And My Co-Workers Rejoice!

I often knit over my lunch hours- squeezing in a few precious stitches between sandwhich bites and complaining about paperwork. I typically lunch with a regular crew- a few of whom happen to be knitters. I knit often enough that I have a "purse project"- which basically travels around in my purse and I pull out when I'm spared enough time for a couple of stitches. My purse project is also my work project.

The purse project is great in theory for those "MUST KNIT RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BE DRIVEN TO VIOLENT ACTS" moments when you need a little zen infusion. In execution, if you spend any regular amount of time with someone, the slow progress of the purse project drives them to near insanity.

2 weeks ago my regular lunch crew had enough-- and I heard this:

Luncher 1: "I can't sit next to you if you're going to knit those socks- I literally cannot look at them anymore"
Luncher 2: "OH GOD- THOSE SOCKS!? Again? Still!? You still aren't done?!"
Luncher 3: (who may also be related to me) "I hate those socks so much."

No, these are not the protestations of hugely awful and cruel individuals who hate knitters and yarn and sheep as an extension- these are the protests of friends, who have been watching me knit the same pair of socks, with the same yarn since NOVEMBER 25, 2008! I would not be lying to you if I confessed myself that I have a little loathing when I look at them too.

Viola- I give you the NEVER ENDING SOCKS OF TEDIUM!

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina (knitted by like every sock knitter EVER in the history of the KNITTING UNIVERSE) from the now defunct, "Magknits". (You can still find the pattern on Ravelry)
Needles: US 1 or 2.25 mm
Yarn: Zitron Trekking XXL , colorway 133

Notes: I knit these once before, but I forgot just how long they take- for some reason you just keep knitting and knitting- and well... not a good purse project! No complaints on the yarn, or the pattern, both were great, but victim to my inane boredom.

I will say this- I took great care to line the stripes up on these socks- and my efforts wer well rewarded!

So with the socks off the needles, and in "time out" until I get to the point where I can look at them again not feel a heavy case of ennui- I look ahead to the next "purse sock"- which I've decided will be a delightfully simple pattern that will hopefully complete itself much faster! (I have a man in mind for them- so sadly, they must be dull as tombs to fit the male "MY SOCKS MUST NOT HAVE COLOR NOR MUST THEY HAVE WILD/OSTENTATIOUS PATTERNS" dress code they so strictly adhere to.)

In the mean time- I'm certainly glad to be moving on to something new- it'll be nice to sit with the old lunch crew again!

Pluggin' Away

If you're one of those "finished project photo only" people- you may want to skip this here post. It's been awhile between my last post- but mostly because progress has been slow, but steady. This is the first time that I've divided myself between two major projects- and I must say both projects are enchanting me so much that I can't remember the last time I've so looked forward to coming home and seeing what I can knit next.

Firstly- the Sweetheart Blanket. (It's acrylic- don't hate!)

I just love it. LOVE it. When's the last time you heard me all excited about knitting a blanket?! It is turning out beautifully- easy enough to go quickly, challenging enough to just keep you engaged. Perhaps it's only because I'm a 1/3 of the way into this beast, but I can't get enough of this pattern- it's so cute!

Secondly - the 28thirty Sweater:

The yarn is soft and the pattern is really simple- I can't wait to model this little sweater!

Just when I get sick of knitting the one project- I move on over to the next one- keeping me engaged and excited about the next row. I'm working on an informal schedule- for every one skein of red I knit 1.5 skeins of the sweater yarn... it gives me little mental goals to reach for each week.

Geez I sound like I'm on a knitting honeymoon... remind me all of this "knitted bliss" that I have now when I'm whining to you in 2 weeks that I'll never finish the blanket and I'm so sick of the sweater - okay? The early stages of knitting is always more fun than the end stages- which seems so warped to me. I should be less excited about the long road ahead and more excited about the finish line- but I'm quickly learning that's just not me as a knitter.

In other less exciting news- I need to knit more hats. I've been SO. LAZY this winter about knitting the hats. I've deemed next Monday- and the entire week 'hat week' to get me back to where I need to be in the hat count. I've got until Sunday to enjoy my fun little knitting projects here- and then it's time to crank out the hats.

