Tintern Abbey Socks

I started my pair of Tintern Abbey Socks Friday night (my Rav link)

I learned this pattern while taking Brenda Dayne's Tintern Abbey Sock Class in Chardon, Ohio at Knitting on the Square.



I'm using Gypsy Girl Creations Transitions fingering weight yarn. It transitions from white to green to brown. Here is the yarn cake.

And the completed Sherman Toe. I found the toe easier to knit the third time I worked one. I knit this toe on size 2.0 mm DPNs because I like a firm toe. Once I completed the toe, I went to size 2.25 mm for the foot. It's lovely.

I really enjoyed meeting Brenda. By this picture, I think she liked meeting me.

Nuts Again socks to be frogged

My Rav Link.

Previous blogposts

Lessons learned: gauge swatch, read a pattern carefully and notice the size, trust my instinct and stop knitting sooner rather than later, a good design is a good design regardless of my knitting mistakes, and it's acceptable to frog a project.

Recap Thanksmas 2011

My family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas on the Saturday following Thanksgiving.(2010, 2009 blogposts) It works well and reduces stress because everyone is rested and not rushing between obligatory visit. I've blogged about it before. I rather enjoy the event. For those interested, we draw names for a gift exchange. This year I had my brother Steve and I knit him another pair of socks. I used Ella Rae superwash in navy. I finished these during the Annual Boy's Fishing Trip. Here's a photo of them after he opened them. I find the beer in the top right corner humorous.

My sister Terri had my name in the exchange. She got me a copy of The Knitter's Handy Book of Socks by Clara Parkes. I'm really happy about this gift. This book is filled with great information and a nice range of patterns from a variety of designers. I'm looking forward to reading the book and knitting a few of the patterns.

La Cage Aux Folles

A couple of Saturdays ago, I went to Cleveland with Songferret, StageManagerChrissy and knitBS to see the touring company of La Cage aux Folles

It was a delightful show and we had great seats thanks to our theater social calendar coordinator, Songferret. The actor playing Albin, (Christopher Seiber) was full of joy on stage and really brought the house down during the act 1 finale, "I am what I am."

George Hamilton seems tired as he played Albin's partner, Georges. He didn't look comfortable in the role. He was certainly tan. :)

Albin belted out his songs with full gusto, bringing me along for the ride. If you have an opportunity to see the show, I recommend it. It is different than the movie The Birdcage so don't expect the exact storyline. Expect a story of a family who loves one another as another family is starting their life together.

I brought sock knitting with me and snapped this photo. It's the best I could get without a flash and after trying to photoshop it on my iPhone.

Knit on in times of....

I was under a great deal of stress Sunday as I traveled to visit my Mom in the hospital. I packed my current knitting project, the Nutkin socks as well as the repair job I posted about yesterday. Before I left, I wound up two skeins of Claudia Handpaints Chunky Weight wool so I could knit on something fast and not brain taxing.

I cast-on both socks Sunday. See how far I've gone in a short amount of time?


I'm pleased with how quickly these are knitting up. I'm using Brittany US size 6 DPNs. I cast-on 8 STD on a size 3 needle because I think the toe-up cast-on is far too loose when I use DPNs.

I'll be doing the Sweet Tomato Heel by Cat Bordhi. I've opted to do 2X2 rib in the instep for a bit of variety.

I must say I'm glad I took a few minutes to get this yarn ready so I could knit with it. It was very pleasing to have this type of knitting to keep my hands busy and my focus on the here and now with Mom.

Tests are still being run so an informed decision can be made. Thank you for your kind thoughts and words.

Mending Takes Time

I went to visit my Mom in the hospital today. The news is not good and waiting can be a pain but I have knitting to keep me occupied. I didn't drive so I used the time to repair a sweater that knitSB picked up at a thrift store for me. It's a perfectly fine J Crew sweater except the hole on the right sleeve forearm. It looks like the sweater was damaged when the box was cut open. See?



I needed something to take my mind off the reason for my traveling and opted to repair this hole. Mending takes time and I wanted (needed) to get this finished. I have some lace-weight light great alpaca I wanted to use. I was simply going to create a basket weave structure to prevent further stitches from unraveling.



It's not a perfect job beyond securing the garment and it pleases me. I was relieved there was something to take my mind off the reason for the trip.

I took another project to cast-on, toe-up socks out of Claudia's Handpainted Yarns worsted weight yarn (in the color: shark) on US size 6 DPNS. They are very fast and knitting up to a nice fabric. Pictures tomorrow.

