ignore the foreign country behind the curtain

fire and ice, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

Hey look! A sock! Nevermind that I said that I would try to take pictures of knitting in interesting places around Madrid...

OK, so I said I would take pictures of knitting in interesting places around Madrid... but I was actually really sick this past week and spent a lot of time either in bed or seeing doctors. So most of the foot of this sock was finished up in waiting rooms. It was interesting to knit in public in Spain, actually... a lot of the elderly people were fascinated to see someone younger knitting. They seem to think that in Spain it is still mostly older women in little pueblos doing the handcrafting... although I think this group (whom I AM going to get to know at some point in the near future!) would have something to say to the contrary.

So, pictures of knitting hanging out around Madrid SOON. For now, the sock:

Pattern: Socks on fire! by.. me! rav link, or see sidebar for direct pdf download.
Yarn: Jojoland Melody Superwash
Needles: US 1

Mods: Added extra repeats (one I think) to the cuff.

I am feeling better and was going to try and do this in some interesting part of Madrid today... but it was raining and is still super overcast so I don't really want to get caught out in the rain... sorry!

la historia del tejer

So I made it to Spain, safe and sound, and have begun to make the rounds to libraries and museums that I think will be good for my thesis research. I had some problems getting into the Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) at first, but all is well now.

Yesterday I went to two museums that are very close to where I am living and will hopefully be helpful for me research-wise (both have libraries as well as being museums). I went to the Museo de América and the Museo del Traje. (Museum of America and Museum of Clothing / Costumes)

Surprisingly, the Museo del América had quite a bit of fiber-related objects that I want to share. Unfortunately the Museo del Traje does not allow photography, so I don't have any pictures of that but they do have some AMAZING pieces of clothing that are more works of art than anything.


This is a drop spindle with yarn, from Peru, around 1400 I believe.

Click this picture to see notes on all the different knitting / fiber implements:




Knitting needles made out of gold. (I'd be worried about bending them...) Found in Columbia, dating from 200AD to 1000AD.


A sewing kit, with balls of yarn and knitting needles found buried with a mummy (who was also there but hard to photograph and somewhat grotesque... I have a hard time with dead things, ok?!) in Peru, dating to 400BC - 100AD.

I also tried to go to a knitting group last night which I'd like to join... but due to some annoyances trying to find the place and getting a call 5 mins after I got there which I had to leave right away to attend to, I guess I'll have to get to know them better next week!

experimentations

A while back the boy saw a picture of a mat made of felted wool balls that looked like river stones. It was really beautiful... and also REALLY expensive. So I did some quick internet searches and found this tutorial. Looks easy right? So we got some roving from a friend of mine who apparently has an attic full of roving, of the stashed-beyond-life-expectency quantity, and decided to try it out. Unfortunately we could only get undyed, naturally creamish coloured roving, but we thought we'd experiment anyway.

Warning: ours are NOT as beautiful as those portrayed in the tutorial:



Some of them turned out OK, once we got the hang of it. But they're not the right colour (although I think we could dye them post-felting). Anyway, it was a fun experiment to try out together! Also - large balls of felted roving take a LONG time to dry. I believe we worked on them either Wednesday or Thursday night and they're still wet as of this posting.

The only other fiber related thing I have to show right now is this:



Remember this blanket? I posted this picture back in July:



There is maybe another foot or so of actual knitting on it... I work on it in my spare time when I have some extras bits of sock yarn left over and no other projects on the go. It's a slow knit but an enjoyable one when I get to it. I have no intentions of powering through it, and couldn't even if I wanted to as the yarn comes only when I've finished another project and have left overs.

I guess that's it for knitting related news... I leave for a research semester in Spain on Monday and will be there for four and a half months. I'll try to take pictures of knitting in front of interesting Spanish monuments! ;)

sock contest

This is more of a reminder for myself, although if there are any budding designers out there you might be interested too... there is a sock design contest being hosted over at Exercise Before Knitting from now until mid-April!

Knitters without Borders

Just made my donation of half my pattern sales from etsy and ravelry from Jan 15 - Feb 28 to Doctors without Borders via Knitters without Borders. If you want to know more about Knitters without Borders, check out the Yarn Harlot.

olympic sockey

awesome socks for the olympics, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

Another pair of socks for the boy, this time made as part of the ravelympics. Finished them up while watching the Canadian women's hockey team win gold last night!

