solved one problem, got myself another...

I solved the problem with the bright green socks! Frogged back to the heel, changed to thinner needles, and knitted back down again with additional decreases. Now I only have to remember what I did on the second sock, which is coming along nicely.

But... the Autumn Rose sweater... Somehow I misread the instructions and used needles 3.5 to knit about the first 12cm or so. The sweater was HUGE! Then I discovered the mistake, it should have been needles 3. But the sweater was approximately 20cm too wide, and just downsizing the needles by .5 wont do.
So I ripped the whole thing, restarted on needles 2.5 which is .5 less than called for and perfect according to my swatching (which I didn´t do last time). And, changed to one size smaller.

Problem solved? Don´t know yet, but at least I´m on it again. Don´t like the 3stockinette - 1purl edge at the bottom, and I definitely don´t like to redo it. But hopefully, this time the sweater will fit me.

Autumn Rose has arrived!

wheheee!!!
The yarn + pattern for Autumn Rose arrived in the mail today!
It even somehow escaped the import customs +vat radar and made it through unscathed.

It looks wonderful! And with 3.25mm needles, it´s a nice change for the 2mm needles I´ve been using for socks + some other stuff lately.
I´m starting it right away! Picture will come...

gaahh!!! How irritating is this?!

It´s obviously the week of difficult socks! How else to explain this...reluctance to turn into something beautiful and nice?

First, the gorgeous Claudia Handpainted sockyarn I bought at loopy ewe. Wonderful stuff, even had a nice scent. I knitted it up into the japanese feather socks. The gauge was right on spot! My gut feeling was telling me to go for 2mm needles rather than 2.5mm as called for in the pattern for the main lace knitting, the socked seemed to turn out kind of big. But oh well, I settled on the "I don´t frog, besides, I will fix it when blocking"-approach. Duh!
Not enough yarn!!! Bummer, now I´m going to have to frog anyhow or find someone with really short yet stubby feet. (the picture shows the "finished" sock, and what´s left of the yarn, top right in the picture)


Secondly, I tried the Schaefer Anne yarn on a third sock pattern, with some small faux braids. I´ve tried this yarn on several socks before, but it always turns out too loose and stretchy, just like it did this time as well. Finally, I caved in! I´m knitting it into completely normal, simple and easy socks. This yarn will NOT be bothering me anymore!!
That being said, theyre turning into rather nice, normal, simple and easy socks :-)

Part of my irritation with this yarn is probalby what happened with it when I went to wind it from the skein- the picture says it all. My method ALWAYS works, so this really annoys me. I open up the skein and put it so that the yarn is wrapped around both my underarms. I then wind up the yarn into a ball, keeping my underarms apart, so that the yarn stays wrapped that way while I wind it. Much easier than using backs of chairs, knees, hubbies arms, and all other strange things I see people using.

Oh, I also sent a couple of packages to my Secret Pal 11. She liked the yarn and stuff I sent so much, it was really touching! Makes me want to send more :D

New yarn, finished projects

Some new yarn arrived in the mail today! Yummy!
I got some K.Knits Superwash Me sockyarn, colourway Alaska, and Claudia Hand Painted Yarn fingering weight yarn colours limeade and twilight. Gorgeous stuff and so, so soft.

I also finished some mittens that I really like. They´re made from the Camel Wool yarn I received from my secret pal 10. The pattern is from My Life´s Work Free Patterns. I´ll definitely make more of these mittens for xmas presents or something, they´re so quick and easy yet look like quite complex.

Finally, a really bad picture of a sock for one of my nieces. It has a little pattern from Socks Socks Socks that I quite like with the stripey yarn. Spices it up a little bit.

My pomatomus are done!

My lovely Pomatomus, from a Knitty pattern.
The yarn is Sock yarn from Silkwood, in a very rich ruby color called Garnet. They also have some striking green and blue colours and the yarn is easy to work with and makes a nice result, so I´m planning more Pomatomus socks in Silkwood yarn. The yarn is bought at Woolly Workshop.
The picture is a bad one from my mobile...

