Knitting Sutra

FO: Last Year's Winter Knits

So let's see... somewhere back in September I was hoping to get back on the blog train. I feel like such a flake. I have some excuses, but you don't want to hear those. So, I'll give you some keywords instead: lost camera battery charger, quickie trip to Vancouver, new & intense work project, Thanksgiving, B out of town, insane pets.

Recently, however, events have turned - thanks in no small part to last week's Black Friday sales bonanza. The background is this: Rather than struggle to buy each other presents for Christmas, B and I tend to just buy a big item, wrap it, and put it under the tree. There's definitely a certain lack of mystery with this scheme, but no shortage of anticipation come Christmas Day.

This year we decided to go completely digital and update our fancy SLR camera. I've had a nice point and shoot, but have long been frustrated by it's poor excuse for indoor, flash photography. Given the store's return policy, of course I had to pull out the camera and take it for a test drive before stowing it under the tree. Of course. ;)

So, ta da! I took a bunch shots of old FOs, some new(er) WIPs, and even a bit of stash. Mmmm stash.

Without further ado, behold Last Year's Winter Knits:

Ho Hum Hat

Pattern: My own, based on a formula in "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" by Ann Budd.
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky, Aquamarine
Thoughts: Meh. Sure it's soft and snuggly, but I really wish the cables were chunkier. They look wussy in this yarn.

B's Manly Striped Scarf
This has been uploaded to Ravelry for AGES. I didn't show it off for no good reason other than I really wanted to get shots of it in action. B never quite cooperated, and now it's full of lint and pet hairs. You'll have to believe me that it looks super sharp with B's overcoat. Very manly.

Pattern: 1x1 Rib
Yarn: Mysterious Berliner Yarn

Nat's Hat
This was my big project last Winter (I know, a hat, right??) - the copycat hat for my friend's birthday. Promised to her in November, I didn't hand it over until March, just in time for the last cold weekend of the season. Everything conspired against me from having difficulty finding the colorway she wanted, to knitting and ripping it out about four times. You may recall that I was trying to reconstruct the Peruvian Hat listed for $259 in an issue of "Real Simple."

In the end, I didn't include the garter stitch, but the rest was pretty close.

Pattern: My own (wish I wrote it down) with a bit of help from Ann Budd
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky, Monet Melange

FO: Little Miss Muffet Beret

And another one down. Another one down.

Pattern: Rollin' Beret from Wooly Wormhead
Yarn: Misti Baby Alpaca Chunky, Aquamarine
Needles: 5.5mm DPNs
Size: Large
Mods: None really. The pattern offers you the choice of two sizes, with or without an I-chord tail thingy. I didn't need an umbilical chord coming off of my head, so I knit a little nubbin'. The last hat I made kept coming undone at the center, so I think the I-chord nubbin' will keep it together.

I've been lusting for this yarn for awhile, and generally keeping my eye out for something to knit with it. I don't need a sweater or a wrap, so I'd been a little stumped. Then cute berets and beanies started appearing on the knit interwebs, and of course Real Simple did the spread 'o ridiculously expensive machine knit hats.

It was a no brainer to run down to Knit Happens immediately, and I cast-on right there in the store. Many thanks to Holly for helping me to come to terms with the fact that not only was a baby blue hat going to match my own baby blues*, but it matches my brown coat too. People, I'm not a pastel kinda girl. This is huge.

Naturally I found the pattern on Ravelry. There's nothing much to knitting a beret, but it was helpful to find someone who'd typed up the maths for a chunky weight yarn. My only regret is that I didn't knit the smaller size. If I were to do it all again, I'd knit the smaller size, and I'd work more than 5 inches before starting the decreases.

The final result is a bit more milk-maiden than swingin' hep cat. But it's cute and warm, and it works. Another satisfied customer.

Yet... yet... there's a small part of me that is already thinking I might need to do this one over. If it's smaller, it might actually fit more like a beret. Baaaaah I hate frogging and starting over! But... but... I wanted a beret. I'm also a bit lazy, and I'm a far cry from a perfectionist.

Should I stay or should I go? What would YOU do?

