It's More than just Sock Yarn

Like a lot of us I have sock yarn. More than I need. A lot more than I need. So - I decided to start hunting up projects to use the sock yarn. Projects that may actually be used or at least are good to have as gifts.

Project #1 - Knit Picks Essentials Gloves.
These are a basic glove pattern because the colorway is too busy to add cables and things that would take extra time to knit but get lost in the striping. Plain works for me. I started this glove yesterday and have worked on other things beside this glove. It's a quick knit. The yarn came from my cousin who winters in Tucson and surprise of surprises the Color is Tuscon Multi. Isn't she clever!
Project #2 -Opal Zirkus Socks
OK. So I didn't say I wouldn't knit ANY socks. Just start knitting some other projects beside socks. The yarn is Opal Zirkus color 2007. It's another busy striping yarn so I decided to start a pair of plain garter rib socks. These make a great knit for times when I don't want to have to pay attention to what I'm doing. The color is actually brighter than the picture shows.

Project #3 Mitered Squares that may actually become something someday.

I don't plan on making a mitered square afghan as it would take about a bazillion squares but I'm making squares out of my leftover yarn until I come up with something to do with them.

Meanwhile, while I'm knitting sock yarn stuff Chief has been busy discovering the serger cover. I often wonder why people bother to buy things for their kids and pets because the best toys are usually the wrapping and boxes things come in.

Well, it's time to get ready for another work week. Only 5 days till the weekend and counting!

Quick Hat and Scarf pattern for you

As Christmas approaches many knitters are in panic mode. Their plans are bigger then their time. I have been enjoying this month because the knitting is done and I've been doing - just cause I feel like it knitting. What a great feeling! No deadlines to worry about. (are you jealous?)

One of the things I finished up already is a pair of gloves of a friend. I'll be giving them tomorrow night and he doesn't read the blog so I'm safe posting a pic. I have wrapped them already before I realized I didn't have a finished pictures so - here's an in-progress picture. - with the traditional assistance of one of the boys.


These gloves are from the Cigar Gloves pattern on Knitty but I made full fingers. The yarn is Swish from Knit Picks. I enjoyed the feel of the yarn and hope they hold up well. The pattern was a bit odd in shaping. As you can see from the partial glove on top it breaks off for the thumb as usual but also put the pinky fingers on hold while a bit more length was added to the body of the glove.

Quick and Easy Brioche Stitch Hat

Just in case you're still in need of a quick present. Here's a Brioche Hat we used to make 20+ years ago at the shop I used to work at. It's made from bulky yarn on big needles. The hat was a few hours of TV watching and knitting and the scarf is in process. This set will end up being for a new friend and will easily be done before Christmas. The yarn is a 20+ year old yarn from Bernat called Venetian it took less than 1 skein of 50gm - yardage not listed on ball band. I'll write up the hat and scarf more formally when I've finished the scarf but right now I don't know how much yarn it will take.

Here's the basic pattern - done in brioche stitch which is a slip stitch rib.

Brioche Hat and Scarf

Needles - size 11-15 (depending on bulk of yarn) I used 11

Bulky weight yarn (1 skein for hat, 1-2 for scarf- I'll let you know later)

HAT

CO 36 sts very loosely.

Row 1 (set up row): *K1, bring yarn forward as if to purl, slip next st as if to purl. Bring yarn to back over right needle creating a diagonal loop. Repeat from *, ending last st with yarn forward, slip last st as if to purl.

Row 2: K1, * yarn forward between needles, sl next st as if to purl, bring yarn back over right needle as in row 1, k2tog (st and sloppy loop). Repeat from *, ending with yarn forward, sl 1 as if to purl.

Work row 2 until piece is 7-11" (desired length). My hat was 10".

Decrease row: K1, P2tog across row.

Next 3 rows continue in K1, P1 rib as set in previous row.

Next row: Sl 1 st, K1 st, pass slipped st over K st (SSK). repeat across row.

