Mid October Update

Socktober has begun and I'm plugging away. I finished my February Lady Socks in Squoosh Confection. I also am participating in the Mystery Sock KAL from Through the Loops using my malabrigo sock-cordovan (US1). That is going pretty well. New clues on Thursdays, knitting both socks because I had parts of two skeins leftover from Jon's socks. I also started Jon's Plucky Merino Socks in Nessie. Boy, I love that yarn. Those are counting toward my Sock Knitters Anonymous October project. Such fun groups and very motivating. If I finish those by the end of the month, I'll be pretty satisfied.

I started my Whisper Cardigan, but it is on hold due to the socks in progress. More to come on that. Plus, it was really cold for two weeks and a lace wt. sweater seemed silly.

I did finish my next NaKniSweMoDo sweater. Love IT. It is Anise from Rowan and I used the remaining Cascade 109 in black. It is a great dressy sweater.


DONE Sweaters/big projects= 16 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-completed 6/2/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-completed 6/18/09
11. Black Cascade 220 Superwash (Slinky Ribs henley)- completed 7/7/09
12. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM (Apres Surf Sans Hoodie)-completed 8/4/09
13. LE The Celebration Sundara FSM (Liesl)-completed 8/15/09
14. LE Second Look Sundara Sock (February Lady)-completed 9/9/09
15. Duchess Madelinetosh Wren (Evening Shrug)-completed 9/17/09
16. Black Cascade 109 (Anise)-completed 10/04/09
17. Soot KnitPicks Lace Wt (Whisper Cardigan)-begun 10/10/09

DONE For others projects=16 of 12
17. Nessie Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (Jon's socks)-begun 10/11/09


February Lady Socks for me
Rib-a-roni hat for W

Dane-Ish Scarf for mom in Malabrigo sock-velvet grapes

End of September/October Plans

Where did the last two months go? School started (middle one in Kindergarten now!) and lots of knitting I guess.

I finished three more sweaters, a stocking, 4 hats, 2 shawls/scarves, 1 pair of mitts, and a disappointing felt tote. I love the two Gretel hats I made; one with Plucky MCN sport and the other is Madelinetosh Worsted. Yum!!! I participated in Single Skein September with the Stash and Burn Groupies, which is why there were quite a few small projects in there. So nice after all the sweaters! Two of my projects ended up in the Episode #83 photo (1st column, top and bottom pics).

Next up is October and Socktober. I have quite a few skeins of sock yarn which need to get made into something. My goals are to make at least three from this group:
-finish Squoosh "Confection" (February Lady Socks)
-Plucky "Nessie" socks for Jon
-Ruby Port Sundara (to match Henley Perfected sweater)
-Malabrigo "Cordovan" doubled
-KP Essential "Soot" for Jon
-Figure out a pattern for the Squoosh "Curry"
-Green socks for L

I also have some lace yarn to make some lightweight sweaters for next spring. I still want to make a Whisper Cardigan. I finally bought the magazine because the digital version was just not happening soon enough. More sweaters are out there, waiting to be knit. I started Anise; bulky sweaters knit up so fast!

DONE Sweaters/big projects= 15 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-completed 6/2/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-completed 6/18/09
11. Black Cascade 220 Superwash (Slinky Ribs henley)- completed 7/7/09
12. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM (Apres Surf Sans Hoodie)-completed 8/4/09
13. LE The Celebration Sundara FSM (Liesl)-completed 8/15/09
14. LE Second Look Sundara Sock (February Lady)-completed 9/9/09
15. Duchess Madelinetosh Wren (Evening Shrug)-completed 9/17/09
16. Black Cascade 109 (Anise)-started 9/26/09

DONE For others projects=16 of 12
14. Velvet Grapes Malabrigo Sock (Dane-Ish scarf-Mom) completed 9/24/09
15. Knit Picks Stroll Sport (Dawson's Stocking) completed 9/21/09
16. Plymouth Encore Red/Blue (Rib-a-roni hat-W) completed 9/29/09

Gretel-Madtosh Worsted Silver Fox
Liesl-Sundara FSM The Celebration LE
February Lady-Sundara Sock Second Look LE
Evening Shrug-Madelinetosh Wren Duchess

End of July/August Plans

Done like Dinner!

