WIP Wednesday

I finished my Rainbow socks.  I love them.  I still have to weave in the ends, but they are ready to wear.  The yarn is 'What does it all mean?' by Turtlepurl yarns. 

I also finished a Rainbow Dash-inspired sock.  This pattern uses vertical stranding and will be my first toe-up design.  The pattern should be ready for testing this week.  If you are on my tester list, I will earburn you on Ravelry.  If you are not on the tester list but would like to be, let me know and I will add you.  

I am blocking Cecily.  The front corners bunched up in a weird, worrying way so I am blocking it before I pick up the sleeve stitches - I really need to be sure that the bunching blocks out.  

Inside this lovely project bag is a super secret sock design that I am not allowed to show anyone or talk about.  It's killing me not to show it to you.  All will be revealed on July 1st! 

I hope you have had a great knitting week. I would love to see what you are working on.  Tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter so I can ooh and aww over it.  I am Knitalot924 on all social media.

WIP Wednesday - with anti-biotics!

I have not been feeling well this week.  Apparently, I have a UTI (I think the U shoud stand for uncomfortable) so now I am on an antibiotic that is adding to my discomfort.

I have three projects on the needles right now.  I can't show you the first one because it is super top secret and the publisher and yarn company both swore me to secrecy (it's really hard for me to not show my knitting).  I can tell you that it is a sock pattern (surprise!) and that it will be released in July.  I think this is the shortest publication timeline I have ever worked with.  They need the sample by June 1st.  Also I can tell you that the yarn is absolutely scrumptious!

I have made good progress on my Rainbow Dash inspired sock:

I really feel like I got the colours and the pattern right this time.

And I have made progress on my Rainbow socks:

Rainbows seem to be a theme in my life right now.

I have decided to block my Cecily Jacket before I pick up the sleeve stitches because I really need to see of this weird bunching at the bottom corners will block out. 

 Hopefully I will pick up the sleeve stitches later this week.

I hope you have had a great knitting week and that if it is Spring in your part of the world that you are enjoying lots of sunshine! 

WIP Wednesday

I am happily working on my second rainbow sock. The first one has been blocked but I still have to weave in those pesky ends.

I am getting ready to cast-on a Rainbow Dash inspired sock design.  Rainbow Dash was my kids' favourite Pony from the My Little Pony franchise.   I cast on once already, but the colours weren't right and I wasn't feeling the design so I re-worked the colours, re-charted the design and I think I am ready to go.  

I spent most of Saturday binding off Cecily.  Seriously, I started at lunch time and finished at 7pm - I knit 4 rows of garter stitch and binded off.  I am happy to have the 750 stitches off my needles.  I need to pick up for the sleeves which feels like a treat compared to the lace edging.  

I have a concern with the bottom front corners of the cardigan.  Do you see how they are bunched up? That bunching is kind of freaking me out a little bit.  I am tempted to block the sweater before I pick up for the sleeves.  Is that a good idea?  I don't knit a lot of sweaters, so I would appreciate your opinion.  The sleeve stitches are on waste yarn, so they will survive a bath(I think).  I just really want to pin the lace edging open and see if the bottom corners relax and open up without any bunching. 

 What do you think? Can I safely block before I pick up for the sleeves?

WIP Wednesday

My Cecily Jacket has gotten lots of love this week.  I am 11 rows from being finished the body of the cardigan.  This is good news for you because instead of hearing me complain about how long it's taking me to knit the body, you get to hear me complain about knitting the sleeves.  It will be a nice change for you ;)

This is what it looks like with over 700 (fingering weight) stitches and 69 stitch markers.

I finished the sample for my new design, Moriarty.  I still have a few ends to weave in.  The pattern is being tested by some super-patient testers who are helping to work out some glitches in the heel.  I always get the best testers.  If you like knitting socks and would be earburned on Ravelry for future testing opportunities, contact me with your Ravelry ID and I will add you to my list. 

I finished a rainbow sock for me!  I love this sock.  The yarn is 'What Does It Mean?' by Turtlepurl yarns. 

What's this?  Is that a sock toe?  Why, yes it is.  I have had lots of requests from knitters who would like me to design a toe-up sock pattern, so my next design will be toe-up.  I sometimes knit toe up when I am knitting socks for myself or as a gift, but weirdly it has just never occurred to me to design a toe-up pattern.   It will also incorporate colour work and cables.  This will be a fun design. 

I hope you have had a great knitting week.  I would love to see or hear about what you are working on.  Share in the comments or tag me on social media (I am knitalot924 everywhere) so I can ooh and aah over it.

WIP Wednesday With a Few Sneak Peeks

There is not a lot of knitting going on this week.  I have caught the plague from one of my kids and I am currently nesting on the sofa surrounded by tissues, books, knitting and the remote for the TV.  I know sick days mean extra knitting time for a lot of knitters, but there is a brain fog accompanying this plague that is causing me to have a very short attention span.  