Mail Call

I got a wonderful little package in the mail this weekend. Meghann, the sweetheart behind Radiant Twist Yarns, sent me two skeins of her superwash merino sock yarn in the Iced Mocha colorway, just enough for a snuggly pair of socks. Definitely check out her Etsy Shop to pick up some for yourself.

Thank you, Meghann! You're a doll!

Sadly, the yarn doesn't smell like a cuppa, but the creamy color more than makes up for it. Iced Mocha is part of her semi-solid, monochromatic collection, and quite honestly I'm not sure what to knit with it. I think I can do something a bit lacy because the colors won't compete with an intricate pattern, but then again, the colorway might be manly enough for B.

I've got three sock pattern books burning a whole in my bookshelf. I think I've got too much to choose from, and I haven't even looked around Ravelry for this one. Ya'll got any ideas?

Already In The Frog Pond

A few weeks ago I may have mentioned a certain pair of secret socks that I had underway. Well, the whole thing is still all in my head and ready to be committed to stitches, but wouldn't you know I had to frog the toes? Even though I swatched, I ended up with hugemongous socks that might have fit feet twice my size.

I haven't yet mustered up the energy to start them over again. Meh, they're just socks right? But you see, I'm the crazy person whose doing color work on two socks at once. That's a four-stranded tangled mess at every turn.

I apparently cannot, under any circumstances, knit one sock at a time. I knit my first pair of socks two at once, and I'll knit all socks two at once. I'm a stubborn ole jenny, if you know what I mean.

* I've taken poetic license here. In the interest of full disclosure I must confess that my eyes are actually steely-gray-blue.

FO: Universal Headband - Star Stitch Version

Did I not say that it is FO central around here? OK, maybe I didn't say that exactly, but that's how it is in these here parts. FOs abound at Casa Jen.

Pattern: my own pattern for shaping plus star stitch
Yarn: Alchemy Yarns Silken Straw (aka $$ raffia), Teal Tide
Needles: 2.5mm

Back when I first returned to town, I was lured by the inky blue of this very strange yarn. It's silk, but it's raffia, or at least it looks and feels like raffia. But the color. It really hit me. It's just so pretty.

I do not care if someone knit an entire top for Knitty in this here yarn, no chance I'd ever let it scratch against my skin. Welcome to Itch Town. Seriously, it's possible that it would chafe some delicate parts. To be fair, it does soften after knitting and frogging and washing, but I'm not sure I want to wash something half a dozen times before I can wear it.

But I do like the Silken Straw for decorative items... like a much needed headband to keep my sheared locks in check during those upside down moments.

Behind the Headband

I originally set out to knit Wendy's Dream Swatch (check left column), but after working a few pattern repeats, I decided that my yarn was just not working with the pattern. Too much chris-cross. Too easy to drop stitches.

Of course, it's back to Ravelry for a little squiz around the patterns page. That's where I found the very cute, Star Stitch Headband from Jen La. I like the star stitch, but really this is just a long, skinny scarf that you tie around your head.

But me, I rarely like things as they are, and my biggest problem with the sash-around-the-head style is that I don't like a bunch of bunchity bunch around the back of my neck. It mashes my hair in a weird way that sometimes actually hurts. Go figure.

Armed with the expert I-chord knowledge I gleaned from knitting the Ogee Skirt, I added some ties to what amounts to a small rectangle of stitch pattern. The stitch pattern ends somewhere around the top of the ears, then morphs into I-chord. Too easy.

I have gobs most of this yarn left over, and the best I can think to knit are headbands. Expect a few more of these sporting various stitch patterns (can you have too much Vogue Stitchionary?) as my need for quick gratification increases. Dude, this knit up in a couple of hours. Cha-ching!

A Quick How To

If you're itching to add ties to rectangles (cool for headbands, belts, and maybe chokers???), all you do is this:

• cast on 2 stitches (for even numbered stitch patterns) or 3 stitches (for odd numbered stitch patterns)
• make an I-chord for your desired length
• switch to stockinette, adding M1s to each edge of the knit rows until you have the desired width
• knit one row, purl one row
• work stitch pattern until desired length
• knit one row, purl one row
• then start decreasing 1 stitch on each edge on the knit rows until you have the same number of stitches you cast on
• work I-chord to desired length
• cast off, sew in edges.

