Thanks! And Socks!

Thank you all for your kind comments encouraging me to continue blogging, even if it's not very often! You're all so sweet! Like I said I have been tossing around completely ending all my blogs, but then I think about all the friends I have made through them, and I don't want to do it. So I think I will just post as I am able, and make a better effort to comment on others' blogs. You're all the best!

I finished my Tidal Wave Socks a few weeks ago. It took me 4 weeks, knitting just about every day, just to finish the first sock! I then made it a goal to knit the second sock in 3 weeks, and I finished a few days ahead of schedule. So it took me about 6 1/2 weeks total to make the pair.

They turned out pretty well. The second sock ended up bigger than the first. I think I loosened up my knitting or something, because I kept track of how many rows in each section on the first sock and repeated it on the second. They both fit though and you can't tell when they're on that they're not quite the same size. The toe decrease section on the second sock is fairly loose. I don't like that. But they're still wearable.

I love the way the colors patterned themselves (can't think of the term to describe that!) in the leg of the first sock. In the second sock the colors pooled, didn't look the same as the first at all. Again it's fine with me, but I like the first sock so much better.

I'm now making the Mini Messenger bag from one of the One Skein books (can't think of the title at the moment, if it's the yarn shop one or the designer one) using Cascade 220. I finished the body of the bag and next will be the flap where the cables are. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to learn how to cable, so I thought this would be a good first project for that. I haven't taken any pictures of it yet.

I had originally bought some Cascade 220 yarn for the bag in a beautiful blue color. The first time I made something with that yarn (the Sophie bag I made which has yet to be felted!) my husband held the yarn for me while I wound it into a center pull ball. It went really well, no problems. So with this skein I decided to try to wind it into a ball without any help. BIG MISTAKE! It got all tangled up and after spending TWO HOURS trying to straighten it out, I finally threw most of the skein out! I hated to do it but I had no choice! I went to a different yarn shop to buy another skein and they didn't have the original color so I bought more in a green heather color. This time my husband helped me wind it into a ball and it went smoothly. :-)

Thanks again everyone for your input!

********************

I take terrible pictures. The sock in front is actually the first (and smaller) sock. But in this picture it looks bigger than the sock in back. You can see the difference in the way the yarn patterned in each sock. I like the one in front better.

How do you knit so fast?

I started my Tidal Wave socks over 2 weeks ago. Since then I've worked on them almost every day for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Actually 2 hours a week ago Sunday when I went to my local Knit & Sip. I finished the heel flap of the first sock last night. HOW DO YOU KNIT A WHOLE PAIR OF SOCKS IN A WEEK? OR A WEEKEND? I've heard of both. You don't sleep? :-) Or what?

It doesn't matter that much to me. I am totally enjoying making these socks. I just wonder.....

So here they are so far....


Other knitting notes:
-Sophie bag still not felted
-Haven't heard yet if friend received my gift
-Not sure if I'll start another project soon or work on socks until they are done


Note to Chris: I so planned to participate in your book thingy here on my blog. I really did. But here it is over 2 weeks later and I haven't done it yet, so I hope you don't mind if I don't do it. I do love to read! And thank you so much for your kind comment about my knitting. I won't tell you about the mistakes I made in my sock so far. LOL

Pair of Socks #2

I finally started my second pair of socks last night. I'm making the Tidal Wave socks using my Tofutsies yarn.



I cast them on and frogged them THREE times before I got it right. I kept making stupid mistakes. I don't know how good my cast on edge is going to be in the end. I've only done 2 rounds so far so it's hard to tell. I'm not having a problem at all working with fingering weight yarn and smaller needles. I've crocheted many doilies in my lifetime with thread so I guess I'm used to using thinner yarn. It was still a good idea, I think, to use worsted weight yarn for my first pair of socks. But I also think I would have been fine starting out with regular sock yarn too. I should probably hold my tongue though until I finish one sock and see how it turns out!

I finished knitting the Sophie Bag about a week ago. I just have to felt it, but I have to find someone who will let me borrow their top loader washing machine first. I'm not sure when I'll get around to that.




I finished the gift I was knitting also, but it hasn't been mailed yet so I still can't say what it is or post a picture.

