wip: Fuzzy Lamb and some other stuff

Whew, it's been a while!  I've been busy teaching classes, running a busy shop, trying to catch up on paperwork (ARGH PAPERWORK), and training a new employee.  I'm definitely creating though.  My current favourite project is one I just started on Saturday, but that's been on my brain for a while now.

Fuzzy Lamb is a ridiculously adorable pattern by Fuzzy Mittens, and I've been itching to knit it ever since a customer came in looking for yarn to knit it a year ago.  When I opted to bring in Drops Alpaca Boucle, I knew I had to knit it up into this cute little lamb!

Though I have to tell you, the boucle is a nightmare to work with.  Cripes, I keep catching up those little loops, decreasing and increasing is a mess, and forget reading your fabric!  It's so ridiculously soft though, that it's worth the effort.

As you can see, I've got the body and legs done.  Two more limbs and a head, and I'll be able to start stuffing and sewing this adorable little stuffy.

Guys, I'm so stoked to have this little buddy in the shop.  I'm definitely going to have to knit a wee little sweater for it, and I can see working on a bunch of clothes and accessories for it.  EEEE so fun!

In other news, my sock class finished up this afternoon.  LOOK AT ALL THE SOCKS!  Almost everyone finished up at least one sock in the 3 week class, and a couple finished both today.  :)  I also finished up my pair, but I'll post about that another day, since I need to lengthen on and sew in about a thousand ends.

Also, Lady Aurora was stunning the other night, dancing right over-top of Whitehorse.  I should have driven up Grey Mountain for a view of the northern lights over the city, but instead I hoofed it down the path behind my house to get away from the streetlights and oogled the light through the trees.  Sorry for my crummy photo; I refused to deal with finding my good camera and just used my camera phone.

In a way, it's easy to forget how lucky we are here.  People make the trip north just to see the lights, and I often don't bother to go out to watch them.  But sometimes, you just need to go out and appreciate just how stunning our world is, and what beauty can be found, even in your backyard.

Ever seen the northern (or southern!) lights before?  I grew up watching them in Manitoba, but the displays are stunning up here.  You should definitely come up to see them (in the winter only - we don't even see the stars in the summer, with 20+ hours of daylight), and definitely pop in and say hello to me at my shop!  <3

fo: (Pumpkin Spice) Fredrika Socks

So remember that sock I mentioned at the end of my last post? 

I uh...finished them.

These were the quickest socks I've ever knit.  Granted, I shortened them to ankle-length to get the pair from one ball of yarn, and the yarn itself is worsted.  But I don't really attribute either of those to my speed.

I entirely blame the pattern itself.  It was addicting!  Each section was quick and interesting, with 4 different (but relatively easy) charts to finish, and a unique heel method that had me fascinated by the whole process - both times!  They just seemed to fall off of the needles.

Which is good because it's -17C outside right now and my floors are damn cold!

Pattern: Fredrika, by Tiina Kuu
Yarn: Custom Woolen Mills CWM Sock Yarn 4-ply
Needles: 3.5 mm
Modifications: Shortened to ankle-length

I actually knit these as an excuse to use one of Custom Woolen Mill's new sock yarns.  I'm not a quick sock knitter in general, and I resisted using their 2 ply (fingering weight) yarn.  And then the 4 ply (worsted weight) yarn arrived, and there ended any resistance.  This yarn is hardy and rustic - entirely my sort of yarn, and with 30% nylon, it'll hold up to all sorts of dragging my feet around my home.  This colour called to me too, and I'm so excited to wear these suckers!

If you have any sort of interest in sock knitting, do yourself a favour and knit these socks.  The pattern is even free, so you have no excuse!  I'm torn between making another pair, or tackling this pair that my fingers are itching to start.

fo: Unanticipated Christmas Stocking, and Another Oops

Folks, I hate all things Christmas when it's still October.  Or honestly, before Remembrance Day on Nov. 11th (do you have that in the States?  Elsewhere?).  But I've unfortunately learned that when you're in retail, especially in yarn-related retail, you kind of need to start thinking Christmas earlier than that.  Mostly because smart knitters and crocheters have started their Christmas creating by now.

