Socktober Fest Finale

I am glad I decided to participate in this years Socktober Fest.  I hope there is another challenge next year.  I thought I could easily knit 4 pairs of socks from Opal yarn.  I over estimated my abilities!  I began the challenge a week late, ran into some pattern problems and overall enjoyed it immensely.

The first pair I made or attempted went badly.  I used the Jecks pattern and when I had almost finished the second sock, I noticed that the pattern was not centered.  These socks were to be a gift so the error just wouldn't do.  I put them aside.

The second pair of socks were a nice blue/grey/white combination with Opal sport yarn.  The Jecks pattern worked out just right.

 My third pair of sock were a nice red/purple combination yarn.  I used the SKYP pattern for those.  I finished them last night and I'm very pleased with the results.  I will try to get a better photos tomorrow in the daylight so you can see the yarn better.

After I finished those, I unraveled the second sock from my first pair and started over from the ribbing.

I had hoped the get more work done on them before this post but that wasn't in the plans.

So, I fell short of my goal by one pair and one sock.

I will finished them up and be more realistic if there is a challenge again next year.

On the needles/socktober fest a day early

Tomorrow is a busy day for me so I am posting a day early.  Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I will have finished the sock I am working on and made some good progress on the second sock in the pair.

I finished pair #2 of the Opal Socktober Fest Challenge.  I'm very pleased with the results.  This is a sock sport yarn and a little heavier then others I have made.  They will keep me toasty and feel great with my tennis shoes.  I used the Jeck sock pattern by Regina Satta, which was free on Ravelry.

I went back to the Simple SKYP pattern by Adrienne Ku (free on Ravelry) for my #3 pair of Opal socks.  This red and purple yarn is lighter then the sport yarn.  I tried 2 other patterns but there was such poor definition that I resorted to SKYP again.

There are some vague white spots throughout the yarn which add some unexpected pops of color.

Check out the other knitting projects at Patchwork Times.

On the Needles October 19,2012

I gave up (for a while) on my #1 pair of Opal socks.  The first sock is finished and the second sock is 80% complete-BUT, there is a mistake in the pattern-UGH!!!!

It can't be very noticeable if I got so far without noticing it.  But, the socks were to be a gift soooooo... I'm putting them aside before I decide which way to go on them.

In the meantime, I am almost finished with Opal pair #2, sock #1.  This is another Opal sport sock yarn but it feels "nicer" then the first pair I worked on.  Sometimes I think the dye effects the feel of yarn and fabric.

I am using the Jeck pattern by Regina Satta, free on Ravelry.

Check out the rest of the Soctober Fest/On the Needles posts at Patchwork Times. 

Design Wall Monday, October 15, 2012

We are having some lovely fall weather here in Phoenix.  My Bird of Paradise likes it too!

I finished my Blue Irish Chain quilt top.  It came out a little too long for look proportionate to me.  I added a row of squares down either side and now it looks much better to me.  It is ready for the quilter.

Funny how it looks brown and blue in this shot.  It is all blue, even the background.

Chck out the rest of the design walls at Patchwork Times.

On the Needles October 12, 2012

Last night I finished my first Opal sock.  It is sock sport yarn so it is a little heavier then I am used to using and a little coarser too.  It is a lovely blend of purples, light blues and off white.  I think it is called Color Party.  The label says Farbe Partie.

I have barely started the second sock.  I bought 4 different skeins of Opal Yarn for the Socktober Fest but I'm not sure I can get 4 pair done since I'm almost a week behind already.  I do have some long car rides at the end of the month so hopefully I will catch up then.

We are suddenly having fall like weather here in Phoenix.  It is 11 am and still only 69 degrees so we are enjoying it and I am looking forward to all my new socks to wear.

Check out the other needlers at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday and Socktober Fest

I did not get much done for the Quiltathon this past weekend.  I did little sewing but quite a bit of knitting.

My design wall holds almost all the parts for my blue Irish Chain quilt.  I can see in the photo that a few of the light blue squares look almost white.  I used lots of 2 1/2" squares from my scraps.   The background is a light blue marble from Patrick Lose for Moda.   Everything has been from my scraps or stash-Yippee!

I finished the non-Opal sock that I was working on and I will show it when I get back to the other sock.  I started on my Socktober Fest Opal socks.  I am using a free pattern from Ravelry, Jeck by Regina Satta.  It is an easy to remember pattern but it is not showing up as well as it did when I saw it in brighter colors.

Check out the other reports on Patchwork Times.

On the Needles October 5, 2012

This year sure has rushed by-October already!

I have received my Opal yarn for Socktober fest!  The 2 skeins on the right are actually brighter then in the photo.

I have not started on this yarn yet as I need to finish the sock I am working on.  Last night I watched 2 parts of the first season of the new PBS Upstairs Downstairs.  (I love Downton Abbey and thought I would enjoy this too)  I was so involved that I messed up.  Sometimes I get a hole at the bottom of the gusset triangle on my socks.   I was not paying very close attention and wow did I have a big hole!  I have unknitted that part and I'm ready to reknit the heel/gusset this afternoon while watching the last episode of the show.  Our PBS station will run the newest episodes next month so I'll be ready.

See the mess I've made?  This is the simple Skyp pattern from free Ravelry.  The pattern shows up nicely on this malabrigo yarn.

I need to look at some patterns so I can do something new with the Opal yarn.

Check out the other needles and Socktober Fest at Patchwork Times.

Quiltathon and Socktoberfest

I have not posted on much other than knitting socks lately.  We had been in the RV for a few months and not much sewing was getting done.

Yesterday I finished putting the borders on this mystery quilt that is a QOV.  I thought I had enough BIG pieces of fabric to make the backing but no such luck-darn a trip to the LQS is necessary.  This is the latest mystery-Star Path from Mystery 4 Military Yahoo group.  This is the second mystery I have done with them and really enjoy the process.

Today I am back to working on my blue Irish chain.  I started it several months ago as an 80th birthday present for our friend Bill.  I did not get it done and he got another gift.  Now his wife is having her 80th and I know she really, really wants a quilt.  I am making the quilt larger by adding partial blocks around the edges.  So far so good-

 Earlier today I also spent an hour knitting socks.  This is the first time I have used malabrigo sock yarn.  I feels so nice and it is a great mix of blues and greens.  It is a gift for a friend who loves all things green.  I am in a hurry to finish this one sock up so I can get started on Socktober Fest.  Two different balls of Opal yarn arrived yesterday and there are 2 more out there somewhere hopefully to arrive in my mailbox today or tomorrow.

Check out the other Quiltathon participants on Patchwork Times