Cuff down?!

All of my patterns have been toe up – I completely prefer doing them that way because I just never know when I might be running out of sock yarn!  :D  But, the newest pattern I’m working on is going cuff down.  Mostly because I love how the starting edge of the stitch pattern I’m using ends up with a slight pattern in itself, actually.  I’m not going to go into too many details yet, as I am not 100% sure that it is going to work the way that I want it to…  I should definitely know more in a day or two if it is going to work or not.

If it does work…  my plan is for it to be another free pattern, as I am totally & unashamedly using a very popular stitch pattern to create these socks.  Suffice to say, if it works, it will be an AWESOME way to use up those small cakes/balls of sock yarn that you might have hanging around like I do.  It’s also a fab pattern to really show off the gorgeous variegated yarns that are out there.

How’s that for a tease?

I’m SO excited – I had knit up a quick little project for the Knit Pink folks, as I’d mentioned in a previous post.  I wrote up the pattern & submitted it Wednesday night.  Even though they already have a couple patterns for wristlets/fingerless gloves, they accepted my pattern!  YAY!!  I’ll post a link once it is up in their shop.  ~doing my happy knitter dance~  ;)

On the running front – my shins are STILL stiff & hurting a tiny bit from the 4 miler that my youngest & I went on last weekend.  *sigh*  Yes, yes, I know – I need to be heading to the doc.  There is just SO much other stuff that I need to do, doctor visits tend to be low priority unless there is something drastically wrong.

We’ve been dog sitting for my sister the past week.  Attila is a teeny Pomeranian – and I do mean teeny.  He’s little for a Pom, I do believe.  He only weighs in at 4.5 lbs.  He’s 12 years old & has definite signs of his age – but lemme tell ya…  he really seems to have enjoyed himself here with our motley crew!  Leonardo is fascinated with Attila, which is really quite hysterical to see.  He tried to pounce on Attila once, which caused my heart to drop (200 lbs vs 4.5?)…  but Attila just pranced along & looked at Leonardo like “whatever, Dude”.  TOO funny.  I tried to get pics of the two of them together, but it proved too difficult without the young man-lets’ help.  At the moment, they are dead asleep – perhaps later!

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New Sock Pattern Available

WHEW! I must admit, writing up Whomping Willow was harder than knitting the entire thing. Wowza, this one kicked my butt. But, in the end, I am very, very pleased with how it turned out. The pattern is now up & available on Ravelry, but here are some shots for ya…

So, I’ve got a new one OTN, this one my playing around with something for Knit Pink, as mentioned in a previous post. I haven’t decided yet on what socks I’m going to knit next. I have a notebook full of plans & ideas for sock patterns. I really have more ideas than time, gosh darnit!

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Whomping Willow progress

So this morning I spent some time online, hanging out at Ravelry while Plurking…  but didn’t stay long for once.  I got going on Whomping Willow while having coffee.  ;)

Once the young man-lets woke up, I decided to get their butts moving – though the oldest does a damn fine job of getting in his workouts…  and sure enough, he started hitting the weights just as I announced we were heading to the park for a workout.  So, I left him behind & dragged the youngest with me.  We went 4 miles at the park, me running & him on his Ripstick.  I’d have been happier if he’d run some of it, but trust me – 4 miles on a Ripstick is a pretty darn good workout, too!  We were both covered in sweat when we got done.  I decided to round out my workout by hitting the rope for a solid 10 minutes of jumping.  Whew!  All in all, it was a good workout, though my gosh darn right shin started to feel a bit twingy towards the end.  That was the main reason we only went 4 – we WERE shooting for 6.

Got done with the workout, hit the showers, ate some lunch…  then back to Whomping Willow!  I’ve made great progress today, YAY!  And along the way, I had one of those major league Ah-HA! moments.  I really prefer the short row heels over the heel flap, it looks “neater” to me.  Anyway, slowly my short row heels have been getting better & better – it’s something that really does take practice!  So my ah-ha moment today was just as I was on the last row of the heel – it dawned on me that if I wrap the first stitch on the other needle (the instep side of the sock) on either side, I won’t have any holes at all AND I won’t have to fudge picking up a stitch & doing a k2tog to keep the stitch count right…  so I gave it a try.  Check it out, it’s a thing of beauty (ROFL)…

NO holes & what a nice, neat heel!  ;)

NO holes & what a nice, neat heel! ;)

Oh, and yes, I took some progress shots, though I’ve gotten a lot more done on them by now – hopefully in another day or two will be able to write up & post the new pattern!  YAY!

