Birthday Goodness

So, my birthday is coming up on Wednesday. Yay VIRGOS. Anyway, I'm slowly getting some of my birthday stuff because there are three September (early September at that) birthdays in the house.. So today we had our celebration. A nice autumn colored cake with lots of frosting flowers (what can I say, I REALLY like frosting flowers). I got a copy of the newest Sims 2 expansion, which won't play on Jeremy's new compy for some godawful reason (sigh), but which I'll install on his older compy and play there since my poor lappy is NOT doing well enough.

But, also, I got a loopy Ewe Package:


First, I spent a bunch of birthday monies on some more Dream in Color, because Sheri got some more in stock. I'm done, though. Seriously. DONE. I can't buy any more of this stuff.. Too much. Also I will be destashing on Etsy soon.




I also picked up a tiny sock blocker Keychain, and knitted a sock for it out of some extra yarn that was included in my order to make a "Red sock." I liked it better for the blocker, hee hee. I want to make a bunch of little socks to stick on it, though. It'll be fun.

Jeremy's parents picked me up a gift certificate to Blue Moon Fiber Arts but it hasn't come yet. Once I get that I'll be buying yarn from them, but that'll be the last of it. Blue Moon Fiber Arts seems to be really slow on the orders and doesn't update the order status much, which is kinda annoying.. Oh well. I'm not really worried about it yet given how long my last order took to get from them.

I'm still waiting on a swift and ballwinder (!!!) from KnitPicks and then that'll be it for my birthday. Good stuff. I also got a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble from Jeremy's uncle Brad, and I'll be spending that later on. Probably on knitting books. Yay.

Okay, Enough

Alright, this has to stop. The Loopy Ewe put a little bit more Dream in Color Smooshy Sock up...

And I got 4 more skeins. After I use my gift card to Blue Moon Fiber Arts.. that's it. No more yarn. None.

No more. But I'm going to LOOOVE what I have. But no more yarn for me.. just yarn for swaps and stuff.

Happiness

Despite the awful smell in the house today, I'm feeling good. Wanna know why?





Let me tell you.. I'm in love for life. I am also thinking I will be ordering from Sheri again because she really has such a variety. When I get my birthday money from my fiance I'm totally going to go NUTS. Hah! Now, I was a little worried after the fact- I could only pick 2 skeins and I knew I needed to get them NOW because Dream in Color is one of those yarns that sell out REALLY quick because everyone wants it.. No waiting for my birthday money. So I said "2 colors.. that's it (for now)" The Spring Tickle was a shoe-in.. but choosing my second color was hard. The pictures at The Loopy Ewe were not what I had seen over at Sonny & Shear so I wasn't sure which pics to trust.. Ultimately I decided to trust Sonny & Shear since theirs seemed a bit brighter.. and picked out Visual Purple. So I was nervous..

But the purple was just what I wanted and wonderful.. Yay! Can't wait to knit with it- but I promised myself I'd finish the Ravenclaw socks for my sock swap pal first.. and then I need to make a Gryffindor dice bag (I'm matched up with a Gryffindor.. Again! lol) for the sock kit swap, get together the yarn I'm going to send them..

Then maybe I'll knit a pair of socks for myself. I think I need to stay out of the next sock swap, lol.

FINALLY!

They got Dream in Color Smooshy Sock in stock over at The Loopy Ewe.

I'm broke so I only got 2 skeins but I am praying that when we have money again next week she will still have some. I'm not hopeful, but still.. one can hope. I got Spring Tickle & Visual Purple. I'm so excited!!!!!!!

Yarn Buyage

I just bought some Kauni EQ and a shawl pattern. Actually, I might not make a shawl but it comes free so..

This does not count against my diet at all. It's.. pretty much.. sock yarn. Yeah. Really pretty sock yarn that I might even use for socks.

Yup.

The money I made from those knittens is draining away really quickly, lol.

Some knitting is getting done..

