FO: Ty Dy Socks

It’s always good to have a pair of simple socks on the needles. My latest FO is one of those simple pairs using Ty-Dy Sock Yarn.

I should also mention there is nothing I love more than a pair of blocked socks – they feel amazing. These had a soak in Soak and then dried on my Knit Picks sock blockers.  They  look so flat and fabulous.

I was initially convinced this yarn was going to be very busy, and that only a simple stockinette sock would work. Once I actually started knitting, though, I realized that with 40 straight rows of green I probably could have gotten away with something a little more detailed. While I love how these turned out, and that by pure luck I ended up with pink tops, heels and toes, they don’t look like Ty Dy to me.

But like I said, I still love them. They are very comfortable. I used a sock pattern that I’ve used many other times just to get the basic numbers. I used a size 2.5 needles on these, which is a little looser gauge than I’d usually like for socks. I think that in this case it actually makes them light and airy and very nice to wear. Full details are on Ravelry .

I’m very near completion on the second of my Triton Socks, and about halfway through my first self-striping simple sock. The Dandelion Days Cowl is on a bit of a hiatus, as pattern on every row is more taxing than my brain can handle right now.

I’ll also be back soon to share a quick, happy project!

 

 

This week’s projects: Two pairs of socks

Last week, I started two new pairs of socks, which I’m still working diligently on this week.

After the success of my Ty Dy Socks (pictures to come soon), which were the perfect mindless knitting, I wanted to cast on for another simple sock. I was trying to decide which yarn to pull from my stash for the project when I had a weird dream about casting on with some self-stripting yarn I’d purchased to make Halloween socks. I have no idea why I’m dreaming about Halloween socks in May, but I decided to roll with it.

Out came my ball winder and swift so I could get this String Theory Colorworks Continuum in RuBisCo ready to get on the needles. I’m doing a basic sock on size 1 needles, and kind of faking it as I go along. I am vaguely following my favorite sock pattern (because I know it fits) in a larger size, since I’m using a smaller needle, and so far that seems to be working out. I’ll let you know once I’ve got one done. I’ve got to say that even though this looks bold wound up, it’s even more eye-popping once it’s knit up in the stripes. These are going to be LOUD, but awesome for Halloween.

I also cast on for a more seasonally appropriate pattern – Triton socks in Bliss with a Twist in Tanzanite. I’m sorry to say that the reason I’ve waited so long to do this pattern/yarn combination is because I didn’t want to learn Judy’s Magic Cast-On. Not that it’s hard, it was just the video explaining it was 8 minutes long, and I had no idea why anything needed to be that involved. Silly, right? I finally did it and it was very easy – and it did not take 8 minutes to figure out.

I took myself to Starbucks last week to enjoy a sunny day with a Frappuccino (in case you’re interested – I do Carmel Light with extra carmel drizzle) and some Triton knitting. It was really lovely. I may be doing it again this week because – public service announcement – Starbucks is doing half price Frappuccinos in the afternoon until May 12!! This makes me very happy.

I’m now working on the leg of the first sock, having successfully negotiated a new-to-me way of doing an actual heel flap on a toe-up sock (my others have been all short rows). I’m really loving it!

The last thing I’m thinking about starting this week is a baby project for a friend. I’ve purchased some yarn (Bernat Satin in Lavender), but I’m stuck between making a hat and mitten set (thinking of the ones I used for the Hermione trio), a little cardigan (I LOVE this one) or going the whole hog for a blanket (also love this!). I really only have a week or so of dedicated knitting time before I don’t know how much free time I’ll have. She’s due in mid-July, and it has to be shipped. So what’s a girl to do? I’ve really been leaning toward the blanket idea, but I really think that’s insane. I’m open to any other ideas you may have for a quick, easy knit (to me, this means little to no seaming) for a baby girl. Let me know!

 

This is how I swatch

I know that swatches are good things. And that you should definitely do them if you want things to fit. But I hate doing them anyway.

I took a Knitting Boot Camp class a couple of years ago, and it was recommended that for every project you make at least a 5” by 5” square, with nice garter selvedges, that you then wash, block, dry and measure.

And while that sounds very sensible, I just don’t have the patience to do all that before I start a project. It also sometimes feels like a waste of good yarn. So I’ve made a compromise with myself. It looks like this:

 

This is my swatch for the Triton Socks that I started yesterday. I’ve had this pattern and yarn combo in mind for a while, and I finally decided it was time to go for it. I love the idea of this sea blue yarn being used in a sock named for the Greek god of the sea. What I did not love was that I needed to check my gauge. I was hoping that I could get away with a smaller needle than suggested, as the last socks I made on 2s seemed a bit loose for my liking. I swatched on a 1 1/2 and knit only enough to be able to squeeze my ruler onto it and then measured.

By some miracle, even though I’m usually a tight knitter, the 1 1/2 needles put me right on target.

I didn’t bother with a soak or a block. I just ripped out the swatch, and used the same yarn to begin my sock.

While I know this isn’t the optimum way to swatch, it generally works for me. I at least do a check without holding up the beginning of a project too much. To be fair, I don’t really knit sweaters (where I would probably actually do the whole big swatch, wash, block thing), just socks and mitts that – so far – have fit  by using this shortcut method.

This is one of the things I like about knitting: everyone has their own methods. As long as it works for you, keep going with it!

