Weekly update

This has been a busy week. A friend of mine had an accident recently and is housebound. I am helping to welcome her into the knitting community by teaching her the basics. She's off to a good start and I hope she keeps it up - remember how frustrating it was when you first started!

First my update of the Potamus socks - this is such a great pattern...although very slow going. I've finally turned the heal on the first sock and am picking up the gusset.

Isn't it a great pattern and just perfect for the yarn! I have found the pattern for the Koigu sock yarn - I'll be knitting Falling Leaves by Jessica Landers. This pattern can also be found on the knitty.com .

I always have what I call a "mindless" project (usually socks) on the needles. I belong to several different organizations and therefore go to a number of meetings...always project in tow. I can listen, and participate when necessary, and still knit. These "mindless" projects have to be something that don't require allot of attention to a pattern. My current "mindless" project is a pair of short ribbed socks knit out of leftover Cascade Fixation (this yarn makes for great summer socks). First sock is done and I've cast on the second in the pair.

The heel and toe are knit with the coordinating solid color, as the variegated is the leftover yarn.

Another friend is pregnant with her second child - due in August, so I've started a sweater - the same top down Plymouth pattern I finished recently. This sweater won't take long. I cast it on Friday evening and you can see how much I finished already.

I've also spent a little time on my Gardien Partie socks. The second of the pair has only 10 more rows of pattern on the foot, the toes and heel to finish and another summer sock with be completed!

My friends think I'm crazy to have soo many projects going at once and wonder how I keep track of each one. The answer is simply that I get bored working on only one project at a time. This way, the yarn and pattern change with every project I pick up. Because I don't have enough projects going at the moment (tongue in cheek), I cast on a lacy shawl. It is a rectangular shawl out of lace weight yarn. Only three rows knit - I'll keep you posted.

socks and booties update

Well, it seems that I've not had a whole lot of progress...but when I look at what I've done...it's not like I've been lolygagging! One of the ladies in our office is expecting a baby soon and the office held a shower which I was unable to attend...so I knit a pair of booties for her. I think part of it was that I was itching to start something new...I wanted to try my hand at a shawl that I have a pattern and yarn for, but alas, the yarn I had was in hanks and needed to to wound. I am so lucky to have a friend (Annie) with a swift and a ball winder and I made good use of it today. I wound the 4 hanks of yarn that I had for the scarf and 2 koigu hanks I had for socks. All is wound and I will soon be ready to start. Once again, I'll be looking for a pattern for the socks - they have to be just the right pair you know!

I'm still continuing work on my Potamus socks. They are really way cool! I also started a pair of short ribbed socks from my Cascade fixation effects yarn. I have nearly a skein left over from a pair of socks I knit last year and decided to combine the Effects yarn with a solid color for the heel and toe. When I get further along with these socks, I'll post a picture. The ribbed socks are a nice break...sort of mindless knitting...from the pattern of Potamus.

I'll update you when I get more done! Happy knitting to all of you. If anyone has any ideas for the Koigu yarn...drop me a line!

Socks progress

This has been a very slow knitting week, without much progress. First off is the potamus sock. This sock pattern is truly beautiful, but the downside is that it does take a fair amount of concentration. I have finished 1 round of the pattern...22 lines. This will definitely be a project that takes some time - you simply cannot fly through it.

I also started the second of the garden partie socks. This is an 8 line repeat - 4 lines of pattern and 4 lines of plain knit. This sock does not take as much concentration...although, as with any pattern, you have to pay attention, at least periodically to what you are doing!

Sweater and new sock challenge

I finally went back to my top down sweater knit with Burly Spun. I finished the body and started on one of the sleeves. I have discovered that I can only work with large needles for limited amounts of time - my hands start to hurt. Not really sure why - too much tension, not the right grip...? Sorry about the background...it really clashes!

Soar hands...time to switch to socks. I have a skein of Soxie by Great Adirondack Yarn Co. that I have been searching for the perfect pattern for and I think I've found it. The pattern is called Pomatomus and can be found on Knitty.com. The designer is Cookie and the pattern is rated fairly difficult...but I think I'm up to the challenge. Here's a picture off the website and a picture of my sock yarn.

Just a Socks week

I finally finished one of the garden partie socks - these are really going to be a great pair of socks for the summer...if it ever gets here. All that confusion over the heel and it turned out to be one of the easiest heels I've knit to date!

Since I had heard that winter was arriving again in Cleveland ...and would stay through Easter, I decided to knit the second sock of the pair I had started some time ago. The colors are so springy, I decided the socks would be as springy as my wardrobe got for Easter this year. I knit the sock in a couple of days.

At least my feet will be warm...and springy!