I better get knitting!

Distractions...

We interrupt this blog (and my weekly knitting progress) to show you something adorable.

This is Orlando.

Orlando is my sister's frog, who spent the week with me last week while his "mom" was in Mexico. Orlando also had the unfortunate luck of spending a very cold week in Calgary. In fact I couldn't look right at Orlando without feeling cold- so I had to do something about it. As a knitter- this presents an interesting challenge.

I did what any knitter presented with the same dilema, I designed the frog a dashing cable sweater! Doesn't he look dapper?

Pattern: My Own
Yarn: Bernat Baby Softee leftovers in "antique white"
Needles: US size 5

The hardest part of this pattern was figuring out the sleeve decreases- given that the little froggy has such differently shaped arms. But overall- I'm so pleased with how this sweater turned out!

Now... back to my regularly, neglected projects!  (And we can all sigh a collective relief that Orlando now has a sweater to keep him warm.)

Back in the Saddle

I did it!  I did it!  I did it!!  I finished the Lakeside socks!!

You think that's impressive?  Look at the backs!  They're GORGEOUS!

I'd show you how much yarn I had left over- but it's an embarrassing display of my own over reaction so I won't. Let's just say there was no need to panic and worry as much as I did.  I'll just tell you I had enough and let the beauty of this project speak for itself!  (And yes the legs DO match up- the husband just didn't tell me they were lining up for the photo...)

Pattern: Lakeside Knee Socks by Julia Vaconsin

Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle 100% Superwash in Jultomte (sock club colorway- LOVE)

Needles: US 1 (on my knit picks options which, FYI, were AWESOME)

Thoughts/Notes: There really aren't enough ways I can gush about these socks.  The yarn is absolute dream to knit with.  I really get what all the fuss about Wollmeise is now.   I also love the pattern - it's stunning, a very simple knit pattern that looks more complicated than it was.  I added the picot trim at the cuff and skipped the addition of the elastic.  (Although I left the whole open on the inside should I change my mind about sewing it in at a later date.)  The pattern author really thought the whole process out and the calf shaping is excellent.  Everything about this project was a PLEASURE- and my happiness in it is reflected in the finished project.

I just can't get over how awesome these look- I keep coming back to them and marvelling at myself.  Yeah, at the end I was getting sick of them, and my anxiety attacks about enough yarn, but the pain and suffering, (as it so often is), was TOTALLY worth it.  Oh hell, just look at it again!

It's amazing how I can go one minute to marvelling at my talents and in the next second move on to the next thing.  All that work, all that labor and the only thing I'm anxious to do is throw myself into the next project. I'm definately a process knitter- no standing around to admire for me!  And so- with a fearless heart I cast on my 28thirty sweater!

This little pattern should knit up quickly- and I can't wait to wear it out on those chilly (envitable for Calgary) spring days. So far I love the yarn- so soft and yummy. 

I could probably tell you I made more progress but also, in a fit of insanity and over confidence- I also cast on a baby blanket. (The number of babies due this fall is staggering... I must be prepared!) No pictures of that one yet, as it was kind of a last minute decision to cast on. I just decided one morning that I was also going to knit the blanket AND, oddly enough, right now the blanket is seeing more progress than the sweater. (Typically I drag my feet on that one, but not this time.)

AND if this post wasn't filled enough with "LOOK WHAT I DID" gloating... I finally got around to chipping away at the yearly baby hat total- which is now sitting at 6.

This last week was incredible on the progress scale-- it was great to get some new projects on the needles and feel "back in the saddle".  

Readers will also note that the blog seems to be working with photos again.  (And not a moment too soon- can you imagine if I had to WAIT to show you those socks?  I would have gone insane!!)  There are a still a few bugs and a few questions- although much of what happened I still don't understand, how does it go working one day and not the next?  I've switched my photo hoster- (I'm all Flickr now!) and you'll have to bear with me as I figure out sizing and such, but none the less, it's good to be back- and showing you what I've been up to.