tmcknit

Christmas Socks 2008 (Pairs #24-28)

Hmmmmmmmmm – wonder what could be in those little boxes?  I guess the title of the post gives it away.  I made the little mittens gracing each box using the same wool as the socks – so now each recipient will have matching socks and mittens (yes, I know that’s corny since they can’t actually wear the mittens – so sorry).  When I went to get the camera to take a picture, Carrie decided to try to steal the mittens off of the boxes, and somehow this beautiful picture was the first picture I took – I think it’s a keeper with her looking so innocent – so I took no more (although I was tempted because one of the boxes on the top level is crooked but who can resist a beautiful Carrie pic).

These are socks I worked on all year – between other projects – for Christmas gifts for my family.  I took the picture outside in the snow – today it is 4 degrees with a wind chill of -27.  Thankfully, I didn’t have to stray far – I just stepped out the door and took them on the back deck.

In the order they appear, here’s who they’re for and what they’re made with:

**Mark – Regia Strato Color 5748
Keith – Regia Crazy Color 114
Justin – Regia Strato Color 5747
Corey – Regia Schatten Color 5163
Danielle – Regia Jacquard Color 5243**

Do you sense a pattern with the socks I make?  I love Regia!!  Not all socks I make are Regia, but a majority are.

Fingerless gloves revisited

Fingerless gloves – can’t get enough of them.  I wanted a pair for myself so I could keep my hands warm and still knit while we’re in the vehicle going wherever.  I showed Danielle and she wanted a pair.  Mom said “nah” but then she saw them coming to life and she said yes, she’d love a pair.  Dad said yes right away.  He said he used to have a pair of leather ones he really liked (shhhhhhhhhh – I may buy him a pair of leather ones too if these don’t wear well for him – he works outside a lot).  Mark wanted a pair also – to wear under his gloves to keep his wrists warms.  I made the wrist ribbing four inches for everybody – everybody wanted their wrists warm.

Here’s the list of who gets what, starting at the top:

• Pair #1 – Regia Canyon Colors 2804 and black Regia – these are mine – they match a pair of socks I previously made for myself
• Pair #2 – black Regia – these are for Mark
• Pair #3 – Regia Stretch Color #82 – these are for Danielle
• Pair #4 – black Regia – these are for Dad
• Pair #5 – black Regia and Regia Marokko 5492 – these are for Mom and match a pair of socks I previously made for her

As for the pattern, I tried several patterns and adapted to what we all wanted (longer ribbing, more stockinette between the wrist and the start of the thumb gusset, etc.).  These were all made with scrap yarn so it was a good use of scraps, except for Danielle’s – she picked what she wanted from my stash.

Danielle’s Birthday Bag (ok, so I’m a little late posting about it)

***Patons Classic 100% Merino Wool
Colors: Denim Marl and That’s Pink***

This is the Booga Bag I made for Danielle. It’s my second felted project. My first was a crocheted clog – can you say “yuck”? It’s in a landfill somewhere. I’m working on the Fiber Trends Felted Clogs now and like them much better. But I digress……back to Danielle. I made this in March for her May birthday but never blogged about it. In looking back in my Picasa, there are several things I still need to blog about so I’ll be doing some catch-up blogging. This was a really easy project and the pattern is free: http://www.blacksheepbags.com/booga_bag.html. Danielle picked out the colors – I designed the stripe pattern just randomly – she said she wanted stripes.  The first picture is obviously the finished project.

The second picture is the bag before felting – pretty already.

I then made I-cord handles. She told me how long she wanted them. I made them her desired length but she could have easily adjusted them shorter just by cutting them off if she wanted. She liked it just the way it was.

The last picture is the bag after felting, during the “stuff it and mold it and shape it and play around with it until it’s perfect” phase of felting. I put a box in it, which I had covered with plastic grocery bags, and the box was the perfect size so I was lucky.  I used the big box of Bisquick from Sam’s Club.

I LOVE felting and need to do more of it when I am done with Christmas gifts and my other works in progress.  Mark picked out another felted purse he thinks would be perfect for Danielle so………..that’s the one she’ll get for her next birthday.

Brrrrrrrrrrr

**Knit Picks Swish worsted (Dublin) and Knit Picks Essential (Tuscany Multi) added in for the wrist and finger contrast)**

Baby it’s cold outside – but that’s to be expected in Indiana in October. This is my first pair of knitted fingerless gloves. They were very easy and more gloves (finger and fingerless) are in the works. This is a fun project with a warm result.

Secret of the Stole III

**Grignasco Merinosilk #327 – pale pink – size 6/0 crystal beads – silver lined – size 4 circs**

Words escape me on my feelings for this project. Well, that’s not entirely true – those who know me know I have no shortage of words. Here are a few:

Overwhelming - I have never done lace before or knitted with beads. I started this project at least twenty times – then frogged – then started – over and over – thinking about it, it was probably closer to forty or fifty false-starts. I always finish a project once I start it, so I knew there was no backing out. I was sick for two weeks in the midst of it and that really put me behind. Mom had surgery – more slowing down. Last week, life slowed down and I kicked it into gear and finished it today .

Luxurious – The feel of this fiber combined with the lace aspect, then throw in there the beautiful design and the beads and it’s just heaven to touch.

Accomplishment – I thought knitting socks was hard to learn – until I met lace. Lace tried to kick my butt. I’m glad I completed it and will be even more thrilled once I block it. This has by far been my hardest knitting challenge, but………….in hindsight, I made it harder than it needed to be. I overthink things and that really made it harder on this one.

THANKS!! - There are lots of thanks to go around here. First and foremost, clearly this wouldn’t have come to fruition without the beautiful pattern. To DK (and Mr. K), I thank you for that. Look what you’ve created – another lace knitter in the world. I thank Maria for dragging me into this (oops – I mean encouraging me). I thank my family who has watched me color-coding my patterns with colored pencils at a birthday party so I could try to catch up to the deadline, who have realized that I won’t always answer the phone because I cannot be distracted while knitting lace, and who have oo’d and ah’d – even the three most important men in my life, who really probably don’t care about my lace

To DK – I’ll be back for your next creation – thanks!

More socks…………(Pair #23)

**Essential Tuscany Multi 24036 – Knit Picks**

These socks started out as just stockinette but were calling out for a pattern. I started over and did the cuff in an the hourglass eyelet pattern from one of Charlene Schurch’s books. What a difference! The foot was then done in plain stockinette. The first picture shows one leg done in stockinette and the other in the hourglass eyelet to show what a difference stitch patterns can make in the yarn.

SFS (Pairs #19-22)

**4 pair Regia 52 blue (sent off to be dyed olive drab)**
*Total 13 for SFS*

These four pair were team knit, with my friend Maria knitting the legs on her CSM, and the feet being knitted by me.

Socks for me (Pair #17)

**Regia 4 ply Canyon Colors – 2804**

Socks for Julie (Pair #16)

**Regia Multi Effekt Braun 5376**

Happy 50th birthday to my great friend Julie. The colors in this sock perfectly coordinate with Carrie’s fur. Julie asked if the beautiful model comes with the socks. I think not!

Socks for me (Pair #15)