I would love to say that I've been knitting up a storm instead of posting here, but that isn't quite the case. I've also been baking pies and cleaning the living room and watching TV. In the midst of a few un-ending UFOs, my passion has been flagging a little.
Which isn't to say of course that I haven't finished anything since July when I last posted. August was actually a productive month, knitting wise. It just didn't definitely feel that way. Though I could question the health of it, what I love is to have a project going that I think about all the time. Something I plan out aspects of during down time at work and can't wait to get home to. How I felt about the sideways socks and my tiny hermit crab.
But I also think I will find that project somewhere in my massive horde of projects waiting to be started. Last weekend I made it though the left and right front of a sweater and part of the way up the back before I lost oomph over concerns about the tightness of the arm holes and running out of yarn. Is it better to know you don't have enough yarn to finish a project, or to always think you might not have enough yarn to finish a project? If you know the answer to this puzzle, please let me know in the comments.
Alright, enough musing and down to brass tacks. What exactly have I been up to since July? Well...
Atomic Fireball Socks for my Father-in-law
Lots of cables for large men's feet. They took me quite a while, but they have a lot of small touches that I like. The heel is the extra long, good for men's socks, Fleegle's short-row heel. It used up more yarn than I think a heel flap heel would have, but I also think a well fitting heel is half the battle in good sock fit. I used the Interlock Bindoff, which I really like a lot. It is possibly the most ridiculous and complicated sewn bindoff, but the results are fantastic, very stretchy, but also attractive.
Lots of cables for large men's feet. They took me quite a while, but they have a lot of small touches that I like. The heel is the extra long, good for men's socks, Fleegle's short-row heel. It used up more yarn than I think a heel flap heel would have, but I also think a well fitting heel is half the battle in good sock fit. I used the Interlock Bindoff, which I really like a lot. It is possibly the most ridiculous and complicated sewn bindoff, but the results are fantastic, very stretchy, but also attractive.
Java Socks for my Dad
These were my first two-at-a-time socks. Though of course each row takes twice as long, it is wonderful to cast off and be totally finished with a project. The second sock is always the bane of my existence. Very much like sleeves, my brain just doesn't want to do the same thing it just did, AGAIN. I like the Java pattern because it is so stretchy. The sad truth is that the more ornate a handmade sock is, the more it is like a tiny wool foot blanket, no give, no stretch, very thick. So, though I love them, I think I am finished with Fair Isle socks because they just don't work for 80% of feet.
These were my first two-at-a-time socks. Though of course each row takes twice as long, it is wonderful to cast off and be totally finished with a project. The second sock is always the bane of my existence. Very much like sleeves, my brain just doesn't want to do the same thing it just did, AGAIN. I like the Java pattern because it is so stretchy. The sad truth is that the more ornate a handmade sock is, the more it is like a tiny wool foot blanket, no give, no stretch, very thick. So, though I love them, I think I am finished with Fair Isle socks because they just don't work for 80% of feet.
Wedding Umaro
These photos really don't do it the color or the dimensions justice. I blocked in haste and didn't think to snap a photo then, and these are pre-blocking. The blanket ended up double bed sized, but that may only be because a double bed is the largest surface in my home that I have to block on. The color is more of a natural cream. It took FOREVER, but the result is beautiful and well worth it for a wedding gift.
These photos really don't do it the color or the dimensions justice. I blocked in haste and didn't think to snap a photo then, and these are pre-blocking. The blanket ended up double bed sized, but that may only be because a double bed is the largest surface in my home that I have to block on. The color is more of a natural cream. It took FOREVER, but the result is beautiful and well worth it for a wedding gift.
Baby Wonton Wrapper
I made this for the arrival of my brand new little 1st cousin once removed. She is beautiful and lovely. I knew she was coming, but I didn't know her gender. I figured yellow and teal would be good bright gender neutral colors. The blanket is 100% cotton. The main yellow part is Lion Brand, and then I had to delve into fancy yarn store territory for the teal because it would seem that there are no good true mass-market teals commercially available. This baby's birth was conveniently timed during a trip East, and so I had a chance, the night before going to see her, to whip up some little coral colored star embellishments. I didn't invent this star pattern. Actually I scoured the internet for a free star pattern, only to discover that the best one, and I mean, really, the best crocheted stars in all history and time, would cost me $4.95. I hemmed and hawed for a day, and finally my husband agreed to split the cost with me so that I could stop agonizing. They are totally worth it. The blanket has a little triangle sewn onto the front of one of the corners to act as a baby hood. I love the texture of seed stitch, so I alternated squares of that with squares of straight knitting. The boarder is a broken rib, so it doesn't shrink up but still has the texture of a rib. Also, a baby blanket takes a lot less time than a wedding blanket with cables!
I made this for the arrival of my brand new little 1st cousin once removed. She is beautiful and lovely. I knew she was coming, but I didn't know her gender. I figured yellow and teal would be good bright gender neutral colors. The blanket is 100% cotton. The main yellow part is Lion Brand, and then I had to delve into fancy yarn store territory for the teal because it would seem that there are no good true mass-market teals commercially available. This baby's birth was conveniently timed during a trip East, and so I had a chance, the night before going to see her, to whip up some little coral colored star embellishments. I didn't invent this star pattern. Actually I scoured the internet for a free star pattern, only to discover that the best one, and I mean, really, the best crocheted stars in all history and time, would cost me $4.95. I hemmed and hawed for a day, and finally my husband agreed to split the cost with me so that I could stop agonizing. They are totally worth it. The blanket has a little triangle sewn onto the front of one of the corners to act as a baby hood. I love the texture of seed stitch, so I alternated squares of that with squares of straight knitting. The boarder is a broken rib, so it doesn't shrink up but still has the texture of a rib. Also, a baby blanket takes a lot less time than a wedding blanket with cables!
Pre-stars and pre-weaving in the ends. Also, the colors that an overcast sky affords the photographer. Trust me, the teal is awesome.
Baby Duck Booties
Tucked inside the blanket are some booties that I finished within a month of finding out about the pregnancy, but that I haven't posted, just to cover my gifts are supposed to be surprises bases. The pattern is a field trip into the mind of a master knitter and I loved making them, and actually plan to make another pair very soon for a friend's baby.
Tucked inside the blanket are some booties that I finished within a month of finding out about the pregnancy, but that I haven't posted, just to cover my gifts are supposed to be surprises bases. The pattern is a field trip into the mind of a master knitter and I loved making them, and actually plan to make another pair very soon for a friend's baby.
Well, thanks for making it through the poorly lit photos and the rambling prose. Though it gets hot here before it gets cool, I think Fall always brings good knitting.
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