The finishing line is here. I completed my 11th, 12th, and 13th items for others, which was a huge relief! I'm going to keep track for the rest of the year, but I've made my goal and am happy! Jon's 2 Rib-a-roni hats and Jacquie's scarf wrapped it up.

In NaKniSweMoDo land, I finished my black Slinky Ribs sweater #11 out of Cascade 220 Superwash and it fits very well. The cuffs may need to be reknit because they are a little too tight. We'll see. I completed my Apres Surf Sans Hoodie #12 and love the yarn and finished sweater. It gets a bit old to make a sweater out of fingering weight yarn, but I love the results. So pretty! I wasn't able to finish it before the end of the month because we had a bit of company to prep for and entertain.

What's next? I have a few sweaters worth of yarn to knit up (more than I started with!). Plus socks, hats, and shawls are cued up and waiting. I'm hoping for some good inspiration from the fall magazine/online patterns. I tired of the same old thing. I also have 2 Christmas stockings for my littler guys to make, so that would be fun to work on as well. Four months and no obligations sounds the best of all. I started up two new projects today (fingering and lace wt).

While trying to muster up the strength to finish my sweater and waiting for it to dry before the applied i-cord bindoff, I whipped up a Gretel (Ysolda pattern) using some Madelinetosh Merino Worsted yarn in Silver Fox. It was a dream project and I love the results. What is it about me and cabled hats? Must make more....

DONE Sweaters/big projects= 12 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-completed 6/2/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-completed 6/18/09
11. Black Cascade 220 Superwash (Slinky Ribs henley)- completed 7/7/09
12. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM (Sundara Summer Lace KACAL-Apres Surf Sans Hoodie)-completed 8/4/09
13. Soot Knit Picks Shadow Lace Kettle Dyed (variation of Emma)-started 8/6/09
14. LE The Celebration Sundara FSM (Liesl)-started 8/6/09
. Grey Cascade 220
. Black Cascade 109 sweater #2
. LE Lady in Waiting Sundara Sport Merino (want to trade)
. LE Second Look Sundara Sock
. LE Lilacs Below My Window Sundara Sock
. Black over Violet Sundara FSM
. Handspun grey salish wool (or several options to choose from)
. Reassemble Drops Cardigan (steek & chop off the excess body width)

DONE For others projects=13 of 12
1. Tan Louet fingering (Jon socks)-completed 1/19/09
2. Tan Louet sport (Jon socks)-completed 2/27/09
3. Tan Louet sport (Mom socks)-completed 3/1/09
4. Velvet Grapes Malabrigo chunky (mom unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
5. Cuarzo Malabrigo worsted (mom unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
6. Tuareg Malabrigo worsted (Sam unoriginal hat)-completed 1/2/09
7. Black Plucky Knitter MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 3/3/09
8. Black Walnut Pigeon Roof Studios sock (Jon socks)-completed 3/22/09
9. Cordovan Malabrigo (Jon socks)-completed 4/13/09
10. MadTosh Scarlet Sock (Joan fruit loops socks)-completed 4/21/09
11. Fudge Squoosh MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 7/3/09
12. Jay Knit Picks Shadow Kettle Dyed lace (Jacquie Melody Scarf/Shawl)-completed 7/24/09
13. Ink Squoosh MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 8/2/09

Jon's Fudge Hat
Jon's Ink Hat
Jacquie's Scarf
Slinky Ribs
Apres Surf Sans Hoodie

"Grey Gretel"

Dane Shawl

I got bit by the lace designing bug last week and HAD to write up this pattern. It is a styled like a traditional Danish shawl (more of a heart-shaped triangle). Those shawls use garter stitch, so I made up a variation of the Oriel lace pattern to incorporate garter stitch (Oriella). I love it! I'm having it test knit and the pattern will be up as soon as I hear back from one or more of them. Here's what it looks like:

Dane Shawl
(knit in Knit Picks Gloss-bare, US6 needles)

Now I'm testing it in Sundara Sock, US7 needles

The response has been amazing so far and I want to make sure it is error free before I put the links up on Ravelry--it will be free. Hopefully it will only be a week or two.

