Ride. Knit. Read.

At last (with sheep)

Pattern: Wicked
Yarn: Sundara Yarn Worsted Merino (4.25 skeins)
Color: Seaweed over Emerald

I finished the Wicked Seaweed sweater in November and have been waiting for a decent photo opportunity to present itself. Unfortunately, posing with the office sheep while a slightly confused coworker is forced into service is the best I can come up with in 2007.

In many ways this has been a great year... Civic engagement opportunities, cycling adventures, knitting and friends made thanks to yarn.  I am very grateful that I will spend tonight in the company of my favorite people and animals. We will eat well, laugh, knit, and start the new year with hope and friendship.

Cheers!

Rum Runner

   

I made this simple stockinette pair a few weeks ago using Priscilla's Dream Socks pattern from Interweave and the first installment of Yarn Pirate's sock club, "Rum Runner."  This may be my new favorite combination for plain socks. The fabric is nice and thinner than my usual socks. Size 0! I figured I should show them off while something wicked dries...

Fini

Pattern: Dream in Color Lacy Shrug
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in Vino Veritas colorway. 1.25 skeins
Modification: No turned cuff

Cat Out-Take..

Autrefois

Last year I traveled to Paris & Strasbourg to watch the Prologue and 1st stage of the Tour de France. I hope to make it back next year, but for now the closest I'll be is Versus tv coverage.

Fabian Cancellara from Team CSC blew away the competition with his 8 min 50 sec performance in the Prologue in London today. These are the most amazing athletes on the planet.

I'll be (re)knitting Debutante for the Tour de France Knit Along but spent the day finishing Kay's Dream in Color shrug.

Notes:
Only seam 7.5 inches as indicated in the pattern or you won't be able to get it onto your shoulders.
Use a very stretchy cast-off or you won't be able to get it onto your shoulders.
Guess how I know...

Photos of the great fit tomorrow.

Imogen

Rule #1: Do not wear alpaca sweater while shoveling half-a-foot of snow.

Exceedingly warm. The Imogen Jacket is the second Handmaiden/Fleece Artist design I've knit. Their yarns are distinctive and great to use, which makes me wonder why I rarely find other projects around the web. Here, I abbreviated the front of the side-to-side raglan because I was getting bored with the endless stockinette and didn't want to use the third (huge) hank. Unfortunately, I lost the wrappy quality of the original so I wouldn't suggest this alteration. I still like it and probably would be more likely to wear it open in any case due to the insulative nature of the 60% alpaca, 30% wool blend. In other news: it has thumb holes!

Yarn: Fleece Artist "Aran Alpaca" x2 in Mahagony
Pattern: Imogen from Perl Grey Studios for Fleece Artist
Needle: 5.5 mm circular

Jaywalk in Murano

Sienna Cardigan

Pattern: Sienna Cardigan by Ann E. Smith for Interweave Knits Fall 2006
Yarn: Fibre Company "Terra" x 8.25 skeins in "Red Onion"

Notes: This is my favorite finished item. I would wear it every day if social mores would allow for such behavior. The yarn is luxurious and rustic all at once, which fits my personality perfectly. The pattern was flawless. I considered changing the garter stitch of the collar but am happy with the easy quality it lends to the sweater. The yarn is the exact color of red onions and posseses a handspun/casual look. It was an unusual substitute for the called-for Blue Sky Alpaca. The Terra was originally intended for a two-tone kimono-style sweater that I am grateful to have abandoned. (Means I still have 5 skeins of this yarn!)

Uptown

Uptown Boot Socks
Pattern by: Jennifer L. Appleby
Interweave Knits Winter 2003
(also in "Favorite Socks" book released by Interweave 2-2007)
Yarn: Fyberspates Bluefaced Leicester Sock Yarn
Needles: US2
Notes: I finished these easily within a week. I used one skein of handyed BFL almost in its entirety and loved every minute of this yarn. It's thicker than fingering, so not appropriate for every sock project. Very spongey and seems more sturdy than merino even though it is atleast as soft. Well-written pattern. I enjoyed the all-over cable pattern and think I've stumbled on the key to future *pairs* of socks. The pattern must be easily memorized with a bit of activity to ward of SSS.

***

I actually knit more garments than socks but sweaters are more difficult to photograph. Here's a sneak peek of a cardigan I am currently knitting.

Maybe I'll catch some photos of my finished sweaters in the wild while I'm in the White Mountains this weekend. I even have Monday off!

Sock Hop

Yarn: Sock Hop Handspun Superwash Merino x2skeins
Color: Good Vibrations
Needles: US1 dpns
Pattern: FA ballband pattern modified for tall socs
Notes: I finished these socks yesterday...started them on my trip to AZ in December but set them aside for schoolwork. I have a fair amount left over, so I will make kneehighs the next time (American Pie in the stash) but these are custom length for my calf-high green fluevog boots. Handspun rocks!

Dragon-Fish Tale Socks

The first sock of this pair spent a long time languishing with the other single socks (and mere cuffs) in the drawer until I needed something to help me procrastinate on my final exam paper even further. I finished them last night and wore them to sleep!

Yarn: Alchemy Sanctuary x2 in Dragon (70% silk, 30% wool)
Needles: US2 bamboo dpn
Pattern: Fish Tale Socks by Marilyn Webster for Alchemy

Comments: These will be wonderful to lounge around in but will disintegrate if I try to wear them too often in shoes out in the world. I didn't alternate skeins so the two socks are distinctly different handpainted shades of the same colourway. My first short row heels & toes--I like how the process of knitting doesn't get interrupted by gusset/flapping but I'll have to try it again with regular sock yarn to see if I prefer it for workday socks. The patterning is fun, especially for heavier socks.