Yarn is the left overs from the first pair, about .9 of a skein of Jawoll Silk.
Pattern is Rudy Got Sole.
Needles: Size 1 (US)
Mods: Only cast on 70 sts, rather than 80, and basically forgot to look at the pattern again after that. Did a heel flap, decreased to 65 stitches on the gusset... but they fit him perfectly, which is what I was going for!

EDITED TO MENTION: Those are the boys feet, he was super great about being a foot model and even attempted some pictures on his own. He didn't really understand it, but he was a great sport (get it? Olympics?) about it anyway.

snowcation!

Just over a week ago the mid-atlantic east-coast of the US saw unprecedented amounts of snow and we got snowed in for the better part of a week. So what did I do with my snowcation? Well, I already showed off the finished scarf-exchange scarf, but I also whipped up this hat:



Which is a total franken-hat, in that I had little available resources and had to sort of go with the flow. And when it was originally finished it turned out to be way too short so I added the extra orange stripe on after the fact... it's for the boy and he likes it, so I'm not going to worry about it. But definitely not my best on-the-fly pattern.

Other than that, I cast on a pair of socks (also for the boy) for the ravelympics during opening ceremonies on Friday night. No picture as of yet, but hope to be through the first one by the end of this week (or earlier, preferably).

Pre-snow I was in new york and one of my travel companions had looked up habu textiles pre-trip and I got 2 cones of this:



If you don't know where they are you'll never find them. The building is completely unmarked aside from street numbers and they're on the 8th floor in a room without windows.

scarf exchange scarf

scarf exchange scarf, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

I joined a scarf exchange and finished off this scarf for my partner during this snowed-in time. There's not a whole lot else to do and internet is intermittent, possibly because of the weather, so I'm posting this as an "FO" even though it's not blocked and I haven't actually sewn the ends in... snow-boredom / cabin fever is beginning to set in...

Yarn: Cascade Baby Alpaca (2.5 balls)
Needles: US 10.5
Pattern: Vogue Stitchionary 2 - #68 "Avocado"

happy birthday!

earl grey-ish, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

The new(ish) boy had a birthday yesterday AND it was our 3 month-iversary. So I made socks!

These are the yarn harlot's earl grey pattern in Jawoll silk. I had to use just a toe's worth of a second skein, not because he has gigantically huge feet, but because the cuffs are super long.

He probably needed wool socks this weekend 'cause we got hit with the second biggest dump of snow this area has seen in over a century.

Here's me, knee deep (and not actually touching ground) in the snow:

Socksposé! The loved.

OK, finally. The "fun" post! Here, in no particular order, I will detail the sock yarns I have loved and why.

First up: Zitron Trekking XXL:



I love the way the self-striping of the Zitron worked with the pattern AND it has held up fantastically over a year and a half.

Storm Moon Knit's (now out of production I think) Twilight Sock:



These have fuzzed up considerably, but they're my comfort sock.

Malabrigo Sock Yarn:



I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOVE this yarn. By far the softest sock yarn I have ever used and it just gets softer with every wash. My one complaint about these socks have to do with the heels (aka, why I chose to put this picture up). See the heel? How it continues the pattern right down? Complete with yarn overs? Yeah. Yarn overs + heel = bad idea. I think Cookie A makes BEAUTIFUL socks (these are her Twisted Flower Socks rav link) and part of that is due to the fact that the heel fits into the pattern seamlessly. But I've had to darn the heels on both socks and I think if I had just done a traditional-style heel that would never have been a problem.

Crystal Palace Panda Silk Solid:



Truth be told, I don't get a lot of opportunity to wear knee-high entrelac socks (shocking, I know) but the yarn is still shiny and beautiful after a few washings and I get so many compliments when I wear these. I'm sure, in part, it's due to the fact that people think I have to be out of my mind to have knit knee high socks (let alone in a pattern that many knitters find daunting to begin with) but I think it also has something to do with how great the yarn is. Oh, and these are the socks that met the harlot.

Schaefer Anne / Bamboo mix:



I said in my previous socksposé post that schaefer anne might not be meant for socks. And I'm sticking to that. Especially if left alone. But these were the first top down socks I made and I did it straight from the pattern. A blind "ok, if you say that's how you make a heel flap, I'll believe you" stab at it. And it worked. And that first heel that I turned I was AMAZED. IT WORKED. And I still wear these, regularly, almost 3 years later. It's the bamboo. The schaefer still attempts to felt to itself but the bamboo gets in the way. So they're a bit fuzzy but still fit and are probably the warmest socks I own.

