Cool socks

This past week I got back to working on several projects...knit a few more inches on a sweater for my husband and a few more inches on a Lucy bag for myself...Then I got distracted again! I received a skein of the new Berroco Comfort Sock yarn. The yarn itself is very pretty...my colors...soft shades of green, blue and beige/brown. I then proceeded with my search for the right pattern...and found one in the Sensational Knitted Socks book. The pattern is called crosshatch. Then, of course, I had to cast on and see how it looks. I've turned the heel and am picking up the gussett. I must say, it's a nice pattern for the yarn! When I finish the first sock, it will go on display at Birds of a Feather (a local yarn shop).
This picture is a little dark - no flash used, but it shows off the pattern in all of its glory!

Uncle Rimas' Socks Completed

Finally DONE!!! I've been battling a cold since last Wednesday, so I have had some time to focus on the second sock. This pair of socks gets shipped west tomorrow. It always feels soooo good to finish sock 2! Now I can get back to some of my other projects.

Uncle Rimas' 1st sock completed

Wow...I'm blogging two days in a row!

Today I finished the first of a pair of socks for my Uncle Rimas in Seattle! He's a great potter, and I have been the beneficiary of some of his work! Turn around is fair play...and so I told him I'd knit him a pair of socks. The sock pattern, Baby Cable Rib, is from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.

I started knitting this pair of socks on the flight back from Ireland. I continued picking it up during the month of November...but then everything came to a stop as I launched into my Christmas knitting. Now that Christmas has come and gone, and I've started so many other projects, I've returned to this one; partly feeling a little guilty that this has taken me so long. I am going to cast on the second sock tonight, with the hope that I'll stay on task and get the second one knitted a little faster!

I'm Back!

As I wrote in my last post.....oh so long ago...I've been wrapped up in Ravelry. Time spent on that site has drawn me away from my blog. I knew it had been awhile since I wrote a post...but I really didn't realize that it has been this long!

Since my last post, I spent 2 weeks in Ireland with the Cleveland Irish Players. We had great weather and loads of fun. There were horses in the field in front of the house where we stayed. I even got a bit of knitting done while I was there, although not nearly as much as I had hoped. We returned the first week of November and suddenly the realization that Christmas would be here before I knew it set it. I had projects to decide on and get started. I decided this would be the year of slipper socks and belts, so I bought several skeins of Berrocco Comfort and started knitting. In all I cranked out 4 pairs of slipper socks, 6 belts, 2 pairs of Fetching Fingerless gloves, a pair of Dashing fingerless gloves, a felted buttonhole bag, and a hat. I was glad to get those projects done!

Right now I have too many projects on the needles (see project pics on Flickr)!:

I started a sweater for my husband. It's a top down sweater which I am knitting with Berrocco Comfort. The yarn is a little splitty but really soft and not hard to work with.

I started knitting a Lucy bag with Noro Kureyon before Christmas, but the project was put on hold. I pick it up now and again - little better than half way done on that purse.

I have the first sock finished of Monkey Socks and Embossed Leaves...have to get to the second sock of each. I have started a Lily of the Valley Sock and a Crusoe Sock. I'm nearly done knitting a pair of socks for a toddler and am near the toe of the first sock of a pair of socks for my uncle, the potter.

I stopped for a couple of days to knock out an umbilical cord hat for a friend at the gym. And this past weekend I started a prayer shawl for a friend battling breast cancer.

That's quite a few projects when you consider this is only the third week of January!

I have a sock story to share after the first weekend in February - it involves a gift for a friend! Until the next time...happy knitting!

Raveled up in Ravelry

I finally got my Ravelry invitation and have spent some time on that website...as a result, my blog has suffered due to lack of attention!

I finally finished my sweater! Top down sweaters are "the bomb"! It is soooo nice to finish knitting your sweater and being done...instead of looking at the pieces and parts and still facing several hours of work. I will definitely be knitting more of these and recently picked up a pattern for my husband. It's a Knitting Pure and Simple Henley Neck Down Pullover for Men. I will probably use Berrocco Comfort for this sweater in the Military colorway. Here's a picture of my sweater.

I'm also knitting socks...of course! I have finished the first sock of a pair of Milanese Lace Socks from the More Sensational Socks and have also cast on the Embossed Leaves Socks in Favorite Socks.

For those of you on Ravelry, stop by at Rasaknits. Any knitters that haven't yet heard about Ravelry, check it out at http://www.ravelery.com/ .

Sweater Update

I've stayed on task...well...sort of. The sweater is nearly finished - pictures to come soon! I have half of the hood completed. This week I started back on my Mad Color Weave socks - second sock is down to mid-gussett. I received a swift and ball winder recently - it was fun winding all my recently purchased hanks of yarn...the simple pleasures in life!

Sweater Update

I've been staying on task with my top-down sweater: the body is done and the right sleeve needs only the garter stitch edging and a bind off. That leaves only the left sleeve and hood to complete and I'll be done. I like this pattern - it's a fast knit...but a boring knit. As a result, my socks have not moved anywhere - I'll really be ready to dive back into them when I'm done!