Pockets!

My Even Flow sweater now has pockets!

See? Pockets!

I decided yesterday that I need to get more organized.  I wasn't sure what I had going on and I was getting a nagging feeling while working on my sweater for the past couple of days that I should actually be advancing other projects as well.  So I made a list of all of the projects that I am making or that I intend to make soon.  I came up with a list of 15.  Seriously.  15.

That might not seem like a lot, but you have to remember: These are knitting projects.  Most of them cannot be knocked out in a single day.

Here's a quick overview of some of my ambitions:

A few years back, my grandma gave my mother a knitting bag and some fabric.  The idea being that I would take the bag apart and reconstruct it.  Last week, I finally got around to taking it apart.

The handles aren't worn out.

It is currently sitting in my workspace waiting for me to draft and cut out the pattern in the new fabric.  But I kinda figure that if I am going to bother to do one of these, I might as well bother to do three at once.  So if I ever get this sorted (and find some handles that I am satisfied with at a decent price), there may be fabulous knitting bags up on an Etsy store.

Next, as a way of using up some of my limited edition colorway yarn, I have decided to crochet a slouch hat out of this Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted.

A beautiful colorway of which it would be difficult to find any more.

I got this colorway at the 2013 MN Yarn Shop Hop.  But designing with exclusive colorways isn't very nice, so, darn it anyway, I get to make something for myself.

Then there is the design project that I had to rip out and now have to restart.  Luckily, it will be on these needles:

Gotta love #17 and #19 needles.

And last but not least, about a year ago I said that I would make the Lampwork Hat and Mitts for Athenais and the yarn has been just sitting in my stash ever since.  Maybe she'll get to wear them this winter.  Maybe she'll have to wait until next.

So, as much as I enjoy blogging, I'm afraid that I have quite a bit to work on today.

A Very Busy Week

I have been working very hard in the last week.  Mostly because I am trying to spend more time working and less time dwelling on the traumatic past.  I guess this is the productive stage of grief.

I have been thinking lately of actually getting a job, but life is funny, and it seems to be easier said than done.  Out here in the Black Hills, the economy is very focused on tourist season.  It is very, very easy to get a job here between May and September, but it is almost impossible to find a job in winter, especially if you are looking for something non-professional.

So, here I am, with nothing to do but focus on my knitting and fiber projects.  And in a turn that I could never have predicted, I have the time, the support, and the space to really go for it.

First, the projects that I have finished:

A River Runs Through Mitt

I finally finished making the second mitt of A River Runs Through Mitt from Darn. Knit. {Anyway} at the 2013 MN Yarn Shop Hop!  I even wove in the ends.  Now I just have to give them a good wash and they will be ready just in time for cooler weather.

Double Bump Dishcloth

I tried my hand at dishcloth knitting with the Double Bump Dishcloth.  Amazingly, this is my first dishcloth.  It was fast, really fast, and kinda fun.  I worked this one up because I wanted to make one with someone else's pattern before designing my own.  I am currently planning out a 3-class, beginning knitting class that teaches the basics though a dishcloth pattern that I designed.  I will keep you all updated as to when and how this class might happen.

The black bamboo/silk socks from hell.

I really don't mean to whine about knitting.  I love knitting, and I love knitting socks, and I really love a challenge.  But these stockinette, black, size 1.5 needle socks really seem to be kicking my butt.  The stockinette is boring, the yarn can be hard to see, and there are quite a few stitches.  And just to make it harder, I was trying to make these socks for my husband just before he passed away.  But I believe that the project is worth it and they will be beautiful socks when I am finished, and I will be able to give them to my dad.

The good news with these socks is that I finished the first one this week and started the second.  The bad news is that I still need to pick up tiny black stitches along the heel of the second sock.  Oh well.  All projects have their frustrating points and I'm sure they will turn out beautifully.

A sweater finally?

I have also decided that I am going to make a sweater with the sport weight Wool of the Andes that I have had stashed for an age.  I picked up the pattern for Even Flow by Joji Locatelli.  I'm thinking of casting on today.  Wish me luck.

Finally, I submitted my first design proposal this week.  I have been designing a cowl and I pitched the pattern to a magazine.  We will see if anything comes of this.

Otherwise, for future excitement:
-  I will be working on networking in the Black Hills fiber arts scene.
-  I am signed up for a wheel spinning class next weekend at Fall River Fibers and my mother might be joining me in that adventure.
-  I am teaching myself how to dye yarn with food dyes.

Just some things for readers to look forward to.  I have assigned myself a posting schedule of Tuesday and Friday every week, so please tune in!

On Wings of Stainless Steel

Wow. What a response to my last post! So many wonderful sock ideas! I too dream of the perfect legs for my socks. And for you beginners who commented: do not be afraid of cables; they are much easier than they look.

However, I realized that I never described my dream socks.

I am currently dreaming of making the Almondine socks from Sock Knitting Master Class in something bright and colorful. I love leafy botanical patterns.

And as for the new HiyaHiya needles, this sock has started to just fly by!

