Monday, May 19, 2008

Sock Off!

Sock Off

After looking at my stash earlier this year, I noticed I had a bunch of sock yarn. I mentioned to Jenn that I was planning on knitting though my sock yarn stash this summer and she suggested a competition. So, without further ado, I present the First Annual Sock Off!

Beginning Memorial Day and ending Labor Day of 2008, PassionKNITly and Smitten w/ Knittin' will compete to see who can knit the most socks in a summer. Socks will be awarded points for each component, as well as weight after Labor Day. Both contestants will bring their completed socks to Annie & Company Knitting for weighing of socks and awarding of points. The current point system is:

Component...............Points
Heel Flap.................1
Short Row Heel............1
Short Row Toes............1
Patterned Heel............1
Lace pattern..............2
Cable Pattern.............2

Other points will be added as needed.

The winner will receive bragging rights and sock yarn of her chossing from the loser.

I am pretty sure Jenn will win. She has a new job that has a lot of traveling. With traveling, comes knitting time. What is the best traveling knitting project? Socks. Oh well, I will try and stop my natural Capricorn instincts and not get too competitive. The most important thing is to have fun and knit though my sock stash, right?

Amie, if you are reading this STOP now.

Seriously…click here or here.

Go on…

I am planning on Socks for Veronik (Ravelry link) for my first pair from Interweave Holiday Knits. I am making these as a gift for my friend Amie. I bought some nice green Artyarns Ultra Merino 4. Green is her favorite color. Even though I am primary a toe-up knitter, I am going to make these as the pattern is written (gasp, I know!) Although, instead of a K3tog, I will probably do a sk2p. A little easier on size 0 needles. So these should count as a 3 pointer, plus weight.

Let the knitting begin!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Long Post to Make Up for Long Time No Post

So, I swear I have been knitting, and actually have some finished objects.

First is a baby blanket for someone at work. She and her husband don't want to know the sex of the baby, so I decided to use the sage green cotton/wool I had in my stash. I was planning on making a lace border, but I just could seem to do it for some reason. I kept losing track or dropping stitches. So I made the decision to do a seed stitch border, log cabin style.

Baby Bullis' blankie with Mom

Not bad, but not perfect. But I think the mom-to-be seemed to like it. The best part? I was in her office a few weeks ago. She had just bought the bedding online and was dying to show someone. It's blue with sage accents. SCORE! It'll match.

I also finished Soliel for my mom. I changed the neckline to a square. I am not thrilled with this one, but at least it is done. Sorry no photo on this one, it's in the mail as I type.

The SnB girls were so nice to get me a gift certificate to Macy's for my birthday. I finally went shopping and ended up with this:

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Cute, right? The only thing was it is a little to bare to wear to work. So of course, I need a new shrug. Enter Florence, a rowan pattern from a few years back. I used the Ella Rae Shibu in natural.

IMG_1848

IMG_1849

(Why do I feel the need to tilt my head whenever someone is taking a picture of me?)

Last in the finished object category is a little sundress I made for Peanut, Jessamyn's yet to be born little girl. I never seem to have little girls to knit for, so when Jessamyn told us she was having a girl I jumped at the chance. But then I hit a brick wall. What should I knit? Cardigan, pullover…this baby is going to be born in June, not exactly sweater weather in New York. While scouring Ravelry, I found some really cute tunics and sundresses for little girls. I modified this one from Vickie Howell.

Peanut's Sundress

I had some Claudia Handpainted yarn in my stash in a bright coral. The yarn was a different gauge that what was called for in the pattern, but math doesn't scare me. I also wasn't crazy about the way she wrote the smocking. To give it a slightly more finished look, I added an applied i-cord. And of course...I knit it in the round (do I have to say it, no seams!)

Peanut's Sundress Detail

Stay tuned for rules to the upcoming 1st Annual Sock Off between PassionKNITly and myself.