Pleased as Punch

Don't you just love it when something you thought was going to take a long time to knit just seems to fly off the needles? That's how I feel about the monstrous mutant gift mansocks tonight.

Last night I took this photo when I was done knitting for the night. I'm quite pleased with the way the pattern is knitting up. It looked fine in chart form, but you know how that can be sometimes.



Tonight I've made quite a bit more progress and have finished with all the wording. The rest of the sock will be repeats of the stripe patterns, with a solid red heel and toe. I thought I would be laboring over these right up until the day they needed to be given to the recipient, but at the rate they are knitting up, I will be done next week, with tons of time to spare. Good thing too, since I will probably need that extra time for the other gift that needs to be completed. Photos of that project maybe this weekend.



And, since I'm sure I will be asked .......

Mitten Maven, I think I can alter this to fit a woman's foot if you're willing to knit with fingering weight on size 0's.

Gifts, socks, and a mystery solved

A package was waiting for me yesterday when I got home from work. When I saw the return address, I just knew what was inside and immediately tore into it. Aren't these great! I love them .... thank you soooo much bfmomma! These are going to come in so handy in my craft room once I start decluttering and organizing.

Now I'm really feeling guilty since I haven't gotten one nibble on my offer to Pay It Forward. I might have take some creative license with the concept in order to not be the one to break the chain.



And look what else was in the box! Her daughter made me some stitch markers. Isn't that the sweetest? Tell her I said thank you. I'm sure these will be seen in photos of works in progress on the blog in short time.



There wasn't quite as much knitting done last week as I thought there would be what with Paul being out of town. My neck has been bothering me again so I didn't push it too much.

I did get one of the Solstice Slip socks done, and am 1/2 way through the foot of the second. Should be able to get these finished up this weekend.



Last night I pulled out one of the gift projects I need to get finished up in September. Don't need to worry too much about posting photos here, since I'm 99% sure the recipient spends zero time on the computer. Yep, it's another pair of monstrous mutant mansocks. This time in a fair isle pattern of my own design. Sure hope these turn out as great as I planned.



I also did a few more inches of the Double Eyelet sock. Since these are for me, I'm not too worried about getting them done quickly.



And, last but not least .... Mystery Solved!! I finally finished the last clue of Mystery Stole 3 and did the blocking last night. Ignore the mess surrounding the poor thing. The only place I have that has enough room and enough light for the photo was my horribly cluttered and disorganized craft room.



Unless I get so close you can't see but a few inches of the stole you can't see the beads, but take it on faith that they do show up and sparkle quite nicely when the light hits them.



Ooooh look! I didn't even realize my toes were in this photo until I uploaded it to the blog LOL. Drats, should have painted the toenails last night!



I chose to block the "wing" section into points as that seemed appropriate to the feather pattern. Can't wait for fall to get here now so I can wear it out.

3 more down!

Paul is out of town once again, so this week should be chock full of FO's to share. I always seem to be so productive knittingwise when I have evenings alone.

Sunday I put the finishing touches on the Crosshatch Lace Socks.



And Monday I finished up these little guys. Aren't they cute? These are the Little Coriolis socks from "New Pathways for Sock Knitters". Can't wait to cast on a pair of socks from this book in my size.



Also finished up Monday night is the fourth washcloth planned for completion in August.



Since I finished up so many of my projects early this week, I decided to give in to the urge to cast on a new one. Grabbed some kitchen cotton from the stash and cast on an Everlasting Bagstopper.



Tonight I pulled out the Solstice Slip socks and completed the first foot. Hopefully these will be finished before I receive my next club shipment.

Socks, socks, and more socks

It's been another one of those weeks at work so I've been a bit lax in my blogging. There has been knitting going on however.

The second Crosshatch Lace sock is progressing well. This photo was taken 2 nights ago, and the sock is at the heel turn right now. I think I'll be able to finish this weekend.



I purchased Cat Bordhi's new book "New Pathways For Sock Knitters" last weekend. Very cool stuff in there! Finished my first pair of "practice" socks last night. Gotta love how quick baby socks knit up! I see a few more pair in my future to help me catch up to where I need to be in the 52 Pair Plunge. By my count I am lagging behind by 6 pair.



