FO: Blackrose Socks

Pattern: Blackrose Socks from Knitty.com
Size: Small (since my gauge was a little loose)
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn
Colorway: Love Letters from the Woolgirl sock club December 2010
Needles: Size 2 Circulars
Notes: Didn't change a thing about the pattern. Easy to follow and pretty results. If I make this pattern again I wont use such a variegated yarn.

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.

October WoolGirl shipment

Latest Woolgirl Shipment arrived last Monday. If you haven't gotten your package...there are SPOILERS below!

Sorry for the bad pictures...I get home after the sun goes down and of course I couldn't wait to open it when there was better light.

This package is so pretty. "Birch" colors and the accessories have browns and orange. Fall but not the typical fall colors. I like both of the patterns that came with it but I'm not sure I can picture them in the variegated yarn.

I can't really start this anytime soon, anyway. I have time to decide what to make and in which yarn.

Here's another picture of the package contents. The painted cards that came in it are gorgeous! I can't imagine being able to paint like that...

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:

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 :)

50% Majestic

Remember that pile of Majestic yarn I spoke about last weekend? Well, as you can see from the picture above, it was a pile of yarn. In only a couple days I had the cuff re-knit into a more suitable size. And after a week of knitting, I now have 50% of a pair of Majestic Socks done.

The cuff re-knit super easy (since I had done it once before). The rest of the sock, however, gave me a few fits. Parts of the charts, to me, are a bit screwy. The top of the arch pattern, has two extra stitches in it (which I still can't figure out why they are there) and the foot chart is written only for the small size which confused me at first. If not for the stitch counts noted throughout the shaping portions, I would have been working and reworking parts.

Overall, though, it's a great pattern. Very pretty! And I love the construction. Different then I've ever done before and they should fit a future recipient great. If they weren't a tad snug on my large feet...I'd be keeping them! Who am I kidding...if the color looked better on me, I'd be keeping them!!

Anyway, here's one more pic of the 1st sock. The other cuff is already in the works. Maybe I can get the second sock done before my next Rockin' Sock Club shipment arrives...cross your fingers!

A Majestic sock cuff...

...about to be a majestic pile of ripped out yarn. As I mentioned in my last post, I have been trying to weigh my options carefully before ripping out a sock cuff that is so pretty. But, with a weeks worth of barely knitting on it because I know it's not right...I have decided to commence the ripping. I know I'll be much happier with it. And the new, properly fitting socks will fly off the needles. So, say goodbye to the Majestic cuff!

Finally, another sock club shipment

This past Thursday, I finally got my 1st Woolgirl Sock club shipment. About a week late, but I totally love it. Above is the box....now, here's the contents:



So much in there that it barely fits in the picture. Here's the list of booty:

• 1 skein of Zen Yarn Garden, Serenity cashmere/merino sock yarn in a "Gold Dynasty" colorway
• An intricate cabled sock pattern called "Majestic".
• A pretty lacy scarf pattern called "Alexandria"
• One jewel themed stitch marker
• A large silk sock sack (to carry your knitting in) from Lantern Moon.
• A nice pen with "Queen of Knitting" on it.
• Hand made hand lotion.
• A little pyramid gift box with two delicious chocolates in it (yum!)
• A 2009 calendar magnet with all the ship dates for Woolgirl
• A hand made/painted greeting card
• a small sized SOAK (to clean your knits with)

I'm about 3/4 of the way up the first sock cuff...but now I'm thinking they are too small. Well, too small for me. I don't think I'll be keeping these socks, though. So I'm wondering if the current size will fit a future recipient. Before ripping it out...I'm seriously considering things. While I seriously love the color and pattern, the color doesn't love me. I'll have to remake this pattern in a different colorway for myself in the future.

Sock pictures to come in a future post.