Blossomlace KAL Progress

Have you ever had one of those days (weeks .. months) where it seemed nothing worked - not even a smidge??  It's rather been like that for me for the past 2 weeks.  I've been battling a bug.  This critter has my throat so swollen my Dr thought I had tonsils!!!  Good Grief!  Well ibuprofen, cepecal, neo citron and sleep - LOTS of sleep got me to the point where I can at least concentrate again.  Still feeling ick, but better.

I was tinking more than I was knitting while dealing with this critter at it's height - so I put it down and just gave into the inevitable and slept for two days LOL  No I don't feel totally rested, still tired, but not fighting to stay awake at least.

I wasn't in the mood to watch tv or a movie, so I found an app that reads epub (digital format for books) outloud, loaded up my book, grabbed my project and got to work.  I'm very proud of my self as I only tinked back twice and managed to get 10 rounds done :S  YAY me!!!!

It was a total win-win for me!!  Got to 'read' my book and got some rounds done on the left mitt.  The pattern is starting to show  - not quite enough as to be totally visible, but enough so you get the idea.  Another 15 rows and I start the thumb!  That is my goal for today - the thumb - and if I get further along then kudos to me ;D

Ravelry link - 1st KAL
KAL Group - HiyaHiya Patterns

1st KAL - fingerless mitts

I'm so giddy!! I've been wanting to participate in a KAL for so long, but I kept managing to miss them. For once I checked my ravelry messages in time and got the invite to participate in HiyaHiya Patterns KAL - There was two choices for the KAL - A shawl (which is absolutely gorgeous) or a cable lace fingerless mitt pattern.

The pattern is free as long as you finish the project by December 31, 2016.  So based on project size and the fact that I need to use my stash for new projects, I opted for the fingerless mitts.

I've been spoilt working with sock yarn for the past few months,  Going back to 100% acrylic was an adjustment of sorts LOL  I was hoping there was enough sock yarn left over from my projects for these mitts, but no -  I was close with one, but still short about 50 yards and didn't have enough of a contrasting yarn for the cuff area etc to take the chance.  I really don't want to frog this project at all.  Even though it's a running joke of sorts that I seem to frog each project at least twice. So not having 161 yards of sock yarn left over, I dug into my stash and pulled out Bernat Baby Solids in Blue - I've 2 skeins and will likley only use half of one.  I'll have enough yarn left over to do up a pair of ankle socks with the remains.

The first clue contained rows of 1x1 cables on every other row that created a beautiful basket weave pattern for the cuff - it's harder to see in this picture - the first picture (shown top) shows the pattern better.

I got the second clue earlier today - this part seems to complete the body of the left mitt, the thumb and the cuff for top and thumb - I'm going to assume that Clue 3 will cover the shaping etc for the right mitt.

This KAL offers prizes too and discounts if you use certain products  I've got Hiyahiya needles so I'm using those :)  I'm just tickled that I was able to join in a KAL.

Creeping Towards Two

Despite any intentions I subconsciously had to the contrary - this sock turned out pretty good!  A good snug fit around the instep of my foot - and they fit from toe to heel nicely.  Not to tight and not to loose fit all round.  I do wish it was a bit snugger above the ankle and around the lower part of the leg.  I've noticed that on the socks I've made.  Granted I normally wear ankle socks so mid calf are rather new to me LOL

I was rather expecting some major incident that would mean I would have to frog the entire sock, or tink back sections as I've had to on previous attempts - but no, this went off rather without a hitch. I hope I just didn't curse the next sock by saying that.  Each sock is a learning process and the curve has been pretty steep initally - it's way more manageable now LOL

I did find a great bind off at Slip Slip Knit - worked quite well! Not tight at all - easily able to get over my foot and heel with no issues.  It was a bit wibbly though - that could be because I didn't drop down to a smaller needle when I was doing the ribbing or casting off - another great lesson learned.  I'll be sure to try it on the next toe up pair I do.

I've been eyeballing Bavarian Style of knitting for the next socks I make.  They are absolutely gorgeous and I'm definitely itching to start them.  BUT  not until I finish this last socks :)

Bamboo N Lace

A great way to spend Sunday is with coffee and my knitting until my football teams play. Yes, it's teams - I've been a Raiders fan since 1984 when a friend took pity on me and explained the nuances of the game. The Raiders just happened to be playing and I picked them as my team to cheer on. And I fell in love with the Saints watching their homecoming ceremony after Katrina - so I'm lucky this week in that they don't play at the same time :) Yea Me!!  So in the meantime I knit while I wait

Not sure if you remember me mentioning that one of the rows was going sideways on me.  I finally counted the stitches in the row in the pattern and it was short.  Lucky for me, someone mentioned in their project notes on Ravelry what the error was and a correction!  YEA!!!  So now, no more sideways rows

The metal needles are still slippery as hell for me and I'm getting a grip on it so to speak and my stitches look better now  Even so, I ordered some bamboo needles from Knitpicks and I should have them next week!  I will now have bamboo needles for sizes 0 - 4 and they are 5" long instead of 7" which is a tad long for knitting socks - those super long needles make it tricky in the cast on section of the pattern.

On the social media front, I finally caved and installed and signed up for Instagram.  I'm sure I'm going to regret this, but least I'll have fun LOL  My instagram is g_quilts and I'll post not only knit pics, but pics of my family, dogs and other hijinx I manage to get myself into LOL

Ravelry link - Toz Up Enya Cables N Lace

TozUp Enya - It's begun

Going from fingering weight yarn on US2 bamboo needles to light fingering weight yarn on US1 metal needles has been an adjustment.  Bamboo which have a certain stickiness to them; the metal are super slippery and I've done the battle of dropped stitches and not being able to find them more than once LOL  It's proven especially tricky doing the magic toe cast on with those itty bitty stitches ... Definitely a learning curve going on here, but I'm still having fun and am learning quite a bit - foremost - bamboo needles rock and I've got a few sizes on order.

I was surprising to me that there wasn't a lot of light fingering weight sock patterns that appealed to me - there is a difference (enough of a difference) between fingering and light fingering that would have made the size all messy - Finally I decided on Enya and so far I'm not disappointed - I just have to get my fingers doing this weight and needle size with no thought - it'll come :)

There's only 3 sets of cables so far in the lace pattern for the foot - not sure if there are more in the leg part.  The pattern is pretty easy for the most part; there's 2 rows I'm struggling with - I'm thinking it's because of the way I'm doing YO between purl stitches - of course I've frogged it a few times  - bloody dropped stitches!  That should be my battle cry.

There will be enough of this yarn left and the pink skein that I might be able to do a pair of colour work socks .. we'll just have to see