Major Knitter

The Old Swap-a-Rooni

January is nearly done and I haven't even begun the latest installment of the Knitting Central Sock Club Socks.  I received two lovely skeins of Koigu KPM in a magenta color.  Not my favorite color family.  As luck would have it, my friend Joanne offered to swap her bluish gray Koigu KPM with me.  So swap we  did.

 

I'm much happier with my new color - Koigu KPM Color 10 - Dye Lot 057.  It's more me than the magenta ever could be.  So now it sits in my sock knitting basket for future socks that beg me to knit them. 

Please pay no attention to the other 3 sock yarns hiding in the basket. 

Help!  Knit me!  Knit me!  I'm trapped in this basket and can't get out.

Did you hear that?

No?  I didn't think so.  Me neither.

Frogging Friday - Uninspiring Fingerless Mitts

Today is the first time since starting the Finish or Frog It KAL that I've actually decided to frog something.  I found this pair of fingerless mitts that I started, I believe, in September 2006.

 

I made up the pattern myself. The yarn was something I purchased at Lettuce Knits on a trip BF and I took to Toronto.  I can't find the label so I can't remember exactly what it is.

 

With the help from the Ravelry Discussion Board for "How to Frog" and "How to Repurpose Yarn" I unraveled my knitting.

 

I wound it up in large loops and tied it in four spots.

 

I soaked it in the sink with lukewarm water and some soap.

 

After rinsing the yarn (which immediately lost it's Ramen Noodle look), I hung it in the laundy room and weighed it down with some Campbell's Tomato Soup.  This yarn is a cashmere blend and I think it will someday become a lovely pair of socks.  For now I'm just thrilled to have finally frogged an unwanted project.

PS - I only used the soup cans to weigh down the yarn for a few minutes.  Just to make sure the yarn was straight.  I didn't want it to take out all the spring from this lovely yarn.

Is It a Finishing or a Frogging Friday?

   

I have a few decisions to make today for Finish or Frog It Friday.

 

Will I finish Secundogeniture's socks?

 

Or will I finish the knitting loom hat for a preemie?  I started this one today with Laura from the elementary school knitting program to make hats for Save The Children.  She stopped over today to borrow my looms for another knitting project she's doing.  We sat, loomed and chatted for a bit.  It was a wonderful way to spend the morning.

 

Will I finish or frog these Lace Spring Socks?

 

Or will I finish or frog these fingerless gloves from 2 years ago?

Bright Shiny Object

This week I went to my LYS - Knitting Central -in search of a pattern for the Felted Clog Slippers by Fiber Trends for Secundogeniture. While I was there, they were unpacking a new shipment of sock yarn.  I had no intention of purchasing any sock yarn this week, but then I was distracted by the bright shiny object.

 

No!  Not that bright shiny object (although brand new pennies always fascinate me).  This one:

 

It's scrumptious Misti Alpaca Hand Paint  Sock Yarn Fingering in Color 08.  What's not to love  - Alpaca, Merino Wool, Silk and Nylon.  Y-U-M-M-Y!

When I showed Secundogeniture my new purchase yesterday, I asked him if he liked this new sock yarn and he quickly replied "For me?"  When I told him "Yes" his eyes really lit up.  Gotta love this son-o-mine who adores hand-knit socks. 

 

Here he is trying to look nonchalant with Wilma the would-be-lap-dog.  She's not a lap dog you say?  Try telling her that.  Here's another view so you can see how she truly loves this lap business.

 

This can't be comfortable - and yet she loves it.  She actually begs to climb up.  It's Wilma's new antic of the week.  Ooh - and I see that Secundogeniture is wearing a favorite pair of handknit socks.  See.  I wasn't lying.  He really does love them.

 

Here's the progress on these socks.  They're not the most exciting knitting you've ever seen, but the yarn is lovely and so very soft.  I actually enjoy knitting stockinette socks.  Mindless.  Small.  Portable.  Perfect.

• US Size 2 needles
• Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock Yarn Fingering
• CO 60 sts
• K2, P2 ribbing for cuff
• Basic stockinette sock with a heel flap.
• Smile on Secundogeniture's face - PRICELESS!

Sometimes it's OK to get distracted by the latest bright shiny object.  Don't you agree?

