Knitting, sewing, cross stitching, my life in general.





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Well, I had a doctor's appointment today and yes, he was running a little late. Actually it was only 30 minutes and that's unusual for him--he's usually right on time. Lucky for me I had an "emergency" knitting project in the trunk of my car so I ran out and got it. It's a simple triangle shawl in LB Homespun. Yay for me!
posted by Stephanie at 1:02 PM

 
Last night I worked on my June SOTM, which is red white & blue in Fortissima cotton. I finished the leg and the heel. I really want to finish this one so I can wear these nice soft *summery* socks!
posted by Stephanie at 9:14 AM

 
I just ordered some Noro Kureyon to make the felted Christmas stocking in my new book. I've been wanting to try this yarn so here is the perfect excuse. The color I ordered is #75, which appears to have some red & green in it (although it's hard to tell from the computer screen). Should be festive & fun!! I want to make several other stockings from that book, but I think I will try to use up some stash on those. Of course DD (dear doggie, Jackson) *needs* the doggie stocking! Oh, yesterday I also ordered the Vintage Knits book from Vogue. Free with my Crafter's Choice points.
posted by Stephanie at 11:26 AM

 
I had fun eating burritos, knitting, and chatting with Karen tonight!! I did a little on my Galway tote and then I started sock #2 of my June SOTM. My pile of orphan socks is starting to get smaller!
posted by Stephanie at 9:52 PM

 
I received 2 books today--"The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" by Ann Budd & "Christmas Stockings 18 Holiday treasures to knit from Interweave. I haven't looked at them yet to see how many things I have to start right this minute.

Hurrah! Karen is coming over soon to knit with me! :)
posted by Stephanie at 5:42 PM

 
Did the heel of my Summer sock and am working on the gusset (interesting to try doing a stranding pattern and decreases at the same time LOL). I tried it on (it looks huge) and YAY it does actually fit.

I am so happy to see that colourway.co.uk has the new season of Rowan stuff now. Will definitely have to get mag #32--I really like the cardigan with the intarsia trees on it. The new yarn, "cork", sounds interesting and I think I will get that booklet too.
posted by Stephanie at 9:58 PM

 
I just finished the leg of my Summer in Door County sock. It is sooooo cute and I love the yarn. Now on to the heel!
posted by Stephanie at 9:50 AM

 
Last night I enlisted DH to help me wind my new sock yarn into balls so I could start my "Summer in Door County" socks this morning. This yarn is yummy--very soft and beautifully handpainted. I am working on the ribbing right now, then it's right into the color pattern. eek! Oh, and I did finish the front of my Rosa Reef sweater (yay!) and frog my fixation anklets.
posted by Stephanie at 10:24 AM

 
Just as I was thinking I have too many WIPS, the UPS man shows up at my door! He brought me the (4) sock kits I ordered from Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill (www. blackberry-ridge.com). They are SO cool--the four seasons of Door county (which is in my home state of Wisconsin). "Pick your favorite way to remember your visits to Door County: spring cherry blossoms, summer sailing, autumn leaves, or snowflakes in the winter woods. 3-ply 100% wool, spun and hand painted especially for these socks." Heavenly! So here is my plan--finish up the front of my Rosa Reef sweater which I will probably do tonight. Frog the fixation anklets I just started. Then start on the summer sailboat socks. Yes, that is a very good plan.
posted by Stephanie at 2:37 PM

 
Well, we finally got our new pc and scanner working so I scanned in some of my socks. See them at http://photos.yahoo.com/stephaniefredrickson. Go to the knitting album, then new stuff.

Last night I started the mate to the vareigated fixation anklet, but only did a few rows. Short attention span lately.
posted by Stephanie at 9:08 AM

 
I decided to leave my July SOTM at work for my lunchtime knitting. At 30 minutes a day, it's a good thing they are a Christmas present cuz that's about when they will be done.

Did a few rows on my Rosa Reef sweater and wove in a few more ends. The more ends I weave in, the messier the intarsia looks! Ugh. I hope after blocking it looks a little better.
posted by Stephanie at 6:04 PM

 
Woo! I just finished my pair of socks in dyed Lamb's Pride worsted. I am handwashing them and then I will decide who they will be for!
posted by Stephanie at 8:08 PM

 
Well, I just went on a knitting book shopping spree at amazon.com. So many great new books! I ordered: "Vintage Knits: 30 Exquisite Vintage-Inspired Patterns for Cardigans, Twin Sets, Crewnecks and More" by Sarah Dallas, "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges" by Ann F. Budd, "The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook: Dyeing, Painting, Spinning, Designing, Knitting" by Lynne Vogel, and "Vogue Knitting on the Go: Socks Two", wahoo! Of course, three of these aren't even out yet so I will have to wait.

I asked for advice on fair isle socks from socknitters and received the following suggestions: 1) Use a larger needle than normal and carry the floats *very* loosely. 2) Make sure to keep the stitches on the right needle spread out after you knit them. 3) Work patterns in your *actual* leg circumference rather than 10-20% smaller, which is what is usually used for socks. I can't decide if I want to start over on my ladybug anklets right now or not.




posted by Stephanie at 10:22 AM

 
Good news and bad news.

The good news--I received another skein of sock yarn in the mail today. Lorna's Laces worsted in the "miata" color. Beautiful.

The bad news--ladybug anklet is headed to the frog pond. The fair isle part is too tight and I can't get the sock over my heel. bummer!!





posted by Stephanie at 5:45 PM

 
I just ordered some new sock yarn (like I don't have enough already). Confetti is supposed to be similar to Regia, but about half the price. And well, with free shipping, how could I possibly pass *that* up?