I'm debating if I want to exclusively work on my socks or if I want to also cast on for Fuzzy Feet. Part of me wants to just focus on only one project right now, but I think I might like a little variety too. I'll let you know.

I guess I haven't been doing a ton of knitting lately. I hope to get back into it more now that I started my socks.

Happy knitting!

Socks are Done! (and January recap)

I finished the second sock on Wednesday night. I haven't had a chance to take a picture and post until now. It's not the greatest picture but here they are:




It looks like one sock is smaller than the other in the top pic but it isn't. In fact, they are both exactly the same size. I did a good job on that anyway! :-) The color looks different in these 2 pics - the actual color is closer to the pic on the bottom, where they're on my feet. :-)

************

January Recap:

On my needles when the month started:
-First socks
-Sophie bag felted purse
-Gift that can't be named yet
-Ballband dishcloth

Off my needles by the end of the month:
-First socks

Goals for February:
-Finish Sophie bag
-Finish gift
-Finish ballband dishcloth
-Swatch and begin second pair of socks, hopefully finish!
-Find a pattern for ponchos for my girls
-Start small felted purse pattern with Boku yarn

DONE!

I finished my sock on Sunday night! I think it turned out pretty good. It's not perfect but it fits. Well it could be a little narrower and a little shorter and still fit. It's so thick, being made with worsted weight yarn, and it's just a little roomy. But they will be nice wearing in the house while watching TV on a cold winter night (and we have plenty of those here in Wisconsin!)

After I finished I immediately cast on for the second sock and am about halfway done with the leg. When I get to the heel I'm going to put it aside for a bit and work on the felted purse I started. I have the bottom done on that and am ready to pick up stitches along the sides.

TA DA!!!!!! .........................

Socks....or boots? :-)

Sorry I haven't updated lately! I decided to forge ahead and do some "fearless knitting", and try to pick up the gusset stitches on my own and guess what...........

.............it worked! I'm almost done with the foot! I've been working on my sock just about every day (I'm a slow knitter). I think the sock looks a little bit like a boot. :-) Since it's in worsted weight, it's pretty thick. It seems to fit so far though.

Here's a picture taken a few days ago before I started the foot....

Success!

I think! :-) I frogged back to the end of the leg rounds again and redid everything. I got some input regarding that weird section of stitches that I was confused about - I just redid it according to the instructions, disregarding my confusion about it, and this time it doesn't look so strange.

Last time my heel turn was not centered - this time it is and I figured out why! Last time I was looking at the wrong number for the heel flap and I did 26 rows instead of 24. DUH.

So now I am to the point of picking up the stitches at the heel flap. I'm not sure if I want to just give it a try on my own or wait until the next Knit Night. I will probably give it a whirl since I'm not sure if I can make it to this Tuesday's get together and there won't be another one until after Christmas.

I'll try to get a pic up later - gotta run as it's almost time for the Packer game!

GO PACK!

Thanks!

Thanks for your sock encouragement. :-) I wish it was just picking up the stitches at the gusset that was the only problem though. If it was, yes, I could just have someone show me how and hopefully I would get it (!) and move on with the sock. But there are several other wonky things before even getting to that. I don't even know how to explain it! There's a weird section of stitches at the base of the heel that aren't in the picture in the book; somehow it looks like there are more rows on one side of the heel flap than the other which I don't get if I was working back and forth, how that could happen; and then there are some extra stitches to the side of the heel turn that I don't think are supposed to be there. Also with those rows being off, I have no idea if I have the right number of rows in the heel flap or not. See it's just a mess! :-)

I hope to make it to tomorrow night's Knit Night and get a little help, at least figure out what went wrong and maybe I can try to fix it at home. Meanwhile I have a good start on my felted bag, am about 1/3 done with the dishcloth, and I FINISHED Lindsey's scarf. It's quite basic and could really use some fringe or something but it ain't happening! It's DONE and I never want to look at it again (except on my daughter). LOL It's nothing special and has a few little holes and mistakes, but it really was a good project for me just to get the hang of knitting and purling. It really did help me master purling, I even *like* to purl now.

