What shall I say?

I finished Rosa from Doilies with a Twist this weekend. 2 finished toward my goal of 7. Here's how I've planned it:

Rosa, DMC Baroque in Ecru
Ruby, Size 10 crochet cotton in Orchid Pink
Irene, green crochet cotton
Tala, yellow
Donna, pale blue
Svanhild, white
?, possibly a tatted doily.

I did just contact Martingale about the problem. Unfortunately, I have to go.

Bye,
Arachnera

Fed up with those Errata!

I don't have time for a long post, but suffice to say that I believe I have discovered another error in SKS. I believe the patterns Harebell Lace and Moorish Lattice are insatisfactory with the specified instep.

Two Finished Objects? Can you believe it?

Yes. Two finished pairs.

One:

Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks 5 st. pattern in Laburnum pattern 60 st. size
Needles:Size 2 dpns
Yarn:Not quite all of 2 balls Patons Grace color: Lavender
Any modifications?
Corrected an error in the short row toe/heel, which I contacted Martingale about. I could not find any tips about how to finish toe up socks in the book, but luckily I have been reading Wendy's blog where I heard about the Russian bind-off (what she calls it, I have no idea if there is another name). This was only my second attempt at toe-ups. (My first is my own design-Homograph, and although I had attempted this pair before, an entire sock was not completed. On Homograph, I tried to do EZ's cast-on bind-off, although I'm not sure I did it correctly) I believe I have suceeded. Admittedly, the feet are a bit long and due to the nature of the yarn, they probably won't be worn much. They're dress socks for special occasions.
Anything else I would have changed?
I can't think of anything at the moment.

Fetching
from Knitty
Needles: size 7 dpns
Yarn: Lion Suede Moonshadow Print
Any modifications:
Yes. Do you really think 45 sts on size 7 needles in this thicker yarn would fit my hands? No. So I made quite a few changes, making note of them. If you wish to make smaller Fetchings, or use the thicker yarn, here's what I did:
Cast on 30 sts instead of 45.
Work only 3 rws before cabling and only 4 rws between cables.
Knit in the rib about 2" past the last cable(I did three cables at the wrist as the pattern instructed)
Knit 5 sts with waste yarn for thumb (I actually purled the last stitch, but do what ever you please)
Work 3 or 4 rws, cable, work 3 or 4 more rws before following the instructions for the picot bind off (or not, you can do how you wish.
For this thumb, you will pick up 5 from lower edge, 4 at top edge, and pick up two on each side as the pattern instructs. I had stitches divided as 5,4,4. I think I worked 2 or 3 rnds before binding off.
Anything else I would have changed:
I cannot think of anything.

I am currently wearing my Willy Wonka/Sweet Tarts socks and my Fetchings. They are both quite comfortable. I am getting a bit fed up with Sensational Knitted Socks. I know a new More Sensational Knitted Socks is going to be coming out, and I was thinking about ordering it, but now...

My voyage with SKS was fine at the beginning, sailing right through calm water. The four-stitch pattern (I forget the name of the pattern I did on the first pair, but I also did purled ladder) was fine, I only modified how much ribbing I worked. As far as I know, the eight stitch pattern (Ribbed lace) was fine. Although I had to look at the lace chart while I was working, it wasn't a big deal as there were 6 repeats in the whole pair, and I really could not manage memorizing every row in it. You can read some of the pattern, but you will probably have to refer to the chart. I'm afraid I'm digressing, so I'll go on. We then ran into some rougher seas, though not stormy when I decided I didn't much care for the Forethought heel procedure and I found an easily corrected error in the Cable socks heel flap instructions. Now we are sailing through rainy weather and rougher seas. I got frustrated when the number of stitches for the above mentioned short row toe/heel gave the wrong number, and now I am having problems with a six stitch pattern sock:

I started this sock back last summer, in fact I remember starting the lace pattern while at the local coffee shop. The merino was a special treat from my birthday sock yarn stash. Then, after 1 1/2 repeats of the pattern or so, it was set aside and became a UFO instead of a WIP. I picked it up after I finished the Laburnum socks, in fact, after completing all these long-running pairs of socks, I was a little unsure what to do in the sock direction. Anyhow, I turned the heel the other day...

(Related: I tried picking up the gusset stitches the "pretty way" and I think I like the results. I haven't tried it till now because most of my socks have followed the directions and had garter stitch edges on the heel flap. This one was from slightly different directions. )

And promptly ran into problems with the instep.

Look at the picture!

Actually don't. Sorry. I don't have time. Bye!

Banana, don't mention the silk, please

I know, the title probably seems crazy, but it relates to 1) my goofy drawings with a little boy involving bananas and strange arms and extremely large eyes and 2) a story problem involving silk, which is haunting me for lack of solving, partially because I misread part of it. I was originally going to title this post "Why do I torment myself?"