Next row: P

Next row: K

Next row: P

Next row: K2tog across row

End off and pull remaining sts end. Sew side seam.

SCARF

CO 20 sts very loosely.

Knit row 1 of hat

Follow pattern of hat (row 2) to desired length.

Bind off loosely.

Cat and Projects Update

Sometimes I wonder why I have cat hair all over everything and then I step back and look and what goes on at the house.

Chief with the Christmas letters

Anytime I start up a new project I get way too much help. Chief comes first. Checks things out and then settles in. Shortly after Bert appears and repeats the process. If the printer is involved Bert investigates that much more closely.

Bert gets in the act

Well - with all this help I still don't have Mom's Christmas cards quite finished. It's been tough writing a letter to her Christmas list to let anyone that was missed before know that Mom is no longer with us. But tough or not some things just need to be done with as much grace as possible.

Time to get back to knitting the scarf.....

Kitty Boxing & my Gloves

I've been trying to get fellow knitters to try gloves. The first reaction is always that they're too hard. In reality, they're as easy as socks without having to knit the heel. Just pretend you're knitting 5 toes instead of 1.

Here's the Knotty gloves in process. As you can see the thumb is knit up just like a mitten. When you get to the fingers put the 2 sides (front and back) on holders or extra yarn. Pick up the stitches for the first finger-cast on a couple stitches for between the first and middle finger and just knit in the round until you have your finger length. Knit a couple rounds of decreases and you're done.

Next finger- pick up the stitches from one of the holders for this finger, cast on a couple for between this finger and the ring finger, pick up from the other holder, pick up the stitched between the first finger and this finger. Knit around ,etc.

See- it's easy. Give gloves a try they're a great way to use all that sock yarn.
While I've been knitting gloves (and a few other things) the boys have been busy playing. Bert has this magical way of knowing the second I clear out a bookcase shelf and he loves it.

Bert, come play. - Chief

I'm comfy. Leave me alone - Bert

Time - to - play! - Chief

Okay, now I'm down and ready. Back off big guy! - Bert

Just cause you're twice my size doesn't mean I can't take you! Bring it on. - Bert

Ya gotta love fall and it's food!

Today is Mom's birthday. It's the first of her birthday's that I haven't been able to celebrate with her. So - I went over to spend some time with Dad. He didn't know what day it was but what was important was we spent time together.


Mom's birthday always signals my need to get busy with Christmas/winter knitting. This past week I started working on gloves and some other items that will end up as presents. There's a free pattern out there for a fun pair of gloves that uses sock yarn. Knotty. Do a search on Ravelry or - if you're not a member of Ravelry, join and then do a search!


Anyway - they take 1 skein of Socks that Rock , I'm using a couple skeins of KnitPicks Memory(no longer available). The gloves are long and have a bit of cable knot work at the wrist.




They're wonderful and easy to knit.

The cuff is nice and long and will keep things warm during the cold Minnesota winters.


The next time I make these gloves, and there WILL be a next time, I will use a yarn colorway that is closer to a single color. Something like a kettle dye that has some depth to the color but not such a variation as this yarn. The cabling just doesn't show up as much as I'd like.


Mom's birthday also means time to make comfort food. I love fall and the foods that come with it. I love apples, squash, soups and stews, fresh made warm bread and all the goodies we think of with fall. Every Halloween when I was a kid we would have breaded pork steaks, baked potatoes, squash, fresh bread, and dessert would end up being the candy we got from trick or treating. Yup - Mom's birthday-fall-Halloween - ya gotta love the food this time of year.


My cardinal bag pattern is almost ready. I'm hoping within the next week to have it available for sale. This is a felted bag pattern I created in memory of Mom. She loved red and cardinals. We used to play a game of trying to count all the cardinal stuff around the house. (but I babble) The bag has been test knit. I received some excellent feed back and I'll be refining the pattern this week.