Socks

I has just occurred to me that I've not shown you the Dog-Walking Hermiones. I used this yarn to make Nutkin, possibly the worst sock pattern I have ever done - it went to the frog pond, something I very, very rarely do. The pattern twisted and was so very tight, the yarn pooled and looked awful. But I tell you what, Nutkin's loss is my gain! Easy peasy pattern and I love the effect it's made. Yummy!

And here, as promised are my somewhat bright socks. Quickest pattern ever. Lovely and thick and warm. I will be making more and more and more of these socks - every pair will be different, depending what yarn I have to use up. For I have quite a bit of sock yarn to use up!

And for now ladies and gentlemen, I am heading back to the blanket. Not long now (she says with great enthusiasm!)

I promise...

... not to knit anything else (apart from Dog-Walking hermiones) until the bloody Mystery Blanket is done. There. I've said it.

Afterall, with only 3 squares and 4 enormous borders left to do, it would seem silly to actually pick up another unfinished project and to enjoy knitting something wouldn't it?

Oh and the other mad and crazy scrappy sock? It's done! But as it's evening I can't take a good picture - the weather man has promised sun tomorrow so maybe that would be a good time to get snap-happy.

Sunglasses at the ready please...

Well, what do you think? How can this ridiculous sock not make you smile? I only cast it on on Saturday afternoon and here we are on Monday morning and it's done!!!!! I love this sock so much for every reason - the colours, the pattern, the yarn (pretty much all of it Posh except for the Colinette heel), the thickness, the speed it knitted up... I have already cast on for its partner - no second sock syndrome for thick socks. Oh I think I always want to make thick socks from now on - even my children like them - and for a 16 year old boy that's quite some admission!

Cast on 48 stitches, 3.5mm needles, with 2 skeins of sock yarn, change one colour every 10 rows - easy peasy and wonderful! Pattern is here.

Um, what day are we on now?

Sorry I've not been here for a couple of days. No excuses, but I have been knitting. I finished the Without Borders sock and I'm still not entirely convinced by it. But that's just something I'll have to live with. Actually I probably won't be living with it as the thing is a bit too small... so it's going to be heading mum's way I should think.

And someone please remind me - I did say I wouldn't cast anything else on didn't I? At least not for the rest of February? Anyway, it just shows how bad a case of Startitis I have. I cast on another pair of socks last night! I know, I know, I know. Don't give me a hard time. They are a cross between these and these. I'm not going to show it to you today. You will need to come back tomorrow to see this sock in all its finished glory (for yes, I will have finished the first sock by the morning).

But let me just warn you now, bring your sunglasses when you call back, for this sock is bright!

Day 5.

Things aren't going quite to plan. Having turned the heel already on the Without Borders Sock, I knitted an inch and a half yesterday of the fairisle pattern on the foot. It looked hideous. Holes everywhere. The stitches round the heel gaped and the whole thing looked awful. So I pulled it back. I was very tempted to pull the whole sock back, but as you know, I don't frog. To take back an inch and a half was bad enough.

So I decided to knit the whole foot plain, and here it is. I'm not happy with it but am determined to keep going to the bitter end. It's very much a 'use it up scraps' sock, hence the variety of different colours. I'm wondering though, just to tie it all together, whether to make a fairisle band across the middle of the foot. What do you think?

Was supposed to be doing the blanket today, but have been doing this sock instead. Blanket tomorrow. Promise!

Day 4.

No photo today I'm afraid. By the time I got back from school and then the dog walk, got tea ready, hoovered up and brought the washing in, it was dark. I managed a few rows of Soho last night, but not many.

Today's WIP is the Without Borders Sock - a p/hop pattern, which brings me quite nicely round to plugging a blanket that p/hop are organising on e-bay. Go and have a look and even bid if you feel so inclined. I tried bidding (because I so need another blanket!) but was outbid very quickly.

Right then, must go and knit. Spent far too long on Ravelry last night (oh my queue is growing again!). Please do not be concerned about my wip pile decreasing. It isn't. Apart from the Almerboo Bootees, nothing else is remotely done. Thanks Locket for giving me the opt out clause of Make it Up March, I'll be needing that (and very possibly About time April and even Must finish May).

Day 3.

