Fred and George have a bath

Fred and George have had their bath (much to Molly Weasley's delight, I imagine) and are drying outside. I say that with great optimism, because the weather is foolishly humid, and it might take quite some time before they're dry enough to take their place in my sock drawer. I really enjoyed making these socks (once I got past worrying about how much slack to leave on the yarn carry-overs.) They went quickly, and will be a joy to wear this winter. I plan to break them out December 1 and wear them, often, all month. Next up... Dragon's Egg Socks from the same Unofficial Harry Potter Knits magazine. I've cast on using KnitPicks Stroll Fingering in Sunset Multi. I made a huge mistake, thought. I cast on last night, did the suggested inch of cuff and jumped right into the Quidditch chart. After doing an entire 25 rows of the chart, I went back to see when the 2nd chart was to be knit - the one on the following page. Whoops. That "next" chart was supposed to be knit BEFORE the Quidditch chart. Rip rip rip rip.   Oh well. It's all fun, right?

Fred and George Socks Dragon's Egg Socks, after the ripping

All the Unofficial Harry Potter Socks

I am nearly finished with sock #1 of Fred and George from the Unofficial Harry Potter magazine. I love it.  Can't wait to do #2. The color work always gives me pause - I am still learning how much slack to give the carried-behind yarn so that the sock will still stretch enough to go on. 

I think I want to do the other 3 socks in the magazine, too. Sock Summer!

It's All About the Socks (Apparently)

I have finally finished my Narcissa socks. They were an adventure, to say the least. I do not love doing the picot cuff, but it looks pretty. The pattern repeat didn't work too well with my usual method of sock knitting - magic loop on circular needles.

It just didn't divide well, so for sock #2, I sucked it up and got a set of dpns (lovely ones from KnitPicks - Caspian - loved working with them) and put each repeat on a needle of its own. Having the work divided over three needles did the trick, and the leg of sock 2 went very well. (I'll admit that I switched back to my trusty Sock Rockets for the heel and foot... )  They've had their bath in Soak Wash and are blocked and dry and ready to wait for cooler weather.

Next up... Fred and George, also from the Unofficial Harry Potter magazine.

Getting Ready for Rhinebeck

I have a Rhinebeck sweater. I'm working on another. I really need to stop that and get my wheel out, since I'm taking a class (I sound so blase about it... quite the opposite!) I was lucky enough to get a coveted spot in the sold-out Jillian Moreno, Yarnitecture: Building Exactly the Yarn You Want class. I'm feeling half excited, and half terrified that my spinning isn't up to snuff, and that I'll be shamed out of the class. Luckily, fiber folks tend to be accepting, kind, and helpful. I can "spin a consistent yarn" as the class requires, it's just that I spin the same yarn every time.  Boring.

This is where I am with sweater #2.  It's a pattern from the new Amy Herzog CustomFit system. I couldn't stop myself from casting on and knitting like crazy. Using some lovely Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Shire Heather .I'm about 15 rounds away from splitting and shaping the arm holes. I have a week. Plus work. Plus kids. Plus spinning. No pressure, right?

In other news, I've had sales of my Roadtrip to Rhinebeck sock pattern to strangers. Non-family/friends have bought it. ::Happy Dance:: 

{I really do love these socks. As soon as Rhinebeck is over, I'm back to designing - I've got a Fingerless Mitt pattern bounding around in my head, begging to be knit and written up.}

Roadtrip to Rhinebeck Pattern available!

Holy nerves. I've published Roadtrip to Rhinebeck.

Second Sock Syndrome

Sock one. Dog in the background
hoping for a treat.

I love knitting socks, and have never suffered from second sock syndrome. Until now.

I am forcing myself to make the second sock. I don't like this pattern. It's not a bad pattern. It's well written. It's creating a very pretty sock. Great designer. But it has a yarn over at the end of two of the rows in the lace pattern. I hate that. It's making me crazy. I was trying to do the pattern as written - needles included - since it's from the Sock Knitters Master Class book. The yo at the end of the row on 4 double point needles was making me pretty stabby. Not a good place to be when you're already holding little weapons. I switched to my standard circular needle and it's better now.

The upside, is that I love the Knit Picks yarn I chose. 

Of course (never fails), the birthday for which these socks are being knit is approaching very quickly. Guess I know what I'll be doing tonight...

Slip-n-Slide

The call of the Sock Knitting Master Class book was too great. I'd drooled over it for too long. The Hitchhiker shawl only used about 8 rows of the 2nd skein of yarn, so what else do you do with the 'left over' yarn but make socks! I'm a bit farther than that now - after last night's Bones marathon with the cop who was unexpectedly off work last night. I'm about to start the heel. Exciting stuff.

Of course, these days, Slip and Slide is more than the name of a fabulous sock pattern. It snowed last night. Again. Happily, it was only a few inches of powdery fluff - stuff I could sweep off the steps with a broom. Miracle of miracles, our road is in better shape than most in the city right now. This never happens. Usually we wait for days for the appearance of a plow. I am just really happy that the cop gave in and allowed me my 'dream car'.  I'd missed my Blazer a lot. ::a lot:: I've used the 4wd on my new baby many times already this season - including today - just to get traction on the slick snow-covered high school driveway. I'd had a bad feeling about weather this season. The last few years have been too tame. We're due. At least I can enjoy it a little again now that I have an appropriate vehicle.

Socks and Sweater

Let the selfish knitting begin! My Christmas gift {Thanks Mom and Brother!} order from Knit Picks arrived and now I have a horrible case of cast-on-itis.

Downloaded the sweater pattern {Sullivan} that's been in my queue for ages. I've got a whole pile of Wool of the Andes in Shire Heather just waiting to be knit up into a sweater.

Yarn for THREE pairs of socks, and the Sock Knitter's Master Class book to work through. Only two sets of the socks yarn for that though... the other is a wonderful blue that is going to become TARDIS socks. YES!