Vegas by Storm

I cast on for these socks on the plane to Vegas last week. I got through the leg of the first sock on the plane and the rest of that sock over the time in Vegas. The second sock was started in Vegas but didn't make it far since we had a red-eye flight back to Boston. First socks of 2011 is the Storm sock pattern designed by Kbomb on Ravelry.

25,463 yards

My last sock club from 2010 came this week. It's very nice - pretty color and nice extras...as Woolgirl always has. The patterns (a pair of socks and a small shawl) are super cute!

As much as I love getting sock packages every month, I've decided this year that I'm not signing up for either club. I had belonged to two: Woolgirl and Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock, but after last year they have started to pile up...literally...in my stash.

Time to do nothing but knit. The incoming has to slow down to nothing and I just need to knit. I know I don't have as much stash as a lot of knitters...but mine is too big for me. Time to whittle down.

I thought this would be a sad decision. I thought I'd be mourning the loss of my clubs (I probably will at some point) but right now it feels a little freeing. I don't have to worry about getting anything done at a certain time or not working on something I want to work on for fear of neglecting something I paid for and should be keeping up with. I'm following the Thrifty Knitters Sock Club on Ravelry where the group chooses two free patterns and the knitters choose a yarn from their stash to knit one of them with. I'm already 1/2 way through one of their selections for this month. One skein of sock yarn bites the dust and no more yarn is coming in!

So now, at the beginning of the year by yardage is at about 25,463 yards or just under 14.5 miles. Let's see where that is at the end of 2011.

Resolution for 2011

Happy New Year! 

Today is the first day of 2011 and I'm making a knitting resolution. I am surrounded by WIPs (works in progress). I used to be so good at finishing whatever I start, but over the last year or two I've sorta dropped the ball. Along with writing more on my knitting blog, I vow to finish all and make progress on the larger of the knitting WIPs.  I'll post a separate entry on each of my WIPs, giving them the justice they deserve. I still love them all, but for some reason or another I have stopped working on them.

First up in the WIP lineup is my sock yarn blanket. Now, to be fair to myself I always knew this was a never ending large project. I have a HUGE bag of sock yarn ends (leftovers from socks I've made over the years) and I couldn't bring myself to throw them away. 

This blanket was started in July of 2009. It's made using mitered squares of sock yarn on US size 3 needles. Each square is about 2 inches by 2 inches (25 stitches for each). They are set side by side, instead of on point like a lot of other blankets in this style and I'm making the larger blanket as segments.

Each segment is 6 x 6 squares or 12" x 12". I'm currently planning on making a baby size blanket that will be 40" square with sashing and a border. But, I have a feeling I wont be able to give this blanket away - and I have no use for a baby blanket personally...so it may end up becoming a larger lap blanket.

I currently have 2 segments done (two 12" x 12" squares) plus the first two rows of another square started. My goal for 2011 is to have 6 squares total completed by December 31, 2011. I think that's completely doable. With 6 squares that would put the blanket at about 2/3 done...a nice accomplishment for this project this year. Now I just have to plan out other projects around it.

Gearing up for 2011

My New Years Resolution is to write on this blog. Man it's been neglected! I've still been knitting, just somehow not blogging about everything. 2011 is the year of the knitting blog come back.

Christmas 2010 has come and gone. I surprisingly ended up making most gifts even though I didn't really try that hard. I cut back drastically and didn't stress about making too many things. What I did make, however, I wanted to be just right and exactly what people had asked for.

The real star of the show, however, is my little niece Miriam. She is almost 10 months old and 2010 was her first Christmas. I think she was really the only gift anyone in my family needed this year. It was good to see her. She lives in Philadelphia and rarely gets up to Maine and or Boston for that matter.

I have a few pictures of the knitted gifts I gifted this year. I wasn't as good about getting pictures of items with their owners as I usually am. I blame Miriam for stealing all the picture taking thunder...even my knitting can't compete with her cuteness.

I made my Dad a pair of "Waffle Stitch Mittens"

  

This shawl I gave to my Sister in Law - pattern is called "Adamas"

These "Slip Jig" socks I gave to my mom. One of only a few pairs I made this year.

Now that Christmas is over with I am starting a large project for myself. This is a yearly tradition with me...finish all my gifts then knit a gift for me. This year I immediately cast on for a large and complicated cabled sweater pattern that I've been wanting to make for over a year. I already had all the yarn for it and it's been waiting.  I have been intimidated by the sweater for quite some time. It's a Vogue Knitting pattern (that in itself is intimidating enough) but it's also a coat sized sweater designed my Norah Gaughan. While her patterns are usually well written, they also have "interesting" construction and complicated patterning. Put all that together and I feel like I can't do it.

Pictured at the left is the start of the back. I have the two bottom pieces done (back left and right) and I have joined them and about half way through the top decreases. It looks odd already and can't imagine that all the pieces are going to go together well. This back piece looks tiny but matches the specs from the magazine. I guess we'll see!

I plan on blogging about this entire sweater making ordeal. I'm planning on a challenge so it should be interesting :) Stay tuned for updates. My Ravelry project page is here: http://ravel.me/sawyerlm/3cc (and it should be accessible to all). The pattern is available on the Vogue site.

Latest Socks

Just finished the latest sock club package from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I haven't been keeping up with the sock club packages this year due to the 10 Shawls in 2010 challenge. I've made 9 shawls this year and only 2 pairs of socks!

Project info:
Yarn: Socks that Rock, Lightweight
Colorway: Firecracker
Pattern: My Heart Beets for You by Ann Hansen
Needles: Size 1 circular
Modifications: Knit one extra repeat on the leg (7 total chart repeats) and decreased to 32 stitches on the toe and then decreased every round to 16 stitches before binding off.

10 for 2010 Challenge

I've joined a year long challenge on Ravelry where the challenge is to make 10 shawls in 2010. It's a very active group and the shawls being made are so pretty to look through. I love making lace and have a HUGE stash to knit through. Perfect combo.

My first shawl for this challenge is:
Pattern: Multnomah (PDF link to Designer's site)
Designer: Kate Flagg of Hello Knitty
Yarn: Premier Yarns Serenity Sock Weight in Lavendar Topaz colorway
Yards: 460 yrds (2 skeins)  
Needles: Size 5 Addi Turbo circs

Knitting for my new niece

My first niece is due to be born in March. And while I already have a baby blanket all made, there are plenty of other things I want to make her. My brother and sister-in-law have requested a few things...but a baby girl is so fun to knit for I'm planning on making lots and lots more.

The first thing I cast on for was a sweater. I found the cutest baby girl cardigan on Ravelry. It's free and couldn't resist the cuteness...The pattern is Modified Drops Eyelet Baby Cardigan (ravelry link).

I have plenty of fingering weight in my stash. This is Knit Picks Gloss in Cosmos colorway. It's been lingering in my stash for quite a while and even was trying to be several other things before this sweater. I think it's perfect for this :)

The sweater is about 75% done. I only have the two sleeves left. As I said...super cute: