Sunday, January 01, 2006

Happy New Year!

New Years means starting new projects and wrapping up old ones! OK, well, at least starting new ones. I did at least have the satisfaction of finishing up the body of the Knitty cardigan Samus. I don't love seaming, even short shoulder seams like this so I'll try to do it right away before going on to the fun part, casting on for the sleeve cables.

Look Andrea! It's part of a Samus!

I also recently finished my legwarmers for Mintyfresh's Cover Your Ankles knitalong - I love them! The Noro Kureyon is a bit scratchy and could do with a bit of a wash to soften them. That, or I have to start growing more abundant leg hair in self defense.

Finished legwarmers

These took a skein and a half, maybe, of Noro Kureyon leftovers, starting with 48 stitches on size 8 needles. After the ribbing and shadow box stitch, I started decreases on the centre back seam down to 40 stitches, which was just about perfect for calf shaping, and then just knit till I ran out of yarn. Since they were knit at the same time on 2 circs, it was easy to divide the yarn evenly - I ended up with about 6 inches left on each legwarmer after I cast off.

New projects - I cast on for both Whitby and Pomatomus last week. Pomatomus is more fun, if only because I'm using a lighter, smoother yarn (Lorna's Laces on size 1 Addis). Poma...oma...pomatomas (sp?) sock

I'm knitting Whitby for DH of the size 13 feet, so have adapted the pattern for 61 stitches and a heavy worsted on size 3 needles. But the yarn is pretty....rugged, and sort of sticky, so I have to fight every stitch of the way. It also doesn't help that one of my size 3 Addis got somehow bent (!!). I strongly suspect it has been rolled over by a computer chair. But nobody's fessing up.

Whitby in progress


And what I really, really want to get going on is another moebius scarf. I got this in the mail last week from Red Bird Knits - it's Handmaiden Stretto, Paris colorway. I'm just trying to figure out which moebius pattern will suit it best:

Handmaiden yarn

5 comments:

Tallguy said...

Those Pomatomus socks are great! Love the pattern and the colour.. they will look terrific. I'm not too sure about the Whitby tho' -- they do look quite substantial, and would be perfect for hiking or cold weather. Right now, it is too difficult to work with. You think washing would help? You did a swatch, right, and washed it? Is it any better after that?

Sometimes you have to rewind the yarn into a skein and wash it first if you are going to knit with it. Some yarns have spinning oils on them, which helps in the processing, and is great for weaving, and improves tremendously when finally washed and fulled, but is not that great in your hands while working with it. Maybe try that first before ripping out. It might all "come out in the wash". (sorry--)

Sophie_vf said...

er...swatch? I'm guilty of considering the cuff of the sock the swatch :)

Thanks for the washing suggestion. Argh, I wish I'd known that before I wound it from the hank to a ball! I have another hank of it around...I'm going to try that sometime this week.

Jacqui said...

Wow, have you ever been busy! You're braver than I knitting socks for size 13's. I have a DS with that size and I'd hate to knit him a pair and then he doesn't wear them.

I've been knitting socks with the Briggs and Little Sport (in answer to your question on my blog). It's the same as the Durasport but without the nylon. I really like it; it's a little rustic but it gets softer with every wash and the colours are beautiful. The computer screen doesn't do them justice.

Sophie_vf said...

Thanks, Jacqui! I'm pretty sure my LYS carries Sport too. I have been admiring the colours in the Heritage and Regal lines, so I'm hoping those same colours show up in the Sport. I will definately check it out!

Jo said...

Your Pomatomus socks kick tail! I love them. :) I'm going to make those but I have so many other things i need to finish first. Bad me.