The magic of socks

Things that made me irrationally angry this evening:
1. The blatant disregard for organization of any kind at my local grocery store.  Seriously, the sodas are in THREE SEPARATE AISLES.
2. People who leave their grocery carts in parking spots, even when the cart return is 10 feet from the abandoned cart.
3.  That uber-annoying Nadia G lady on the Cooking Channel.

Thing that made it all better:
Sock knitting.

 

(That's Knit Picks Felici self-striping sock yarn in the colorway Time Traveler.  It's super soft.  And the stitch definition is incredible.  And that's a TARDIS project bag by Jessa Lu - find her on Etsy.  She hasn't yet figured out how to make the bag bigger on the inside, but it's darling nonetheless.)

A super-secret Christmas knitting (and crocheting) post will follow once the super secret crocheting is done.  I realize that Christmas was five days ago, but this project won't meet its recipient until New Year's Day. 

My existential crisis

The secret Christmas knitting is finished. 

See?  Many pieces of yarn from the bajillion ends I had to weave in.

Now, the problem is, the beast grew like a mo-fo when I blocked it.  Apparently you're supposed to wash your gauge swatch, too?  I digress.

I've been sitting here wondering if I should throw it in the dryer, for like, a minute. 

I've decided, finally, that that is far too risky, and I will just hope the recipient wants a big, cozy, sweater.  (He'd better.)

Get in the TARDIS, Professor.

I made a friend yesterday. 

I've decided he's from Gallifrey, given how firey he is, and his name is the Professor. 

Some may say I could have been a tad more productive on my Tuesday at home.  To them I say, "Yes, you're probably right.   But this was far more fun."

Plus, when I was done, I got to have a photo-shoot.

Pattern: Baby Hedgehog and her Mommy by Ana Paula Rimoli
Ravelry link

On my lens cap, for size comparison

Sometimes, Gwen crochets things.

So, the massive Christmas knitting project is coming along nicely, but you know me (okay, or maybe you don't) - I get bored with long projects and have to take a break for some instant gratification. 
One of my friends on the facebooks posted some hats she'd crocheted recently (for children, mind you), and I thought I should see if I could find a penguin pattern.  Oh, did I ever.  And it required bulky yarn.  And I bought the yarn this afternoon.  And took a break for a few hours to go to a hockey game.  And the hat is still done and on my head.

Crocheting is magically fast!!

Anyway, here's the ridiculous awesome hat.

Pattern: Penguin Bomber Hat, by Micah York
Hook size: K and G
Yarn: Bernat Softee chunky
Ravelry link

As you can see, the pets were not as impressed as they should have been.  And after the addition of tassels to tie the ear flaps up, I deem this hat complete.  And awesome.

In which someone pays me to knit something...

One of my former co-workers/current facebook pals/fellow crazy sighthound person recently sent me a message asking if she could give me money in exchange for a pair of knit handwarmers.  Not being the type of person who can turn down the chance to knit handwarmers (money, I mean, turn down MONEY), I gladly accepted. 

This Evangeline pattern is super fast and super fun (and looks super awesome).  I added a pattern repeat to the short version, and reversed the cables on the right hand so that the two mirror each other.

The yarn is very soft and also very washable, which is good because these are going to a vet hospital employee.  :)

The cable pattern was super easy to memorize, easy to do with the cabling-without-a-needle method, and each only took me a day.

Pattern: Evangeline by Michelle Szeghalmi-Shirley
Yarn: Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere in Wine
Needles: Size 7/4.5mm bamboo DPNs
Ravelry link

 

Meanwhile, on the couch, I've started a massive Christmas project for someone who shall remain nameless.  But is a dude.  The only other hint is that it is made with this yarn from Holland that cost 10c a skein back in the long-long ago.

I'm easily distracted by Noro

So I took a break from my current sweater project to make stripey Noro legwarmers (shut up, legwarmers are totally awesome), and matching handwarmers. 

I improvised each pattern, and used Noro Kureyon and some of the handspun that Aunt Jane gave me last Christmas.  LOVE THEM! 

Now I have to go back to my sweater and see where I left off... also I seriously need to make some socks... but I suppose I should wait till this sweater is done first.  ; )

You'll notice that, as always the case with Noro, one has crazy loud stripes, and the other is more low-key (the sublime and the ridiculous, as I like to call them).

Sweaters! Please don't destroy them. (Whoa-whoa-whoa.)