First, a project coming out of retirement





I don't really know what It's going to be, it's really more just for me to play with the yarn so I might just have it around for inspiration or something. From that Linie stuff with the ruffles like the yarn harlot used for that awesome orange scarf.

SOCK PORN


Again, for anyone who doesn't remember, they are KnitPicks Gloss & KnitPicks Palette. I'm feeling all accomplished and stuff now. Just got the leg part left to go.

After I finish these socks I'm on to the pi shawl I started ages ago.. or I might have to knit more for the HSKS3 Swap.. lol. Yay.

Not much knitting getting done..

But I fixed the sock


It's still a bit depressing, because the sock obviously isn't the same.. but.. it's mended, it's wearable. I'm hoping I don't have moths or anything (believe me I'm stalking) and that I just snagged it on something (I feel like there would be more holes or something if it was moths). But still, can you say HEARTBROKEN?

I'm resting my hands after having to do all the knittens. They have been finished and shipped and now I have money in paypal burning a hole in my "pocket." I kind of want to buy the Cher collector barbie dolls.. but you know how that is.

Anyhow, that was it for my quick update. I'm still enjoying my chocolate from SP, and STILL needing to get together the first package for my SP, lol.

Miscellaneous Stuff- SP & Socks

Flashing my Stash for SP11

So, remember my Koigu Super Saver Socks? My wonderful lovely socks that I love SOOOOOO much.

Well, LOOK WHAT I FOUND:::



I'm so upset. I was wearing them yesterday and they were FINE and I don't remember snagging them on anything.. and these holes just appear outta nowhere?! WTF!! The hole's on the TOP! So they aren't worn out!

*Sigh* I have some koigu in the same colorway so I'm going to be able to mend them but I'm annoyed because they'll never be the same.

Secret Pally Stuff

Well, it wasn't totally a surprise. I knew it was coming. But I was happy it came today, because I was certainly feeling a bit down about things.






I got a copy of the ORIGINAL 30-Minute Meals book by Rachel Ray, a bar of single-origin dark chocolate (YUM) and a yummy yummy skein of Araucania sock yarn in a gorgeous purply-green colorway. I love it. Can't wait to knit with it. I have too many sock projects planned! Thank you, SP.

Now I just need to get a package for my own SP going.

And to top it off I'm asking for gift certificates from The Loopy Ewe and Blue Moon Fiber Arts for my birthday. There will be a post-Sept 12 sock yarn stock up. I can feel it.

Sewing

I will be happy if I never have to sew up another god damned knitten ever again!

Too bad I have a bunch of knitted ones sitting around that I actually need to do nothing more for but sew up.

*sigh* I was supposed to have all this finished yesterday and I would have but I didn't feel like doing it so now I have to force myself to do it and get everything sent out tomorrow. Jeremy isn't going to like me, either. Too bad, he'll have to send international post. Assuming that after I finish them I get payment.. yeah.

In other news, it is a delicious 44 degrees here. I love cold. I even got to put on my Koigu Super Saver Socks for the first time in ages. Yay!

Wanting Sock Yarn

*sigh*

So, Jeremy and I are broke. I helped buy him a laptop for his birthday, so all my money had to go to that. So we're broke. On top of this I'm working night and day on these damned knittens that I have to have done and ready to ship by Tuesday night. I'm actually doing pretty well on the knittens I've got 4 more head pieces to make then I just need to sew them up & figure out the wires. Totally worth it for the money I'll make, but also frustrating because..

I wanna knit socks.

And I want to buy sock yarn. NICE sock yarn. I am DYING for some Dream in Color Smooshy Sock. But it's out of stock in every color I would like. I want to go nuts at Blue Moon Fiber Arts and buy some STR... Hell, I want koigu too. I wanna go nuts on stuff at The Loopy Ewe. I want SOCKIES!

*tries to calm* Why is it that I never want to go shopping when I have money?

PS: Sorry to anyone who is also broke. I know I'm being whiny. Just bear with me for now.

