Finished projects so far...

I kind of wanted to quantify my knitting progress this year, so I am making a list. I should do that image gallery that Grumperina does of finished projects in a year... (hmm, how do I do this?). Anyway, here are the projects finished in 2009, so far.

1. Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (although this is definitely not a last minute project)
2. The kit that my friend Minh got for me from La Droguerie (oh, how nice is the alpaca!)
3. Tanzanite Hedera
4. Handsome Mittens from IK Winter 2008
5. Embossed Leaves Socks in STR 24 Karat
6. Prismatic Scarf in Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend
7. Elm Row Scarf in Sundara Sock Cranberry Over Punch

The sad part is that I have even more projects in progress! Sigh! Need to finish some things! I will finish a few more things before the year is over. Namely, I will finish a pair of jaywalkers and who knows what else!

Xmas knitting

Can't wait until Xmas is over so I can finally display the images of what I have knitted recently!

Koigu purchased from Purl!

koigu 001
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I had such a hard time picking what I wanted since they had such a great selection! Now the question is what to do with this...

Prismatic Scarf

I started knitting the Prismatic scarf for my sister for christmas (so I won't be posting any pictures just in case she is reading). But I do have to say that the design of the prismatic scarf is ingenious, especially the I-cord edging. It looks really polished and professional, if I may say so myself :) The pattern is not hard at all and is easy to remember. Some might find a bit boring, but since I am working with Manos Silk Blend, it is hard to get bored of it!

Went to Purl!

Yesterday I was in New York to give a talk in the business school and since I was in the area, of course I had to go to Purl! What a nice little yarn store! The yarns are presented really well and they have a lot of selection. I wish I bought more actually, but was feeling a bit conservative and didn't want to buy something that I didn't have somewhat of a plan for it (except for sock yarn). I bought some Manos Silk Blend in the Violets colorway (to make a scarf - but what pattern? oh the choices!) and two different colorways of Koigu (one of which with tons of bright colors, the other of which I like to call Halloween yarn). Perhaps I should come up with a plan for the Koigu that doesn't involve socks. My housemate commented on the fact that I should make more mittens rather than socks so that I can show them off more :)

White Witch Mitts

mittens 004
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

My first fair isle project. Frankly it looks a little sloppy. The tension on my left hand is much looser than the tension on my right hand. Also I used DK weight yarn when the pattern called for sport weight yarn and still used US 3 needles which I think was a mistake. Another weird thing is that when I stick my hand in the mitten I can feel all the yarn that was carried across in the back when I was using the other color for a while.

Hedera Socks

I finished this a while ago and started them much longer than that ago. But here are the pictures. I think I am bored of regular sock patterns and need to work on sock patterns that teach me a new trick (such as two at time) or give me more practice with fair isling! Notice the color difference with flash and without flash :) The yarn is STR Tanzanite, I think I like real Tanzanite better :)

White Witch Mitts

I started working on these again and I have started to realize that I really like fair isle. Probably because it it something new and different, it still seems challenging to me. I seem to have gotten the hang of these continental + English style knitting too. And the end product seems like it will look very professional :)

handsome mittens

handsome mittens
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

One of the handsome mittens! These were incredibly fast to knit! Too bad I can't show you the other ones with the brown cuff and the orange thumb! :)

broadstreet mittens

broadstreet mittens
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

I promised my friend Minh that I would upload some knitting pictures so here they are! By the way, it is really hard to try to photograph both hands when you are showing off mittens! Anyway, I started these mittens 3 years ago probably and I finally finished the base part. Just need to do the shell. I wish I had picked a more interesting color or used variegated sock yarn!