LOL - yeah, yeah, I have blue polish on my toenails!

LOL - yeah, yeah, I have blue polish on my toenails!

I had hopes of catching the stitch details a bit better, but the lighting just wasn’t cooperating with the rainstorms outside my window, but you can get the idea here…

Close up details, the beginning of the tree!

Close up details, the beginning of the tree!

So there’s the update – now I’m back at it since I’m so excited to be making such excellent progress today!  ;)

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New yarn arrived, YAY!

OMG – my order arrived yesterday from Bare Sheep Yarn. Seriously, the pictures just cannot do this yarn justice – it is just gorgeous!! I am so excited, can’t wait to knit with it. The bamboo/merino blend is wonderful! It just might cause me to go against my self imposed rule of only having one WIP at a time. The prices are very reasonable, too – you must go check out her store! Right now – what are you waiting for?! ;)

I decided to give Plurk a go, since I’ve heard so much about it recently. So far, I’m not seeing the attraction, but then again, it’s a little hard when you haven’t got too many friends… so I’m giving it a few more days to see where it goes. Seems like another time drain, I’m thinking! LOL

Making some progress on Whomping Willow. It’s been difficult, as work has gotten in the way a bit. I did get my favorite circs fixed, though they are catching a bit where the tubing is attached. Going back to them has been a joy – I liked the DPNs ok, but I’m really so much faster on the circs & going magic loop! :D

Running – meh, headed out yesterday to discover lightening. Again. *sigh* At least I did manage to still squeeze in 2 miles. Set the alarm early this morning, but I was SO tired when it went off – I went back to bed instead. Even after a couple cups of coffee and a shower I’m still tired. I slept well last night, so no clue why so tired – but experience has taught me that when I wake up THIS tired, it’s best for me to not go running. Otherwise, I’d be of NO use the rest of the day.

So the plan is to get in a nice 5 miler at least this weekend. Maybe even 6 if I can swing it. We’ll see. :)

Oh and we learned one more little thing about Danes today. Tennis balls are not good Dane toys. Leonardo chomped it & ate half of it… which he then (thankfully) threw up in the back yard. This would be added to that list that already has shoes and dumbbells. Oh yes – years ago, I’d bought these little dumbbells (3 lbs) for the kids because they wanted to workout with Mom when she was lifting. We’ve had them lying around for years, really nothing more than paperweights. Leonardo apparently thought they made good toys & had taken them out back to play with. And yes, one didn’t get picked up… and the end was sheared off by the lawn mower. Luckily no one was hit by flying pieces, but the mower blade is hosed! LOL

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Only 6 months?

So I was perusing my project pictures this morning & came across my very first knit FO. The date ought to be easy to remember – 2/8/2008! So I’ve been knitting 6 months. Wow, I’ve come a long way in a short time… of course, I’ve crocheted since I was 9 or 10, so it isn’t like I’m new to things like stash/yarn addiction, carrying projects with me in ziploc baggies or designing my own patterns/projects. It’s just the knitting part that is new. Oh, and socks! It was just this year that I’d crocheted socks, too.

My first knit FO

My first knit FO

Haven’t done much with Whomping Willow…  I’ve been enjoying a bit of a break & doing some relatively mindless knitting while watching movies.  I happily now have several ballband dishcloths in my kitchen and have rewatched some favorites (think Rickman as well as Jackman movies here).  :D

Heading out the door for a run – I’m not hearing any thunder, so I should be good to go.  I got wrapped up in a couple sites this morning, so it’s later than I had intended.  I’m determined to conquer the hill again…  a rare thing to have in Florida, but it’s a big ass hill that unfortunately is a downhill run at the start of my run.  Since I’m running out & back, that means that when I’m going uphill on the darn thing, it is in the last mile!  I keep reminding myself “Hills are runner’s strength training”, but somehow that doesn’t quite cut it when I’m struggling to reach the top of it after already running most of my miles for the day.

