I am hoping to finish a second sock before too long. Cat Bordhi is the designer of the sock you see here. Her latest book has wonderful sock patterns. She wrote the book in such a way that you can use your own creativity to make a unique sock. I used the combination of the tibetan and sunrise pattern. Sivia Harding taught the course and it was wonderful to learn from her.

Thanks to Sivia, I can now figure out the wrap and turn method. I will now proceed on the several WIP socks that are waiting this step... a few photos of much awaited FO's would be nice on this blog...

I just got into Ravelry.com today. Now I see what the hype is about, and it is like being sucked into a vortex... You non-knitters, please dont bother asking what it is. Its not worth the time. You gotta be a knitter or crocheter. It creates excitement for its members because the information having to do with knitting is easily accessible.

My third attempt at socks
I need a tutorial or a video lesson on how to do the heel. The "wrap and turn" and "filling in the gaps" have me stumped. The blue color yarn on the needles are now at the start of the heel. For now, these are put aside. I am working down the leg on the next two socks featured below..

By the time I'm done knittin legs on all the WIPs it's possible I will be doing 6 heels at the same time! Ackk!

Broadripple is easy to do. it is a four pattern repeat with a knit row in between. Thats all there is to it.

This pattern is so easy and looks complicated. The yarn feels especially soft and smooth knitted up. The pattern is Uptown Boot Socks featured in Favorite Socks.

Note: I advise you use a solid color if you want to show off the delicate cables.

First Try at Entrelac

This entrelac swatch is a hoot to do. The SWS yarn changes color nicely for this pattern.

It was hard to tell what would happen with the instructions I was following. I was a little lazy with this one as I was exploring other possibilities with the leftover SWS yarn. The result is distorted but cute. Now I am in a rut to bind this off. When I am able to do that, I would like to make a pouch of it and felt it.

I need help on how to bind this off. I have messed up somewhere in my lazy knitting and cannot follow the last row instructions. I want this done quick and without angst so I can continue with my WOP below...

*tossing it to the UFO pile for now.*


Working through my Stash...



I'm trying to be a good girl and keep at the motivation to decrease my stash. I had a bit of a fall out with my determination and bought two more skeins for a giftee in mind. Even though I have started it.. I'm a little confused by the directions and I need to do another read-through so that I can anticipate what I am doing!

I have four socks on needles - one is a pair of slippers (book photo of greeen socks shown), I hope these will be good for yet another giftee. As I'm using self striping yarn in strong colors, I fear the eyelets may not show through. We'll see.

The koigu Broadripple I had to frog back 10 rows and start again. Its slow going but will get faster now that I have the pattern ingrained (?!?) in my mind...

The denim blue is cabled work (featured in 25 Favorite Socks book) and is easy to memorize.

To offset my sock projects I have the Gothic Leaf Stole. I will also do a Cloche hat with yummy cashmere by Handmaiden.

I still enjoy taking peeks at knitting blogs but I am trying desperately to stay off the computer and focus on the yarny goods. I have two weeks off to make progress and plan to post during the September long weekend. In the meantime I wanted to show my determination. I hope I'm not nuts to have so many projects going on at once... I've not done many WIPs in the past...

See you later!

I signed up for Ravelry! The statistics are promising:(For those of you unfamiliar with Ravelry, it is a site geared for knitters. It is in beta and the site looks enticing.) Anyway, back to the stats:

* You signed up on Today
* You are #23641 on the list.
* 15337 people are ahead of you in line.
* 0 people are behind you in line.
* 34% of the list has been invited so far

Nobody behind me in line? Come on people, sign up, theres only 15,337 people ahead of us!

DE-STASHING, or I'll kick myself for being wishywashy

In todays post I will show all the yarns in my stash. I've done this mission of "de-stashing" before and I'll do it again. It is a wonderful sense of R-E-L-I-E-F and accomplishment. Near the bottom of the post I show my WIP's and FO's. Most of these yarns I buy on sale. What is a good sale if it isn't used?

This cluster of yarn I figure I will felt into clutch bags, given the limited supply..

The left over SWS yarn by Paton I will make a first attempt at a small entrelac clutch featured on my page a day knitting calendar...

