never get dirty

never get dirty, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

So, I tried to bump up the contrast but you really can't see the pattern at all. Sigh. Oh well, that's what I get for making black socks!

I finished them just in the knick of time—binding off the morning of gift-giving time!

Pattern is Brainless by Yarnissima
Yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Sock Candy" (96% cotton, 4% elastic)
On size 1 (2.25mm) dpns.
Mods: None to speak of really...

Raveled here.

lighting

long enough?, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

I finally had some decent lighting yesterday afternoon, so here is an almost-finished sock. I have 6-ish days to finish the other one (this one did get finished late last night), so I'd better get knitting!!

Raveled here.

2 wrongs

2 wrongs, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

don't make a good photo.

Sorry for the poor quality but black yarn + using your own foot as a model (x bad lighting, if we want to get picky) = not the best picture. Also, I swear it's not that linty in real life... I'm not even sure what the camera is picking up on.

In any case... brainless is coming along rather well. Not sure why it's called brainless though... because I've certainly had to put mine to work to figure this thing out. It's not that it's particularly hard, you just have to pay extra close attention to certain details... like, not finishing the last row of the chart... or that k2tbl means knit next 2 stitches through back loop individually, not knit 2 together through back loop...

But, once you've got all that sorted, it goes along rather quickly. I have 2 skeins of yarn (and they weight the same... a generous 66 grams as opposed to 50!) so I'll just keep trucking along on the cuff now unti lI run out.

Raveled here.

Christmas Yarn

Blue Moon Sock Candy, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

I haven't had much time to think about it yet, and I don't know that I'll be able to knit as much for Christmas as I normally would, but I picked up a few things so I could make a few small gifts this year.

Up there is Blue Moon's Sock Candy in Black. It's a 96% Cotton (the rest is "elite" elastic). My father-in-law apparently really likes to get 100% cotton socks, if at all possible, but I was worried that 100% cotton wouldn't have any hold, so I picked this for a pair of socks for him. I need to get moving on these though, since we're seeing them for Thanksgiving and might not get back again before Christmas, so I'd like to have them done by then.



Scarlet Fleece Grassy Wool in charcoal grey to line the icelandic mitts for DH. It's a Merino-Bamboo blend, and totally soft and wonderful!



Scarlet Fleece "Ewe Silky Thing" in "Favorite Jeans". A 50/50 Silk and Merino blend, so pretty and so soft... but I'll keep to myself for now what it might become!

November SIAC complete!

Nov SIAC complete, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

And just in time. Not that it's December yet, but because I'm visiting a friend for whom they are destined. So, apologies for the quick iphone photo, but thems the breaks!

Pattern: Pillars
Yarn: Abstract Fibers Mighty Sock (less than 1 skein)
Needles: US 1.5 dpns
Mods: 1x1 twisted rib for the cuff, slip stitch heel, toe decreases spaced with a knit row all the way to the end.

Raveled here.

5 days, 1 sock

November SIAC #1, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

Considering I seem to think I have very little knitting time right now, these socks are flying off the needles. Granted, it's the weekend, so while I'm still working a bit, I'm definitely not going as strong as I would on a weekday.

So, sock one is down, another to go. Perhaps if I can get the 2nd done in another 5 days I can give these to their intended recipient when I visit this week.

Pattern: Pillars
Yarn: Abstract Fiber Mighty Sock
Needles: US 1.5/2.5mm

Raveled here.

Never Ending Blanket: the Update

Never Ending Blanket, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

Started in May 2009, this blanket seems like it may never be fully finished. Even when bound off, there will be days worth of ends to weave in (man do I wish I had known about Russian Joins earlier). But still our intrepid knitter slogs on.

I have, in fact, begun decreasing, which means the end is actually a possibility now. It's hard to tell from the pictures but this will probably fit a double or queen sized bed in the end. Still, I have no immediate desire to be done with it. I pick it up once in a while and then put it down for months on end (because really, who wants to knit on a giant blanket in the middle of summer?), but now it's the perfect thing: keeps me warm while I'm working and my fingers busy when I'm reading.

Aside from the blanket-without-end, I've also been working on the November SIAC socks:



Far more portable than a gigantic blanket and more pressing in terms of end-date. Still, I'm in the final throws of writing a chapter, so there isn't much time for uninterrupted knitting.

Rav links: Blanket & Socks.

Surprise!

SpaceCadet Izarra, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

I had almost completely forgotten that after the madness of the ply party that I had signed up for SpaceCadet Creations' Yarn Club... whoops! So when I got an email the other day with a tracking number I was super excited!! I had no idea what to expect since this was my first yarn club experience.

Well, I was not disappointed! I mean, check out that yarn! The yarns are exclusive to the club (both colourway and base are new this time round) for a period of time (I can't remember if it is 6 months or a year). Depending on the light this yarn can look almost purple, almost grey and always teal. I love, love, love it.

Now to just figure out what to do with it.... hmmm...

November

november siac, a photo by gradschoolknitter on Flickr.

I had such high hopes for November... I was going to participate in NaKniSweMo... but I was also going to be DONE with this chapter, and I'm not. So I have to prioritize a little and thesis seems to trump knitting.

I'm also revising my own rules for the Self Imposed Accessory Club... this yarn was not in my stash at the beginning of the year, but I do need to make an accessory out of it, long promised for a friend. Since knitting time looks like it might be few and far between this month, I'm going to have to concentrate on one thing, rather than start this friend's project and a SIAC project too. Two birds, one stone and all that.

Hopefully this chapter will finish itself soon (I'd like to be done with it by the end of the week if at all possible). Then I can move on to, joy of joys, editing. Blech. I have an entire thesis that needs to be re-read and re-edited for re-submission to my advisors. November, you are not holding up your end of the bargain. Sigh.