Isn’t that so cool? This image comes from a poster that was created by my co-worker, Devvy Leys. (Thanks, Devvy!) If you’d like to download a printable-version of the poster itself, it’s here (PDF). Spread the word, folks!
If you’d like to use any of these images, please right-click and save them to your own server. It’d also be nice if you credit Devvy!
It was a very productive Saturday! First up was the Snook’s cotton jumper, which you may recall I finished over a year ago. Yeah, it’s taken me that long to put buttons on the thing. I just forgot! They’re lovely round carved horn from the button shop. Doesn’t it look nice?
Next is the Snook’s offering for dinner tonight: Seafood Gumbo. The recipe came from Herbie’s Spices and we picked up the seafood at the Fish Markets this morning. It has scallops, prawns, and crab meat. It was delicious! Just the thing for a cold winter night.
And lastly, those are some socks I just finished for my Secret Pal. The pattern is “Uptown Boot Socks” from Interweave’s Favorite Socks. Yes, this is the third pattern I’ve knit from this book. It has a subtle cable twist down the leg and the top of the foot that this photo really doesn’t do justice. (You can see it better here.) The yarn is Heirloom Jigsaw colour 37. (One ball was more than enough.) I hope my Secret Pal likes them!
Oh, and what’s that you say? One of those socks appears… blockier than the other? That would be because Snookums has completed the prototype of my very own Sock Blocking Forms. This is basically a flat wooden foot in profile that you use to stretch the sock into the correct shape. I’ve wanted some for ages but I’ve never seen them in Australia, and I can’t be bothered paying to get them shipped from overseas. Instead I traced my own in Illustrator and made a resizable template. The Snook cut this one for me out of plywood. He still has to drill holes in it to allow the sock to dry faster, and then give it a coat of varnish so it doesn’t get moldy. I’ll be sure to show you the finished product though!
Waving Lace Socks
Well, these took a while! I started these socks not long after I arrived back in Sydney last month. The pattern is called “Waving Lace” and it’s the second one I’ve done from Interweave’s Favorite Socks book. (In fact, it’s the one on the cover.) The yarn is, of course, the Koigu KPM that I got at Wildfiber in Santa Monica. (I scoured yarn shops in three states to find this stuff.) It was interesting to finally knit with this much-hyped yarn. It’s very tightly spun, and it didn’t seem to fuzz up at all even when I had to frog a few inches. I really think it was the perfect yarn for this pattern, as the depth of colour and crispness of the stitches really show off the details. (Here’s a close-up.) Knitting nerds may be interested to learn that these are the first socks I’ve knitted using the Addi Turbo 12″ circs I picked up in the States. These tiny, tiny circulars are actually short enough to knit a sock, courtesy of an almost 90° bend in each tip. They did take some getting used to though, and I think I went much slower than I would have using the two circulars method. I just couldn’t resist the novelty of the needles. Next on my list: a pair of “Uptown Boot Socks” from the same book for my Secret Pal…
Undulating Rib Socks
Upon further reflection, I’ve decided to keep these socks for myself instead of gifting them to my Secret Pal. I used 3.25mm needles, and I think they’re just a bit too stretchy (and rough on the sole) for a present. The yarn is lovely to work with though. It’s called Austermann Step, and it’s actually impregnated with aloe vera and jojoba oil. I got it at Ewe-Nique Knits in Goshen, Indiana, and I pretty much had them finished by the time we got home. The pattern is from Interweave’s Favorite Socks book and it was fairly fun to knit. I’m not sure I like the way the self-striping competes with the intricate pattern, but that’s the problem with these new-fangled sock yarns. My next socks are going to be solid-colored, that’s for sure.
Many, many thanks to my Secret Pal for the lovely package awaiting me this week! I received a Japanese knitting magazine, a pretty postcard, a clutch-type bag/pencil case, and four balls of Rowan cotton. I’m already using the bag to organize my knitting bits and pieces (tape measure, scissors, etc), so that’s really going to come in handy! But what in the world am I going to make with that bright yellow cotton?! I’m leaning towards socks right now, just because I can’t bear the thought of using Rowan for “warshcloths.” Any other ideas?
And this here’s some of the stuff I picked up for myself on the trip. The three books are all from Amazon, and I conveniently had them sent to my Mom’s house to save postage. There’s also a metallic needle/stitch gauge that I picked up at Yoder’s in Shipshewana. The green sock is knitted out of Austermann Step, which I got at “Ewe-Nique Knits” in Goshen. It’s impregnated with jojoba and aloe vera, which makes it very soft and nice to knit with. The pattern is from the Favorite Socks book. I had planned to give them to my Secret Pal, but now that I’ve checked her size I think they might be a bit big. I may have to keep these for myself! I also got some cute Fimo stitch markers in Goshen, and a couple pairs of never-before-seen 12″ Addi Turbos for sock knitting. (They’re seriously tiny. That’s what the red sock is being knit with.) So yeah, the red. It’s my Koigu. I’m actually knitting the pattern on the cover of the 25 Favorites book, and it’s turning out so pretty. The Koigu is twisted tighter than I realized, and combined with the tiny needles and the lacy stitch, my hands are really aching. I also finished one other project on the trip: the Jo Sharp stockings. I actually did mine out of leftover Superbaby Alpaca, and I think they look super sexy (even without the ruffle to be sewn on the top).
I’ve been in LA for just over 24 hours, and I’ve already fed the baby (twice), given him a bath, and assisted with a hellacious poopy diaper (which was orange because of the pumpkin I fed him). Don’t worry; we took photos so you’ll see the hilarity. My sister also took me to Wildfiber, where I finally got my hands on some Koigu. I’ve been on a bit of a sock knitting kick on this trip. Anyway, only two more days til I go home!
It turns out my garments are on display at the Easter Show! Veronica just e-mailed me photos of them. The Kitty Kat Cardigan is next to Veronica’s blue ribbon vest, while the Cabled Hoodie of Doom is high up at the back of the next display case. I’m glad they got shown! (Thanks to Veronica for sending the pics, which I’ll post as soon as I can.)
Has anybody been to the Easter Show yet? I’m desperate to know whether my stuff’s been displayed. I’ve looked through the relevant Flickr photos but there doesn’t seem to be much knitting in there.
I knew you could cut up grocery bags and knit with them… but I’d never have guessed someone would make an entire 1950’s outfit. Wow.
Hey, it looks like the Easter Show winners have been posted! And I didn’t win anything. Judging by my level of disappointment, apparently I secretly cared a lot more than I told everyone I did. 🙁
Update: Holy crap! Veronica got a first place! Way to go, Veronica! At least somebody I know won something.
