November!

Well, first here's my answer to the topic of the week for the Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap:

With Halloween coming up this Friday, tell us what you think of when you think Halloween! Do you love it? Hate it? See it as a sign of Fall? Are you a total sucker for candy and little kids in cute costumes?

Well, I don't get all gung ho about it... I typically don't dress up or do much decorating... but I am a total sucker for the candy and little kids in cute costumes. We carved a pumpkin and turned on the light and waited and waited for trick or treaters to come by. Alas no one did. Oh well, more candy for me I suppose. Here's our pumpkin:


Otherwise this weekend has been one for casting on. Before I show you what I've started this weekend though, I'll give you a poorly lit FO shot of the socks I finished a couple weeks ago. I started these sometime around when I moved back from Germany and the first sock sat in my knitting pile all alone. About a year later I decided I should really knit the second sock so that I didn't have to worry about my gauge changing. Luckily it hadn't and I know have a wonderful pair of socks.


Ooh... it's really blurry too when the picture is bigger. I need to take another one when I have natural light. You can't tell how pretty the Wollmeise color is!

Anyways, on to what I've cast on. Reading some knitting blogs lately I came across one discussing NaKniSweMo -- National Knit a Sweater Month. I read on and decided to join in. So at midnight on November 1st I cast on for the February Lady Sweater and hope to finish it by the end of November (or at least in time for Christmas).


I've gotten reasonably far -- I'm just about to separate out the sleeve stitches-- and am excited about how it's going. I'm a little nervous that it may be too small, but I won't be able to tell until I separate offthe sleeves.

I also cast on a cute little neckwarmer for my mom out of Misti Alpaca chunky.


It's turning out so dense and soft and I absolutely love the pattern. I make have to make one for myself too!

So that's all I've been up to for now. Hopefully there will be a lot more FOs in the coming weeks. After all, Christmas is less than 2 months away and as always I have big plans as far as knitting and crafting goes.

Distract with Cuteness?

Work right now sucks BIG TIME. I just found out through other people on my shift (READ: haven't heard it from my boss, who never talks to me!) that we are completely changing our schedules as of June 9 (READ: only a little more than a week away). Instead of working 7 12 hour shifts in 2 weeks (with a 2 on 2 off-esque schedule), we are switching to 4 10 hour shifts Monday-Thursday. And my shift is going to be later (10pm-8:30am instead of 6pm-6:30am). Now work-wise this is not wholey and entirely bad. I will finally have someone in my department on my shift. And not working 12 hours days is a definite plus. I also will be getting 4 vacation days back that I was using in July for weekend weddings and family functions. Life-wise though this is terrible. It means that C and I who were on essentially the exact same schedule are now on only slightly overlapping schedules. Our non-sleeping face time will be cut practically in half. The only time we see each other when neither of us work will be 3 day weekends ever other week (which this summer will be filled with travelling to above mentioned weddings and family events). I cannot do this for 7 months. I don't know what we're going to do. (Also means a rather hefty pay cut... which isn't horrible... but definitely sucks. Especially with the rise of gas prices and all the travelling we're going to be doing.)

Now for the distraction. A coworker is having a baby boy the end of June! So I knit a cute little blueberry hat for him (note: I don't really know the coworker, but how often do I get to knit cute baby things!):



I (and apparently everyone else.. I couldn't make the shower) thought it turned out rather cute! (Oh, this also counts towards one of my 101 in 1001 items. Horray!)

I also have decided on a pattern for my friend's wedding shawl and am about 25% done with it. Didn't get a picture of it yet though. Maybe next time, if I need to be distracted more.

So much to do....

... so much time spent on Ravelry. Agh.

I have so much knitting that I need/want to do.. and I always seem to be on Ravelry instead of doing it. Sigh. Here are a few FO pictures though:


Started: October 2007
Finished: May 11, 2008
Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino
Needles: HiyaHiya 2.5mm circs (2)
Notes: They were a 2 at a time toe-ups class that I took at a LYS. They were my first toe-ups, and first socks not on dpns (I think I'll stick to the dpns). I was supposed to finish them for my mom for Christmas, but other projects got in the way. She loves them though and wore them all day Mother's Day! I wanted them a bit taller, but time ran out on me. My mom said that was OK though because she likes shorter socks.