I tried ordering yarn for the autumn rose sweater, but unfortunately several shops seem to be out of the main gold color of the pattern. I´m waiting eagerly!

Finally back on the knitting track

I started the day by ordering, or at least sending some questions regarding purchase, of the Eunny Yang Autmn Rose fair isle sweater! I also signed up for the KAL at iloveautumnrose.blogspot.com so I´m getting there.
The picture is of the shawl from the Maskerader magazine by norwegian "Du Store Alpakka" - an alpacca yarn factory. I knitted the shawl from some lovely mohair++ yarn from Fleece Artist and I love it to bits. It´s so soft and wonderful, the colors are much prettier in real lfe, more muted and burgundy-like! It´s rather big - 40cmx185cm, and I think I will wear it a lot this winter!

Back!

I´m back from my travel :)
While away, I finished my pomatomous socks - lovely of course, and a shawl from Maskerader that I love. I´ll get a picture in tonight.

Now for looking at other peoples blogs and finding out how to put Hannes button on my page (her blog is http://vivikala.net/vakerrellen/ - don´t know what happened to my insert link-button here...?)

Away!

I will be unable to post in my blog for three weeks!
I will be unable to pick up anything at the post-office too, so anything arriving for me will be returned.

I just received my last package from my Secret Pal 10 friend, though! Thankyou so much - my husband and I already tried some of the tea and it was really nice :) The cat now has a prominent place on the kitchen counter. I´ll post a picture as soon as I get home...

Secret Pal 11 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I love the silk mix yarns I´ve been knitting with lately! They do have kind of a restricted range of usage though, and I don´t need that many shawls. Variegated yarns for socks is another favourite, preferably with a bit of nylon or similar in it. And I love NORO yarn!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Actually, that´s a main headache these days. I store them in a hand-sewn pouch, but it´s absolutely not right for my circulars or my DPNs.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I guess I was about 3 years old the first time, my grandmother taught me. My first sweater was knitted around 11 I think. At least it was finished about age 11. Now, I still hunt down my mom to help me with steeking or other tricky business. Like finishing boring arms LOL! I guess I´m an advanced knitter, I have still to find a project I couldn´t do.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

No

5. What’s your favorite scent?

Fresh clean scents. I don´t really use a lot of perfumed creams, scented candles etc.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I´m not really into sweet stuff or candy...

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

Gardening!! My blog has a link to my garden blog in Norwegian.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I´m not much of a music listener either :) Maybe some jazzy, folky type music? I have an IPOD.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?

I love colours, love love love.
I try to stay away from oranges, yellows, browns.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

No pet, but a husband and a 4-year old son

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Yes, no ponchos though. They make me look huge! And I have a rather big head...

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Sock, sweaters, scarfs and mittens. Etc?

13. What are you knitting right now?

Two pairs of socks, a shawl, another shawl. And I´m getting my act together to knit Eunny Jangs latest creation, the Autumn Rose sweater

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yup!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I knit mostly on circulars lately. I have only tried bamboo and ordinary needles. No plastic please!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

A month, maybe?

18. What is your favorite holiday?

christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Yarns maybe... I don´t really collect anything

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

2.75mm circular needles, beatiful stitch markers. Lovely, variegated, soft and lush yarns - possibly as part of an exiciting yarn kit. No subscriptions right now.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

Nah, I´m trying new ones out as I go.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I´m a sock knitter! I´m a european size 40, I guess that´s a M/L

23. When is your birthday?

February 7th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID?

Not yet but waiting eagerly

almost there!

I´ve just cast off one arm and started the second one on my Sahara sweater. This picture was taken a bit before that. Maybe I´ll be finished with it tonight!
It´s turning out great. Yarn, little rock-thingies, pattern, everything.
And it even fits...




The only irritating bit is that I will have a bit over one skein of the Exotica-yarn left. Seeing how a paid a fortune for it, and the kit came with three skeins, I think that the estimate being off by over 1/3 is a bit much. Oh well, I´m sure I will find a worthy cause for it some day.

It also irritates me that I feel I´m off on the diamond rib. It doesn´t look as diamond-y as I´ve seen on other Saharas. Detail in the picture.