Phew, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up for! Anyway, here's yesterday's progress - another square completed and one more cast on. I really am on the homeward strait here. Good job too as I need to get on with knitting stuff from my Ravelry queue - I have now started my 4th page on there. Have got well over 30 pairs of socks queued, daren't count exactly how many, but it's a lot! Several jumpers, gloves, cardigans, shawls (why? I don't do shawls!) and a few nonsense things.

Tonight I'm doing a bit more of Soho. Am a little dispirited with that though - just realised that I will have to knit loads more than the pattern suggests because I'm using finer yarn and skinnier needles. Well that'll teach me won't it?!

Day 2.

Yesterday's knitting project was the Almerboo Bootees (pattern from here). I knitted like crazy and actually amazingly got something finished! These are so gorgeous to feel and I'll bet they're quite nice to wear too - but I'm not allowed, they are for mum for Christmas. Yippee! I have started!

And here's a picture of my washing line today - I hand-wash all my hand-knit socks, even the ones that say the yarn is machine washable. Somehow I just don't trust it. I would be most upset if they died in the wash!

Right then, back to the knitting. Mystery blanket today. Do not expect great results though, I'm onto a cable one. Hate knitting cables, so damn fiddly.

Day 1.

This is what I was knitting yesterday - the Posh Rowan wrap shawl thing. I think I managed about 14 rows - which I feel is pretty good considering there are 250 stitches on the needles. And next time I decide to use this ridiculously fine mohair yarn, someone please remind me not to do it.

Today's knitting is all about the Almerboo Bootee. Must finish. Gulp. Tall order.

Back tomorrow.
x

Lack of Commitment

I am starting to get so annoyed with myself over my whole lack of commitment. I love my Rowan wrap, I love Soho, I love Carica, I love Tempest. I am even getting to acquaint myself with the mystery blanket. I like the Without Borders Socks and the newly cast on Hermiones. I like Pimpeliesse and adore the almost finished Almerboo Bootees.

So why in Heaven's name can't I get something finished?

This time last year I was half way through Finish It Off February. It was so successful, I managed loads. This year I seem to have more stuff cast on than ever before.

Enough is enough Mrs Stashbasket. Stop bloody casting stuff on and get your arse into gear. Get off this machine, pick up the needles and knit like fury. Stop falling asleep in front of the telly, you don't have enough time to allow yourself the luxury of sleep. Give the family toast for tea (a roast dinner is just over-rated) and explain that time is running out. Finish It Off February is nearly 2 weeks old and nothing has been finished off.

Pictures will be posted every day until the end of the month so you can keep track of me.

I will not let you down.

Or if I do happen to let a few days slip, be happy in the knowledge that I am just knitting instead of computering!

Update

Sorry I've been away again. Life. It has this habit of getting in the way doesn't it?

Anyway, thank-you all for the comments on the dreaded Mystery blanket. It is coming along now and I only have 5 more squares left to knit and then the border (which I've worked out to be about 18,000 stitches big). No photo yet I'm afraid - perhaps you'll just wait until it's all done then? Hopefully by the end of this month...

...that is if I can bear to put down some of my other projects. This is a Rowan-esque pattern from the latest book. I saw a sample knitted up in John Lewis and fell in love. I didn't go to the expense of all the Rowan summer tweed and decided to knit it from stash (well, almost!) Basically it seems to be an extension of the Mason Dixon Scribble Scarf. Which actually I hated knitting, so why on earth I'm doing one that involves casting on 250 stitches I don't quite know!

It is already a few rows bigger than this, but as you'll appreciate, that many stitches with lace-weight is a bit of a slow-grower. For me anyway. I don't like knitting with lace weight or mohair so again I am left asking myself - why?

I've finished a pair of socks. Have done these whilst walking Harvey. You can't see the pattern at all here (rubbish photo) but it's Dee's Slip Up Socks pattern. Brilliant, easy, relatively mindless. I've used Colinette Jitterbug - nice and warm.

I can't seem to get a good picture of this. It's a bootee. A lovely warm snuggly cosy bootee in Woolhunter's Almerboo. A dream of a pattern, fabulous yarn (who wouldn't want to knit anything in Almerboo? what a great name!)

The second one is cast on, and not far off completion. Another Christmas present sorted! I really am determined it won't creep up on me again this year.

Just remind me I said that will you?