Just a quick revelation

It is finally cold enough here for me to want to wear something handknit and cozy. Of course, the one sweater I've knit is too short for me, but is being enjoyed by my sister, and the NaKniSweMo sweater is still just a skeins in waiting. But I did dig out my matching calorimetry and fetching this morning to make the trip to work a bit more comfortable.

Now I've read nothing but good things about fetching, and they are lovely, comfy, beautiful, but, and this is more of a problem with me personally than the design, my thumbs are cold. I know. I'm a weirdo. But seriously, I never thought my thumbs would be jealous of my wrists the way they are! I think I might have to knit a new pair, only with a complete thumb.

I'd also probably do a ribbing at the cast off instead of the picot edge. It's probably more of a yarn choice problem, but my picot likes to roll to the outside and seems a bit baggy. When it behaves, it really is cute, though.

Oh well, that's my revelation for the day. More on spinning when I have more time.

Picture heavy

I finally finished one of the lace scarves I've been working on since November/December. Jonas seems to have a phobia about modeling anything knit, and so Squishy Man fills the role here. It still needs to have it's ends woven in, and a fair amount of blocking, but I haven't found a surface big enough in my house yet.


Here is a detailed look at the pattern. I'd really love to give credit to it's creator, but I honestly can't remember where I found it now. It's called Falling Water. If it's yours, please let me know and I'll provide the proper link.


And this one is just plain cute. Jonas tells me last night "Mama! I working in office!" I turn around and find him standing at the end table with my coffee mug and his laptop open. He'd type a little, then stop, pretend to gulp down some coffee, and then go back to work. He's got his Mama pegged. :)


After one too many frustrations with the frilly little hat pattern, I decided that the yarn just didn't WANT to be a hat at all, and so I frogged it, for the second time, and decided that what it really wanted to be was a pair of socks. Yeah, it's sport weight, so they'll be pretty thick, but my feet are always cold, so I think they'll be great for me. If you don't recognize the pattern, it's this one from Magknits. This is my first attempt at a toe-up sock, and even though I'm only just finishing the toe and starting the foot, I like the fact that I'm able to try it on as I go. I've got a fairly big foot, but I'm afraid that with this thicker yarn, I'm going to have to make some adjustments in order for it to fit well. And yes, this is where I admit that I didn't swatch at all. Bad knitter! But I was so frustrated with the hat thing that I just needed something to be excited about immediately.


And, as promised earlier in the week, a couple of pictures of our yarn dying project. Jonas chose the colors, and loved "cooking" the yarn. We did it on top of the stove just to keep the spills from turning the cabinets multicolored.

And here's the end product, out of the dye, rinsed and set, and ready to get hung up to dry. I'm not a big fan of this yarn at all. First of all, I'm not big on neon. Second, while it looks quite vibrant here all jumbled up, it actually dried to a dull and less exciting color. I did take the time to wind it into balls, and now it looks even uglier. But it was a fun little project with the boy, and I think I'll probably knit it and felt it into a little carrying bag for his beloved hotwheels. He likes to take them everywhere with him, and those little things slip through his fingers as if they were live fish.


You remember the calorimetry that I knit a few weeks ago, right? Yeah, the one in the yarn that I wasn't at all crazy about. Well, it seems to be the yarn that never ends, and so I also knit a pair of Fetching to go with it. Yes, it was a waste of a cabled pattern to use such a busy yarn, but it was a quick knit, anyway. I will probably make another pair of these in a solid color to make up for these hideous things. The only thing I'm not crazy about with these is the picot bind-off. I mean, it's cute when it's not trying to roll to the outside. Am I the only one that has that problem? I've never done it before and I'm thinking maybe I did something wrong? And what's that abomination on needles there on the right? Since it truly is the yarn that never ends, I decided to use up the rest of it by knitting a pair of worsted weight socks. So, if ever a blizzard should strike Florida, I'll have some toasty extremities. The pattern for these comes thanks to Amanda, who took the time not only host, but to create a blog of all the socks knit in the Mystery Sock KAL. I'd have never even thought to try this pattern, or to knit socks in worsted weight yarn!



Anyway, that's all the knitting news for now. I've got lots of stuff planned to start soon, but first I need to find a replacement pattern for the cute little hat that I've abandoned, and also something quick and cute for a friend's baby boy that will be arriving Tuesday, if not sooner. At this point, I'm thinking washcloths may be the way to go, unless anyone out there has a magic pattern that I can finish in just a couple of day's time.