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Pat's Knitting and Quilting

May 28, 2009
Kai-Mei

Kai-Mei

Pattern: Kai-Mei by Cookie A. from Sock Innovations
Yarn:1 skein (15 gms leftover) Socks that Rock lightweight in Siren Song
Needles: 2.25 mm 40" circular
Modifications: Played around with lace panel placement on gusset and toes for smoother flow, otherwise no changes.

Great pattern and simple beautiful socks with a little bit of flourish! I realize how much I like the look and fit of ribbing - this 3X3 is especially pretty - The lace panel is lovely and makes it fun, but I should just knit a pair of plain ribbed socks for myself someday!

Kai-Mei Kai-Mei

My Alpine Lace Shawl is blocking - yahoooooo!

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May 21, 2009
Overconfidence

I've been faithfully knitting along on my beautiful lace shawl - My 1st knit of the day - 4 rows every morning. It is always scrunched up in my lap and on my needles. I never even spread it out to look anymore because I know this pattern now - I'm SO sure of myself with it - every row is lining up perfectly and it will be done in 5 days.
Just before leaving for coffee and knitting with Laurie, Lucia, and Manise, I decided to lay it out on the floor and look at it...OMG!

Alpine Lace
unblocked error riddled Alpine Lace shawl

Not once, but twice I made a huge honking error - how did I do that TWICE? How did I miss seeing this blatant error over and over again while knitting on it for months? It's very obvious now - I know exactly what I did. If you look at the center 8 row repeat, everything is perfect. I repeated the 1st 4 rows of the edging chart twice (Those 4 rows are the same and line up, so while knitting I couldn't tell. Instead of knitting row 5, I knit row 1 again when my chart keeper was knocked off or something). Can I live with it? YOU BET I CAN!
My kind knitting friends said it could be considered a design element since I did it twice! In fact I realize, maybe I'll even wear this shawl more than my other ones BECAUSE there is a mistake and it's not perfect - sometimes it's scary to wear a perfectly knit lace shawl :-)

a close up of IT...

Next time you see my Alpine Lace Shawl, there will be no mention of this - It will be blocked, beautiful and I'll be happily wearing it around my shoulders!

Got my tsock kit for Daughter of the Regiment - what a sock art masterpiece!
Here is the kit as it was when it arrived on my doorstep. To me the "red" yarn was orange and I wanted it to be red, so within minutes of opening the package, I decided to overdye it. With pure beginner's luck, I have created the perfect red yarn - and just to let you know, in my hurried crazy dyeing frenzy, I found out that balsamic vinegar (I had nothing else) works just fine!

Tsock kit

Aren't the little boot laces great?

tsock toe

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May 15, 2009
10 Days Later...

We've been doing a lot of this....

Dave Tilling

so I haven't had as much time for fiber fun.

10 days later and this is where I stand on the WIPS from my last post ...

Andes Socks

Andes Socks - I love the birds :-)

Kai-Mei heel

Kai-Mei -I had to rip one of the gussets since the directions as given didn't create a smooth flow from the leg on the right sock. (the only errata is for the left sock) I fixed it by doing what looked correct instead of following the gusset directions in the book - back on track now.

Yarnissima Mystery

I'm continuing with Kiila - clue 2 is finished - a pretty gusset with enlarging cables and the fit seems to be perfect. Just got clue 3 today and have started turning the heel.

blue fabric

I've pulled about 40 more blue fabrics to add to the pile bringing the total to over 100 different blues - now I just need to start cutting!

At this time of year I get strongly pulled outside to my flowers, berries, and vegetables, so the knitting, quilting and blogging may suffer a little bit for awhile!

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May 5, 2009
A Little Bit Out of Control

3 new pairs of socks cast on in 2 days!

Andes Socks

This is my current favorite WIP - I dug deeply in my stash and found some Trekking Pro Natura (variegated) and Lorna's Laces in Chino colorway that I think will work for Andes Socks (something about the dancing ladies and birds just got me!) which were designed by Robyn Gallimore of Red Bird Knits. Christy and I just started a Red Bird Knits Ravelry Group for everyone who enjoys knitting Robyn's patterns. We are having a very leisurely summer KAL - All you have to do to be eligible for a prize is to complete a pair of RBK socks by 8/31/09 - That means you have ALL summer to finish...Look at the pretty choices - Come join us!

Kai-Mei

Next I cast on Kai-Mei in STR lightweight in pretty pastel Siren Song that Marcy picked out for me at Camp Knitty HaHa last month. The wide swirling stripes were a surprise - part of the fun of handpainted yarn!

Yarnissima Mystery

I'm questioning whether to keep knitting on Kiila - Yarnissima's Mystery Socks. I chose some Collinette Jitterbug in a gorgeous blue called Heavens Above. Having never knit with Jitterbug, I had no idea it was this heavy! It is a very thick fingering wt. yarn - In the future (I have 4 more skeins) I will use it as a sport wt. on bigger needles. As it is, I'm using 2.5mm (which is big for me) and not only are these socks uncomfortable to knit, but I'm also concerned they may end up big....I'm holding out until the next clue - then I'll make a decision.

This wouldn't all be so bad, but THIS KIT (they are red/blue/black - not orange/gray) will be here in the next day or 2 and I know I will not be able to resist casting on the coolest socks ever! Can you see me wearing these out in public???

Blue Quilt Fabric

And last - some of the fabric for my next BLUE quilt - haven't made a final decision on the pattern - either log cabin or stars.

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