Lots of progress

The knitting marches on (that scarf photo showed 2.5 repeats and now I've done 5!) in spite of the call of the yard, and even (after the electric hedge trimmer literally went up in smoke) the hardware store. A late afternoon thunderstorm helped me carve out some more knitting time. Could I possibly turn into a lace knitter?

New Projects

I'm still not quite done with those socks (need to perfect my toe-weaving technique on something heavier than sock yarn) but I have 2 more projects underway.
I'm using the Farmhouse Yarns Bonnie's Bamboo that I bought at Heavenly Socks last month to make a narrower version of Veronik Avery's Lace Ribbons Scarf:





It's coming along well, thanks to the encouragement of my Ravelry friends.

My other new project is a new pair of socks:





in Crystal Palace's Panda Cotton from Unique One, using a free CP pattern: Mehehune Cobblestones

Almost done

Here is my sock progress:

The color in the photo is a little off--too pink. The last bit is what I'm dreading: weaving the second toe. The first one is wearable but not something I'd want to show off! I'm getting the point of toe-up sock knitting!

Catching up

I've been slow to take photos and some how I got correspondingly behind on blogging as well.
My latest knitting update is that I've started Anna Bell's Cherry, a short-sleeved cardigan. The pattern calls for Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton, which means I can actually use the original yarn, and it was on sale! The color I have is called Rockpool, a deep green.
In sock news, I'm struggling along on my second sock using the Berocco Comfort Sock yarn. I like using bamboo or wooden sock needles but was disappointed that one wooden needle broke.

Sox!

The first 3 photos show the Ridged top down pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks, knitted in Kollage Luscious. Turning the heel was a wonderful revelation of my own three dimensionality in concrete detail. However, the cotton yarn and not-so-stretchy pattern left me with a slightly slack fit around the ankle.










This last photo shows my first toe-up sock in progress. It's based on another pattern in More Sensational Knitted Socks, knitted in Cascade Fixation. The stretchy yarn and the use of Heel Stitch on the flap combine to give the heel and ankle a better fit,

Quick update

Travel has kept me away from blogging for a while but not away from knitting. Or shopping. Midcoast Maine's LYS owners are friendly and helpful!
A quick visit to Heavenly Socks Yarns in Belfast got me started on sock knitting, using Charlotte Schurch's lucidly written More Sensational Socks. My first pair used some previously purchased Kollage Luscious, variegated in purple, green, and gold. They are comfy but a bit loose in the heel. I'm not sure I'll use it for socks again, or perhaps it just needs less ease and a ribbier stitch. I've started pair number two using Cascade Fixation in purple, toe up for (I hope) a precise fit.
Circumstances kept me from getting back to Belfast for the remainder of the trip, but I did manage two visits to Camden's Unique One, where on impulse I got 3 skeins of Schaefer's Laurel in the Empress Wu Zhao colorway. I'm hoping to find a comparable yarn in a solid to add structure to the randomness. In addition, still thinking of socks, I got 2 skeins of Berrocco Comfort Sock.
Photos later.

Photos at last

Here is the comfortable and cozy Emerald Cardigan at last:



I made the collar bigger, added a second button, and skipped the eyelets (yarn overs) along the raglan shaping. The yarn (an unlabeled acrylic as far as I can tell) shaded nicely.

And here is my version of Jared Flood's Turn a Square hat:


The colors are off. The green is too yellow and the blue is too bright. I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Sweet Pea and Dusty Blue. Not Mr. Flood's style as to color or choice of yarn, but fun to knit and nice to wear under the hood of my similarly green parka on extra cold days.