The Long Winter

As a child, I read all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books.  This past month has brought back a lot of memories of The Long Winter.  Today was yet another snow day.  The boys are thrilled.  I'm slightly less so.  I did manage to finish the yellow baby booties.  I took advantage of the winter wonderland to snap my picture outdoors.

I knit this pair of Christine's Stay-On Baby Booties using some Tamm Bebe yarn from a trip to Mexico.  While the baby booties turned out fine, the yarn is horrific to knit with.  Too bad as I was thinking of making a little matching hat. 

But the long winter has inspired me not only to knit and shovel snow, but to also cook some hearty winter meals.  Yesterday I made a roast in the slow cooker

 

It was actually quite tasty.  Best of all, I have leftovers for today.  Yum.

I hope you're surviving this long winter.  Stay warm.  Make a pot of soup.  Curl up with your favorite knitting project.  Think warm thoughts.

My First Etsy Sales

I opened my Etsy Shop (Major Knitter's PX) and had my first two sales this week!

 

A pair of these Boy Scout sock ornaments will help send boys to summer camp, on campouts or even, if I'm lucky enough, send someone to BSA's Centennial Jamboree in 2010.  One week at summer camp is $270.  If I knit 36 miniature sock ornaments and sell all of them, I'll be able to send one boy to summer camp.  If I knit 200 miniature socks, I'll be able to send one Scout to the 2010 Centennial Jamboree. How cool is that? 

I also have my Knit Notes for sale in my shop and some Red Sox ornaments. Check it out.

The Giant Sock of Greytown

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Start your engines.  James of Fibre Alive is having a knit-a-long for the 2010 Giant Sock of Greytown and he's asking you to knit your part.  Read the details HERE.  In the meantime, get our your needles, knit up a 10 cm x 10 cm swatch that has some personal significance to you.

I haven't decided what I'll knit - but if I have leftover yarn from the Kaffe Fassett Floral Jacket, that might be the thing I'll knit.

Happy knitting!

Another Pair of Christine's Stay-On Baby Booties

BF and I drove to the evening celebration of the Bar Mitzvah celebration earlier tonight.  It was held at the Bronx Zoo, which is about a 45 minute drive from our house.  I was now at a point where I had to pay close attention to the Sweet Heart Baby Blanket, so I chose a different knitting project for tonight's drive.

 

I picked up a skein of yellow Tamm Bebe (a Mexican yarn), some US Size 1 dpns and the pattern for the Christine's Stay-On Baby Booties and away we went.  I managed to knit both ways in the car and nearly finished the first bootie.  Did I mention I like this pattern?  The best part about knitting for twins is that you get to test each pattern twice.  I'm becoming a whiz at this pattern.

Next in the Finishing Rotation

BF and I are attending a two-part Bar Mitzvah today.  This means about 3 hours in the car.  After getting dressed for the religious ceremony this morning, I quickly assessed my Ravelry Project WIP/UFO list and grabbed the easiest mindless knitting at hand - the second Sweetheart Baby Blanket.

 

Ravelry tells me that I started this project on October 8, 2008.  So it's barely even a UFO.  It really counts more as a WIP.  At least in my book.  But it seems the easiest to finish by next Friday.  This could be dangerous as it will mean I'm leaving all the hard ones for last. 

I'm using US size 6 needles, 6 skeins of Plymouth Encore in Ivy Blue Mix (which I think is a deep lovely shade of amethyst purple)  At this point, I only have an Excel spreadsheet for this pattern that I created.  If you'd like to make it - I'll be happy to share my spreadsheet with you - but there isn't much in the way of instructions - just the graph. 

I think this might end up being my signature baby blanket.  I gifted the original Sweetheart Baby Blanket to my neighbor at a baby shower yesterday.  This one will most likely go to another friend who is expecting in March.  Is it just me or is everyone having a baby in February/March this year?

Finishing Friday - Christine's Stay-On Booties

   

Two finished objects in two days.  What is the world coming to?  The unfortunate part is that this was not part of the thirteen WIPs/UFOs on my Ravelry Project list.  I never managed to even log it onto the list.  But it's finished just the same and that feels great.  I love this pattern for Christine's Stay-On Booties.  It's a great way to use up some leftover sock yarn or some baby yarn.

 

I used leftover Lang Jawoll in brown and US Size 1 dpns.  These are one of my favorite baby gifts.  They're cute.  They're quick.  They're teeny-tiny.  Everyone goes "Awwww".  It's an all around win-win knit-uation.