Merino Lace Socks

Pattern: Merino Lace Socks from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock
Colorway: Old Rose
Needles: 2.75 mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: November 9
Finished: December 26
Mods: None

Lucy’s Christmas Sweater

Pattern: Original Design
Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool (about 1 1/2 skeins)
Colorway: Raspberry
Needles: 4.5 mm (US7) Knit Picks Options

Started: December 21
Finished: December 23
Notes: Worked in the round, ML for color and chest increase then on 24″ cable for remainder. 2″ of 2X2 ribbing for the collar. A central braided cable is flanked by OXOX cables on a ground of reverse stockinette. A simple 4 stitch cable runs down the center of the chest. I picked up stitches all around the back/bottom, then an inch of 2X2 ribbing to finish it all off. It meets with Lucy’s approval

Ice Queen

Pattern: Ice Queen garter stitch version
Yarn: Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud
Colorway: Smoke Heather
Beads: 6/0 black lined clear
Needles: 4.5 mm (US7) Knit Picks Options

Started: December 8
Finished: December 15
Mods: Did an extra 16 rounds of the lace pattern(one full repeat of the bead sequence)

Dashing

Pattern: Dashing
Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool
Colorway: Taupe
Needles: 4.5mm (US 7) Knit Picks Options

Started: December 8
Finished: December 11
Mods: Decreased cuff length by 1 cable repeat(10 rows)

Clogs for Dad

Pattern: Felt Clogs
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino
Colorways: Black (less than 2 skeins) and Burgandy (1.3 skeins)
Needles: 10 mm(US 15) 16 inch circulars – Clover Bamboo

Started: December 6
Finished: December 7
Felted: December 11
Mods: None

Double Lattice Dishcloth

Pattern: Double Lattice Dishcloth
Yarn: Sugar ‘n Cream
Colorway: Dark Red
Needles: 5.0 mm (US8) circular
Started: December 3
Finished December 4
Mods: None, but I did chart the stitch pattern to make it easier (for me) to work.

Lacy Dishcloth

Pattern: Doily Style Dishcloth
Yarn: Sugar ‘n Cream
Colorway: Dark Pine
Needles: 5,0mm (US8) circular
Started: December 2
Finished: December 3
Mods: None

Branching Out

Pattern: Branching Out
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow
Colorway: Lost Lake
Needles: 4.0mm (US6)

Started: December 1
Finished: December 5
Blocked: December 7
Mods: Worked both ends out from a provisional cast on.

Pirate Hat

Pattern: We Call Them Pirates
Yarn: Idena Villmark 1 skein each black and white (couldn’t find a good link and the only stash entries in Ravelry are from my LYS. Go figure.)
Needles: 3.5mm (US4) 16 inch circular (2 circs for crown)

Started: November 11
Finished: November 18
Mods: None

Maine Morning Mitts

Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts by Clara Parkes
Yarn: Sheep Shop Sheep 1 (used most of 1 skein)
Colorway: G123
Needles: Knit Pick Options 5.0mm (US8) using the Magic Loop technique

Started: October 17
Finshed: November 7
Modifications: none

Clapotis

Pattern: Clapotis
Yarn: Paca Paints
Colorway: 104
Needles: 5.0mm (US8) Knit Picks Options

Started: October 3
Finished: October 20
Blocked: October 21
Mods: I added 2 repeats to the straight section.

Snow on Cedars Mitts

Pattern: Snow on Cedars Mitts by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Hand dyed Merino/Nylon fingering ~ 170 yds
Needles: 2.75 mm (US2) 5″ Brittany Birch DPN’s

Started: October 14
Finished: October 17
Modifications: None

Hand Painted Socks

Pattern: Dublin Bay Socks – modified
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare 75% superwash merino/25% nylon fingering – hand painted by yours truely.
Needles: 2.75mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: September 18
Finished: October 13
Modifications: Worked toe up; over 64 stitches (rather than 72); changed the lace on one side so that patterns are symmetrical; short row heel; twisted stitch cuff; lengthened the leg.

Cable-Down Raglan

Pattern: Cable-Down Raglan from Interweave Knits Spring 2007
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
Colorway: Mulled Wine
Needles: 4.5 mm (US7) Knit Picks Options circulars, various cable lengths

Started: July 29
Finished: October 2
Modifications: I started the waist cables sooner than the pattern called for and shortened the overall length by about 5 inches. If I had it to do again, I would have started the waist cables even sooner by a couple inches and maybe made it a size smaller. But overall, I’m happy with how it came out.

