Lost on the Subway

I would love to show you the really cute lace bonnet I made for a co-worker who is expecting. But apparently I left it on the subway.

I hope a knitter or mother finds it and puts it to good use.

Have you seen this book yet?

French Girl Knits



Amazon Link

Knit Picks Link

Oh my goodness! I love it. There are about 4 or 5 things I HAVE to make. Including a beautiful shrug that has this really interesting construction. I had to cut the shape out of paper and tape it together to completely understand it, but you make a t-shape and sew it together to make a circular shape that you then knit the sleeves from the provisional stitches you cast on for the t-shape. The photo garment is made in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, but I am thinking this calls for cashmere. I might even have to make it in a few colors!

Catch Up

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good holiday season.

Here are just a few of the things I have been working on during my absence.

I made this dress for one of my co-worker’s new baby girl.



I had some leftover yarn from the dress I made for Peanut. I wanted to make something cute with minimal finishing. So I applied the EZ principle of top down, cast on some stitches and just kind went with the flow. The heart pocket was an afterthought, but a cute addition I think :-). If I were to make it again, I won’t make the ruffle quite so ruffly.

Another baby gift was for a vendor for the school. I didn’t have much advance warning on this one, so I needed something quick. What better than a Baby Surprise Jacket?



Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn
Needles: 2 US

This is the perfect yarn for this pattern. I had about 5 yards left when I was done. Not to mention the way the stripes work up.



I only took me a day and a half. If you need a quick baby gift for someone, I highly recommend this pattern and yarn.

I also made some Christmas gifts this year.

Hats for the nephews:



Pattern: Ribbed Caps by Judy Gibson
Yarn: Noro Kureyon
Needles: 7 US – Magic Loop

Socks for Mom:



Pattern: My Basic Toe Up
Yarn: Tofutsies
Needles: 0 US - Magic Loop

I also made some dish clothes for my Stepdad, but forgot to take any pictures. Just the basic garter stitch corner to corner dishcloth in a natural color cotton.

I am currently working on several things. My friend Amie just finished knitting her first sweater (I am sooo proud) and I told her I would sew it together for her. I have one sleeve and side seam in, so almost half way. I hope to have it finished for her this weekend (no promises though Amie, it may be next week).

I am also working on a sample/pattern for the store. I have a Seed Stitch Neck Warmer I made for myself a few years ago. Everyone always comments on it. So I am making the same one in Noro Yuzen for the store.



Aren’t the colors lovely? It will have 5 buttons to keep it closed. You will still be able to pull it over your head though. Once I write it up I am going to offer it as a free pattern on the side bar and hopefully Ravelry too.

I am also working on a cardigan for myself. This was in the Gedfria book from this summer.



I am using some Ultra Alpaca Light from my stash in a charcoal grey. Nothing too exciting, but it will be very pretty and very wearable.

Murray and I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!



I think he hit the cap nip a little too hard last night.

Socks Socks Socks

Jenn tagged me for this sock meme. Which would have been the perfect ending to my “Summer of Socks,” but it wasn’t as “sock-ful” as I had imagined. I only managed 3 pair and 2 ½ singles. Somehow I lost steam after the first pair. I was always the student in high school who loved to read, but not what we were assigned (even if I liked the book). I think it has to do with being told what to do. So maybe I jinxed myself.

When did you first learn to knit socks? About 4 years ago. My mom had requested a pair for Christmas. I thought I would knit her a pair and that would be it (humm..that sould like my story about knitting in general…)

What’s the first sock you ever knit? The pair for my mom was made from a very fine wool from Rhinebeck. I used a basic pattern, but with a lace trim from Nicky Epstein’s Knitted Embellishments (Amazon Link) (Ravelry Link).

Favorite Sock Pattern? I like a little interest in my socks, but nothing too difficult to memorize. Socks are always a good subway project, so I can’t be pulling out a chart (esp. if I don’t get a seat). Jaywalkers and Embossed Leaves are at the top of my list (sorry, only Ravelry links here, I am too lazy. If you don't have a Ravelry Account yet...why? It's free AND fun).

Favorite needle method? Magic Loop R-O-C-K-S. Thank you Heather for turning me on to the brilliance of this method. Other than that, I usually work toe up. If I have a big skein, I will spilt it in half and work till I run out of yarn. I also do a Turkish Cast-on.

Favorite sock needles? Addi Turbos, size 0 32" – I knit really loose.

Who do you knit socks for? Mostly me. I have made a few pairs for my mom, a pair for my sister-in-law, a pair for Amie and a yet to be gifted pair for Lisa.

How many pairs have you knitted to date? I think about 12-15. Not sure.

What is on your sock knitting to-do list? I love Ester, but as I will need to pay close attention to this pattern, it will have to wait till I have the time to sit and give them the concentration they deserve.

What kind of socks do you like to knit-
striped? No, too many ends.
colorwork? NO WAY. I hate colorwork. I always pull too tight. Too many yarns to get tangled. See above about ends.
plain stockinette? Sure, these are perfect subway socks.
cabled? Diddo what Jenn said. Even though I cable w/o a cable needle, it’s still a pain in A** to do cables on such small needles.
lace? I am a girly girl.
anklets? Not yet. I just don’t see the purpose in my wardrobe.
knee socks? Too much of a commitment. I need something fast when it comes to socks.
solid colors? I tend to do semi-solids more than solids. Kogiu, Claudia (it is really weird not typing –ine)
bright and crazy? Not really. In general I am drawn to softer colors. Usually anything that has a grey or brown undertone. I especially like pastels.
Faux Faire Isle (where the yarn is doing all the work) I have no desire for the most part. But I do want to make some of the Kaffe Fasset Regia self striping yarn.

Jenn has been so busy with her new job we haven’t had time to compare notes about the sock-off. I am still pretty sure she is the hands-down winner. Although I do have a few single socks, so I shouldn’t count myself out yet. We are going to compare notes on Tuesday. So stay tuned to find out who the sock champion is.

In the meantime here is a picture of Amie in her birthday socks.

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!

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.



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:



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.





(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.



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!)



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

You Know You Knit Too Much When...

You know you knit too much when you are watching a popular show about a psychic, and one of the characters owns a knit shop and you are pretty sure you recognize the yarn in her hands.