Baycation Socks

Our trusty Salty Acorn boat did not have any problems this year, as we made our way to Ocracoke, North Carolina. The weather was good, and I got in a lot of knitting time!!!! The blue striped socks are the Stashbuster Spirals, the pattern for which can be found online. The blue/tan socks were a new yarn for me: Jitterbug 100% wool, handpainted from Colinette and the yarn is wonderful - very firm and great stitch definition. The fair isle socks are a repeat of socks I have knit before: Bird Foot, designed by RedBirdKnits.

Ribbing and Buttonholes and Steeks

The wrist ribbing was totally stretched out from over-zealous blocking on my new wooly board, and I had thought to try to rewet and reblock, but it was so stretched out that I felt as though it would be useless to try, so I just reknit the wrist bands. Now they look a lot better.
The first band I knit for the center of the cardigan worked out well. Even the colors cooperated. But the buttonholes for the other band were another story. I reknit the first buttonhole about 10 times before it started making any sense to me, and each buttonhole got better as I went along, although I am not totally happy with them. Then I went on the the tacking down of steeks on the inside. I will not show the inside on my blog, since it looks quite awful, primarily because of the color changes. I overcast and tacked the edges with purple on the first band, and while it looked acceptable on the purple and red sections, it was hideous on the yellow and green since it showed up very vividly. The only way around this was to have cut multiple sections of color from the remaining yarn, and I wasn't about to do that. So it will have to do.
The collar ribbing is also slightly too big, and I am going to do some single crochet around the edge to see if I can tighten it up slightly. The sweater is very comfortable to wear, and it looks fairly good if one doesn't inspect the inside. Polymer clay buttons are up next, but since I'm going on vacation tomorrow(!!) it will have to wait.

Kauni Cardigan Progress

Shown on my new Wooly Board! Now I have to cut the center open, and pick up bands and do buttonholes. Yikes. All in corrugated ribbing. Double yikes!

I started out with two huge 290 gm skeins of this yarn, and I just weighed what remains, and IT IS 233 gms!!! I love the yarn and am already thinking about another sweater with the leftovers. In case you're interested, I am knitting the large size.

Stashbusters Spiral Socks

This is an older pattern from the Six Sox KAL, but one I have not knitted before. The technique of using leftover yarn in jogless spirals is intriguing, and appeals to my frugal nature. I used three different yarns, all blue variegated ones, but changed the pattern to have the heels, toes, and ribbing the same color. The pattern is here: Stashbusters Spiral Socks
I also chose to do my usual dutch heel, since short row heels don't fit my feet well. Just started the second sock in an attempt to keep myself busy while waiting for the next clue in the Mystery Stole #3 KAL.
My Kauni is dry after having blocked on the wooly blocker overnight, and I will now have to cut the front and add ribbing. More procrastination on my part since there are more decisions to be made. I plan on making the buttons for the sweater from polymer clay and have to do some sketches and color mixing.

Mystery Stole 3 KAL, Clue 1

Here is the completion of the first clue for the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. Melanie is still accepting members to the group until July 6, so if you are interested, check it out. Here is the link: Mystery Stole 3 KAL

Anyway, the yarn is white (pure white, even though it looks yellowed) Zephyr, wool and silk, and knit on US #5 / 3.75 mm Bryspun straight needles. There are also embedded transparent AB beads but the picture doesn't show them at all. I knit the last mystery stole which Melanie designed last summer, and it was gorgeous, so I am fully expecting this one to be as well designed.

Kauni Cardigan Sleeves

Sorry for the shiny background! Don't know how to photograph this large thing!!
I am sailing right along on the cardigan, and if I didn't have a lot of company, I suspect that it may have been completed by now!
The two sleeves do not match, and I didn't try. For one thing, I don't believe I could have matched them, since it's difficult to tell where the colors change because of the LONG color repeats! I also thought about knitting them both at once with a steek, and then cutting them and sewing them on the body, but I chose not to do that. So in the end, I just kept knitting without cutting the yarn. I hate to waste it!!
I think that in the future, I will not knit a two-color sleeve down from the shoulders when it is attached to the body. I hate all the turning the sweater, and the two strands of yarn, and the two-circular needles or dpns I am using.
Soon, I will have to do the ribbing on the center, and am thinking about doing it with steeks at the top and bottom so I will be knitting circularly, instead of knitting back and forth with corrugated ribbing. I tried it with the neck ribbing and hated it. I'm also thinking about the buttons, and whether my polymer clay skills are up to the color matching or not. But that's another day!!!

