FO of sorts: Widdershins

I think that the Widdershins now count as my longest WIP. I actually started them in August of 2006! I gave up on them December 23, 2007. It’s too bad because there were several parts of the sock that I liked.

The toe was my first Magic Cast On, which is now my favorite cast-on:

The short row heel turned out beautifully (because I modified the gauge significantly I had given up on the reverse heel flap in the original pattern).

And in general I just thought the sock looked nice.

Unfortunately, I hated knitting them, I hated it with a passion. The yarn I used, Brown Sheep’s Wildfoote, was just awful for this pattern. It was rough on my hands and extremely splitty. Knitting cables on size 1 needles was not fun at all. Knitting is supposed to be fun-right? After I finished the first sock and sat down and thought to myself “Do I really want to knit a second one?” My reply was an emphatic “No!” So, I frogged it. I’m using the yarn to knit some basic 2×2 rib socks and I’m much happier.

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FO: Chevron Socks

Chevron Socks, originally uploaded by freshgroundknits.

I finished these just in time for Christmas! My mom loved them! Here they are being modeled by their new owner on Christmas Day. Yes, I’m behind. I’ve been so busy, I’ve barely had time to knit. I think this summer will provide me with more knitting time. Until then, I’m going to try to post some projects I’ve completed since I last posted on Halloween.

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FO: Swallowtail Shawl

Oh, my first big lace endeavor and I am ever so happy with how it turned out.

Detail shot 1

Detail shot 2 (those darn nupps!)

The whole shawl

I couldn’t get the center to line up, I was using the self-timer.

It’s so cozy

Details

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark, Interweave Knits Fall 2006

Needles: Size 4, Addi Turbos

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace in Lilac. I used almost the entire ball.

Start: June 11, 2007

Finish: August 3, 2007

Modifications: none

Notes: The nupps were a challenge, but I found the best way to do them was just to knit the k1,yo,k1,yo,k1 very loosely into the stitch on the previous row. It also helps if you can catch the first stitch to kind of rock back and forth to get the other stitches onto the needle. It’s a little on the small side for a shawl, I think that if I were to knit it again I would do a couple extra repeats, which would require buying another ball of yarn since I used almost the entire ball on this one.

I have to say that I am now completely addicted to lace knitting! I love it! Right after I cast off for this project, I cast on for this one.

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Progress!

I’ve been diligently working on my Shallowtail Shawl and I am so happy with how it’s turning out. I finally mastered the nupps and cruised through the last few sections of the pattern.

Here’s what it looked like on 7/25

Detail of the nupps

And tonight!

I am going to block it tomorrow since I have to sleep on my bed tonight. I’m so excited. I’ve already got my next lace project planned out.

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FO: Child’s First Sock

These socks were lots of fun to knit. The pattern is from Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks. I borrowed the book from my spinning guild, but I’m seriously considering buying it. The patterns are all very interesting and it has a lot of great information in the front about different kinds of toes and heels.

The yarn is from Miss Bab’s. I won the yarn in a contest she had when her online store first opened. I was so happy that I won because I ended up selling the two skeins of yarn I bought from her at SAFF in the Great Stash Sale for Tigger’s Vet Bills. The colorway is “Garden Rose” and it knit up beautifully, at first I was concerned about all the green, but it goes so well with the red. I am definitely going to stock up on her yarn at SAFF next year!

It took me forever to get photos I was happy with, but I think these will do.

I never realized how scuffed my shoes were until this photo!

Now somehow I created this weird effect when editing the photo. I thought it looked kind of cool.

Details:

Pattern: Child’s First Sock by Nancy Bush
Pattern Source: Knitting Vintage Socks
Materials: Miss Bab’s Superwash Sock Yarn in Garden Rose colorway
Needles: size 1 Crystal Palace bamboo dpns
Start Date: 3/2007
Completion Date: 5/19/2007
Modifications: Knit at a slightly tighter gauge than suggested because I have small feet and like my socks snug.

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FO update

I took advantage of my mom being here and got her to take a few photos of my FOs from this year. I feel like I haven’t posted anything!

First FO

A hat knit out of Manos del Uruguay in my pattern “Portland Dew”

Details:
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay in the Wildflowers colorway, about 1/2 a skein
Yarn Source: Hillsborough Yarn Store
Needles: Size 9
Completed: 2/2007

Second FO

Rib and Cable Mitts by Marji LaFreniere
Interweave Knits Spring 2006

(I think my mom secretly wants to photograph for Interweave, she even posed my fingers.)

Details:
Yarn: Silky Wool, about 2/3 of a skein with some random green fuzzy yarn from my stash
Pattern Source: Spring 06 IK
Yarn: Silky Wool
Yarn source: Hillsborough Yarn Store
Needles: Size 2
Start Date: 1/31/2007
Finished: 2/20/2007

Notes: This was a fun quick pattern to knit up. The yarn called for was a DK weight, but the Silky Wool was a little thinner. I ended up decreasing to a size 2 needle to get the fabric I wanted and to get them down to my size since my hand circumference was about an inch smaller than the circumference for the pattern.

Oh, and I got my mom to take a much better picture of the Drop Stitch Scarf I knit out of Artfibers Alfabeto Rosetta.

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Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom and the scarf I made her out of my own handspun.

More details soon.

OH! And you can’t tell, but I took that picture. I went to Florida this weekend and surprised my mom for her birthday! It was very exciting, she even cried she was so happy. The whole thing about finishing the project in time for mailing was a red herring, just in case she was following along on the blog.

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Two FOs and not a photo to show

In grand time for the arrival of spring like weather and my mother’s birthday, I finished my rib and cable mitts and my super secret project. Today was the perfect day for a pair of fingerless mittens, not too hot and not too cold. It was nice to have something to keep my hands warm, but not too warm. I am very happy with how they turned out too.

I also finished my mom’s birthday present, early in fact, as I won’t be able to mail it until Saturday. It is lovely, I washed and blocked it all pretty. I wish I could post it here because it is super special and I am so proud of it. However, my mom stops by here every once in a while and I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise. Once she gets it I am going to make her take tons of photos of it and send them to me.

I miss my camera.

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