A year later - 2nd sock completed - bedrest project #12

I woke up this morning with the idea to complete something that had been suffering at the bottom of my WIP bins....So - I cast on and cranked out this sock. I decided to take the risk. First of all - I have a lot of 1/2 made socks - not because i dont' want to finish them but because I used to knit twisted :( and these socks are all made with a twisted knit stitch. you can really tell when you put the sock on - it makes this very tight ridges. This sock is in this vein. But I thought with it being worsted weight - and probalby just my around the house socks - it doesn't matter. And I'm not enough of a perfectionist in this instance to do the other sock over.

So - 9p or so today it's done. 2 socks. One twisted, one not. The non-twisted looks a lot better to me. But they are both warm and comfy. They are knitted in Stahl Big Print sock yarn. My own pattern - 44 stitches with a short (10 row) ankle and a 2X2 ribbing which goes into the instep.

Now to get my next worsted socks on the needles...... I'm going to make the Elizabeth Zimmerman's woodman's socks. I got another one of her books - Knitting Around and I also found the pattern in her newsletters books. It's a pretty basic pattern, but I wanted to see now the garter stitch in the heel works out. Also - it's a longer sock than I usually make. Maybe this will be the pattern I make for dad.

SWTC karaoke triple cable muffler - bedrest project #11

More stash busting! I had this 1/2 way knitted as a felted bag, but I like it much better as this muffler. You can really see the striping in the yarn, subtle but nice. This yarn is soft and springy as well. Very nice. I can see a nice shell or sweater in this, my sister used it for a project and her project turned out nice. I like it in this muffler. Once again w/ skiens left over. What to do with them......

Bly Sky Alpacas Triple Cable Muffler - Bedrest Project #10

Another muffler. This is a quick satifying project. The Bly Sky Alpaca organic cotton is so soft and lovely to work with. This is like a lemongrass color - green and yellow almost golden. I have 2 skeins left, wonder what to make a matching hat or socks......

More to come...

For the following Bestrest Projects - still on the needles. I switch them around so I don't get bored!! :)

- Shepherd's Sport Socks in Aslan - using the Oak Ribbed pattern in Knitting vintage socks - I'm on the heel on the first sock. Knitted on Size 1s.
- After Bertha Socks knitted with a handpainted purple yarn from Red Barn Farms (I think) found them on eBay a while ago. Completed one sock, started the 2nd. These are being knitted on size 1s.
- After Bertha Socks in Liisu sock yarn. 80% done with the first sock. On size 0s. Can do this one too much, strains the eyes and fingers!
- Triple Cable Muffler in BS Organic Cotton on Size 6 needles. The pattern calls for size 9s, but this must be a misprint. I got the perfect gauge on both scarves with 6 needles.
- Dug out a Feather and Fan shawl I had stopped making in Jaegar Trinity. It's a future gift shawl, might finish it now if I'm so motivated. Size 7 needles.
- Jada tubies in LB Magic Strip yarn, some scraps I had left over from a shawl I made. Just make up another baby tube sock pattern. After jada arrives, if these all work well, I'll have to write these patterns up...Making them on Size 2 needles.
- Ribbed socks made with a Lana Grossa striped yarn. Found this in the bottom of a bin. Had one sock done, and had for some reason stopped on the heel with the second sock. I've picked them back up and knitted down to the gusset, I guess about 1/2 way.
- Grandma's Checkered lace shawl in KnitPicks laceweight alpaca/silk yarn. I want this baby for me - so it's the one I'm spending the least time on right now. I really want to enjoy this shawl when completed. The yarn is lovely and it will be so soft and light. I'm taking my time with her. :)
- Need to start some socks for dad...

I guess that's enough. How many will I complete before Jada arrives:) How many will I start... Most of these are just stocking up on Christmas gifts. I'll be well stocked this year, no last minute rushing for me. The only item I'm procrastinating on starting is a baby blanket as a shower gift for a coworker. The blankets are a bit tedious for me. So I'm pausing before I tackle this one. I think it may have to be an after Jada project - when she's not sleeping at night!! :)

Triple Cable Muffler - Bedrest Project #9

So I got a little tired making socks and found this pattern in the book One Skein. It is for a short little, cute muffler that they recommend you make out of Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton yarn. I started one with that yarn, some I had in Lemongrass (I think is the color, a yellowy green) but then I started another one in some Mission Falls 1824 cotton I had and for some reason this is the one I finished first. I like the nubby, boucle type feel of the yarn. I didn't think I'd like knitting with it at first because it wasn't as soft as the BS Organic Cotton, but it is soft and I like it a lot. Too bad, I thought these would be gifts, but I think I like both of them for me. :)

Ignore the braids and the yucky t-shirt. I am on bedrest after all!!!!!

Janeen Afterthought Heel Socks - Bedrest Project #8

So - I had never made Janeen socks. I had made her house slippers but not socks. So I took a Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Bittersweet and made these. It is my first socks with an afterthought heel and boy is it fast to make with worsted weight! I like the afterthought heel, although I had to redo the first one a few times to get it right. I just followed Elizabeth Zimmerman's instructions, no pattern, and it worked out. The socks are a bit big, but I wanted to err on the side of being generous so she can grow into them.

Again - sort of my own pattern. I started with 40 stiches on size 5 needles. Ribbed for a while, made a small ankle area - then I put in the waste yarn. then I knitted for 8", and then put in a toe. I went for a shaped toe instead of a round toe like I normally do and I actually completed the Kitchner's stitch!!! I found a visual on kitty.com b/c I was too dense to figure out insert the need in "knit" wise or "purl" wise. Didn't make any sense to me until I saw the step by step on knitty. Then it made perfect sense!! Know I can graft along with the best. Although it's going to have to grown on me. I likes my round toe!!

Jada's Cream Tube Socks - Bedrest Project #7

This was one of the one skein of sock yarn I had that I had picked up on clearance. Not enought for adult socks, but makes a perfect baby set. With enough to make bigger ones when she is older!

It's my own made up pattern - noting special, just ribbing, stockenette and a toe!!

Jada's Basketweave Baby Blanket - Bedrest Project #6

So I have been working on this for a while - it's a simple Basketweave pattern I found on the internet but I made it with Zarina Print yarn. The yarn is a superwash merino, and very, very, very soft and springy. It wasn't a long project - but I managed to string it out. I made it not too long so that it would be a good size for the stroller and car seat - and it folds up fairly small.

Jada's "Classy Baby Blanket" - Bedrest Project #5

This is a pattern called 'Classy Baby Blanket' from Morehouse Knits. And while I have the yarn from the company too and started it - the yarn had a LOT of straw and materials in it. It made it so slow to knit. Plus - it's not superwash. SO I got some Cascade superwash and made this one, it went really fast and I just love the colors and softness. I need to find some satin to hem the sides since it curls as it is all done in stockenette. In the pure wool, it would be less of an issue b/c after washing it it would slightly felt, at least that's what I will do with it when I get around to that version.