Hooray!

I think this may well be my first FO for June, I'll have to look back. Anyway, these socks were so worth the wait! I blocked them last night, because they looked seriously bad, all limp and wonky, and while the stitches straightened out, the Roza's Socks didn't look much more lively this morning.

I should have taken a photo with something for scale, because this photo doesn't really show just how shriveled and tiny these socks look fresh out of the bath. I've made baby sweaters with larger hand openings than these socks appear to have to adult feet. But then! The socks are put on, and something wonderful happens!



Remember how I said that the Jaywalkers hugged my feet perfectly? I take it back. These socks are more than perfect! As I slipped them on, they conformed perfectly to my feet, and went on so easily. I haven't taken them off since I took these pictures. While the pattern is awesome, I think it probably shares some of the credit for comfort with the yarn. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Powder Blue, a yarn I won in a Jaywalker contest! Let the circle be unbroken, indeed. While I've had Lorna's Laces Sock in my stash for awhile, this is my first time actually using it, and, and, I think I'm in love.



The fabric is soft and squishy, and I love the incredibly subtle variegation of the yarn. This is how I wish Socks That Rock shaded solids would behave. The variations in color are just enough to add some depth and interest to the fabric, but not enough to detract from a patterned piece. Love. It. I'm sure I will make another pair of these, as they are just as mindless as stockinette, but so much more interesting. Since the finished pattern is very much like rib, I think these could also work in a variegated yarn, but that subtle patterning won't show as much.



Some details, since I feel like I might have skimmed over those.
pattern: Roza's Socks, by Grumperina, appearing in the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits
yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Powder Blue
needles: US1

Now on to completing Rusted Root and starting my first fair isle sock! Tomorrow I'm hitting a huge yarn sale and taking a cruise to look for puffins for my birthday! Twenty-twelve, here I come!

Fun Times!

I went to my first ever knit group last night! Amy is visiting right now, which is always nice anyway, because she's my only real life friend who knits (she's also my oldest friend, I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know her). I've never been to a knitting circle/group/stitch and bitch before because of ridiculous shyness. Seriously, I love meeting other knitters and the idea of hanging out with knitters always appeals to me, but I always wonder what I'll say and if I'll embarrass myself and yadda yadda. Turns out, I shouldn't have worried! Everyone was very nice, and I don't think I embarrassed myself. The group met at my favorite LYS, Purl Diva, and Ellen did an excellent job of keeping conversation flowing. She runs a book group, as well, which sounds interesting.

Another bonus to an evening of uninterrupted group knitting? A have half of the foot done on Roza's Socks #2!

I'm pretty excited to finish these and start the fair isle socks from Sensational Knitted Socks!

I'm hoping someone reading can give me a tip for short row heels. I'm pretty happy with the way my heels have evolved, but I'm nowhere near satisfied. I love the way the side where I'm picking up wraps on the purlside looks:



The problem is with the side where I'm picking up wraps on the knitside. It's very loose, and I can't seem to tighten it up, no matter how hard I pull after wrapping.



I'm using the heel from Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock Pattern. They're my favorite, and they'd be perfect if I could just get that one side to match the other!

In other news, I decided the other day that I don't have nearly enough pictures of Baxter, and set out to fix it. By the end of the day, I got the next shot, which reminds me so much of those shots seen on the cover of tabloids, some annoyed celebrity caught going about their business, flashing the camera a dirty look!

Lazy Poster

I have done little today aside from knitting and watching movies. It's been bliss. After a hectic couple of weeks, things are finally winding down a little, as evidenced by some actual, factual progress.

Rusted Root is speeding toward completion! I'm mere rows away from breaking into ball 3 of Cotton Ease. I love the thrift of this project! I'm pretty excited about wearing this little number. This is only my second Zephyr Style pattern, but I have to say I love their work. Not only are their designs super cute, but the patterns are very well written and easy to follow. I highly recommend them.

In other news:



For as slowly as the first of this pair seemed to move, the second is going like greased lightening! I started this sock yesterday! When I finished the first one, I still had quite a bit of yarn left, so I thought I would see just how much sock I could get done with what remained. As evidenced by the photo, the answer is quite a bit! I anticipate having these finished soon.

I'm pretty excited by the prospect of FOs, so I'll get back to it. I just put in season one of The 4400. Anyone see it? The pilot is so sad, it's kicking my ass!

Checking In

It's been a busy week in my little world, hence the lack of mid-week post, and this pathetic excuse for a post right here. Want knitting content? You might want to look elsewhere. Roza's Socks #1 is marching ever so slowly to toe #1, and poor Rusted Root is still on that waste yarn (though I finally removed it from the dummy yesterday). Today I get to attend the 6th birthday party of an extremely adorable girl I am happy to call my niece. My sister and I have decided to bring something from the Bratz line of dolls, which I have been assured are popular, though I find them very creepy.

Since a post isn't a post without pictures, I thought I'd just share a few recent shots that are in no way yarn related. Except that they may be inspirational for color or texture. I know I was thinking of knitting the whole time I taking them!