I will try to get a picture of the scarf up in the next few days.

Sock Woes

I can't even begin to detail all my frustrations trying to knit my first pair of socks. But I'll tell you a little bit about it. :-)

First of all, huge thanks to Brandy who helped me move past the leg to the heel flap, at the last Knit Night I went to (a week ago yesterday, didn't make it last night because we went to our city's annual Christmas Parade, a tradition!). Finished the heel flap, went on to the next step, screwed up almost immediately. Due to not knowing how to fix it, and fatigue and frustration, I ripped out the whole heel flap and started over. And again, and again. Noticed a hole at the end of the leg I didn't notice before (the lifeline knot was in the way). At this point I'm not going back, I'll sew up the hole later when the socks are done. :-)

I'm pretty sure something was messed up before I started to turn the heel, but I pressed on anyway just in case it was okay. :-) Finished that, I get the concept of that no problem, it looks *almost* like it's supposed to, but something doesn't look quite right. So I think I may have messed something up, not sure! Now I have no idea how to pick up stitches along the side. I looked at various tutorials online but I still don't get it. I need someone to show me.

Here's my problem now. I have people who could help me. I have my new friends in my local knitting group. BUT, I fear there is just too much for someone to help me during Knit Night. I need to sit down with someone for, oh, probably 2 or more hours. I don't really have 2 hours to do that (I am swamped and Christmas coming doesn't help matters) AND I sure don't want to ask someone to take a few hours out of their own busy day to help me.

I feel stuck. There's nothing I can do right now. I think the socks might have to sit for awhile - weeks or months - and that BUMS ME OUT! I want so bad to figure this out and learn how to knit socks. I really think I am going to LOVE it once I know what I'm doing.

I do have some projects to work on while I wait to resume my sock knitting. I still haven't finished Lindsey's scarf (OY!) but I'm almost there. I started a ballband dishcloth a few weeks ago that has just been sitting. I also have yarn to make 2 different small felted purses (another new thing for me, can't wait to try it!) but I'm waiting on the needles I need to come from Knit Picks. Then there's the crocheted slippers I started last summer. I really don't want to abandon crocheting completely while I'm learning to knit. However knitting is priority for me right now.

So if you've made it this far, thanks for listening to my lament! I WILL get this, it just may be awhile.

Good night, Happy Thanksgiving, and......

GO PACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My socks!

I'm so sorry, I've been wanting to write a post about making my first pair of socks since I started them, but I've been either too tired or too unmotivated to write whenever I sit down at the computer!

I started them on Monday night, October 29 when the Packers played the Broncos (and of course the Packers won, woo hoo!). NOT such a good time to start my first pair of socks. First of all I found when knitting my gauge swatch and figuring out the Magic Loop method, and when I first started the socks, that it seems to me that the whole thing looks like one big mess until an inch or so of the sock is completed. And let me back up to say (and this may be dumb but what can I say) I was SO nervous to start these socks! AND I was not just nervous about starting the socks but as is typical for me, I was so nervous about the game! So my hands were shaking and I had this mess going on, and I didn't actually get much done that first night.

Since then I've worked on the socks for about 1/2 hour almost every night after the kids go to bed and I have about 40 rounds, and 6 inches of the leg done. I need to get about 1 more inch done before moving on to the next step. I've gotten comfortable knitting the leg (K3, P1 rib) but as I get closer to the heel I'm getting nervous again. I have no idea if I'll be able to figure it out or if the sock will fit or if I'll make a mistake I can't correct or whatever. I know, reminding myself what the Yarn Harlot said:

"Be afraid of skydiving. Be afraid of wild boar. Be fearless with knitting."

Here's a picture taken a few days ago. I've gotten a few more inches done since I took this pic. I'll post another picture once I move on to the heel.



