It's June 11, so that means......

I am ready to restart my regular posting schedule!  First, my FOs:

I finished the sock! This was completed on May 27, and I am so happy it's done. I'm not going to make the other sock, because this one is a mess, so I would really have to make two more, and that isn't happening. So, I now have one random sock, but I'm cool with it. :) I had been reading about grafting, and a lot of people make it sound like some big scary thing, but it really wasn't! I just used the tutorial form Knitty, and I was done very quickly. It may have had something to do with there only being 4 stitches on each needle, but whatever. I actually really enjoyed myself.

I also made a Hug Scarf, from Knitty. This was completely in maybe two hours on May 27, right after I finished that sock. It is a Christmas present (the first of a long line) for my little cousin, and I will probably make another for her little brother (umm, not in pink though). I seriously love this pattern, so I'm fine with it!

Next up, a birthday present for my aunt; I made the Lighthouse Cloth from Knitting Knonsense. Although, technically, I made two of them. I made it to about Row 35 when I realized I had an extra stitch, so I ripped back a few rows. I realized I had no idea where I was in the pattern, so I frogged the whole thing. Then, I made it to Row 35 again, and I had the same problem, so I ripped back a few rows (counting a little more carefully that time). I finally made it through, then I finished the pattern, only to realize I had done Row 57 when I should have been doing Row 56.  It took me about a week total to make this, (on and off knitting, I am not just really slow!) but I am done now, so I am very happy. I was super careful to nicely block out the YOs that make the light, then I realized that it was going to get wet very quickly. Will that mess up the blocking? I really don't know.

I made another Patchwork Pouch, but I didn't have anymore fleece, so I did it a little differently. I made the patchwork part much bigger, then gave it a backing like normal. Then the whole thing was folded in half, instead of getting a back piece. That's why the front and back are both patchworky.

On a smaller scale, I made a little addition to the Rectangle Shrug I made last year. I don't really like having yarn in my underarms, so I wasn't really wearing it. That's a waste of time and effort, and most importantly, yarn. So, I added a little fabric in the part that was irritating me, and voila! Quick fix!

I am an idiot. Just throwing that out there. Remember how in this post I mentioned having enough yarn to finish the last square but it was in the wrong color? And how in this post I said I got everything I needed but that last bit of yarn? Well, I went to Michael's (shocker) on probably the second of June. And all I was going to get was the yarn. (That didn't work out so well, but more about that in a second.) Well, in that first post I very clearly stated that the yarn I needed was "Light Blue" and the evil yarn was "Spa Blue." 

So how come Light Blue doesn't match? (very dramatic, I know) Red Heart Super Saver doesn't have dye lots, but no. I still have the wrong yarn. And did quite a bit with that yarn before realizing it. But I don't care! I am declaring independence from this idiocy and I will have two different blues on that square. I honestly don't care. (OK, I don't know if you can tell, but I care a lot, so I'm really just trying to convince myself I don't.) Oh, by the way, the four-square is done. Just FYI. In case you can't see the picture.

Anyway, I have a new plan for all that, but this is getting pretty long, so I'll save it for tomorrow. Have a great day, and I'll see you guys tomorrow!

The Stupid Way to Turn a Heel

Before Turning

So on Saturday I decided I had done enough of my heel flap, and I started thinking about turning the heel. I wasn't really sure what that meant, so I did a little Googling. I read a few articles, stared at my sock some, and I was still confused. So, I decided to wing it and hope for the best. Here's what I did:

 What happened was I realized that since I had not really followed the Knitty Gritty Plain Vanilla Socks pattern, I did not have the right number of stitches to use their heel turning numbers. This was a problem, because I didn't know enough theory to make up my own numbers. Luckily, I found this article in Knitty and it just so happened that the example numbers she used for the turning heel section were just right for my sock. I did a little jig, then got down to some serious heel turning.

It didn't go entirely as planned; I ended up with more stitches on one side of the center third then the other and I ended up just purling them all together instead of just two, which is what the pattern said. Then I put loops on a new needle, like it said, but I couldn't figure out how the yarn was supposed to get to the instep stitches so I could work them, but then I realized I needed to knit the stitches I had picked up and I fixed it. Then I went to the other side and did the same thing. And then I did some creative* decreasing and got down to some number around 48. And now I will continue on the foot, hoping for the best!

After Turning

I do have one problem with it, though. The two needles that I picked up stitches on have a row of gaps:

OK, I swear the lighting looked better on my camera, but you can see the gaps, right? Right?

So, the sock continues on, and after more than a little surgery (involving scissors, snipping, and random loops appearing out of nowhere) I hope it goes well from here. Until I have to try grafting.

*random and stupid

Mad scientists, assemble!

I know I said no more BH for April, but I found this really neat test tube chandelier from Handmade that I wanted to share with you guys. Anyway........

I am making a strip. It is a Waterfall Strip, adding to the collection of other Waterfall things I have made. (Waterfall Wrap, Waterfall Pillow, and a Waterfall Hat that I never posted about. And I gave it to a friend. So it's kind of gone.) It will probably either be another hat like this one, or a wide scarf. And no, I have no idea why I am making warm fuzzies in April.

For the sock update, I give you a conversation.

SJ: Hello Sock, how are you? 

Sock: Well, I was put in a little bag for a week and a half, but then yesterday I was worked on!

