FO: Bee Stripe Knee Socks

Pattern: Hunca Munca
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Bee Stripe
Needles: US 2/2.75mm

My first socks! Not sure I did the heel right, but they look pretty good from afar.

FO: Cursed Argyle Vest

Pattern: Leftovers
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in graphite, drift, tomato, azul
Needles: US 9/5.5mm, US 7/4.5mm

I am surprised at how well this turned out! I mean, I futzed with the sizing, didn't pay close attention to row gauge, kind of just winged it, and assumed that I wouldn't be happy with it because the cotton would lose its shape. But it fits perfectly. It does make me look like a boy, but that really only accentuates what-all I have to begin with... And I'm used to that, so I don't mind.

There are one or two things I would do differently, if I were to do this again. (which I actually might, I'm so impressed with how it turned out)

1. I would follow the gauge and pattern. My mods turned out all right, but I have a feeling that when I wash this it will be way too small, but that when it stretches out again it will look "holey" and very hand-knit. The pictures don't show it, but it already looks a bit "see-through".
2. I would do 3-needle bind-off at the tops of the shoulders. I kind of followed the pattern, best I could considering my stitch counts were different, but I didn't really get what was supposed to happen. And I was left with a rather messy and lumpy join at the shoulders, which also carried over to the ribbing. Also, I hate seaming and have little confidence in it my ability to seam securely, and a 3-needle bind-off is just much easier and tidier.
3. I don't regret doing the argyle at all. I would do stripes next time, just so I wouldn't have to seam as much. There is a nice horror show on the back of woven-in ends just waiting to come loose and unravel my whole sweater.

My notes, pasted from Ravelry:

12/29/07 - Finally cast on for this. I cast on 144 stitches and only used one strand, and plan to use size 9 needles from start to finish. I’m following her first decrease row on the ribbing and then plan to continue the body just matching her gauge and sizing. Which is very adventurous of me.

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Ribbing ended up being 4” and left me with 136 stitches. After 1” of stockinette I k2tog and ssk on each side to give me 132 stitches. And then again 2” later for 128 stitches.

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I think I should shorten this since the cotton will probably stretch out, so I knit until the piece was 8 inches and then divided front and back. I’m doing the front first to get the 5 inches of argyle out of the way.

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Finished the argyle, knit two rows and then followed the pattern’s arm & neck decreases. Hopefully my 1-stitch difference in row gauge won’t mess it up too much.

This pattern has really given my Graphite cotton stash what for. I have called it my cursed gray yarn because my stash of it seems unbustable. But I think I’m going to run out of it on the back, and I’m pretty sure I won’t have enough for the neck and arm ribbing…

Ran out of the graphite and bought another ball. I ended up doing the neck and arm ribbing on size 7 needles.

FO: Buttony Sweater

Pattern: Buttony
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton in Nut
Needles: US 9/5.5mm

I should have stopped the shoulder increases way sooner. It's too loose in the shoulders and a bit too fitted in the body, and then a little bit short. I doubt I'll ever wear this. There are just too many buttons.

I love knitting with this yarn, but it's just kind of weird for sweaters. And if I had to do over again, I probably wouldn't use this color. I was planning to do some applique (which would have been cool, I swear) and the color was chosen for that, but I've lost my steam a bit.

(nice hair, haha)

Anyway, I'm pasting my notes here for future reference.

Cast on 104 stitches. 15 stitches per sleeve and 34 stitches for the back.

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Increase until there are 53 stitches per sleeve, then separate. 2x2 rib on the sleeves for about 6 rows (I forgot to keep track and I always have trouble counting rib rows.) But they look about right. I should have gone down a needle size or two, they are a bit loose.

That left me with 150 stitches, and a pretty baggy body. I knit 2 rows to join the body parts, and then decreased 2 stitches under each armpit. (ssk, then k2tog - I hope that makes them point in the right direction, I always forget). I think I’ll do this every 4 rows…

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After 6 of these decrease rows, the front section is fitted enough, but the back could use a few more decreases, so decreasing on the back only every four rows… This means on the 8th buttonhole row, I have 124 stitches.

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I think I did one or two increase rows before starting the waistband ribbing, to accommodate my love handles/hips. And then…

I RAN OUT OF YARN WHILE BINDING OFF. :(

But since the sleeves were too loose, I frogged them and reknit them on size 7 needles, which gave me just enough yarn to finish binding off the bottom.

FO: Baby Leggings

Pattern: Baby Leggings
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Bee Stripe
Needles: US 2/2.75mm

These were my first attempt at making anything with sock yarn and tiny needles. My big meaty fingers were pretty clumsy at first, but soon got the hang of it. Also, magic looping with my Addi Turbo Lace circulars worked out well. Now I'm looking forward to magic looping two socks at once on one circular. And now these go into the drawer to wait for a baby.

FO: Snagglepuss

I'm trying to work out a good pattern for wristbands/sweatbands/cuffs so I can get all creative on them. I have this new infatuation with buttons (thanks to my Buttony sweater) and I want to sew different colored on a set of these. These are pretty similar to whatever those cuffs are called from Stitch n Bitch, but using bigger needles, bigger yarn, and buttonholes.


They came out a bit big, but I still like them. The next pair will be smaller.

Anyway, they remind me of Snagglepuss.

FO: Calorimetry

I guess I should post my latest FO, even though it only took me two episodes of Murder, She Wrote to make.

Pattern: Calorimetry
Needles: size 9/5.5mm
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in pumpkin.