Tonight I finished up the third of the four dishcloths I set a goal for in August. The fourth is being worked up in a smooth cotton/linen blend yarn so is destined to become another facecloth to add to my bathroom.



I've also cast on my second pair of "practice" socks using a different technique from New Pathways. This is such an interesting technique for sock construction. Can't wait to see how it works up in this little pair!



Earlier this week, Aunt Gerry asked where I had gotten my Sea Silk yarn. I purchased that little bit of lovliness from The Loopy Ewe. Now I need to find just the right pattern for it.

Finished up the first Crosshatch Lace sock this afternoon. I love this pattern, and think I'll be using it again in the future. This yarn (Online Summer Cotton) worked great with the pattern. The color changes were just suble enough to not obliterate the lace, and the lace is not so busy as to detract from the striping in the yarn.



I also pulled out the Clementine Shawlette, which has been ignored for the past few days. A few more increase rows and I can put the pattern away and just knit til I run out of yarn. I'm thinking I might make a beaded ring to help my MIL keep this in place around her shoulders. The KP Ambrosia yarn is a dream to work with, and I will probably stock up on some to make myself a sweater with.



After finishing up the first Crosshatch Lace sock, I decided to pull out another pair to work on for a bit. Although I have others which have been on the needles longer, I chose the Double Eyelet socks I shouldn't have cast on last week. I'm getting close to the gusset increases. These are knitting up much quicker than I thought they would. Sock Princess asked for the link to the pattern. It can be found on The Loopy Ewe blog and is courtesy of Wendy at Wendy Knits!



Tomorrow: Mystery Stole Clue 6, and hopefully quite a bit of progress on the second Crosshatch Lace sock.

More goals met

2 down 2 to go! Finished up the second of the four dishcloths for August tonight. Did much better with the color for this one since it was one of the "make up" dishcloths and I had the benefit of seeing a finished picture of it.



Woohoo!! Finished the second Cable Rib sock for Paul tonight too. Those last few rounds of ribbing were sheer torture I tell you. The yarn was great to work with, and the pattern was easy, but miles of k2 p1 ribbing for monstrous mutant manfeet were sucking the sock knitting mojo out of me. I don't think I've ever been so happy to be finished with a project before .... with the exception of the Afghan From Hell that is. Now that I think about it, that project was for Paul too. Maybe I should think twice before allowing him to pick what I make for him in the future!



The next sock on the list of "need to finish" projects is the Crosshatch Lace socks for me. I made some progress on them when the Cable Rib socks became too much for my eyes to take in the evenings. I really like this pattern and don't forsee much getting in the way of me completing them soon.



Unless, of course, I can't stop myself from casting on new socks! Perhaps I should change the title of my blog to "Memoirs of an Obsessive Compulsive Cast On Addict"! I have absolutely no willpower where yarn is concerned. I can't stop buying it, and once purchased, I can't wait to cast on a new project. I tried so hard to resist this time too, but the call of that yummy Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn I bought finally got me. I gave in and cast on yet another pair of socks. I love the pattern (Double Eyelet Rib from Wendy of Wendy Knits ) This yarn is yummy too. I'll definitely be purchasing more of it in the future.



Now, if I can only resist the urge to wind up and cast on my latest purchase from The Loopy Ewe! The colors did not photograph as beautiful as they really are. Pictured there is Chewy Spaghetti Fingering in Fresh, The Knittery Merino Cashmere Sock in Daisy, and Handmaiden Sea Silk in Lily Pond. I had to take all 3 skeins down to the craft room and lock them in for fear I would snap and cast on another 3 pair of socks to add to the ever increasing pile of partially completed ones (which now have their very own knitting bag!).



I'm such a hopeless case!

The best laid plans .....

Finished up clue 5 yesterday afternoon. I wish the stole was on a longer cable needle now, as this 32" one isn't conducive to good pictures with the short rows. I can't wait to finish this. It's such an intriguing shape.



Although I haven't woven in the ends yet, I am officially done with the first of the 4 dishcloths I want to have done this month. The second is about 1/2 done, and should be done this week. Wish I had taken a look at the suggested colors list before starting to knit this one. Oh well, a green dolphin in green seas makes for creative dishwashing!



Laughingrat asked if the grey speckled yarn was what I had bought from her last year. Why yes indeedy it is. It is working up into the softest socks you can imagine and Paul loves them. Thank you so much for the custom dye job :o) Check out Laughing Rat Studios for some great choices. She even sells spinning fiber!