Crash Into Ewe Jewel Collection



Only worn these a few times since they were finished just over a month ago, and every time I wash them I worry that the giant holes created by the pattern will get caught on something in the machine. But, so far so good. The colour has faded quite a bit considering they've only maybe been washed a total of 4 times. But I still think they're pretty and the sparkles haven't all fallen out, so that's good!

crystal palace

mini mochi, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

I've been blogging about the sock yarns I've used and how I've felt about them. My first post about yarns I've disliked, drew the attention of a crystal palace employee who emailed me to talk about the mini mochi I used in my socks that felted. Although I probably won't use it for socks, they were kind enough to offer me 2 skeins of yarn to replace the socks. It's way above and beyond for a yarn company to even notice a little blog like mine, let alone offer a replacement, so I just want to say thanks to crystal palace for being a pretty upstanding yarn company. I know through a friend who owns a yarn store that some of the companies can be hard to deal with, but I've never heard complaints from anyone about CPY and now I know why.

I'm thinking perhaps a gathered scarf?

Socksposé! The livable.

The second in my series about sock yarns I've loved (or not), these are the socks that aren't really "loved" but are definitely still usable. I'll give my explanation as to why each of these fits in here rather than with the lovables.

First up: Strawberry Monkeys:



Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns* Panda Cotton Print + some extras
Why they're only "ok": I actually really liked the yarn, even though I'm not a big cotton fan. And I love this pattern (evidenced by the fact that I have 3 pairs of monkey socks and would make more if I didn't think it were a little ridiculous already)... but the problem lies in the toes. I have small feet. (Seriously, like size 6.5-7 depending on the shoe maker.) I usually have tons of yarn left over after making a pair of socks for myself. But yeah, I ran out of yarn only a few rows from the end of each toe. (Panda sock yarns come in a "one ball per sock" sized skein).
All that said, I still wear these on a regular basis and the yarn has held up well. The toes were finished up with a couple single strands of bamboo held together, which is actually not wearing as well as the actual yarn. But worst case scenario, that can be easily replaced.

Next: Jaywalkers:



Yarn: Schaefer Yarn Company Anne
Why they're only "ok": Well, one problem is the pattern. Since making these I've heard a lot of people talk about how tight the stitch pattern is. And it is. Again, I have small feet (see above), and these are EXTREMELY hard for me to get over my heel. I think there has been a small amount of felting, since the yarn has 25% mohair, but I would definitely recommend making the larger size in this pattern, even if you don't think you need to. As for the yarn, I think it's BEAUTIFUL, but probably better suited to shawls, etc than something you're going to put on your feet.

Finally: More monkeys!



Yarn: Crash Into Ewe Merino Sock
Why they're only "ok": I love these socks. I wear them all the time. But the skein (which, I don't fault the dyer for but rather her supplier of undyed yarn) had a TON of knots in it (I can't remember the exact number but I'm pretty sure it was close to ten). I've also had to repair both heels, one one time and the other twice. So, while much loved as socks, I'm a little disappointed in the strength of the yarn itself.

*Crystal Palace contacted me yesterday after the first post (as a comment on the previous post, so it's right there for all to see if anyone is interested) and I replied via email. I do sometimes throw socks in the dryer, if I think the yarn can handle it. I know, I know, I'm probably killing the lifespan of my knitted socks, but I still feel a little ridiculous hanging socks to dry. However, with the mini mochi I was a little more skeptical and tried my best to wash them in cold water and keep them out of the dryer. No knitter is perfect, however, so I can't say for sure that they *never* made it into the dryer.

Socksposé! The hated.

I've been brewing this post in my head for a while... I wanted to write up a review of the sock yarns I've used and loved... and hated. I don't know if it'll do anyone any good, but you never know, right?

I've also spent a long time trying to figure out how to order them... chronologically? By love/hate ratio? So today I bring you the hated. Socks that have not held up under relatively normal sock conditions. Socks that felted or fallen apart. I'll do my best to give the details that explain why I think things went wrong and how you can avoid a similar sock fatality.

First up: the Lacey Rib Anklets:



Yarn: Knit Picks Memories (now discontinued)
What went wrong: Well, first of all, this was the first time I attempted socks aside from the ones I made in a class and I decided to make a pattern up myself. Which was fine, but I only had one ball of this yarn (which was 220yds/skein) and so I had to make them fairly short in order to make a pair. So as it stands they were barely anklets anyway. After a few washes (and yes, probably runs through the dryer) they started to felt. In the end I couldn't even keep them over my heels.
The outcome: Garbaged. Sad but true.