Public Service Announcement

I feel the need to apologize for my abysmal, blurry photos of late. It's tricky finding the time to get shots of my projects in fun settings and with good light. I need a tri-pod. I used to have a tri-pod. A very nice tri-pod that went missing a year or so ago. I also want a nicer digital camera. I used to be a film camera purist, only turning to my point-and-shoot digicam for "happy snaps," as B says. But I love me some instant gratification... blah

I say blah because I think it's about time to upgrade my laptop, too, and no chance I have the cizash for all of these things, plus more yoga teacher training, plus this and plus that. Life sure was cheaper when I was essentially a shut in. At least I have luxury, hand knit hair adornments.

FO: My So-Called Awesome Woven Rattan Stitch Wollmeise Scarf

Love it! love it! The colors. The smoosh. I have no words.

Click here for the post with the close-up shot.

Pattern: Woven Rattan Stitch (aka My-So Called Scarf)
Yarn: Wollmeise Merino-Lammdochtwolle (worsted), Krauterbeet
Needles: 7mm

Mods: Well, not a mod per se. The other day I was flipping through my copy of Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1 for an idea for a scarf for B. Low and behold, in the "unusual" section, there features on p. 152 the stitch pattern for My So-Called Scarf. I'm not one to quibble over little things, but when you knit a scarf (aka big, long rectangle) out of a stitch pattern, are you really making up a garment pattern? I think not. So, my only mod is to give the scarf it's proper name, Woven Rattan Stitch. Editor's Note: I got this completely wrong. Please read my follow up post before you believe my misinformation about the origins of this scarf pattern.

Musings on a Perfect Knit

I couldn't have finished this project at a better time. Winter has finally arrived, and I got a wild hair. And then I cut it off. Bye bye 10-12 inches of old hair. Hello bob-type thing that is maybe, maybe just ever so slightly too cute for my age.

So, uhm, yay the scarf. It's great. Thick, but still soft and supple. Warm, but not overheating. The woven rattan is perfect for keeping out the wind, unlike those pesky garter stitch scarves I knit when I was first learning.

Winter Knitting

So I started this puppy during a wild run of Indian Summer. I never knew a 90F Indian Summer I didn't like. But I'm not one to shun cool temps either... as long as the sun shines. The greatest thing about DC winters are the brightest blue skies you'll ever see. All this crisp weather has me itching for scarves, hats, mittens and gloves. So, expect those to feature prominently in the coming weeks and months.

I also really need to smack myself around, and get back on B's sweater. I should be ashamed, but now that it's cold I do feel motivated. And my yarn has finally arrived for my Cabled V, all 18 gazillion skeins of the Bergère de France Berlaine. More on that later. Gator. I've got cable scarves to knit first. Remember, the practice?

FO: Minty Fresh Bathmat

File this under "better late than never."

Pattern: Absorba the Bath Mat from Mason-Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Peaches 'n Creme Double Worsted, Mint Chocolate
Needles: 10mm, long circs

As you know, I announced the completion of the bath mat ages (yonks for the Aussies) ago, but I'm only just now getting around to showing it off. You know, in all it's bathroom light, CFL bulb, slightly blurry, not the best photo, but it's what I got, glory.

Here's a close-up -- now with more blur!

Absorba with wooden, not-so-pointy needles was a bit of a challenge on the hands. I mean, you are knitting three strands of already pretty thick yarn together. But it did get easier with silky-smooth metal needles. Still, my gnarly talons were screaming for mercy by time I bound off my last rectangle. This seemingly simple project is not for the faint of heart.

The result is all that we'd hoped and dreamed. As the days grow shorter and the temps begin to dip, our pruney tootsies are grateful for the protection from the cold tile floor when we step from the shower. It is as absorbent as its name. At an inch thick, could it be anything else?

FO's On Parade!

While I have been writing some of the best blog entries ever known to the blogosphere in my head, I have scant time to commit them to bytes. Hopefully that will change now that our office is organized.

