12 March, 2009

Just a Minute

Yet another quickie today, folks!

I finished another pair of socks! And better yet, it's with yarn I bought at Stitches. THIS Stitches, even. I'm so impressed with myself.

Limeade Socks, TOFUtsies sock yarn, 247 yards

I adjusted my plain vanilla sock pattern yet again. Every time I make an adjustment, the socks get smaller and smaller; I guess I just like form-fitting footwear. I've also made some pretty significant changes to the original pattern by Cat Bordhi, so I'll write it up one of these days and see what you, my dear readers, think.

I've been clicking away at projects. I re-started my Girasole on size 4 needles, and it's so much better! The whole thing is fairly flying along, and I've had to exercise great restraint to work on anything else. It occurs to me that there is no real reason for restraint beyond wanting to savor the pattern for as long as possible, but you know how I feel about finishing big projects. And if you don't, let me tell you. I don't like it one little bit, for reasons I have yet to understand. I have no trouble finishing socks or baby garments, but for some reason the bigger pieces get to about 95% and just languish there. Maybe I'm afraid they won't be perfect, or won't fit, or will spontaneously combust the moment I finish sewing in the final end, causing both me and the completed garment to end up as a pile of ash. I have no idea. But here she is, the Girasole:

I'm Still. Big. Red.
Frog Tree sport-weight alpaca

This week I've been trying out a new system. I have a bunch of projects I'd like to finish at some point - spontaneous combustion be damned - so every day I've tossed a different project into my purse. Low and behold, progress has been made!
Scarf #21, endcap #1.

The possibilities of this system are myriad, and since I seem to work best under a loose set of rules, I think I'll just cruise along for a bit with the daily switching. Everything I'm working on right now has a chart, so the changing of projects isn't entirely jarring.

Mysterious Mirror socks

Well, I say everything, but I mean everything except the EZ Yoke Sweater. I found a stranded pattern that I like, but the body of the sweater is red; a color which likes to bleed. So the sweater itself has been on hold while I find the time to soak it in vinegar and test the colorfastness of the yarn. This weekend, I took my opportunity and discovered that I needn't have worried. The water was perfectly clear, and all I got for my pains was a vinegar-scented partial sweater and peace of mind. Which isn't an insignificant outcome, I must say.

Taking the sweater off the needles also gave me the opportunity to try it on, and while it fits well, it's still a few inches shy of where the yoke should start. Queue the miles of plain knitting! It's currently parked on the bookshelf behind my spinning wheel; I've been working on it while blazing through discs of Gossip Girl, season 1 from Netflix. That show is a total guilty pleasure, and has the added benefit of reinforcing my attraction to horribly inappropriate movie men.

Until next time, XOXO!

3 comments:

  1. What is the scarf pattern Tika? I love it!

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  2. I wonder if I will ever see my birthday socks :(

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  3. How do you like Tofutsies? I have one pair of socks and they are very saggy... so I've been reluctant to give the yarn a second chance.

    Good luck with the new system, it sounds promising!

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