Socks for a friend

As mentioned yesterday, in Sydney today, we visited a very old friend of Sean's who is dying. They have known each other for nearly 20 years, thereabouts and he's just always been there. I met him the same day I met Sean, a decade ago this month. Soon, he won't be here any more. 

Today was strange. I kept feeling myself sink into 'remember when' moments and then stopped myself. It didn't seem right. I think we both just wanted to be there with him no matter the awkwardness, the sadness, the uncertainty.

Even though it's summer now and even though he may not ever wear them, I had to knit socks for him. I've been telling him i would for so long and I was continually put off by his size 13 feet. The state of things meant that last month, I decided at once I had to finally knit the socks, no matter the absurdity of heavy weight socks in an Australian summer.



In the absence of the words to say what we feel, sometimes we just have to do something. I couldn't let him go knowing I'd failed to knit these for him.

He was weak and quiet but he smiled and tried one of them on despite the fact that in Western Sydney today it was pushing 41 degrees (or 105 F). He smiled. I got the size right. They are huge. 

They are the Thuja pattern from Knitty, knit in 3 balls of Patons Jet, which is my new love. Lovely alpaca-wool blend and just great for so many things. I made these as inside socks for our friend, but I reckon the thickness of them could mean they are great winter weight boot socks. 

I sincerely hope he'll be around to wear them in winter when they are most needed.

Bells

Retrospective

I wasn't going to. Then I saw others were doing it and I liked it. So I made my own little retrospective of the year that was 2008.

Just the knitting, mind. Nothing else. I have to draw the line somewhere. Once I get started, I could go down several paths of looking back and this one will do for now. It's the one I'm most proud of. What a year. Gifts, major personal achievements, countless stitches. 



1. Mick's Socks, 2. Adele, Will and the Hemlock, 3. Adamas Shawl, 4. Blue Handtowel, 5. Cream Handtowel, 6. Boy Fetchings (Dad), 7. Sean's Birthday Socks II, 8. Sean's Birthday Socks I, 9. White Fetchings, 10. Mauve Fetchings, 11. Embossed Leaves II, 12. Verdes Pi Shawl, 13. Alpacky Vest, 14. Hemlock Memory Blanket, 15. Purple Trainwreck Socks, 16. Shetland Shawl, 17. Adele's Cardigan, 18. Grace's Crochet Jacket, 19. Waving Lace Socks, 20. Clapotis, 21. Zara Cutaway Cardigan, 22. Willem's Mittens, 23. Keith's Birthday Vest, 24. Sean's Gentleman's Socks, 25. Pi Blanket, 26. Fetchings, 27. Donyale Socks, 28. The Steeked Jacket, 29. Dublin Bay Socks, 30. Willem's Socks, 31. Ribbed For Her Socks (Claire), 32. dishcloths, 33. ballband, 34. Gentleman's Fancy Socks, 35. Forrest Canopy Shawl, 36. swapsocks

Once I got the mammoth, 14 month project of the Steeked Jacket done and dusted in March it freed up so much time. I finished that project wondering what the year held for me in terms of knitting output, once the albatross was lifted from around my neck, and now I see it held many, many good things. 

It has to be said, though the jacket was a trial, it taught me so many things that really, made the rest of the year's output possible. 

And this year? I see more lace, more socks, and something big, warm and filled with cables in winter. Beyond that, who knows?

I can say one thing with certainty though. There's a stash that needs sorting and I'm itching to work from it this year. I'm not saying I won't buy new yarn, but in the short term at least, I'm working with the materials I've got. I'm keen to see what's there.

Let the year begin. I'm ready.

Bells

Boxing Day

Today, we drove 3.5 hours to the coast and back. Long day. But a nice day with all the siblings, partners, parents, grandchildren (one aged four, one unborn) present for the first time in a long time. 

On the way, I worked on my red cardigan which is only a few days old. 



We drove through lush, green dairy country.



And finally, I was able to present the big, secret Christmas knitting project to my sister and her family.



It's my second Hemlock Ring Blanket. Like the first, it's made of Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic 12ply, this time in the Natural Fleck shade. I cast it on on 16 Nov and finished it on 7 December. Not too bad at all really.