I am still working on Lindsey's scarf! I don't work on it much. I could probably end it now, it's probably long enough. But I have it in my head I want it to be 50 inches and I'm about 6 or 7 inches short of that yet. I think it was such a good first project, just to get comfortable with knitting and purling, and not having to worry about mistakes. I've made a few, just kept going and didn't undo them, why bother. Who knows if she'll even wear it! It's really scratchy. I'm making it out of Red Heart Kids. Funny that almost all my crocheting was done with Red Heart yarn and I didn't mind it (I didn't really know about better yarns) but now that I'm knitting and I'm using a non-acrylic yarn for the socks, I realize how scratchy the RH is. I think it has it's place and I'm certainly no "yarn snob" but I don't think I'll be using it much anymore. Neither can I afford anything super expensive though!

Coming soon: More about my knitting podcast obsession, what I'm waiting on in the mail, and dreaming of future projects!

Ready, set, go!

I am done swatching - I switched from size 6 needles to size 7 and my gauge went from 7 stitches per inch to 6 stitches per inch, so I am going to make the 6 Stitches Per Inch socks from Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd. Even though the recommended yarn weight for this pattern is sportweight or DK weight, I'll be using my Knit Picks Swish Superwash worsted weight. I don't have time during the day today to start but I don't care how tired I am, I am going to cast on as soon as the girls go to bed tonight. I'll be up late watching the Packers play (and hopefully BEAT*) the Broncos. I doubt I'll knit the whole game but I will for awhile. Wish me luck!

Question: Since I played around with the yarn quite a bit, swatched twice, etc., can I still use it to knit my socks or did I totally stretch it out? I guess I only bought 2 balls so I have to use it, will hope for the best!

NEXT PROJECT: I am already itching to get the supplies to start something else. I probably won't start anything until my socks are well underway, but I'm going to start researching what to make next in the meantime. Some things I am interested in are a felted bag, felted iPod or cell phone holder, toddler sweater or poncho ..... any other ideas??? I know that is totally up to me, but just throw some suggestions out there - novice patterns please! But they don't have to be all garter stitch or anything like that. I think I can purl okay and I like to purl. I'd also love to make something using my new circs. But I don't have to either. So just something not too hard, but it doesn't have to be a garter stitch scarf. LOL In fact, NO SCARVES! I still haven't finished Lindsey's. :-)


*It's sad but I still hold a major grudge against the Broncos for beating my Packers in Super Bowl XXXII - GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! My 4 most hated teams, in this order, are the Vikings, the Bears, the Patriots, and the Broncos.

FRUSTRATED

I knew I'd be the first person ever not to be able to knit socks. I can't even do the gauge swatch. I am trying to learn Magic Loop and all I get is a tangled mess of yarn. I tried for over an hour last night to get it and I couldn't. I watched the how-to video on knittinghelp.com this morning and tried again and I still can't quite do it. I will continue to practice this afternoon while watching football but if after an hour I still can't do it, I'm going to give up and work on the crocheted slippers I started for myself before I decided to learn to knit, then abandoned when my knitting obsession took over. :-)

If I just can't get Magic Loop, should I try dpns? I do have a local knitting group where I can get some help, but it's almost just too embarrassing. :-) My yarn is turning into a mess and I don't even know if it's usable after I knitted and pulled it out a zillion times.

Sigh.

UPDATE: I got it! Whew, I figured it out. My only issue is I have a hard time moving the stitches from the cable back onto the needle. I think I knit pretty tight, even though I tried real hard not to! I was planning to make the 5 stitches per inch sock, and my gauge was 7 stitches per inch, using a size 6 needle. There is a pattern for a 7 stitches per inch sock in the book. It calls for fingering or sportweight yarn and I'm using worsted. So I'm thinking I could just use that pattern, even though I'm using a different weight yarn? Do you know what I'm saying? I am trying one more gauge swatch though using size 7 needles. After that I'm just going to go for it and hope they fit. :-)

I did it!

I placed an order, that is. I hope hope hope I didn't screw that up. I decided to order everything I needed from Knit Picks since I have heard great things about their circular needles. Here's my plan:

I'm going to knit the "5 Stitches Per Inch" socks from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks. I am going to give the Magic Loop method a try. So I bought a size 6 and 7 Options Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needle Tips with a 40 inch cable. For yarn I bought Swish Superwash worsted weight yarn, color Delft Heather. I also bought stitch markers and a stitch holder and a case for my cables.