Ugh.

So this year (unlike last year), I dived in early and I got a Christmas sample made up.

AND IT'S SO CUTE I COULD DIE.

Okay, so it's not very traditional for Christmas, but whatever I knit a Christmas stocking.  And do I know my customers?  Yes I do, because I had a lady with her friend come in just as I hung this sucker up and promptly freaked out about the adorable little sheep and decided to make one herself.

Though we had a good laugh because she loved my colour choices but didn't want to copy me.  Oh my dear, it's not like we'll be wearing these stockings out and get all embarrassed because OH NO WE HAVE IDENTICAL CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS YOU HORRIBLE COPY CAT YOU.  :)

Seriously though, who can resist that sheep?!  I couldn't - the sheep is precisely why I knit a stupid Christmas thing in October.  Stupid cute sheep.

Pattern: Christmas Stocking #103, by Briggs & Little
Yarn: Briggs & Little Heritage (with a bit of Custom Woolen Mills 2 ply Mulespinner, because I had a bit of cream and brown on hand for the sheep)
Mods: Only did 3 sections on the leg; changed up the heel flap for my standard heel flap method; lengthened foot of sock; did contrast heel/toe.

I loved working with this pattern, and B&L yarn permanently lives in my yarny heart.  The pattern was great because it has multiple charts you can choose from on the leg, so you have mix and match to your hearts content.  I kind of want to knit another one in blue with a snowflake theme!

Though not right away because I have way too much else to do.  For every project I show here, there's at least 3 that I've finished that I never blog about.  Certain bits of owning and operating a shop is getting easier, which frees up more time to deal with all the other stuff I never realized I should've been doing!  Haha oops.

That doesn't meant that I'm not making time for personal project though.  For instance, winter is officially here in Whitehorse, and that means that the floors of my basement suite is getting DAMN COLD.  Being a knitter, that means that I have to knit myself new thick woolen socks.  Obviously.  And when Custom Woolen Mill's CMW 4 ply sock yarn arrived, I knew immediately that they were the One.

And despite telling myself I couldn't start it until I finished a different store project and 2 repair jobs, tonight my hands conspired with my cold feet, said screw that, and I got the cuff of an ankle sock knit.

Oops.

wip: Sock With a Side of Twist

The weather in the Yukon was glorious this weekend.  Clear blue skies, just enough of a wind to keep the bugs away, and temperatures in the 20s Celsius (70s Fahrenheit).

Which of course meant nearly the entirety of Whitehorse abandoned the city and went camping.

We didn't go too far, just out to a campground less than an hours drive from the city.  We'd normally go further, but a group of Darryl's friends were there and saved us a spot, and we just wanted to camp so weren't picky.

Between trying to wrap up my work at my current job - which is ending in June, and trying to work out my next adventure, I've been very busy and very stressed out.  On Saturday, I Gave Myself The Day Off, and basically parked myself in front of the fire, read my book and knit two thirds of a sock.

It was also glorious.

Here, you can see the progress I made.  This was sort of an accidential sock.  I'd wanted some plain knitting for all of the report reading I do at work (does anyone else find it easier to focus on boring writing if you keep your hands busy?  I comprehend dull reports much better when I'm knitting...), so I grabbed some sock yarn and needles.  But then forgot the pattern.  Then I went straight to knit night at our LYS after work and decided that, screw it, I'm making up my own damn sock pattern.  I feel like I've done enough now (2 pairs fingering weight and 3.4 pairs worsted weight) that I can wing it.

Granted, I was sort of grumpy at knit night, so I didn't make much progress before I tossed it aside and pestered everyone else instead.