Christening Blanket

Pattern: Original Design. The center panel is Diamond Fantasia from Barbara Walker’s Third Treasury. The border and edging came out of my own fevered brain. The border was intended to provide some visual white space between the very complex center and the edging, while maintaining the diamond theme started with the center. I had a strong idea of what I wanted and it came out pretty much as I originally planned. The edging incorporates pieces and parts from various sources, which I then swatched and tweaked and swatched again until I had something I thought worked with the rest of the blanket.
Yarn:Knit Picks Dye Your Own (now Bare) Merino lace weight. I used 5 balls in the making, but one ball had a slight mishap. Based on the final weight of the blanket, I’d estimate actual yarn usage as just under 4 balls, or about 3500 yards.
Needles: 2.5 mm Addi Turbo and later Addi Turbo lace 80 mm (32 inch) circulars.

Started: April 2006
Finished: September 26
Notes: This is probably the biggest knitting project I’ve ever done, certainly the longest duration. Not all of that time was actual knitting time, but it still took several months of focused determined knitting to get this done. Little did I know when I first embarked on the idea of designing this project “just because.” I learned a lot doing it, and while there are still some parts I think could have been improved on (I could have done a better job mitering the corners of the edging, for example) I love how it turned out. It will be put away and given to my niece when she gets married and has a child of her own (hopefully in that order and many years from now.)

Solstice Slip Socks

Pattern: The Solstice Slip by JC Briar (from the Rockin’ Sock Club June 2007 kit)
Yarn: BMFA Socks that Rock Lightweight
Colorway: Firebird
Needles: 2.75mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: August 16
Finished: September 15
Mods: Knit about 7 inches for leg, including an inch of K3P2 ribbing at the top.

John’s Knucks

Pattern: Knucks men’s size
Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool in black.
Needles: 3.75 (US size 5) 2 16″ circulars

(It’s very hard to get a good photo of your non-dominant hand like this!)

Started: May 3
Completed August 25
Notes: This was a quick and easy knit, the pattern was clearly written, and the fact that it took me nearly 4 months to finish them should not deter you from making a pair. The knitting was done in a few days. Then I stressed about the embroidery. In the pattern they suggested using embroidery floss, but I wasn’t sure about embroidering on wool with cotton. In the end, I used some leftover sock yarn( Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid in Loden) and I think they came out great. The next question was how to embroider on a knit fabric. I tried back stitch, I tried satin stitch. I tried stem stitch. None of them looked quite right. Then I read the pattern directions and used the recommended chain stitch. Much better.

Silk Socks

Pattern: None, as such. A pair of simple stockinette socks knit over 64 stitches with 1X1 ribbing, hourglass heels and wedge toes.
Yarn: Regia Silk Color #0189 aka Nairobi
Needles: 2.75 mm (US2) 16″ circulars (2 socks/2 circs per usual)
Started: August 1
Finished: August 16

Hokie Jaywalker Socks

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Scout’s Swag Superwash/Nylon custom dyed Hokies colorway
Needles: 2.75mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs, per usual)

Started: July 18
Finished: August 2
Mods: Worked toe up with afterthought heels.

Pehuen Shell

Pattern: Calling it an original design makes it sound much more elaborate that it really was. A simple sleeveless top (shell, tank, camisole, pick your favorite fashion term) with waist shaping, a turned hem and crochet around the neck and sleeves.
Yarn: Pehuén by Araucania in colorway 8 (lavender, red, black, grey) Used almost 5 balls of the 8 in my stash.
Needles: size 6 24″ circulars from my Knit Picks Options set

Started: June 15
Finished: July 29

Fine Cabled Mitts

Pattern: Fine Cabled Mitts by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Handspun Merino
Needles 2.75 mm (US2) 16 inch circulars – I worked both at the same time much like I do socks.

Started: July 15
Finished: July 18
Modifications: Changed the cable crossing on right mitt to the opposite direction – symmetry, ya know.

Tessellating Lace Socks

Pattern: Original design. The pattern is available for free download (see sidebar)
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock
Colorway: Wild Cherries Needles: 2.75 mm (US 2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs as usual)

Embossed Leaves

Pattern: Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks (and IK before that)
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid in Loden
Needles: 2.75 mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: June 23
Finished: July 3
Mods: I changed the cast on to long tail cast on. I did an extra full repeat of the lace pattern on the leg (4 1/2 repeats). I substituted my usual short row heel for the flap and gusset heel in the directions.