ACK! I hope that is what I need and I didn't forget something or goof something up! I hope I get the right gauge with one of the needles sizes I bought. The pattern says anywhere from size 4-8 so I got sizes in between. I guess if I don't get gauge I can order some more needle tips. I'll use the ones I bought now for a project somewhere down the road. I'll just have to wait longer to start my socks. I don't want to wait any more, but I'm not going to stress about that now! I can always make some more dishcloths while I wait. (sigh) I am still working on Lindsey's scarf - have about 6 inches maybe to do yet. I'm not sure how long I'm going to make it. I haven't had much actual knitting time lately and don't forsee a lot in the near future either but I do what I can (and listen to my knitting podcasts, and surf around Ravelry in the meantime!)

I received so much good advice here on my blog and other places. THANK YOU to everyone who gave me input and advice! Even if I didn't do what you suggested, please know I appreciate your input and will probably use your advice at some point. Thanks!

Fearless knitting and sock woes!

"One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do."

Henry Ford

This quote was in Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's At Knit's End, Meditations for Women who Knit Too Much. After I finish Lindsey's scarf I want to get started on some "real projects". But I'm afraid I'll be the first knitter who cannot knit a sweater or socks! I've been crocheting for over 10 years and I consider myself fairly good at it, but I've never made anything that had to be fitted in any way. I've always made afghans, dishcloths, coasters, doilies and things like that. I've never had to worry about gauge. Everything always turned out an appropriate size (except maybe the afghan I made my youngest sister that turned out really BIG! but she likes it anyway).

I really can't afford to buy a sweater's worth of yarn and then have it not fit in the end! But I'd love to make myself one someday. I probably need to just take it one step at a time and not fear it! Stephanie says she is surprised to hear of knitters like me, who are afraid to take on a big project or make a mistake. She says "Be afraid of skydiving. Be afraid of wild boar. Be fearless with knitting."

I will try to take her advice! As she also says: "...no one has ever been killed or maimed by being adventurous with knitting, no matter how pointy the needles."

So I am ready to make my first pair of socks - BUT - I need help!!! Bombard me with your suggestions. I don't know what yarn to buy, I don't know what needles to get, I don't know if I should use dpns or two circulars or magic loop. At first I thought I'd try magic loop right away and was fairly set on that, then I thought maybe I should use dpns for my first socks and my first project in the round, and then I thought, I'm not sure! I'm confused! I can't wait to get started but I don't know what to do. I was thinking I would go to my LYS and ask for some help, but with my 2 little ones I don't know when I will be able to get there, so my best bet might be to order what I need online. But what to get? HELP!!!!!!!!!

I'M IN!!!!!!!!

In Ravelry, of course! Woo hoo!

I got my invite yesterday, exactly 2 months after I signed up. I had NO idea what it was when I first put my name on the waiting list. When I joined my local knitting group someone told me to put my name down, so I dutifully did even though I hadn't a clue what I was signing up for. I'm glad I did it right away!

Being a new knitter, I don't have much to offer the community but I do have lots to gain! I already spent some time last night (when I should have been in bed!) looking through the site, adding some friends, and joining some groups. I could spent 24/7 there I'm sure! But I have 3 kids, a husband, and a dog - no can do! :-) I'm going away for the weekend too so no Ravelry fun for the next few days either.

If you're on Ravelry, let me know! My name there is WiscKnitter. I'm not super crazy about the name but I was under pressure to choose one! All along these past 2 months I had planned to be N-E-W-Knitter just like my blog title. But I found out at the initial login that you can only have numbers and letters in your name. So I tried NEWKnitter, but it was already taken. I should have thought ahead what I would do if my name was used. I could have taken some time to think of something better but I HAD MY INVITE AND I WANTED TO SIGN ON, AND DO IT NOW!!!!!!! :-) I've lived in Wisconsin all my life and will probably never move out of state, so WiscKnitter I am.

Happy day! Happy knitting!

P.S. Did I tell you my husband got me BOTH sock books I asked for for my birthday? Yes he did! I still haven't started any socks though because I need the yarn and needles and I haven't had time to get anything. I hope to finish Lindsey's scarf this weekend or early next week and have the supplies to start my first pair of socks shortly after that.