RPM socks finished!

The RPM socks are finished and on the feet of their proud owner, Lolo. My knitting is so productive when I'm sick... my research on the other hand... hmm

RPM Socks

I had a terrible cold this past week, so what better time to catch up on my knitting... I decided to start RPM socks with my new Socks that Rock yarn (in the Farmhouse colorway). Here is my progress so far. I'm really happy the way these socks are turning out.

My Socks that Rock Stash

A picture of my "socks that rock" is long overdue, so they are! From left to right, they are Highway 30, Dutch Canyon, Sandstone, and Seal Rock. I'm planning to make at least one more RPM sock from them (I'm thinking Sandstone) and a pair of Jaywalkers (I'm thinking Seal Rock). I hear that Blue Moon Fiber Arts are supposed to update their new colorways very soon, I'm waiting!

Socks that Rock really do Rock!

I love Socks that Rock! I just started knitting RPM socks from the summer knitty in the Farmhouse colorway (medium weight). I like the way they knit up and I like the way the yarn feels in my fingers. The colorway is really pretty too (pictures to follow). I finally finished my LL Jaywalkers and finished one of my Garland Lace Socks (also in LL). I have about a million pairs of socks going right now...

New Fall Knitty!

The Fall Knitty came out with lots of fun patterns. I like the diamante and cablenet socks and they seems like they would be perfect for LL. I also like the Ivy wrap/sweater and the tamarah shawl...

Before and After -- Misty Garden

I got my La Boheme in the mail not too long ago and used it to make the Misty Garden scarf from Scarf Style, so here are some before and after pictures. This scarf knit up so fast, I couldn't believe it! But after knitting socks for a while the size 9 needles which I used seemed colossal! Seriously, I think this is the quickest project I have ever done. I think this is going to be a nice warm winter scarf since the scarf came both wide and long. I don't know if you can tell from the picture but the yarn shines -- La Boheme is a double strand yarn with one strand of mohair along with a strand of rayon boucle that is shiny. I spent a lot on the La Boheme and am not sure it was worth quite so much, but my roommates really liked this scarf. When I was knitting with the second skein, I sort of had issues with the strands lining up since they have different tensions, so there were parts when I was knitting with one color of the mohair and a different color of the boucle. Luckily I didn't have any problems winding the yarn on my swift that other people said they had. I wound the yarn slowly in order to prevent having a lot of the mohair left over... I do really love this colorway though, Raspberry Mocha! Hmm, that actually sounds yummy, I want a raspberry mocha :)

knitting books

I just got some new knitting books, thank god for Amazon gift certificates! :) Too bad I can't use any of the sock books right now since my RSI is acting up and I don't think I can knit socks for a while now...

People take pictures of their yarn stashes so I thought I would take a picture of my book stashes :) I like all the books a lot, so far the only book that I've used a pattern out of is Scarf Style (where I've used 3 patterns so far) and sadly I won't be able to try any of the sock books any time soon. Vogue Knitting has been a good reference book when I need to learn how to do something. Knitting Rules is kind of a fun, light book to read though not much material in terms of patterns or how-to's or finishing techniques, etc.

Various States of Doneness

I've started four pairs of socks at various times and still need to finish them -- hopefully soon. From left to right Broadripple in Cascade Fixation, Garland Lace Socks in Lorna's Laces Purple Iris, Jaywalkers in Lorna's Laces Gold Hill, and Pomatomus in Koigu of some sort... I think the intricacy of socks make my hands hurt a bit more so I might have to say no to sock knitting for a bit.

crazy sock yarns

I bought some striping Lorna's Laces recently -- Fresh Stripe, Funky Stripe and Crazy Stripe from left to right. Can't wait to see how they knit up -- I bet they look awesome! Lolo has claimed the Crazy Stripe colorway in the Jaywalkers pattern. I'll get around to that eventually if my hand stops bothering me...

WIP - Midwest Moonlight

This is what I'm working on for my mom (hopefully she doesn't read my blog too often), the Midewest Moonlight in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK that I've mentioned about a zillion times before. I'm 40% done with this...

Progress on Jaywalkers

I promised a picture of my Jaywalkers so here they are. I'm actually a bit farther than this now, I turned the heel on the second sock. I made sure that two skeins of Gold Hill were from the same dye lot, but yet one still looks different from the other. The not yet completed sock has more of a contrast in the stripes... oh well, the socks will be fraternal twins.

I also started a new pair of socks knit on two Addi Turbo circulars since I wanted to try knitting with 2 circulars instead of dpn's. In general the Addi's seem faster, yet I miss the sharpness of the Crystal Palace dpn's. The new sock that I am knitting is the Garland Lace Pattern with Lorna's Laces Purple Iris.

Finished one Jaywalker sock!

Now I see why the pattern is so popular... it looks cool, is not super tricky. I started knitting a jaywalker in Lorna's Laces Gold Hill and now I have just one more to do! Pictures to come soon.... Did I mention I absolutely love Lorna's Laces! Can't wait to wear them when they are done.

Socks that Rock!