The package of Louisa Harding yarn in Kashmir Aran is lovely. The skeins have a ropey look with a silky feel. As this is one of the thicker lots I have, I hope I will be able to knit this up fairly quickly. Tubey in Knitty is on my mind. I am also considering one of the patterns by zephyrstyle.com

Destashing sock yarn...Hope for SocksThe mixed color balls of yarn are from Fortissmo. I've had these a long time and would like to knit up something unique, but it has a strong mexican print that may drown out a pattern stitch. I am looking for ideas on what sock pattern would look good with these.

The denim blue socks are done by Indigo Moon, a BC designer. I will likely do a pattern from a new book of mine called Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs.

Another sock pattern I want to try is Jaywalker, a free pattern offered in Magknits.com. I'm undecided as to what yarn for what pattern!

I'm dreaming of a Cashmere Cloche
I have a desire to knit up a couple of hats with this Handmaiden yarn I bought on sale. 100% Cashmere. 100% Softness! When the weather cools down I will be eager to get my hands on this luxury.

I'd spent the past year working 50 hours a week and had to take a hiatus from knitting. My contract is done and I am now back in regular hours. Ahhhh. I have been off on holidays this past week and spent all my spare time knitting. It feels good to see rows of stitches emerging. The projects below were my focus: the completion of a sock and a start of a new one. A couple of pattern repeats on the stole and the navy blue hat.

My First Attempt at a Stole..
Elann.com has lucious Peruvian Baby Cashmere. I took a leap and purchased 10 skeins (after much encouragement at how affordable and nice it is.)
The pattern is Gothic Leaf Stole by Sivia Harding, a local designer here in B.C. This is going to be my long-term project. (Hopefully NOT so long termed I'll be fixed to a rocker with rusty circ's and worn cable when I bind off.)

I'm proud about my first-time lacework project. I figure I have 5 times the length to complete it.

Socks No.3: Broadripple pattern from Knitty.comThis yarn is a delight to knit! I'd heard much about the yarn and how nice it is, so I decided to give it a try. I saw a sample of the sock in Urban Yarn and was hooked. I don't think this will take long to finish.

My Second Pair of socks
I tried out a method knitting two socks toe-up on one circular needle. I obtained instructions in http://cometosilver.com/socks/sockclass_intro.htm and found it very easy to follow. When I was ready to go up the leg I decided to practice with the double pointed needles. These shall be good winter socks!

Leftover Baby Cashmere from Debbie Bliss.I have enough to do a hat. I am trying out the free pattern called Delite in Zephyrstyle.com

Frogged and Knitted again
My Cropped Cardigan... dated, but Done! March 2007. I had to rip the whole thing when I realized it would fit someone half my size! What was I thinking when I proudly presented my progress below, unaware that the bodice was near the same size as the paper?

Needless to say I frogged and knitted madly for a few days over Spring Break and got it done quickly. This fits well and the DB Cashmerino Aran is soft and cushy. Lightweight and oh so warm.

Debbie Bliss('FUL) cashmerino aran, purchased on Elann.com

This is a "Cropped Cardigan" by Amy O'Neill Houck. A knitting friend Jayne completed the same project and I liked it so much that I ordered the pattern. It is a easy knit and I hope to finish it up before too long. Debbie Bliss's cashmerino aran is luxurious on the fingers.

She Can Do Magic on Needles



In December, my eldest daughter was busy knitting 7 pairs of fingerless gloves as gifts for Christmas. I hadn't seen this color being knitted up even though I expressed desire for a pair. She fooled me into thinking she wouldn't have them done on time. Pattern is from the Stitch and Bitch book using Elann's Highland Wool. It is warm and comfy to wear.

Tom and Patty are friends in Portland. Patty is the knitter extraordinaire, having done samples for Knitpicks. She goes to sister Dianne's rescue often. My lucky sistah! Tom and Patty had us over for Christmas cheer and we got to linger in their lovely home. I had a chance to admire her beautiful work and see their many hobbies. Patty's link is at right. She is currently working on the beautiful cabled shrug shown on the Winter cover of Vogue Knitting. You can see her progress at http://fiberlyone.blogspot.com/

Isn't her three toned shawl beautiful! She also makes all her husbands shirts.

Di's vest

Dianne had just started on this vest when I came on the scene at Christmas. She whipped up this vest in no time, finishing it up by New Years. The yarn is a newer knobbly Noro along with the pattern, a Noro Webster vest - for a man, but it works, obviously! I believe she did it in st st. She wears it with the purled side out, as it shows the texture of the yarn well.

I obtained the pattern from a friend, using various colors of SWS yarn by Paton. It was a fun project and I was able to complete it in time for New Years. I have been wearing it often.