Once it was done, that was the biggest burden of my Christmas knitting done. It was gratefully received by Adele, her husband and young Will, who happily posed beneath it for me, despite the heat of today on the coast.

Later, Will was sitting on my lap "knitting". Too cute.



In the afternoon, there was swimming in the pool, lounging about, eating trifle and posing for family photos. Here's mum, with we three girls. That's my youngest sister next to me, who is having a baby in February. A little girl.



And here is all of us. It's so hard not to squint in summer photos. From the back, Adele, Keith, Dad.

Front: Fiona, Me, Mum.



So that's Christmas done and dusted. It's been nice but I am relieved to have my leave ahead of me now, with the silly season stuff over and weeks of me time stretching out gloriously into the new year. It'll be hot and there are jobs to do at home, but not every minute of every day. No way.

Next post - Sean's fabulous gifts to me and what I plan to do with them!

Bells

FO: Adamas Shawl

I've got a new shawl! Somehow, despite all the Christmas knitting, I've managed to fit in a bit of time for this lovely piece. Actually it's been on the go since October, so it' s not like it flew off the needles.

Also, I cheated and didn't do the full fourteen repeats of the second chart, but it's a fabulous size nonetheless. Not quite a tiny shawl, not quite huge. Just right.

It's my second finished project for A Long Lacy Summer. I just haven't been able to blog the first one yet.



It's feather-light, delicate and a rich shade of blue. All things to feel good about.

Pattern: Adamas Shawl by Miriam Felton. It's actually a free one from Miriam 'Icarus Shawl' Felton's website. 

It's a great pattern. I'm quite ok with the triangular shawl now - the way the shape appears is, three shawls in, still something to marvel at. You start out thinking you're at the point of the triangle when actually you end at the point, but it's not clear at first. Clever.

Yarn: Knitpicks Shadow, in Jewel, snapped up when Donyale was having a destash a while back. I actually have two skeins left because I only used one (and a tiny bit) for this shawl. It's lovely yarn, if not particularly flash. I think this will make a good, easy wear shawl(ette). 

It measures 165cm by 59cm (or 69inches by 23 inches). Four repeats short and still quite good. Also, I got bored. No, not bored. Impatient. I am going to start new lace right on or after Christmas and I wanted to be ready!

Early on I was concerned the diamonds in the lace were not diamonds but in fact hearts. Judge for yourselves. They are a bit heart-like, aren't they? Never mind. I can cope. 

Finally, tomorrow Sean and I are having, for the second year in a row, a little Christmas lunch for ourselves a few days early. Last year we decided that because we never hold Christmas at our house, we never get to learn  how to cook a proper festive meal. We'll be scaling it back somewhat from the bazillion dishes I prepared last year, but with a special menu planned, some wine and a day of just being at home alone, it's bound to be fun.

If only I didn't now have a very sore throat. Here's hoping I can still taste by tomorrow.

Bells

Repeat Performance

I have long been a fan of knitting something twice. If it worked once, it'll work again and there's comfort in the familiarity of a repeat performance. 

(Remind me I said that next time I've got one half of a pair of socks lingering for too long?)

So I managed to quickly whip up another Retro-Rib Hand Towel. It's another gift and, for Christmas at least, it's the last one. Yes, I know I said I'd finished all the Christmas knitting a week ago, but I also said that if I chose to, I'd knit more gifts. Like other people we know, I'm still feeling quite bah-humbugish about Christmas but little moments of happiness are found in putting together packages like these.

But this, my friends, is it. No more. Because I have a lace shawl to finish. It looks like this, if you can't remember.



I'm about three rows off.

Next post, I'll update about the sheep. I think he's still with us.

Bells

The Retro-Rib Hand Towel

You can't beat a gift that knits up in a day, can you? Check this out.



It's the Retro Rib Hand Towel a new pattern by Sonia, the Peaceful Knitter. It's a lovely pattern, utterly mindless until you hit the hardly challenging decrease section and turned over strap at the top, which I have secured with a handy stunt clip until I can buy a button this week.

It takes 1 skein of Peaches and Cream worsted weight cotton for the main colour, and about one quarter of a ball of the contrast colour on 4.5mm needles. 

