10.30.06
Posted in socks at 2:08 pm by pauline
Since I am an obsessive knitter, most of my pre-Chicago-trip planning had to do with what to bring with me to knit on the plane, what I have to work on during the extra time in the hotel room, and what yarn stores I could viisit during our free time, if any.
I decided to make Kew from some sock yarn from my stash. I bought some 5″ long #1 DP bamboo needles from the Yarn Place and I was all set for my airplane knitting and hotel knitting.
Kew is easy to memorize and not too difficult to “read”. Maybe I should have done something a little more mindless but I didn’t want to get bored, so I settled for something that was interesting but didn’t required me to be 100% engaged. I really like the scalloped cuff and plain knitting on every other row. The pattern’s suggestion putting the insole stitches on waste yarn while I worked on the heel so that holes at the beginning of the gusset wouldn’t appear really worked. I’ve turned the heel and about 1/2 way through the gusset decreases now.
When I went shopping for my needles, my first choice would have been size #1 circular bamboo needles so that I wouldn’t lose a needle during my trip. But for $4.99 I decided that the 5″ bamboo needles were worth a try. #1 bamboo needles are really tiny and bendy. But, they provided enough friction and grab so that the stitches didn’t fall of the needles nor did the needles slip out of the kniiting. These needles would probably be good for starting out circular shawls too.
The black and gray on white pattern makes these look like “cow” socks. Hmm… I wonder what the finished and block sock would look like!
Needles: ChiaoGoo ( hey, it sounds like “Chicago”) Size 1 – 5 inch – Bamboo Needles
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilanweit Fun – 80% wool 20% Nylon – 210 meters/50g/ball
Cast On: 70 stitches.
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10.21.06
Posted in hats, socks at 5:05 pm by pauline
Last Wednesday, I finished my Baudelaire socks. Half way up the second sock I noticed that I reversed the right-facing and left-facing triangles on the chart while knitting the first sock. I was faced with 3 choices:
1. having 2 mismatched socks -or-
2. finishing up the second sock and then redoing the first sock -or-
3. making the 2nd sock like the first one.
Since I liked the way the first sock looked, and consulted briefly with Cookie, I frogged the second sock down to the toe and took option 3. The pattern is very easy to knit and I never got bored. Mostly, I love the way it looks.
The Shetland wool makes these socks very warm, even with all the lacy holes.
Even earlier in the week, I finished a Warm Thoughts Hat for Grace.
It’s big enough to fit me stretched so it should fit a “normal” adult fine. If I were to do it again with this yarn, I would cast on 100 stitches instead. It measures 18 inches in diameter. I like the way the decreases are done. If this is too small for Grace, it should fit Jordan.
Needles: US Size 6 circular needles
cast on: 90 sititches
Yarn: Lion Brand Micro Spun – about 3/4 of a skein
Pattern from October 4, 2006 page of Kandice’s a pattern a day calendar.
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10.14.06
Posted in socks, yarn at 5:35 pm by pauline
I know it’s already the middle of October but what a perfect day it has been so far!
First there was a YARN store GRAND OPENING. Purlescence is beautiful and close by and full of the nicest knittingest people! Here’s what I bought today, obviously in my palette although I carefully avoided orange ( I have too much orange). The sock yarn is so lovely and the Bambu is so soft! Cookie and Tina from BobaKnit were there.
I then went to Michaels to return some yarn and then to Joanne’s to get some more material for my upholstery project. Just around the corner from Joanne’s is Imahara Produce. It’s amazing how much neat stuff from Hawaii they have there. I got some Chicken Lau Lau, Li Hing Sour Apple, Li Hing Sour Watermen, Hawaiian Sun Green Tea, and Curry Udon Noodles!
Extremely pleased with purchases, I headed home to relax and finish off a perfect October day:
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10.12.06
Posted in baby stuff, booties at 9:13 pm by pauline
PPBB #6 has been sighted adorning a baby shower present in Portland Maine! 
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10.07.06
Posted in baby stuff, booties at 8:19 pm by pauline
Pom Pom Baby Booties #8 are going to Maine. A couple ( who both knit) at N & C’s church are expecting their first baby very soon.
These PPBBs are very similar to PPBB #6 and others except that it has a roll down cuff consisting of 14 rows of stockinette above the eyelets.
US #3 Needles
Same baby yarn as PPBB#6 and 7.
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10.06.06
Posted in hats at 11:21 am by pauline
Chemo caps are worn by cancer patients to provide warmth & to cover up hair loss due to chemotherapy. I completed Shedir for Grace last night. I hope this helps to bring her some comfort in this difficult time.
It is made from a very soft pima cotton & silk blend sport weight yarn by Frog Tree that I bought when when I was at the Central Yarn Shop in Portland, Maine. The hat took about 60 grams of yarn on size 3 circular needles. I think this is the highest concentration of cables I ever did on anything to date and yet is is very smooth and unbumpy on the inside.
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