Anywho, the pattern is inspired by Socks on a Plane, which was my original plan for this yarn.  However, as I discovered on my brother's pair of socks, I really don't like toe-up, and those are toe up.  So I figured I'd just do a basic top-down sock and add a cabled twist down one side.

Here's my twist.  It's different than the pattern above, with a bit more movement in the cable strands.  The basic twist in the Socks on a Plane pattern would've been easier, but I wanted the cables to grow from the ribbing at the top, and this is what happened.  I like it though.  It doesn't look very open here, but the socks are a little snug on me, and the open up beautifully on my leg and foot.

Okay, that's a lot of babble about a sock.  I owe you guys a MMMay update, but I was slack about taking photos last week, so I'll have to come up with something to show those.  We'll see!

How was you're weekend?  Was the weather dreamy in your neck of the woods?  I know it wasn't in Manitoba - my Mom is half-tempted to move out here with me right now.  :D

fo: Warm Woolies for my Big-Little Brother

Merry Christmas everyone!  Haha no, this isn't a 4 month old post.  As I mentioned last time, my family celebrated another Christmas last weekend when I was back home, and that totally included a (real!!) tree, a huge turkey dinner, and gifts!  And these socks was the only one I made specifically for one person in particular (the rest were generic gifts for anyone to choose).

Last year, I made my cousin a pair of socks.  My brother, on seeing my cousin rockin' those awesome socks, strongly hinted that he'd like a pair himself.  I'd planned to knit him the ugliest pair I could make, but I lost oomph on them when I discovered an epic mistake.

Then our LYS put on a two-at-a-time sock knitting class (I blathered a bit about it here), and I jumped on that like a fox after a mouse in the snow.  And I loved knitted two socks at a time!  I've since knit a pair of fingerless mitts using that technique, and I only didn't knit the sleeves on my latest sweater that way because I forgot to pack the second ball of yarn in my carry on when I was flying home.

Sadly, I messed up the calculations, and the socks were long enough to fit a size 14 foot (considerably longer than my brother's size 11s).  I'm not a fan of toe-up.

This is his "I'm a Pretty Princess" pose. Goof.

But anyways, once I got that solved (and it was just as well, or else I would've run out of that green yarn) the socks flew off the needles, and I got them done in plenty of time for my brother to unwrap them.  And by that I mean I blocked them the morning of our "Christmas Eve" and used a blow-dryer to get them dry enough to wrap.  Oops.

He loved them, btw.  They're going to be his ice-fishing socks (though no more of that this year), which is good because they're the densest and most warmest socks he'll ever own, I swear.  He even let me take some photos of him modelling them, though he started off being a brat about it.

He's lucky I love him anyways, the twerp.  He says "hello Sister's geeky blog", btw.  Ignore him, he's a brat. <3

Knitting and Audiobooks

I've having a lovely evening in, knitting away and listening to Persuasion audiobook.  I really like this version, and want to find more from this same reader!

I have so many projects on the needles it's getting ridiculous, and with Christmas in April with my family coming up next month, I'm going to have more on soon.  But I started a two-at-a-time toe-up sock knitting class last Sunday, and my homework was to get to the heel so we can go through the heel turn together so I'm very monogamously knitting these right now.  Granted, they're going to be a gift for my brother, so it's just as well.  The yarn is pretty scratchy though and I'm knitting these tight, so my poor fingers are taking a beating.

Ah the things we do for those we love.  The brat better appreciate these (and not felt them in the wash like he did the hat I made him a few years ago).

Do you like to listen to audiobooks when you're crafting?  If so, any recommendations?  My other favourite right now is World War Z (the book, NOT the movie), which is a fantastic book for a full cast audioplay!

fo: Hermione's Everyday (Cuban) Socks

It's official - I've been bitten by the sock bug.

