Fish feet finished, five times fast

I used to hate my name when I was younger. Really can't blame me-- every introduction went exactly like this: "Aija? Oh hi, my name's Africa." (They always chose Africa or Antartica, never Europe or South America. Just so you know.) One of the singular memories I have around this time-- I asked my mom in the kitchen of our house in Las Vegas if I could change my name (please?!)... Sure honey, when you get older and marry you can change your name. I didn't realize later she meant my last name... a trick, because even though its an odd one too, I *am* a fisher of men.


Red Herring socks, by Cookie A. by way of Knitty Fall 2006
Started: October 21, 2006
Finished: January 15, 2007
Knit Picks Gloss in Dusk and Pumpkin, 1 skein each (with leftovers)
US 1.5 (2.5mm) 32" circular, Holz & Stein



The socks, with a 7" cuff, took one skein each (with some leftovers) of the Knit Picks Gloss, knitting them mirrors of one another. I totally admit I'm geeking on the mirrored quality-- the "mismatched" feet and toes poking from the bottom of my jeans is such a source of simple satisfaction. Not only for the look... but only 2 skeins! :) These are... less than $8 socks! (if you don't get to grumbling how knit picks has raised their shipping rates, as well as other prices!)



I also like the "oversized" toe... the color difference and size reminds me of sock monkey socks. The heel is okay, it looks a bit small to my eye when worn (but I just may still be holding a grudge after what seemed like forever lost in removing the waste yarn for the afterthought heel.) I noticed the yarn, in doing so, felt like it was "sticking" to itself... its not superwash wool, and this may be a good thing for colorwork if the yarn has a tendency to hold onto itself. I liked the stranded result of the cuff quite a bit-- and overall the yarn has a slight sheen (and the dryish hand of silk) that was different but good.



They are true mirrors-- replacing MC for CC. To me, though I don't have a good eye for this anyway, its a bit hard to discern this switch when viewing them from side to side.



I did strand the pattern color under and background color over, as directed by Ann Feitelson's Art of Fair Isle Knitting. I don't know if its me, but I think I can see the effects of yarn dominance... if I stare and dancing ants encroach on the periphery.

And for all you... upskirt fans. You know who you are. (Is it more exciting when I tell you they're unblocked?)



Previous posts on Red Herring socks:
October 23, 2006
December 18, 2006

Since you made it thru all that... I have 2 skeins left of the yarn, one each in Pumpkin and Dusk. If you want them, leave me a comment with an idea/pattern of what you can use 2 mismatched sock-weight skeins for. (It's okay if you don't have an idea, I'm just trying to get inspiration of my own!) I'll draw a name on Friday afternoon and have it in the hot little hands of whomever random.org chooses sometime after that. For your own mirrored red herrings? A pair of endpaper mitts? Something else? Can't wait to hear.

Something else (last thing, I promise!) I can't wait for? Tomorrow, and...



my new Threadless tshirt to arrive. Yay! :)

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.


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.)


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.


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)...



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 ;)

of carrots, horses, needles and yarn.

I am shocked at my devotion to Lizard Ridge over the past few weeks...


Lizard Ridge, 2nd panel
(about 3 squares, 1/2way thru)

...so I made a deal with myself that I could satiate myself on some selfish socks if I had finished up a few projects that woefully only needed finishing.

***click link for pics and details***
Baby sweater for Kristi's babies in waiting (via: Warm Up the Dutchicans triplets' virtual baby shower)
Started: September 25, 2006
Finished: October 21, 2006
more details re: yarn & needles on the flickr link
(keeping pics off in case its supposed ot be a secret :))

Its really silly, this sweater didn't need anything but seaming, blocking and buttons (still need buttons!) from the last (and only) time I posted about it, but its just sat here staring at me til this weekend and those babies aren't going to wait forever! (woohoo for +28 weeks, Kristi! :))

The babies and the virtual baby shower (can I say TRIPLETS again? the idea gets my bioclock going crazy!) can use more handknits-- check out the virtual baby shower link for ideas and inspiration if you're inclined :)

One seamed baby sweater wasn't quite enough to let me off the lizard hook, so...


Knucks from Knitty Summer 2006
Started: September 11, 2006
Finished: October 19, 2006
Handspun, handdyed superwash merino
US 2.5 (3.0mm) dpns, 4 (Holz & Stein 7" and Suzannes 4")

Terrible pic, I know. Better ones found in lower links-- its hard holding a camera with your chin! :) Again, another "just needed finishing project." I ran out of the orange handspun to do a proper cuff with, so I knit one round in a black handspun of mine and did a regular bindoff for the little black edge at the cuff. I've decided to not embroider them, at least not right now, my skilz are sorely lacking and I kinda like the plain. As I wear them more as the weather cools, I may decide otherwise.

They're very thick and hurt my hands a bit to knit-- pushing a heavy dk/light worsted yarn with the sock-ish sized needles was a bit of a pain. I'm happy though, how tightly knit they are-- and surprised the cuff doesn't roll as I've omitted any ribbing or anything to keep it taut. I started them early on the morning to see the yarn harlot's talk (I vacillated between writing "stephanie's" & "tyh" here! such a dork) @ Full Thread Ahead, and finished them the same day-- again minus the finishing! I think they're great and hold a nice memory of the day in my head when I look at them. Great, fun pattern and I'm not afraid of glove fingers anymore (though the 4" needles were a godsend to me)... thinking if I will knit a pair as a holiday gift. These are MINE though! :)

Previous post on Knucks:
September 8, 2006
September 11, 2006


After the finishing fest, I was going to knit (another??!) pair of Pomatomus socks from the regia bamboo Kristen sent me for her Vintage Knitalong pics project (thanks again Kristen!!)...


Regia Bamboo color 1065

...but I still had a bit of the colorwork bug from my class last week so...


Red Herring from Knitty Fall 2006
(thanks again for a cool pattern, Cookie!)
Started: October 21, 2006
Knit Picks Gloss in Dusk & Pumpkin
US 1.5 (2.5mm) 32" Holtz & Stein ebony circular for magic loop

Can I be in love with colorwork? Over, under, round & round... where I'll stop, nobody knows.

The magic loop isn't my favorite (the loops bug me as they "hit" the palms of my hands, I greatly prefer 2 socks on 2 circular needles, but I also started/learned that way so its not too surprising), but the joins on the Holz & Stein circulars is quite nice-- not as slide-y as the Addis, but I think that's quite a tough bar to meet. I'm not nearly good enough to know why Wendy and others prefer ebony for colorwork, but hey! it works for me so I can't complain too much. (I will try it on Addis, sometime.)

I do wish the "turns" weren't as pocky as they are; they're not bad, but I can definitely see the "fold" where one needle ends and my latest goal is to figure out how to lessen it. Other than that, I think I'm the most surprised of all how nice and non-oddball the colorwork looks... like I said, I've tried it before and it was SO uneven because I thought it was "easier" to knit one color, drop it, and pick up another. Now that I'm getting the hang of 2 colors in one hand and consistent in the over/under (pattern color goes under, background color goes over according to The Art of Fair Isle Knitting by Ann Feitelson), its greatly improved the tensioning.

For all yall that like the up the skirt shots (admit it!)...



Color's much more true on this one, but I couldn't resist the mag pic above :)