Spring Forward socks

Pattern: "Spring Forward by Linda Welch"
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Spring Frost
needles: 2.0mm
started: Jan 16 2009
finished: Feb 21 2009(felted on the 17th)
Notes: Regular k1p1 ribbing instead of the twisted ribbing. I'm just not a fan of the twisted rib. Worked over 77 stitches instead of 66. did a modified short row heel. And a round toe.


finally I finished these socks. They took me way longer than they should have. The pattern is easy to memorize. But kinda boring at the same time. I started them because they were suppose to be a fast knit. But I got bored with them quickly. I'm also still iffy about this yarn. I've used it before. Really disliked working with it the first time. But love LOVE how this washes up. So soft. This time the knitting wasn't as bad (well other than being bored with the pattern), but its just not my favorite to work with. I knit it up on 2.0mm needles, normal for me with socks (with this yarn I got about 9st/inch). But I feel like it should have been knit at a tighter gauge. Only to knit tighter would have killed my hands and been VERY unenjoyable. They just dont feel right on the bottoms of my feet when I walk tho. Hopefully washing will change that. But the last pair doesn't quite "feel" right either. I can already tell that these will wash up just as nice as last time I used the yarn. I at first did a wedge toe then when I frogged and reknit you could already tell the yarn was "broken" in and nicer. I got this yarn in a trade (thanks "Cheryl"!). I had purple (already knit), black (got really cheap, then traded off for something better), and pink (still in stash); I honestly dont see myself buying this yarn again. Its a really great price and comes in some gorgeous colors. But I just can't get past knitting with it. Maybe if I had a sock machine. Because they really do wash up amazingly soft. and so far hold up really well. I can't see a lick of wear on the other pair I have with this yarn. Its a love/hate relationship at this point. Not horrible to knit with, just not my favorite. Perhaps next time I should try washing before I knit. See if that makes me change my mind about the yarn.

In other news after knitting mojo came back and I picked these socks back up. I broke my first dpn. This is one of my size 2.0mm harmony needles that I snapped while knitting this sock.



I'm still really happy with this needle set and would buy them again. Luckily right now I dont have to. I already had 2 sets in this size, since its my most common size to knit with. That and after this many years of knitting, perhaps it was time that I broke a needle. I know it happens to some knitters way more often than this.

The Big Reveal!

This was delivered to my house yesterday.









I took the picture of the open box then failed to get another picture until it was all unpacked. I just got excited. Then when we put it together same thing happened. Will have to work on this picture blogging thing, hehe.

After the fiber festival last fall I started saving up my pennies for another wheel. I got about half of what I needed and hit a roadblock (also known as christmas). Then with tax return money we were able to order my wheel. I talked to a couple dealers in NZ. Because of the exchange rate right now you can get them cheaper if you order from NZ or in my case from "Wolly Designs" in Colorado. Tracy the owner lets his rates float with the exchange rate. I saved about $200 over what other us dealers were asking for the wheel. Tracy was even able to quote me about $50 less than other NZ dealers. So I ordered the wheel and 3 extra bobbins. YAY!

My Majacraft Rose spinning wheel.
which has these features (taken from maja's website)
- includes the Rose Carrier which can be used as a 3-bobbin lazy kate. The carrier has rubber feet, a convenient carry handle, whorl holding pin and a magnet to store the whorl allen key
- has a normal and fast whorl, two flyers with delta and fine fibre orifice
- ratios extend from 4.25 to 19.5 using the whorls supplied
- includes four bobbins
- the handle folds to allow easy handling
- the handle and head position are adjustable so you can achieve the most comfortable spinning position
- suits both left and right handed spinners
- the Rose uses the dependable scotch tension for smooth and easy spinning.

Nathan's slippers II

Needed a project to take my mind off the mittens. This worked perfectly. A quick project that I could finish with one days work.



Pattern: "Children's Felt Clogs (CH-38)"
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Firecracker heather
needles: US 13
started: Feb 16 2009
finished: Feb 16 2009(felted on the 17th)
Notes: A tiny bit big, but I’m sure he’ll grow into them. I’m not a fan of how fuzzy this yarn got when felted. IMO patons does much nicer



When I was going to get info on the clogs that's when I realized "hey I never blogged the first pair". So here are the first pair.


Pattern: "Children's Felt Clogs (CH-38)"
Yarn: Patons classic merino in grey and forest green (from stash)
needles: us 13
started: Dec 20 2008
finished: Dec 21 2008
notes: love this pattern. so quick and easy and they are cute.

I like the two color version much better. Since making 2 pair Justin has requested a pair. I have the adult pattern (had it longer than the childrens). So I guess I'll cast on him a pair soon. If he cares for any of the yarn upstairs. If not he will have to go shopping first. I much prefer the way patons classic merino felts to how the KP did. The KP got a lot fuzzier than the patons. Which I guess some people like. It might be a design feature for certain patterns. Not sure it is for these tho. when I make them again I'll stick with the patons. Although I also have some of the ella rae classic leftover from CPH maybe I'll swatch and see how that felts up.

I also realized a couple other projects I failed to blog. I might make an update projects blog tomorrow. Well see how inspired I am once I wake up (hehe).

mitten disaster!

So after taking a break from knitting. It was a shock for me too. I just had no energy and no motivation to pick anything up. I finally picked up and finished the second lillyfield mitten. Well or so I thought. I got to the thumb part when I realized I screwed up.





See the mistake? Can't believe I did that. I had thrown the first mitten in the bottom of the knitting bag and started the second. I didn't think "hmmm I should pull the first out and double check that I'm knitting the right one". Instead I just knit. I pulled the first out because I wanted to try them both on. See what I thought. Make sure sizing was ok. See if my gauge changed between mittens. That sort of thing. :( no need to finish the thumb since who needs two left mittens!

You can also see color dominance at work here. check the two out (neither have been blocked. the plan was to finish and block together). See how on one the white pops more and on the other the red does. Yeah I didn't really mean to do that either. I had just forgotten which one I did. And color dominance doesn't bother me to much as long as its consistent through the single work. With socks or mittens I don't mine if one hand has a different than the other. But I thought I'd point it out. Its not eye popping in your face, but its there.

Now to go cry because I was so excited about finally finishing this project just to learn that I still need to knit a second mitten! ahhhhhh!