Next: Socks on Fire:



Yarn: Araucania Ranco Solid
What went wrong: FELTED. Within a couple of washes I could barely get these on my feet, let alone see the pattern.
Outcome: Garbaged. I really liked these socks too.

Rainbow socks:



Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi
What went wrong: I'll give you a guess. YUP, felted. I even had a feeling when working with the yarn that it had that potential... single ply, lots of halo. I still love this yarn though, I think it's gorgeous and want to use the worsted weight to make another noro-like scarf. Just DON'T put it in the washing machine.
Outcome: Guess again... thrown out. I kept these as long as possible but by the end they were maybe 1/2 the size they should be and there was no way they were stretching over my feet another time. Sigh.


That's it for the hated. Look for posts about the "livable" and the "loved" over the next few days.

finally!

suéter profundo, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

The pattern for my 3/4 jacket is FINALLY finished and has been posted on ravelry for purchase. Click here for the pattern page or here to purchase for $5.00.

From now until the end of February, 50% of sales will be donated to Knitters without Borders for their relief efforts in Haiti.

one more gift

gloves, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

and a horrific picture of me.

These were made for the boy (yes, there is a new(ish) boy...) so they're a little big on me. They also have a special design feature... the index finger on the right hand has conductive thread in it so he can use the touchscreen on his phone without having to take them off.

Pattern was made up on the fly, yarn was Cascade Cash Vero DK.
Conductive thread is available on several websites but usually comes in large cones. If you just want to get a small amount I got mine here.

remember these?

S1050784, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

Yeah, I barely do either. I started them in JULY. Crazy. Of course I've done a bunch of other things since then, including Christmas presents and that giant blanket for my friend's housewarming. Still, it seems like an awfully long time for a pair of socks to be on the needles.

Here's a picture of the first one, so you can get a better idea of the pattern:



Pattern is Kai Mei (rav link) from Cookie A's Sock Innovation.
Yarn is Crash Into Ewe'sJewel Collection in Garnet (less than 1 skein).
Needles: US 1 dpns.
Mods: none.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas - or whatever else you choose to celebrate this time of year!

I had a lovely Christmas morning with the family, everyone came over to mum and dad's for brunch and later we will join everyone at my brother and SIL's house for dinner. And of course, after brunch came presents!

I gave a few hand knit gifts this year, all of which have been shown already here. But I also got some knitting related gifts, including yarn and a book I hadn't heard of yet.



The yarn is Mirasol's Tupa, 2 skeins, in a beautiful bright pink. My favorite! It's 50% Merino and 50% silk and has a great feel to it. I'm thinking mittens or gloves.



The book is called "Yarn Bombing" and is about crocheters and knitters who use yarn to put up "graffiti". We do this at the yarn store every once in a while and it's a fun read. It also has a couple of cute patterns, including the hoodie vest and switcheroo sweater. (I looked, only a couple of the actual knit-graffiti patterns are on ravelry so far.) The hoodie vest is actually crocheted (and I'm not normally big on crochet) but I might have to give it a go anyway!

Hope you're all having a wonderful, relaxing holiday with your family as well!

on person

S1050770, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

I promised pics of this on a person, so here you are... and they're fuzzy and out of focus. I blame lighting. If I can get one on Christmas Day I'll try to get one of my nana wearing it. No promises though. And hopefully the lighting will be decent enough.

Hope everyone is having a happy and lovely holiday season with friends and family!

Christmas, check!

pretty thing, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

Yay! I was getting a little worried that I wouldn't be ready in time for Christmas, but I just finished binding off this Pretty Thing for my grandmother and that is the LAST of the presents. Ok, it's the last of the presents that has to be done before the 25th. I have one more that has a bit more leeway.

I'll try to get a picture of it on a person once it's dry (yes, it is actually currently damp and blocking in that picture...).

Yarn: Malabrigo sock in Natural, less than 1/2 a skein
Needles: US 6 circs (16")
Mods: None, it is the yarn harlot afterall. Oh wait, that's a lie. I accidentally put in a purl row after the last mid-section repeat and was a ways along before I realized it. I decided that ripping back was not in the cards and left it.

Off to the post office!

Is there anything worse than following up a post with a picture of one mitten with a post of a picture of two mittens?



Yes. But only if that picture was taken by my mac cam. Because I think my real camera is downstairs and I'm feeling that lazy. These are done, commissioned by a friend for a friend currently stationed in Afghanistan. Off to the post office!

I promise, I have a more interesting post floating around in my head. Ok, I, at the very least, think it will be interesting...