Alright, Interwebs.  I finally took pictures of the FRONT of the Modern Garden Cardigan, and took pics of the Featherweight Cardigan.  Happy now?  No pics of Girl Friday yet because the button issue is just too prevalent still.  But, two out of three isn't bad, eh?  Also, there are all sorts of hilarious face shadows due to the mid-morning photo shoot, so a couple of the shots are headless.  (Seriously, my face just looked too messed up.)

First up, Modern Garden Cardigan.
Pattern: Modern Garden Cardigan, by Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (Charcoal)
Needles: US 15/10.0mm
Ravelry link

Good times.  Good times.

Next up, the infamous cardigan knit in laceweight, which was a complete bore to actually knit, but a complete joy to actually wear.

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan, by Hannah Fettig
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow (Oregon Coast)
Needles: US 6/4.0mm
Ravelry link  

So what now?  Well, I've already made a pair of felted slippers, and I've already cast on yet another cardigan (is it clear that I've decided to make 2011 the year of the sweater?).  Whew.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

Finally!  After months of tedious knitting!  The featherweight cardigan is cast off! 

I mean, it still has to be blocked, but it's cast off!  And it's super soft and cozy and I kind of love it even though it was a boring bear to knit.  Once my week of guests is out of my blocking room, I'll get 'er all blocked and then finally do that photo sweater post.  Woohoo!

Gwen makes things for babies

Since I've been totally failing at showing you any finished knitted things (because I've been totally failing at finishing this sweater), here are two super cute onesies I made for two babies I know.

First we have the Raising Cane's onesie, for my friends Jamie and Blair, and their baby Henry.  Jamie is the world's greatest fan of Cane's, so I thought we should start Henry off right.

Then we have the Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams onesie for my friends Greg and Liza, and their baby Lily. Liza always makes time for Jeni's whenever she's even remotely near Columbus, and if you'd tried it before, you'd know why.  (Because it is heaven in an ice cream scoop, that's why.)

These were made very simply by freehanding logos onto onesies with Crayola fabric markers.  I drew the logos with pencil first, just in case I needed to change anything.  Super cute, eh?

Don't worry - I'm still alive

Here's how I currently feel about knitting in stockinette in laceweight yarn:

 

That is, slightly blurry, and quite bored.  I do love the fabric that is being created, but it's dreadfully dull at this point.  I'm on the second sleeve, which means that casting on the front band is in sight, and at least that will be in ribbing...

The funny thing is, I already have post-sweater plans... for a fingering weight sweater.  Yes, I realize how bored I currently am, but it looks really cute.

Temporary Insanity

So, what did I decide to do after finishing a super bulky weight sweater in about a week?

Cast on a lace weight cardigan, of course.  That is all stockinette.  I am insane.

I am happy to report that it is going way faster than anticipated, and I'm now about an inch past the armpits.  The pattern is the Featherweight Cardigan, by Hannah Fettig (Ravelry pattern link), and the yarn is Knit Picks Shadow in the color "Oregon Coast," because who doesn't like the Oregon coast?

I finished a pair of short Noro stripey socks recently, and my current sock project is two at a time magic loop toe-up short socks to use up some sock yarn I had leftover from my Outside In socks.

And I promise to get good pictures of the most recent sweaters up here soon.  Maybe when this featherweight cardigan is done, I can have a super spectacular cardigan post.  :)  Back to the stockinette!

Look! The back of a sweater!

So, I finally finished re-knitting a sweater that I originally finished in January (Modern Garden Cardigan).  After I finished it, I learned about negative ease and couldn't find anyone who could wear it.

I re-knit it in a medium, and it's perfect!  Love it.  Love it so much that I tried to take pics of it on this bright sunny day,  but all you get is the back and my face because the camera battery died.  I'll get a full post up once the battery is charged.

 

In other sweater news, the Girl Friday sweater has buttons!  But they are too small for the button holes.  Sooooo... those pictures are still on hold.

1972 called - they want their sweater back

Hey, Gwen - can you make the most 70s looking sweater possible?

Sure, Interwebs!  Here's how.

Step 1:  Start with some totally old yarn that your Grandma gave you.

(That's right - Aunt Lydia is not messing around.)

Step 2:  Start knitting the Girl Friday pattern from Knitty, Fall 2009.  An inherently retro lace pattern, if I do say so myself.

Step 3:  Run out of Aunt Lydia's weird peach yarn while making the collar, and instead of going out and trying to match the color, just grab some other really old yarn from the Grandma Stash and create a collar that looks like it belongs on a letter sweater from the Nixon era.

And, of course, take emo mirror pictures because you're not quite done and ready for the official Finished Object Photoshoot.

 

 As you can see, it's hilarious, and totally deserves some pleather-covered woven buttons.  

Stay tuned, folks...