Pattern: Dice Bag

Hogwarts House Colors Drawstring Bag

This bag is VERY adaptable and I'm not going to write the numbers of exactly what I did, mostly because I can't tell you! There will be very few hard and fast numbers in this pattern, so just do it- it'll turn out nice in the end no matter what as long as you follow my simple instructions.

Materials
-2 skeins KnitPicks Merino Style in your choice of House Colors (1 of each color)* (shown here in Gryffindor- Hollyberry [MC] & Harvest [CC])
-US 3 DPNS (sef of 5 best)
Darning Needle


Instructions
note: first section of the bag is worked back and forth. I use the DPNS but if you prefer you can use straights

Decide which color will be your Main Color (MC) and your Contrasting Color (CC). In the bag shown I've used Hollyberry as the MC and Harvest as the CC.

Using MC, CO 29 sts
Row 1-?: K1, P1 across.
Work this pattern (seed stitch) until the bottom looks approximately square (or whatever other shape you'd like your bag to be)

Once you've finished working the bottom of the bag, it's time to bring the other DPNs into play & switch to circular knitting. Pick up stitches along the other 3 sides. Use one dpn for each side.

Next, we're going to knit a round with the MC. You should increase a bit- I did about 4 stitches at each corner, and make sure that your final number of stitches is divisible by 2- this is important! (If you want to make your job really easy, make this number divisible by 12, too)

On the next row, we start the color pattern (work this loosely! Any unevenness will be remedied in blocking, and we want to minimize how much color pattern "pulls in" as much as possible!):
Join CC
Bag Round 2: K1 with MC, K1 with CC, cont around.
Rounds 3-?: Repeat Round 2
note: Use your preferred method of Fair Isle for this, but make sure to be consistent. One color will be raised slightly out from the bag over the other one, and make sure you keep carrying the colors the same way so that the raised color does not change. So if you knit with the MC in your left hand and CC in your right hand, do that for the entire bag.

Continue in the color pattern for 5 inches or so, shorter or longer if you want. Break off MC and knit 2 rnds with CC.

Border and Drawstring Area:
With CC, Purl 2 Rounds
Knit 2 Rnds
Now it's time to make the holes: Take your total number of stitches and divide by 12. Subtract 2 from that number. We'll call that number "G"
Eyelet Row: (K "G" stithces, YO, K2tog) Repeat instructions in () until end of row
K2 Rnds
P2 Rnds
K2 Rnds
Bind Off

Weave in all your ends, and now we'll make the "Icord" for the drawstrings. While you're making the Icords you'll want to give your bag a quick soak in wool wash (or even just water) and then strech and block it over something to give it a more "Square" look and to also pull out the fair isle section so that it looks more even and also comes closer to the size of the border, which will be a little looser than the fair isle section due to it not being pulled in by the yarn carrying across the back. Let that dry while being blocked over a form (I used the end of one of those FridgePak soda 12-packs with a bag over it).

I-cord Drawstring (Make 1 in each Color):
With DPN, CO 2 Sts
K2 sts, slide knitting back to beginning of needle, K2 sts
Continue until your icord is "long enough" (12" for me but you can make it longer, shorter, etc)
Draw yarn through the 2 loops on needle and use darning needle to weave through the bag eyelets, then secure the 2 ends together in chosen method (I prefer to try and sew them so they look vaguely seamless)

Repeat this process with the other color. Make sure you weave the second icord in from the other side, so that the 2 strings will come out of 2 sides of the bag as shown in the photo. This means that you can pull on the 2 sides and the bag will close nicely.

* Recommended House Colors of Merino Style:
Gryffindor: Hollyberry & Harvest
Hufflepuff: Crocus & Coal
Ravenclaw (book): Storm & Cinnamon (this may be a bit dark for your bronze tastes, if so, you can substitute Andean Silk in Navy and Mustard (mustard is a REALLY good bronze)
Ravenclaw (movie): Storm & Fog
Slytherin: Moss & Fog


Anyway, hope you enjoyed the pattern. You can use the bag for carrying Dice, knitting supplies, or whatever you want. You can knit it smaller or bigger, use a different pattern on the bottom (I prefer seed stitch, though) use a different yarn, really, it's pretty adaptable. This was adapted from my original Knitted Dice bag pattern.

