Swap

I belong to several swap groups on Ravelry. Right now I am working on a swap for my Lion Brand Swap group. We have secret swap partners, and these are some of the things I am working on for the swap.

I knitted this shawl from Lion Brand"s Vanna's Choice. The color is Dusty Purple. I knitted it on #7 circular needles. The original pattern called for a sock weight yarn, but I use worsted weight.

I also knitted a pair of fingerless mittens, called Coppice Mitts by Courtney Kelley. They are featured on the 

cover of Interweave Knits Accessories 2011. I used Lion Brand's Vanessa's Choice yarn in the colorway of Purple.  

The last two pictures are closer to the right color. I am also working on a cowl for the same swap, an I will post the photographs as soon as I am finished.

Some New Items

I am so thrilled, I now have a great Swift and a large ball winder. I already had a small ball winder, but needed something for my larger skeins. 

This is my swift, please excuse the background.

And my ball winder.

I just purchased this beautiful yarn, and haven't decided what I am going to make with it yet.

It is so soft and heavenly.

I have been busy knitting items for a knitting swap and I have finished one item and am working on another, but I can't show them until I have mailed them to my swap partner. It is a secret swap and I can't give away the surprise.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

More sock

I have finished about half of the second sock. I wish I had kept better count of the rows, I am sometimes lax in that area, but that is the beauty of these socks, you have your personal footprint.

 

These socks call for a JSSBO (Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off), the same as the first two pair of socks in this book.

I am knitting these socks with two Addi Lace circulars. I do love these needles.

And, as usual I have my personal helper.

Growing sock

I have reached the point where you insert contrasting yarn in two rows of stitches. These stitches represent the front and back of the sock.

 I have already knitted the heel, but haven't yet closed it.

Now you insert cable needles into the stitches that had the contrasting yarn and remove the yarn. I have put a piece of yarn through the middle stitch of the row between the cable needles. This stitch will be cut.

This is what it looks like before you cut the middle stitch.

After you cut the middle stitch you pull out the stitches to withing two stitches on each side.

I have started knitting my leg portion of the sock.

My sock so far.

And this is the leg pattern. It is really easier than it looks, and my sock fits like a glove. It is really easy to try it on as you knit to make sure everything fits.

Number Three

I started on sock number three yesterday. I am using Dream In Color's Everlasting 8 ply sock yarn, even though Cat used Hand Maiden Casbah for this pair of socks. I am using two circular Addi lace needles number 2. 

I crocheted this shawl for my mother for Christmas. It is on the blocking board.

I also knitted this pair of socks for her for Christmas. I really liked the ribbing on them.

Cat Bordhi

Back in November of 2010 I started a project. I decided to knit my way through Cat Bordhi's book "Persomal Footprints." I managed to knit a few pairs, then I got involved in other things and it fell by the wayside. I have decided to pick it up again and continue. Here is what I posted at the beginning on my Looking Glass Moon blog.  

I was reading Julie Powell's book Julie & Julia, about how she cooked her way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and I decided to try to knit my way through Cat Bordhi's book, "Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters."  I gave much thought to whose book I should choose, and finally decided on Cat's because I think she is such an innovative knitter.  So I rushed out and purchased the yarn for the first pair of socks in the book, Purlicue, the yarn is Crystal Palace Mini Mochi (80% merino, 20% nylon, 50 gr/195 yds) 2 balls in color 107, knit on size (2.25mm) needles. I discovered a wonderful yarn shop not far from me, lucky me.  The first pair of socks look fairly easy and since I have already knitted a discovery pair, this one should be a breeze.

I will post my progress as I knit the socks, along with pictures. If anyone would like to join me in this venture, you are most welcome. I thought I would try for a pair of socks a month, but that may be too ambitious, I'll have to see how it goes. I am trying to get back to designing and making my teddy bears and dolls. I am thinking of opening an etsy store, I always sold on e-bay, but maybe it is time for something new.

And here is the first pair of socks I knit

 

 And this is the finished first pair.

And this is the second pair.

They were knit with Fleece Artist Woolie Silk 2-ply (65% wool, 35% silk) Dandelion, 1 Skein, knit on size 3 needles. So far I have followed Cat's choice of yarn and color. They were easy and quick.  The ribbing was a knit 2, purl 1 pattern.

And this is where I stopped, so I am going to pick up where I left off and see if I can finish what I started.  If you would like to read more about the start of this project, you can go to my Looking glass Moon blog and read about them on the November 2010 postings.

My next pair, number three will be "Inlaid Pennants." I will post my progress as I work my way through the book.

 

My Helper

My cat, Thomas Henry overseeing my knitting. He is usually laying on top of my book, but I needed to see the pattern, so he chose my knitting bag. You can see the measuring tape between his paws, and he actually rests one paw on my yarn. He doesn't bother my knitting needles, but goes after the pencil when I pick it up to mark a row.