Socks, Socks, Socks

I haven't posted lately about what I've been knitting but it can be summed up in one word: socks.

For some reason I was hit with the desire to knit socks and the obsession has been going strong for about two months. In that time I have knit 6 pairs and there is another pair started already. Granted, these are small socks, intended for little people, but still...6 pairs in two months.

At least his yearning for socks has resulted in some of my HUGE stash of sock yarn being used up.

The first 3 pairs I made were with some rainbow hued sock yarn (Zauberball if you're interested).

This is the first pair I made. I'm calling them the "Hot and Cold Socks" since they look so different (they really are from the same ball of yarn).

These are the  second and third pair I made (sorry it's sideways...I could fix it but I'm lazy). They are made with roughly the same stitch count but the second pair is a little longer and leaner. For someone with narrow feet I guess.

After I used up all the Zauberball I picked up two skeins of Knit Pick Stroll (one solid, one variegated) and made these. They are a 38 stitch waffle pattern used in a lot of charity knitting. These socks are pretty warm and thick. They'll go well in some boots or even just for hanging out on a cold day.

This is is pair I've currently started. They're actually almost to the heel turn but I didn't take a picture of that. The cuff is a linen stitch which gives it some nice texture. I have no idea what kind of yarn it is because I got this from someone who started some socks of their own and then decided they weren't really the sock knitting type. I'm using a pattern from a Cat Bordhi book: New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I also made two little learning socks from that book but forgot to take a picture of them (that would be the other 2 completed pairs). All the socks I've made will go to charity though I am contemplating making a pair for myself soon.

I am continuing to knit every day in order to keep my sanity (or what's left of it). So, even if I'm not sharing about it, chances are I'm making something.

And Then, Suddenly, Knitting

I have no idea why the change in seasons would make me want to knit. Well, ok, I can see it if it was changing from summer to fall or fall to winter. But winter to spring? Why do I suddenly have a desire to KNIT ALL THE THINGS. I started a sweater and a blanket awhile ago and I have continued to work on those.

Sweater then...

And now. Almost finished with the first sleeve.

Blanket then...

And now. Still looks like a big snake but this has 2 panels finished and a 3rd half way done.

Laid out so you can see the panels better. My sister in law loved this and has claimed it for herself!

I also started and finished two hats and a scarf.

The first hat and the scarf were knit with 3 strands of yarn held together so they were thick and quick knits. Love those!

Even though I have several things "on the needles" I'm tempted to start something else. I found a "store" on Ravelry that has a bunch of free charity knits. I may have picked out another sweater, several hats, and a few pairs of mittens to knit. I'm also considering taking a class at Stitches South and several yarn shop hops have been planned for this spring. At the rate I'm going I may knit enough to outfit every child in each orphanage with a new piece of clothing!

Snow Days: Round 2

Well, we got hit again this week with some serious winter weather.

These pictures were all taken on Wednesday. We got sleet and freezing rain on Tuesday night and things were mostly iced over Wednesday. Then Wednesday night we got some snow. Today (Thursday) things started to melt but it may get icy again over night. I've been off work since Tuesday (we were called off early in anticipation of the coming storm) but I'm reporting tomorrow. While I wish that I gotten at least one more day of work in this week I'm thankful that I'm in not in a position where some unexpected days off are detrimental to me.

So, what did I do on my time off? I starting knitting a sweater obviously.

 That's all hand dyed yarn that I've been saving for a special sweater, Colorido which was designed specifically for a charity knit. I've had this queued up for over 3 years and I dyed this yarn specifically for this sweater. I finally got off my bum, wound up the yarn, and got started. And after 2 days of working away...

I think I'm making some good progress. Most of my knits will go into my charity knitting pile and this one is no exception. I hope it will keep some child nice and warm. And hopefully the color combinations will help them feel cheerful as well.

I've also been chipping away at my 7 pages of Romanian homework but that's not very interesting to look at.

Hope that you stayed safe and warm over this last week and are careful as you head out over the next day or two!

Productive Saturday

Yesterday I woke up a bit earlier than expected and not in the best of moods. However, I was determined to not have the day be a total bust so I took my time getting breakfast and waking up and then headed out with my dad to buy some groceries. I was planning on taking my car to the shop but decided to wait until Monday when I would have a little more time. Instead I headed to Target. I'd been instructed by a co-worker that I needed to "live a little" and actually spend the gift cards I'd been given rather than squirreling them away. I had 4 gift cards and the amount was embarrassing (in that it was so high). I bought myself some new skinny jeans, a pair of jeggings, some socks, a new sports bra, and some contact solution. Just the right amount of responsible and "splurge" (since I consider anything outside of a necessity a splurge, like new jeans when I have 5 pairs...just no skinny ones!).

On a side note I would like to retract what I have previously said about jeggings (which isn't anything nice). I tried on a pair and they were sooooo comfortable. And I'll be darned if I'm not going to wear them. I feel reasonably comfortable with my body and think it would be acceptable of me to wear jeggings with the proper ensemble. So there.

After shopping I came home and cleaned: dusted, vacuumed, picked up a little, did laundry. And then I napped. And it was awesome.

I even had time to finish a little knitting.

Just another Be Faithful hat. I promise I'm actually considering knitting something else.

Notes on Knitting

Oh knitting, you fickle mistress...I designated Sunday a day of rest after I spent Saturday moving Walking With Orphan's main office in all its entirety. I stayed in my pajamas and live streamed the 11:00 service from my church and knit.

Live streaming the service. Hermit life at its finest!

Penelope basked in the sun and enjoyed the bonding time.

Bask, bask, bask.

I finished the last little bit of one hat...

Hat #1. I love the cheerful and vibrant colors!

And got a good ways into a second hat.

Hat #2

These hats are a recently discovered, new favorite pattern of mine called Be Faithful. These are the 2nd and 3rd hats I've made with this pattern. And that's saying something because I rarely knit patterns more than once. The parallel between the title of the pattern and the fact that I have knit 3 hats using it is not lost on me.

At some point on Sunday I decided to wash some hand-knit items that were laying around. This included several hats, a large blanket/throw, and a sweater. Typically, I hand wash each piece (or 1-2 same colored pieces) in the sink with some no-rinse wool wash (like Eucalan). I did that with 3 of the hats. Then I decided that I would put the (very) large blanket, the sweater, and Hat #1 (pictured above) in the washer on a wool/hand wash cycle with cold water and Eucalan thrown in. After they finished washing I put them in the dryer on air dry, no heat for about an hour and a half. And guess what. My beautiful hat and part of the blanket felted.

My beautiful hat...

All felted up.

The sweater also felted slightly but not to the point where it's unwearable (which would have made me uber pissed). The blanket was ok. There were a few sections that felted more than others (due to the fiber content of the yarn) but overall it's still ok. But the hat. It took the brunt of the felting.

Now, logic tells me this shouldn't have happened. Cold water, little agitation, air dry. The only thing I can figure is that the hat got caught under the large blanket and there was more agitation than I thought. I know that the cardinal rule of wool is to NOT PUT IT IN THE WASHER AND DRYER (unless it's superwash) so I guess I got what I was asking for. Thankfully the hat is still wearable (just by someone much smaller) and I have more yarn to make a second one THAT WILL NOT GO IN THE WASHER OR DRYER.

All I have to say is: lesson learned.