Now, if I could just find a toe-up sock pattern with a great heel that I can knit without thinking too much.

August at Otterbein

Songferret and I attended August: Osage County Saturday evening at Otterbein College. Info here.

I thought it a compelling performance with some very talented actors making me experience a wide range of emotions. If you've never seen August, I encourage you to take advantage of a great version of the show.
Dispatch review.
Grossberg commentary.
My San Francisco review.

The show is three acts so be ready for a 3 hour experience. I was engaged throughout the performance as the playwrite does an exceptional job unfolding details of this family in a way that pulls me in to learn more and more. I remember thinking "what could happen next?" There is a next (and a next and a next.)

I was frustrated a few times because actors were speaking over the (nervous) laughter and I was frustrated by not hearing all of the lines. I did have problems hearing lines but this is an issue I have with my hearing in theaters & during performances that are not mic'd.
The set was well-done and fit the stage nicely, taking advantage of levels to convey the 3-story home. I snapped this picture for you.


There is still time to go see this show! It isn't a "happy" show but offers a great theatrical experience.

I sat next to a lady who was interested in my knitting. I was casting-on for my Nutkin socks using the cobblestone yarn. You can see the yarn at the bottom of this picture. :)

Falsettos

Available Light Theatre's current show is Falsettos. Songferret and I saw the show on Saturday night.
I thought this production was well-done and took advantage of the cast's wonderful voices and effective staging. It is a show worth seeing, especially in a more intimate venue.

I didn't get to knit much but I did get a little knitting done before the show started.



I just finished knitting the gusset decreases on Yarmando's test knit. Tomorrow I'll work on the second sock's gusset decreases and then it's just knit until I run out of yarn. I need to finish these socks so I can gauge swatch for the fronkenshteek sock.

Last Supper Socks-Update

I am currently knitting on the last Last Supper Sock.
I finished the first one (finally) Sunday afternoon at knitting.



Don't mind the markers. I need to keep them there so the sock match.

I've been working on these socks for almost 2 years. I am pleased with the fit, pattern and colors. These are knit using size 2.25 mm dpns, I think. I've broken 4 dpns while knitting them. More on that with the final vlog about the project.

I hope to finish the knitting this week. The yarn is Noro Sock Kureyon.

Cast-on Sunday Monday

My friend Cat thinks Sundays are the day to cast-on new projects. When I was knitting on Sunday, I didn't have time to start a new project so I did my Sunday cast-on Monday. Progress has been steady. I'm done with the heel and starting with the gusset decreases.  I expect to have it completed by Sunday so I can cast-on the second sock for Cast-on Sunday.

The suggestion for my socks is the Golf/Athletic Socks patter by  Schurch & Parrott. There is an errata for the pattern here, which gives you a full copy of the pattern.  I'm using Cascade Fixation on size 5 DPNs. 

What are you going to cast-on Sunday?

He's using DPNs?

Shocking!
(or would that be SOCKING!)


A bit of humor.
warning, the hands give me the finger.

This unnamed knitter is using dpns. Unheard of! He usually knits with the magic loop.
I'll just say that his is EVIL for not letting me film him casting on for a SOCK. It's GENIUS for him to try to branch out.

Knitting and I Hate Shakespeare

Knitting and I Hate Shakespeare
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

I got invited to go to Westland High School's production of I Hate Shakespeare by K & M. I wouldn't have gone without the invitation from these two amazing ladies I worked with during 2009's production of How I Became A Pirate.

BFF (Songferret) and I attended the Friday performance. It was not an 'omigod, go out and see this show and bring all your friends' show. It was a well written show presented by young talent that made me laugh and smile (and put down my knitting so I could watch).

I enjoy seeing the parents celebrate the talent and fun their children have doing theater in High School. I can tell the future is better off because of how A&J interact with their children (& their circle of kid friends). A cool thing was that D was a techie for the show so it was a full family experience.

My hat is off to K & M for fitting theater into their busy senior year. Thanks for thinking to invite me.

Go support the young kid's artistic endeavors. They need to know people are noticing.


Yes, these are the same socks I've been working on for DH. I picked up an additional skein of yarn so I can finish the toes. The knitting is good and they fit him. I should have these completed in the next two weeks. I'm splitting my knitting time between sock knitting and a super secret test knitting project that I'm behind on. That knitting is going quickly but it can't be travel knitting.

