Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Jaywalkers = done!

So, in my last post, I spent a lot of time talking about my Jaywalkers. In the past couple of days I got inspired and determined to finish them. Today I rode my bike to my favorite bar/pizza place and finished up the foot. When I got home this afternoon, I finished the toe. I'm very happy with the result. They are super comfy, and I look forward to weather where socks are appropriate (probably months from now). Arizona, 103 degrees and bike riding don't really lend themselves to hand knits, but I usually ignore that and knit as much as I can anyways. I do however, have the definite sunburn to prove I love being outside even in this ridiculous heat.

Also, dear readers, comment and encourage Ambrr to update. My text message pleas are apparently falling on deaf ears, and I am very anxious to see all the glorious things I know she's been working on.

<3 uhlissa

Friday, June 19, 2009

I Pretty Much Only Knit Socks

In case y'all didn't see, I just updated my last post (three months later....) with some pictures. And that motivated to post again. Ready to catch up on four months of knitting?

1. Jaywalkers. One day in March, on my way home from lunch I decided I had earned a treat. I stopped by my LYS (Kiwi Knitting) and bought some Crystal Palace Panda Superwash. It's this really cool mauve color, with bright orange and blue and green and yellow. I decided I'd finally try out the infamous Jaywalker (ravelry link) pattern. The yarn is a little bit splitty, but otherwise feels amazing. The pattern is so easy to memorize, which makes this pattern very transportable. The only adjustment I made while knitting was to make the leg several inches shorter than called for. A few weeks ago I was in Kentucky visiting my brother, and I got invited to a craft night, where I cast on the second sock. Everyone was really impressed, which is always a great feeling. In the past week I turned the heel on the second sock and will hopefully get them done pretty soon.

2. Juggling balls. My friend Amy has always really like the juggling balls I knit myself, and requested some for her birthday. Of course I obliged. I think I made them out of some magenta Vanna's Choice.





3. Kindness socks. I finally decided to learn how to do magic loop socks. It's amazing, and I'm trying to never go back to dpns. I ordered some Knit Picks needles and this Essential yarn (colorway is Fruit punch, which makes me smile). It took me a while to find a pattern that was simple enough to learn magic loop on, and looked pretty good in the yarn. I stumbled upon this pattern via ravelry. Like my Jaywalkers, I shortened the leg. I don't really like the toe that the pattern calls for, but I did it anyway. If I were to make another pair, I'd definitely change it up. This was also my first experience with a three needle bind off. Loved it! Might incorporate it into more of my knitting. I haven't started the second sock, but plan to once I finish my jaywalker and maybe the pomatomus I haven't mentioned yet....

4. Pomatomus. I have been in love with this pattern for as long as I can remember, and finally developed the courage to try it out. I bought the yarn at a Christmas sale in December at the Stitchworks in Tulsa. It's Plymouth Happy Feet, which has quickly become one of my favorite sock yarns. The subtle color changes make this sock so sexy. I don't know why, but the word "sexy" just constantly comes to mind when I'm looking at this sock. I'm absolutley in love, though it's taking forever, and after two and a half months I'm just now turning the heel on the first one. Oh well, it will be completed, it will have a mate, and they will be glorious.

I also want to give dear ambrr a shout out for the best birthday present ever, which I've been meaning to blog about. Of course she bought me yarn, but not just any yarn. Dream in Color Smooshy, which is wonderful, and I mostly just cuddle with it. I think it will become Blackrose socks, but I'm open to other pattern suggestions.




Once again it is summertime, and I have endless free time. Hopefully the knitting and blog-updating will both increase. What's on your needles this summer?

<3 uhlissssa