Apollo and Artemis complete!

Socks for September:

I enjoyed knitting these.  It has been a while since I have made a pair of socks that didn't require a chart.   There is a mistake in the pattern for Apollo (see note below). I haven't cast on another pair of socks I can share, but I am working on a test knit for Yarnissima and I am planning on knitting 3 Christmas stockings over the next couple of months. I also plan to make some slippers for gifts and finish up 2 sweaters I started last year. I plan to be busy for the rest of 2010!

Here are the details for Apollo and Artemis:
Pattern: Apollo and Artemis by Kirsten Kapur
Size: medium
Yarn: Handmaiden Casbah Sock, colorway: amethyst
Needles: US 2/2.75 mm

Details: Quick and easy pattern to knit. Apollo has an error:  the YO, SSK should actually be SSK, YO.  Easy pattern to memorize making these great for the car.

Presenting my Aeolian Shawlette...

Here she is all pinned up:

And after:

These pictures do not capture what this wrap looks like "in real life". The beads are a little easier to see in the blocked picture.   I love how the beads and the drape of the yarn look.  What a great wrap!  The design and pattern were both incredibly well done.  I am so happy to be wearing this right now. 

Pattern details:
Pattern: Aeolian Shawl by Elizabeth Freeman from Knitty Spring 2009 with the Alternate Narrow Edge, available here on Ravelry

Size: Shawlette; 4 repeats of the Yucca chart, NO regular Agave chart, just Final Agave chart, alternate narrow edging

Yarn:  1 skein HandMaiden Sea Silk, colorway:  Moss,  with only 4 gr (or 4%) left over!

Beads:  8/0 Butter Cream Ceylon Miyuki Seed Bead from Caravan Beads; used approx 15gr

Needles: US5 / 3.75mm

Details: I shared my notes along the way (click here for a review).

So now that I have finished this big project, I have some time to finish up a couple of other WIPs that have been hibernating.  I will dig them out over the weekend and get started.

Apollo complete

Usually I don't blog about one completed sock because then actually finishing the pair seems anti-climatic, but since this pair of socks has 2 different socks, I can share:

Apollo is complete and Artemis has been cast on:

Looks like I may actually finish this pair in September!

Christmas Stocking Kits

I am really excited about this.  BuzzandFuzz is now carrying the full line of Judy's Colors Christmas Stocking Kits!  With over 30 designs and 80 possible colorways, there really are too many to choose from.  Here's a sampling:

Click here to view the complete line.  The stockings are knit with DK yarn at 6sts/inch, so I am hoping they knit up relatively quickly.  I plan to make 3 stockings this year (for each of my kiddies) and then a couple more next year for me and my DH.  My kick of day will be October 1.  If you would like to join me, all stocking kits will be $10 of now through Sept 30, 2010 using this code in your shopping cart:  STOCKING.  I can't wait to get started!

Striped Baby Sweater complete!

I have been busy knitting and finished up this baby sweater this weekend.

I love the colors and the wool. I think I am going to make another one in "girl" colors with a picot edge later this winter. Here are the details:

Pattern: Adapted from "Latte Baby Sweater" by Liselotte Weller (click here for Ravelry link). I could really only use Liselotte's picture because the pattern is only available in Danish. I knit it in the rnd, bottom up, hemmed cuffs, and went with a wider boatneck collar and a relaxed fit.

Size: 18 mo (finished chest measurement 22")

Yarn: Woolganic DK, colorway: MC1: Krishna (blue), MC2: Kyoto (green), CC: Samsara (yellow). I used 1.5 balls of each of the MCs and .5 ball of the CC

Gauge: 5.25sts/inch, 8 rows/inch, unblocked

Needles: US 6/4.0 mm

I wish my little ones were still little enough to wear this sweater, but this is going off as a gift. I am really happy with how it turned out. And the yarn is so soft!

Apollo & Aretmis

I have decided to knit Apollo and Aretmis as my September socks. I cast on over the weekend and expect these will be a pretty quick knit and easy to fit in around my other projects. I am actually knitting these for me and not as a gift! I cast on Apollo first and I am working on the leg:

I would be further along if I had read through the Ravelry comments and caught the error in the Apollo sock. As it was, I had to rip out a few rnds to get the patterned band correct. The pattern says YO, SSK and it should be SSK, YO. I know I have said it before, but Casbah sock is my new favorite sock yarn to knit with--so soft! I hope it wears well...

Aeolian Shawlette update and tips, part 3

So summer is nearly over and I am still working on my Aeolian Shawlette. I have finished the Final Agave chart and moved on to the Alternate Narrow Edging. Here's a quick picture before I started the edging:

There are only (only!) 35 rows to complete the narrow edging. If I complete 4 rows a day, I will be done by the end of next week. That is my plan, so I can pick up some WIP sweaters to finish before the snow falls.

Some notes on starting/setting up the alternate edging:

*Symbols on the alternate charts have changed from the original
*I have used 40% of my Sea Silk so I should have enough to finish the shawlette with only 1 skein

Rows 1 (and continuing through Row 22)
1. 2 border stitches
2. Row 1 of Main Edge chart (alternate-not the chart in the original pattern)
3. Row 1 of Center Edge chart (note this stitch is no longer tbl)
4. Row 1 of Main Edge chart (alternate-not the chart in the original pattern)
5. 2 border stitches

Rows 23 (and continuing through Row 34)
1. 2 border stitches
2. Row 23 of Right Edge chart
3. Row 23 of Main Edge chart
4. Row 23 of Center Edge chart (note that you will need to move stitch markers here, adding 1 st 1 on each side of center stitch)
5. Row 23 of Main Edge chart
6. Row 23 of Left Edge chart
7. 2 border stitches

Row 35=BO Row!