On the needles

I have two projects underway.  More socks-these are pretty pink ones for a friend.  This is Lion Brand Sock-Ease yarn which I haven't used before.  It is soft to use and feels nice.  I'm using my old stand by pattern, Simple Skyp, free on Ravelry.

I am also working on a cowl for my niece, Tara.  Tara lives in Brooklyn and can use some warm outer ware.  She wears lots of black.  This is Knit Picks yarn in City Tweed.  It is a soft yarn in a soft grey with bits of brown and beige woven in. The pattern is CoCo's Pearls by Lovely Little Knits, a pattern on Ravelry.  The pattern is pretty simple but I found it was even easier after I added stitch markers every 20 stitches.  

Check the other needle reports on Patchwork Times.

On the Needles 10/18/13

I have been out of the blogging business for a while.  I have not been knitting or sewing for ages.  Now I'm ready to get back into it.

I did do some knitting this summer and some reverse knitting as well.  Both of these pairs are from the Fluted Banister Sock pattern which is free online.  I used yarn from Grant Creek Yarns for both of them.  The second blue sock is almost finished.

I had originally tried the blue yarn for the pooling sock challenge but it didn't appear to be pooling.  Now that I have a photo, I can see some "flashing".

I am ready to branch out and make something other then socks.  I have been lurking each Friday and checking all the patterns everyone who posts have been using.  I surely don't need scarves or cowls or mittens since I live in Phoenix but luckily, I have a niece in New York who will be glad to have any I make.

On the needles 5/3/2013

Help, I have lost my other sock.  Where, oh where, has the other one gone???

I know I already made one sock for this pair.  The socks are for the pooling challenge and a birthday gift I need by next Friday!

No luck with pooling but I really, really like the look and feel of these socks.

I have not been doing much knitting as old arthritis has come to call and my hands have been aching on and off.  Maybe I need a project with bigger needles or a crochet hook?  However, at least I have been sewing a bit.

On the needles 4/26/2013

Can you believe it, this year is just rushing by.  I know many of you are still in winter time but here in Arizona, we are having a wonderful spring.  I'm not trying to rub it in, but we don't often get any spring at all-just lots of really, really hot weather.  It is so nice to have spring and get to sit outside and enjoy the weather.

We live in a neighborhood of acre lots and we have lots of trees.  We have irrigation available to us (less expensive) and we use it instead of city water for our yard.  We get water twice a month in the sprain/summer/fall.  It takes about 24 hours for the water to soak in.  Our yard looks like a big lake- and sometimes we get drop in visitors.  This is our front yard.

Just before bed last night, I finished one pair of my pooling challenge socks.  I chose 4 different yarns and started 4 pairs of socks.  These starts did not work for the competition so I began to finish them up in the hope that things would change.

This is the first pair completed:

This is Lorna Laces yarn in daffodil.  The only pooling was in the heel/gusset area which you can usually count on happening.  The is the Simple Skyp pattern, free on Ravelry.  I have small feet and I like my socks fitted, so I use 56 stitches through out the leg and foot area.  The socks do look a little stretched in these photos so I think I will use 60 stitches next time.

On the needles

I have several pairs of socks started thinking each would fit well with Judy L's pooling challenge.

Ha-so far the joke is on me.

The only pooling is in the gusset area and we all know that often happens.  The remainder of the socks look nicely striped!  I still have 2 other starts that I hope will pool or flash!

Check out the other socks and knitting projects at Patchwork Times.

On the Needles/ pooling challenge

So far, not real good.  I have started 4 different socks with my choices for the pooling sock yarn challenge.  So far, I have more stripes then pools or flashes.

I first one I worked on looks amazing but not for this challenge.  The stripes. coloration make me think of a letter sweater-my high school colors were garnet and grey (but the sweaters were white).

The next 2

This last one shows some poling potential in the blue and green-here's hoping.

Check out the other needle posts at Patchwork Times.

pooling sock challenge Yarn #4

This is the first Lorna Laces sock yarn that I have purchased.  I have no clue how it will turn out.

Now, I have shown 4 different choices for this challenge.  I seriously doubt I can get to more then 2 of them but then, this is a challenge after all.