Handsome Mittens

I started making the Handsome Mittens from IK Winter 2008. They are certainly a quick knit! I think I will make mine the complete opposite of each other instead of just having the thumbs opposite of each other. Mine are in fall-ish colors: orange + brown. Pictures soon!

back to knitting

This weekend I attempted to work a bit and thankfully, I did get some work done, not as much as I would have liked, but I took many breaks and actually got some knitting done! I finished the blanket I was making out of Noro Kureyon. Finished in the sense that I finished all the squares, but the ends need to be woven in, I need to block the squares and sew them all together. I also resumed working on my Tanzanite Hedera socks while watching some of the Tudors! I like everything Tanzanite :)

In the two weeks I have also finished the scarf I was making out of Sundara sock yarn and the scarf I was making out of the kit that my friend Minh got me from La Droguerie. The Sundara scarf needs to be blocked. I wish I had a blocking board!

Too bad I haven't started anything new lately, too many old projects are sitting around. Funny, I feel the same way about research!

Got my Fall IK!

I got my issue of fall IK in the mail yesterday! woohoo! I haven't been knitting that much lately, but the pictures are so pretty maybe I want to keep a subscription to this magazine forever. Things that caught my eye in this issue were the Maple Street Cardigan (if I knit this, I will make it longer), the Freyja Sweater, the Bandelier Socks (but how can you put something so pretty on your feet!), and the Slanting Gretel Tee (though I never really understood sweater t-shirts). Sadly, I probably won't knit any of these in the near future, too many unfinished projects that I need to take care of first and many projects still in the queue!

Perhaps I can take some yarn to Argentina and work on something there!

i have seen only a very small portion of the world

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

i want to go to spain and greece and sweden and finland and...

create your personalized map of europe
or check out our Barcelona travel guide

wasting time...

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

Chevron Scarf is finished!

It sure took a long time and got boring at times, but I'm actually debating whether I want to knit another one. Or not! Perhaps my STR mediumweight should be turned into Baby Surprise Jackets. Now if only my friends were having babies fast enough...

spring IK preview

It's up and I can't wait to get my copy in the mail. Lots of nice patterns! I am going to knit the Fountain Pen Shawl eventually! I haven't knit too many shawls, I'm afraid they look a little matronly, but they can look very elegant wrapped around the next with a dress. I think the Silk Cocoon Cardigan is my favorite of the sweaters! I may consider this one as well, the Millefiori Cardigan since it calls for a yarn made of 30% milk protein! I also like the Zickzack Tunic, but I don't know if it will look good on me, maybe I can make it for a sister of mine eventually!

24 karat

Mustard Yellow is my new favorite color, that's why I bougt this skein of STR! But I'm kind of disappointed by it. The center is more yellow that the outside, which is more brown. I do like a tad of variegation, that's why I like the STR Watercolor Wave choices, but I wish this skein was mixed more uniformly. Because with this skein, one sock will end up being more yellow than the other which is kind of disappointing.

I am still knitting the Chevron Scarf and I'm kind of disappointed with the skein of jailhouse rock, it could have been spun better, but I suppose that it doesn't have any knots.

FOs of 2008

Thank god for Ravelry, which makes this so easy to keep track of!

1. Springgrass Socks in Purple Koigu (they were actually started in 2007, but finished in 2008)
2. Baudelaire Socks in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock (i love the pattern + yarn combination!)
3. Karaoke Cable Scarf
4. Argosy Scarf in Noro Silk Garden Lite (which I gave to my sister Sonia)
5. Drop Stitch Scarf in Lady Godiva (what heavenly yarn!)
6. Multidirectional Scarf in Artyarns Supermerino
7. Go With the Flow Socks in Brownish Koigu (also started in 2007, but finished in 2008)
8. Yarn Over Cable Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks in STR Henpecked
9. Monkey Socks in STR Carbon
10. Baby Cable Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks in STR Chapman Springs
11. Some Generic Socks in Silkie Socks that Rock Eggplanted
12. Anastasia Socks in Claudia Handpainted (Claudia handpainted is so awesome! Wish I had some more of this... should not buy right now :) )
13. Knotty or Knice Socks in STR Sunstone
14. Bacchus Socks in STR Mossay
15. Lace Ribbon Scarf in Classic Elite Alpaca Sox

This year I knit 5 scarves and 10 pairs of socks, holy crap! I need to get a life. Not to mention all the things I started and didn't finish. They will be finished!