I did get a whopping 2 rows done on Cecily.  That's over 1340 stitches, so that's actually not bad.  I moved this project to longer needles and I am really liking the Addi Turbo Rockets that I am using. This is the first time I have ever used Addis.  

I have turned the heel on my rainbow socks.  I tried it on and after one more grey section I will be able to start shaping the toe.  I have a couple of conference calls today so I should be able to get a few rows in while I am dialed in.  

The second sock of my new 'Moriarty' design is moving along nicely.  The tech editor has finished with it and the test knitters are testing the pattern now.  I am aiming for a mid-April release. 

And here is a sneak peak of a pattern that is being released on April 1st.  It was previously published by a 3rd party and the rights revert back to me this month. 

I designed a skirt!  Sunday Brunch is in the April 2016 issue of  I Like Knitting magazine.


I hope you have had a great knitting week.

WIP Wednesday

I turned the heel on my rainbow sock.  I love these socks.  Rainbows make me smile.  I used a simple short row heel - rainbow of course.  I am hoping the self-striping will line-up so that the toe will be rainbow as well.  I could cut the yarn and force it, but I am too lazy to go to that much effort. 

This is my Cecily jacket with 674 stitches on the needles (not a typo).  That is a lot of stitches.  I am on the lace border now.  I have had to move the project to a 40inch circular needle and it takes me almost an hour to knit one row (and drink a glass of wine).  I have been trying it on as I go, and so far so good.  

Also I finished a sock sample.  

This is a cuff down sock that uses a simple drop stitch design on the front and ribbing on the back.  It is very stretchy.  I made the sample in my own size (I make all sample my size) and it is too big.  I have graded the pattern for an extra size because I think most knitters will have to knit down a size. It is with the tech editor now and I hope to start testing later this week. 

I hope you have had a great knitting week.  I would love to hear about and see what you have been working on.  

WIP Wednesday

I finished my Burberry Socks!  Each sock has a different heel - oops!  I used an afterthought heel on the first sock and then used a short row heel on the second sock.  I was just happily knitting and forgot about the afterthought heel.  I don't think anyone will be able to tell when they are on my feet. 

 

Here they are on my feet :) The yarn is amazing!  It is Turtlepurl yarns Turtle Toes in the 'Trenchcoat' colourway.

 

I also finished the sample for my new design.  If all goes according to plan, it should be released by March 15th.  Note the difference blocking makes...

I have cast on another vanilla sock with Turtlepurl yarns Turtle Toes.  This colourway is called 'What Does It Mean'.  I really love her yarn.  I hope she is at the Toronto Knitters' Frolic in April so I can get some more. Her booth was so busy last year there was a line up to get in. 

And I have cast on a new design using Indigo Dragonfly MerGoat in the colourway "In A World of Locked Rooms, the Man with the Key is King" This is possibly the softest merino/cashmere/nylon blend I have ever used. 

I have not received yarn support from any yarn company for any of these projects.  The opinions I have expressed in this post are my own and are unsolicited. 

I hope you have had a great knitting week :)

WIP Wednesdsy

I finished my Galactic Hat.  I love it.  It is fingering weight so it is a light hat - perfect for chilly days or bad hair days, but not warm enough for a deep freeze.  It is light enough that if I run into a store I don't get so warm that I have to take my hat off. I have already worn it out and about and I am really happy with it. 

I turned the second heel on my Burberry socks - hopefully these will be off the needles this weekend and on my feet next week :)

I have cast on the second sock of my new design, 'River Song'.  I received the pattern back from the tech editor last night and I am opening a test thread today.  If you are a test knitter, and you would like to test this sock, pm me on Ravelry (I am Knitalot924) and I will earburn you when the test thread is live. 

I have tried on my Cecily Jacket and I expect to start the lace edging this weekend.  I am making the body a bit longer than the pattern calls for since I am a long-in-the-torso-short-in-the-legs type of person.  (I can't stop laughing at how stunned I look in this photo). 

I love posting on WIP Wednesday - it keeps me motivated to make progress on projects so I have something to show you.  I hope you have had a good knitting week.  I would love to see your WIPs, let me know if you have a blog or if you post your WIPs on Ravelry, Instagram or somewhere else where I can see them.  

WIP Wednesday

I lost two knitting days this week: I threw my back out and I had a nasty head cold.  The spasm-y back made it painful to knit and the cold meds caused too many knitting mistakes - so I accepted my limitations and took a couple of days off.  Despite that, I feel that I got a lot of knitting done. 

I worked a few rows of my Cecily Twinset this week.  This WIP will be a year old in April.  I might throw it a small party.  I was so naive optimistic when I cast on this sweater - I thought I would have gotten 6 months of wear out of it by now.  Going forward, I am going to try to spend a couple of hours of quality time with Cecily each week.  I have to finish this sweater before I will allow myself to cast on the next sweater.  