What caught my attention?  Plurk.  I’ve heard people talking about it & seen people posting about it, so I had checked it out briefly the other night.  Forgot all about it until the morning & went out to take a peek.  Interesting…  but I’m not entirely sure it is something that I’d keep up with – maybe as you get more friends, it gets more interesting?  I don’t know…

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Think, Knit, Run

Not necessarily in that order and, as I’ve moaned before, not all at the same time.  This morning, I came as close to doing all 3 at once as I can…  I ran, I thought, I planned a new project.  *grin*

I didn’t have time for a full 5 this morning, as I had an issue with my alarm clock.  It has 2 alarms on it that I can set – I thought I’d set the first, but it turns out, it was the second.  So I woke up an hour later than I need to in order to get in a full hour’s run.  So this morning it was only 4, but at least it was a wee bit faster than the last run of 5.  As I ran this morning, I came upon a poor bird that had an unfortunate meeting with someone’s windshield or grill.  I also had the row of pink oleander bushes that I ran past…  and combined with one of the blogs I read this morning, was thinking about death, pink & cancer.

Which had me thinking of my mother & the battle she had with breast cancer…  it wasn’t what took her in the end, no – she was a survivor until she took on a totally different battle and lost.

There is a site that I am keeping an eye on now, Knit Pink.  As I ran, I had various ideas flowing through my head for a pattern for the Knit Pink folks.  Something I want to design & donate in memory of Mom.  I have some ideas brewing already, but haven’t quite decided which direction to go in – socks?  shawl?  scarf?

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Day of finishing & beginning

So this morning I woke up to the sound of a mosquito buzzing in my ear. One of the most unpleasant ways to wake up, though not the worst. In Florida, the absolute worst way to wake up is to have a palmetto bug (a HUGE flying cockroach, basically) land in your face. Says the voice of experience. *shudder*

Anyway, it was 6am that the skeeter woke me with its nasty little buzz & I was wide awake. So I made a cup of coffee & on to finish up the Salazar Slytherin second sock. Got that bad boy done, then finished up the ballband dishcloth I’d started yesterday too. I know it is a pattern that has been done tons of times, but this was my first time for it – and honestly, I just LOVE this pattern!! How cool is this?!

Ballband Dishcloth

Ballband Dishcloth

I’m getting ready to cast on for the new pattern, Whomping Willow. I had found this chocolate brown yarn on clearance, it’s a cotton/nylon blend. I usually prefer the gorgeous indie yarns blended with superwash wool for socks, but this color is exactly what I have in my head. Rather than trying to find the same color then waiting for it to arrive in the mail, I’ll just use the cotton I have on hand. :D

So my guys had gone with their grandfather to his photography group last week with our camera. They had particular reasons for it that we won’t get into here, but they did take some really fantastic shots while they were there!! Check them out… (they look even more fantastic full size, but that would take up a bunch of my storage space! he he he)

Budding photographers, you think?? :D

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Salazar Slytherin

So after thinking long & hard over what on Earth to call these socks, we finally decided for sure on Salazar Slytherin. It’s a good name for a few reasons, but quite simply, it works mainly due to the fantastic yarn I used to make them. Stacy – I finally got around to knitting up your yarn & it rocks! Sadly, my son claimed them – but luckily, I only used half of one hank because they have to be anklets… and I also bought 2 hanks of it. :)

The pattern is really quite simple, actually… and I’ve decided to put this one up as a free pattern here. So, here we go…

Salazar Slytherin

Salazar Slytherin this pattern was inspired by the gorgeous sock yarn I found, Salazar Glam. I wanted to find a stitch pattern that would have the variegated yarn shown off well, so I knew it needed to contain slip stitches. I came across this stitch & I think it works well with the yarn.