Though I haven't been blogging much, I have been knitting. Hold onto your hats, people. The FOs are coming!

FO: Cat Got Your Socks

... or Cat Scratch Fever

Pattern: Bellatrix from Socktopia
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug, Tapis colorway
Needles: 2.5mm Addi circular; magic loop
Mods: I knit the socks toe-up (of course), and ended up reducing the number of stitches from 60 to 48. I have only four stockinette stitches between the yarn over pattern bits.

Well, what can I say? There they are. I like to think of them as "so ugly they're cool" but I haven't decided if I'm kidding myself. I can say for sure that I think the colorway and pattern work well together in that the combination produced the crazy mess that I was expecting.

If it was 1989 I might feel more enthusiastic about these socks. These would have matched perfectly with my black tights and Doc Martin 8-hole boots. These days I'm not so dark and frowny, so who knows what I'll wear them with.

I'd like to note that the socks actually are the same length. I just bound my cuff off a bit too tightly. One of my calves is beefier (haha!) than the other, so the "longer" one is just on my wimpier leg.

Pattern Notes

The pattern was ridiculously easy and a cinch to tweak to fit my miniscule feet. The stitch pattern is produced by creating and then dropping yarn overs. The only tip I can provide is to pull the yarn-over bits all the way through when you go to knit the next stitch. This will save you the hassle of having to "fluff" up the stitches later.

The pattern also more-or-less kept the colorway from pooling, and the bruisy bits that appeared on the one sock still kind of work.

Speaking of bruisy bits... yes I am one of those girls that always has scrapes and scratches on her knees. This week, though, it happens that my shins are mangled. So those pink bits on my legs aren't there for effect. At least not intentionally. I did try to find a gnarly spot to take the photo though. Grrrrr! Don't mess with my socks in their bad neighborhood, yo!

The Yarn

In spite of my strong dislike for the colorway, the Colinette Jitterbug is nice to knit. It's a bit thicker than other sock yarn and very squishy. It is rumored to "bloom" when washed, so I actually made and washed a swatch before I settled on my needle-size. But once I got started, I still knit the pair to my foot size (I was running out of stitches to reduce) so it's possible that they'll be too big in the end.

Knit Happened

I cast these on in Holland so I could knit them on the flight back to D.C.. I actually managed to turn the heels on the plane, but then "all things knitting" ground to a halt once we arrived. I lied to you the other day. I didn't end up finishing them during "Heroes." I was too lazy to go upstairs and get my needle for the sewn bind-off. D'oh!

Instead, Tuesday I tossed them in my sock bag and trotted over to Knit Happens where I hung out with the lovely Wry Punster and KnitGirl. I even skipped a yoga class (one I was going to take, not teach!) to finish the job. Punster and Girl were so gracious to shower much praise and imaginary confetti on my fugly FOs.

It took everything I had to sit myself down and bind off, what with all the eye-popping yarn everywhere. I pet some fine, fine fiber and ogled many an oft-dreamed of sock yarn. The highlight was finally getting to see the Fleece Artist yarn in person. It's better than I ever imagined.

However, I have to admit that I'm a bit over-saturated with sock yarn at the moment. I have gobs of it in a wide array of colors already. As much as I enjoyed oohing and aaahing over their room-o-sock-yarn, there wasn't anything there that was significantly different enough to justify buying.

I'm not one to buy a sweater's worth of yarn when I don't have a pattern in mind, so lately I've been on a scarf and hat kick. A couple skeins of worsted/DK/chunky goodness go pretty far towards satiating my yarn-hoarding demons without busting the wallet. In a way, these little low-commitment projects are more satisfying that knitting socks. There's no issue with fit, and you can justify buying things like Alchemy Yarns Silken Straw.

It looks and feels a bit like raffia, but the super saturated colors jump off the shelf and shake you down. I'm told it softens up a lot when knit, but I'm not sure I even care. Taking a page from the Knit Happens sample book, I'm going to make Knit & Tonic Wendy's Dream Swatch Headband tie thingie. I actually need a headband, and I don't like the hard plastic ones from stores. A'ight. Purchase justified.