Why do I torment myself?
Actually, I don't. I finished a sock in three days. On size twos. This ain't no wimpy worsted weight sock, this is fingering weight. Admittedly, it is perhaps slightly thicker than the average sock yarn, but not very much. The torment was trying to do K3tog with tight stitches in cotton yarn. Ouch. Anyhow, I must email Martingale about the error in Sensational Knitted Socks. Every other size (total stitches divisible by four) has an error in the number of stitches to leave unwrapped for the short row toe/heel.
I used the Russian bind off described on Wendy's blog to finish the socks. I was listening to the Westing Game on CD. A good book, by the way. And, I don't believe I'm suffering from much SSS.
ETA: You will notice that I added a few more blogs that I have been reading to the list on the sidebar.

Knit on,
Arachnera

PS: I have something to say about a few statements I made previously:
I can't say I'm a total Google girl, because I use Yahoo email. I would use Gmail, but am unable to at the moment.
The times the blog displays for posts are earlier than my time, so it wasn't that early when I posted the other day.

Finished pair and problem

Attention!

If any one can give me help with the short row toe from Sensational Knitted Socks, please leave a comment stating this! I am having a problem with my short row toe for the sixty stitch size five stitch pattern sock.

Other than that, I actually have a finished pair of socks!
The Christmas socks are finished!
No pictures, yet again, but here's the specifics.

Needles: Size 2, set of 4 dpns
Yarn: KnitPicks Palette, under two balls in Nutmeg
Pattern: Purled Ladder on 64 sts from Sensational Knitted Socks
Any modifications?
I knitted the rib at the top for a longer length than recommended and did six and one-half pattern repeats on the foot.
Any thing I would have changed?
Possibly knit them on smaller needles. I thought they would have lots more stitches than they did and that it would be more knitting than I wanted for a recipient who I wasn't sure would like them.

One of the pair of Homograph is finished. I probably will make at least three more socks of the design, to create another pair also.

I also made myself a Fetching. I modified the pattern for 30 sts, winging all the details. It was made of Lion Suede in Moonshadow Print on size 7 needles.

I started a five stitch pattern sock from Sensational Knitted Socks in Patons Grace Lavender on size 2s in the 60 stitch size with the short-row heel. It is this I am having problems with. I can't get the numbers and the specifics of the pattern to work out. Charlene Schurch says I should have 13 sts left unwrapped and end with a purl row. I can do either one or the other.

Knit on,
Arachnera

The Weather Outside is Frightful...

It is indeed snowing. Yesterday it was extremely cold around here. -20° F wind chill! We didn't get a white Christmas, but we certainly are getting snow now. I think I have discovered another of those Murphy's law things. If you ask for solutions to make a WIP more interesting, you will make lots more progress on it than you thought you ever would. After all, I am now past the gusset decreases and on the foot with 2 repeats + 1 row before I start the toe on the Christmas socks. It's funny. Either I get second sock syndrome and fail to complete the second sock promptly, or I start the second sock after a couple day's hiatus and get it done more quickly than the first sock. Weird.

Does anyone like the idea of a Secret Garden Shawl? (From the children's classic written by Francis Hodgson Burnett) I got the idea this weekend and drew up a bit of a diagram today. I need to find some specific lace patterns, but I think it'll work out. I actually got Homograph fairly far over the weekend.

Last night was my knitting group meeting at our library. Attendance was low, however, possibly because of the cold. I worked on the Christmas socks and showed off Rosa. I have done a little on Ruby, which is in pale pink.

I am working on getting some stuff up at my blogzine.

Let it snow!
Arachnera

Poetry

In honor of the poetry day that is going on in blogland, I present to you:

Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon

Written by Robert Burns

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary fu' o' care?
Thou'lt break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed never to return.

Aft hae I rov'd by bonnie Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its love
And fondly sae did I o' mine.
Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree;
And my fause lover stole my rose,
But ah! he left the thorn wi' me.

---

No, I do not know why Mr. Burns referred to "my fause lover" as he, but oh well. And, no, I have not had an experience exactly like this, but I can sympathize because yesterday I was upset about something and everything reminded my of it.

Questions

Sorry for lack of entries. So Rosa is done, I started a little of Ruby, and I have most of my ongoing pairs of socks finished. I have the Christmas socks to finish. I think I have one more repeat or so left in the leg portion of the sock, but in truth, I haven't felt like knitting on it. I'm also frustrated that since my size twos are in those socks, I can't start the other pairs I really want to start. Any suggestions on how to motivate myself or help avoid second sock syndrome here? (I already know how to avoid it when you start a pair, but one is already finished. I'm asking how to make this more interesting.)

