Clearly I need to take a week off to knit more often. (Well, and a 14 hr. car ride each way to Colorado and back didn’t hurt, either.) I took all of my knitting in another one of my new favorite bags – one from Offhand Designs. I ordered one to try it out …. and I just ordered more to share with all of you because I liked it so much. I’ll let you in on those when they come in – hopefully soon. (I have a bag problem. You needn’t point out how I keep adding bags to my collection. I already know about it. And besides, it doesn’t help to comment on it, as WH knows full well. It tends to make it worse….) The other two bags that I took with me? A small GoKnit pouch (those will be up at The Loopy Ewe this week) and a Lawre’s Laine bag (beautiful and the perfect size. The inside of mine is lined in the most beautiful purple color. More of those are on order, too.) Yes, I like bags a bit.
First off, I finished a second sock. I know – that’s completely against my character. However, I owe this pair of socks to my very good friend Janice and let’s just say she ought to have had them awhile back. I picked a bad pattern for these socks and that’s what kept tripping me up. The pattern itself is not bad – I really like how it turned out. But this pattern plus loosely twisted yarn plus fuzzy alpaca equals a sock that you never want to work on. It’s something I found in some stitch dictionary and you knit the third stitch on the left needle, then knit the second stitch, then knit the first stitch, then pull the whole load of them off the left needle at the same time. Why didn’t I just frog it when I was doing the first one? Because I had tried two other patterns with this sock and frogged both of those. (I do realize that shouldn’t matter. Next time, I will frog the third time, too.) These socks are very warm and wonderful, and that’s important to Janice who lives in Iowa and doesn’t like the winter very much. These will keep her toes toasty. Just in time for spring. 🙂
The other two socks I knit (back to my old self – both are singles) are yarns that will go up at The Loopy Ewe next week. The first is Creatively Dyed in her Luxury Sock yarn base. It is made up of 80% merino, 10% nylon, and 10% cashmere. Not only is this yarn wonderful to work with, but the resulting sock feels great on, and you can see that the dyework is gorgeous. I knit this with Cookie A’s monkey pattern (available free on Knitty) but I knit them toe up and did short row heels. I like this pattern toe up. It’s the first time that I have done it this way, and I think I’ll give the cuff-down-Monkeys the heave-ho and always do it toe-up from now on. (Speaking of Cookie A, she has 3 new sock patterns that we will have for you by the end of next week. Her patterns are so fun!) We have several wonderful colorways in this line that are being photo-ed here this week. I know you’ll like them!
The second single sock is from Spindle City Yarns, and I really liked working with this one, too. I am making these as a birthday gift and this is not my size sock, so that will force me to make the matching one and get them done. Although now that it’s done, I kinda wish I had made it for myself. The intensity of color (and the combination of the colors in this one) makes for a very pretty sock. I used the Cross-Hatch pattern from the More Sensational Knitted Socks book. Another easy pattern to do, and I like the results. I also like that this yarn base is 75% Superwash Wool and 25% Nylon. I have had to mend a few socks lately and I’m beginning to like the nylon addition more and more. I will be knitting more from this line, as there are a lot of “must have” colors in this first batch that they sent to us.
I also started my Dream in Color Knit Along sweater while on vacation. I have not knit a sweater since Junior High. (It was ugly, too. So I really shouldn’t count it.) I was a bit apprehensive about the whole sweater thing, but I really wanted a sweater out of DC Classy, so I started the KAL. I knew if I had accountability from a few others an amazing number of you who decided to knit with me, then I’d get it done. 
I have discovered that I really love sweater knitting, and now I’m on the lookout for other patterns that I want to do. I’m not sure if I’ll be convinced to use other yarns for sweaters besides the DC Classy, though. It’s such wonderful yarn to work with and there are several other colorways that I want to have for sweaters. (Yes, we will have more Classy in again this month.) Some of you KALers are already done with your sweaters. I have had fun seeing the photos come in to the gallery! Keep sending them in. Our official ending date is June 1st, so there is still plenty of time. I’ll show you a progress photo of my sweater next week.
Speaking of the photo galleries, you have until the end of this week to submit your Q1-08 photo for our First Quarter Challenge! We’ll do voting next week. I will show you what I made next month, as it’s a gift for someone in April and I can’t show it yet. 🙂 We’ll also be announcing the Q2-08 next week, so stay tuned for that.
Sheri thosetwoduckswerewalkingaroundtheStarbucksparkinglotthismorning
Obviouslytheyarecompletelycaffeinatedandjustabitconfused.
I love the duck photo! (and the socks, of course)…I’m making toe up monkeys using Smooshy and the yarn is wonderful! I’m looking forward to starting my KAL sweater later in April.
Welcome back! Sounds like you got tons of knitting done!! Good for you. Hopefully you rested too!
The duck are hilarious… Maybe Loopy needs a couple of friends there at Loopy Central??
I’m getting into the bag thing too. I think it’s because my stash is big enough and I can buy bags to satisfy my buying knitting stuff addiction. My favorite ones are the vinyl Loopy bags and project bags. I still want a Namaste messenger which I hope to use as a purse/knitting bag.
