I did something somewhat unheard of (for me) today. I got out an old Xstitch I had begun years ago and worked on it for hours and hours and hours. It's a Xmas stocking I had bought and was making for myself. I love the image on it, but don't so much love stitching it. Why? It's almost alllll white with lots of similar shades of blue - kinda boring. But I am so far along that I think I am gonna try to do it. I have 3 more stocking kits waiting in the wings - maybe someday - as well as tons of other kits and a few other XIP (xstitches in progress, of course).

Has anyone tried the Knitpicks needles? I know many people have tried the interchangeable ones... but what I mean are the fixed needle circulars. I see they have them in size 0 and 1... and I am dying for those size of sock needles. If you have, let me know!

I finished the Caron Shadows Ribbed scarf and a matching hat... pics after blocking. I also saw a sign up for a craft fair in a couple weeks. Haven't called yet - but I'm thinking about it. The main deterrant is that I have noone willing to sit there with me - booooo.

Casualty: Pomatomas socks. I ripped them out today as I was working the gussets. Somehow the count was totallllly off and I couldn't get it right. I'll knit something else with the yarn. I may also rip the Opal socks if I can't find needles I like better. I am feeling like there are a million different things I want/need to work on at once. I am staying home this weekend so maybe I will make some progress on the quicker of them. Wish me luck!

Lazy Wednesday... sort of

I had today off so I spent it lying around the house. Well... kind of. I made a lot of crafty progress as well!

First up, the grey on grey toe-up socks I was knitting for myself, but then made the foot too long. So now they will be for my mom:



Next up, the golf club covers, also for her. She had wanted argyle... so I painstakingly charted it out and sewed it in in duplicate stitch, but it did NOT look good. So I cut it out and just left the tops plain. The stripes at the bottom denote the club and the braid on the top I decided on for decoration. I like them!



Next, I started the Pomatomus socks from Knitty. I had printed out this pattern ages ago, but it printed out poorly and cut off the ends of lines. I think that's why I hadn't knit it. So I started it up in some Bernat Hot Sox I had lying around. It doesn't show off the pattern that well and I almost ripped it because of it, but I chugged on. See:



I am a bit further now. As in, done with the foot and onto the heel flap. A day off does that for ya.

Last up, some cookies I baked today. Pumpkin with butterscotch chips, mmmm. They were actually a major PITA to cook because there is no egg (I followed a recipe) and they weren't wanting to set. I ended up cooking them about 5 mins longer than the upper limit of suggested cooking times. I can't really taste the pumpkin much, but they're still yummy. Taking some of these to work tomorrow and the rest with me this weekend.



I also started a Ribbed Scarf out of Paton's Divine for my aunt for her Bday. No pics yet tho as it's still in its early stages, and pretty boring.

Finished Steelers Stocking! Here is what it looks like:



I quite like the way it turned out. Still up in the air about the lining. I might do it just cause it will help keep it front stretching out too much. But, I'll do that later.

In other news, I went shopping today and bought this:



I paid full price for it, which is so unlike me, but I bought it because it has SEVENTY sock patterns and many of them use a size 2 or up. I would knit on a size 1, or smaller, but I like to knit on a single circ and haven't found one that works well for that. As soon as I finish up these toe up socks I can get started on some of the gems in this book! If you want to check it out more, click on the picture for a link to its Amazon listing!

Stocking & Socks

As promised, a few WIP to show off:



The big one on the left is meant to be a Xmas stocking. It will be Steelers themed, for my man. I started it this morning, and so far so good! Once I am done with the base, I will make/buy a motif to put on and then most likely line it with coordinating fabric. Fun and quick!

Also pictured are 2 pair of socks I am working on. The grey on grey I think I will end up giving to my mom, since I made them a bit too large for me. The green and red will be fun Xmassy socks for myself. My short rows def need some work - I'm getting major gaps. I think my solution for now is going to be to sew a length of yarn on the wrong side to close them up - but how can I avoid this? Any help would be much appreciated!

On the grey socks I did a picot bind off for stretchiness, but I may rip and redo cause I'm not loving it. On the green ones I am doing a 2x2 twisted ribbing - takes a bit longer but I love the way it looks on these! Ciao!

I found out today that I got the job I've been interviewing for!!! YEAH! I had my last interview yesterday but I think it was basically a done deal since they called TODAY before 11 and extended me the offer. In 2 weeks I will officially begin as a "Pricing Analyst"... can't wait! It also means I don't have to go to training in my current job (which I was supposed to for the next 2 weeks), as that would be pretty pointless.

