Close-up knitting 1

Close-up knitting 1
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

I had to rip back the toe of the Waves and Piers Socks. I changed to a size 0 needle and had some struggles making sure the stitches were picked up correctly. This light and magnifying glass really helped.

I swear, it was the dark yarn and the size 0 needles that prevented me from picking the stitches up without the magnifying glass. The lighting was much better under the glass. This has nothing to do with my eyesight.

Waves, Piers and Jaws Oh My!

Waves, Piers and Jaws Oh My!
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

I watched Jaws during the annual Boys Fishing Trip. If course I knit while watching the movie.

I'm holding up the second Waves and Piers Sock from the Little Box of Socks. I've got about 30 rounds left before the toe decreases. I'll finish these by friday making my completed sock knitting total to 4.

I noticed my knitting speed increased during stressful scenes of the movie. Have you experienced this? I also wondered I anyone else sees a correlation between Jaws and Moby Dick?

Tink Knit and Purl

I asked on Plurk what people would like me to vlog about today. 
Msesheta asked "how to tink back in both knit and purl."
Rowan said she "has problems when she tinks finding where to put the needle. Its not always evident to me where it goes to tink back."

Thanks for the topic ladies!  Please let me know if you find this helpful.

"Tink" is unknitting (not knitting backwards like I say in the video). Tink is actually knit spelled backwards. Cool, huh?



I'll work on the focus for the next instructional video post. I'm using a flip camera with a 1" screen. It's kinda difficult to make sure I'm actually in focus.

There are a couple of good videos available that shows you how to Tink. This one is from Jimmy Beans Wool. Here are two from The Knit Witch one about tinking the knit and purl sts.

Fiberworks Acquisitions

Arlene Graham's Fiberworks is located at 1350A North Fairfield Road Beavercreek, OH 45432. It's an easy drive from Columbus. Road trip anyone?



Yep. I got yarn. Not a lot, mind you but still...it's yarn.
3 skeins of Lamb's Pride Superwash in Sport weight in color Lemon Ice
3 skeins of Queensland Collection Rustic Wool in a nice green (color 04, Olive) I think they will make a nice simple pair of socks. A quick knit for certain!
You can see information about the Schoppel Wolle Zauberball here.

And I picked up a Yarn Keeper Bracelet , made by Humes of Delaware. I'm not sure I'll use this a lot but it's an interesting option for walking around and knitting. I'll be using this for my next "car project." You know what a car project is, right? It's that project that lives in the car that gets pulled out when you're waiting expectantly.

Sound of my arteries clogging

Sound of my arteries clogging
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Did you hear that? I think that was my arteries clogging.

This is a picture of my first "Leroy Breakfast" at the Port Hope Hotel. The Leroy Breakfast comes with 4 strips of bacon, 3 eggs, 2 sausage patties, 1 slab of ham, hash browns and 2 buttered pieces of toast. I selected wheat bread because I wanted a healthy option. :)

iPhone Charger Cord FAIL

iPhone Cord FAIL
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

am I the only one this happens to? I have three of these cords and all three of them have the white cover separating from the USB connection.

Yes, they still work but I was hoping for a little better quality from what my brother Steve calls the "Apple Tax."

Waves and Piers Socks Update: Heel

I've been enjoying the Waves and Piers Socks from the Little Box of Socks using the Kaffe Fassett yarn from Regia. Blogged here.

 

6 needles sticking out is pretty cool, huh?  Or at least I think it looks menacing so when people look in my direction they wonder "what is he doing?"  I worked on the kitchener stitch to close the first heel in a bar tonight with my brothers. The lighting was good but my needle size was just a bit too large. I have this hanging loop thing that I need to work on a bit more before I give up and simply pull the loop to the inside and tack it down. **grrr**

Did you see Cat made me into a puppet? How cool is that?

Oliver Sock 1 Progress

Ravelry Link to the Oliver Pattern by Marlowe Crawford.
Creatively Dyed Yarns Shop
I love turning a heel photo/post

I enjoyed knitting this sock. It's not a boring knit at all and doesn't take too much concentration that it took my attention away from conversation or a movie.

Yes, I'm magic-looping, yarmando. :)

I don't sound very happy in this vlog, do I?  I'm disappointed actually. I hoped the sock would fit better than it does and now I get to decide if I continue knitting it or "tink" it and start over. Decisions, decisions, decisions. I'll probably wear them more if they were knit on a 2.75 mm or 3.0 mm needle. Or I "tink" to the heel and do the larger size. I'll just wait and get some other opinions. In the meantime, I might cast on a pair of socks from the Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks, Warm Feet book.

Lace Error Alert!