I've got another one on the needles as we speak, in dark blue and light blue Lion Brand Cotton. With Christmas literally only just around the corner, I'm needing a few last minute things I can pump out lovingly but quickly. 

Did I say the Christmas knitting was done? 

I did. I think I just meant the big things. At this stage, I'll do anything to avoid going to the shops. Knitting stocking stuffers suits me just fine.

Bells

FO: Birthday Socks

As I mentioned last week in the Stealth Knitting post, I have spent the better part of the last couple of months knitting socks in secret for Sean's birthday.

The day it occured to me to knit him socks, I felt like such moron. How could I have not thought of this months ago? All that agonising over what to get him and I never thought to knit for him?What kind of obsessed knitter am I?

So the rush began.

The obvious choice was the use to Knitpicks Essential he'd chosen himself when his brother was in the States and I'd put an order in. He chose 'Lumberjack' which we both laughed about at the time. Such a manly sounding yarn!

And here they are. Finally. On his feet, where now that he's a total convert to knitted socks, I imagine they'll spend a lot of their existence.

Pattern: Gentleman's Plain Winter Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. Love this book. Love this pattern. I made them for him earlier this year and they are the best fit for him. The long cuff and the Dutch heel are a winning combination.

Yarn: Knitpicks Essential in Lumberjack. It was my first time using Knitpicks and I was quite pleasantly surprised.

I quite like the seam down the back of the socks but it's a bugger to keep straight. I'm not sure it really has much purpose. 

Sticks: Knitpicks Harmony DPNs 2.5mm. I think that's my preferred size for manly socks now.

Modifications: None at all. Pattern as written. Might have stretched the toe a little bit. I think I may convert to the Dutch heel for all socks soon. I just like it very much. The little boomerang shape on the bottom is a pleasure to make and Sean finds them really comfortable.

And these are the other pair I made. This time from Patonyle, which was a gift from Kgirl. I love it!

The second pair of socks was a project I started about 3 weeks before the big day. I declared to RoseRed I'd give it my best and she said that if I managed two pairs for Sean's 40th when she'd not managed to finish one pair for her husby's 40th, I'd show her up.

Consider yourself shown up RoseRed!


The second pair flew off the needles. Admittedly that was because I decided to just knit them in front of him and hope he never asked about them.

He did.

And I confessed they were for him. The upside of that was that he thought they were the only gift socks coming his way so he got a surprise on the day. I could knit them with gay abandon after that, no more having to pretend that no no, I didn't mind if he caught the bus with me some mornings, while seething that I was losing valuable stealth knitting time.

These are the same as the Lumberjack socks but knit on 2.75mm needles, which for reasons that complete escape me now, seemed like a wise choice at the time. It's not. They're a little floppy and I think the Lumberjack socks fit much better. But they're still highly wearable.

I think I will pass on knitting plain manly socks for a while - they do go on. 

Anyway, happy birthday Sean. I hope you love wearing them as much as I loved making them.


Bells

Day 25: FO - Embossed Leaves II

Finally, I finished a pair of socks. These ones, though I've loved them, have continually been put down to make way for deadline knitting.

They were special though. I started them on July 13 - my birthday. Sean had given me a full set of Knitpicks harmony needles and I felt the need to cast on with some yarn I'd been saving for good.



That yarn was my first ever Socks that Rock in the Ravenclan series - this one is Valkyrie.

The pattern is Embossed Leaves from Interweaves Favourite socks. I've made them before and just love the pattern so much. I'll make it again and again. 

This time I did things a bit differently though. I did the eye of partridge heel you can see above, which I didn't know how to do last time.

And I didn't do the strange cast on the pattern asks for because it's just too damn tight. These ones are probably a little bigger than I normally make - they're roomier - but at least I can pull them up properly.

New socks, in fabulous colours. I love them. And given they are both lace and socks I'll say these fit into the themes of A Long, Lacy Summer and Southern Summer of Socks!

Bells

Day 18 - The finished pi shawl

My lace pi shawl is done and I'm so very happy with it.

I really was so unsure when to cast it off and experienced great bouts of indecision over the last few weeks. However, all credit must go to George and our lengthy discussions and measuring at the pub last week. The result of that conversation was that I got to cast it off a lot sooner than I ever thought I would. And here it is.

