sock porn for knitting voyeurs.

Monday, December 18, 2006

what day already?

Some of yall are furiously working on holiday projects... I think since I started so early, and I've faced reality that nothing is going to be done by the target date, I would hold off and do a little work on projects that have been now officially branded with that seal of shame, UFO.

redher
Red Herring Socks, started October 21!
Knit Picks Gloss in Pumpkin & Dusk
US 1.5 (2.5mm) magic loop, Holz & Stein

When I pick up a project after a while, it almost feels like cheating because so much has been done on it already. I loved these when I started them, but they kinda fell to the wayside for holiday knitting. I'm still planning on mirroring them-- a blue foot and an orange foot, and if my bad-at-math calculations are correct, the mirrored pair will take only 2 hanks of Gloss. I bought 4, so maybe some endpaper mitts with the leftovers? (I *am* going to knit those Anemoi mittens in some stashed koigu & solid Louet Gems Pearl, sometime.)

starL
Starsky Sweater, started March 16, 2006!
Knit Picks Sierra in Cranberry
US 10 (6mm) 60" circular (wtf was I thinking?!), Addi

The left front actually worked up much more quickly than I thought, especially as I've been cabling without a cable needle and I've actually learned how to read a cable chart recently. Embarrassing maybe but its a huge step for me. I can't look at lace or cable charts and see patterns, or what they are going to look like knit up... something misfires in my brain. The tinier foundation is true as well, I couldn't look at cable directions and understand, without referring to the chart instructions, what each meant. When I knit Jenna's Celtic Cap pattern though, something clicked-- don't know if it was her choice in symbols or me hunkering down and really trying to understand them, but it worked and now that I don't have to keep referring back to charts or my color coding, its much faster and more rewarding. Another that will be finished sometime.

Of course I started something new, though.

prism
Noni Bags, Prism pattern (Fall 2006 collection)
Patons Classic Merino wool in Petal Pink & Black held double
US 13 (9mm) 29" circular, Susan Bates
Started: December 17, 2006

This actually is a holiday gift, but I know it won't be done in time & I've embraced that :) This is for my auntie who told me I have too much time on my hands (after seeing grandma's lizard ridge afghan)... I was going to make her Tamarah, but really the pattern-- I just don't get it. (Full of embarrassing admissions today!) So I frogged it and ordered this pattern (Diva Knitting has free shipping on it!)... I think it will be much more "her" as she loves her handbags. (What would you do with 2 hanks of Tilli Tomas Pure & Simple spun silk in a decadent red? Something for myself I'm sure...)

Don't get me wrong, I love my auntie a lot, and I think she'll love this bag as well. (Especially if I can complete the finishing it deserves.) But I also get a blast knitting it, so I don't mind if its not as enjoyed/appreciated as if I were say to give it to another knitter or someone who "gets it." I love the process and love knowing what I put into it (effort and the idea behind it). I feel really good in this realization-- that knitting for others isn't just about the reception of the gift but what I got out of making it. Its also selfish in a way, I'm not a "bag" girl (I carry a thin wallet at most), but this way I get to knit a fun pattern I wouldn't normally make for myself.

One thing though (this is the bottom of the bag)...

prism2

The more I look at it, the more I wonder if I should switch the black & pink when I work the body/sides of the bag. The black is looking lost even though I intended for it to be a "black bag with pink"... dunno. The pics make me doubt that though-- it looks better in pics (the color contrast) than it does to my eye. Eh, I have the bottom to finish before worrying about it, so we'll see.

Also a note on the pattern... This is my first "hard copy" pattern I've ever bought, and its printed on professional looking, shiny cardstock. Impressed! There is errata to this pattern though, which I wish I'd found before going nuts over it. I also wish that the pattern had line numbers on the charts (the charts are small as well, I had to blow them up at my neighborhood Kinkos... the same one I made a stranger blush in a while ago.) Also, if you're buying this pattern sight unseen (as I did), you'll need a US 11 (8.0mm) circular for the solid bag, OR a US 13 (9.0mm) circular for the patterned bag. Everywhere I looked the needle requirements were listed at US 11 AND 13-- so I bought both but didn't need to. No matter, I'm already thinking about using the US 11 and knitting a smaller patterned bag with one strand of Patons Classic Merino wool (this is my new crack. seriously...) and the Noro Silk Garden Joan sent me to finish up my sister's capelet with-- a next-season gift for my sister, who did love her capelet, btw. (Too matchy?) I'll keep the bottom of the smaller bag a solid black though (do I need to double strand it? cross that bridge when i get there i guess)... I'm finding the wrong side/purling in stranded knitting really awkward esp. with double stranded worsted, though finished it doesn't look too bad to my eye. It also seems like a lot of work for something unseen... we'll see how I feel about it once this bad boy is felted.

Have a great holiday, and don't forget to knit for yourselves ;)

26 comments:

Brena said...

Oh, I hadn't seen the Noni bags for this season, that looks like it's going to turn out fabulous! *Sigh* Looks like I'm going to have to get into colorwork again!

lexa said...