Kauni Cardigan Progress

I've made it to the first sleeve!! I already knit the neckband since I was already at a similar color as the bottom ribbing, and I am attempting to at least have similar colors for the knit bands. I hate to waste any of this gorgeous yarn so we'll see how it works out. The knitting has begun with the opposite end of the yarn in the ball, so that the color changes will be in the same order. The gauge on the sleeves has been all wonky and I frogged several inches of the sleeve and started over using two circular needles, in a size smaller than the body. The second picture shows the yarn I have left!!!!! I started out with four balls altogether and used the smaller ones first. The incredible part about this yarn was that there was NOT ONE SINGLE KNOT OR BREAK IN EITHER ONE OF THE SKEINS. This is in huge contrast to some yarn skeins I have used in the past (not this brand) that have had multiple knots in 50 gm balls. These were 290 gms each and not one knot. Amazing!!

You are also seeing how I manage the floppy sweater body while knitting the sleeves. I folded it all up in quarters, and stuck a circular needle through all the layers resulting in a nice small package to handle. The center steeks have not been cut yet to make it easier to manuever.

Openwork Ribbed Socks

My usual toe-up socks with dutch heel, knit on #0 dpns with 64 stitches, with crocheted bindoff in natural. Claudia's Handpainted toes, heels, and ribbing in Cotton Candy colorway, and Gems Pearl (not Opal as I previously stated) merino natural. These babies weigh in at 3 oz for the pair and are extremely cushy feeling. (They are 100% merino wool.) The stitch pattern is a simple 4 stitch, 4 row pattern repeat in openwork eyelet ribbing from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks and has great stretch to it.

Teal Swirl Treasure Woven Bracelets

I love these beads! It was too difficult to choose which design to make, so I did both. Which design do you like better? The spikey one has white Czech dagger beads in clusters.

Feather and Fan Toe Up Socks

Done toe-up, 72 stitches on #0 dpns, with my usual dutch heel and crochet bindoff. The yarn is from Joslyn's Fiber Farm, in superwash merino, and mohair, and is one of my favorites. The mohair gives it great strength.

Kauni Cardigan Progress

Here is the work-in-progress, almost to the armhole steeks. I believe that I am almost through the entire color sequencing and am liking it a whole lot! I did some pencil coloring, as suggested in some other blogs, to see about differing color combinations, but in the end, I just started at the beginning of the two skeins. Of course, the beginnings were just perfect as you can see, since the two colors are one place away from each other on the color wheel.

I've been researching steeks, and finishing them, and such, and have some ideas, but I'll wait and see how it goes at that time. I am such a procrastinator.

This sweater also incorporates the Philosophers Wool technique, using two hands, and weaving every other stitch. Takes a lot longer that way, but is very sturdy fabric.

Trekking XXL Socks

My usual toe-up pattern on #0 dpns, with Trekking XXL color 106, It's a lovely colorway. The pattern, Lace Rib, is from Charlene Schurch's "Sensational Knitted Socks" and is a 5-stitch pattern repeated rib. Tops were finished with crochet bind off.

Coral Triple Strand Bracelet

These beads are also from the bead show, and were very inexpensive. It took me almost all day to make the three beaded balls, but I attribute that time to strong painkillers I was taking after a wisdom tooth extraction. The third one I made went along much faster.

Coiled Bead Sterling Bracelet

I've been procrastinating making a silver bracelet because of the cost, but I decided to just go for it. Bought the Bali beads at the bead show last week, and put it together on Tuesday. Not perfect, but I am so happy with the outcome. It's quite heavy but sits well on my wrist.

