I have not had a chance to update my blog for quite a while so I thought you might like to know what I have been working on lately. I started teaching a sock class last Wednesday and I will start a class on Tuesday which will be making the
Fairly Easy Fair Isle sweater from Stitch 'n' Bitch Nation. That has kept me busy writing handouts and knitting up samples.
I have been working on the second sock for a pair of blue and brown striped socks made of Lion Brand Magic Stripes yarn.
It is a very simple stockinette pattern on size 2 needles that I have used multiple times. I have perfected the fit this pattern and yarn combination. I like a snug fitting sock so fit is important to me.
The other sock I have been working on is made from Online Supersocke 100. This yarn is much finer so I am using size 1 needles. I really am not having fun with this one!! I think this size yarn and needles are just too small for my stiff fingers and poor eyesight to manage comfortably. I am knitting it in a 3x1 rib which is difficult enough. I tried to use a slip stitch pattern for the heel but I found that it just wasn't going to work. So the heel will be stockinette.
I am still not sure about the fit for this one either. I am getting 10 stitches to the inch but the sample still seemed loose thus the reason for the ribbing.
I have to say that going back and forth between these two socks has been teaching me some things:
- I really like a slightly heavier yarn and larger needles. Of course I already knew that! I love my worsted weight socks! Especially when we get temperatures around zero like we have today!
- Dark yarn like this green is very hard to see! I find I do best with it during the day when the light is better. Unfortunately much of my knitting time is at night.
- You can "feel" the difference in the size of yarn and needles even when they are this small.
On to the sweaters!
I am finishing up a Baby Surprise Jacket. This one is so cute! I used Kinder Baby yarn from Mondial.
It is a self-striping yarn in a wool/acrylic blend. This sweater is intended for a baby due in March so I might loan it to the LYS for a while so they can put it up as a sample.
My Fairly Easy Fair Isle is made of Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn. I have joined the sleeves to the body of the sweater and I am almost ready to start the color work on the yoke. I made several samples with other stitch designs that I wanted to try with this sweater but they weren't working so I am going to just use the patterns from the book. Sometimes simple is really better. With our cold weather, I would really like to be wearing this sweater so I decided, as a friend of mine has been known to say, "finished is better than perfect."
Lastly, I started a Spiral Baby Blanket last night in a mint green acrylic. This is a fun pattern but I keep forgetting whether I am on the knit row or the increase row. There has been a lot of tinking going on!
I am going to work on some of these projects tonight as I watch the second half of
Jane Eyre.
Knit on!
Denise
This is the Baby Surprise Jacket finally finished! So cute and soft! The yarn is self-striping Mondial Kinder Baby, 70% merino wool/30% acrylic. I used size 6 needles with this. The sweater is maybe a 6-12 month size but the garter stitch is so stretchy that it may fit an older baby. I also added ribbed cuffs to lengthen the sleeves.