A Mystery Solved

Hello internet peoples!  I have finally solved the Mystery of the Missing Knit Picks Box.  After checking the website and following the tracking number link to find out that the box was delivered on the 19th, I asked the neighbor if she had seen it, and low and behold, it was sitting in their kitchen.  We have an apartment with three girls living in it next to us and about once a year one of them moves out and a new one moves in.  Apparently that was happening this month and my box got mixed up in the confusion.  I am just glad that I found it.

Of course I was so excited, that I immediately cast on for the Asymmetrical Cables sock that I plan on making for the month of April for The Sock Project.

Finally started.

I'm afraid that they are still not in a very exciting color, but soon I will make a pair for myself again and those will be in more interesting colors.  I am, however, very excited about the design of these socks.

I also got some blocking done today because I finally have the Euclan that I ordered.

Hooray for Euclan!

The nice thing about not getting my box of goodies on time is that I actually finished all of the projects that I had on needles and it made me feel restless.  So I started on a designing project.  It is now in the works and I will update you about it when I am finished.

If anyone would still like to knit along on the Asymmetrical Cables socks, it is not too late.  You can comment on this blog, message me on Ravely (BettyCrocket) or just send me an email at bettycrocketdesigns@gmail.com.

Persistence Pays Off

Ta-da!!

They're finished!  They're really finished!  All I need to do now is wash and block them.

Now I just need to get my package from Knitpicks with my Euclan, new sock yarn, and set of sock sized DPNs.

I also worked up another of the Drop Stitch Cowls this weekend for the SO, but I modified it to have a bit of a hood.  After all, he can't use his ponytail to hold it up like a scarf like I do.  You can take a look at the project here.  It is still a bit of a work in progress.  I think I might tack the two corners on top down to the sides, or I might just rip back and pick up some stitches.  I still have to think this one through a bit.

I promise to update the minute I get my new sock yarn and cast on.  I can't wait to get started on my second pair.

About a week ago, I mentioned that I had an interview with a local yarn shop.  I'm afraid that I didn't get the job.  It turns out that it is odd to brace your knitting needle against your hip or belly when you knit.  They were very kind and explained that they would like someone who could teach one of the standard methods.  *sigh*  Oh well.  I have taken this as a piece of good advice and I have been working on not bracing my left needle when I knit.  I figured out that I do already know how to knit without doing this: I can't do it when I use circular needles.  But this might explain why I prefer DPNs.  However, I noticed that k1p1 rib is far, far easier if I knit without bracing.  It just makes it way easier to move the yarn from front to back and vice versa.  As I said, they were very kind to me and I absolutely recommend checking out and shopping at this shop.

So I would like to give a recommendation: if you are in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, you should check out Steven Be and The Yarn Garage.  They have an amazing selection of yarns and fantastically friendly and helpful staff.

And the April Sock Is . . .

I actually took a bit of a break from knitting for a few days.  My carpal tunnel was acting up.  I actually get it from playing games on my mobile phone, but it is hard to knit when it flares.

So I don't really have much to say about what I am working on.  But I think that I figured out which socks I am going to make in April:

Asymmetrical Cables, designed by Cookie A from the book Sock Knitting Master Class!

I am in love with this book and I want to make all of the socks in it in order!   However, I was thinking about what yarn to use, and I thought that I would save the beautiful green and blue Cascade Hand Painted Sock Yarn for the Almondine pattern.  Which left me wondering, what yarn should I get for Asymmetrical Cables?

As some of you who have been reading may know (hopefully that is at least one of you), I was trying to make the Basic Black Socks for my significant other.  When he tried them on, they were too small.  So I thought, maybe I should make these socks for him.  However, I will not work in black for two pair of socks in a row.  So I found Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn from Knitpicks in Thunderhead.

Once again, if anyone wants to knit along or has any words of wisdom to share on the pattern or yarn that I have chosen, feel free to let me know in the comments section.

A picture of Fritz the Cat for your amusement.

Works in Progress Report

I've been working on a pair of socks for my live-in SO.  I found a really simple sock pattern and some Heritage Silk yarn from Cascade Yarns and started knitting. 

I think sometimes I find things easy when other people don't because nobody ever told me that it was supposed to be hard.  I've been working these socks on number 2 DPNs and I decided to make them all in black fingering weight, because it is simple and will look good with anything.  Luckily, I picked a yarn that has great stitch definition.  And luckily, I didn't know that black was hard to work with until I was halfway done and used to working with the yarn already.

Next project that I will be casting-on is the Lampwork Hat and Mitts kit that I got from KnitPicks.  I actually was ordering the yarn that I needed for a sweater that I am designing for myself, but the order fell short of their $50 free shipping offer, so I picked this one up.  Because of indecision on design, I will be casting these on before I get started on the sweater.  (I will post about the sweater in a blog post of its very own soon.)  I am looking forward to practicing more color-work.  I've done a few things in 2 colors before, but I think this will be fun.

And as soon as I get the needles that I need, I will be casting on to make the Drop Stitch Cowl out of the gorgeous Berroco Soufflé that I just had to buy and then I didn't know what to do with but I couldn't afford to buy very much.  It will be beautiful and soft, but I do feel a little silly for paying nearly $18 for 100 yards of yarn.