Snowbird Mittens and mysterious yellow socks..

The mystery is solved:-

Pattern:-Fox Faces by Nancy Bush. (The Sept. mystery sock.) This is a lovely lace pattern which includes a 'Vikkel' braid, 'Dutch' heel, EOP heel flap and a pointy toe. The fit is good and since the pattern is done on the front of the leg only the ribbing is carried thru 30 rows to keep the sock neat on the back of the leg, and it works perfectly. I would recommend this pattern as a first lace project, it's easy and looks really nice.

Needles:-Sz#1 DP's.

Yarn:-Baby Ull. [Obviously yellow] this was my first time using this yarn and I loved how nice it knit up and I'll use it again.

I also must include a picture of the finished "Snowbird Mittens"..let's just say I love them. Since I'm caught up on my projects..I know I still have a baby gift to knit..I will start my bag. It looks daunting, but I'm getting anxious to start, so I probably will have nothing to blog about for a while. Read about the mittens in the previous post

Happy knitting everyone.

Mags.

"Let It".....what??

Since I had to wait for the clues for the SKA Mystery Sock I was thumbing thru my old patterns and came across this and thought I'd give it a try.

Okay so now I have one done and I'm showing it off, 'cause I'm so pleased with the results. I think the outcome is stunning. I particularly love the backside.

Pattern:-Snowbird from Vogue knitting, Fall 2008. This pattern is really only a chart, but it's easy to follow. I found the thumb a wee bit fiddly, but not too bad.

Modifications:- Added extra rows to cuff and kitchenered the top.

Yarn:-Fortissima Disco Socka, light gray with bluish green. It is full of sparkles, which you can't see on my monitor. Leftover Patons Kroy, 'Gentry Gray' from Jim's socks.

Needles:- Sz#1

I am now so smitten with mittens I had my daughter order me 'The Mitten Book." (heehee)

I also ordered a bag kit from www.KnitPicks.com the new one 'East meets West." I will start it as soon as I finish the yellow mystery socks and mittens. I'm not particularly fast at colour work, so we'll see how it goes. If you see a UFO flying by your house you'll know it's my bag...causing me all sorts of grief. (haha)

Happy knitting.

Mags.

Truly...not socks!

Yep...no socks to show. Just my colourful shawl.

It is fitting tho' that I started this shawl during 'Wimbledon' and finished during the 'U.S. Open'

I just worked on it when I had a few minutes now and then. Other times the cat loved to lie on it..maybe she just loved the woolly smell.

Pattern:-"Truly Tasha Shawl" by Nancy Bush. (A free online pattern.) I think what drew me to this pattern was the shawl collar and lovely cast off eyelet edge. I spliced the ends as recommended and it worked well.

Yarn:- Noro Kureyon #184. Lately I've been wearing a lot of colour. You see I went back to my roots and my hair is blinding white....I'm not kidding!

Needles:-Sz#5. The pattern called for sz#4.

Winter will be here soon in northwestern Pennsylvania and I know it will keep me cozy.

I hope to cast on a baby hoodie soon and I have yellow socks on the needles right now. I think I need a black or gray felted bag, something neutral to go with all my colourful knits...heehee.

Happy knitting

Mags.

Drowning.....

Lately I've been drowning in yarn and for some reason I keep buying more.

I see these projects I must do and I order a bunch of yarn. I have some DK coming for a baby hoodie, more sock yarn for an unusual pattern. What the heck.....I have enough yarn stashed to knit sox for a small country!

I buy some expensive yarn and some cheaper easy care stuff since I know I'm giving away the majority of sox I knit. I like to use easy care yarn for them..and save the good stuff. But why??? I'd better start using it all...and here goes.

These are for Kelly, whose favourite colours are the pinks, reds and purples.

Pattern:-Monkeys by CookieA., what a nice easy pattern with lovely results. (My first.)

My modifications:-A picot cuff , (another first) I used a provisional cast on, and also eye of partridge heel.

Yarn:- Socks that Rock. (yet another first) Colour:- Rhodonite. Lovely yarn.

Needles Sz#1

I hope Kelly enjoys them. She is sixteen and she loves animals. I may knit her another pair with a dog motif.

I'm still working on my Truly shawl but I am on the edging after all the miles of garter stitch...hoping to see the end of the tunnel soon!

I am also knitting the Mystery Socks by Nancy Bush in yellow. This is for the SKA group on Ravelry. The clues are far enough apart I have the cuff done on both sox and waiting for clue#2. Something new on these sox..a "Vikkel" braid...umm...interesting!

Happy knitting and happy and safe Labour Day weekend everyone.

Mags.

Plain ol' boring socks...

Ahh..finally finished a pair of socks..these are for my brother Jim who (only) wears wool socks.

As far as I know he is the only one in the family who wears handmade and will pay dearly and go to extreme lengths to get a pair! (I don't know what to ask for, for knitting these...just joking Jim.Heehee)

You see my Granny knit the boys socks every Christmas and for some reason Jim loved them. The rest could have cared less...probably preferred store bought...so these are a treat for Jim. I know I should knit for him more often but I really, really hate knitting plain old forever no pattern, no funky yarn sox for men.

However, I did see where Silfert at

http://stitchtunes.blogspot.com/ was extolling the virtues of yarn called 'Zauberball' and said most of the men she had shown the colours thought it was cool!!! So check it out for the guys (old and young) in your life.

Pattern:- I cast on 64sts and did a knit 2, purl 2 rib for about 45 rows and then umm....another 50 rows of plain knitting. To break up the monotony I knit the double stitch short row heel.

I finished the foot with 60 rows plain and started the toe....TaDa..

Needles:- Sz#2.5

Yarn:-Patons Kroy 4ply Colour:-Gentry Grey

I will get these sent off today.

I will move on to something more challenging 'tho I'm still slogging on with my 'Truly' shawl.

A little aside...A few years ago I went into a Wool Shop in N.Ireland and asked the clerk (I found out she was the owner) where they kept the sock yarn (wool) as they call it. She looked at me astonished and said,

"Why would anyone bother knitting socks when you can buy 3 pair for a pound in Crazy Prices."

I went back to visit the same store last month. Unfortunately the store was going out of business but ironically they now carry sock wool!!!!

Go figure.

Happy knitting.

Mags.

Lost

Seems like I've lost all incentive to knit....and blog.

Thankfully I haven't yet lost the will to buy sock yarn.

Happy knitting.

Mags.

Saying goodbye..

Two weeks ago I said goodbye to my Mother. Now I don't think I'd mention this on my blog but she was a fellow knitter.

I would love to say she taught me to knit..but no..I learned from a friend.

In October 2007 she bought a sweater at a 'Charity' shop. She painstakingly ripped the thing out and decided to knit a cardigan. She never used a pattern and she never ever swatched and heaven forbid, she never heard tell of blocking.

This cardigan is the last thing she ever made. Here she is knitting it and here is a pix of my daughter wearing the cardigan.

I will miss you Ma.

Mags.