 

FO: Sproutlette Dress

For a few months, I have been obsessed with the Clara dress pattern. I used to go visit it on Ravelry and look at how cute it was. I wanted the pattern, and would have paid for it, but they were only selling it with yarn – fingering weight alpaca yarn. It seemed very silly to me to make a summer baby dress out of fingering weight alpaca, and I couldn’t think of anything else I really wanted to make with that yarn, so I refrained from purchasing anything at all.

Then, Tanis released the Sproutlette Dress pattern in March, and I finally saw something that could scratch my baby dress itch! It was the perfect little baby girl knit, and I needed it badly.

Since I definitely wanted it to be a comfortable dress for summer, I decided it needed to be cotton. I ordered some Cascade Ultra Pima Fine in Deep Coral, since it reminded me of the original color Tanis made. I couldn’t wait to cast on!

I made a mess of it to start – all my fault – by using the chart and not noticing that the knits and purls are switched on alternate rows, since you’re knitting back and forth at the beginning. Much grumbling ensued. After ripping back, I started following the written instructions so I wouldn’t run into any more self-inflicted mistakes. It was all smooth sailing after that, and I was completely charmed with both the pattern and the yarn.

Two weeks ago, I finished up the dress and blocked it. It needed it, as the scalloped edging benefited from some straightening out. And here’s the finished product!

I made the smallest size, 0-3 months, and it seems a little big to me compared to commercially sized baby dresses. But the beauty of babies is that it will all fit eventually, and that if the dress is a little large on her, it’s still not a huge deal. I also loved the opportunity to put a sweet little button on the back.

I really liked the idea of using a contrasting color button, and I felt like it really had to be a flower to keep in theme with the dress.

Overall, I LOVED this little project. And my baby dress itch is over – for now.

Since it used far less yarn than I thought (about 306 yards – Ravelry page here), I’m still working on the Dandelion Days cowl with the leftovers, and still feeling unsure how that’s working together, but plugging along for a while longer before making a decision!

On the needles

Since finishing the Sproutlette dress (pictures to follow soon!), I found myself craving a little mindless straight knitting. So I began a pair of plain vanilla socks in Ty Dy yarn.

I’m already onto the foot of the second sock, so progress is going fairly quickly. So quick, in fact, I’m already planning another boring sock project after this. It’s perfect to take to my knitting groups and for TV knitting.

But I did get a little tired of just plain stockinette, so I also started a more involved project, a Dandelion Days cowl. I’m using Ultra Pima Fine for this, and I’m not sure if the combination of the pattern and the yarn is working out, though both are beautiful.

The green blob of yarn is what I’m using for my lifeline. This pattern is a bit more patterned than I’m used to doing, and I’m afraid of having to tink back with so much detail. I’m going to keep going on this until I finish at least one pattern repeat, and then see how I feel it’s working out. This yarn is so soft, I really want to be able to wear it around my neck in some fashion!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I’m looking forward to taking it easy and enjoying it as much as possible.

 

 

FO: Newborn Hat

It’s been a bit of a slow week around here – it’s been very rainy and gray and I feel like we’re just waiting.

Spring is definitely here. We have had a lot of fairly spectacular thunderstorms. Most of our plants have started to bloom. Last fall, we planted bulbs for the first time and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see they are actually blooming! We had many daffodils come up, but only three flowered. I think the late snow may have gotten to them a little. However, this week, the tulips have started springing up all over the place and they are all gorgeous! Most of our other plants don’t flower until later in the season, and I find it makes me very happy to see these early blooms.

Yesterday morning, we had a couple of hours of sunshine, and I ran outside quickly to snap a photo of some of my lovelies. As you can see, Mr Snips has already put down fresh mulch everywhere, and our outside looks very spiffy!

I’ve been following a variety of knitting blogs, as I always do, and I got inspired by a recent post from Tanis Fiber Arts. She just recently had a baby and said the Easy Peasy Newborn Sock Hat fit her newborn the best out of the hats he has right now. I remembered that I still have a little bit of the Three Irish Girls Glenhaven Cashmerino left from the Newborn Vertebrae and the Like Candy Bootees – so why not complete the set??

And newborn things are so impossibly small and fast to knit! I really enjoyed this quick little pattern, but as with the bootees, I find it difficult to believe this tiny thing could fit a baby. But what do I know? So this is what the complete set looks like.

Not that I think the baby will need to wear all three things at the same time – it could – but it’s also multi-colored enough these pieces should be able to go with quite a few things.

 

 

FO: Sweet candy baby bootees

It’s been a rough couple of weeks here at Chez Snips. Mr Snips was sick for most of last week, and just as he started to get better, I came down with it as well. It was all fevers and stuffy noses and body aches and general miserableness. We are just now starting to come out on the other side of it.

Before we got sick, I was able to whip up this sweet little project – baby bootees!!The pattern is Saartje’s Bootees and I used leftover Three Irish Girls Glenhaven Cashmerino Sock. You may recognize it from my Clapotis and Newborn Vertebrae. The buttons are ones I picked up at JoAnn’s, and I think the white helps to offset the brightness of the yarn, as well as add a feminine touch.

I made the smallest size listed in the pattern, and they are almost unbelievably small! I can fit both in the palm of my hand. I did want them small, since I want them to fit at the same time as the newborn-sized Vertebrae, but I just have no concept of how big newborn feet are. I have a feeling these will only fit for a very small amount of time!

That’s OK though. It was such a fun, quick pattern I might whip up another pair in a larger size! I have so many sock yarn scraps, I could probably knit a pair for every day of the year… but I won’t.