Major Knitter

Oops! I Did It Again

I grabbed the next bit of Felici yarn in the rainbow color way and cast on for another pair of socks.

Just Peachy!

In just under a week, I finished my Peachy socks.

Details:

• Knit Picks Felici sock yarn in Peachy color way
• US Size 1 circular needles
• Magic Loop method
• Charlene Schurch's Garter Rib sock pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks
• See tip below for turning the heel and maintaining the broad stripe pattern

I noticed when I looked on Ravelry that other people who had knit top-down socks using Felici ended up with an awkward looking 1-2 round stripe just as they started the gusset.  This occured because most of the color from that stripe is used turning the heel.  So I decided to turn the heel and cut out the rest of that stripe's color.  Then I began picking up the stitches for the gusset just before the next stripe's color began.  This created a nice broad strip right at the gusset.  It's not as wide as the leg or the foot, but it works and doesn't have that awkwardness to it.

And when it's done an all woven in, it looks great.

And on a positive note, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Knit Picks Felici yarn.  I haven't purchased any sock yarn from Knit Picks since they first opened for business.  Back then, I wasn't too impressed with their sock yarn.  It was a bit "crunchy" and turned me off.  Felici has more than made up for that first bad impression.  This felt a lot like one of my favorite sock yarns - Regia - so I will definitely be knitting more socks with this yarn.  Plus, I just love the thick stripes and the yarn comes in so many wonderful colors.  I also bought some Felici in Rainbow when I purchased this yarn, so that will be knit up for my next pair of socks.

I highly recommend you go buy some Felici yarn for your next pair of socks.  You'll be tickled pink, or rainbow, or blue, or...

 

 

How to Fix Those Sore Aching Knitting Muscles

It's all coming back to me.  I have slowed down on my constant sock knitting this past year.  I thought I had just lost that lovin' feeling.  But now it's all coming back to me.  I knit on US Size 1 needles.  I knit a lot.  I knit quickly.  I knit until I'm done.  Put that all together and whenever I knit socks, I end up with a huge knot in the back of my shoulders.  I have such a knot this week.  It's mostly likely due to the fact that I knit not one, but two pairs of socks.  So I did what any sane knitter would do.  I went for a manicure/pedicure.

How does that make sense?  Well, I get a free massage with my mani/pedi.  And I needed some TLC on my toes... so it made sense to do both for the price of one.  Don't you love how my mind works?  

P.S.  Instead of giving it a rest, my logic continues that the faster I can finish these socks, the faster I can give my aching muscles a break.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

We have a winner ladies and gentlemen.  The Random Number Generator selected my 23rd comment as the winner... so blogless Theresa is our winner.  I think she deserves this as a perfect gift to the end of tax season for her.

Theresa - give me a shout and we'll settle up (e.g. mailing address, etc.)

Congratulations.  Thanks to everyone who reads my blog and comments regularly.  I really appreciate it.  

I know you'll love your new camouflage yarn.

Wilma the Guard Dog

She's multi-talented. But Guard Bulldog?

While the Children Play

We're at Six Flags New England for opening weekend. Secundogeniture and his friend are having fun despite the cold. I found a booth and a cup of hot coffee to sit, knit, and listen to my book while they're having fun.

I might finish these socks today. Not a bad use of my time. Not bad at all.

All*Stars

I have a Finishing Friday Object to share with you.  

My purple socks in my clear plastic All*Stars.  Fun!

Socks Again

I haven't been knitting socks like I used to in the good ol' days, but I have a pair on the needles that are making some progress of late.

 

The yarn is unlabeled yarn from my stash.  One of my readers identified it as possibly being Opal sock yarn.  These are plain vanilla top down stockinette socks with a traditional heel flap.  They're my go to socks.  I know the needles, # of stitches, yarn I prefer and I can basically make them with my eyes closed.  They practically knit themselves.

 

RSS Feed Recommendations Anyone?

As many of you, I am very frustrated that Google Reader abruptly announced last month that it would be discontinuing its RSS reader service this summer.  That's it.  No suggestions about how to switch, or anything.  Just good bye.  Screw you.  We don't really care that you use our service.  We're going to take our ball and go home.

Grrrr.

I haven't decided what to do yet.  BF is switching to Twitter since almost all the blogs he read are also on twitter.  Only a fraction of my blogs have Twitter.  BTW, I'm majorknitter on Twitter if you want to follow me there.

What are your suggestions for the switch?  Which RSS reader do you like best and why?

I suspect readership will go down even more without Google Reader.  Sigh.

Please comment with your ideas and suggestions.  Inquiring minds want to know.

Wilma on Wednesday - Nap Time

It's always nap time for Wilma.  When she gets up from one nap, she's ready for the next.

You can almost feel the sandpaper-like roughness of her tongue.  I just wish you could hear her snore.

G'night.  Sleep tight Girly Girl.