and were created as a practice run for Anna's socks. These were an exercise in sock math, casting on figure 8 style, and working with the magic loop. The only problem I encountered was with the heel, I couldn't seem to make a nice join once I started working with the instep stiches again. I also kept forgeting to pick up both wraps when I was reactivating the heel stitches, I constantly had to go back and unknit and pick the leftover wrap along with it's mate. I hate unknitting short rows, but I got through it. Does anyone have any suggestions for neater heels when knitting toe up? All in all these were a fun knit and I ended up with some original, funky socks. Want to see another crazy sock?

Life Saver socks
Pattern:Jaywalker
Yarn: Vesper Sock Yarn in Aqua Melon
Needles: Addi Turbos 2.5mm 40"
Date Started: 10.25.05
Date Finished:10.28.05

You may think I'm crazy, a fool, or trying to cheat you here by calling this a FO, but trust me it is. I'm in a sock swap where you only have to knit one sock so no one gets the old second sock syndrome. I was lucky enough to have a partner that has the same foot size as yours trully, I was able to try them on and feel how nice and snug they are.

Don't these look psychedelic? I wasn't sure what yarn or pattern to use, but when I finally decided on the Vesper this pattern begged to be knit. For some reason, anytime I look at these, they scream "1970's!" to me. I'm also reminded of Tom Wolfe's Kool-Aid Acid Test and of the lifesavers wrapper. I hope my partner likes it and doesn't think me an idiot for mailing this to her.

The pattern is easy enough to memorize, but interesting enough to make you knit it. The only changes I made were using Magic Loop instead of DPN's, using 2.5's because I don't own 2.25's, and I picked up the heel flap stitches Grumperina style. I found it to be slightly quicker and the tension was more even.

edit: I added two pics that the bf took.

Posted by bitter purl at 08:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)

Come on, someone had to say it! Motivation (or was it peer pressure?) got me going on my lovely Atomic River socks. I LOVE it! It was nice to knit with soft yarn from non-psoriasis suffering sheep. I did miss the burrs though. I finished the first sock today during lunch and I hope to start the second one tomorrow, if not tonight. I can safely say no one has socks like these and that you'll be able to see me from a mile away. Actually, I may get started on the Foliage socks for the dentist just to get some of the gift knitting pressure off my back. I found a chart that converts shoe size to foot circumference once, but of course I can't find it anywhere. Does anyone know what I'm talking about or can tell me what size to knit for a man's 9.5 shoe size?

Oh yeah, I finished the cardi with the Yarn-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named. It's still a little damp (I'm telling you there's no sun here, only constant rain) and I still have to sew on the buttons (the pink ones), but I figured I would just post about it now.

Pattern: Marylin's NSS
Yarn: Do you need to ask?
Needles: Addi Turbos 4mm 32", 3.25mm 24"
Date Started: 09.15.05
Date Finished: 10.11.05

Did it really take me that long? I didn't even realize it since I was having so much fun! Seriously now, the yarn just kept me away from this project. I think my hate for it has been well documented so I won't bore you with it anymore (though how I managed to grab the yarn made from a little dry-skinned, rolling in burrs, and most likely shunned sheep baffles me). I'm thinking I shouldn' t have blocked this though, the sleeves were nice and tight before it hit the water. Now the sweater is kind of stretched and I don't think it's going to spring back. Actually, I was warned about this yarn's lack of elasticity from a reliable source before I was done and now I'm passing it on to you.

The pattern was alright to knit, nothing really too exciting here. Some of the wording in it confused me at times and other times I either just ignored it or figured out my own way to do it. I didn't make the raglan as deep as the pattern suggested (since I didn't know what it was telling me to do) and in turn I removed some of the ease built into the pattern. Thankfully I did this, since the sweater stretched out quite a bit. Other changes I made were: adding about three inches to the length, using two colors, picking up more stitches at the underarms and then decreasing them (no holes!), knitting instead of crocheting the ruffles, only knitting one ruffle per side vs the two in the pattern.

I'll grudgingly wear this, it's getting cold after all, but it's not my favorite knitted item. Besides the problems I had with the yarn, the resulting fabric is a little too flimsy and has an odd drape for my tastes. I'm also worried about how much stretching this thing is going to get after wear. Actually, I'm more worried about the wet sheep smell that won't go away.

The yarn is a definite loser, the sweater? We'll see, it's in the middle right now heading toward loserdom. It's one of those wear it and see situations. Don't believe me about the yarn? I have two skeins left that you can have for free. Free yarn! All you have to pay for is shipping, which is a small price to pay to proove me right, I mean to test out the yarn.

Posted by bitter purl at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Can I tell you how happy I am to be finally done with this project? This yarn from the little dried skinned sheep just has to go. I ended up with two leftover skeins that will either be burned or be given away. The cardi is blocking as we speak; I originally thought I was going to steam block this one, but after all the, arhem, dander and burrs in the yarn I decided to dunk the biatch. I even used scalp revitalizing shampoo to wash it, something the sheep could have used. The water was pretty nasty after rinsing the sweater, I wish I had taken a picture!

