RPM and the best PJs ever

RPM and the best PJs ever

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

These are the RPM socks from Knitty’s Summer ‘06 issue. The yarn is Knit Picks Bare, hand-dyed by me (my first time) using Jacquard Acid Dyes. I used a size one needle and the Magic Loop method. These have the short row heel and pointed toe, and I carried the spiral rib pattern across the sole of the heel. The first time I knit the heel, I made an error somewhere and I ended up ripping back the finished sock to the heel to reknit.

This is a fun pattern and I really like how many options it gives you for heel, toe, and pattern.

The PJs are by Nick and Nora for Target and feature pink flamingos wearing scarves, Christmas lights, and Airstream trailers. If I had my druthers, I’d never take them off (except to wash, of course.)

RPM sock in progress

RPM sock in progress

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

This is an RPM sock in progress. There are several things I like about this pattern. One, the stitch pattern is interesting but simple, and doesn’t compete with the colors of the yarn (my own hand-dyed Knit Picks Bare). Two, the author of the pattern gives two options for heels – your standard heel flap and a short row heel. I have a basic sock recipe that uses the heel flap, but I like to experiment with other heels. Three, she gives two options for toes, and it’s fun to experiment with those as well. Four, the stitch pattern can be carried over the sole as well as the instep, which strikes me as fun.

My only quibble thus far is that I have small holes along the short-row heel. I wonder if making my yarn overs much tighter would eliminate those. I can always tighten them with some yarn, I suppose. I’m also not sure if the fit of the short row heel is as good as the heel flap. Time will tell.

Linkdump

ADHD Librarian has come up with a song to go along with the Come Together @ Your Library theme for National Library Week (via Jessamyn)

Compulsive Cables

Compulsive Cables

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

The lovely Spinstah, my friend, co-worker, classmate, and partner in crime, recently unveiled her first pattern — a cabled hat. She calls it Compulsive Cables, and I, being a bit prone to compulsive behavior (why do you think I knit so many socks?) decided that I had to have one immediately. Here’s mine, coming in at #3 on the list of finished objects for 2007.

My hat is knit from one skein (with a generous amount left over) of Malabrigo in the Alpine Pearl colorway. This being the northeast in January, I didn’t have much luck finding good natural lighting for the picture and so I must inform you, since I lack 31337 Photoshop sk|llz, that the colors are actually a bit darker in real life. Imagine thunderclouds on the horizon at twilight, perhaps.

Since I knit a bit loose, I did have to adjust the pattern slightly, but this only requires, as Spinstah points out, Easy Maths. Also, I did make two slight modifications – on row 9 of the decreases I did ssk, k2tog rather than ssk, ssk (to have the decreases form a point which I felt mirrored the cable a bit more, although we’re in extreme decrease dorkitude territory here), and on row 11 I did continue the cable, um, because I could.

Here are my measurements:
I wanted a hat with a 21″ circumference, and my 16 stitch cable swatch was 2.5″ across. 21/2.5 = 8.4, which I rounded down to 8 to get the number of pattern repeats. 8 x 16 = 128, which is how many stitches I cast on. When it came time to do the final decreases, I followed the decrease pattern as written, which resulted in 8 stitches on row 15 (rather than the 6 as written). This was fine.

Kudos to Spinstah for a great hat pattern. If this were eBay, I’d say something like A+++++ Would knit again!!!!

Finished object #2

Spey Valley socks

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

These socks are my second finished object of 2007. They are the Spey Valley socks from Nancy Bush’s Knitting on the Road, knit on size zero needles with Knit Picks Essential Tweed in Inca Gold.

These socks really grew on me as I knit them. The picture in the book is not particularly appealing, but on the foot I think they’re quite nice. Because of the ribbing they hug the foot well. I think the patterned band would be more distinct in a non-tweed yarn, but the tweediness makes them feel extra warm and homey (or maybe that’s just the freezing rain outside).

Pirate Mitten

Pirate Mitten

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

I spent today watching football and knitting. For the first game, I worked on the first Pirate Mitten (free pattern from Hello Yarn). My mitten is child-sized, because I was using stash yarn and the first needles I found, and also because I lose so many mittens I am not to be trusted with Pirate Mittens.

For the Pats game I worked on the second Spey Valley sock, which should be completed within the next day or two. Football is a poor substitute for baseball. On the bright side, it’s about a month until Spring Training. And it’s also exactly a month to my birthday.

Socks and Sock Clubs

Spey Valley sock #1

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

I finished the first Spey Valley sock a few minutes ago. The pattern is from Nancy Bush’s Knitting on the Road (a must-have for all sock knitters, in my opinion) and the yarn is Knit Picks Essential Tweed in Inca Gold. I’ll be honest, I probably wouldn’t have chosen this particular color of this yarn, but it was in my Christmas stocking. It is, however, a pleasure to touch, albeit a bit prone to splitting on the needles.

The pattern, too, was chosen largely because it was one I had not yet tried and had the right gauge — there are many other patterns in the book that have more appealing photographs. So I was pleasantly surprised by how the sock looks when it’s on a foot — and since socks are made to be worn, this is a good thing. The picture doesn’t really show the textured band too clearly so you’ll have to take my word that it’s rather nice.

In other news, I was not signed up for the Rockin’ Sock Club at Blue Moon Fiber arts, but after reading the Yarn Harlot’s post about their (former) bank’s incredibly dimwittery I hope to enroll once they are again able to process credit card sales.

A busy day

There are days at the lab when the printers jam, cds get stuck in computers, phones ring, and students clamor for help. And then there are days like these:

7 reasons it’s a good day

Santa’s delayed delivery

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

1) I was uber-productive at work today. And, since it’s Tuesday, I got out of work at 1pm.

2) After work, I went to the Red Cross Blood Center in Boston and donated platelets (apheresis). My dad is seriously into being a platelet donor. Last year he was unable to donate blood because he’d traveled to Africa, so for his birthday I told him I would donate whole blood in his stead. My new work schedule isn’t as conducive to regular attendance at the blood drive across the street at the federal building, and in my researching the location of the donation center I learned that platelet donation can now be done through one arm. So this year’s birthday present to dad will be regular platelet donation. Sssh! Don’t tell.

3) When I got home I had the box of goodies pictured above waiting for me. Drooooool!

4) I listened to three hours of completely ridiculous sports radio, including the Whiner Line. It was fantastic. I really, really want to go to the Whiney Awards… but going alone would be sad and I don’t know that I can find a date.

5) I started knitting a sock.

6) Pizza is on the way.

7) Tomorrow I work at job #2, which means I get to wear jeans.

And one minus – no Hall of Fame for Jim Rice this year.

First finished object of 2007

Denmark socks

Originally uploaded by theknittinglibrarian.

These purple socks were knit on size one needles, from Knit Picks Essential Tweed in Plum. The pattern is Denmark from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush. I started them the evening of January 1st and finished them January 3rd.

This yarn is so soft and the tweedy bits of color are great fun.

ETA: Knit Picks seems to have a few pricing snafus on their webpage at the moment…