We're all going on a summer holiday ...

No more working for a week or two.

Except, of course, with doing the Open University you only get time off from the middle of October to the end of January.

I've made my decision regarding the Sockapal-2-za sock pattern:



We like?

They are called the Lava Flow socks from here (biiigggg PDF file awaits - 99 pages), or the pattern on it's own from the author.

I made a start on "I Don't" - 46 rows to be exact - and realised I had frelled-up big time!

I read this part of the pattern:

work in Circular Pattern, decreasing 1 st in last repeat every round until 3 full repeats have been decreased.

I understood it as:

work two full repeats (all 18 rows) of Circular Pattern and then decrease one stitch every round in the last repeat.

DOH!

Out it all came (no pictures because I was too heartbroken) and re-started it like this:



In the flat, on straight needles, and I still haven't got it right. I've worked 6 rows, decreasing one stitch every row and I've only managed to decrease two stitches. How???? Because I kept doing the yarn overs on the other rows that's how! Bloody idiot that I am! I can't bear to rip out again, so I'll do a couple of double decreases to get me back on track and then I'll pay attention! I think it's safe to say that this won't be making it with me in completed form on holiday.

Mariposa has stalled while I work on "I Don't", as have the Chutes & Ladders socks. The Sockapal-2-za socks were always intended as "Holiday Knitting", so they are packed in their little bag.

So, this is my holiday knitting (bear in mind I'm going to be in a place with no electricity and where the TV is run off a battery):




From top left, working clockwise, Lotus Blossom Shawl, Chutes & Ladders, I Don't shrug and Sockapal-2-za socks. Enough? Too much?

Well, that's me off to rust for 12 days (I looks like I got tanned, but it's really just the rain!). Glorious photos of knitting in rain-sodden hills will be forth-coming!

Ta-ta!

Oops, I bought more yarn!

This is for the I Do shrug from knitty. However, since me and the "M-word" aren't likely to be acquainted anytime soon (despite an offer from someone called Asif who saw my pictures in the Ample Knitter's list gallery!) I'll be calling it the "I Don't" shrug. The yarn came from a bricks-and-mortar yarn shop (yes, dear reader, I actually left the house and bought some yarn).

EDIT: Has anyone charted the lace patterns for this? I asked on the knittyboard and got a "I know I haven't, maybe somebody else has" answer. I need a chart! (I can do it myself, but it will take ages and probably be rubbish)



Chutes and Ladders socks with flash (left) and no flash (right). The former is closer to the true colour, the latter gives slightly better details on the texture. These are going quite slowly because I keep changing my mind about how to knit them (English, Continental, Combined) and those cables are quite fiddly. I'll probably do another repeat and a half before doing the heel flap. I'm umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to carry the patterning down the foot. I'm thinking about what I'd wear them in (footwear-wise) and so they'll probably end up being plain.


I finished the front of Mariposa:


[Lifted shamelessly from my Mariposa KAL blog entry]

I'm using Rowan Calmer (purple) and Jaeger Cadiz (cream/ecru). I worked twenty short rows for the bust and made the "skirt" part of the top about 1/2" shorter than directed. I knit using the Princess sizing and the bottom edge worked out at 22" exactly; I'm really pleased with that!

To make absolutely sure that the backs overlap, I'm knitting the first couple of inches of the backs on US8s (as opposed to US7s) to decrease my stitches per inch.

I'll probably post once more before I go on holiday to the ever-exotic Wales. If anyone wants a sheep or two, let me know!

Ready, sock, knit!

Well, I have my match for the Sockapal-2-za sock exchange programme. I also have the perfect sock yarn in my stash too! Now, for a pattern ...



Do I go simple to show off the yarn, or do I go a little bit flash? Oohh .... {thinks} I think I have the ideal one. A slight aside, my sock pal and I have exactly the same sized feet. And I mean exactly; length, width, everything. Do-do-do-do-do-do-do - enter the Twightlight Zone!

The person knitting socks for me has made "First Contact" too. I should warn you; no-one has ever knit socks for me before, and I may cry!

In knitterly knews, I've cast on for Mariposa (my T.V./waiting room knitting).



I'm really liking the pattern and it's working up quite quickly. The yarn details 'n' stuff are on the project page.

I've made a few more rows on the Lotus Blossom shawl, but it's getting quiet repetitive now (see picture in last post and add a few rows!)

I've ripped and re-knit the progress I had made on the Six Sox latest, Chutes & Ladders, (waaaayyy too big!). I'm now knitting them on 2.25 mm needles and 60 stitches.



I know that you can't actually see that they are the C&L socks, but they are, really!

I decided on a garter stitch cuff for two reasons; 1: I don't like a binding cuff and 2: I don't like doing ribbing in the round on teeny needles.

Now for a "shout out". Are there any knitters in the Gwynedd (Dolgellau, Barmouth, Tywyn) area? I'm going on my annual pilgrimage soon and I'd love not to be the only knitter on the sea front! Leave a comment or email me if you know anyone (or you are someone)!

