March 2011

Socks for March 2011

by Kristin Longacre on March 30, 2011

Crazy Zauberball SocksOne of my goals this year was to finish at least a pair of socks a month. February I finished a pair the first week (The Big and Little Cabled Socks), so I figured I should probably keep going for March!

I had been working on the Java socks from Knitty Winter 2011, but I was quickly starting to realize that there was no end in sight, no matter how much I knit… the socks never got any longer. While I’m still in love with the socks, they have been set aside for now.

I quickly picked up my socks out of Crazy Zauberball and started knitting. The first sock was finished last weekend, and I cast off the second sock earlier this week. The result, a new pair of socks!

The best part about this yarn is that there was absolutely no way these socks would ever match, but I didn’t care! I love the colors of them. They are top down socks with 68 stitches around and an afterthought heel. While they are warm, the yarn was also pretty thin, making them a good summer sock* as well.

Details:

Yarn: Crazy Zauberball
Needles: US Size 2
Pattern: My own

As for what’s on the needles next, well I may have cast on my next pair of plain socks the other night, and I plan on casting on the Wanida socks tonight for my mom… I also considered casting on the socks from this month’s Rockin’ Sock club. Both will probably be started this week… As for baby knitting? what baby knitting… oh yea, there’s a deadline on that… I should get started on that too…

What’s on your needles?

* Summer socks: wool socks that can be worn throughout the summer that aren’t too thick to overheat ones feet, but are warm enough to keep ones feet warm in the air conditioned environment of their workplace.

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Introducing: The Big and Little Cabled Socks!

by Kristin Longacre on March 22, 2011

Big and Little Cabled Socks

Big and Little Cabled Socks

Just before Christmas I had a sock pattern design in my head. I really wanted to knit it up, but the Christmas knitting needed to be finished.

In January I charted out the patterns and finally started knitting. I asked around for a few test knitters and had an awesome response! I sent out the pattern in mid-February for everyone to test.

One of my favorite parts about this pattern is that it worked for both heavily variegated yarn and solid color yarn. Between my three test knitters and I we covered the spectrum of yarns. My original pair was knit in Hill Country Yarns Sock and my test knitters all knit theirs in The Knitted Geek Yarns Version 2.0.

The pattern is finally ready to go and is up on Ravelry for people to purchase! As of right now all purchases must go through Ravelry. If there is a large demand for it I will post it elsewhere for purchase.

Details:
Needles: US Size 2 or Size needed to obtain gauge
Gauge: 8 stitches over one inch
Yarn: Fingering Weight Sock Yarn
Yardage: 400-450 yards
Size: The ribbing allows it to fit between a woman’s medium and large
Price: $4.95

Thanks SO much to my test knitters for helping out!

Test Knit by JBSpinner Test Knit by PhoenixFireTest Knit by Toniatwister

 

 

 

 

 

Photos thanks to JBSpinner, PhoenixFire & Toniatwister

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Fingerless Mittens… I’m Falling in Love With You

by Kristin Longacre on March 15, 2011

Quilted Lattice MittsThe obsession has officially hit. On Saturday I quickly finished up the Quilted Lattice Mitts because I couldn’t wait to wear them. I was tired of looking at them and I haven’t taken them off since! They are so warm. As we are slowly (and I mean slowly) starting to see spring creep up in Northwest Indiana, it is perfect weather for fingerless mittens!

This pattern was so fun to knit and went so fast. I did do the colorwork version of it. I originally was planning on doing it out of a completely different yarn but as soon as I picked up the pattern I knew these two colors would be perfect. They didn’t quite work out as socks, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still keep me warm!

The best part is… I’m on track with the Rockin’ Sock Club shipments! Who knows, I might even keep up this year ;)

Project Rundown:

Yarn: Bluemoon Fiber Arts Medium Weight – Rockin’ Sock Club January 2011 Colorways of Pinkie Swear and Aubergenius
Needles: Size 3
Pattern: Quilted Lattice Mitts
Inspired By: Laura’s Quilted Lattice Mitts

Oh, and that pretty yarn I showed you a few days ago… it may be a fingerless mitten and a half already… hopefully by the end of the week it will be two :)

A New Pair of Fingerless Mittens

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Obsessed? Who Me?

by Kristin Longacre on March 9, 2011

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quilted-lattice-mittsI mentioned the other night that I have a problem with fingerless mittens. I don’t know if it’s because I wear my fetchings all day long or if 2011 is the year of the fingerless mitten. For some reason this winter, I have been obsessed with finding patterns for them.

Have I finished a pair? Of course not!

The other night I did some Barns and Noble knitting with a friend. (coffee, knitting, friends, books… all a good mix). She was working on a pair of the Quilted Lattice Mitts. They were cute, and I wanted a pair.

Sunday night, I cast my own pair on. It’s the perfect project to use up some of my yarn from the January 2011 shipment of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club.

I’m in love. I’m obsessed. I can’t wait for them to be done. Aren’t they pretty?

Now, if only I could find time to knit the other 15 patterns I’ve downloaded this winter… do I really need 15 pairs of fingerless mittens?

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Oh Look… YARN! (A Dilemma)

by Kristin Longacre on March 7, 2011

Oh look... YARN!Have I ever told you how much I love the process of spinning? Right now my wheel and I are on the “love” portion of our “love / hate” relationship. That’s okay though.

The spinner in me still wants to believe that spinning a whole fleece is the best way to spin and that I would love a hand knit sweater out of yarn that I started out processing, spun up, plied, and then knit. The a-d-d knitter in me loves color. Unless sheep are starting out in blues, greens, and purples… the ideal of me and the fleece is slowly drifting away. At least for now.

About a week and a half ago, Leslie posted a link to the Wool Gatherings etsy shop on Plurk. (Somebody please go buy the rest of the fiber in her shop before I do!) As it was a Friday at lunch, and my paypal just HAPPENED to be hooked up to my etsy account… I had a “fall-down-go-boom” moment… and ordered some fiber. The colorway doesn’t have a name but it was 4oz of 100% Blue Face Leicester. My goal… sheep to shoe… in other words I wanted to spin my own sock yarn.

This seller shipped FAST. The following Monday (yes, three days later) the fiber showed up in the mail. It took me all of 3.2 seconds to split it into thirds and start spinning. This yarn was also going to be my first 3-ply.

Wool Gatherings Fiber - Pre Spun

I have been in love with this fiber since the moment I started spinning it. It spun up so well, was so nice to spin and was just plain pretty. Last night I finished each of the individual bobbins. Like a good spinner, I let my yarn sit over night.

Three Bobbins Full

After a bad start to the day (involving ice, a car door handle, and my pointer finger) my goal was to get this fiber plied up and ready to go.

The Final yarn

These pictures were before I soaked it and set the twist, so please ignore the twist quality here. The final count is 241 yards. There is a tiny bit left over that I’m going to use to teach my self to Navajo ply.

Here is the dilemma. Remember when I said that I wanted to make socks out of this yarn? My other option was fingerless mittens (an obsession we won’t even get into right now). The yarn came out to be fingering – sport weight, not quite enough for a full size pair of socks. As I plied the yarn up, I realized that no matter what I do with this if there is two of it they won’t match.

I’m having a horrible time deciding but want to cast this on because it is so pretty… I just can’t decide. I need your help!

Leave a comment with your vote… ankle socks? or fingerless mittens?

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