I decided to write this pattern out for the Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 contest.

Socks Put on Hold

Quick bloggy before work.

The ravenclaw socks have been put on hold because I got an Etsy order for some jumbo-sized knittens that someone needs ASAP. So no sock knitting today, just knitten knitting until I get them finished. I'll post pics here when I do finish them- the person is having me put wires inside to make them poseable.

I can't say I'm looking forward to marathon knitting six jumbo-sized knittens but they'll be cute anyhow.

For now, off to work I go.

Miscellaneous Stuff

I'm not getting much done. My Grandfather died on Monday evening and I've been successfully avoiding any actual emotion over it because I'm in Montana and my entire family is in New York. I feel terrible but I can't get out there. With Jeremy's parents wanting to force us to move out, it's.. We can't afford it. On top of this, you only get 3 days bereavement leave from N.E.W. and they told me that anything longer would have to be treated as a leave of absence and they would only approve it if service levels worked. SO, even if I could afford it, I could not go. I'm pissed, overall.



I'd say I'm about halfway done with the foot. These, of course, are going slower than my last pair for the Hogwarts Sock Swap, because I'm using actual sock weight yarn instead of the DK I was using last time. They're also a little bit more boring, but they're coming out great. I love KnitPicks Gloss so much, it's a joy to knit with and it looks really nice.

Also, I did a little bit of cross stitch on Tuesday..

Adorable, no?

Anyway.. I'm feeling pretty down so.. meh. We'll see what goes on. My back is hurting, And.. yeah.

EZ Socks

They are finally done! And they look GORGEOUS on my fiance's foot. Before I get too deep into the post though, here're the details:
Yarn: Opal Handpaint (in a pretty dark grey color I got from a swap on knitswap)
Needles: KnitPicks Classic Circs US1
Pattern: Moccasin Socks from Knitter's Almanac & Knitting Around
Notes: With these socks you have to kind of trust the pattern because you don't see right away how it's going to happen, but they turned out really good. Except for the bottom of the foot. There are these "bumps" which EZ does mention in the pattern, saying they can be steam ironed away. I don't know if that's going to help me, as they're quite pronounced and I think I could have used another few decreases before ending the sock. I got a comment on the Zimmermaniacs blog from someone claiming to be Meg Swansen (if its really her I'm totally starstruck) mentioning 3 segment shaping every half inch which I think will work a bit better.





You can see the bottom of foot bumps. Looking back I think some decreases before the last row would have been prudent, but when I need to re-foot these I can work on that problem, in the meantime, I'm working on another pair for myself in Elann Peruvian Highland Wool so I'll experiment with those too.



>
The pointed heel. You can see that my fiance has very strange ankles so ignore the weirdness, but the heel is there.

I also really loved the pointed heel (seen in the last photo). It looks really pretty and fits my fiance much better than the normal heels I do for him, so if I can figure out the bumpy thing on the bottom of the socks I'll be making these almost exclusively for him. I will definitely be doing ribbed socks for him exclusively from now on, as well, because it helps a lot with his high arches and big heels. I can make the ribbing so that it's much bigger when stretched out and it'll go over his heel, but then pull in when he puts it on. I've had SOO many problems sizing his feet until I realized it was his high arches that were causing my woes.

As a note- there were definitely some holes when I picked up stitches (You can see some in the heel photo) but to fix those I just went through and tightened the row- starting at the hole, you pull the leg of the stitch till it tightens up, then you go sideways, pulling leg after leg of the stitch until the 'looseness' spreads itself over several stitches. Worked really well.

Also, I can tell from the writing that EZ thinks a lot of the toe she does on these socks and she's right- it looks really nice.