w00t

Almost done with XMas presents, beginning on my first pair of socks using the magic loop method! I must say, I think I'm addicted. Also, I think that I finally have the hang of it. This is something I've wanted to do for a while, so I'm pretty excited about it. The yarn is a present from my mother and sister, who picked it out for me in Germany. It's the same colors of rainbow sherbertty stuffs, and is self-striping every two rows. Rather nice, if I do say so myself. Also, it's a merino blend, so it's super soft and joyful. Yes, joyful.

Ravelry FTW!

I'm now on Ravelry.com. Join it, love it, become addicted.

Zephyr42 :D

My patterns and latest projects are now on there, although NOT ALL OF THEM MWAHAHAHAHA.

Teaser. Umm yeah.

Break from work. . .

Yes, I know I still haven't put up the pictures. I'm horribly sorry. They are on my computer, though. They'll get here eventually.

I'm beginning my first foray into the dangerous world of Fair Isle, and I believe I'm in danger of being sucked in. YEEEEP. I've started on a pattern from my new knitting book (which I love). They're armwarmers, rather like gauntlets. :D *bounces up and down excitedly* I've already made 50,000,000,000 mistakes, but I DON'T CARE. It's my first time on fair isle and I'm in heaven. It's a challenge, and it's FUN. I highly recommend everyone try at least one dangerously complicated fair isle pattern in their lifetime. *boogies*

Pictures soon.

lawlz.

Emilie Simon & Socks

So. . . The knitting book I was talking about can be found HERE. It is the one that has the funny maskhats in it.

I've started on some socks (with handspun soysilk) as a present for a friend with a taste for vividly beautiful colors. One is about half finished, and the second should be finished on the stupid plane flight back to the USA. Yes, I have to go back. . . more red tape to clear up. *audible sigh* The manly hats/handwarmers may have to wait a while, but I'm taking half a sheep of black colonial wool handspun (2-ply ftw!) with me back to the USA on what is bound to be a ridiculously stressful trip.

I have the pictures uploaded from the camera, just not up here yet.

Current Projects

Pictures/graphs soon, I promise. I seriously need to start blogging more. I did knit a masked beanie for myself (teh Superego). I will put up pictures asap. The pattern was inspired by a book that I'll have to find so I can put up a link to. Pretty funny book. Knit letter jackets and so on. Some pretty stupid patterns, too, but some were clever.

Knitting
Steve Zissou hat (chunky red alpaca)
Decorative Leg Warmers (brown Lang sequined novelty yarn)
Hats for the Austinians (1 down, 3 to go).
^^Find manly patterns for manly hats (x2).
Masked beanies for the Freudian Trio (1 down, 2 to go) in time for DUBLIN Oct 18th.
^^Pick out yarn for Ego & Id hats.

Spinning
Finish spinning my disco/rainbow fiber. Ply?
Wind up my 2-ply Karaoke Mermaid fiber. Knit into Mirandas? Hat? iPod case? Think on this.
Complete black wool fiber so as to knit hat for padre, as he has wanted for the past 3 years. Apparently previous hat was too small and/or short(he didn't tell me, but he hasn't worn it). Also he may like handspun yarn better.

Dyeing
Get together with Lisa and dye white merino w/ chestnut dye. Wheeee. Try a few oz. dyed w/ Kool-Aid? Buy Kool-Aid today (purple, red, blue, etc).



Yeeesht, that's a lot of stuff.

Cabled Handwarmers - Finished!

YAY!




I quite like how they look, generally speaking. Probably my favorite pair so far. I've thought of a few things I could fix (ie: instead of increasing one before the last bit of ribbing, maybe decrease by three for a better fit).

There are a few things I could change, I suppose. But just small things. Nothing horrid. I even followed my own directions and they turned out okay! YAY!

At last!

Here is the pattern to those Cabled/Braided Handwarmers that I posted a picture of below. Be warned: this is my first ever posted knitting pattern, so please let me know if anything is unclear or if it doesn't work out correctly. The main reason for this is that I do not have the pair of handwarmers myself (I gave them to The Sister), and I have lost my knitting notebook that has my notes. So I was forced to recreate the handwarmers on many sheets of graph paper to get the stitch count correct, etc.

You may kill me when I say this, but due to much confusion and my notes disappearing, I cannot recall exactly the needle size I used. However, I'm pretty sure that I used 4.00mm (US size 6) dpn needles. If this does not work, I suggest. . . well, I'll have to figure out what I suggest later. The Sister returns in September, so perhaps I can take another look at the handwarmers, or if my notebook pops up with the needle size, etc, I will post again.

Tools:
1 skein sport weight yarn
4.00mm (US6) dpn needles
1 cable needle
1 darning needle to weave in loose ends, etc.

Directions:

1.
Cast on 48 st using your desired method. I used the cable cast-on.. Divide onto three dpn needles with 20 stitches on the first needle and 16 stitches on the last two. Join in the round and work in k2, p2 ribbing for one inch.

2.
Transfer four stitches from Needle #2 to Needle #1.
Needle #1: K2, p2, until the last four stitches. Then k2tog, k1, p2. 23 Stitches on Needle 1, 12 on Needle #2, 16 on Needle #3. I know it seems a strange balance, but that is how it comes out.
Needles #2&3: K2, p2 as before.

3.
Follow the below chart pattern three times.


4.
Needle #1: Follow the first row in the cable pattern.
Needle #2: Bind off eight stitches for the thumb hole. K2, p2.
Needle #3: K2, p2, as before.

Next Row:
Needle #1: Row 2 of cable pattern.
Needle #2: Cast on eight stitches. K2, p2.
Needle #3: K2, p2, as before.

5.
Then continue as before with the first needle in the cable pattern, and k2, p2 ribbing on the last two needles. When the cable pattern is finished (for a grand total of four times throughout), begin k2, p2 ribbing on the first needle, increasing one stitch in the last pair of knit stitches. So it will be:

Needle #1: K2, p2 to the last three stitches. Knit through the front and back of the knit stitch to increase, p2.
Needle #2&3: K2, p2, as before.

6.
Work in k2, p2, ribbing on all needles for 1 1/2 inches and bind off. Weave in loose ends.

And that's it, folks. If there are any mistakes please let me know, I'll be more than happy to revise the pattern and fix it.

Until next time,
Gerti