I've got lots to knit for myself after the holidays! There's so many new sock patterns I want to make, plus some hats as well. I still have three pairs of felted mittens to make and one pair to finish. I also have two pairs of felted slippers, all due for Christmas. (I had wanted to make two pairs of work socks for Christmas, too, but I don't think time will permit.) Then I will concentrate on "me" knitting! (Got a new ball winder last week and bunch of yarn coming in the mail.) I also ordered some new stitch markers from acloset.com.

Marina said...

That's a good description but at least I can blame my age! I'm just too old to memorise what all those symbols mean, especially when it's only for one item.

All your UFOs are lovely but I wish I hadn't seen that Noni bag.

Anonymous said...

I want to get back to knitting socks again soon. And I plan to start the Starsky sweater soon myself. In off-white ... hope I don't get bored with it ... the color I mean. Yarn is already bought. Your's is lovely! Everything you do is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

I hadn't seen that Noni yet. Now I may need to knit one. I know how you feel about the errata. I just did a pattern from the new Knitty and found several frustrating errors but i muddled therough them. After I finished, I went back to the pattern and found that they'd been corrected. I should have checked earlier.

Knittypants said...

I love that Noni bag you're making, it's such an interesting looking pattern to make. Starsky and the socks look great, too. The socks will look really fun the way you are switching the colors.

Dave said...

Geez, you've *almost* convinced me to give stranding another try -- loving those herringbones!

Anonymous said...

I hate stranding on a purl row, I don't like looking at the floats when I know something pretty is happening on the other side! The bag will be great. Must be a trick of the eye but I always find my knits look better in photos than in person.

Kirsten said...

Ah-ha, your blog is where I saw that New Vintage Caplet. I decided at the time that it would be the perfect gift for my sister and bought some yarn for it at Rhinebeck. For some reason I got sidetracked and am now putting the finishing touches on Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle for her. But I still love that caplet. . . Maybe next year.

I agree, there is so much that you can do with Patons Classic Wool. All that yardage, often found on sale - it doesn't get much better than that!

Anonymous said...

this is a great idea, finish up stuff for the end of the year! I need to re evaluate as well. I LOVE the black and pink bag. very cool!

Vera said...

I love that Noni Bag! I must see if my LYS had that pattern.

Acornbud said...

What awesome projects! I love the pink and black together. I dream of doing colorwork, but have some kind of block.

Jeanne said...

The Noni bag is very cute - I think it will turn out beautifully. I have my next 2 projects planned, and am starting them after I finish my Christmas knitting - can't wait. Love the sock!

Stacey said...

The socks are great - mirroring them is a great idea! I would think you'd have enough to do that....

Which yarn are you holding dominant for the bag? Maybe that is the problem? Cool bag though...very cool....

Anonymous said...

All of your projects look great! And I love your idea of making something for someone else that's fun to knit but you would never make for yourself. I'll have to think about doing more of that. Sometimes I feel as though if I only knit for myself and my husband, it would be nothing but plain stockinet pullovers. I should just look for things I think I'll enjoy knitting and then think of whose taste it might suit.

Anonymous said...

I don't carry any kind of handbag either. I carry my ID and some cash in my pocket. Any larger than that and that's what pickup truck seats are for. I like the Noni Adventure Bag. I bought the pattern but...

Anonymous said...

Ooh, I just love that Starsky sweater in Red, what a great color for it!
Have you tired playing with the "yarn dominance" in the black and pink bag? If you bring the black yarn up from beneath the pink when switching colors, the black stitches will sit slightly forward of the pink, making them that color dominant.

Of course, it's possible that that won't help much if you have a ton of pink in the pattern . . .

Zonda said...

Wow, love those socks! The Starsky is coming along! Good luck with your purse! :)

Anonymous said...

You are working on such cool ufo projects - I love them all! I had no idea that the bag had a patterned bottom - that's definitely a lot of work for something hidden.

Anonymous said...

I love the Noni bag you're knitting! I just saw the pattern recently, and it may be enough to make me want to try felting something...
Your red herring socks are awesome!

Anonymous said...

If you knit with a color in each hand, try holding the color you want to be dominant (black) in your left hand. If you don't, just make sure that the black always comes over the top of the pink and the pink always comes underneath the black. That should make a difference you can see.

BeanMama said...

I came to write what "e to the m" said! The socks are GREAT!

Anonymous said...

boy, if you count things you started on October 21 as UFOs, then am I ever in trouble. I've got a passel of projects that are in worse shape than that!

The Noni bag looks amazing, as does the rest of it... hopefully you'll be able to find inspiration in your WIPs after the holiday crunch is over!

Abigail said...

Gosh all that fair isle is inspiring to me. I must learn how to do that.

Your socks are so fabby!

Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

knitting for myself hasn't happened in weeks! I am seriously on the crunch. Thanks so much for the great tutorial on weaving in ends, that helped a lot with the holiday projects.

Anonymous said...

I realize this has nothing to do with what your currently working on, but I thought since you made Sherwood for your son, you might be interested in this.....

http://www.kelpknits.com/2006/12/21/sherwood-hat/

Cute hat......

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