Baktus Rainbow

I was really pleased how this project turned out.
This was my 4th baktus.
I knit using the Noro Kureyon Sock yarn. I put the skein into two separate balls and switched the yarn every two rows.
I like the colors a lot. The Kureyon Sock yarn is a bit scratchy to knit but soften up nicely using eucalan.

I vlogged about the karius version in August 2009. Those details can be found here.  This post has good links to the yarn and such. :)

Slip-Stitch Cable Socks

I showed you yesterday what was in my knitting bag.
I wanted to shared with you my new socks, the Slip-Stitch Cable Socks from the Little Box of Socks.



The needles I purchased from the internet store
The yarn is Jazz Handpaints from Twisted Sisters.

I need your help! What are your favorite sock patterns?
I'm going to be creating my own sock club and need suggestions for patterns knit using a variety of yarn weights.


gosh, I kind rambled in this vlog.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and Sock Knitting :)

I eat Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Sweet Corn & Black Raspberries
with the sample spoon to make the fun last a bit longer. 
Yarmando's Evil Sock Genius Socks
Noro Kureyon Sock

Waves and Piers Socks

Waves and Piers Socks
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Waves & Piers socks from the Little Box of Socks using Regia design line Kaffe Fassett. I am disappointed in the fit of this "forethought" heel. The heel sticks out at the edge and there isn't enough transition between the st pattern and the heel so there is a bit of sagging of the leg. I dropped down two needle sizes to create a sturdier heel I think I should have just the entire sock on the size zero needles for an overall better, sturdier fabric. By the end of the day, the leg of the socks slide down to my ankles a bit. Not too badly but I noticed at the end of the day.

I love the design of these socks and how enjoyable they were to knit. I had some struggle with determining the proper length before starting the toe decreases. I ripped back the first toes about two rows past where I started them the first round and dropped down to a zero needle. That helped a lot. I also noticed it was difficult for me to start the garter top pattern. It was only a 10 rows or so, but with 5 needles, I found it a bit rough to handle the 5 needles used to knit the sock. These are my 3rd or 4th pair of socks knit using 5 needles. I an getting used to it.

Yes, I am planning on knitting another pair of socks using this pattern. I enjoy the visual interest of the stripping and the overall lace pattern. (Can I call this a lace pattern?). I would drop down to a size 0 US needle.

Click on the photo to go to my flickr pages for two other shots of these socks.

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?

Ram Club 3.2

Spoiler Alert

I share my new shipment for the Ram Club 3. Ram Club 3



The yarn is Verve, a superwash merino yarn that is a light fingering weight yarn.  There are 300 yards to each skein.  Two colors: Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice. The colors of these yarns are incredibly beautiful.  Winter Solstice has a teal to golden brown to raspberry.  Amazing dyeing.  A.maz.ing.  The Summer Solstice is beautiful as well.  Yellows into yellow green and gray.  I need to find a project to work these yarns to work together.
I don't like the yarns in the pattern.  I like the pattern.  I like the yarn.  I don't like the two together. 

I wonder if Akimbo or Daybreak would be nice.


Ram Club 4: Accessories I like knowing that I'm getting socks.  I'm thinking if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Ram Club 3.1

I got my first shipment from the Ram Club-Series 3. The yarn is Foot Prints, a sport weight, merino superwash. I like the bark series. You can only get it as part of the Ram Club. :) There are quite a few nice colors available that you CAN buy. Tell them knittingbrow sent you. The pattern is Intersector Socks by Sarah Wilson. Pattern look pretty good. I'll give more details later.

Vacation Yarn: Lorna's Laces Swirl DK

Lorna's Laces Swirl DK
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

Lorna's Laces Swirl DK
85% Merino Wool 15% Silk
approx. 150 yards
5 1/2 sts=1" on size #5 needles
Purchased from Lake Tahoe Yarn Company. 
Color 208 "Edgewater" in dyelot 9309. This yarn is being discontinued. If you like it and can find it, grab it up!
 
I got some more vacation yarn!
This is a thrilling yarn for me to find. The "swirl" adds a exciting visual texture to this very soft yarn. The colors go from a brown to dark blue to light blue into green back to brown  I bought 2 skeins which will be plenty for socks.
1 skein would make a pair of fingerless gloves. I'm not sure what I'll make. I considered buying all 6 skeins but opted for the more affordable option of 2 skeins.

I visited Lake Tahoe Yarn Company in Truckee, CA. The shop was small and part of another shop. I took photos of the shop and will post those when I have access to my computer. 

I purchased two skeins of her dyed yarn. details to follow.....