Well, as of Monday I will be simultaneously knitting, learning about Marine Biogeochemical cycles in the ocean and watching Wimbledon. Come On Tim! (or, more likely, come on Federer!)

The Joy of Sox

or "How the west was won". Or is that something else?

Anyway, I've discovered that I'm not entirely rubbish at knitting socks! Yay for me! More on that later; a magazine review, a toy and finally some Martha progress.

First of all, you may have noticed that my knit project tracker images have changed a little (see the sidebar to the right). Thanks to Celia Ng's significant other, Chris, I can now choose my own colours! Props due to Chris! (did I just say that?). If you'd like the code for your own blog, please, please, please, save the images to your own server. I suspect that someone(s) have been hotlinking some of my images and it pushed me over my bandwidth limit for two days. Five more days like that in June and I get kicked for a week :( - so please, please, please don't be a bandwidth thief! Public service broadcast now finished.

UK Knitting magazine: a review. Having taken a leaf from Queer Joe's ample book, here comes a personalised and opinionated review of the July 2005 issue. Remember, feel free to disagree with me at any/all point(s).

Fuchsia - a cropped l/s bolero made slightly worse by the addition of bobbles all over the place.
Point Edge Wrap (book extract) - garter stitch shawl - nice and simple but with some lace interest - quite good.
Poncho power - a crocheted poncho for kids - would you like to try and get jam and mud out of those tassels?
Heat Wave - cross-back halter top with lace bodice - really nice and simple, elegant knitwear
Accessories - to be fair, some of them look like hairballs. I think they are supposed to be flowers!
Hippy - a fair isle cropped tank top with a frill - - I'm just stunned into silence really.
Papaya - cropped peplum cardigan with a curved hem and ruffle - would probably look great on a 12 year old for Ballet class.
Blue Haze - a cotton aran-weight fair isle s/s top - I really like this and could actually consider making it.
Vanilla Pod - Irish moss stitch and cable baby jumper - really nice, good, baby wear.
Anarchy - I think it's supposed to be a scarf but it looks like several dead caterpillars sewn together.
Sky - v-neck tank top with lace bottom edging - again, I could see myself making this, but they spoilt the look with a knitted bow - why?
Ultraviolet - crocheted evening bag - simple, I would make it.
Ballet Class (book extract) - really lovely girl's ballet wrap cardigan. Now why can't they do that for use grown up girls?

Overall - could do better. I'm glad I cancelled my subscription now. It's a shame, because I was one of the first to subscribe right from Issue 1. There seems to have been some kind of editorial change ever since they went monthly. I just don't seem to like the styles anymore.

Now, on to the knitting.

The Lotus shawl is going slowly (but that's because I'm increasing four stitches every 2 rows)



I've done the decreases on the back of Martha



And I made this in three days!



As for the socks, imagine two rounds of 2/2 ribbing in dark blue sock wool. Imagine two socks on two circular needles, knitted from the top down. Now imagine me taking a photo of it!

Ta-Da!!!!!!

Nothin but a T-shirt is done and dusted. Although in typical fashion it has now got warm and humid and I can't wear it without melting!




If I look slightly strange in the picture it's becuase I was just about to tumble forward having stepped off a slightly raised flagstone! Click to enlarge, if you dare!




All the yarn info, modifications and more that you'd want to know on the project page here.

Thanks to nona for hosting a great knitalong! Only the third that I've actually managed to both start and finish! (The first was Alison's Feburary Fix and the second was Ribbon X-back)

And I've also joined this
Dear me, what have I let myself in for?

Feel free to vote in the poll I had in my previous post, to help me decide what I should do with some yarn I've got sitting in my stash.

I swear, Officer, I was just going to knit few rows

Oops!



That is the start (middle?) of the Lotus Blossom Shawl knit in Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport in Iris Garden (phew!).

I finished both my Star Trek socks and the longline cardigan I called Brigitte:

Socks with clematis still life!



One half of the zip on the cardigan.



Considering that fact that I'd never sewn a zip into anything knitted before, I think I did alright.



So, I have a poll for you all (or y'all?!)

I have some yarn called King Cole Woolmix 2000. It's an acrylic/wool mix in a DK weight (which I'm willing to double up to get Aran, or knit slightly loose to get worsted). The colour is called Oatmeal: it's cream with flecks of green, red and brown in it. The question I know pose to you is: what should I knit with it?

The thoughts so far are: Ubernatural (worked to my own finer gauge and with long sleeves), Simply Marilyn (worked as an Aran-weight), or another cardigan, or another jumper/sweater, or something else entirely. If you pick any of the last three, would you mind dropping me a line in the comments to give me a pattern suggestion?

I'm looking for an Autumn/winter/early spring garment that will suit me. I'm looking for a free pattern (or inspiration for one I can design myself), so suggest away!

What should I knit with the King Cole Woolmix 2000?
	Ubernatural
	Simply Marylin
	Another cardigan
	Another jumper/sweater
	Something else (leave a comment)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Next time: I might have actually got around to knitting anything on Martha, and I will have finished NBaT (as all the cool kids are calling it!)