While this sucker takes forever and a day to dry (we haven't had sun here since Thursday), I dove in to some old and new projects. The atomic river socks are knitting up nicely, though it was weird to get back into knitting these after so much st st on US 6's. They don't look much longer than before, but trust me I'm working on the leg. Lolly's Socktoberfest has me all sock-happy, which has got me thinking about what other socks to knit. I figure I won't be greedy and knit up two pairs for myself at the same time (that would be unseemly), so why not knit a gift pair? Remember the Foliage I bought at Stitches East? I bought three skeins to knit some bulky socks for the dentist, any ideas on patterns? I'm not sure if I should let the yarn do all the work or make a fun pattern out of it. Are there any "manly"patterns that you know of?

You would think two socks would make me happy, but nope I wanted to get started on the Bulky Mini (aka BMC) right away. I was working out my new numbers, but I think I already messed up on the third row and ended up with more stitches on one of the sections that I should have. I'm guessing it's all the yo's and kfb action going on in the pattern. Any tips on how to apply your stitch ratio to that? Apparently the lack of sun has made me very inquisitive today.

Posted by bitter purl at 06:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

After a lonely weekend, that ended up with me being pissed off at "an inspirational yarn store" and the bf thinking I heard the woman wrong, which I didn't!, it was nice to receive a surprise in the mail yesterday from one of my lovely friends. I so gently hinted that I may not have enough of her dyed yarn to finish my "river socks" and what does she do? She mails me some matching yarn and some needles she made, this is a friend indeed! I promise there was no fake crying involved.

For Illanna, I'm renaming said socks to "atomic river socks" because they are going to be insane. The solid yarn is going to be the cuff, while the rest of the sock will be in the stripey yarn. Look at how sad that little foot looks with no legs or even addis to keep it warm. I had to steal the needles for the never ending cardi, but they will be back in action soon enough. Can I tell you how much I love this yarn? Not only was it dyed for me, but it's also oh so soft Optimum DK. Nice, soft wool with no plant matter in sight, what more could a girl ask for? How about some special needles?

Posted by bitter purl at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

ugh, This post was originally started this afternoon, but apparently my computer had other plans. Crashing was one of them, ceasing to work was the other. I'm on the boy's computer now while he tries to save all my documents on mine. I hate to think of all the images I've lost along with all the patterns I had in there. At least I was able to save my thesis paper and images, though I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with them now.
Enough about that, though I will give you a PSA: Backup your computer!

On to knitting. It was tough to not immediately start on a new project with all the new stash yarn, but I was strong and stuck to my "finishing things" mantra. Funny thing is, I haven't been knitting that much. The last time I touched this sock was on Saturday night when I got to the heel. Can I just say how much I like not having to pickup a bunch of stitches? I actually restarted the sock on Friday morning on the way to Stitches to get a better toe then worked on the foot on the way home and some on Saturday. The heel was done twice, but I'm still not completely happy with it. One side is perfect, but the other side leaves something to be desired. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not using long enough needles and that side stretched or because of the way I purled together the stitches with their wrap. When I pick it up again I need to decide what to do with the leg; do I keep the lace exactly where it is or do I somehow spread it around the whole leg?

What have I been working on then? The NSS Cardie is moving along, though for a while there I thought I was never going to split the sleeves. The rows just kept going and going. It's a little faster now, but surprisingly not by that much. I think what's keeping me from picking this up all the time is the yarn. This yarn gets really rough and starts drying and scratching my hands. For some reason I keep finding plant matter in it (last I checked Noro had conquered the "plants in yarns" game) or what I think is plant or cactus or something really rough. I love the color (#09), love the pattern, hate the yarn. Silky Wool is a definite "never again" for me.

I still will try to make it this week's exclusive project, it's finally starting to feel like fall here and I would love to have a new cardigan by this weekend to wear in these cool nights. This is definitely a lofty goal I'm sure I won't meet, since once the body is done I have to: knit the sleeves, pick up the button and neck bands, and somehow knit instead of crochet some ruffles. So, I'm not making any promises...

Posted by bitter purl at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

The rumors are true, magic loop socks seem to grow quicker than knitting with dpns. Would I lie to you?

This was the state of the sock this morning (sorry for the blue cast), but I'm going to have to rip out a couple of rows because I kept futzing around until I didn't like it anymore (ie I made a mistake). These knit up fast so no worries there. I'll be jumping back to my other projects in the meantime...the more I finish, the more I can buy at Stitches right? Just kidding!

Hey! Do you like prizes? How about some free s.e.x. without the x? Here's your chance to get a prize for your stash...does this pattern look familiar? The first person to name the pattern gets a prize from me. No joke!

Posted by bitter purl at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

and realizes she didn't need them.

Witnesses say she did a figure-8 through a magic loop and got jiggy with it.
News at 11...or more likely tomorrow since some of us have to watch Nip/Tuck, then shower, and get to sleep.

Posted by bitter purl at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)