It's a little painful at first, but before you know it the bite mark has healed up and you barely remember a time when you didn't have an undying love of knitting around and around and around and around and then doing the fun heel turn then the gusset (my favourite part, for some reason) and then around and around and around before OMG WE'RE AT THE TOE THEY'RE ALMOST DONE THEY'RE ALMOST DONE and then the brain-breaking but magical part of kitchener-stitching the toe closed so you can't even tell there's a seam.  MAGIC I TELL YOU.

Okay so when I put it that way, objectively it does sound really boring.  But not anymore in my brain because I've been bit.

Pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks
Yarn: Fibre Artist's Trail Sock in some mystery colourway that doesn't show up anywhere online, apparently.
Needles: 2.25 mm dpns
My Ravelry project page
Mods (because I can't not modify any pattern ever, apparently):

• Cast on 4 extra stitches to account for wide calves/ankles/foot.  Next time (because lets admit it, there's going to be a next time - this pattern is delightful!) I'd probably do 8 extra stitches
• Reduced height of sock to only 12 pattern repeats instead of the suggested 18
• Knit two extra rows on the heel flap and picked up an extra stitch on both sides
• Decreased every other round on toe up to 24 stitches remaining on each of the top and bottom, then decreased every row until 15 stitches remain (don't ask - something weird happened and I fudged - luckily the same weirdness happened on the second sock) before kitchenering.  I have blunt toes so this fits them better (JUST BLUNT TOES NO MISSING TOES, I'M NOT AN EVIL CHANGES-CHILDREN-TO-MICE WITCH I SWEAR - even if I do love practical shoes).

(I loved that book when I was little, and definitely need to re-watch that movie!)

Most of the mods were to account for wider-than-apparently-average foot and ankle/calves widths, but also because I've noticed that the heels are always a little short on me.  I suspect this is why I sometimes wind up with pooching of the sock on the top of the foot at my ankle.  Maybe?  Who knows, but I'm going to experiment with more height on the next pair because I'm bitten - what does more experimental pairs of socks matter?

These socks were my Cuba project (you might recognize them from this blog post) - started the day we left Whitehorse and knit everywhere from the plane to the lobby bar to the beach to the pizza joint down the road over fantastic pina coladas, and even in a 50's classic Chevy!  They were a fun travel project - interesting enough to not be boring but easy enough to pick up and put down without paying too much attention to them.  And they charmed a few of the local ladies working at our hotel - I don't think knitting is all that big there, but boy are there a lot of crocheters!

I'm pretty proud to say that I finished off one whole sock while in Cuba (kitchenered the toe shut on our last day there!), and got a good third of the second sock on our torturous 36-hours-of-no-sleep travel day.  :P

Taken during our epically long layover in Edmonton. That iced cappuccino was AMAZING.

Why did I pick this pattern?  Well, everyone else seemed to be doing it, so...

No but seriously, the Ravelry pattern page has over 12,600 projects posted and at least 3 people in my knitting group has knit them.  It was only a matter of time.  Just waiting for the sock bug to bite, I guess.  This yarn was perfect for it too - beautiful colours (including that gorgeous creamy brown that reminds me so much of delicious Cuban coffee and makes me weep over my mug of North American crap).  Trail Sock is wonderful to work with and I'll definitely be knitting more socks with it in my sock bug poisoned future.

I immediately cast on another pair of socks once I finished these. Except toe-up cast on SUCK HOLY COW.

I'm warning you now, escape while you can!  This blog is now infested with sock bugs, and if you want to save yourself from witnessing the spiralling insanity of the newly obsessed sock knitter, or want to avoid the poison yourself, RUN AWAY.

RUN AWAY NOOOOOWWWWW.

can't blog...exam-making omg someone bring me coffee

I promised we'd be back to our regular crafty programming today, but OMG NO TIIIIME I MISS SEWING AND KNITTING.

Same pattern as these and these. Because I'm adventurous yo.

