Socks Done!

This weekend, I finished up the footies, and Sweetie Boy put them right on for a modeling session. Seems he's quite happy with them.

Project: Socks On My Own with heel by Mouse's Toe Up Sock Pattern (on ravelry)
Yarn: Elann Esprit in the UCLA Bruin color (my name, not theirs), 1 ball
Needles: Knit Picks Options 24" circulars, US Size 4, magic loop style
Start: September 2007
Finish: January 13, 2008
Thoughts: I'm excited these are done and now that I can do a toe up heel flap pattern without numbers, I am even more excited. One ball of the yarn was enough for the pair of footies with not much to spare. The yarn was probably knit a bit loose, and I'm sure I could have gone down to size 2 or 3 needles. But... I didn't want to. I just felt like casting on some socks in September with this yarn and I did.

This officially ends the sock drought of '07. I made 7 pairs in the first half of the year, and stopped in early July. They were for the Sock-a-month kal plus one more for Sockapalooza 4. After that, I was done done done with socks for a while. And now I kind of miss them, so I'll be returning shortly. Oh yeah, my huge stash of sock yarn is making me feel like I gotta knit up some socks too. Next up? Probably Lenores but we shall see if that lace section doesn't kick my butt.

I finished up another wip on Sunday, the Fake Isle hat. Sorry, no Sweeties were available to model at the time of this picture, so Sweetie Girl's pink soccer ball had to do the trick.

Project: Fake Isle Hat by Amy King, Magknits November 2006
Yarn: Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran in black, one skein, and Noro Kureyon in colorway #150, less than half a skein
Needles: Addi Turbos 16" circulars US size 6
Start: December 6, 2007
Finish: January 12, 2008

Thoughts: This was first attempt at fair isle, and I have so much to learn on this technique. The hat came out fine except it's wonky. Maybe that makes it not so fine. The fair isle portions are tight and even, but the non fair isle parts are wobbly and wonky because I'm such a loose knitter. I enjoyed this hat, and may even make another one, because I've got to work out my fair isle issues.

I switched the main and contrast colors, making black the main and the Noro the contrast. I also omitted the spokes that go up the crown and gather at the top just because I liked the look without it. Don't look too closely, because you'll see some of my errors. The hat is a squoosh tight for Sweetie Boy, but if I can block it, maybe it'll stretch a bit. The pink soccer ball will have to do double duty.

With both of those projects out of the way, I picked up my Branching Out scarf, and attempted to work on it at the park while the Sweeties were working on their soccer skills. Four rows later (two of which were purl rows), I decided that lace and I don't see eye to eye. Even easy, beginner lace. This project, and all lace, I gather, will have to be done at home when I can concentrate (read: no kids interrupting me).

My knitting group has started a mini kal for the Shedir hat. Shedir was a Knitty bonus pattern released in their Fall 2004 breast cancer awareness issue. Three or four have already finished theirs, and I'm quite late to the party. However, it has been fun working on it, and I'm almost through my third set of repeats. I picked up some Rowan Calmer in plum at Unraveled last week for the project, because I heard from others that subbing the yarn could result in less than desired effects. I know Calmer is quite stretchy, and since it's a fitted hat, I didn't want to risk it by using a less stretchy yarn. And that, my friends, is how I justified my first yarn purchase (or is it my second?) of 2008.

The pattern is quite fun and it's great seeing the cables emerge. If I didn't know how to do cables without a cable needle, this project would be the biggest pain in the booty. I'm enjoying it and this plummy purple color is great to look at for a long time.