Lace Ribbon Scarf

Lace Ribbon Scarf
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

This is my lace ribbon scarf that I started way long ago and recently finished. It needs to be blocked and that will likely take me another million years :) But I do have a feeling it will look rather fabulous once it is blocked. I will post a picture of me modeling it once I have blocked it :) The color might be a bit problematic. Hopefully I have something to match with it.

It uses 1 and 1/3 skein of Classic Elite Alpaca Sox. I like this yarn and how it doesn't have as sharp stitch definition as other sock yarns like STR. Hopefully one day I will actually knit a pair of socks out of it :)

Chevron Scarf

knitting 004
Originally uploaded by mangokiwi.

This is the scarf that I complain about that it is so boring. Looks pretty, but too simple. Perhaps it is good to knit while watching a movie or something since it's pretty brainless. I am not sure who to give it to yet. Hmmm....

Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn

I just got my copy of this book in the mail. I'm excited about knitting the Chevvy Socks and the Spot Check Socks. There are a number of other interesting patterns but I think these two are my fave. For the Spot Check Socks I am thinking of STR Spinel (or In the Navy) and STR Spawn of Braun. I almost forgot to mention the herringbone socks which look very attractive, but since it first appeared in an IK, I may subconsciously consider it an IK pattern!

Happy New Year!

It's a been a while since I updated my blog, so let me do that now. I didn't knit for a while over the break, since I didn't have any room to fit my knitting into my luggage, oh the sadness. Let me just tell you what I have on my needles now and what I recently finished.

What's on the needles right now:
1. Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts - this is really boring actually, I just wanted to use up some of STR Mediumweight, the scarf looks nice, but so BORING!
2. Hourglass Socks in STR Jade - these are fun! I like the pattern, I like the way it's turning out! These are my friend Katrina.
3. I recently decided to resume knitting the Broadstreet Mittens I had started over 2 years ago. They are nice, but they are in black. Kind of boring.
4. Some generic socks in STR Mediumweight Scottish Highlands for my mom. My mom likes the really thick socks so these are made especially for her.
5. Hedera Socks in STR Lightweight Tanzanite for me. This is also boring me. I wonder if I will ever finish these. I started this project I'm guessing over 6 months ago.

Some stuff that's been idle for a while that I need to finish:
1. My Wheat Ear Cable Yoke Sweater. Just needs to be seamed. I don't know how to seam and it's boring. Maybe I will get to it eventually.
2. My Wrap Sweater from Knitting Pure and Simple. I believe just a sleeve needs to be finished and the some finishing work.
3. STR mediumweight socks generic toe-up in STR Mediumweight Dutch Canyon.
4. The Wisp Scarf from Knitty in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, for my sister. Also started over 6 months ago.
5. The tilted duster I started way long ago.

What I recently finished:
1. My Lace Ribbon Scarf. I had started this a while ago, "finished" it with one skein and the decided I wanted to make it longer, so i made it ~80" inches instead of ~60". Now I have finished it for good, though it needs to be blocked.

And to further distract me from my goal of finishing these projects, I've decided that I want to try a fair-isle project. I bought some yarn from Woolcott to make a pair of fair-isle mittens (specifically the White Witch Mitts), two colors of Classic Elite Fresco and two colors of Debbie Bliss Rialto, hope they turn out nice! I'm getting kind of bored of socks the way I traditionally knit them, so I am eager to start knitting some mittens (I have my eye on the two Eunny Jang patterns in addition to the one above) and some hats (I have my eye on the beaded one by Grumperina and a beret that was in the IK a few years ago) or socks two at a time.

I also need to buy a 40" US 1 circular needle so that I learn how to knit two socks at the same time using my awesome new book that my friend Minh got me!

When am I going to finish the 10 projects I have listed above!?!