So here's a photo of the ugliest sock in creation that I'm knitting as a Christmas gift.  Because I'm a good sister who loves her brother and likes to give him deliberately ugly versions of the things he asks for.  And it's on my textbook because NO TIME TO KNIT OR MOVE FROM MY WORK STATION.

Oh holy mother of diamonds, wish me luck because I have to finish TWO versions of my final exam, with 100 multiple questions from each, submitted by FRIDAY.  ::weeps into her coffee and notebook::

fo: SpringTastic Socks!

Oh my gosh, they're done!  I feel like I've been working on these forever, but I really only started them in early June, and they spent a lot of down time as I got charmed by other projects.  My declaration to complete some WIPs put them back on the radar, and after finishing the first sock, I whipped off the second sock in 9 days.  A quarter of that was done last night!

Pattern: SpringTastic Socks by Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Alegria
Mods: I started with the 9" sock for the width, but only knit 7" before doing the toe decreases for my size 7 feet.  I reduced the toe length by only knitting 6 decrease repeats (decrease 1 row, k 1 row), then decreasing every row for 6 rows.  I then sewed the toe closed with 28 stitches on the needles instead of 24 to reduce the point for my blunt toes.  The fit is perfect!
Here's my project page on Ravelry.

I admit, I didn't really like the cable and lace pattern when I first started it.  It's knit ankle down, so the pattern is upside down as you knit it.  It's not a symmetrical pattern at all, and it looks kind of kooky as you knit it, and I had no idea what the pattern had to do with spring.  But I was committed so kept going.  It was only when I tried them on to check the fit that I understood.

It's a basket filled with flowers! 

I was already sold on hand knit socks, but if I weren't these would've done it.  They're so adorable and beyond comfortable!  How have I gone so long wearing ill-fitted socks?  :)

Today was a Creative Day! (and apparently a cleaning day...ick)

I've had a very busy day today.  Besides thoroughly cleaning the snot out of the living room (not literally) and helping the Boyfriend with the rest of the house, I pulled out some yarn sitting in a natural dye pot for the last few days...

...tidied the sewing room and then messed it up again with a sewing project...

...added a pompom to a nearly finished hat (no photo)...

...and made some decent progress on a sock.

Pretty good day in my books!  Now lets see if I can get this heel turned before I hit the sack, eh?

wip Name and Shame Time

Uh, I might have a problem.  A big startitis problem.  A woman at one of my knit nights recently asked me how many projects I had on the go, and I jokingly said 15.  Um.

Here, let me lay it out for you.

