I'm Back

 Not much knitting to report on—but PHOTOS! Some from last week, and some from today.

OK, so I haven't been doing too much knitting—but I have gotten some sewing done. 3 new skirts completed (and already worn—but then, I can't wait to wear new clothes I've sewn!) One in khaki and another in brown (the same brown fabric I featured some 2 years ago—finally sewn up!)--both of these skirts are six gore a-lines—with added pockets. (the pattern lacked pockets)

The third, a simpler A-line in a dark blue denim—with pockets, top stitching and fly front details—the pattern was for a plain a-line skirt—I added all the details. There are more skirts to come—another denim one, and some more colored ones—in colored denim like twill fabric.

I got some mending done too—zippers replaced, hems repaired (and some things taking apart, too) I am on a real sewing kick. So much so, I stopped at my not too local sewing machine store (Sew Right) and bought some more bobbins. My (new to me) Viking machine came with 8 bobbins. Not nearly enough—so I bought a bag of 20. Now I have enough! 

But I haven't totally abandon knitting.

I've finished the Leafy green socks. And I love them! I have some green (actually quite a bit of green!) in my wardrobe—these socks will get a lot of use. I haven't started the fingerless gloves/gauntlets yet. I want to finish up some other projects first.

Like my spicy brown diamond brocade vest. Here it is.. This is last weeks photo—and nothing has been done since last week;  but now that the green socks are done.. Well I will get back to work on this project.

Of course, as soon as the leafy green sock were done—I cast on new socks. These are free-be socks. They are being made for a friend who coveted the socks I made back in the spring with this yarn. 

 The yarn is Lion Brand Sock Ease –the marshmallow white over dyed. My plan was for a pair of socks in the lighter blue.. but my plans went awry when the I messed up dyeing the yarn.  The result was the dark blue. It is beautiful... but not really what I had in mind. A retry with a partial skein got me the results I desired (the light blue) but there wasn't enough of the light blue for a pair of socks.

The result were the socks I linked to above—a beautiful pair of socks. And because I started out with more than a skein and most of another (about 190g of yarn),  there was  about 90g of left over yarn. Not enough for another identical pair (stranded work does use more yarn) but enough for some sort of socks.

So here is the start—toe up—to be sure I have enough yarn—with a simple pattern on the foot, and more pattern work-- where it will show-- on the leg (when I get to it)

I am just about to start the heel (well another few rounds, and I'll be ready). I haven't thought of name for them. Sea and Sky? Tropical Seas and Ocean Deep? I dunno.. maybe when they are done a name will suggest its self. For now they are free-be blues!

Finally a image of a quick hat I knocked out last week. I've always admired this stranded pattern, and wanted to try it out... and I am so glad I did. I love it. Not the hat so much as the stitch pattern.

It's a wonderful pattern.

First—it's a pattern row and copy—which means it's a good pattern for working flat.

Work the pattern row on the right side, the wrong side row is the same pattern.. No reading a chart backwards. Just Purl color A with color A, and Purl color B with color B.

But I didn't work it flat I worked in the round.  And here is the second super part of this pattern. The natural jogs in the pattern means there are no visible jogs at the join. Its a perfectly 'seamless pattern'. No need to make any effort to hid the jogs. Not that I ever do make an effort to hid the jog anyway.(The image show is has the join and Beginning of Round dead center--in person, unblocked, it was easy to find--but not so much in the image!)

I've given the hat away—I enjoyed knitting it. But the hat was really a swatch—not a hat at all. And now that I have swatched and learned the pattern, and see how it works.. Well it will reappear in something else! I think it would better with black as the background color (instead of white) and that it would work well with a variegated yarn—the kind that has short (every stitch or two) color changes even better than with the long color change yarn I used.

So that's about it. Everyday, I get more and more things restored to my desktop—and have been working to find some new software to replace stuff I liked, but that is out of date. I've been learning the details of replacement soft ware. There has been personal stuff going on too.. some good, some bad, (mostly, the bad is how I look at it, and some of the stuff going on is me learning (again!) how to look at it and see it as good.)  

Now to get back on a schedule--a post some thing new every day, again.