Blocking it was lots of fun, except for the giant hole that appeared in it yesterday. But it's all fixed and now it's lovely.

This is my second pi shawl. The first was a blanket, not a shawl, and made for Sean. Heavier wool so it was finished faster. This one took months. I thought it would never finish but actually that was just because I kept putting it down.

Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmerman's Pi Shawl from The Knitter's Almanac.

Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Verdes.  This was a gift from RoseRed for our one year anniversary of being friends (awww) and I love it. I will use this yarn again and again. In the words of Kuka, it feels like kittens! I often compared it to a cloud. It's beautiful. 

Time: April 30 - October 18.

Needles: Here's where I mucked around a bit. I started on 4mm (size 6) needles but frankly, got a bit impatient. I got to 576 stitches and thought, you know,  this is all looking a bit tight. I'm all for small gauge but I started to worry about how it would block. So I committed what might considered knitting blasphemy and changed to 5mm (size 8) needles. You can see it easily really. In the photo above, around the point where you can see the top of my skirt, it's more open. I don't mind. This was never meant to be a perfect piece, just a laceweight pi shawl.

Modifications: You don't really stick to a pattern with this shawl. Since EZ gives you various options, it's all open and up to you. So I stuck to the eyelet rows ever six rounds, had an aborted attempt at doing a gull stitch border, then got on with it until it was big enough. 

After that, I did a crochet border, which I learned from Marianne Kinzel's book, First Book of Modern Lace. So fast, so easy (once I got used to it). It's a combination of single crochet stitches and a 9 stitch chain. You crochet the live stitches together, three at a time, and make the chain after that. If you're keen to know how to do it, I recommend researching it and figuring it out. I love it. Have a look.

And that's it. Done and dusted and I may well wear it to a wedding in a couple of weeks. That was the plan for rushing to finish it but I think the days are warming up and I might not. We'll see. I'm just glad to have it done. Now I can REALLY get on with A Long, Lacy Summer. I've started something new but I'll save that for another post. 

Welcome aboard to the new sign ups in the last couple of days! If I've missed you and not put your name in the sidebar, let me know. And start posting what you're doing. I'm dying to see!

Bells

Day 7: FO: Alpaca Vest

This whole blogging everyday thing is kind of exhausting. Now I know why I give myself at least two days between posts! It's a good thing I had a few things saved up. In a week or so I can totally see myself running out of steam.

Anyway, onto the a finished object from a few weeks ago now, which just needed a chance to be photographed. Today, the temperature dropped a little so it came out and got worn to work with a brown skirt. 

So, here it is.

Pattern: V Neck vest from Jo Sharp's Knit 1 Magazine.

Yarn: Baby Alpaca, 5ply/sport weight, purchased thanks to RoseRed, from the Alpaca shop in Berrima. She called one day, asked if I wanted some chocolate brown baby alpaca (or 'alpacky' as she likes to say) and I said yes. Lovely stuff. So soft and with a nice twist. And today, in that chilly spring wind, very warm!

Needles: Knitpicks 3.75mm.

Time: August 15 - September 28. It dragged on for a bit with that long band of rib, but the rest happened fast.

Modifications: I knit it in the round. After the last time I did that, I was never going back to knitting flat.

I'm mostly happy with it. It's a size too big although it's hard to tell from the photos. Jo Sharp patterns are often too big, so I'm told by RoseRed. But it's drapey and given I feel porky, it's probably good it's not too fitted. That said, the wide shoulders fall off throughout the day.

I might make another one in a different colour for winter next year, if I can face all that ribbing again. I like the low V. It's a nice change. And I'll definitely buy more of this yarn. It's SO soft.

Bells

FO: Hemlock Ring Memory Blanket

I know I posted photos of the Hemlock Ring Blanket blocking a few days ago, and lots of people said lots of lovely things, but there were questions about how what the specifics were with regard to modifications. 

Now that it's off the floor and ready for use, I thought it was only right to do a proper write up.

It all came together so well. I had never thought really of doing this pattern - not sure why. I think I thought it was too hard to bother with, though I admired it. Where I got that notion from, I don't know, since I've done harder stuff and I'm not afraid of blanket weight lace. 

