Fuzzy Feet!

Here they are---

And a view from the side---


In just two evenings I managed to knit and felt this pair of slippers.

I used the recommended yarn, and knit them exactly as called for, but I think I over-felted them a bit, because they are now very very small.

Specs:

Pattern:Fuzzy Feet from Knitty.
Yarn: 1 skein of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in M-82 Blue Flannel.
Needles: 7mm 32" Addi Turbo circular for magic looping.


Here's a before shot of the first one--

And here is the after comparison---

As you can see, they're a little small!

I've already started a second pair out of black Cascade 220. I'm knitting them a bit bigger in the hopes that they will fit my feet once felted.

Top Secret & A Sneak Peek!

I'm working on a top secret project right now. It's a test knit for someones new pattern. It shouldn't be too long until the new pattern is revealed, and I will show it to you then. What I can say is that you will want to knit this pattern, and you will enjoy every second of it!

Here's the yarn I'm using---

It's Cascade 220 Paints in color 9930.

...And here is a sneak peek of the Drops 103 Jacket I've been working on. This is the left front--

I've also completed the back, and a couple inches of the right front. The yarn is Malabrigo worsted in Forest. Very pretty!

You'll notice the pictures were obviously taken in daylight. I didn't end up having to work at the old job yesterday, so I actually spent some time at home when it was light out. Today's supposed to be a beautiful sunny fall day again, and thankfully I don't have to work after work today either!

I can't wait to get home and start knitting!

Wait a Minute!

I was going to blog on Saturday, then Sunday, and now it's already Wednesday and still nothing from me.

I have literally about 2 minutes this morning before I hop in the shower. I have knitting progress, but it is pitch black outside, and there is simply no way to get a good picture.

I've been working a lot. First, there's my regular job that I go to for 8 hours, then I go to my old job and work there for 2 hours after work.

Hopefully this week will be the last of that. I'm finally training a competent new person to do my old job.

Seriously though, I will be snapping pictures asap so I can show you the Drops jacket I've been working on.

It's bad when you get up in the morning and are so tired you just want to go back to bed, but instead of being able to come home after work and relax and knit, you have to go to a second job that you don't need or want and get paid significantly less for than your regular job.

Man, I need a weekend.

Mid Week...

I have been wanting to take some knitting/crocheting pictures so badly, but it has been so dark and rainy and crappily lit around here that I don't think I could do any object justice.
So here's an update of what's going on with me:

• I have decided to relinquish my credit and debit cards to Stu. I am totally out of control! My thought process is totally flawed. I think, "well, I'm stressed about not having money, maybe I should go to Chapters and look at knitting books". OR "Hey, I have a 40% off Michaels coupon, is there anything I could possibly buy from there?" God help me!
  
• I found an awesome samosa place that's half a block from my work (80 cents for 2). Woot!
• I feel like I'm settling in to my new job.
  
• I'm still working my old job a bit.
• I need new tires for my car.
• I'm crocheting a doily!

I'm going to go spend some quality time with my Malabrigo.

My Herringbone Hat for My So Called Scarf...

After I finished the My So Called Scarf for myself, I decided I needed a hat to go with it. When I saw the My Herringbone Hat, I knew I had stumbled on a perfect hat for my ensemble.
I now have some great winter wear. I even managed to wear my scarf to the Apple Festival at UBC yesterday morning while I wondered around tasting apples and eating scrumptious apple pie before lunch. Our good friend and neighbor Gill came along with us, so we also had very good company.
I can't wait for cooler weather so I can wear the hat and scarf together.

Specs:

Pattern: My Herringbone Hat by Moonfrog.
Yarn: 1 and a very little bit skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Azul Profundo.
Needles: 8mm Crystal Palace DPNS.I knit the herringbone band until it fit around my head in the way I wanted it to. When sewing the two herringbone ends together, I just winged it. It's not totally invisable, but it's close. I couldn't replicate it if I tried, sorry.

I also picked up more stitches than called for, but I can't remember how many. I do know it was one per edge stitch. I then knit until I estimated it was almost long enough, then followed the decreasing directions.The only thing I would change if I made it again is that I would start the decreases a few rows sooner. It's a bit of a tall hat.

