I cord is Forever...

Sparkling round my little finger;
Unlike men, I cord lingers....
it won't leave in the night,
I've no fear that it might

Desert me!



I don't need love,
for what good would love do me?
I cord never lies to me;

I cord is forever, forever, forever,
I cord is forever, forever, forever,
foreeeeevereerrrrrrr

Can you tell what I've been doing? This song brought to you by my youth spent watching James Bond on VHS.

Reason to be

Reasons to be happy:

1) Roasted beet salad with garlic dressing. For breakfast!

2) The new Boondock Saints movie is good; not as good as the first but still good!

3) Pretty cabled socks in Louet gems:


4) finding all my language books in boxes, including an Arabic dictionary I'd forgotten I had.

5) Days off.

6) When people wear the knits I make:

sooo cute, and the hat's not bad either.

7) renewing some sort of motivation to live, and faith in people.

Thank you.

Death to the sweater

I thought my sweater made from the Irish yarn was progressing well, I was nearing completion of the sleeves, when I decided I couldn't bear the shape of the body. The underarms were wings, practically. The sad part is, I have tried this sweater on every step of the way, and everything looked promising through out, until now. I am very frustrated and saddened by the sweaters betrayal, so I replied in kind by ripping the sucker back to the arm pits.

And just to rub salt in the wound, I'm taking OTHER KNITTING projects to Thanksgiving. Take that, mean old sweater!

We're going to the cousins for Thanksgiving. If I come back alive....you'll know I'm not dead.

New Sock Technique Review

Most recent socks are completed, US 1's using Berocco Ultra Fine, which is a lace/sock weight version of the Ultra Alpaca which I known and so love. The pattern is my usual M.O., making it up as I go along based on my sock number/gauge. The largest cable starts halfway up the foot, and is shadowed by a smaller cable opposite that starts halfway up the leg, which is ribbed.

I used some new techniques which I think merit review, namely the 'magic-cast on' toe and the Japanese short row heel. You can see in the photo below the nice angle of the heel stitches, they are visible but more subtle than the wrap & turn heels I have used in the past. They feel somewhat less bumpy as well, but as a first attempt at this technique, there is a tad of bumpiness :)

There's a detail of the cable, I got a chance to use 2 different methods (only slightly tweaked) of making cables without a cable needle, which is a technique that I fully embrace.

Here you get a good view of the toe. It is called the 'Magic' cast on because the top of the toe is completely seamless, and the increases form attractive ridges down the edges of the toe. In previous socks I would do a provisional cast-on and then execute a short row toe identical to a heel. It was functional and fairly attractive (if you put the provisional row on the sole of the sock, as it tended to stretch and look droopy), but this one is much more so. It also fits better, still being roomy but not gaping, and fitting in my shoes. It also looks sharp and is easy to customize as you go, since you can just pop it on your foot and see how the fit looks. It took me a few tries and views of tutorials and videos to get it right, but I will definitely be using this for future socks.

And here are some pictures of the finished beauties, complete with pretty outdoor scenery. If any sock knitters out there know a good heel suitable to toe-up socks that wears well, give a holler and I will give it a try!

Knits in the wild

When I went to Ireland I brought knits to give away, as a gesture of "thank you for all your whiskey". I try to be a nice girl. The knits, mostly hats, were well received and I got an email from my host and pen pal Mark with this lovely photo:


See the bit of green on the top of his head? Thats my hat! Way out in the wilds of Loch Awe, Scotland, adventuring with adventuresome people! That's Paul, and I'd be happy to send his friends handspun hats anyday :)

Still here, still knitting

I am alive, and I am knitting. Just a bit of radio silence since the progress is slow. I'm working on my first sweater, top down raglan in the round, using my special Irish worsted cream wool. So far, so good. I'm designing it as I go, but really there's nothing to it.

A close up, I'm using size 8 needles. And however much I have I'll probably use, estimated 880 yd.

The lovely gaiter with buttons that I showed last post has been really popular with people at the shop and non-knitters, and I wanted to show an added benefit of it. It's not only beautiful, soft, warm, and pleases me every time I look at it knowing I spun that wonderful yarn, it can be worn 2 ways. This way, with two buttons open, is very jaunty.

And then the way I originally intended, a plain neck gaiter to be worn under a coat collar. I'm probably going to write this pattern, as it is too easy and awesome not to share.


Other than the sweater, I have a pair of socks on the needles in Berocco Ultra fine, which is a skinnier cousin of my beloved Ultra Alpaca. I'm making up the pattern as I go (as always) on size 1 Harmonies. However, I did learn two new skills so far! I used a magic cast on toe (loving it) and Japanese short row heels, which I am still having trouble with, but like a lot so far! In addition to socks there are also the usual parade of hats I make as gifts. Not holiday gifts, I don't like to give myself a deadline, just presents for people I like! I promise not to be such a stranger, and with more photos.

Thank God for FiOs

Awesome internet speed allows me to bring you more photos of handmade items! Unfortunately my hard connection and wireless aren't working in my room, so I have to be in the kitchen and can't hide in my sanctuary. Pout.
\
The cowl with buttons from my handspun BFL. I don't feel like posting the details, but its a super easy pattern if you want it. Plus the buttons are beautiful.

My pumpkin, I enjoyed carving it but we had zero trick-or-treaters so no one saw it anyway.

Those red gloves I was promising you! I also have the pattern for these but I don't WANNA! you can't make me!

I want to go back to knitting my sweater, can you tell? More updates promised.