I broke down and bought 5 skeins of Socks that Rock. I think I have enough sock yarn for a whole year now. Anyway, I can't wait for them to come... I got Socks that Rock in Farmhouse, Dutch Canyon, Highway 30, Seal Rock and Saratoga! HURRAY!

I am still waiting for my La Boheme to show up so I can start the Feather and Fan pattern in Scarf Style -- Misty Garden...

Pomatomus Socks are too complicated!

Despite trying to ensure I was getting gauge for Pomatomus, I think it is doubtful that I actually am and am wondering if I should rip out what I've done since I don't think I'll have enough yarn to finish them and I'm not sure they are even going to fit! Somehow the leg looks too skinny. So I've put that project on hold. I started Jaywalkers from MagKnits since I've been dying to try them. The pattern is fun and easy and looks nice. I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Gold Hill and I like both the yarn and the colorway a lot! I also received my Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush in the mail a few days ago and like a lot of the patterns. They aren't too complicated but I wonder if they will look better in the solid yarns instead of the variegated yarns... If that's the case, then I need to buy even more sock yarns. I also bought the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules! book since I thought it would give me a good perspective on knitting. It's interesting and fun since it's humorous but I thought it would have more information on things I'm not very good at doing, such as making gauge swatches and blocking and other things... Perhaps I need to buy a book on finishing techniques.

Other projects I'm currently salivating about: Clapotis, a shawl on knitty that uses Lady Godiva by Fleece Artists, the Leaf Lace Shawl, the Flower Basket shawl, Lily of the Valley Shawl from Fiddlesticks, Peacock Feathers Shawl from Fiddlesticks.... Can you tell it's about time I knitted a shawl!

Update on my Knitting...

I started knitting Midwest Moonlight from Scarf Style in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK. I've never worked with Alpaca Silk before and it's really nice and soft yet I think it's going to be warm at the same time. I also ordered some yarn to knit Misty Garden from Scarf Style (La Boheme by Fiesta Yarns in Raspberry Mocha -- I'm excited about it, hopefully it's very shiny!). Lately I'm missing the no brainer projects (the ones where I don't need to look at a chart and can just take on the bus or the subway with no problems), that's why I'm starting a bunch of easy projects. I don't consider the Pomatomus socks to be an easy project. I'm also getting Knitting Vintage Socks in the mail soon (I love those Amazon gift certificates!).

My start of Pomatomus Socks...

I thought the Pomatomus Socks looked really cool so I started them with my blue Koigu... They are pretty fun and they look cool so far, I guess I'm little tired of all the k tbl's -- I prefer regular knit stitches to k tbl's and not to mention, I snapped my ChiaGoo bamboo needles in the middle. I see they are reasonably priced as compared to Clover and Crystal Palace needles. Hopefully I will finish these without much procrastinating!

Hedera Socks

I finished my Hedera Socks! Now I need to figure out what shoes to buy so I can show off these socks...

Branching Out is Done and Blocked...

I can't wait for it to cool down a bit so I can wear the scarf... Branching Out is one of my favorite lace patterns, I can't believe that I have done it three times now!

More Yummy Sock Yarns

What can I say I'm a shopaholic and I'm building up my stash. I recently got some Lorna's Laces, Cherry Tree Hill, and Fleece Artist Merino Socks... I have plans for some of them including RPM from Knitty, Embossed Leaves from IK, Reptilian Lace from Knitty, and Jaywalkers from MagKnits... Next time I go on a sock yarn shopping spree, I think I will buy Socks that Rock, how could you go wrong with a name like that.

Knitting with Silk

Silk is great to knit with since it feels so nice between your fingers. I've just used Fiesta La Luz (I told you, I find one thing I like and I stick to it!) and I've really only knit with two patterns though I have gifted a lot of these scarves to other people such as my mom, my older sister, my younger sister, my roommate, and my officemate. The light brown/pinkish scarf (actually Fiesta's name for the color is Champagne) was the first silk scarf that I knit... The pattern was very simple and it was my first time doing yarn-overs, so I messed up slightly on this scarf though you probably can't tell, but I thought that YO meant the yarn over and the knit stitch after it so this scarf is actually supposed to have 5 yarnovers per row rather than 4. I don't think the pattern has a name though I bought it from my local yarn store (Woolcott). The darker brown scarf (Pinon by Fiesta La Luz) is knit in Braching Out and I'm not done with yet. Perhaps you can't see the details of this scarf very well (sorry, I think I took a bad picture), but it's a pretty lace pattern with leaves on it. Again I'm hoping that posting it on my blog will help me finish it... I haven't really wore the Champagne scarf yet because as a grad student, I'm not really sure how to wear silk scarves with my daily attire -- perhaps I should have thought about it before I knit it, but oh well, it was fun to knit. I know that my mom and my older sister have been wearing theirs a lot. My older sister's is in in Branching Out and is silver (Silverado by Fiesta La Luz) and my mom's is in the simpler pattern and is in this color called Cinnamon (again Fiesta La Luz). The color of my mom's scarf reminds me of the Grand Canyon since it is the color of rocks.