Books & Malabrigo...

Boy oh boy, do I have some scrumptious new goodies! All of these are thanks to the Rising Canadian dollar/lower USD. I have a US address I use in Point Roberts, so I can also take advantage of the lower American postage costs. All I have to do is go down, pick the stuff up and bring it back across the border. Easy-peasy!

First, the books!
I placed my first ever Amazon.com order last Monday morning. I am now the proud owner of 4 Elizabeth Zimmermann books! Knitter's Almanac, Knitting Workshop, The Opinionated Knitter, and Knitting Without Tears. I'd better be careful, I'll have other knitters trying to break in to get at all of my knitting books. I can't wait to start reading!

My other package was full of Malabrigo! Talk about a heavenly box! I don't think the border guards got my enthusiasm.

3 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Azul Profundo. This is the same color I used for my own My So Called Scarf. I had to get more, because when my brother saw my scarf, he wanted one. I tried to convince him to have a different color or different yarn, but with no success. He wanted the exact same one.

I'll be using more than 2 skeins to make his scarf nice and long.

...And 7 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Forest. This luscious yarn is all for me. I will be using it for this Drops Jacket that so many people have been knitting. I even think it's an attainable knit for this year.

The reasons I had to get the yarn in the US were

1. My lys did not have any more Azul Profundo.
2. My lys charges $16.95/skein
3. Personal Threads charges $10.95/skein
4. The Canadian and US dollars are pretty much the same.

I was very impressed with Personal Threads in Omaha, Nebraska. They shipped so quickly. I ordered on Monday afternoon (Monday was a holiday), and on Wednesday morning at 8am my package had arrived at the post office. Everything was packaged well, and I'd definitely order from them again. PS. They are also Lime & Violet's LYS. Cool, huh.

One Down, One To Go...

I can't believe it, but I knit a whole sock this weekend! It's a tall sock too (8-9" leg)!

The pattern is the Sky Sock from New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi. Instead of putting the heel increases on the heel side, the increases are on the top of the foot/ankle, as you can see in the picture below: Here is the view of the increases that the wearer sees. Quite subtle in this yarn, but it adds more interest than a plain "regular" sock.

I finished the sock off with a star toe (from the toe section at the back of the above book).

The one thing that this book didn't seem to cover was the gusset decreases. At the end of the heel turn, I had all of the heel stitches on one needle, so I just decreased every second round at the end of each side of the top of the foot. I like the look it created.
I'm already about 2.5" down the second leg. Unfortunately, it's a fairly boring knit though. Too much stockinette for my liking. I'm hoping to be all done the 2nd by the weekend. Eeek! It's Wednesday. I'd better get knitting!

Giving Thanks....

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving, as many of you have heard, and I'd like to invite everyone, Canadian or not, to give thanks this weekend. I have made so many connections with our American neighbours, and those from numerous other countries, and I feel like I have been invited to share in their holidays, and I would like to extend the invitation back.
Join me today as I give thanks for...

• A husband that I love, and who loves me back as much as I love him.
• Two of the best kitty cats in the entire world. They have made my life so much richer, and I could not imagine life without them.
• A family who is always there for me, and who I can sit around with all afternoon chatting and drinking coffee.
• In-laws who are generous and always welcoming.
• That I have two families who want to spend Thanksgiving with me.
• The fact that the yarn is plentiful and gorgeous.
• Knitting
• Finding an online knitting community that kind and encouraging.
• The last year of my life; I have had one of the best years so far, and I attribute it to the above.

What are you thankful for?

I have also chosen this weekend as my personal kick off Socktober. I haven't been knitting many socks lately, and as incentive to get Socktober off with a bang, I wanted to use a yarn that spoke to the time of year.

I went out yesterday and found one. It's by Fleece Artist, and it's called SoMoKo in the Jester colorway. It's a fairly new yarn from them, and is comprised of 65% Merino, 20% Kid, 10% Nylon, and 5% Silk. It is a really interesting yarn to knit with. It has that slight scratchiness of the kid mohair, but the shine of silk and nylon, as well as the softness of merino. It's a neat yarn to knit with. To me, the feel screams fall, which complements the color nicely.