Now, all I need you guys to do is tell me what I could make with some softer-than-kittens Misti Alpaca Chunky so I can go back and get me some of that. Remember how soft I said the Malabrigo Worsted is? This is softer. By an order of magnitude.

FO: Ganesha Wrap

Pattern: Ogee Lace Skirt, Interweave Knits Summer 2007
Yarn: Rowan Bamboo Tape, Wode colorway
Needles: 7mm Addi circular; 7mm crochet hook for provisional cast on
Size: I made the largest size so the fabric would overlap more when I wrapped it around my waist.

I've dubbed this "Ganesha Wrap" because my favorite Hindu deity is Ganesha, the god of new beginnings, travelers, wisdom and light. He's also the remover of obstacles and is a purveyor of success. Before a big journey, whether physical or metaphorical, I always like to invoke the spirt of Ganesha for good measure.

This was the my first lace project, and it really pushed the limits of desire, concentration and surrender. If I wanted something so badly, could I really make it happen? If I concentrate, can I get through a row without unknitting. If I surrender and trust the pattern, will it all come together?

There's not a single thing about this skirt that I'd ever done before. New to lace, new to provisional crochet cast on, new to I-chord bind off, new to tape-style yarn. All of it. I've gained a heck of a lot of knowledge and wisdom not only about knitting but also of myself.

I first saw this pattern around the time that I decided that I wanted to change careers and teach yoga as my primary occupation. This skirt is a small homage to this new beginning, and it seems fitting that I managed to finish it on the eve of our return to the Washington, D.C..

And how desperate was I to finish this puppy? Aside from knitting a row or two here and there since early July, I hadn't really found the time to work on this. If I was going to finish this before next Tuesday, I needed to step it up a couple of notches. I threw myself at it all day and night Monday and Tuesday. I needed to block it Wednesday or I was going to lose my blocking surface for 6 weeks.

In the midst of moving chaos, I pushed through and it's done. My blocking surface (AKA dining room table) was one of the first things the movers disassembled and packed.

Aum Gan Ganapatye Namah

Pattern Impressions

I mentioned previously that knitting the lace pattern stressed me out. The first few rows were a bear. The pattern didn't make sense, and it didn't look like anything you'd want to wear. Once I got about 20 rows in, though, it eased up and I could see the overall pattern take shape. However, this is still full-concentration knitting. Each row is a bit different. You can memorize bits of it, but you always have to consult the pattern.

However, the I-chord bind off is super cool, and I was really glad to tick off that new technique. I love how the chord along the top edging morphs into the tie.

But let's talk about the provisional crochet cast on. After you work the entire thing, you're meant to go back to the crochet bits, pick up the stitches and work the I-chord bind off again. When finished, the whole thing looks gorgeous, but...

I'll refrain from saying definitively that I hate the provisional crochet cast on, but my cranky, knitting-stressful-lace-for-two-days-straight self burst into tears as I fought to unravel the crochet chain and pick up the stitches along the bottom. Because the lace pattern starts immediately with the first row, there weren't just simple stockinette stitches to pick up. I couldn't tell exactly what to grab. I know for certain that I didn't always pick up the right bits of yarn, but I challenge anyone to notice.

The project didn't end on a high note, and that's a bit disappointing. Yet, the final result is fantastic, and I love it.

The Yarn

As noted above, this is my first time knitting with "tape" yarn. I realized pretty quickly that when I knit, I twist the yarn a lot. It doesn't take too long before the tape becomes this twisted, ridged string stuff. So, every couple of rows I had to untwist it. That was a bugger.

But the 100% bamboo fabric is beyond soft, and it has a lovely drape. There's more weight to it than you might think, so be careful when knitting up big projects. The skirt is already stretching a bit from its own heaviness.

Take heed. This yarn is a dramatically different animal when wet. It stiffens up like, well, wood. So, if you're thinking of knitting this as a beach wrap, you should consider substituting the yarn for something more water friendly.