Aoife's Beaded Socks Redux

These are for my elder granddaughter, whose original beaded socks did not fit. These were knit toe up, on 56 stitches on #0 dpns and have a picot edge on the top of the cuff, with 6/0 beads added via crochet hook method on the leg. I used #00 dpns for the inside of the picot area so it would minimize puckering. The yarn was Sockotta cotton and wool #5618.

Midnight Evening Bag by Noni

This is the cutest thing imaginable! It is made for my youngest granddaughter who is having her first communion on Sunday. The second picture shows the scale compared to my larger everyday felted bag.

On another note, I just figured out how to insert links into posts without using the raw html. I simply needed to switch to another browser! I normally use Safari for the Mac, but it didn't show a link insertion tool, but Firefox works! So now I will be able to add links!! I love it! Now I can credit other talented people on the web when I use their ideas!!

Unst Sock from "Knitting on the Road"

The patterns in the leg of this sock are traditional shetland patterns. The yarn is violet wool yarn from Joslyn's Fiber Farm. It came in a sock of the month offering, but I didn't like the pattern it came with, and chose this pattern from Nancy Bush's sock book. It was knit toe up on 56 stitches on #1 dpns.

Kauni Cardigan in Progess

I saw this gorgeous colorful cardigan at Red Bird Knits and HAD TO HAVE IT TOO!! See her blog at Red Bird Knits for further information as to where to find the pattern and yarn (from Denmark). The cardigan pattern is free from the designer but the yarn shipping was very expensive, almost more than the yarn itself. But it's worth it, PLUS it came within a week of ordering it. The yarn is a little harsher feeling than a lot of Americans want, but I like it a lot. It feels like shetland to me. The yarn came in two very large skeins of 290gms each and it wound up into these nice balls. My ball winder was not big enough to wind the entire skein in one ball! I washed it the same day I received it and only a little color bled, so I was pleased at that. The progress is my second start, since I was not getting gauge at first. I went up a needle size and now it's better. There are a couple other knitters working on it, and if you google "kauni cardigan" you'll find some more information about color combinations, and indeed, the original designer and the yarn source. I can hardly put it down because I want to see what color combination is coming up next!!!

Red Orange Treasure Woven Bracelet

Handmade lampwork beads were the source of color and inspiration for this wildly colored bracelet. I echoed the white bumps on the beads with seed beads.

Faina's Scarf

I bought this merino lace hand-dyed wool yarn on an Etsy.com shop and used less than half of the 990 yds. So I can make another one! I was not happy with the fringe treatment called for in the pattern instructions, so I modified it and added a large tassel on each end of the scarf.

Dusk Button Treasure Woven Bracelet

Serial Treasure Bracelets

Can you tell how much I am enjoying construction of these items? My technique is also improving drastically.

Green/Turquoise Whimsy Woven Treasure Bracelet

Handmade lampwork beads and various other glass beads.

Purple Button Woven Treasure Bracelet

Button Treasure Woven Bracelet

Bought a bunch of colorful buttons and am trying them in treasure woven bracelets. This one went pretty fast, completing it in a couple of hours.

Sea Foam Woven Treasure Bracelet

I adore the colors of this bracelet!! I am having a wonderful time with these bracelets, but am wondering if I should really start to sell some of them. I can only wear one at a time!!!

Tiger Candy Corn Treasure Bracelet

These are my first polymer beads, which I really like in this bracelet, even though the beads are not so great. The bracelet is sadly a little too small for me.

Orange Retro Beads

These are my first beads from Fimo clay. Well, not actually my first beads, which I made yesterday and don't merit a posting, but these turned out really well! They are unsanded currently and I will have to experiment with that. The colors were insprired by orange and white lampwork beads which I just purchased, since orange is not normallly a color I choose.

Blue/Yellow Treasure Woven Bracelet

Assorted Czech glass beads, seed beads and handmade lampwork beads which were purchased from Wiggle Room Beads on eBay. The seller is very nice and makes beautiful beads.

Caribbean Treasure Woven Bracelet

I have taken quite a few pictures of this piece, but can't really portray the color correctly. The beads are a Laura Liska blend bought in Wayne PA at UBead2.