In other news, I am staying home and crafting this weekend. At least that's the plan... who knows what will happen.

I starte another pair of socks... green and red for Christmas... and hopefully for me! Not too great at the short row thing, I keep getting gaps. I need better pics to follow, or someone to show me, I think.

Oh, and I thought up a quick, easy way to divide a ball of yarn into 2. This is useful as I've been doing socks lately. First I wind a ball into a cake on the winder. Then, I rewind holding both ends together, to make a double stranded cake. I cut in the middle when I get to the end. Then, I pull a bit from the middle, separate it (a couple feet), and put one of the ends in the winder. By holding where the 2 yarns divide and winding, one strand is caked while the other bunches up and doesn't tangle. Once one is done, I wind up the other. I did a ball in only a few minutes... nice!!

Pics later... just had to share the news!

Wednesday off

I took yesterday off and worked in my own personal sweatshop. First, I finished Fetching from the Knitty pattern. This will be a Xmas gift for a friend



I used leftover yarn from a pair of socks, and had enough! Wasn't sure about that - but yay! I love them, not sure if I will be able to give em up.

I also manager to finish up these socks, a Xmas gift for my mom:



They only took one ball of Woolease with enough to spare to do toes and heels on another pair. Those are in progress and altho I am in love with them, I think I overestimated my feet. They may have to be gifted as well.

And finally, no pics but I knitted up 4 golf club covers for another Xmas pressie for my mom. I just need to work on some charting and duplicate stitching to spiff em up, then sew em up. I used my machine, but it still took a few hours, what with setting them up and unlatching/latching up the ribbing. A day well spent, I think!

Purchases Maximus

So much for cutting down on yarn purchases and trying to use up some stash. But who can resist kits on clearance for $5 a pop. Especially when they contain these:



I plan on making the pillow for my bed (the colorway in the bag is more purpley than the pink one pictured) and the bag for fun (colorway in bag is a little diff here as well).

The store also had 50g balls of Australian wool (perfect for felting) for $1.50 a pop! What's cheaper than that? Kits for $5 which include more than 4 skeins each! See:



Yup, 17 skeins for $15... wahoo!

And finally, some other cheapie yarn I managed to pick up. The yellow is for the cottony wrap/afghan and the other is just because it was super cheap. It's more of the Caron Shadows and I picked up the only 3 skeins they had in Pearl Frost cause it was only $1.50 a skein. They had another color this cheap as well, but it was the horrid hot pink one. I passed on it.

The needles were also a new addition, to keep at the boy's for when my fingers get the urge. I bought a set of like 4 or 5. And that whole haul was only $40! Not bad, I think. Actually... pretty effing good.

Off tomorrow so I should have fun stuff to show soon!

Shrugwell by name... Shrug very well by reputation...

I left work early today as a treat to myself (sick earlier this week and long, grueling interviews Wednesday) and came home and finished a couple of shrugs I had been working on. First up, the Caron Shadows shrug, pattern from the ballband:



And the back:



I do have a major complaint about this yarn/pattern. It said it took 3 balls for the size S/M and 4 for the L/XL. I dutifully bought 3 balls, shortened the sleeves by 1.5" each, shortened the middle by 2", and still required a 4th ball. And I meanall of a 4th ball. And not only that, but I had to slightly shorten the body band so as not to need to buy another ball. Argh! Oh, and about the yarn... it is about the only acrylic that feels softer PREwashing and feels more plasticy after being dryed with fabric softener. Oh well... it still looks ok (I think) and will work this winter. I just threw it on over the T-shirt I wore to work today. Heads are cropped to protect the innocent (me) from looking like a goober (unfortunately, also me).

Next up, the dressy shrug I alluded to making in order to wear over a dress to a wedding in about 2 weeks. I searched in vain for a pattern online, and then just ended up making up my own. Crochet a 12" high rectangle in V-stitch, sew up somewhat to create sleeves, then work a little edging which is made up of a row of single crochets and then a row of alternating single and triple crochets. I really do like the way it came out and think it's the perfect size to wear over this dress. See:



And the back, which (luckily) is long enough to come to the top of the dress:



In the meantime, I picked up some Wool-Ease and have started some socks I think will be a Xmas gift. I've also got orders/requests pouring in for other Xmas gifts (2 foot doilies... are you serious?! Maybe... if you're good...) so I'd better get back to my own personal sweatshop. Knit and crochet on!