I also worked a few rounds of my Galactic hat.  I am about an inch away from starting the decreases. Hopefully I will be wearing it out in the world by the end of February.  This is not the best photo of the yarn - the green is much more of a lime green in real life.  

I am just about ready to turn the heel on my Burberry sock.  I love it so much, are you tired of hearing me say how much I love this yarn?  It's almost over - it should be off the needles and on my feet soon.  

I have cast on a new design.  Actually, I cast it on 5 times (which is typical for my creative process). The first 4 times it was going to be a lacy sock design.  That did not work out so now it is a sort of delicate cable design. Let me know what you think.  This is my absolute favourite shade of green.  I have stopped wearing design samples, but I might make an exception for this one. 

I hope you have had a great knitting week!

WIP Wednesday

I finished a pair of socks!! Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey (Doctor Who fans will get it) is currently being tested and should be ready to be released by the end of the month.  I love this design (if I do say so myself). 

 

 So, I get to cast-on a new sock!  I wound the yarn yesterday.  I have a few ideas for a Spring sock with lots of lace. 

Is that a gorgeous shade of green, or what?  The yarn is Black Lamb Merino/Nylon in the colourway 'Grasshopper'.

 

My Burberry socks are coming along nicely.  They are exactly the same.  Exactly.  I love Turtlepurl yarns. 

 

This is my Galactic Hat.  I am loving it. It is such an easy knit.  This is the project that stays in my purse for when I am out.  I have not been out much this week, otherwise I think this hat would be done.  Fabulous pattern, it is graded for everyone from infants to adults.  I can see myself knitting quite a few of these. 

What are you working on this week?

WIP Wednesday

I have managed to knit myself into a wrist brace.  Again.  I am taking a couple of days off and taking care of myself.  I am wearing my brace, taking anti-inflammatories and keeping sane busy with non-knitting, knitting like cruising Ravelry, catching up on knitting blogs,  tidying up the stash...

 

I cast-on a new design over the weekend.  I really like the way it is knitting up.  If my wrist cooperates, I am hoping to have it ready for testing by the end of the week.  If you are a tester and you are on Ravelry (the test will be conducted in a Ravelry thread) and you want to test this sock, contact me with your Ravelry name and I will earburn you when it is ready to test. 

 

It is knit top-down and uses slipped stitches and cables to form the pattern.  The colourwork is done using mosaic knitting so you only ever work with one colour at a time (no floats and no carrying yarn) - this is my favourite type of colourwork.  This pattern has a short row heel and a wedge toe that is grafted using Kitchener stitch.  It is graded for 3 circumferences. 

 

I finished my first Burberry sock and have cast on the second.  I love this sock.  I cannot wait to wear them.  They are my new favourite socks. 

 

My 'Pattern of the Month' is Solar Vortex.  It is available in my Ravelry store at 20% off for the month of February - no coupon code required.  You can download it here.

I hope you are having a great knitting week :)

WIP Wednesday

I ordered more 'Trenchcoat' sock yarn from Turtlepurl yarns.  The Husbeast *needs* a pair of these socks with the coordinating heel and toe yarn.  (emphasis on 'needs' is mine, not his).  I am so in love with this yarn.  I might get some worsted weight and make myself a lovely Burberry cowl. 

My Burberry sock is coming along nicely, I am working on the toe.  The toes and heels will be sparkly since the only black sock yarn I could find in my stash is sparkly.  Good thing I don't mind a little bling on my feet. 

I decided to cast on Galactic Hat by Julianna Puccini.  The pattern is written for worsted weight yarn, but after about 3 minutes of math I was able to figure out the numbers for fingering weight given my gauge and head size.  I love the way this yarn is working up in this pattern. 

 

I currently have no design work on the needles.  I have some tech editing projects on the go, so I am still working, but I am happy for a few days off from designing.  I need to figure out what I want to start next (hint: probably socks) and cast-on later this week, or early next week. 

What have you been working on?

WIP Wednesday

My first pair of finished socks in 2016!  A sample for a magazine, they are heading to the post office soon to make their way to the photographer.  

I am part-way through a scarf (same yarn, same magazine).  See the little progress marker?  I have to knit 6 inches per day to make the deadline. 

After I finish my 6 inches of scarf knitting, I reward myself with this beauty:

I am so in love with this yarn.  This is Turtlepurl yarn in the 'Trenchcoat' colourway.  You can ignore the small ball of white yarn in the bowl, it's the scrap yarn that I used for the tubular cast-on; it is not actually featured in the finished sock.

I have decided that it is fundamental to my mental health to always have a plain vanilla sock on the needles.  Always.  It is my yoga.  It is my stress management.  It is an integral part of my wellness plan.

I cannot wait to wear these.

I would love to see what you have been working on this week...