Posted in Completed Projects

Gush Socks and Clockwork

It’s Monday and the 4th of July holiday for those of us in the United States. It’s been yet another busy weekend and holiday, but I took some time to take photos of some recent finished items.

First are the Gush Mystery socks that I finished about a week ago. These are also the first socks I’ve finished for Summer of Socks!

Gush Socks
Gush Mystery Socks

Pattern: Gush Mystery Socks by Yarnissima (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: June 1, 2011
Completed: June 28, 2011
Yarn: Wollmeise 80/20 Twin in WD Pistazie
Needles: US 1 (2.25mm) Knit Picks Circular
Notes: Only made one change. I needed to add some extra rows to get the proper length and adjust for my gauge difference. Instead of doing that where the pattern stated, I added those rows before I started the patterning. I like the way this works a LOT better then adding those rows where the pattern states to. Other then that, I followed the pattern. This is the second pair of mystery socks I’ve knit and I’m happy with how they turned out.

Gush Socks (Worn)
Gush Socks – Foot Detail

Gush Socks (Heel)
Gush Socks – Heel Detail

Second, I have my first Camp Loopy project done!

Clockwork (Full)
Clockwork

Pattern: Clockwork by Stephen West (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: June 15, 2011
Completed: July 2, 2011
Yarn: MadelineTosh Pashmina in Oak (just over 1 skein) and Dahlia (about 2/3 of a skein)
Needles: US 5, 32″ stainless steel circular
Notes: Followed pattern as written except for the bind off. Working the bind off as written for me made it too tight, so I did the JSSBO bind off instead.

Clockwork
Clockwork worn as a wrap

Not much of an update, since I’ve got tons of other things I’m working on and this year’s Tour de Fleece just started, but I plan to share those with you soon! Hope those who are celebrating the holiday are having a good one and that those who aren’t have had a great weekend. 🙂

Posted in Completed Projects, Current Projects

Dahlia Cowl, Gush Socks, and Clockwork

Oh, hey, I’ve got an FO to share! I was thinking I had already posted this, but it seems that it’s been over a week since I last posted and I hadn’t yet taken pictures of my finished Dahlia Cowl. Time sure has been getting away from me lately!

I love the colors of this cowl and it’ll be nice to wear come fall and winter. I have some other handspun that I might make into a scarf using this pattern (just adding more length and no buttons). I haven’t done it much, but I really do enjoy knitting with my handspun and need to do it more often!

Dahlia Cowl (Worn)
Dahlia Cowl

Pattern: Dahlia Cowl by Jessamyn Leib (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: June 4, 2011 (started spinning)
Completed: June 11, 2011 (finished knitting)
Fiber: Zarzuela’s Fibers Hand Dyed Polworth in Dahlia
Yarn: 95 yards of 2-ply handspun from above fiber (8 WPI)
Needles: US 10.5 bamboo straights
Notes: Followed pattern as written. Very easy to follow and memorize once I got going. With the bulkier yarn I spun, I used a larger needle and was still able to get 24″ in length out of it with some yarn left over. It’s super squishy and soft!

Dahlia Cowl (Flat)
Dahlia Cowl – Flat

I managed to make it through the second clue on both Gush socks shortly after the third clue came out.

Gush Socks - Clue 2
Gush – Clue 2

Gush Socks - Clue 2
Gush – Clue 2
You can see the pattern more “open” in this picture

The third clue was a lot shorter then the second and within about a day of knitting, I was through it on both socks.

Gush Socks - Clue 3
Gush – Clue 3

The forth and final clue came out yesterday. I’m roughly halfway through it on the first sock and hoping I can get these socks finished this weekend. It’s not the most portable project because of the chart, though I think I’ll definitely get them finished before the month is over.

My Camp Loopy project, Clockwork, has seen a lot of progress. Here it is on the first day of camp (June 15th).

Clockwork
Clockwork on the first day of camp!

Color is more accurate in the above photo, but here’s my current progress (taken with my phone camera).

Clockwork
Clockwork Currently

I’m two repeats into the second section. The rows are pretty long, so they take a while, but I think I’ll be finished with it soon enough. I have to say that I really like knitting with the MadeleineTosh Pashmina. It’s so soft! This will make a great shawl once it’s finished.

This week, Summer of Socks started! I had grand plans to cast on for the first featured sock pattern – Summer Spirals – on Tuesday, June 21st. Turns out the yarn I first wanted to use wasn’t going to work with the pattern and the pattern’s stitch counts. It was too small and going up a size would have made them too big. Frogged. Tried three other yarns and all had the same issue. Too big and if I went down a size, too small (twice) or too small and if I went up a size, too big (twice). I did the only thing I could think of: threw the pattern, yarn and needles in a corner to think about all they’ve done wrong!! Hahaha! Kidding! I set it all aside and decided I’d come back to it after finishing up the Gush socks. 😉

Are you participating in Summer of Socks this year? If so, what patterns are you going to knit? I have a few in mind, but like usual when it comes to socks, I’ll decide on the next pair once I get a pair finished. I’d like to get Maelstrom #2 done, so long as it doesn’t bother my hands again! (Speaking of which, things are back to normal knitting for me. Yay! 🙂 )

Posted in Completed Projects

Stripey Socks and Upcoming Projects

Happy Friday! Today I have an FO to share. 😀 I was able to finish up my Stripey Socks yesterday! These will be fun and bright to wear once it gets cooler again.

Finished Stripey Socks!
PDY Stripey Socks

Pattern: 66 stitch toe-up sock with slip stitch heel (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: March 16, 2011
Completed: June 9, 2011
Yarn: Perfect Day Yarns Self-Striping, colorway “She Woos Me”
Needles: US 0 Knit Picks nickel circular
Notes: Generic toe-up sock using Wendy D. Johnson’s slip stitch heel and my rounded toe. I love the fabric I get on US 0’s with this yarn. I may try to knit my next pair of Vesper self-striping socks with the same gauge. Just a bit tighter then what I’ve been getting on my stripey socks.

Last week, Sheri of The Loopy Ewe blogged about Camp Loopy. Just a few days before I read her post, I had been wishing I could go to summer camp this year, and this kind of camp is right up my alley!

The first challenge project to go along with the theme “Campfire Nights” is to knit a two color cape, shawl, or scarf. I decided to knit a pattern that has been in my queue for a while now: Clockwork. After some thought on what colors and yarn to use, I decided on MadelineTosh Pashmina in Dahlia and Oak.

MadelineTosh Pashmina
MadelineTosh Pashmina

This weekend I’ll wind up the yarn, print out the pattern, and find the right needles so I’ll be ready to cast-on on June 15th!

Since I decided on no more sweaters for a while, I’ve been searching around for a shawl pattern to knit, preferably one that would look good out of one of the Wollmeise Lace colors I have. I haven’t seen anything that just called to me to knit it, so I just kept looking. Then, this past week, Kris mentioned to me on Twitter that we should do another knit-a-long (we knit Camber together via Twitter last year). After some discussion, we decided to knit High Seas. I thought this would be perfect for the Wollmeise Lace I have in Flaschenpost, which is a lovely blue-green color that reminds me of the ocean.

WM Lace - Flaschenpost
Wollmeise Lace in Flaschenpost

The fact that the shawl looks like waves, doesn’t hurt either! I love the ocean and frequently find myself missing it. We’ll be casting-on on Monday. I’ve already got the pattern printed, just need to wind that GIANT skein of yarn this weekend.

Have a good weekend everyone! I’ve got some new craft supplies that recently arrived and I’m looking forward to playing around with them this weekend. Hoping to have something to show you next week! 🙂