Math Whiz Socks

Pattern: Math Whiz Sock by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino in Mermaid Colorway
Needles: 2.75 mm (US 2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: June 8
Finished: June 22
Mods: Used my preferred short row heels in place of the short row heels in the pattern

Bubbly Curtains

Pattern: Bubbly Curtains from Mason-Dixon Knitting
Yarn: size 10 crochet cotton
Needles: 3.75 mm (US 5) 24 inch curcular

Started: August, 2006
Finished June 14
Mods: I knit enough length on top to make a pocket rather than threading cord through eyelet holes.

Lily Camisole

Pattern: Lily Camisole
Yarn: Euroflax Original (sport) in Terra Cotta
Needles: Addi Turbo 2.0 mm (US 0) and 2.5 mm (US 1.5)

Started: March, 2006
Finished: June 13
Mods: I eliminated the gusset increases at the underarms. Since I am not particularly busty, I was afraid these increases would lead to a top that gaped at the armsycthes. The fit is just about right.

Messenger/Laptop Bag

Pattern: I used a pattern from this book as a basis, but it’s highly modified.
Yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool
Colors: Old Gold, Leaf Green, That’s Pink, That’s Blue, Too Teal, and Bright Red
Needles: 5 mm(US 8) 24 and 32 inch circulars

Started: December, 2005
Finished: June 9
Mods: Yes! Where to begin… I knit the front/bottom/back/flap all in one piece. Stiches were picked up along each side for front/back/bottom which were incorporated into the sides. One side was extended to make the strap with integrated I-cord on each edge. Applied I-cord was attached around the flap. Pocket pieces were made and felted separately then sewn into the bag after felting. Oh, yes, and it’s much bigger than the original. The original pattern was more inspiration than instruction.

Kat’s Squatty Sidekick

Pattern: Amanda’s Squatty Sidekick
Yarn: Patons Classic Merino in Peacock
Needles: Knit Picks Options 5.5 mm (US9)

Started: May 19
Finished: June 9
Mods: none

Gimlet Socks

Pattern: Pattern? We don’t need no stinkin’ pattern. But seriously, I used this pattern as a guide for how to do thong toed socks toe up, but I changed the cast-on and the stitch counts to better fit the intended recipient. After the toes are joined, it’s a basic stockinette sock with 68 stitches on the foot and 72 stitches on the leg. Your basic short row heel, and K2P2 ribbing with a K2tog bind off.
Yarn: Scout’s Swag bamboo/wool blend in Gimlet.
Needles: The toes were worked in 2.5 mm (US1 1/2) birch DPN’s while the remainder was done on 2.75 (US2) metal circulars. (2 socks/2 circs)

Undulating Rib Socks

 

Pattern: Undulating Ribs from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Hand spun from Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop Roving 2 ply 16 wpi
Needles: 2.75 mm (US2) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: May 10
Finished: May 17
Modifications: Worked toe up, using Judy’s Magic Cast-On for the toes and a short row heel.

Inside Out Socks

Pattern: Inside Out Socks (Rockin’ Sock Club February 2007 kit)
Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Mediumweight
Colorway: Monsoon Needles: Toe, foot and heel done with 2.25 mm (US1) 16 inch circulars, leg with 3.25 mm (US3) 16 inch circulars (2 socks/2 circs)

Started: Late March
Finished: May 10
Notes: This was a fun pattern to knit. My only problem was not going up enough in needle size when I started on the leg. These are not colors I necessarily would have picked out for myself, but I love them. With all the very wide cables up the leg, this sock is quite toasty and will probably be confined to winter wear only.

DreamSwatch Head Wrap

 

Pattern: DreamSwatch Head Wrap by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Handspun 50%Merino/50% Tencel from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks (DK weight)
Colorway: Juniper Berry Needles: KnitPicks Options Size 5 needles on 24″ cord

Started: April 19
Finished: April 25
Blocked: May 5
Notes: This is a great pattern to show of variegated or interesting yarns. I had ~200 yards of this handspun and I have about 75 yards left after I decided it was long enough. The elongated, crossed over stitches was a bit fiddly, but the result was well worth the effort.