A Learning Process

One of the things I really love about knitting is that it is a learning process, with new things to uncover at every turn. With that comes mistakes though and I made a big one in my first magic loop project.

I was trucking along, as you can tell by my last couple posts. I had gotten down the leg, through the heel flap and turn, picked up the stitches for the gusset and was working the gusset decrease and the beginning of the instep when I noticed something odd...

I have tried to take pictures of my conundrum, but they do not show the stitch pattern clearly enough.

Long story short: I had knit the leg of the sock on the wrong side. The stitch pattern (a waterfall rib) was so pretty that even the wrong side looked nice and I didn't really notice my mistake, until I turned the work somehow in the gusset decrease and the instep pattern was correct (and different).

I debated leaving it as it was and having a cool transition look from leg to foot, it kind of flowed and twisted at the heel. Then I realized I was making these socks for myself on no time line with really nice yarn and should do it right. I also didn't want to learn a wrong behavior.

So I frogged a week's worth of knitting and started over. To date I am back to the heel flap and hope to turn the heel and work the gusset tonight. Lesson learned. I still love magic loop!

In other knitting news, I cast on and have done about 11 rows of a baby blanket for my assistant who is due in May. More on that (including photos) to come soon!

Magic Loop Update

I love magic loop! It is as wonderful and neat and fabulous as I expected it to be. I find it works faster than DPNs because you have fewer joins to manage and transition through and it makes the work neater and tighter. Look at my progress since Saturday:



I am almost done with the leg of the sock. I know I will hit a snag when I get to the gusset as it looks quite different than on DPNs. My goal is to get through the heel flap and gusset before I leave for Michigan Sunday so I can just work the foot on the plane.

Also, this Waterfall Rib is gorgeous and this yarn is even more beautiful in person. These socks might be the best thing I have ever knit!

2010 Knitting Goal #1

So last week I cast on for a pair of socks using the beautiful blue Madelinetosh sock yarn I got for my birthday in July. I cast on to DPNs and even though I did a gauge swatch I quickly realized the cuff was going to be way too big. So, I frogged it last night and this morning I took out my book on learning magic loop!

I have wanted to learn to do socks on magic loop and figured "no time like the present!" My stumbling block last year was joining the stitches in the round. I am fairly certain the way I joined my stitches (using a DPN to move the stitches) is not orthadox, but it worked! After a couple of rounds of K1P1 rib I feel like I might have the hang of it...



I cannot tell you how beautiful this yarn is, the colorway is gorgeous, I can't wait to make some progress so I can really see it in all its glory.

Not Knitting

So I have some creative goals for 2010 that do not involve knitting.

One of them is a cross stitch sampler that I bought over the holiday shopping season. It is a 5X7 Santa print, that I really love with gorgeous reds, greens and a swirly blue back ground. It is the most ambitious cross stitch I have ever attempted (ornaments were really my limit before this).

When I bought it in late November, my mother (herself a skilled cross stitcher) commented cautiously: "You don't expect to complete that for THIS Christmas do you?" I assured her I was not nuts and my goal is to have it done before Christmas 2010.

I recently purchased a sketch pad and some pencils and have drown a few boxes so far.

I also crocheted a couple small Christmas gifts for a friend:



The tall item in the back is a knitting needle cozy and the three collapsible baskets nest inside each other. It was a fun project and reminded me that I should keep up my crochet skills too.

Winter is such a great time to relax with a crafty hobby and a cup of tea!

My 2010 Knitting Goals

So, many years ago my friend started referring to New Year's Goals instead of Resolutions and I found the term much more productive and fun. So for the past few years I have written my goals, sealed them in an envelope and put them in the freezer to be unearthed the following New Year's.

Last year one of my major goals was to learn how to knit and I am happy to report I achieved that early in 2009 and have enjoyed my new found skill immensely.

One of the things I love about knitting is that there is still much to learn, so I offer up my 2010 Knitting Goals:

1. Magic Loop: I bought the extra long circulars and a book in 2009, but was not able to master this technique. I did learn how to do socks on DPNs and am happy with the 4 pairs of socks I completed in 2009, but I think Magic Loop will make this compact art even more compact and resolve some of my issues with laddering.

2. Color Work: Aside from striping I have not done any color work yet. I would love to work on charts and 2 or 3 colors to create something really unique and beautiful. Which leads to #3.

3. Christmas Stockings for my nieces: I would really like to make Christmas stockings for Charly and Maddie complete with their names at the top. I still have the stocking my grandmother made me and it is one of my most treasured possessions. I know my nieces would love their own special stocking!

I also have some non-knitting crafting and artistic goals for 2010, including a cross stitch that I started yesterday and a hankering to take a shot at drawing... stay tuned!

So Many Beautiful Gifts!

Last night I exchanged gifts with my friend Three Good Rats and she made me some beautiful things, including this amazing bag:

Pictures do not do it justice, it is so gorgeous. It has beautiful contrasting fabric inside:


I simply love it and cannot wait to use it for any number of wonderful projects.

She also made some adorable stitch markers (heralding my love of baseball) and adorable ornaments (my love of snowmen known far and wide):


They are not only beautiful, but kind and thoughtful gifts that I will cherish. Thank you!

I Love This Yarn!

It is Plymouth Yarn Galway Paint Color 809. There is no adorably clever name for the colorway, but it is gorgeous and I love working with it. Here it is close up:


This is a simple 3 X 3 rib and I will block it to open up the pattern a little so the colors can be properly enjoyed.

I have enough yarn and have cast on for a matching hat too!

I bought this yarn in October on a whim and am so glad I did, it is a delight to work with and I think I will love the colorful set to go with my dreadfully boring black winter coat!