End June/July Plans

I did start my Slinky Ribs sweater in Cascade 220 superwash as planned, but got side tracked a bit with designing a lace shawl. My Sundara Lace KACAL sweater was delayed because of that. I'm now test knitting the pattern using a skein of Sundara Sock (Deadly Nightshade) for the KACAL. Then it is back to the sweater mines for me! I can't decide what pattern to use for the FSM or sock, so this is a good diversion.

Sweaters/big projects= 10 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-completed 6/2/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-completed 6/18/09
11. Black Cascade 220 Superwash (Slinky Ribs henley)-started 6/18/09
12. LE Second Look Sundara Sock (Sundara Summer Lace KACAL)-will start ??/09
. Grey Cascade 220
. Black Cascade 109 sweater #2
. LE Lady in Waiting Sundara Sport Merino (want to trade)
. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM
. Black over Violet Sundara FSM (arriving July)
. Handspun grey salish wool (or several options to choose from)
. Reassemble Drops Cardigan (steek & chop off the excess body width)
. Noro (recycled from vest-felted bag?)

For others projects=10 of 12
1. Tan Louet fingering (Jon socks)-completed 1/19/09
2. Tan Louet sport (Jon socks)-completed 2/27/09
3. Tan Louet sport (Mom socks)-completed 3/1/09
4. Velvet Grapes Malabrigo chunky (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
5. Cuarzo Malabrigo worsted (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
6. Tuareg Malabrigo worsted (Sam's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/2/09
7. Black Plucky Knitter MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 3/3/09
8. Black Walnut Pigeon Roof Studios sock (Jon socks)-completed 3/22/09
9. Cordovan Malabrigo (Jon socks)-completed 4/13/09
10. MadTosh Scarlet Sock (Joan's fruit loops socks)-completed 4/21/09
. Nessie Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (Jon socks)
. Black Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed (Jon socks)
. Silver Fox MadTosh Worsted (hat?)
. Fudge Squoosh MCN worsted (Jon hat)

Mid June Update

I'm closing in on the end of NaKniSweMoDo and it is only Mid-June! I'm very excited to have done so many sweaters in such a short time. However, I'm more thrilled that they have been very wearable pieces and I've learned a ton about sweater shaping, construction and what styles look good on me. After a very cool spring, I've seen that my wardrobe lacked light weight sweaters, so I've made more of those. Probably one of my happiest F.O.'s has been getting the two tops done in the plum Cotton Fleece. It is frustrating to work so hard and then have a garment that looks bad or fits poorly. I love both now and am realizing that it pays to get it right.

Next up, a black wool worsted wt. version of Slinky Ribs from Custom Knits and a sock weight sweater from my Sundara Limited Edition "Second Look". It is more varigated so I'll be doing a lace pattern on that one. It will be my project for Sundara Summer Lace KACAL, which starts June 21st.

Sweaters/big projects= 10 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-completed 6/2/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-completed 6/18/09
11. Black Cascade 220 Superwash (Slinky Ribs henley)-started 6/18/09
12. LE Second Look Sundara Sock (Sundara Summer Lace KACAL)-will start 6/21/09
. Grey Cascade 220
. Black Cascade 109 sweater #2
. LE Lady in Waiting Sundara Sport Merino (want to trade)
. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM
. Black over Violet Sundara FSM (arriving July)
. Handspun grey salish wool (or several options to choose from)
. Reassemble Drops Cardigan (steek & chop off the excess body width)
. Noro (recycled from vest-felted bag?)

For others projects=10 of 12
1. Tan Louet fingering (Jon socks)-completed 1/19/09
2. Tan Louet sport (Jon socks)-completed 2/27/09
3. Tan Louet sport (Mom socks)-completed 3/1/09
4. Velvet Grapes Malabrigo chunky (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
5. Cuarzo Malabrigo worsted (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
6. Tuareg Malabrigo worsted (Sam's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/2/09
7. Black Plucky Knitter MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 3/3/09
8. Black Walnut Pigeon Roof Studios sock (Jon socks)-completed 3/22/09
9. Cordovan Malabrigo (Jon socks)-completed 4/13/09
10. MadTosh Scarlet Sock (Joan's fruit loops socks)-completed 4/21/09
. Nessie Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (Jon socks)
. Black Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed (Jon socks)
. Silver Fox MadTosh Worsted (hat?)
. Fudge Squoosh MCN worsted (Jon hat)

#9 NaKniSweMoDo-The sweater that has been knit thrice:
#10 NaKniSweMoDo: Modified Emma-one of my favorite F.O.'s ever...