Tuesday, I will be on a 4 hour road trip so, I hoping lots of knitting will get done.

pooling challenge Yarn #3

This yarn is from Grant Creek Farms.  I have used this yarn before and the socks feel great and wear well.

pooling sock challenge, yarn #2

This is KnitPicks Stroll yarn which I am positive will pool and/or flash.

pooling sock challenge yarn

After I wound this yarn, it looked like 2 different yarns but we will have to wait and see if I have 2 very different socks.  I have done a few more inches on this since I took the photo and it has a very subtle pooling effect.  I like it so far but time will tell.

pooling around

Judy L at Patchwork Times is having s sock knitting challenge with yarns that pool or hopefully pool-it is so hard to predict.

I have barely started one pair using hand dyed yarn I purchased on ETSY.  It is Sarah Brown Design Addiction 3 ply yarn.  I have several other skeins in my stash that are back-up choices if this does not result in any pooling.  

Actually, I'm not usually a fan of pooling but I love these yarns and I love making and wearing colorful socks.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's results,

On the needles

Last night, I finished one sock with Tofutsies yarn.  It contains Chitin, a fiber from shrimp and crab shells that is also naturally antibacterial.  So, my blue and white socks are, in fact, partially green!  The yarn is nice and soft but it is hard to work with as the twisted fibers easily separate if you aren't careful.  The stripes were a surprise that I didn't notice while I was knitting.

I don't usually stop at one sock (unlike my quilting UFO's) but I did last night so I could start my yarn pooling sock challenge at Patchwork Times.

I have several yarn candidates for the challenge and I started with the wine looking yarn.  I wound the yarn into balls-2 balls since there was a join in the yarn.  I knew about the join when I purchased the yarn and it was about 1/2 way in the skein.   I have barely started the ribbing and have no idea how it will or won't pool.  Wish me luck.

Here is a still life photo of the end table next to my rocker.

The yarn in the middle and needles are my new start for the challenge.  Tea, glasses, scissors, pencil and other stuff are all in reach.  My knitting sack is just below the photo.

Check out the other needle posts at Patchwork Times.

On the needles

It has been a while since I last posted, but I have been busy sewing and knitting.

I finished these faux cable socks.  The cables were worked with knit 2 together and yarn over stitches-no cable hook at all.  They were super simple.

This is Pagewood Farms hand dyed sock yarn in Fabulous Fall.  The pattern is Faux Cable Rib Socks by Jen Hansen and the pattern is available free on Ravelry.

I have started a new pair of socks using Tofutsies yarn.  This is a combination of Superwash wool, Soysilk fibers, cotton and Chitin.  You may not want to know what Chitin is but it involves glucose and  shell fish.  The yarn is a strand of white and a strand of blue lightly twisted together.  I am having some problems with splitting but so far not enough to discourage me.  I am using my go to pattern Simple Skyp.

Check out the other needles at Patchwork Times.

On the needles July 20, 2012

It has been a strange slow week here.  My husband had back surgery on Tuesday so I needed busy unthinking work.  I took a new skein of yarn and my basic "go to sock" pattern with me to the hospital.  I think I saw this yarn on Judy D's site a few On the Needles ago.  I ordered it right away because I loved the bright colors.

My husband did well and his leg and foot pains are completely gone already.  Of course, that has been replaced by the pain from the surgery.  I brought him home yesterday and he is feeling much better today but I think he will wind down this afternoon and feel more uncomfortable.  Time will make it all go away!

I also dragged out this sweater I made for my MIL after we got first married.  She must have saved it for "good" as it looks brand new and it must be almost 40 years old.  I no longer have the pattern or remember where it came from.  I really like the cable pattern especially around the bottom.  I stabilized the front with grograin ribbon on the reverse side of the placket.

I wish it fit me.  I need to find a home for it with someone who will use it.

Check out the rest of the knitters at Judy's Patchwork Times.

On the Needles- July 13th

I wanted to show you the socks that started me knitting socks. Several years ago,  I was visiting NYC with a friends and we visited the Folk Art Museum.  I was already collecting socks and couldn't resist buying these.  Some lucky person has a pair just like them.

So after getting hooked on Judy L's site and seeing her socks I was ready.  I emailed Judy and she offered some advice and told me about her favorite pattern.  I bought some yarn and the rest is history!

This yarn arrived yesterday from Grant Creek Yarn-I love it!

My Simple Skyp socks are almost complete.  I will temporarily give them as a birthday gift tonight.  When I see how they fit, I will finish them and bestow them on the new owner permanently!  Then on to other things.

I have been looking a shawl patterns.  I don't need one here in Arizona but I'm ready to make some-I'm in love with the look of lace and I think a shawl would be more time consuming then socks.  A good indoor air conditioning project.

Visit Patchwork Times and look at all the great knitting projects.