1. Year in Temp scarf.  Started in January, stalled out in March.  Still recording the daily temps though, so I'll catch up...someday.
2. Toque Tank.  This was the second knit I started during the TTTKAL, after I powered through my Avana.  It flew off of the needles...until I hit the armhole and neck bands.  This will probably only take another couple of hours of knit time.
3. Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot! Nearly finished the first fingerless glove!  Loving this project, but the colourwork takes a lot of concentration.  Maybe a half-hour to finish the first?
4. Striped toque.  This is for a silent auction for an upcoming family reunion.  We're fundraising to buy an outdoor event tent.  I'm planning to make a pair of fingerless mitts and a cowl to go with it.  This is still in the wips because I just need to finish sewing in ends.  Uh yeah.  Minutes.
5. Henri.  The as-yet-unblogged sweater.  I adore this thing, it's like a wearable swatch, so much fun to knit!  I need maybe a few more hours to finish the front, then onto the back.  This got put on hold while I knit my Cardboard Cafe for the Holla Knits KAL.  Definitely something that needs to be picked up again soon!
6. Fuego in Flames toque.  Haha just started this sucker.  I justified it because...because.  I'm knitting this out of a scrumptious yarn one of my best buddies sent me in March for my birthday.  Considering how much I'm loving both the pattern and this yarn, it shouldn't take too long to finish it.
7. Amiga for the Heather's Amiga KAL.  Just blogged about this.  I'm nearly done the raglan increases, but will be holding once they're done to wait for Heather to catch up (she cast on tonight - July 7!).  
8. Nub of a scarf.  Was supposed to be a small lacy scarf using this amazing qiviut that the above-mentioned Heather sent me a while ago.  I don't like the lace though, so I guess I'll frog this and find a better project for this yummy yarn.  Not that there's a lot to frog.
9. SpringTastic Socks.  Started this on the way to Mexico, hoping to finish the pair on the trip.  Then realized how long fine-weight yarn socks take, so hoped to finish one.  Then was just pleased to get past the heel.  Uh, these are taking a while.  I like them though!  Must get back to them.
10. Yet another Baby Vest.  Same pattern as the pink one I just made.  Probably only need another hour to two to finish this one?  What the heck, me, just finish it already.
11. 5 Hour Baby Sweater.  On...5 months?  AHA yeah.  All that's left is about 12 rows for the hem and buttons, AND THAT'S IT.  I...don't even know why this isn't done.
12. Silver Star Crocheted Blanket.  Started for a friend's baby, took too long to start, baby is now 1.5 years old?  I don't think he's getting this blanket.  Good thing I didn't tell his parents about it, eh?
13. Reverb.  Uh so I started this November 2013, and last worked on it during a plague the end of December 13.  I do really want this cardigan, it's just been hard to restart this.  Maybe I should pull it out again after I finish Henri.
14. Alpaca Winter Socks.  I think I mentioned these socks (or erm, half of a sock) in the Baby Vest post - they're a community knitting project.  They'll be a really heavy and warm men's over-socks.  These suckers weigh a ton already!
15. Dishcloths!  I'm including both of these as one project so I don't go over the holy number 15, shhh.  Actually, I've joined another dishcloth swap and they posted both the Happy dishcloth and the Pinwheel dishcloth.  I spent that morning working on these instead of cleaning my house and packing for a camping trip last Friday. HAHAHA.  The crochet dishcloth only needs another half hour to finish.  The pinwheel needs to be seamed and have all the ends sewn in.  One or both is going to someone awesome!

I actually think there might be more, but this is what I could find.  And this doesn't even touch on sewing.  I have a declaration to make though:

I, Heather of Things I Make. Plus Rocks, do declare that I will finish at least 5 of these projects in the next month, and will not start anything else until they're done.  I will also finish all of these projects before the end of 2015.

And now it's your turn: how many wips do you have?  *arches eyebrow*

Socks for Me!

Hey look, another pair of socks.  This time for me!  You might remember these, they were my travel knit for the Manitoba trip last month.  I actually finished them the first weekend in Manitoba, not long after I tossed my cousin the pair of socks I'd made for him.  :)

I really enjoyed knitting these.  They're almost exactly like my cousin's socks, only smaller.  I used Garnstudio's DROPS Big Fabel in the Wild Berries colourway.  The colour repeats were shorter than in the Green Mix colourway in the other pair, and the single large block of blue emphasized the repeats a bit more, but I really like this colourway despite this.  It's so cute with the bright colours!

I followed the Rye sock pattern (again), but modified it a bit from the other pair.  I CO 44 stitches again and did 2x2 ribbing along the leg (I have large calves, so "standard" women's socks normally don't fit me), but only knit these to 9 inches high on the leg.  Instead of continuing the 2x2 rib across the top of the foot, I knit straight stockinette except for carrying along a row of 2 purl stitches along the sides of the foot. 

Next time, I might CO more stitches, but add a line of a cable stitch along the outside edge of the sock.  Heh, it's true that once you figure out how to knit socks, you don't really need a pattern anymore!

And I can see why everyone raves about hand-knit socks - I can't believe how comfortable a well-fitted pair of socks are!

If you could, would you knit your own socks?  Do you think it's worth the time and effort?  I used to think not, but now...I'm starting to change my mind...