While knitting on the Flower Basket Shawl, I've discovered a few errors that I consistently make.



Can you see the problem in this photo?
This is the YO on my purl back row. The YO before a decrease on the right side row can wrap around the decrease when working the wrong side rows, in this case, I'm purling back. By paying attention to my knitting, I've been able to notice the problem quickly and can fix it. When I miss this, I end up an st short on the right side rows because I purled the YO with the st before (really making an unnecessary decrease). It is an easy thing to correct simply by paying attention to the knitting and using a finger to release the YO and working the sts correctly.
Here's the photo with the correction.

This is the YO on my purl back row after it has been separated from the decrease. It is an easy thing to correct simply by paying attention to the knitting and using a finger to release the YO.

A funny thing happened that I share on the knitrific blog.  Go watch and comment :)

Oliver Sock Heel

Oliver Sock Heel
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

This is the heel on the Oliver sock. There is something very satisfying for me in turning a heel. Simply by decreasing sts in a pattern, I can create something that fits my heel.

The yarn is Creatively Dyed Yarns Merino Sock. I'm using a 2.5 mm Addi Turbo 40" circular needle.

Purple Earth Socks

Purple Earth Socks
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Knit using the Evil Sock Genius Pattern (Alpha version) in Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering Merino in the color "Purple Earth." I did magic loop on a size 2.5mm Addi Turbo 40" circular needle.

I started these over 4 years ago and had one sock finished and the second sock was completed to the heel. Once yarmando told me what was next on the pattern, it only took me a day to complete the final sock. These were knit toe-up and I'm pleased with the fit.

I always worry about my bind-off being too tight on toe-up socks. On the second sock, I used the knit 2, *place 2 sts back on left needle, and knit those two sts through the back loop, knit one (repeat from*) I liked it so much that I redid the bind-off on the first sock (which was a bit tight).

Next for my sock knitting: "The Last Supper Socks." Details to follow.

Finishing Socks

Happy Feet
Kitcheners Stitch
Boot Socks using Lambs Pride Super Wash using a Lopi Sock Pattern
Yarn Candy Socks from Cider Moon ends. Superwash knit on size 3 DPNs
Jacki Yarnzombie
Gaslight Dyeworks
Tuscan Grove
Knitters Connection
Yarmando
Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock I was wrong. It's Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering 100% Merino Wool in Purple Earth
Maryland Sheep and Wool
Evil Sock Genius 
Sock Wars

Yarn Candy Socks

This is my pair of Yarn Candy Socks. I think they're lots of fun.


The pattern was suggested from the the Golf/Athletic Socks included in the Little Box of Socks. (Rav link) I used the numbers and the garter edged heel. I'd never seen this heel before and like the way it looks. I used a partridge heel flap instead of the suggested stockinette heel. Here's a close-up of the heel.


Selecting the next color to use was a lot of fun. It did mean that I had 4 ends to run in for each color switch. I ran in the ends while traveling. Details in the vlog post. Here's a picture of some of the ends.

I enjoyed finishing these socks. Superwash, size 3 DPNs.

Boot Socks 2010

Boot Socks 2010
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Knit using 2 strands of Lambs Pride Super Wash (1 "bulky" & 1 lt worsted). I used a. K3P1 ribbing that runs down the leg and across the top of the sock. I used size 10.5 DPNs.

I learned to knit socks using this pattern. It is my go-to quick knit sock pattern, perfect for warm, comfortable socks.

I would like to share the pattern but think it might be under copyright. Sorry. I'm working on my own sock pattern since I make lots of changes each time I make them.

Kitchener's Stitch Gone Wrong

Kitchener's Stitch Gone Wrong
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Yep, I got to do forensicknitting. These are the first pair of socks that knitSB was trying to knit. Nice knitting all the way to the toes. One sock was nicely completed. The other ended with lots of problems on the toe. You might have seen another example of a Kitchener's St gone wrong in a previous post. It's the "ketchup stitch" cause it splattered everywhere.

I found these and thought it would be wonderful to finish them for him :).

Here's a (slightly blurry) photo of the finished sock.

That's not Kitchener's stitch

That's not Kitchener's stitch
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

I got to see E today at Knitters Mercantile today. I'm a big fan if E and her yarn. She's working on the second sock to make a pair she started almost three years ago. See her in the background? She's embarrassed by the "ketchup stitch" cause it's splattered everywhere.

I've been there with the Kitchener :)

Close-up of Ketchup Stitch

Close-up of Ketchup Stitch
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Here's a closeup of the Kitchener's stitch gone badly. E called it the "ketchup stitch" cause it is splattered everywhere.

Kitchener's stitch is one of those things that Knitters need to know but it takes a bit if concentration.