My Knitting Library

My Knitting Library
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I'm flashing my knitting library! I have four issues of IK, Vogue Knitting, Lace Style, Favorite Socks, Knitting Vintage Socks, Modular Knits, Sensational Knitted Socks, Socks Socks Socks, and Scarf Style... so far I have only used patterns from Sensational Knitted Socks and Scarf Style and of course Vogue Knitting is a good reference book with lots of great step by step pictures... I know that I will use all these books eventually since I think I have patterns marked in all of them!

This has got to be the weirdest pattern ever!

What exactly is this used for? Decoration in one's sitting room?

Backyard Leaves Seam

grafting up close
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

This is the seam of my backyard leaves scarf that I was bitchin' and moanin' about... It does bug me... but I still love the scarf!

Vesper Knit and Tonic!

Vesper Knit and Tonic!
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

Look what my super dooper awesome friend gave me! I can't wait to knit with it...

The Lone RPM Sock

IMG_0354
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I recently finished an RPM sock out of STR Mediumweight Highway 30. Here it is! I really love the feel of the sock when I put it on. It's like a slipper. These will be my indoor slipper socks. Knitting with STR mediumweight goes SO much faster than knitting with Lorna's Laces. I should add that besides this one, I have three other socks in progress.

Visited country and states map

Here's where I've been...



create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide



create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

And hopefully I'll go to many more places so that I can knit on the plane!

Is it wrong for me to say...

I want to add to my sock stash! Sure I have Lorna's Laces, Koigu, Socks that Rock, Cherry Tree Hill, Fleece Artist, and Claudia Hand Painted. But I don't have Sunshine, Yarn Pirate, sKNITches, Yarntini, and Vesper (my deargoodfriend Minh is helping with this last point :) ). These are essentials in my view! It's okay because I have a feeling that I will only knit socks this summer while I'm California for my internship simply because I won't need to take my entire needle collection and the yarn is portable.

I recently bought some plastic boxes to organize my sock yarn so I will flash my stash soon! I'm so afraid that some little critter will eat through the plastic bags that its in now. Oh god, how awful would that be! Thank god for boxes!

Sonia's Jaywalkers

Sonia's Jaywalkers
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

My sister models some Jaywalkers I made for her. These socks took me four months to make. I lost interest somewhere in the middle since knitting on size 0 needles seems to take forever! I won't do that again. I think I will stick to size 1 needles for socks. I think it will be great if my sister wears these underneath her suits.

I got Lace Style and Favorite Socks today!

I got my copies of Favorite Socks and Lace Style today in the mail. I'm probably the last person to get these, but I held out for free shipping and the cheapness of Amazon, woohoo! They look great, I am excited! In Lace Style, I like the Lily of the Valley stole, the Floral Lace Anklets, the Little Silk Shrug (shrugs are so cute, but I don't know how to wear them), the essential tank top, Tailored Scallops (which is on the cover of Lace Style), Retro Redux Shrug, Katharine Hepburn Cardigan, and Leg Cozies (again, how to wear these?). The Tailored Scallops sweater/coat thing is knitted on huge needles with bulky yarn, I wonder if it will actually be wearable. In Favorite Socks, I think I like everything pretty much! I don't know how to fair isle so the Fair Isle patterns are out for now. I like the Elegant Ribbed Stockings, the Embossed Leaves Socks, the Merino Lace Socks, the Flame Wave Socks, Mock wave Cable Socks (what's great about these is that they don't actually use a Cable needle), Media's Socks, Anniversary socks, Go With the Flow Socks, and last but not least the Waving Lace Socks! I guess I like them all really... Maybe I am taking a break from sock knitting at the moment so that I can knit my Knitting Pure and Simple sweater and a few other tops (possibly summer time tops!).

Fetching

yarn 003
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I am starting to make the Fetching mitts (form the summer 06 Knitty). I have a few extra skeins of Cashsoft Aran since I originally bought a bunch for a sweater, but then had to change the pattern since I didn't think I would be able to make the gauge without drastically reducing the needle size resulting in a too stiff fabric for a sweater. Maybe the color isn't the greatest, especially for my skin tone, but it was on sale ($2 off per skein), so I couldn't pass up oin that. Plus this is going to be my first sweater, so what if I mess it up! (It's the Wrap Cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple).

Charlotte's Web Shawl

yarn 004
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

This shawl is for my mom. It was made from three skeins of Koigu. It's my second Charlotte's Web and I think I like it in the solid color better. I really like the pattern of this though it's very simple. It's easy to memorize and I love working with Koigu. This might just be one of my all time favorite patterns. The shawl will look better once it is blocked.

Marooned

i like maroon!
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I got my yarn from little knits today! Here it is... isn't it beautiful? The Misti Alpaca Lace is for my Lotus Blossom Shawl, it's going to be beautiful and the yarn only cost 11 dollars total! The Cascade 220 is for my Urban Necessity Mittens/Gloves, again very reasonably priced (around 11 dollars as well I believe). I'm telling you this in case my sister is reading and is going to yell at me for spending too much money on yarn. The Fleece Artist is going to be my last sock yarn purchase for a very long time as I have enough sock yarn to knit 22 pairs of socks. I'm not allowed to think about buying more sock yarn until I get this number down to 15. The blue yarn is new yarn from Schaefer called Trenna. It is a lace weight merino/silk blend and it is absolutely gorgeous! I am going to make a peacock shawl (from Fiddlesticks Knitting) out of this. I've had my eye on the Peacock Shawl ever since I started knitting lace. First I am starting the Lotus Blossom shawl, can't wait to start!

My Beautiful Yarn!

yarn 002
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

My Sea Silk and Claudia Hand Painted Arrived in the mail today from Knitty Noddy. The Sea Silk is a bit bright but I think it will be perfect for a lacy shawl. The different metallic tones remind me of three toned gold earrings. I am officially not allowed to buy any more sock yarn until I finish 5 pairs of socks! Otherwise, I will have enough sock yarn for a small country.

I suspect I will get the yarn from Little Knits tomorrow so stay tuned! I can't wait to start the Lotus Blossom Shawl, it will look so beautiful in the maroon misti alpaca lace.

I have a problem!

I bought a skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk for the Swallowtail Shawl from IK Fall 06, a skein of Hand Maiden Cashmere for the moebius cowl, 2 skeins of Misti alpaca lace for the Lotus Blossom Shawl (I can't believe how cheap this was! this will be my cheapest project ever!), and 2 skeins of cascade 220 for pop-top gloves from magknits, called urban necessity. I guess buying yarn is the only thing that makes me happy after sitting all day in front of the computer working on my networking project.

Peiqiu models the scarf I made for her

Peiqiu
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

Here my roommate Peiqiu is modelling the scarf that I made for her out of trendsetter dune in a pinky/purple colorway. I made the scarf a year ago, but I didn't have a blog then, so I'm posting it now.