February 10, 2007

More Socks!

I found another sock pattern I wanted to try while waiting for the pattern that Joansie's mailing me. It's Joan's Socks which is a very nicely written beginner's pattern. Nice thick socks made with two strands of WW. I'm using Colorado Yarns Super wash. I don't know if I've mentioned here that I learned to knit so I could knit socks. But I could never get the hang of it. I read in so many groups and on so many forums that people considered them "quick" projects. For me they were long and torturous projects that ended up in the frog pond. No Longer! I feel like I can now begin to tackle more complicated st patterns in them, as well as different types of heels. (Remind me of this tomorrow when I lament how hard doing the toes is!)

Spent the afternoon with my friend, F, yesterday, and talk about knitting adventures! He was about 25% done with the second sleeve on his Pinwheel Sweater adventure, when we realized he'd knitted it (in the round) inside out. The St st was on the inside and the Reverse St st on the outside. Talk about a major trip to the frog pond...no, frog sea! Now, on the up side of all this, remember yesterday when I told you I figured out how to double knit flat? Well it works to make sleeves (although decreasing for shaping is a bit of a mystery yet), fingers for gloves, or anything that is knit in the round. So, when F went to pick up the sts to begin the sleeve again, he did it so it could be knitted in the round flat. Much progress was made once he got in the k1 sl1 k1 sl1 rhythm.

I, too visited the frog pond and frogged the Thinking Woman's Shawl. It just wasn't going to lay flat no matter what I did. Now I have to decide if I'm going to try other borders or just chalk it up to experience.

Projects for today include a little house work (maybe), finishing up my first lavender sock and CO the second. Then taking inventory of my WIPs and make appropriate promises to work on them in a timely manner!

Edit: I have a sock!

February 9, 2007

Miscellanous tips and info

Here's a neat tip for an invisible or provisional cast on. Obvious, if you really think about it, but I guess I never thought about it and wrestled with the crochet hook and the needle!

And here's an idea for a quicky cat bed!

Here's a gorgeous sweater...but I'm hoping the chest measurement is for just the front and not the whole "round the chest" measurement!

Hmmm, what a nice compilation of misc knitting information from Morehouse Farms.

Thanks for the suggestions on the shawl... Michelle, I think a reverse stockinette st border would then curl in on itself the "other way." Hmmm, I guess I either rip it all out and try different techniques, or just rip it out......

I finished a dish cloth last night...and then took a technique I saw on Knitty Gritty (and after reading through it at the link I did it wrong) of double knitting. Here's what I did. I CO and even number of sts, then put half of them on one needle and half on another. Taking a third needle I picked up one from each needle alternating to put all the sts back on the third needle. Then I knit the first st, slipped the second and continued like that across. Then turning I knitted the slipped sts and slipped the knitted sts of the row before. The pic above is what I've gotten done so far.

It definitely is double knitting, but as I only have an inch done, I can't see what the inside looks like. The outside looks like reverse stockinette st, but....who knows? Let you know when I separate them to cast off. I know that I'm knitting "inside out" and will turn in "outside in" when it's finished. Playing with yarn and sticks is so much fun!