My week in Review

Work Resumes on my Winter Socks

Yesterday I received my replacement needle ends from KnitPicks so knitting can resume on my 100% wool worsted weight boot socks. They should be finished before the weekends over; last night I finished decrease on the gusset and am now doing straight knitting until it is time to decrease for the toe. The worsted weight yarn knits so FAST compared to fingering weight sock yarn!

Once they are off the needles, I'll begin work on my husband's socks with the same yarn, this time dyed the correct color!

Out of the Dye Pot

The above are the yarns from the dye pot last week. The Russet will become my husband's winter boot socks. The yarn didn't turn out quite what I wanted, but it will work. It's all a learning process. I wanted more variegation, more areas with dark and light colors, but I had some issues with getting the dye to set and the water to run clear.

The black skein will become socks for me. That yarn turned out just as I wanted it! It will become socks for me to wear with black slacks for work. I love how the nubs didn't dye up and have little pops of color. I've yet to decide what pattern I'll use, don't know if I'll just do a simple knit pattern, or find a lace pattern I'd like to try.

River Rapids Sock Progress

Here is the progress I made with my River Rapids Socks. They are turning out great and I can't wait to get them done! I was sure I'd be frogging as I seem to do with every new pattern. I guess I'm getting better at reading and understanding the directions in patterns better. I've been following the chart and maybe that is my salvation as the chart just makes far more sense to me than having to read each line!

They will need to be put on the back burner while I finished both my husbands and my heavy winter socks. There is talk of both hubby and son going hunting already next weekend, so I really need to get clicking!

Sneak Peaks

(qued projects)

I came across a pattern on Ravelry that I will try. It is called Cherie Amour, is a lace sweater knit from chunky yarn. I love it and will have to order yarn for it. The question for me is: do I buy the yarn pre-dyed, or dye it myself!? Anyone who knows me knows what I'll do....and it involves a my canning pot and an afternoon when hubby and son are hunting, I have the house to myself and it doesn't matter that it will end up smelling like wet wool and boiled vinegar!

I also have two skeins of yarn I fell in love with other the summer that will become socks (I have set a goal to knit one pair a month -- I am currently right on target). One of those skeins might become a lace shawl, but time will tell. I have two bare sock blanks that also need to be dyed (I have offered them to sock swap as KnitPicks has them on backorder, so I'll have to see if they remain in my possession or get passed on to someone in need).

Last Christmas I got the book Arctic Lace which is about the history of Alaskan Native women knitting with Qiviut (muskox wool). Having grown up in Alaska, I found the book very interesting and am looking forward to trying the patterns. I have some skeins of alpaca "mohair" that I am hoping to be able to use for one of those patterns. I think I'll wait until I get a little more savvy at following lace patterns.

AND, then there are my two WIP. The "Buttery Yellow short sleeved mock turtle neck" that I ran into all sorts of issues with -- I have to decide what I want to do, frog the whole thing, or see if I can fix the issue with the bad skein of yarn. Then there is the weekend sweater that is 90% done. I believe it needs sleeves, maybe an inch or two around the bottom of the body, but it's almost done.

We are going into winter, so, between those projects on the sticks, and ones qued up, I should have plenty to do when I'm home alone as a "hunting widow" or the snow starts to fly!

Knit on,
FJ