Because we'll be celebrating the graduation of DD#1 from Cook College (Rutgers University), I won't be posting on knitting this week (maybe won't even be knitting much either). She receives her B.S. in Animal Sciences on Friday. And she's already working at an emergency and referral veterinary hospital near us. We're very proud of her.
To complete EFA photos, I had to post a shot of it modeled, here by D#1.
I've gotten to wear it and appreciate the pockets for warming hands. One more lament for Rowan Magpie, I miss that yarn. (Notice how Skye is watching D#1 intently. He's such a character.)
Just so D#1 will know that I love her enough to make her more than socks, I'm making her this cardi designed by Gitta Schrade. She saw one like it in a store; it had a knitted belt and I promised her such a cabled cardi with a belt. This design doesn't call for a belt, but I'll whip one up, maybe in double-knitting for stability. Such a pretty sea green color; the Brunswick Sheepswool is great. I hate that it was discontinued. You got 260 yds per skein and could knit it either at DK weight on size 6 needles or worsted weight on size 7 needles (like here). Oh do admire my Brittany walnut needles; I love knitting with them.
More evidence of my knitter's ADD: I HAD to start knitting with the Sundara Cherry Blossoms sport merino, I just had to. So I started Jeanie Townsend's Peach Petals Socks with the same tubular cast-on as for the Embossed Leaves socks. I really like that cast-on for magic loop, it makes it much easier for me to join. It was worth the pain of learning to cast on alternating knit and purl sts. Now this yarn is not only beautiful, it yummy to knit with. Really lovely. Has a kind of springiness usually seen in crepe yarns (but I believe it is plied) that makes it very nice to knit. I'm using size 4 circs and my gauge in stockinette st is about 8 sts/in; the yarn is stretchy, the cast-on is elastic, and I am a sock-optimist: I am always hopeful that socks will fit. Maybe not perfectly, but they will fit. We shall see.
And I discovered a little trick to keep the early rounds from flipping over when doing the magic loop technique: tying a button or stitch counter to the rest of the casting-on strand. In case you are wondering, the light thread is sea green Cebelia #3 cotton. I did an eye of partridge heel flap and a French heel instead of the plain heel flap and short row heel. I'm actually done decreasing the gusset sts here; just have to get D#1 to stand still long enough for a measurement so I know when to start the toe. Easier written than done!
Want to know where these beautiful socks came from? Check out Jeanie Townsend's patterns on her website. Ask for her free Lilac sock pattern. I'm going to make them out of the Meridian Sundara yarn.
Here are a couple more:
Yes, my Fangorn Forest EFA is finished. The photo does not begin to do this masterpiece justice. I am so pleased. I like the fit of the shoulder and sleeves, after modifying the armholes and sleeve increases. I like my made buttonholes more than the k2 tog, yo buttonholes in the pattern. I like my straight shoulders more than the sloped shoulders of the pattern. And I like the surprise I added:
Ingenious Knit Klips hold the pieces together better than any type of pin I've used. I'm using backstitch (for strength & stability) and I can line up the sleeve increases perfectly, as you see here. Learned about these great gadgets from The Girl From Auntie. I am so in love, I may never dread finishing again.
So here's the first sock for DD#2 and she loves it - the pattern, the color, the fit. She just got new clogs and the socks are perfect for them. The clogs are mostly purple felted wool with leather trim, so she will have color-coordinated feet. Now I have to decide on a sock for DD#1, which will be made of FdC 501 in that dark eau de Nil green, such a nice green. I think something with a leaf motif: Embossed Leaves, Falling Leaves, Zokni (uses Drooping Elm Leaf lace). If you know a sock pattern with a leaf lace motif, please pass it on. FdC 501 is DK-weight; I use size 3 needles and get 7 to 7.5 sts/in in stockinette st in the round. I'll need a pattern I can modify down to 44 to 48 sts total to fit DD31 (she's skinny).
because I gave in to temptation and bought this yarn (Meridian sport merino) from Sundara Yarns even though I have tons of yarn to finish knitting up.
One benefit of doing swatches for the Walker Treasury project is seeing how I like a pattern for these hats. I've been doing ribbing patterns for this very reason. This stitch is called little shell ribbing; it winds up looking almost like a mock cable, to me at least. The yarn is stretchy (Baruffa Maratona 100% merino wool, won 8 skeins in this nice blue on eBay) but I think this pattern would have nice stretchiness to it. Would make a nice sock, don't you think?
The sleeves are done and I'm working on pocket linings. I made up a tree for this sleeve based on 2 trees already in the pattern. It made knitting the sleeves more fun to break up the moss stitch this way.
The tree on this sleeve is already in the pattern; I happen to like knitting it so here it is again, on a sleeve.