End May/June Plans

I made great progress during the last week of May. I finished my Cassidy Cardigan and love it except for the excessively long sleeves. Then, I finished my Buttercup top out of Cotton Fleece from a recycled project. I knit the original during the winter Olympics in 2002. Then ripped it out and reknit it into a wrap cardigan last spring. It was too baggy, so I used the leftovers to start Buttercup and then had to rip out some of the wrap sweater to finish. The wrap sweater was then frogged back to the underarms and is being reknit (for the second time) to become the third (or is it fourth?) version of the sweater. On the upside, this yarn holds up to lots of reknitting. I'm hoping it will be a quick FO and #9 in my quest for 12 sweaters in 2009.

#10 will be a sweater out of some lovely Plucky Knitter 50% silk/50% merino fingering weight yarn in a Peacock color. Yum. It is nice to balance out the fine yarns with thicker yarns, and vice versa. I'll probably do #11 in either my Sundara FSM in a new shade from the Limited Edition color Music of the Night or my sock yarn LE Second Look. I'll be getting some Black over Violet soon too, which may not wait its turn in the queue.

Sweaters/big projects= 9 of 12 (#s for NaKniSweMoDo only):
1. Blue Brooks Farm Solo (EZ set in sleeve, v-neck sweater)-completed 1/12/09
2. Black Cascade 109 (SweaterBabe Vine Lace Cardigan)-completed 2/11/09
3. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock (top down u-neck)-completed 3/2/09
a. Blues Cascade 109 (Kiki Rug/Mason Dixon book)-completed 3/13/09
4. Ruby Port Sundara FSM (Henley Perfected Sweater)-completed 3/15/09
5. Savoir Faire Plucky Knitter MCN Sport (top down W. Bernard-style)-completed 4/20/09
6. Black Parade Smooshy Sock (Featherweight Cardigan)-completed 5/18/09
7. Tan Ella Rae Worsted (Cassidy cabled cardigan)-completed 5/25/09
8. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (Buttercup top)-completed 5/29/09
9. Plum Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (3rd try sweater)-started 5/30/09
10. Peacock Plucky Knitter fingering 50 silk/50 merino-swatched
. Grey Cascade 220
. Black Cascade 220
. Black Cascade 109 sweater #2
. LE Lady in Waiting Sundara Sport Merino (want to trade)
. LE Second Look Sundara Sock
. LE Music of the Night Sundara FSM
. Black over Violet Sundara FSM (arriving July)
. Handspun grey salish wool (or several options to choose from)
. Reassemble Drops Cardigan (steek & chop off the excess body width)
. Noro (recycled from vest-felted bag?)

For others projects=10 of 12
1. Tan Louet fingering (Jon socks)-completed 1/19/09
2. Tan Louet sport (Jon socks)-completed 2/27/09
3. Tan Louet sport (Mom socks)-completed 3/1/09
4. Velvet Grapes Malabrigo chunky (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
5. Cuarzo Malabrigo worsted (mom's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/16/09
6. Tuareg Malabrigo worsted (Sam's unoriginal hat)-completed 1/2/09
7. Black Plucky Knitter MCN worsted (Jon hat)-completed 3/3/09
8. Black Walnut Pigeon Roof Studios sock (Jon socks)-completed 3/22/09
9. Cordovan Malabrigo (Jon socks)-completed 4/13/09
10. MadTosh Scarlet Sock (Joan's fruit loops socks)-completed 4/21/09
. Plucky Knitter Merino Sock Nessie (Jon socks)
. Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed Black (Jon socks)
. MadTosh Worsted Silver Fox (hat?)

Cassidy NaKniSweMoDo #7
Buttercup NaKniSweMoDo #8