I am on the foot of my ladybug anklet #1. It is soooooooooo cute, even though the fair isle part is far from perfect. I can never get my tension right going from one dpn to the next...always too tight or too loose.

I saw in VK that the new Fall/Winter Rowan mag is already out. I personally don't believe a word of it. No one on the web has it yet, not even Colourway. I'm waiting *impatiently*!
posted by Stephanie at 1:38 PM

 
The new issue of Vogue Knitting finally arrived today. Lots of nice things in there, but nothing that I absolutely positively *have* to start right this minute. I think I will be making the socks eventually (#17).

I just started another new sock. I was looking through my Vogue Knitting on the Go Socks and was reminded how much I like the little Dale of Norway ladybug pattern. I am making myself a pair of anklets in yellow Fortissima cotton, with the ladybugs across the top in red and black. Should be pretty cute if it works.
posted by Stephanie at 4:36 PM

 
Today I am wearing my (fraternal) Opal Mexiko socks with my Birks. I love love love them. Something about the look and the feel of the knitted fabric (not just the fancy patterning). Despite the fact that I hate the distributors, I just pre-ordered 2 skeins of Opal Tiger! Oh well.
posted by Stephanie at 8:48 AM

 
Went to Al's Discount Books and found 2 knitting books for 50% off. "Designing Knitwear" by Deborah Newton & "The Knitting Stitch Library" by Lesley Stanfield.

Peeked into Michael's but as usual it was a madhouse. Decided to get out fast...good for my checkbook I guess!

Started on a Christmas stocking for my sister's BF Jens. It's from a Mary Maxim kit and I made the matching one for my sister last year.
posted by Stephanie at 5:30 PM

 
Just finished sort of organizing my stash. 1 tub wool, 1 tub cotton, 2 tubs acrylics/blends/misc, 2 smaller boxes sock yarn, a bunch of white buffalo unspun. That's not counting some new stuff in my living room or stuff on the way in the mail. I was going to pick up some Woolease on sale at Michael's, but now I'm thinking I don't need any more yarn!
posted by Stephanie at 10:51 AM

 
OMG OMG OMG happy frickin dance. I just finished the intarsia on my Rosa Reef sweater. I think I need a nap. No wait, maybe a beer.
posted by Stephanie at 7:06 PM

 
Started my July SOTM on US #1s. I just bought a 12" addi turbo circ that I wanted to try out so I switched to that for a while. Decided I didn't like it--it made my left hand cramp up. Also, I find that the stitches (72) were just stretched out enough that I had to constantly stop and push the stitches up which probably takes almost as much time as moving from one dpn to another. I really like 5 dpns so I guess I will stitck with that.

Trying to get up the courage to work on my intarsia sweater (Rosa Reef, Rowan #31) that I have frogged twice already.
posted by Stephanie at 1:05 PM

 
Hurrah--I just finished up my pair of Opal Mexiko socks. I started these when I flew to my wedding, worked on them the week before the wedding, and even on the plane to and from our honeymoon. I was almost done with sock #2 and then I lost the pattern I was using and couldn't remember just how I had done the toe decreases on sock #1. Luckily Judy Sumner, the author of the pattern, was nice enough to help me out. What great memories these socks will always have! Oh, and now there are merely 6 orphan socks in my knitting basket!

:p

posted by Stephanie at 11:20 PM

 
I made a little red felted purse last weekend and just now got around to finishing it. I put in a heavy duty snap for a closure and glued on my little lady bugs. It is soooooo cute. I will have to post a pic as soon as either a) we get our new pc and digital camera up and running or b) I develop the film I have now and get a cd.
posted by Stephanie at 6:14 PM

 
Yay--sock yarn from the mailman!! I received my skein of the brand new Cherry Tree Hill Supersock merino colorway. Blueberry Hill! It's beautiful. Of course I will have to try the infamous blueberry waffle sock pattern with this!

I also recieved my July SOTM and I must say it's very cool. Baby blue Lang Jawoll (#120). The pattern is called berry basket socks. The pattern is like a basketweave, then 2 pkgs of kool-aid are included to make little dots that look like berries! Berry blue and strawberry. This yarn is cool--it comes with a little thing of matching reinforcement yarn in the middle of the skein! I think I will make these for my mom for Christmas, leaving out the kool-aid dying. Baby blue is her favorite color AND this is a superwash so she can throw it in the washer and dryer (which she would do no matter what).

I also stopped at Michael's on the way home from work and picked up some cute little lady bug iron-ons to put on my red felted purse.
posted by Stephanie at 5:02 PM

 
Oh my gosh, yesterday I actually started the SECOND sock in my lamb's pride turquoise. I guess the secret is to just leave the yarn and the needles and sock #1 lying on the coffee table right in front of me. I will eventually pick it up and start it. Besides, this worsted weight yarn works up very quickly. These socks are very heavy and thick. I am hoping they will at least soften up a little after washing. Since the color is ivory, I wonder if machine washing is safe. They would probably felt just to spite me. Still not sure who is getting these socks.

I've decided I'm not buying any more Opal yarn. Why do the distributors have to be such jerks??

I'm a little miffed about July's SOTM (sock of the month). Here July is practically over and I still haven't received it. What's the point of doing a sock of the month if you don't receive yarn and pattern each month???
posted by Stephanie at 10:11 AM

 
SSS (second sock syndrome): last night I finished a sock using worsted weight lamb's pride that I dyed (turquoise) with easter egg dye. That makes SEVEN orphan socks in my knitting basket. *sigh*
posted by Stephanie at 12:56 PM