Valentine Yarn

My Sweetie got a lovely hank of Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Yellowstone on the 14th.

Like molasses in January

I've been working away at these, as you can see, but it's slow going. The lace part of the Lace Rib stitch is finicky. And the Picot edge slowed me down too. But I'm happy to be making progress


While checking out a new (to me) podcast, Stash and Burn, I found this great scarf pattern in the show notes. It's from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the Yarn Harlot's blog




I had this 100% silk yarn from Estelle, that I had been trying to cajole into a little drop-stitch shoulder-shawlette type thing, but it really wasn't working, and it had been lying around looking sad until I had to put it away in a box. When I saw this pattern, I thought it might do for the yarn, and lo and behold, a little frogging of the entire former work, a little cast on and a few rows later, and voila! It has a wonderful weight and drape, and it's knitting up fast. I do need something more instantly gratifying to give me a break from the picky-ness of that lace rib.

Still craving stockingette and simple ribs. Going to get into some more Mountain Colours Bearfoot next. Uh Huh.

Not Socks

Obviously.

This is a washcloth. Sorry, Spa Cloth. Actually it is an opportunity to practice cables.

Pattern: Inspired Allover Cable Spa Cloth from Creative Knitting magazine, March 2008

Yarn: Patons BumbleBee Baby Cotton Colour 02131

Finished size: 71/2 X 7 inches, approx.

Needles: 4.00 bamboo and one 4.5 bamboo DPN (for cables)

Notes: The yarn was awful to work with- stiff and stuck to the needles. Is all cotton like this? there must be some that's nicer to work with. I had hoped that washing the cloth might plump up the fibre, but the opposite happened, though I was able to shape some of my irregular tension a bit, to make it more square. A quick knit, and in the process I figured out how to cable without a cable needle, so feel pretty smart.

I have eaten all my words about knitted washcloths in the "why would anyone bother?" vein. It's a great way to learn a new stitch. It is fairly instant gratification. You get to feel smart and productive with very little effort. I may be starting to get it.


Yes, I have also re-committed to the pink Trekking Lace Rib socks. I have no other projects on the go at the moment (!). I really want to get these puppies on my feet. Here's the progress to date:

Could it be?

Yes, another pair is finished. This has got to be the fastest pair of socks I've ever knit up.

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Wilderness

Needles: Brittany Birch 7 1/2 " (3.0 mm)

Pattern: Vogue Knitting Garter Heel Socks from Ultimate Sock Book, with Eye of Partridge heel flap substituted for the garter heel.

Notes:

I love the yarn I love the pattern. However in this case, I find that the pattern distracts from the yarn, rather than showing it off. And vice versa, the yarn distracts from the pattern, so the pattern gets a bit lost. I wouldn't put this combination together again. Would knit this yarn up in Stockinette Stitch another time. Would knit this pattern again too, but in a plainer yarn. It was fun to knit up something so fast, though!

Now, this week, back to the pink Trekking lace rib socks. They've been out to pasture the past week or so, and now I want to finish them right up. Not sure what I will cast on next. I have a trip to London next weekend, and a gift certificate at a yarn shop there. I will try to stay loyal to the lace rib until then.

Craving stockingette stitch and K3P2 rib.

Another pair in the bank

Finished these off yesterday and now they are on my happy feet!

Yarn: Trekking Pro Natura 75% superwash wool, 25% bamboo colour 1603

Pattern: Hourglass Eyelet from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

Needles: 2.75 mm bamboo


Not much progress on the pink Trekking Lace rib, but I cast on the gorgeous Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the colour Wilderness, using the pattern for Garter Heel socks in Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Sock Book, but will probably do and Eye of Partridge heel instead. Not sure how the garter heel will hold up- it doesn't seem that sturdy to me. Using 3mm needles it's knitting up fast.