My second FO is something that was finished a while ago, but I finally was able to get a picture of it!


Started: December 2007
Finished: December 2007 (the night before I gave it to her..seems to be a pattern here)
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in varying colors
Needle: US 10.5
Notes: I modified another scarf pattern because she said she wanted vertical stripes. It turned out super long (it's wrapped around her neck twice in the photo). She appreciates my handknits, so I keep making them for her!

Hopefully I'll have some lace WIP pictures soon... I need to have a shawl done for my friend's wedding by June 7 (and I haven't started)!

Long Time No See...

Sorry I've been away for a couple days. C left on Thursday to head back to the States and I wanted to spend some time with him since we don't know when exactly we'll get to see each other next.

Lots of knitting has been accomplished in the last few days though, so get ready!

Cast-On: Summer Solstice.. 21 June, 2007
Finished: 2 July, 2007
Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: Wollmeise Superwash Sock in Campari Orange, medium
Needles: Inox 2.5 mm dpns
Pattern Notes: The first sock's cast-on was a little tight, so I cast-on over 2 needles for the second one. Otherwise I absolutely love this pattern and will definitely make it again!!

I also finished one of the Simple Trekking socks. It's very comfy, though I think the thin stripes obscure what little pattern there is on them (there are 2 sections where the ribbing switches from k2p2 to p2k2... can you see them??)

And because I was in the mood for something new, I also cast-on for Nona's Sidewinders.

I'm through Act II and they are turning out really cool so far except for a few things:

1) I didn't do the first couple M1R increases correctly in the toe so there are a few small holes

2) I accidentally did the first 22 rows of the leg in garter stitch instead of only 14.

3) The yarn turns my hands blue.

I also joined the Mystery Stole 3.. but I have no yarn for it, and I haven't ever really done a big lace project... so I'm putting it off for now.

So that's all the knitting news there is for now. There will probably be a lot more in the next week since I don't have much else to do, haha.

Quick Update

Hi there. Just dropping in quick to say hi and that my Monkeys are finished! They look great and I am awaiting better weather and more time to take some great pictures.

C is unfortunately heading back to the States on Thursday, and I am trying to get all the last minute stuff together before I leave in 2 weeks. Like ordering some (a lot) more Wollmeise, haha.

Anyways, I probably won't post again until after C leaves.. be that Thursday evening or Friday or what. Hopefully I'll have some pictures for you by then though.

Talk to you then.

Train Knitting

So this has to be a pretty quick post, because it's C's birthday today. But I thought I'd give you a few pictures of the finished Tubey, of the Monkey socks, and from my trip to Freiburg this past weekend. So here you are:

Cast-On: ??? End of April 2007
Finished 20 June, 2007
Pattern: Tubey from Knitty
Yarn: Lana Grosse Numero Uno and Numero Uno Tweed
Needles: 5 mm dpns and a 5 mm circ
Pattern Notes: I did an i-cord bind off for both the sleeves and the bottom. The back is a little too wide on top and it poofs out a lot. Also, the green yarn was slightly thinner than the black and made a little too airy of a fabric on the 5 mm needles. I'm not entirely pleased with it, but the pattern was good. Maybe I'll try again sometime.


Otherwise the Monkeys are progressing OK. I finished the first one while we were in Freiburg and cast on for the second on the train ride home. Trains are excellent places to knit. An old lady came up to me on the train ride there and looked at my sock and said "Schoene Muster" (nice pattern). It was cool. Anyways, here are some pictures of the sock:

With some Bio-beer in Freiburg

Freiburg loves knitted socks!

I cast on for the Simple Trekking socks as an easy tv sock. I'm only about 10 rows in. And the picture really sucks, haha.

Well... to finish the post, here are some pictures from the weekend. I'll post again later when I have more time. It's been kind of crazy around here though since I move in 3 weeks, and am applying for jobs in the States while being over here, etc. Hopefully later this week I'll have time.