On other notes, I started spindling up the wool I bought at the Wool Gathering. I have been on a hiatus from spinning for a few months, mainly because I ran out of the other wool, and this smooth, soft wool requires a slightly different touch then the sticky, rougher wool I was using before. I spun up some wool on a toy spindle *gasp!* and when I bought a Schacht Hi-Lo spindle, I had to get use to the extra weight. My first spinning attempts from the Sarai(that is the sheep's name!) wool failed because my yarn kept breaking. Interestingly enough, I learned on a toy bottom whorl spindle after reading a lot about spinning, but now use my Hi-Lo as a top/high whorl. I did not have a real spindle at the Wool Gathering, and thought about getting one. I didn't try to purchase a spindle there, although I did get a neat lucet, but I'm don't think I would have wanted to purchase my first real spindle there anyway. For one thing, I was fairly miserable all day and unable to enjoy the experience of my first ever fiber fest properly because I was catching a cold and for another thing, I think I would feel more able to try it out and choose one in a store. I ended up buying mine in person at the Weaver's Loft. I think I might just need more wool, and some of the wool I've seen on the internet is lovely looking. However, I am afraid to get anything with more than one color, because I don't know how to spin it. Also, my only attempt at plying with the spindle did not encourage me. I suppose I might try the kick spindle plying technique in Spindlicity, but I like my Schacht and don't want to kick it. Another reason I didn't get a spindle at the Wool Gathering was that I was fairly unsure which way I wanted to use it and the spindles there all seemed sort of fancy. So have any tips about spinning with dyed wool or plying on a spindle?

In case you were curious, I have a project in mind and have started knitting it. (Probably a bad idea, but I all ready started! ) I am combining the ideas of the Fingerless Mitts in Homespun, Handknit and the Mitts in OneSkein. I am using size 5 knitting needles. I have not dyed the main part of the mitts and don't plan to. I think if I have some extra wool though, I might dye a little to see how my handspun will do. I might make an accent, or perhaps knit a band for my watch face. I will probably be dying with KoolAid if I do.

Also, I encountered the Cascade Fixation Ankle Sock KAL and am thinking I might try a pair. Apparently they only take a ball for a pair. But do you think I should order Espirit from Elann, purchase Fixation online or get Fixation from my not so LYS (Not so local because it is somewhat out of the way. But then, the only not very out of the way places for me where you can get yarn are the big hobby chains or a few grocery/general merchandise stores that carry it around here. I'm not sure what it would mean if it weren't so yarn shop...) ?

Another note is that I hope to be able to place the green Homespun sweater in the FO column. This thing is my first sweater (and I haven't finished any others yet, though I have started another sweater, as you can probably see from the WIPs sidebar). It is getting to be a PITB. PITB is similar in meaning to "PITA" however, it sounds more like something I would say, because the only occasion I use the a word in is in antiquated sounding references to donkeys. I did not know much about gauge for some reason when I started the sweater, and over that, I picked the size that was identical in finished width to my bust size at the time. *See Digression at bottom of post* Unfortunately, I am about an inch bigger around now and although my gauge is somewhat off, I'm not sure it will fit. All I have left is the end of the second sleeve, but the sewing up may be a nightmare, partially because the Homespun won't work for seaming and I am having problems finding matching yarn for "Spring Green". On top of everything else, although it may not matter much, I stopped creating crossed stockinette stitch about half way through the sweater. My other sweater also has this. Also, I have maybe 1/2 or 1/3 of a skein left (a half is probably really stretching it), about an inch to two inches left on the sleeve, and I have no hood done. I am hoping to finish the sweater by Monday, though. What shall I do for the neck finishing?

Speaking of sweaters, I think my next big sweater or sweater-ish project might be an EZ pattern. (Not EaZy, Elizabeth Zimmermann for anyone who thought otherwise.) Either: A basic seamless sweater with one of the fancier seven seamless sweater shoulder shapings and perhaps the Jewel Cross Rib; or the Faeroe patterned vest from Sweaters from Camp with the ribbing. And possibly without the "noses". Isn't "seven seamless sweater shoulder shapings" a tongue twister? I think I'm adding a word, but they are in her (EZ's) Knitting Workshop.

Here is your very long entry on the first of February.
~Arachnera

Digression: If you somehow have read Stash Envy, which I believe is written by Lisa Boyer, of the quilting world, this gauge issue somehow reminds me of (I am paraphrasing, since I don't have it in front of me "When I purchased Spot, my QAS (Quilters Alarm System) should have warned me against it, but it was not fully active yet." I had read books, and I am sure they preached "Check Your Gauge!" "ALWAYS BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE!" et cetera but I still ignored the gauge issue.