January 14, 2015

First FOs of 2015

The first two weeks of the new year have yielded 2 FOs: a pair of plain jane socks (the pair that I've been complaining about) and a pair of Sportswoman gloves.


These socks took me a few days longer than usual--I don't know why except to say that they were more automatic knitting than my brain was quite looking for, I think.  There were also a few novice mistakes that made me a bit nutty, like this dropped stitch that I didn't notice until I had worked about 10 rounds beyond it. (Colorway appears different due to lighting.)

BEFORE
AFTER




















They also worked out to be a bit large at the ankles, and I think that I will do a little taper from now on when I knit a plain pair of socks.  My husband exclaimed repeatedly that they looked so large that this pair would fit him, but since that was definitely just crazy talk because the foot fits me like a glove, I think it was his way of telling me that he's hoping the next pair that I cast on will be for him (too late, already cast on a new pair for me! Haha!).



The gloves also have a story, and it's a sad tale for those of you who only allow yourself to indulge in the expensive stuff a few times a year.  With Christmas gift certificates, I bought this lovely selection of fingering weight yarns that will work out to be a shawl and some pretty rockin' socks for me.  Also in this photo, you will see 2 hanks of Claudia Hand Painted ADDICTION in the Walk in the Woods colorway.


Now, Claudia Hand Paint is pricey, especially considering that it is only 175 yards to the hank, so I expected that I was going to be getting some pretty top-of-the-line yarn.  I did not.  Instead, I received what turned out to be upon working with it, 2 hanks of yarn that was really just mill seconds quality.  One hank had 8 joins in the first 75 yards.  The other hank had 4 or 5.  Although they are the same dye lot, I also ended up with two different dye variations: one full of dark, vivid colors and the other much lighter for every color.  In the end, I did complain to the yarn shop from which I purchased the yarn, and I did work up a pair of Sportswoman gloves to wear with my "winter" coat (I use the term"winter" loosely here because that season's temps. are usually in the 50s here, so it's a "spring" jacket for probably everyone else).  These will just be knock-about gloves, I guess, and if I keep one hand in my pocket, no one will notice that one looks like it has spent a significantly larger number of occasions being run through the washing machine.



Modifications to the Sportswoman pattern:  I lengthened the cuffs to 4 inches since the sleeves of my jacket ride up when I raise my arms.

So there we are.  I'm still plugging away on the edging for the crescent shawl, and I've progressed to having sleeves half-finished for the new sweater pattern I'm testing (details coming soon!), and I've cast on, knit the cuffs, knit and ripped back the new sock pattern that I've designed and am working up in my new yarn label JOURNEY. Dets on THAT coming later this week. Here's hoping that we see the sun for the first time since, I think, Christmas!!! around here and that plenty of more knitting time is in my schedule for this week.

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