SJ: Worked on? How so?

Sock: My heel flap is now half way done! 

SJ: But what about the other half?

Sock: Baby steps, baby steps.

So true, so true.

This is the Magnificent Mantle, a bit of the way into Row 32. This is yet another prime example of me making unseasonably warm things.

Have a wonderful day, and try not to blow up your labs!

Eagle! Birdie!

First, I just want to say that I had a post all written up and ready for yesterday, but the computer ate it and I didn't realize until this morning. Sorry! So here's a combobulation of today's links with yesterday's info, plus today.

OK, I know almost nothing about golf, and I'm not very good at it, but that's not going to stop me from celebrating National Golfer's Day!

Knit:
-I don't play Angry Birds, but these golf club covers are still pretty awesome!
-I like this argyle set because you can very easily make them to suit anybody.
-For those of you with some cabling skills, these black cable covers are pretty neat! (There's a picture if you click the link that says large picture blah blah blah)

Crochet:
-Golf club covers from Yarn Lover's Room. I think. Maybe.
-Along the same line, an adorable gopher golf club cover form Red Heart. It is definitely very cute!
-OK, so I kept looking around on Red Heart, and they also have the very cute and girly poodle golf club covers.
-I promise this is the last one. :) I can't tell what site this is (but it's through the Wayback Machine) but they have these super cool Starry Golf Club Mitts.

This weekend (Saturday night) I decided I wanted to do another big crochet project. Not anything completely huge, mind you, but I had no crochet WIPs and I needed something to do. (Besides my knitting, but I'll get to that later.) So, I started the Magnificent Mantle from Crochet Kitten. I did the first five or six rows, then I stopped to pin it out, then I got up to row 20 last night. Hopefully it won't take me too long. Here's what I have so far:

OK, so knitting. I used up all the yarn I had left for the baby blanket, and now I have a good excuse to not work on it. :) Once I get more yarn, I can do the last four stripes, seam it up, and I'll be done!

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for: The Secret Project! Here it is...... (drum roll, please!)

Socks! Or more accurately, half of one sock. I just kind of winged the cuff and leg (which is really more of an ankle) and I'm using the Knitty Gritty Plain Vanilla Socks instructions for turning the heel. Which I've never done before. Right now, I am making the heel flap. It hates me. And I hate it. These are socks full of love. :) There is no way I will be able to wear these socks, but that's the whole point of first socks, isn't it?

Have a great day, and get out on the greens!

Lots of Catching Up to Do!!!!!

Sorry for the long break- I got really distracted and I kept thinking, well I need to post today, but I would so much rather be working on this project, or that project, and I just never got around to it. But now you get a nice, long, juicy post!

First up: My first socks!!! Eeeep! They are crocheted using this method, but instead of my iPod I used my foot. They are going through the wash right now, I sure hope the ball band is right and they survive! Okay, pictures.

This is the absolute first one. It isn't done in this picture, it was at the point where I wanted to start the second one to make sure I didn't run out of yarn. The yellow thing was a piece of scrap yarn I was using to hold the stitch on while I used the hook for sock #2.

More pics:

I loves them! (I also loves my version of grammar, why do you ask?)

Next up is a bag. I have many pictures of when this was a little baby afghan, then it grew up into what it is today. Such a touching story. Here are a lot of pictures of it growing:

Now a big huge jump to the point where I decided it was going to be a bag for many reasons, not the least of which is that it was ugly. 

That is a white fleece lining that really improved the outside look of it a lot. Magically.

I'm REALLY happy that it's gone, off my WIP list. Next item is on my WIP list, I just need to have a date with the sewing machine to finish it. And find some brown thread in the big box of thread.

No, I'm not hugely overweight. It's supposed to be like that, kind of. Go look here. Do you see what I did wrong? I cut the sleeves too far up, so they didn't take any width off the body. Big problem. But I fixed it. I'm gonna wear it with a belt! Then it will look like a stylish tunic that was meant to be like that! I hope. I just need to hem the bottom and the sleeves. Wish me luck!

This, is a pouch. It will be a smaller pouch once I make more wooly things to felt with it. It is currently very small, so there is no justification for sticking it in the washing machine all by its lonesome, is there? The flap is an accident. I somehow, while working in the round, managed to put two thirds of the stitches on one needle and the rest on another. So I evened them out, and worked back and forth to make a flap. The green part where I stopped knitting is bound off with a sewn bind off, because I couldn't think of what else to do.

OK, moving on. Lots of cute ornaments. The top is for my grandma, then aunt, then someone, then my best friend. The gingerbread man should look familiar from here, but I fixed his face. Much better, methinks! (Oh right, the link for the pattern is here, all I did was use worsted weight yarn and beads instead of thread.) I am loving the little bead eyes. Seriously. I also made a safety cone with them, but no picture yet so you'll have to wait. Sorry.

One more thing, then I'm done. For now. Cuz there's more, believe me. It's yarn!!!! I like yarn, especially when it's free, and these two skeins were gifts from an unofficial knitter and crocheter that I taught but needs to practice more and also doesn't understand the value of pretty yarn. I have no idea what to do with either! I didn't get a ball band, but it looks to be lighter than worsted. That's all I know.

Very pretty!!!!! Me likes it! (See up higher if you have an issue with my grammar.)

OK, stay tuned for more stuff and a safety cone. And some stuff. I like stuff.