Salazar

Salazar

Materials:

100g fingering/sock yarn – I highly recommend temptedyarn’s Salazar Glam colorway
Size 1 US needle(s) (2.25mm) or size required to make gauge

Gauge:
7.5 stitches per inch stockinette (6 stitches per 2cm)

Definitions:
K – Knit
P – Purl
S – Slip stitch purl-wise, with the yarn held loosely to the front
Ku – Insert right needle under the slipped yarn and knit stitch on left needle
M1 – Knit 1 into front of stitch, then without moving it off the left needle, knit 1 into the back of the same stitch

These socks are worked toe-up – instructions are written for using one circular & the magic loop method. Please adjust accordingly to your preferred method, whether 2 circs or DPNs.

Calculate the number of stitches needed – measure the foot around at the instep. Round the measurement down (for example, if the measure is 8.5”, round down to 8). Multiply the rounded down number by 7.5 (the gauge) to get a number of stitches. This pattern uses a total of 64 stitches for the sock – if you need to increase or decrease, make the changes to the garter ribs rather than the stockinette/slip stitch ribs.

Toes:

Using the figure eight cast on, cast on 10 sts. Knit the first 10 sts on one needle, change needles as needed for preferred method, then Kb 10. Change needles to return to first needle. Beginning with this row, M1 at the first stitch, K across to the second to last on the needle – M1 in that stitch, followed with one more K. Change needles and do the same increases on the second needle. Each increase round, you will be adding a total of 4 stitches. Follow the increase round with a round of just K. Continue to increase until there is a total of 60 stitches (there will be 30 on each side). Do a final round, increasing the top of the foot by 3 stitches (resulting in 33 for the top) and the bottom of the foot by 1 stitch (resulting in 31 for the bottom).

Foot:

One side will be the top of the sock while the other will be the bottom. The bottom of the sock is all K – resulting in stockinette bottom. The top of the sock is worked in the stitch pattern. Continue with this pattern until the sock measures 2 inches (or 5cm) less than the length of the foot.

Stitch Pattern:

Row 1: P2, K5, *P3, K5*, rep from * to end, P2
Row 2: K2, S5, *K3, S5*, rep from * to end, K2
Row 3: P2, K5, *P3, K5*, rep from * to end, P2
Row 4: K4, Ku, *K7, Ku*, rep from * to end, K4

Heel :
Row 1: (RS) K30, wrap the next st. Turn.
Row 2: (WS) P29, wrap the next st. Turn.

Continue this pattern until there are 12 active (unwrapped) stitches left.

PKWR (pick up wrap):
Find the wrap at the base of the wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap (PKWR) with the needle by inserting the needle point under the wrap, lift stitch to the needle. This action will form a new stitch on the needle. Knit (or purl) the 2 stitches together. Wrap the next stitch.

Turn Heel
Row 1: K12, PKWR. Turn.
Row 2: P13 PKWR. Turn.

Continue pattern until all wrapped stitches have been picked back up and the heel is fully formed. Ensure that there are 31 stitches on the heel needle. Do one full round – the needle containing the back of the sock will be done in stockinette, while the front of the sock will continue the stitch pattern.

Leg:
Begin stitch pattern on the back of the leg, but you will do one less stitch at the beginning & end of the needle. So where the beginning of the row would be P2 on the front of the sock, on the back of the sock, you will do P1 instead. Maintain 33 stitches on the front needle and 31 stitches on the back. Continue to the desired height, keeping the cuff in mind. Increase as necessary to shape for the calf, adding the increases on the garter ribs.

Cuff:
Knit 2, Purl 2 for the cuff – do 10 rounds (more or less as desired).

Bind off: in order to leave a long enough tail, wrap the yarn around your fingers 5 times, then cut. Thread a yarn/darning needle with the tail. *Insert the needle into 2 stitches, purl-wise. Leave the stitches on the needle, pull yarn tight, but loose. Insert the needle from left to right into the first stitch & pull yarn tight, but loose. Remove that stitch from the needle. Continue from * until you have run out of stitches. Work the tail into the inside of the sock, trim if needed.

Enjoy!

