See Jo knit!

Summer of socks has kicked off, and on the Ravelry boards people are finishing a sock a day! Now, no mere mortal knitter with a job and a boy and a social life could do such a thing. (Note to self: Find yourself a Sugardaddy.)

But there is knitting.

I am halfway through the second of this sock. Super basic, Judy's Magic Toe cast on with 12 sts on US 2 Hiyas, because they are the greatest DPNs this world had ever seen. Then Wendy's Generic toe-up heel gusset and flap. Wendy is truly clever, I must say, because I've always hated heel flaps and gussets, but here we have a sane meeting of the minds. This sock will be my go-to sock when I'm in need of a bit of a kick in the pants.

In other news, I'm going to California on Friday to see THE DOG THE DOG THE DOG and my parents. What knitting do I take if I'm only going to be there 36 hours? Socks, of course, I could finish a sportweight sock on the plane and then have nothing to do. A top? I have swatched for Sahara and that could be my airplane flying. Any other suggestions?

Here it is, the event you've all been waiting for with bated breath: THE SIZZLE!!


Photos taken by the lovely Ana in the charming alley beside the yarn shop. I should get her to do all my photo shoots. Excuse the rumpled appearance of my sizzle top — it's been mushed in my knitting bag, waiting for its photo op. I'll have to steam out the wrinkles before I wear it.

You probably want the pattern specs.

Sizzle, by Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic. I used three skeins of South West Trading Company Pure Soy in the color "blue depths." US 7 circ, knitted flat and seamed. (I hate seaming.) The dart bust shaping is easy peasy and makes it more than a summer tank. It makes it a little sexy. I kind of want to knit another one, in red perhaps, so I could put a sexy lacy tank under it and make it really pop.

I will note that I made up a size between the XS and the S size. I just added some stitches so it would fit my body better, and knit on. All I did was change the numbers to match the gauge and the size I wanted. If anyone is interested in those mods, let me know.

Summer of Socks '08 has started with a bang. It's all the buzz on the Ravelry boards — who's knitting which pattern, what yarn, what size neeedles, all with the ultimate goal of being TOP SUMMER SOCK KNITTER — IN THE WORLD!

I have no such aspirations, I promise you. I hope to take a couple mundane family vacations, perhaps even a business trip, that could provide me with photo fodder for the "Best Sock Vacation Picture," for which I did put my name down.

Allow me to introduce my competitors.

First up, Pretty Pretty Princess sock, or as I affectionately call her, P3.

She's a mindless creature, nothing but stockinette from the top down, but that gathered ruffle does give her a bit of intrigue. Koigu, of course, PPPM, color P806, from Gwenie-Gwen for last Christmas. I love the pinks and purples. These are definitely the brightest socks I have ever knitted. Thanks Gwen!

Contestant #2, I quite like. I like the yarn, I like the pattern, but I'm just not sure how it's working out together. It's much easier to see in daylight because right now it looks like a swirly mess, doesn't it. I'll bring it to MisKnits for UFO Wednesday and see if it can't be salvaged.

Oh, Claudia handpainted fingering merino, color pink dot. Hiya Hiya Bamboo US1 6" ETA: The pattern is Spring Forward from the new Knitty.

yarncrawl
Originally uploaded by knitjoknit

So I bought a lot of yarn this weekend. Enough for three sweaters, a vest and 3 pairs of socks.

I think I need a storage unit for my yarn stash.

I was going to have a picture of my completed Sizzle for you, but the pictures did not turn out exactly as I'd hoped. 1. I need to wear a tank underneath it that is Not White, and 2. Indoor flash is not always flattering. I figure I may as well get a good action shot of it while I'm yarn crawling on Saturday.

In the meantime, more socks.

Sockies, 2 skeins Artyarns Supermerino color 160, purchased at MisKnits (everyone's favorite LYS.) I used US 2.5 (3 mm) Brittany DPNs over 48 sts. I did a toe-up heel flap and gusset again, because I loved it so much the first time. I'm not quite as pleased with these as I was with the first pair. They're a bit saggy in the gusset area, I think because I didn't do ribbing on the instep. But I am wearing them right now and my feet are toasty warm.

Saturday is the KC knitting guild yarn crawl! We'll be touring the Kansas side, as we do every spring. Get ready for new stash!

This post may become nonsensical by the end, because I was going to post right after I took my Ambien, but then I got distracted (surprise) and now I'm starting to feel it. So, my apologies for any off-topic tangents that arise. I'll try to keep them to a minimum.

Finished objects all over.

My Spring Fling socks, which I love love love. I did not love them while I was knitting the ribbing, which explains why it is so flimsy and so short. I just wanted the socks to be done so I could wear them. Is that so wrong? They fit beautifully and are currently drying over the towel rack. US 1 Hiya DPNs, 64 sts (although at one point on the second sock, I somehow ended up with 68 sts.) Magic toe, short row heel, too little 3x1 ribbing at the top of the sock. I should have done 10 more rows to balance out the 10 I did. The yarn is Sleeping Dragon Fingering weight merino (Simply Socks is the only place I know of to get it; Allison has great selection, prices, and WONDERFUL service. I do not get a cut of anything for saying that, it is my honest personal opinion.) The color I used was Spring Fling. And I love the socks. So soft and stripey.