A few weeks ago, at lunch one day with Quilting Mick and Bec, all that changed. Bec said she was working on a version of her own and it was so fast and so easy. A lightbulb flicked on for me, and I knew it was the blanket I had to make.

As I've said previously, during my brief pregnancy, I was planning blankets but hadn't yet cast on. I wanted to wait until we were more certain things were safe. Sadly, we weren't safe at all and in the blink of an eye, all my baby knitting plans came to an abrupt halt. The blanket was a big plan and to have that taken away was devastating, in amongst everything else.

And so on the recommendation of someone who had been through this same painful situation, I started a memory blanket, something tangible to remember our lost little one by.

Pattern: It's BrooklynTweed's pattern, but thanks to Jejune, I used instead the corrected pattern by The Rainey Sisters.

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic in 12ply. Colour: Sandstone. 600g (3 balls). Just. I very nearly ran out.

Needles: Knitpicks Options 7mm (10 3/4). This is a big deal for me. I'm a fine gauge girl at heart. Chunky needles and chunky yarn is outside my comfort zone, but I settled in very happily.

Time: Started Wednesday 24 September. Finished Wednesday 1 October. Pretty much everyone gets through this quickly. I attribute my speed to being on holidays, away from home, and needing in my sadness something all consuming to focus on.

Modifications: None, strictly speaking. But I did do a magic loop cast on instead of Emily Ocker's cast on as recommended. I also knit one repeat beyond the 63rd row (as indicated on the chart by a gold line), taking it finally to 536 stitches. It's made it a really nice size. Not too large, not too small.  

I also chose to do the crochet cast off, instead of the knitted cast off which many seemed to suggest on Ravelry was a time and yarn suck of extreme proportions. I cast off, did one round of Single Crochet and then one round of the loops, each of which is 7 chains, with 3 single crochet between. That's a double crochet, if you're American. Single for everyone else.

The middle is my favourite part. It wasn't hard and it wasn't until I'd finished that bit that I realised what I'd been doing. I'd worried the flower was difficult but I stopped, looked and realised I'd done it. Easy peasy.

Also, the feather and fan part is good TV knitting. I'm not usually keen on feather and fan but this sucked me in. 

One evening while on holiday, Sean did about half a row of this blanket. It seemed like a nice way to include him in the significance of it. I gave it to him on one of the plain rounds and away he went. He was worried you'd be able to see which bit was his, but you can't. I was so proud! 

Come next winter, this will be so lovely and warm. In the meantime, I like it decorating the back of a chair, where I can see it, and remember.

Bells

FO: Shetland Triangle Shawl

When I chose Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle Shawl, I did so because I wanted instant gratification. That might sound odd, to choose a lace shawl for instant gratification, but I'd read enough about the pattern to know that people said it was both simple and fast. But not so simple that it'd bore me to tears. Perfect.

On a day home from work (Monday 11 August) I wound up a skein of Wollmeise (in Rosenrot - courtesy of Tinkingbell) and got to work. A bit over two weeks later, it's done and I couldn't be happier. 

If only it wasn't such a pain to photograph. None of the following photos get anywhere close to capturing the richness of the red paired with the detail. 

And here it is about half an hour ago hanging on the plum tree out the front. I'm not sure that sunset is necessarily that good for showing the colour or detail either.

And here's an up close shot. You can see some of the light variegation in it here. It really is lovely. 

As others have noted before me, it can turn out a little small if you stick to only the eight pattern repeats specified. I had a gorgeously large amount of yardage in the Wollmeise, so I just kept on going and the size is fabulous. I did thirteen repeats on 4mm needles in the end. 

It's definitely a shawl, not an over extended scarf, which the last triangle shawl I made amounts to.

I love it! It had its first outing on Saturday night when we accompanied Kuka and her other half to watch a football game at the Ainslie Football Club. 

Yes, you read right. Those of you who've never known me to do such a thing are right to be shocked. A football game. The last time I did any such thing was in 1990, during my final high school exams when even watching the Canberra Raiders play the grand final seemed preferable to studying. It wasn't so bad. In fact, it was even kind of fun. We ate pizza and soaked up the vibe while Kuka and I knitted. I survived it just fine and the shawl sat comfortably around my shoulders. 