Freiburg pothole cover; view of the Freiburger Muenster (church) from Schlossberg

Yes, that "gargoyle's" hole is in his ass; stone crocodile in the canal

Pretzel mosaic; skydiving launch from a mountain near Freiburg

A wood mill built in 1621; pretty wildflowers

A FO and a Secret Pal!

You guessed it... the C-socks are done!!

Cast-On: 6 June, 2007
Finished: 14 June, 2007
Pattern: My own. Based off of the Triangle Ribs stitch pattern in Harmony Guides Vol. 2, heel flap, gradual standard toe (I don't know what to call it... you decrease 1 round, knit 3 rounds, [decrease 1, knit 2] (x2), [decrease 1, knit 1] (x3), and then decrease to the number of stitches you want and kitchener them)
Yarn: "Funny Strumpf Color" (Coats GmbH) 6-ply in color #7108 (this is a link to it at the store I bought it at... a LYS in Erlangen). It's 75% superwash and 25% nylon. I used a little more than half... don't have a scale for exact measurement... off of 2 150g skeins (ie, I used a little more than 1 skein).
Needles: Inox 3.5 mm dpns
Pattern Notes: For some reason my gauge was a little looser at the start of the second sock or something and I got a 1/2 less repeat in the ankle than on the first one and the same number for the rest of the sock. This meant that the heel flap and toe on one sock began with a mostly knit stitch row in one and a mostly purl row in the other (the one on the left-- his right foot-- above is the second one ending with mostly purl stitches before the toe, while the other one is mostly knit stitches)... something that bothers me slightly. They also slouch a bit at the ankle... but I wasn't about to rip them out, lol.

C's been wearing them when possible even though it's been too warm for them (he was wearing the one while I was working on the second.. lol)... so I know he likes them at least.

In other news, I got my partner for the Facebook Secret Knitting Pals!!!! I'm so excited! I have some very excellent ideas of stuff to send. Unfortunately my pal doesn't like orange, so I'm going to have to find something else to do with my Wollmeise yarn in the Sonne colorway. I'm thinking about taking Elemmaciltur up on the invite to come down to Munich (last Saturday of June-- the 30th?) before I head back.. so maybe I can arrange a swap with someone down there. I know that Bockstark Knits used that colorway in the past.

I've been knitting on Tubey since I finished the socks, but no real noticeable progress. Speaking of which... the new Knitty is out. I really like the Coachella pattern. I already ordered yarn to make Tempting II in a "knit a long" of sorts with my friend Jenny though.

That's all for now. I'm hoping to finish Tubey this weekend though.... I think I'm getting close! I have to get ready for Summe of Socks.

WIP update and some past FOs

Hi Again.

First an update on my WIPs. The lace scarf isn't progressing very quickly. Other things seem to be grabbing my attention, so no update pictures for that.

Tubey has progressed some. I finished the first sleeve and decided to bind it off with an i-cord binding. I picked up the stitches from my crochet provisional cast on and have begun knitting the second sleeve.

I haven't worked on my Jaywalkers at all. I rewound the ball of multi-colored yarn, but don't think I'll use it for Jaywalkers again. I didn't like the pooling at a larger circumference so I guess I'll save it for another pair of socks.

I did start a new pair of socks though. It's the Snicket Socks from MagKnits September 2006 issue. I see them as a warm up for the bayerische socks I mentioned in my last post. I'm doing them in Lana Grossa Meilenweit Tweed fingering weight yarn. The base color is kind of near rust with green, yellow, and blue specks dispersed throughout. Here are some pictures of what I have so far.

That's about all that's going on in WIP-land. I'm considering not starting any socks for a while because I have joined my first KAL... Summer of Socks 2007. The actual KAL begins on the summer solstice (June 21) so I have a while to wait. There are contests for the greatest number of pairs of socks knit.. and a vacation photo contest. It's a bummer it doesn't begin earlier because I'm going on a trip to Venice in about a week and I could get some great gondola/sock pictures! I'm going to keep working on the Snicket socks, but I think that may be my last pair until the end of June.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of FOs from the past. Nothing too exciting so I won't go into detail on them. If you want more detail on anything specific, leave a comment and I'll write about it in my next post.