Just Knitting

Haven’t won any of the previous contests, so here is another one. Purls Entwined is hosting a sock pattern giveaway (deadline is the 21st).

The cuffs are working well. I’ve gotten to the split for the thumb. I slipped six stitches onto waste yarn, and cast on fourteen with a reverse loop. I thought I’d be clever, and break the yarn then cast on with something particularly clever, but really messed myself up and went back to basics. Just one more set of ends to work in, right?

I’m knitting the new stitches in two by two rib, like the rest of the cuffs (did I even mention that before? They’re to match the socks) and decreasing every few rows. Seems to be working well so far. Still wish I had a camera…

Meanwhile, DH has asked for a hat. Unfortunately not one which looks like a pokeball, one he’d actually wear. So I’ve found a nice Raglan Hat pattern on Ravelry, and gotten some wool. Second WIP coming soon!

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Knitting Human…

Still working on the Mini-Cuffs.  I have to admit to watching ‘Being Human‘ and pausing repeatedly to try and figure out how long to make the finger end.  True, Mitchell goes for the half-fingered variety, and I’m doing this without, but I just like the general look.   I feel a bit odd knitting it finger to wrist, but we’ll see how it works (I can always frog, right?)

Along those lines, the Being Human Ravelry Group is considering a knit-along of Tea-By-The-Sea’s Grannies Traditional Tea Cosy (as the best match for one in Season Three. It looks like fun to me.

Didn’t win any of the previously posted giveaways (at least, not those whose winners have been announced). There’s another pattern naming contest I’ve entered, this one is at Ropeknits, and the winner will be announced on February 17th.

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Lotsa Giveaways!

Not at all yarny, but I just wanted to mention the giveaway for “Room” from the North of 49 blog (winner chosen on the 13th).  On the the other hand, MayBea Crafted’s “name that hat” contest is very yarnivorous, the prize being a pattern (winner announced on the 14th). Krafti-Kit has a Knit Circus giveaway (winner chosen on the 13th).  Final one (for a yummy pattern and yarn) on photo.knit.blog (deadline is the 14th).

 

The improvised mini-cuffs are coming along well, if slowly.  I’m working knuckle – down, and still trying to figure out what I want to do when I get to the thumb.  OTOH the cast on is really stretchy, and the tube would easily work above or below the thumb, so I know I’m not going to worry about gusseting or casting on a ton of stitches and decreasing to get to the wrists.

Still no camera, though.  It’s around here somewhere (or I’ll just put one on my birthday wishlist…)

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I Wish I Could Find My Camera

Still no camera, but I’ve finished the On Your Toes socks.  I made them with about two inch cuffs because 1) I’m impatient, and 2) I really don’t like wearing long socks.   I’m very happy with them, and have enough of the KnitPicks yarn to make mini wrist warmers to match (which I’ve cast on already).  The pattern called for a sewn bind off, but Interweave didn’t give directions which differentiate between knit and purl stitches, so I used Jenny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off instead, and am very happy with the results.

After reading “Making Mathematics with Needlework” I’m totally confused about the way I form knit stitches – I knit Continental, but am I wrapping backwards? Now I’m not sure, so I’m trying to change my technique a bit with the mini wrist warmers. We’ll see how that goes.

There’s a sock yarn giveaway at Knit 1 Blog One (I went for the Malabrigo, because I don’t have any).

There’s also a fabulous giveaway at Implausible Yarn. Yes, the prizes are fabulous (I chose the Royal Lama Silk), but the question is too.

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I Feel Like a Heel

Like turning a heel, that is.    I’ve turned the heels on the On Your Toes Socks, and I’m very pleased with the result.  The pattern calls for a basic short row heel, which went beautifully.  The last time I had knit a sock I was left with a row of tiny holes along the short rows.

Some time last year I began to use the Norwegian style of purling. This is particularly nice for short row shaping because wrap-and-purl can be done as a single stitch, by positioning the needle differently.

Now, I was still left with an annoying gap where I rejoined the heel to the front of the socks.  I think it was exacerbated by the two socks on two circs knitting method (which meant that I had to put the final wrap on a stitch marker, and probably did not get it reseated correctly).  My eyesight has never been that terrific, and I find it difficult to see how the stitches should be seated. Sooner or later I’ll get it figured out.

Now I just have to decide how long I want the socks to be (I usually like short ones), and whether I want to use the patterns bind off or play around with it a bit.

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