Maybe I'm a little more Aussie now, having watched a game?

Today, I wore it to work and, as I lamented to various friends in emails, not a single person commented on it. I don't need people who don't knit to comment on my knitting, but seriously, a bright red lace shawl over a black cardigan and pants? Surely that's worthy of a comment in the lifts or in the tea room? A girl could get paranoid that maybe she doesn't look very good.

Never mind. It's a newly treasured garment and if you want an easy introduction to lace knitting, I can't recommend this enough. So simple I could do it on the bus with nary a glance at the pattern.

Bells

Reasons to keep knitting for winter

Because it's actually not over. The lovely springiness of the weekend fooled me for oh, about a day or so.

This morning after breakfast, I told Sean I was going out to play in the snow.

"Frost, dear," he said. "Frost."

I said, "Dammit. I'll say snow if I want to." I mean, look at this. Sugar coated daffodils. So pretty. 

It reminds me of a story. When Adele and I were kids, we saw sugar coated violets on a chocolate cake in a book. We were fascinated.

The next time I saw a small purple flower, being the deviant big sister I was (and arguably, still am), I made her eat it. God only knows what it was. Perhaps she's lucky to be alive. Maybe there's a deadly purple flower out there masquerading as a violet.

It's a good thing English spinach is frost tolerant, that's for sure.

It's incredibly difficult to photograph you're own two besocked feet while standing out in the snow frost trying not to fall over and wondering if your not-yet-blow-dryed hair is going to freeze solid to your head. But these are my new Purple Trainwreck socks. If you're late to the party, this is a colour created by Julie, aka The Samurai Knitter. It was, if my memory serves me correctly, a happy accident.

This is my second pair, although the first were Monkey Socks. The first, tragically, were felted. I've never recovered from the loss and so Julie made some more for me. 

I made these mostly in Alice Springs, which is kinda funny when you think about it. They've been in the red centre, and now they're standing in the frosty wonder of a Canberra morning. Love it.

I like the detail shots best (there's a surprise) but here's how the back yard looks this morning, in a blanket of white. It's not really snow, but isn't that what imaginations are for?

Bells

ps RoseRed, bring your winter woolies.

Finished - Adele's Cardigan

This weekend, I finally got to give Adele her cardigan. We drove to Sydney and in the afternoon, we took Will to the park and Adele got to be a model. She made out like she was embarrassed. I think she loved it. You can tell.

Doesn't it suit her well?

It's like it was made for her. ha ha.

And some detail shots. Here's the back and hemline. A hint of rolling, which works well I think.

And the neck which, after all that fear and trepidation last week, turned out just right.

Now, for the vitals:

Pattern: Elegant Eyelet Cardigan from Cleckheaton Studio Mohair booklet 941. I've made this twice and it turned out even better the second time. You'd hope so too, given I've learned a lot in the intervening two years.

Yarn: Eki Riva Leisure Alpaca which is an 8ply/DK weight yarn that I bought from Prestige Yarns at a scandalous sale price. It's so soft. It's knitted up so drapey, with just a hint of a halo. I'll use this again.

Needles: Knit Picks Options circulars 4mm/size 6.

Time: July 5 2008 - 27 July 2008 - for the knitting part at least. I earned my green sprinters jersey in the Tour De France Knit Along! But it took me a week and a bit to get it all finalised.

Modifications: I made it longer in the sleeves and body for Adele. I knit the garter stitch hems on the 4mm needles instead of the 3.75mm needles specified. And I knitted the band on, instead of making it separately and attaching it. A good move, I think.

I absolutely loved making this. Every stitch was a joy, well, except for the bits where I thought I'd messed up. 

Knitting something which is chosen by its intended recipient, and anticipated as a special gift, is really enjoyable. Knitting at its best. 

And what did the rest of the weekend entail? A fair amount of driving, aided by our friends the Knitted Police.

Lots of fun with Willem, who was, as always, fabulously adorable.

Brunch and laughs with friends, Donni, RoseRed, Nora and Kristie. 

And on the way home, snow!

Not vast quantities by some standards, but just ask Sean how fun it was to drive in it when it was dark and the snow fall heavy!

What a nice weekend, lots of fun and time out. Perfect.

Bells