P.S. The all of the pictures are of that one skein of yarn.

Ta-Daa!!

The scarf is officially finished! I'll let you in on a little secret--When I'm sick enough to stay home from work, I sit in bed and knit like a mad woman. I just hate to have an unproductive day.

I know the pictures kinda suck, considering I've got a bad cold and I'm in my pjs, but I knew that yesterday was the last day of sun that we're supposed to see for a while, and I wanted to get them taken.

Spec Recap:

Yarn: Malabrigo in Azul Profundo (127) approx 1 1/3rd skeins.
Needles: 8mm Clover straights.
Pattern: My So Called Scarf.
Mods: I cast on 36 stitches instead of 30. For me, 36 sts is perfect for this scarf.

My Thoughts on the Pattern and Yarn:

I really really really enjoyed this pattern. Generally I don't like knitting a pattern more than once, but I think I will be knitting this one again and again.

And, Malabrigo is the best yarn ever! It is not itchy at all. I was actually really surprised, because it looks scratchy in the hank. Don't be fooled. It is pure heaven. I've managed to buy 5 skeins of it in the last 2 weeks and knit up 4 and a bit.

Ideas for Leftovers:

To use up some leftovers, I decided to make a hat to go with the Little Sky Socks I made from Cat Bordhi's book New Pathways for Sock Knitters . I just winged it with the hat. I cast on 64 sts, followed by a 2x2 rib for an inch, then plain stockinette. I ran out of the Bobby Blue Malabrigo, so I blended the two colors together with a bit of improv fair isle, before switching completely to the Azul Profundo.

The reason I did the bit of fair isle is that I've seen a lot of people run out of yarn for a project and just straight up switch to the new yarn color. This sharp change just never sits right with me. It looks a little too accidental.

I think that the blend makes the change look a bit more intentional.

My So Called Scarf...

I may not seem to blog all that frequently right now, but everything will be settling down soon. I started my new job almost 2 weeks ago now, and it is going very well; however, there is a ton to do, and a ton to learn, which makes me want to avoid any typing when I get home.


I'm really enjoying my work days ending at 4pm now.

Unfortunately, I've managed to come down with the bad cold that's going around, so I wasn't there today. I'm hoping my day of rest will make me feel a lot better by tomorrow.


Don't worry. I've been knitting during every free moment I've had. I'm about 10 rows away from being finished My So Called Scarf, and it'll be done by the end of the evening tonight.

Have I mentioned lately that I love Malabrigo? I feel like I can't stop knitting with it. I also found a great place to take pictures in the apartment. Our new pale blue sheets provide just enough reflected light when it's sunny outside (this is the first sun we've seen around here in a while).

Here are the scarf specs -

Pattern: My So Called Scarf

Needles: 8mm Clover 10" Straights

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Azul Profundo

Don't think I've forgotten that it's Socktober! The reason I've been trying to get the scarf done quickly is so I can devote the weekend to sock knitting. Stay tuned to see which sock I'll be working on.

Have a great Friday!!

A Finished Pair for September...

I almost didn't make it! At 4:30pm yesterday I realized that I hadn't finished a September pair of socks for the Sock-a-month KAL. Luckily I found something quick to knit and was finished the pair by 10:30pm. I won't be cutting it this close next month!

I weighed my options, and realized that my best bet was to use this tight timeline to try out a little pair of worsted weight socks in the Little Sky Sock pattern from Cat Bordhi's new book, New Pathways For Sock Knitters.
I used some left over worsted weight Malabrigo in the Bobby Blue (27) colorway.

I was fortunate enough to pick up this book about 2 weeks ago from my LYS, and I'm happy I did. I am also happy I started with a little sock instead of diving right in with a big one. I think the combination of unfamiliar construction along with lettered stitch markers may have caused me a little confusion, but it all was sorted out in the end. There is something about the Malabrigo that is not letting me waste a single scrap. I believe it is as close to heaven as a yarn can come.