It's All Gone

The packers just left. Thankfully our belongings fit in the container with a bit of room to spare. *wipes brow*

Here's a shot of Nigel on our make-shift "sofa". He thought it was great fun following the packers around for two days. I think he's a bit confused now that the place is empty.

And if you're curious how people move their furniture out of typical, Dutch row houses, here's a hint.

FO: Liebchen Socks

The Summer gift knits are complete. I present to you my step-mother-in-law, J's, Liebchen* Socks.

Pattern: Baby Cable Rib from "Sensational Knitted Socks"
Yarn: Wollmeise Superwash Sockwool, Granataphel colorway
Needles: 2.5mm Addi circ, magic loop
Heel: Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock
Size: Women's Large, 80 stitiches

I'm really pleased with how these turned out, and my only wish is that I had sock blockers and sunshine to really show them off.

The Construction

Most of the stitch patterns in "Sensational Knitted Socks", particularly the 4-stitch ones, are super easy to memorize. The Baby Cable Rib is only a very slight variation on 2x2 ribbing, so as long as you remember to do something a little bit different every four rows, you're golden. The problem for me is that I'm really slow at ribbing, so these felt like they took forever. Or it might have been the 80 stitch circumference. Yow!

But the real highlight is the heel. I mentioned before that I was going to go easy on myself and do a short-row heel. Of course that didn't mean that I was happy with the heels I'd used so far. On a whim, I took a look at the heel Wendy uses.

And joy of joys, Wendy's heel does not create holes in the short rows! Look!!!

You still wrap and turn, but you slip the first stitch after the turn. Somehow this plugs up the holes. I love it. I wish I'd gotten around to checking out her pattern before.

The Yarn

I've done my fair share of drooling over the Wollmeise yarn, so I'm going to refrain from gushing. However, I really can't say enough good things about it. The base yarn is 100% wool, but it's not fuzzy. So the stitch definition is incredible. And while the skein isn't snuggly, the knitted fabric is very smooth and squishy. It's not at all itchy, but it feels sturdy. I think these will wear very well.

Then there's the color. The yarn is so well dyed, no little spots of white poking out. I'm also ecstatic at how even the colorway knit up. It's definitely a variegated yarn, but there's zero pooling anywhere on either sock. The hue is rich and saturated, definitely eye catching. Hopefully J really meant red when she said she wanted red socks.

I need to give these puppies a wash and pick out all the dog and cat hairs that found their way into the fabric. If the sun pokes through the clouds before I mail them off this week, I'll try to get some better photos. I feel like I'm just not doing them justice. You might have to order some Wollmeise to see the magic for yourself.

* By they way, I do not call my step-mother-in-law "liebchen." It'd be like calling her "darling," and I don't have to tell you how weird that would be. The socks, in Baby Cable Rib, are my little darlings. I'm a bit sad to send them on their way, but I'm sure they'll have a happy home in Australia. Besides, they're way too big for me.

FO: Lemon-Lime Socks

Yarn: Schachenmayr nomotta Catania Color, #0076
Pattern: Swirl Socks by sulafaye
Size: Women's Medium, 64 stitches
Needles: Addi 3 mm
Mods: I used sport-weight yarn, a gusset heel, and worked ribbing at the cuff.

You'll see that I'm not really showing you what these look like, though any of you in Ravelry can have a gander. I want Mom (who reads the ole blog now) to be a bit surprised (or at least not dread having to tell me she likes them when she doesn't).

I'm not super happy with how these turned out mainly because I have deep anxiety that they're too big. My feet are so small that even normal-sized feet seem like giant paws. I have no frame of reference as to whether these are the right size or not. They measure OK, but are they too loose because there doesn't appear to be any negative ease??

Also, I added ribbing instead of the picot cuff b/c I was worried that the lack of negative ease would mean that they won't stay up. But, I also know that mom likes to turn her cuffs down, which makes more sense with ribbing. However, the cotton doesn't draw in like wool does, so I'm not sure if the ribbing is going to help anyway. I might have gone down a needle size, but since she can't try them on I hesitated on that.

*inhale*

In retrospect, I should have gone with a short-row heel to keep the swirls lined up. I was so obsessed with my heel that I didn't factor whether it would look nice. I didn't really have a look until I was just about to bind off.