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New pattern ideas

So last night, I was flipping through some stitch dictionaries & leaflets at the table.  My son spotted one that is a series of stockinette & leaf stitches done together to form a tree.  He told me that I have to make socks that incorporate that idea for one of my patterns.  At first, my reaction was “nah, it’s too BIG”…  but he’s really got me pondering it now.  I actually think that it WILL work after all.  I’m mulling it over in my head how I want to put it together.  He’s already named the pattern, too.  “Whomping Willow”  *grin*  Yes, we are BOTH huge Harry Potter fans.

I do believe that is the next pattern I’m going to work on after I finish his newest pair of socks.  Since my circ broke, I had to resort to the DPNs, which I actually have enjoyed except for the fact that I can’t do both socks at the same time.  The first sock is done now & the second has been moved to the DPNs.

I’d initially called them Draco, but the pattern just doesn’t work for me for Draco.  I must figure out the right series of stitches for him, this one isn’t it after all.  I’ll have to find a new name for this one.  I’m thinking I might put it up as a free pattern – perhaps just as a separate blog post.

WOO HOO!  I woke up this morning to no thunderstorms!  You know what that means – I went for a 5 mile run this morning.  Gosh darn it, I was f’g slower than molasses.  I am so out of shape from where I was a year ago – I really let that injury derail me for far too long.  *sigh*  BUT – it felt great to get out there AND I was very pleased that I ran just about all of the 5 miles with very little walking.  Plus that was up & over a bridge (twice) and a really big hill.  he he he

I have a sick kiddo that woke up at 4:30 this morning – gotta get him in to see the doctor.  I suspect it is one of 2 things – both ears infected or both have swimmer’s ear.  Probably the swimmer’s ear, but I need the doc to double check.  This one has been in tears from the pain, so I know that he is hurting BADLY.  He barely shed a few tears the time he broke his collarbone – he’s a tough little trooper that rarely gets sick.

Off to call the doc…

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Random stuff

I’ve got a couple more cool shots from the camping trip that I’m putting up here… too lazy still to get them out elsewhere still. he he he

Flowering vine - no clue what, but the flowers were pretty!

Flowering vine - no clue what, but the flowers are pretty

Cool spider - tough to capture, though!

Cool spider - really tough to photograph

Our first attempt at shooting the spider!

Our first attempt at shooting the spider

One of the views from our campsite!

One of the views from our campsite

Juniper Springs - the spring fed pool!

Juniper Springs - the spring fed pool

First day back in the office is under my belt now, yay! LOL It wasn’t so hard going back in, really. As I told my boss, I love my job, I really do. I just wish I could JUST program – leave me be & let me just sit here at home & program without all the BS, the meetings, politics & such. *sigh* Ah well.

I wore my Severus socks & fingerless gloves – I found a cool polo type of t-shirt that matches them, too. It’s black with a polo style neck/collar. It has a white tee underneath that peeks out of the sleeves, neckline & bottom hem much like the socks & mitts. :D I had a couple people compliment my mitts & I’d said back that my socks matched. They asked where I’d found them & it gave me great delight to tell them that I’d made them. he he he

Met my best IRL friend (as opposed to my best virtual friend, who lives halfway around the world!) for coffee after work. It was fantastic because it has been a long time since we’ve been able to get together. I tried knitting my sock as we talked, but I’m at the heel & it was just a bit too distracting to focus on & still give her my full attention, so I gave up. :)

Played around last night with various stitches & some fingering weight cotton that I plan to use for a shawl/stole. Can’t seem to find the right needles to do the job, though. I’ve been making little swatches to see what looks good, then ripping them out. Came to the conclusion that I hate the 14″ cheap aluminum needles – which were the needles that I’d always had before when I tried to knit. No wonder I never really enjoyed it, they just felt so damn awkward!!

Got up early today to go for a nice run – sure enough, lightening all over the place again. *grrrrr* This is getting SO old!! It’s one reason that I hate living in Florida. The lightening/thunderstorms during the summer make it so hard to run! Last year, my solution to this problem was to train on the treadmill – and we all know what happened because of that, don’t we?! *sigh* Going to attempt it tonight if the weather is better.

That’s all for today, time to get ready for work! :)

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