Love the duck picture.
Oh no! More cool bags coming? I’m not sure I can handle that — I have a thing for bags too. And I know the sister of the woman who makes the Lawre’s Laine bags! Cool!
oooh, my toes are wiggling with excitement for my new socks!!!!
Yea for more knitting time! And, I know what you mean about knitting only sweaters with DC Classy – I already have a few more sweaters in the queue – and how exciting more Classy is on its way – I have some ideas in mind for this round too.
Maybe I’ll try to squeeze in time for the 1Q challenge – I’ve put it aside – I have too many WIPs!! So many things to knit, so little time, lol…
I’ll have to check out the bags – although, I have to say, I honestly don’t have a bag problem. More $$ for yarn, I guess… : )
I am so excited about these new yarns!
And nothing like the sighting of randy ducks to herald the approach of spring!
I am sure Janice will be excited to get her socks. LOL. I love the new socks. I have a hard time putting down the Monkey pattern since it is so easy. I keep saying just one more repeat. LOL
Loved the ducks! I have to say, I dont really have a bag problem, but looking forward to the yarn. Although, I guess as I get more stash and more WIP’s going, I’ll need bags to put them in. HMM, I can see another addiction starting.
I love Mr. and Mrs. Mallard! I used to work in an office where a mated pair of mallards visited every spring. Just like an old familiar couple. You’ve also helped me grow to love sweater knitting via the KAL. I was pretty sure I was content to do socks and nothing any larger. But that Classy is as bad as sock yarn! I’ve found all kinds of patterns that are going to look all kinds of good in all those colorways (I think there’s exactly 1 in all 32 that I don’t care for). I haven’t been bit by the bag bug yet, but I suppose it’s just a matter of time. Can’t wait to see your KAL sweater.
I certainly have a bag problem… starting waaaay back. I any type of bag, I love them! Remember all the cosmetic giveaways? I’d get so excited when a new one would come out… now I’ve graduated to other type of bags… Coach, Knitting bags, project bags, travel bags, make-up bags, you name it, I love it! It’s a compulsion…
Lovely socks you have knit there… I love the colors.
Glad you are back!!
I’m such a bag junkie. I can’t help it. I LOVE bags. I have a ton of them, and continue you buy more. They are just so fun. 🙂
I ordered my first Smooshy this week, from you, and it came today, and I am so in love it’s a little frightening. Oh the plans I am making.
After seeing the socks you knitted with the new yarn lines, I can hardly wait to see the rest of their offerings…Just gorgeous! What fun to have a whole week and such a long car trip to just knit…I am very jealous!LOL
It seems that Spring has come on so quickly this year…At the beginning of March, the trees around here were bare and brown…now it looks like the middle of summer!
No knitting time for Dr. Jackie this week. I have to haul out my sewing machine and make new garb for the Renaissance Faire. My daughter has finally decided to leave the Gypsy compagne and go to the land of the Fae. So I shall be building a long, gored, pointy-sleeve gown and gossamer overskirt. Someone else is making the boned bodice, and the wings should be coming in the mail. Then two new skirts for me. Maybe I can knit next week….**sigh**
I’m so anxious for the new colorways to be posted! I’m ready for some spring colors in my socks! Especially yellow tones! 🙂 I too am very envious about all that time to knit!!! Ahhhh…..
We have a duck pond on the property where I work, and we all have to slow down on the adjacent driveway to accommodate their comings and goings. There’s still ice on the pond, though, so no ducks yet!
Lovely socks – you were very prolific, Sheri!
That’s why I love driving vacations—hours and hours of guilt-free knitting. I think I need one of those, although even without a vacation I did finish my spring sock club socks (the one’s from the club that just ended) and everyone keeps saying how pretty they are. I loved the yarn and pattern, too. Now I just need some spring shoes to go with them!
I definitely share your love of bags. My husband will attest to the fact that I am a bag collector, too. It used to be school bags; I was always trying to find the perfect one, but never succeeded. Now it’s knitting bags, but i think I have suceeded here, because I love my Ham’s Jam bag to distraction. It’s the perfet size and all those pockets! Plus I really like knowing it’s handmade.
Wow! You have a completed pair…no more lonely blue sock…it has its mate!! Woo-Hoo!!!
How do I submit my photo to the challenge? I can get to the gallery, but how can I get my photo up there? I feel like I am missing something that is most likely really obvious.
If you fed those duckies cheese, you would have cheese and quackers.
I really want to make more sweaters. They don’t take as much time as I thought they would, except that I tend to put them aside for months when I decide I don’t want to do the seaming. That’s one of the best things about socks. Just a little kitchener and you’re done!
Well, I’m still glad that you are home although I still can’t see the photos on your
blogs. Sometimes they are there and then they are gone. I know you’ve heard
this before. I couldn’t see the ducks either. I have my own geese in my back
yard. Well they aren’t really mine; they belong to the universe, but I like to watch
them from time to time. I have squirrels and rabbits too and since I live in a
senior center, I don’t have to worry about them tearing up my house. I will be
happy to see your new yarns. Glad you got so much done. Hope the pictures
pop up tomorrow.
