Knitting with wire

I'm developing a new obsession...sorta. Still knitting related but knitting with wire and beads instead of yarn.


I made this bracelet above for my friends birthday. Nothing too spectacular, but very fun to experiment with. The wire is just beading wire (28 gauge) and the beads are just a Czech Glass Mix. I wrote down the pattern and it's posted on Ravelry if you're interested in making one. Super easy.

Rav link to pattern

After this bracelet, I still have wire and beads left over. So I experimented a bit making a pendant.



It's cute. I'll be wearing it next time I have to dress up for work. I still have wire and beads left (along with an older stash I have from jewelry kicks in the past)...so I'll be experimenting some more.

Show-off some pooling

RSC July Spoiler

So I just finished my first Show-off sock with my July Socks that Rock shipment. As you can see, the leg came out one big spiral or colors. Not the greatest look. But, when I got to the heel it changed up.




I am liking the weird pooling on the foot. The top part is all red and green and the under side is all yellow. Then the yarn started to completely shift at the toe. The yellow began to spiral in the opposite direction.

I've started the leg of sock #2 and it's still pooling differently then the first. It looks like the leg will be another spiral only it's looking like a more gradual spiral. I wonder what the foot will come out to be on this one...?

The first sock fits great. Can't wait to get a pair (although I think they will be fraternal twins).

Handmade Soap

No, I didn't make the soap. I received it as a gift from my boyfriend's brother. His brother lives in Africa and purchased the soap from a local women who sells handmade items for extra money. Since I have never used handmade soap before I feel a little weird just using it like normal soap. (I know that's a bit strange). I had some sugar and cream cotton in my stash that had been unused for a long time. I found a pattern in one of my one skein books, 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders for a soap holder (I guess they are like a washcloth/exfoliater that goes around soap). I never thought I'd make one of these. We'll see if it was a waste of time...

Showing off July Socks that Rock

Rockin' Sock Club Spoiler Alert!

My Socks the Rock July shipment arrived this passed Wednesday. Earlier then scheduled. It's a good thing I feel like knitting socks again! I love the colorway but am ho hum on the pattern with it. It's a cute pattern but I don't think it will do the yarn justice. So I've decided to knit a different pattern. I'm making one I had just favorited on Ravelry the day before the shipment arrived.

First off...the yarn. The color is called Garden Haze and it's a bright combination of garden vegetable colors; red, green, and yellow. Very bright and not something I would choose myself, but that's part of the fun of the sock clubs.

The pattern that was shipped with the July kit is an ankle sock called In Season and is designed by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. I'll probably end up making it later - it's cute but I'd rather use the yarn for something that shows off the colors more.

While on Ravelry I came across a pattern called Show-off Stranded Socks. It's a free pattern by Anne Campbell (also can be found as a PDF on her website). This is the same designer of the Circle socks...which I've already made 2 pairs of. I find her patterns well written and simple yet impressive when they are done. These show-offs are so simple to make; I looked at the pattern when I first started and haven't needed it since.

So far the fabric it's creating is so pretty. There's a nice texture and it almost looks ribbed. Here's a close up of the pattern so far:

Finished!

Beware - this post contains spoilers for those who have not received their Woolgirl June shipment!

First...Happy 4rth! Or at least happy belated 4rth! I was going to post yesterday but I wasn't feeling up for the task. This picture isn't from this year (it's from several years ago), but still appropriate. Greg and I went to the fireworks display this year in Boston. I had never been to the ones here and thought I really needed to go. It really was the best show I've seen. Totally worth the crowds and standing around waiting and the drunk people singing patriotic songs totally off key.

Now onto some knitting. And the spoiler shots. A couple weeks ago I received another Woolgirl sock club shipment. I love LOVE the package. It was well put together and the yarn is very pretty. Totally not something I would have chosen for myself, but I love it. I took some pics when I got it:




Since I'm on such a lace kick lately, I decided to make the Raindrop shawl that came with the package. It's a very cute shawl. Simple pattern repeats and super easy to size up or down just by doing more or less repeats. I was using a slightly smaller needle so I did an extra repeat. The sock pattern is very pretty, too. I'll make it later.

So, after finishing my Goddess Knits shawl I cast on for the Raindrop. About a week and a half later it's done! Some pics to prove it.



It's a totally wearable 52'' by 32''. I *think* I'll be keeping this for myself...but a bunch or other stuff I thought I was keeping is now being kept aside for Xmas gifts. So we'll see. The stats on this:

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Yarn
Colorway: Raining Cats & Dogs
Needles: Size 5 Lace Addi Turbos
Pattern: Raindrop Shawl by Renee Strouts
Notes: I think this would be a great beginner lace project. Easy pattern repeats and the designer was totally open for questions. I did one extra repeat of Chart B but could have done another since I had a generous amount left over.

Now, since I'm done with yet another project I've started another. This time it's a mindless lace scarf project that I found in my One-Skein Wonders book. I had 1.75 skeins of Knitpicks Shadow left over from my Goddess Knits shawl so I thought a leftover project would be good. Again, since I'm so enamored with lace lately, it had to be lace. So I chose the Razor Shell Lace Scarf. So far it's very pretty and totally mindless. I already have about 12 inches done after not knitting a whole lot. Not sure who this is for...again it may or may not be for me. The best part about this pattern is that it's reversible! Here's how it's coming along now:

The latest

My latest shawl. Finished it last Tuesday but with all the rain lately here in Boston I'm just now getting pictures. It's been hanging in my knitting area all week, though...for me to admire.

The stats:

Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow in Cattail Heather colorway
Needles: Size 5 Addi Lace turbo circs
Designer/Pattern: Goddess Knits from the Anniversary Mystery Shawl '09 KAL
Notes: Finished size is 72 inches across the widest point to point. Down the back is 35 inches.

Here's some more pics:

Avalanche of Socks

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted something. I think it's my straight up part-time knitting job spent keeping up with my sock club shipments that keep getting in the way. I'm doing it though. So far I've made each shipment before the next arrives and even finished projects in between.

The latest shipment is from Woolgirl. I love the color and pattern. Here's what it looked like when it arrived:



The yarn is from Curious Creek Fibers. Color is called Old Kinsale and it's so soft and nice to knit with. The pattern is all lacy so it's a strictly at home sort of knit. I'm almost 1/2 way through the second sock!

I'm making the large size which is strange for me. I usually make the medium. The pattern came with some measurements and I actually measured my foot to decide which size to make. I was really worried they were going to be huge when I first started. They are larger then I usually knit but I really like how they fit. Soft and comfy and will look great with jeans. Can't wait to finish them.

These are called Crooked Brook Socks, but they sort of remind me of the waving lace socks that I've wanted to make for a while.

One last pic...a close up of the laciness :)