Monday, February 9, 2015

Year of Projects - Overdue Update

It's amazing how big a difference the right yarn makes! I've been working on the "Snakes on a Plane" socks for a couple of months by now, and just can't keep the interest long enough to get some real progress going. I think I'm about 1/3 of the way through sock 2 and have been knitting on it for 3 weeks or so.

Then yesterday I discovered I had enough left-over yarn of two skeins to make some striped socks which I really, really, really wanted to cast on right away. I decided to go with some plain vanilla socks (though with the vanilla bean variation just to spice them up a bit) and did them toe-up in order to ensure that I'd have enough yarn.

3 hours later I could take this photo. That's right, 3 hours of knitting on these socks got me as far as 3 weeks on "Socks on a Plane". Go figure!
And since yesterday was a lazy Sunday, and I had nothing better to do with my time than sit and knit while watching TV, I was able to cast off that same night! First time EVER I've managed to knit an adult sized fingering weight sock in a day!
The yarn is Candy Skein's Yummy Fingering (green) and Posh Yarn's Pamela Sock (brown). Complete adore both yarns!

It's weird - I've always thought I didn't like self-striping yarn, but I love these "manually striped" (or whatever...) socks, so I may just stand corrected...

Saturday was another lazy day - I didn't feel like knitting any of my ongoing projects (this was before I cast on the above socks), but found an interesting pattern for a mini neckwarmer that seemed appropriate. Turned out to be a really quick knit, and I like the result.
Next time I think I may make it slightly bigger though... and definitely use softer yarn. This has a tad too high nylon content to be all that soft. But it's not scratchy, so I'll take it (and it did make me realize I wanted to use the rest for socks ;) )

I've also been working on my $5 in Paris and discovered I did NOT take sufficient notes last time - not even listing the needles I used! So part of knitting it this second time is deconstructing the old one (not literally!) and taking copious notes as I go. It's coming along nicely though :)

Finally I finished the baby cardigan last weekend, and it's been blocking ever since - slow going in winter time. It turned out rather big though! The original pattern said this was a 3-6mo size... that got changed to 6-9mo along the way, and I think the end result is closer to 12-18mo! But that's what test-knitting is for, because I did get gauge, and the measurements are spot on. Ah well - it'll be a birthday present instead of a baptism present I guess ;) Still need to sew on buttons and weave in ends, but I'm calling it done for all intents and purposes.

Progress
July Sock (Braided Swirl Socks)
Stashbuster #1 (Dragonfly Elfe)
August Sock (Vanilla Socks)
September Sock (My Little Cup of Tea)
October Sock (Sunset Scales)
Stashbuster #2 (Little Pole)
November Sock (Spring Forward)
December Sock (Newborn tube socks)
Stashbuster #3 (Bubblegum Elfe)
Stashbuster #4 ($5 in Paris)
(Stashbuster #5)
(Stashbuster #6)

11 comments:

  1. Wow! You have been busy! Funny I've been thinking about using up some of my leftover yarns with that vanilla bean pattern. Somehow using leftovers makes me giddily happy! That first sock looks awesome, so you go girl!

    Such a cute baby cardi! Better on the large side than otherwise, right?

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    1. Thanks! And I'm the same - using leftovers make me giddily happy as well. I think it's the idea of clearing out something from my stash completely :)

      DEFINITELY better on the large side! :)

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  2. Lots going on! Well done on finishing the sock in a day and the neck warmer is lovely. Hope you get your notes sorted on the $5 in Paris, I love the colours in it. What a very pretty cardigan and no matter when it's received I'm sure it will be loved.

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  3. I am so envious of you making a sock in a day. WOW! I am more like the 3 week sock you are working on. The baby sweater is nice and will be a welcomed gift when baby grows into it and they don't have to go and buy a sweet sweater to keep the baby warm.

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  4. You've been a busy bee. I love your projects. :-) Regula

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  5. Love the colors of the vanilla bean socks! I, too, have a not quite half finish pair of socks on a plane.

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  6. I love the look of your $5 in Paris and those socks are fabulous. Just goes to show what you can accomplish when you really enjoy it!

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  7. Love that striped sock! Amazed you were able to do it in a day! Nice job on all your projects.

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  8. Everything is looking lovely. I wasn't sure about the striped socks, but the finished photo makes me go, yum!!!

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  9. I love lazy weekends! Your socks are sure fun looking--and that baby sweater is gorgeous. Lucky baby! I have certainly not needed many neck warmers up here were I live--it has been in the upper 50's and sunny. Not our typical rainy Seattle winter!
    xoxoxo

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