You know, I had meant to do something for the Q1 challenge but I couldn’t think of anything I hadn’t tried yet. Not to say I’ve succeeded at everything I have tried but Socks (check), Sweaters (check), Shawls (check), Hats (check), Nosewarmers (check), Scarves (check). I had thought about designing my own shawl but I didn’t have time to get anywhere photo-able with that. The only other things I can think of are bikini’s and lingerie and I just don’t see myself taking a photo of anything like that if I did knit it. Clearly I’m not imaginative enough.
Love the ducks! We get Canada geese that hang around our office complex similar to that. They won’t let you come up to them all the way, but they’re definitely not terribly bothered by people. There’s nothing like walking in to work behind a waddling goose.
Sheri, I hear you on the wool/nylon blends for durability! I love so many of the 100% merino sock yarns, but it is stuff like Trekking and Opal that I can throw in the washer, that never pill, and so far, have no holes. I like the merinos for socks that I wear occasionally, but for socks I want to wear a lot, I have to turn to the blends with nylon.
I love the ducks, just cute. Maybe they want to become Loopie groopies? THey are waiting for thier six pks. THose socks are lovely. I hear you on the angora socks. THey are such a hassle , the angora part I mean that is why i swore i would not do a sweater in angora again unless it is a gift for my very dear friend Mia. Lovely colors on the new in stock or rather soontobe in stock. I actually finished two bday socks during the time you were gone, DD FAshion divasis size 9.5-10 and my DBr in 11.
Cant wait to see your KAL sweater. WHat color did you pick? Mine will be giant peach. I am even thinking of taking smooshy to make some sweater, but i will have to be rich to do so. So glad you got knitting done.
A first i havent tried yet? In knitting or crochet? I dont think that exists except there is that small triangle lace scarf i knit out of gray thread that is staring at me to be blocked? I might have to scan it in and post that to flickr and then post it to you. Our camera will not download just a few pictures but wants to do all pics and then the computer sinks to its knees and dies. Dinosaurs just have problems with modern technology.lol.
Iamsogladyouhadanicevacationandgottoknitsomuchbuteventhoughtheelvestooksogoodcareofthings…. Imissedyounotbeingthere.
Hope you are not having to deal with flooding. THe snow around my trailer is a diehard, it is 50 and it just wont melt. THe ground underneath must be partly frozen still.
loveya
Those ducks are too funny! It’s always so much fun when you get back from being away for a while and post pictures of what you’ve been knitting. I definitely need one of those vacations, too, otherwise I’ll never catch up! (I started something for the Q1 Challenge but then had to finish up a couple of urgent WIPs, so it’s still on the needles. Never mind.) Looking forward to seeing your Classy sweater in progress.
I too tried to find something OTN for the Q1 challenge so I didnt have to start another item, and other than some felted slippers I dont have started yet I dont have anything available. The felted slippers will be made out of Bernat Felting yarn so dont qualify for the challenge 🙁 Oh Well maybe Q2 🙂
I know a stitch almost like the one you have described. The only difference is that the second stitch from the needles is a purl. I hate it, looks beautiful when done but what a pain in the hand. I had a callous on my thumb from holding the stitches so I could get that dang purl stitch in the middle. I call the stitch the I love you stitch because every fourth row, when you had to do the pattern, I would say I love you Jessica, I love you Jessica, over and over . The pattern was chosen by my niece Jessica and that is the only reason I didn’t change the pattern, the only reason. I did it in a plain non fuzzy yarn so cannot imagine what you went thru. It was beautiful when I was done, but I won’t voluntarily do it again.
maybe the ducks were waiting for a snack. We have a couple of mallards that hangout by the dunkin donuts because they love donuts! They actually brought their babies there last year and are back again this year.
Those socks are great!
Hooray for you for those great socks! I am referring to your blog tomorrow since I am also writing about making self patterning socks (my first lesson and first attempt). Thanks for being a mentor! Nancy
Ooh, ooh, I’m gonna sneak in under the wire, and be able to enter the Q1-08 Loopy Challenge! Yippee!
I’m so proud of you for finishing the PITB (pain in the butt) stitch pattern on the socks. They look wonderful.
Should I feel guilty? I started a pair with a (k 3rd st, p 2nd st, k 1st st, then pull all 3 off) pattern. I got through the 3rd repeat, ripped then out, and reworked them in stockinette. I really liked how the pattern looked but it was just too much effort to grab that 2nd st to p. I may try another pair and k all three.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I started my first lace shawl this quarter, but it’s only about halfway done. Does it qualify for your 1st Q challenge, or should I wait until next Q to submit? Thanks!
Can one really have too many bags? My hubby wonders this also but I don’t think it is possible. 🙂 I love your socks they look great!! The colours are gorgeous! Have I missed the Don’t Be Blue special yarn? It looks like you had a wonderful holiday also!!! Caffinated ducks wandering around Starbucks………now that must have been a sight!!!! 🙂
Weird coincidence that my Dunkin Donuts had two ducks wandering around the parking lot, too. What is up with ducks and coffee shops?