I was so sure that I would finish up the second Cable Rib sock tonight. Alas I have only knit 2 more repeats since this photo was taken last night. Ever have one of those projects on the needles that you just want to be done with already, but the closer you get to the finishing, the slower you seem to knit? These socks unfortunately are one of those projects. Since I knit while watching tv in bed, and the light isn't so bright, I have a hard time with the dark colors in this yarn at times. I get much more done on them on the weekends when the light is coming through the window, but during the week, knitting on these is a bit of a strain on my eyes.

I have decided to choose the next pair of socks in the pile that need to be completed and alternate working on the Cable Rib socks and those. Soooooo Paul will just have to wait until later this week to have his completed pair.

Y'all are giving me a complex!

I know I don't have a huge blog following, but there isn't a single one of you few loyal readers who wants a handmade gift from me? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I'm going to feel guilty as all get out when bfmomma sends me something and I can't keep the Pay It Forward meme going. Can't I tempt anyone with beaded stitch markers with a beaded box to keep them in ....... a beaded dpn holder ....... a felted crochet hook/dpn holder ....... fair isle hand warmers?

I did finish up the knitting on Tailored Scallops on Wednesday, and did the seaming last night. Today she is in the craft room blocking. I really wasn't sure about this jacket as I was knitting, but now that it's all put together I like it. I used just shy of 9 balls of Queensland Collection Delhi and made the small size with no modifications.



As soon as I had finished the seaming on Tailored Scallops last night, I pulled out the Mystery Stole. I am about 75% done with clue 5. Should finish it up tomorrow afternoon.



Finally made a decision on which socks to complete first. Since Paul's Cable Rib socks have been sitting on the needles so long, and quite frankly, I'm tired of looking at them, they won. Only 2 more repeats of the cable pattern til I get to the heel. If I am able to continue tomorrow at the rate I've knit today, these should be done Monday night.



Not much knitting done on the Clementine Shawlette, but I did do a few rows here and there this week. I will concentrate on that more next week. And, I'm almost done with 2 dishcloths! Looks like I might actually meet those goals I set :o)

Pay It Forward

I got this from bfmomma.

Pay It Forward meme

I will send a handmade gift* to the first three people who leave a comment requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet, but you will receive it within 6 months. The only thing you have to do in return is "pay it forward" by making a similar agreement on your journal.

You may choose a gift from the following handmade categories:
-knitting
-crocheting
-beading

*The "gift" you send doesn't have to be handmade--choose your specs when you post it on your blog.

What happens when you don't set goals ....

At the beginning of the year, I was doing so good at finishing up my projects. Yes, I always had several on the needles, but I set monthly goals for myself and pretty much stuck to them. I think May was the last month I did that and ever since, my in progress knitting bags have been a mess. Too many projects started, can't decide which to work on, all are calling my name and begging for attention, and I spend more time digging around looking for what I think I want to work on then I do actually knitting on anything.

It's getting out of hand, and has to stop. I've decided that August will be the month I get back on track and make the most of my knitting time again. First on my list of "need to get done" is the Mystery Stole. Each Friday when I get the new clue, I will knit on the stole until it is complete. With that in mind, I pulled out clue 4 and got busy. I finished up the final row of the clue last night.



Next on the list for August is to complete Tailored Scallops. I am at the cap shaping on the second sleeve now and hope to have it finished tonight. Tomorrow night will be the blocking and seaming. No photo tonight since it's just more of the same that's been shown already.

After Tailored Scallops is complete, I will concentrate on the Clementine Shawlette for my MIL. I really should work on something that's been languishing, but this is a gift and hence is an exception to my self imposed first on the needles, first off the needles rule of thumb. I did work on it a bit over the weekend and finished chart B.



Also for August, I need to start getting caught up on the Monthly Dishcloth KAL projects. I ignored them most of the year so have quite a few to knit to get caught up. Along with completing the current month's dishcloths I'd like to complete at least 2 of the ones I skipped earlier in the year.

I haven't decided yet which order the socks will be completed in, but I do need to finish at least 3 pair by month's end. If I don't I doubt I will ever get caught up for the 52 Pair Plunge.

That's a lot of knitting folks ....... wish me luck!!