Everyone's a junkie…even knitters

I finished knitting Monkey on Sunday and I have to say these are my new favourite socks. They are so comfortable and warm it’s great.

monkey2
(click for insanely-large detail pic)

I’m a little obsessed with this pattern now since it looks so complicated but is very easy to do and remember. Though I will admit at first my sizing was a little off and I had to go up a needle size for the cuff. Plus as I was going I kept getting distracted and had to frog a few rows here and there since I lost track of my place.

Still, I love this pattern and see it becoming like Pomatomus and the Jaywalker sock patterns in the sense that every knitter in the blogosphere will have done it at some point.

Such patterns really are an addiction.


"Alone…listless…"

I’m supposed to have my grad school application finished by the end of this month, but I can’t bring myself to work on it. I only have a night class today, so it’s not like I don’t have time to work on it, the problem is more that I just don’t know what to say. I feel useless.


Why has the postman forsaken me?

I don’t know what is wrong with the mail system here lately but I’m starting to get pissed off. There are things that I know were mailed almost a month ago that I haven’t gotten yet, and some stuff mailed from local people (Guelph and Kitchener) that I still haven’t gotten and that’s been over a week. In total, I’m waiting for nine different things and so far only one of them has come, that one mailed from Texas. Why are the things that normally take longer showing up and everything else being stuck in mail-limbo?

I want my mail damnit!

EDIT: It turns out that the two things that were really late ended up in the super’s office. Since he’s been on vacation (and he’s not here that much in the summer anyway) I couldn’t get any information from him until today. So the mail was okay, I just didn’t have access to it.


Needle Affair

I started yet another pair of socks. I had to frog one of the ones I did before, since the socks were supposed to be hand-washed and accidentally went through full wash/dry cycle. Since I’m not quite ready to redo that pair, I started some with KnitPicks’ Sock Memories in Easter. I bought this yarn at the end of last month when they came out with their circular needles, since I was buying a couple pairs of those and I didn’t want to waste all the shipping costs on just two needles.

Those needles are amazing, by the way. I like them better than the Addi Turbos, and I’ve been in love with those for months. The most notable difference is that the points on the KnitPicks needles are sharper, and the needles themselves have slightly more weight to them. This makes them the perfect needles for me, since those were my two main problems with the Addis. I was having trouble with stitches splitting because of the blunt points, and the needles were getting bent because of the death-grip I have when I’m stressed. Because of the added weight I don’t hold these needles as tightly, and they are holding up much better as a result.

The current pair of socks I’m doing two at a time on one circular, from the toe-up. When winding the yarn into balls I noticed that the colourway was going in the same direction and the ends almost started in the same spot, so I’m making these socks to match, as well. Both methods are new for me. I’ve tried two socks at once on two circulars before, but I couldn’t stand all the needle ends hanging around everywhere. This way is working out nicely. I’m using the same length needle I always do – 32″ – and it seems to work well for both one sock and two. I know most people seem to like 40″ needles, but they bother me with all the extra cable floating around. It’s possible that when I get to the heel and such I’ll miss the extra length, but I think for the most part I’m fine doing things this way.


I stashed, no more

Regia Spirit Vine SwatchI went to Cloth & Clay on Tuesday to get some cable needles and ended up buying more sock yarn. I bought some to make Dean a pair, it’s mostly shades of red and grey because his friends keep poking fun at his bright red socks.

The other is a cotton yarn in peach, red and burgundy that I’ve been staring at for months. It’s going to be a while before I get anything else. I tend to say that a lot and then randomly grab something, but this time I can’t afford any more than those. The rest of the money I have goes towards the new computer.Regia Cotton Surf Rosso Swatch

I’m glad that I could get this yarn, I really like it, and it’s a way to try out some of the cotton socks for the summer and see how they compare. Most people seem to prefer wool year-round, but some swear by their cotton socks, so we shall see. They have wool in them anyway, so it’s not like they are just cotton.

I resisted the urge today to buy some cotton/elastic blend yarn from Elann. It’s hard when I usually spend $15-$20 on the yarn for socks and this stuff is going for $6. But it will have to wait until later in the year, or next summer. I’m pretty sure they’ll still be selling it for roughly the same price then.

On a good note, I’m forcing myself to learn combination knitting. I find knitting and purling that way easier than knitting English style, but I got intimidated by the increases and decreases, and the specialty stitches that patterns sometimes call for. Really, the trick is just learning exactly how each stitch its formed because then you can do it any way. Once I get through this, my hands will thank me. It’s a faster and more even way of knitting, and since I’m using circular needles now it will save my hands as much stress as possible. Things are looking up.


Sock Update!

Exams are done, I had a nice quiet birthday, and I have time to finally do those important non-school-related things….Like show off more socks.