I love that in nature, colors one might never think of combining come together so beautifully. I actually have yarn in both the shade of the seaweed and the starfish.




Around here, one is just as likely to find these guys at McDonald's or the dump as the beach, and they are largely scorned (their thieving ways make them a nuisance). I love seagulls though! I wish I could sink my hand right inside that soft gray shade, it looks so comforting.




Generally, I'd shy away from putting red and green together, but look at how wonderful that green algae looks against that red brick! Maybe with a pale gray incorporated, it could work. I'm not sure I would put it into a garment, but maybe a blanket of squares.

Hopefully there'll be some serious knitting around here soon!

Slow Poke

So, Rusted Root is at exactly the same place it was at in my last post, because now that it's on waste yarn, I don't want to deal with putting it back on a needle. It's been pretty hot out here, which drains me of all motivation. I have, however, been working on Roza's Socks.

I completed the heel this morning, and have since gotten a couple of inches of foot finished.

In future project news, I think I have solved the issue of the pooling Socks That Rock!



This is Socks That Rock In The Navy, one of their shaded solids. From the swatch shown online, I was expecting something more, well, solid. This yarn is actually quite variegated, though all of the blues are the same shade. I was a little disappointed (if Socks That Rock made a true solid yarn, I'd be so in on it), but I still think it will suit my purposes. I'm planning to do some fair isle socks with it and the Marbles colorway. I'm excited to see how the colors work together, but am resolved to finish either Roza's Socks or Rusted Root first.

Now, if you'll please excuse me. I just ate a ginormous cheeseburger, fries and a huge chocolate shake. I'm off to enjoy a little coma now.

Giving In

I know that in my very last post, I said I wouldn't be putting Rusted Root on waste yarn because I hate dealing with waste yarn and I wasn't worried about fit, but I guess I kinda lied. Or, rather, I didn't know I would change my mind. And I actually didn't even change my mind, exactly, the blog did. I was getting ready to take photos of my wip, and was dismayed that even though the sleeves have been put on holders, this adorable sweater would not be shown at its most advantageous, and would continue to look like a freaking black blob, not my next favorite summer sweater.
Anyway, that's a long, drawn-out way of saying I have something to show you.

Please excuse the bat wings. I'm using those huge safety pin-like holders. I was surprised by how short Rusted Root is, I feel like I've been working on it for a really long time and should be farther along by now. I'm in the decrease section for the waist shaping right now. I know I'm not alone in my love for decrease rows.

My slow progress on Rusted Root could be somewhat attributed to my current sock project, Roza's Socks.



I was worried I'd be bored by these socks, but my worry was unfounded. I love these socks! I love working the brioche stitch, and I love how it looks. So simple, but still fancy.

I've noticed some chatter around blogland by people who are concerned about the apparent smallness of the sock in progress. As you can see in the photo, the sock looks wee. The cuff is 3x3 rib, which draws in considerably, and of course the leg is ribbed, as well. Part of what, I think, makes this sock exceptional, is the amount of stretch afforded by the pattern.



It could even be stretched more, if my hands were larger. I think this makes these socks great contenders for gift socks. I think they may even be plain enough for men's socks. I have some Cherry Tree Hill set aside for socks for my boyfriend, I'll have to see what he thinks of the finished socks.

At a Loss for a Title

I think I forgot to mention in my last post that I was on vacation this past week. I probably did this because I didn't make any plans outside of doing whatever I felt like and knitting as much as possible. Incredibly, I did not end up doing that much knitting, but I did get this much Rusted Root done as of yesterday.

Sorry for the blobbiness. I had not yet put the sleeves onto holders, and as you can see, it's black, which is hard to photograph. Since that photo was taken, I finished the last two rows of that ball of yarn (always amazed at how far one can knit on one ball of Cotton Ease), and have started the body. I'm planning to add an extra inch in this portion of the program, and another inch or so at the bottom. Despite vowing to do so as I excitedly tried on Puffy every step of the way, I have not yet put this sweater on yarn and tried it on. I may regret this later, but such is my disdain for pulling out waste yarn that I will chance it. I didn't think of it with Puffy, but as a cardigan, that was much easier to just throw on some circs and pull on. I never thought of myself as a lazy person, but there you go.

There was just the tiniest bit of stash acquisition this week. Last week, Ellen posted about some new sock yarn arriving at her shop. A new sock yarn that I had been really wanting to check out, and in a color that just screamed out to me from the group photo. So I brought the wee yarn home.



It's Tofutsies by SWTC, in #784. On my monitor, on the SWTC website, that color looks like radioactive yellow, but it's actually a bright, cheerful lime green. The ball is tiny, but makes a pair of socks! I can't wait to try it out.

Of course, I will have to wait, as I casted on last night for Roza's Socks by Grumperina, from IK Spring 2007. I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Powder Blue, and I love it! Even though I have had Shepherd Sock in my stash for a few years, this is my first time knitting with it. I love the sheen of the yarn, and it feels great. I'm not even through with the cuff yet, but it's just the diversionary project I need when I need a break from all that cotton. When I actually have something to show, I'll take a photo.