All in all, this project illustrates my new-found anxiety of knitting fitted objects for people who can't try them on. I can't see myself ever joining a sock swap. Too stressful. I'd feel differently if I had normal-sized feet, but I don't so oh well.

Rather than frog them, I've decided to send them to Mom anyway. I trust she'll love them even if they're just house socks. But mainly, I just need to learn something useful from this experience. Even if she never wears them again, I want her to try them on and then give me some feedback on the fit.

Sorry they're not the best present, Mom. I'm sending along some other items to sweeten the deal a bit. :)

Summer of Socks Prize and Idiocy

My Summer of Socks 2007 stitch markers arrived! They're handmade by Jessica from Alabama Fiber Dreams. They're just so cute. I love them. As soon as I ever have the time to concentrate on the Ogee Skirt, I'll swap them in for the homely Clover markers.

In addition to just winning something, I'm thrilled about these because I've been reading Jessica's blog this summer, and I just love her easy-going, Southern nature. And she's really funny. I feel certain we'd get along famously, especially since it sounds like she lives near where I grew up.

So these are like a present from two friends. Many thanks to Zarzuela for organizing Summer of Socks 2007! Many thanks to Alabama Fiber Dreams for donating prizes!

And in other, completely remedial, Summer of Socks 2007 news, I have a shamefully stupid and embarrassing thing to tell you. For all my hoarding of traveling socks photos, I missed the deadline to submit photos for the contest!

Baaaaah! I knew that the deadline was before the end of the event, but I didn't realize it was in August. Bugger!!

I'll post a retrospective of my socks' European jaunts next week or so. Maybe I'll have you vote on which photo you like, and then give myself a prize anyway. heh

New on the Needles

Just before heading to Bavaria, I cast on some Wollmeise for my step-mother-in-law's socks. She selected the Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. So far it's going well, if I'm to trust Charlene's formula for figuring out stitch count. My SMIL has big feet, so much so that I think B might be able to try them on for me. At least I have that.

I'll post about Bavaria soon. I've got an OCD thing going on where I must put the photos in Flickr first, annotate them, and only then can I post them on the blog. Don't ask. Just go with it. There is yarn and knitting content in there, so I promise it won't just be a boring slide show.

Oh and one other thing. B got his Green Card yesterday! Sing it, Neil, baby! "We're coming to America!." I used to be such a europhile, and now I'm pretty sure I've become the worst kind of jingoist. I might need one of those Ralph Lauren flag afghans or something. Smack me.

FO: Sun King Footies

Surprise! I finished a pair of socks. Granted, they are footies, but what are you gonna do? I needed to get my sock mojo back. And it's back, baby, yeah!

Yarn: Regia Cotton Top Color, #4075
Pattern: Stockinette toe-up with short row heels
Size: Women's Small, 52 stitches
Needles: Addi 2.5 mm

I started these on the platform while I waited for my train to France. The colors of the yarn made me happy, and I also wanted to try out some different cotton yarn. They're not as soft as Panda Cotton socks, but they're way softer than normal Regia. Not surprised.

I needed a quick and easy knit to get my head back on the right track after frogging so much of my mom's socks (they're not gone, btw), and coping with the Colinette Tapis (I'll trade that, btw) debacle. I knew when I started these that I was going to make footies, so they were very low pressure. I just needed to finish something fun, and these were "it." I even have enough yarn left over to make a matching pair for B, which I'm sure he wants. heh

King Louis

So, I call these the Sun King Footies because they were also my traveling companions to Versaille. You betcha I knit them standing in not one, but two lines to get in, much to the amusement of everyone around me. I also had no shame as I posed them with historical treasures.

The socks visit the world famous Hall of Mirrors.

Socks with throne. A real throne! Kinda small, actually... people were Jen-size back then.

Socks with Louis XVI's bed.

Socks with the Queen's gardens. The colors match! See!

Now I'm back to work on my Mom's socks because she asked me when I was ever going to finish them. I will endeavor to finish them this week. I may need some extra finger crossing on this one. :)