Wiggy Loves Sra's Socks

See? They Fit!

I finished Sra’s socks in February but didn’t have the camera to take pictures of them, and then when she sent me the pictures I was swamped and haven’t had time to do anything with them until now. I’m so glad they turned out well and that they actually fit.


No knitting allowed?!

I’ve done a very bad thing, even though it didn’t feel that way at the time. I’ve been knitting so much lately that I’ve managed to give myself carpal tunnel. At least, hopefully that’s what it is. My left pinkie went numb, which is unusual for carpal tunnel. The doctor is wary of something more serious, but for now things are looking alright. After five days of varying states of numbness, my left hand is pretty much back to normal. I’m not supposed to knit for a bit, to be on the safe side, since I’m not going to stop using my computer. As well, I’m predominantly going to switch to magic loop for all the socks I want to make. It puts a lot less stress on my hands. It seems faster as well. I’ve been poking around on some lists and websites looking for something a bit more permanent, and the solution seems to be learning combination knitting. Rather than knitting from the wrists as I do knitting English style (by throwing the yarn), this is a variation on Continental knitting which puts most of the action in the arms. It reminds me of art class, where I was always reminded not to sketch from the wrists, but to make larger motions moving my whole arm. I’m hoping the combination of the two of these will help keep this problem from returning.

Edit: Now that it’s not numb my left hand really hurts, especially my wrist. Hence, I shall be getting a brace to prevent my doing any further damage to what is obviously a very abused hand.


Mail!

Lots of things came in the mail today. 16 balls of yarn from KnitPicks and most of my books from Chapters and mail from Dean. I want to make lots of socks now. Well, I wanted to do that before, but now I’ve got a room full of yarn (exaggeration) staring me in the face to do that with.

Sra’s socks are on hold a bit because the sizing seemed really off, but now that I’ve got more yarn I may try something different with them and make them super-awesome. There’s a socknitting (it’s a word now, really) book at the library for me which I may go get today for some ideas.

I returned my Addis because after trying it I really hate making two socks at once and there’s no other reason for my having 40″ 2.0 and 2.5mm needles. Though I’m going to be buying them again, just in a shorter length.

I started a pair of socks for myself from the yarn I bought from Grand River Yarns. It’s not as soft as commercial sock yarn, but it’s knitting up fast and making some really great socks. I’m not sure if most people would like them, but I kinda like the slight rough feel that this yarn has. I even started up an email conversation with the owner thanking her for this yarn and chatting about our cats and stuff. She’s great and I’m definitely ordering from her again.

I’m considering trying identical socks with the self-patterning yarn rather than making fraternal ones. People swear that it only takes an extra five minutes to keep track and get them to match properly. It’s worth a shot, at least. I don’t care for my socks, but if I’m going to be gifting them out to people they make like to have socks that are the same.


I'm a bad, bad, girl.

I finally got my credit card in the mail yesterday. Rather than even pretending restraint, after activation I promptly purchased the 40″ 2.0mm Addi Turbo circular needle that I’ve been coveting. And then, because I felt bad buying only one thing (even if it cost $15) I bought some really bright green sock yarn that was on sale for half price. It could have been worse though. There were a couple more colours I considered getting, but I managed to stop the insanity after the pretty green yarn.


Hide From The Monster

The “knit monster” as I like to call it, is attempting to escape in full force. People keep sending me links to sales for sock yarn, or free shipping on sites if you order more than $25. For those of you that don’t know, $25 is roughly the equivalent of yarn for two pairs of socks. So, very easy to do. Buying yarn online is much cheaper, but I have yet to do it. I’ve been resisting. But the deals lately are getting really really good. I assume it’s in anticipation of Christmas, since the retailers know all us crafty people are raring to make some cool stuff.

I didn’t have this problem last year because I didn’t start knitting again until just after Christmas, and I was at home with no internet access and no knowledge of the outside world. Now though, it’s a completely different story. There’s some really nice yarn out there for some really great prices, and it’s getting really hard not to crack and buy a ton of it. I bought some Regia from Cloth & Clay last week, thinking that would help and it has, somewhat. The problem is I am diligently trying to avoid the huge stash that most people seem to accumulate, and if I start buying yarn before finishing what I’ve got that is bound to happen.

Besides my crazy compulsion to be a fibre consumer-whore, the Regia socks with magic loop are coming along really nicely. This colourway is really bright, and it should definitely make for some interesting conversation once they’re done. I must admit I’m in love with almost all of the Canadian colourways. They aren’t as somber as most self-patterning sock yarns. I want to try at least five of the others to see how they knit up.

Wow, reading this over it sounds like I should attempt a Christmas list for once in my life. Send me some sock-knitting love.