Daddy's Father's Day socks, dried and ready to be shipped to California, as soon as I stop at Jack Stack and get some meat rub and barbecue sauce. And maybe a pack of chew toys for the pup. I used about 3 skeins of Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Ultra in charcoal heather and I was quite pleased with the yarn. I have an extra skein and a bit and I'm not sure what I'll use it for, but I'm sure I'll come up with something. The pattern was from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. A great book. The patterns I've made have all been really fun. I look forward to making more. Except I suck at Kitchener stitch. Amber did the first toe, I did the second. I will always be able to tell them apart, because mine looks nothing like kitchener.

I finished my Sizzle; it's drying in the bathroom as we speak. I'm torn about the armhole treatment — do I knit the seed-stitch sleeve edgings, or just single crochet around the armholes to give it a bit more finished look? I worry that half an inch of seed stitch will cramp the already snug armholes. Although it did appear to grow sizeably when I blocked it, so snug may be a moot point. We'll let it dry and remeasure and then make decisions.

There is a rip in the space/time continuum somewhere in the vicinity of my apartment, and — wait for it — the Black hole eats circular knitting needles.

There is absolutely no other explanation for it. I have checked bags, I have checked drawers, I have checked cases, I have checked knitting baskets, all to no avail. I know I had these needles at some point in my life. Recently, even, as I knitted my mum's sweater with no needle emergencies.

NICKLE-PLATED, STAINLESS STEEL KNITTING NEEDLES DO NOT JUST GET UP AND WALK OFF.

OK. I am done now with my rant. But I am still a bit twitchy. I'll get some booze (pink champagne! Yayy!) before my arrival at said baby shower. Maybe then, missing needles will seem not so serious. There is also maybe the possibility of bumming cigarettes from unsuspecting coworkers. The last two weeks have made me crave a cigarette like it's the last thing on earth. No smoking near the new mommy, of course. /end twitch

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Sweater on Two needles from Knitter's Almanac (the best $8 knitting book in existence.) I used one skein of Dream in Color Classy, color happy forest, and US 8 needles. I found the buttons at a Hancock Fabric here in town. Made for a co-worker's baby, due in September, but the baby shower is Wednesday. The sweater has been washed and dried (in the dryer!) and is ready to go as soon as I weave in the ends on the buttons. Whew. I have little to no experience with babies, so I have no idea what size it is. It measures about 12 inches across the body, whatever that's worth. If I were to knit this again with this yarn, I'd probably use a US 7 needle instead.

This was a one-week knit. Easy peasy. And the pattern is very intuitive. I think this might actually be my first EZ pattern, because I'm not smart enough to knit a Baby Surprise Jacket. Although I found these notes through Ravelry and may attempt it for the next baby that crosses my path.

I am still slogging along on the Father's Day socks.

I finished the gusset of the second sock tonight and now just have to cruise through 7 more pattern repeats on the foot, knit the toe, kitchener it together and get it in the mail by the end of the week. I think I'll make it.

I like to think of myself as an intelligent person. (Shut it, Jo.) I'm a quick learner, I follow directions reasonably well and I'm pretty good at filling in the blanks.

Then WHY can I not figure out any of Elizabeth Zimmermann's pithy directions? I swear, the woman was a knitting genius far beyond the talents of mere mortal knitters.

I am working on a February Baby sweater in Dream in Color Classy, color happy forest. It's for a baby whose shower is next Wednesday, so I'm sort of on a deadline.

Currently, it doesn't look like much, so I'm not going to bother taking a picture. I do, however, suspect that I am totally bastardizing EZ's timeless instructions.

I spent the weekend in Wichita for a friend's wedding. Let's all be thankful it's over.

But I did get to go to Twist while I was in town. And let's just say I fell off the yarn diet wagon and leave it at that. If you're really curious, you can check out my stash updates on Ravelry.

I've finished the back and started the front of Sizzle.

I'm carrying Sizzle around in a nifty project pouch I got at Twist. It holds both pieces of my project, extra yarn, the pattern and a pencil quite nicely. I am pleased. I'm still in love with the yarn, although I'm suddenly having problems with dropped and split stitches. That may be because I've had a terribly klutzy day. I've damaged myself in several creative ways usually seen only in cartoons.

I cast on Dad sock #2, but have discovered an annoying chip in the tip of one of the US 1.5 DPNs I was using for the leg. Irritating to knit with, as it snags frequently. I can't find a freaking nail file for the life of me, so I can't fix it. It's on the list of things to fix. Once it's repaired, I can cruise on down the leg and finish the socks well before Father's Day. Assuming, of course, that I don't get distracted with some other project that I may or may not be about to cast on.

Damn.