knit what? purl who?

A completed swatch:

I've decided this project may have to be donated to Miss Elizabeth. It's only fair since her mittens are still, at this point, mitten. She mentioned that she wanted "someone" to knit her some socks (actually, she probably meant her mother, who finishes gifts) and she liked the colors in this yarn. I'm actually enjoying this pattern, and it might even get finished. To resist the temptation of keeping them for myself, I made them 1/4 inch shorter than they should be for my size. I'm hoping that makes up for the fact that she wears a half size smaller shoe than I do.

Did you notice anything sad about the picture above? Like the broken rosewood dpn? I'd like to pay a compliment to my LYS. I went in the other day (to get some more sock yarn for moi) and mentioned the broken needle, Judith got right on the horn with Lantern Moon, and I walked out with a brand new set of replacements. Pretty slick. I guess I'd also like to pay a compliment to Lantern Moon for standing behind their needles (cause they ain't cheap), although I emailed them before I went to the yarn store, and I haven't heard back. I'm just a little sad that they don't have any more rosewood, my replacements are blonde.

Good news on the Twinkle front. The lovely Miss Anja (my friend who looks just like the model in the book) has expressed some desire for the Karate Sweater, and it is definately more her style than mine. I just couldn't bring myself to rip it out. I think I might have enough yarn left over for the Best Friend Sweater. I was a little harsh on Twinkle in one of my previous posts. I'm not mad at her, I'm mad at myself (I should have gone for the Rockefeller the first time, I think). I am willing to try to rekindle our love affair via the Best Friend (minus the bobbles- they look too much like teats for my taste). Will our love last? Only time will tell...

Finally! Elizabeth will get a birthday gift (only a month and a half late), and I have finished my first pair of socks!

Pattern: Beginner's Lightweight Socks from Knitting Pure and Simple
Yarn: Tofutsies Sock Yarn color 718
Needles: 4 Lantern Moon Rosewood dpn's size 1 on the first sock, 5 replacement Lantern Moon Blonde dpn's size 1 on the second sock.

Here's a close up of the color pattern:

I suppose I could have blocked them before I took a picture, but too bad. Since Elizabeth doesn't read this I can say I'm glad she expressed an interest in these, because the color is a little too Easter egg (I know I said I was turning over a new leaf with this sock thing and was going to stop being so picky, but still...). I will also say that I only want to use Lantern Moon dpn's from now on until forever. I have a small collection of bamboo dpn's from Empress, which I like a lot better than Clovers, and Empress dpn's are like $6.00 a set. I don't know if I'll ever be able to use them again, the Lantern Moons were definitely superior. There's something about using beautiful, spendy needles that makes a project seem special, even if it's just a pair of socks that look like they were thrown up by the Easter Bunny.
Since I am dontating the Easter vomit socks to Elizabeth (I actually do like them, despite their looking like vomit), I started a pair for myself. As with most things, I am loving the colors right now:

Strange how this color (728) stripes while the other blew chunks in a spiral pattern (honestly, I like them). You can see the colors better in the ball than in the sock, I think I'm eclipsing the light. Interestingly enough, when I originally took a poll at the yarn store between these two colors, everyone voted for the vomit because it was 'more colorful'. All right.

Either way, I'm glad to finally have something knitted to give to Elizabeth, it gives me more opportunities to give dirty looks to the half finished pile of mitten in the yarn basket. Sadly, I know a little someone who will be sorry to see the socks go:

My camera (unfortunately not myself) went on vacation, and I have been busy with jobs and classes, but here's the short version of the story:

I finally checked Knitting Without Tears out form the library. There's really no need to explain any more than that, is there? I was immediately inspired, so I "borrowed" some yarn from the Kenobi sweater and got to work. I'm not going to say what my finished plan is, maybe because I don't know yet. Or maybe I do. I love this because it's knitting up really fast, and there will be minimal finishing. There's no need for me to go on and on about all the great ideas and advice in this book. (And I probaly shouldn't mention that I went ahead and bought all her boooks, including this one.) I also want to say that Knitpicks Options are (great birthday gifts- thanks Josie!) the perfect needles for a sweater in the round.

Well, time for a dog walk. Here's a picture of Pirate Bob and his new peg leg:

Well, I'd hoped to have ol' greenie done this weekend. I knitted the shit out of the thing on Saturday, and by Sunday, I was tired and had homework to do. Anyway, lookit:

The blue lines are single crochet (a la brooklyn tweed and eunny) Have I done this before? Nope. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Take a deep breath and here goes...

My hand's not really pink.

A cardigan! Hooray! It hasn't fallen apart yet either. Stay tuned for finished object!

Anyone seen my toothbrush? I can't seem to find the damn thing. Oh yeah, and there's something green blocking on my office floor...

My chemistry professor is from Poland, and apparently, izi is Polish for easy. At least I hope so, he puts it at the end of half his slides. Anyway, there was a lot more izi in this sweater than on my last chemistry exam.

Pattern: I used EZ's percentage system and raglan shoulder decrease from Knitting without Tears. I used Eunny's crocheted steek tutorial, and I was inspired to start the thing after I saw Brooklyn Tweed's Saddle Shoulder Aran
Yarn: Cascade 220 Quatro 5019 stolen from the Kenobi Jacket (sorry, pal)
Needles: US 8 circulars from my Knitpicks Options set

A lot of firsts in this project: First sweater without a real pattern (second sweater ever), first attempt at steeking, and should I give away my ignorance/laziness and confess this is the first project I've blocked? Heh, heh. I forced myself to do it this time:

Note the dog head in the bottom corner.

This project was really fun and fast. In fact, I'm planning another long sleeve in brown, probably with Cascade 220 again, which fits into my budget, especially if I have no pattern and I'm going to cut the thing. Cardigans are great to throw on and I'll wear it through the summer beacuse it get's cold in the evenings in Washington state, even in the summer time.

Overall, I'm really happy with how this turned out. Next time, I'll be sure to use a smaller crochet hook, the steek was a little lumpy before blocking. I couldn't find a smaller one, and I was too impatient to actually go get a new one. I still haven't put in any button holes (I showed this to someone and they asked me if I knew how to make buttonholes "Please, woman! You obviously haven't done your reading.") I want to try EZ's afterthought buttonhole.

Finished sweater: Hooray!

Yeah, I did. Cast on for another EZ cardigan, that is. Long sleeve this time, and a couple other changes.

Wait, who's the little fella in the backround looking for attention?

Well, I'll be damned! It's a sock! I was briefly distracted by something green, but I'm over it now and I finished this sock. I'll need to make a little buddy for it soon.

I have a little problem. Well, it's not really a problem, but one of my good friends is graduating from medical school which, I've heard, is kind of a big deal. (Those of us 26 year olds that drive ninety minutes each way over a mountain pass EVERY DAY retaking freshman college classes just to get into dental school wouldn't know anything about that, dammit. My nursing degree counts very little in the way of dental prerequisites, don't you know.) In any case, I'd like to come up with a simple gift to make for her, but I don't have any ideas, and she can't have my sweater. She's starting her residency in Washington D.C. (about as far away from Washington state as you can get, right next door to my parents in South Carolina.) so there will be cold weather for knitted items.

Any ideas?