A 2 Year Blogiversary??

So it looks like I just missed my 2 year Blogging Anniversary…or perhaps a Blogiversary? I am saddened that I have had to take some time away from this space. I’ve been trying to keep up with this wonderfully digital fiber world on Instagram…a quick, little taste of what everyone seems to be working on. I guess that’s what happens when you start searching for jobs, interviewing, and taking an online class for continuing education.

Something’s Gotta Give 🙂 Just so happened that it was here that fell off. I’ve missed this place and my connections with you guys!

So I’m coming back! I think maybe once a week for now, but we’ll see!

I know what you really came here for…not these silly excuses and such, but the knitting.

Without further ado…

How about those socks from the Weekly WIP #6 post??

I finally did recount, redo the gusset increases and turn some heels! I did this on the trip down to Memphis for BBQ Fest in May…just took me about a month and a half to pick those back up! Now I’m in the home stretch! Working my way up the leg.

These are my purse knitting…as a quick reminder, they are the Strie Socks (Toe-Up version) from Lara Neel’s Sock Architecture out of Zitron Trekking in the Tobago colorway.

Anyway, I’ll keep it brief and just know that I feel like I’m coming home.

❤
Jenna

Weekly WIP #6

I know I showed you some very fun projects on Monday…the Turia Sweater  and my Foggy Sunset Shawl as well as a Harvest Cardigan in the planning stages, but I’ve really been trying to get over the heel bump of these socks!

They are from Lara Neel’s Sock Architecture (knit your library!!) and are the Strie Socks, Toe Up. I’m using some Zitron Trekking in this fantastic Tobago colorway.

First off, let me tell you this is my first pair of toe-up socks. I thought that if anyone could teach me something new in sock knitting, it would Lara Neel and her amazing book. This book is awesome! There are so many different combinations of heels and toes…she talks about how to get the best fitting sock known to mankind…she even throws in some history about where certain heel techniques originated. The book is a great read through, but on to the bonus time! There are patterns and most of them are written for both toe-up cuff-down construction.

Anyway, I started these bad boys a while ago. The Magic Cast-On went alright. The toe increases were easy. I knit a foot! Yahoo! Then came time for the gusset increases. I did them. Or at least I thought I did. I attempted to turn a heel. It was coming out wonky, but I persevered and had one finished…that took 2 tries…then I started on the second one. I got to the place where I was starting to knit the heel flap and noticed that the smallest part of the little turn was not centered on the foot…I ripped back, tried again…couldn’t get it right. I ripped back again. So I did what any reasonable knitter would do.

I put them in timeout! I’d been spending about 2 days worth of my knitting time wrestling with these heels and I couldn’t figure out why the second one was even more challenging to get right than the first. I thought that things got easier as you practiced! Then I had another reasonable knitter moment.

I counted. The second sock was about 8 stitches short…meaning I didn’t work the gusset increases long enough…I held up the first sock with a heel and had a lightbulb moment…this heel was off center too…probably because I didn’t have enough stitches to start the dang thing…

Here begins the mild swearing and unraveling of yarn…I ended up pulling out the gusset increases I originally did because I did one side in the wrong spot…

Needless to say this time I’m counting my rows. Like any reasonable knitter would do. Here’s hoping I get these finished soon! My friend Korey is working on a mitered square sock yarn blanket and is dying for my scrap!!

Linking up with these lovelies:
Knit Your Library with Emily at Snapdragon Crafts
Yarn Along with Ginny at Small Things
Keep Calm & Craft On with Nicole at Frontier Dreams

❤
Jenna

First Day of Wool Season

I mean fall. It’s the first day of fall today. Let’s be honest, this translates to the first day you feel the strong desire to touch all the wool, wear all the wool, knit with all the wool…

At least I do! Actually, my office is so cold at work, I’ve been wearing wool socks almost every day. And I feel like I need more wool…so I’ve started a lot of things. Let me show you…

Those are my knobby ankles poking out of my first pair of toe up socks! They are the Strie Socks from Lara Neel’s Sock Architecture.

I love the textured stitch pattern. It’s so lovely with the variegated Zitron Trekking XXL.

And those are cuffs of the sleeves for my Turia Sweater! I bit the bullet and I’m just going to finish it. I’m going to trust the pattern, trust my measurements and just knit it!

Plus I just keep thinking about how awesome its going to be to wear the thing and I can’t wear it if I don’t knit it! Right?

And if you remember these are the Bootstrap Socks from Lara Neel’s Sock Architecture. I started these back in March on my trip back from Utah, did a little ripping, did a little reknitting and even did a little Kitchener stitching already on these babies…

Good thing the Mountain Colors Crazyfoot is up to the challenge…so much twist, so much energy! I think these are going to have a nice long foot life ahead, if I can ever get number one off the needles and get number two on there 🙂

And my lovely “Passe Partout” shawl…coming along. Truthfully, I haven’t hardly touched this in at least a week. Not because I don’t love it, but you’ve seen all the ones before this and you’ll see the ones after…it’s hard to budget my limited knitting time!

The Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend is a dream to work with, and the stitch definition!!! The singles are workin’ hard to look so good.

And this is a new cast-on…it’s the Fish Hat (Dead of Alive). My cute nephew William loves fish and his birthday is approaching, so what better than a hat that looks like a fish!!

I’m using odds and ends from other projects and I’m looking forward to seeing it develop…hopefully in the next couple weeks since his birthday is fast approaching!

The last one…my Daybreak. I love the subtle color changes in the Mini Mochi…and it’s lovely that it’s not too stark a contrast from the gray main color.

I keep thinking this one will be so nice to wear and go with so many things…then I remember I wear so much gray, hopefully it won’t just blend in!!

Anyway, Linking up on this lovely Wednesday with some fantastic folks. Click over to check it out!!
Tammy at Life & Yarn for Stitch Along Wednesday
Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along
Beth at iknead2knit for Whatcha Workin On Wednesday
Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm & Craft On

Please share what you’re working on!!
❤
Jenna

The First Day in September…

Calls for Socks!! Recently, I posted about my Bootstrap socks again and the interesting heel construction…you work the heel flap back and forth and then kitchener up the bottom of the heel, pick up stitches and power down the foot. Lara Neel calls it the Balbriggan heel.

It’s my first time using this construction. I was super intrigued when I was reading the directions. I wasn’t sure how the fit would be so I slipped it on. The heel feels snug, like it will stay put on your foot.

My one hesitation, I had to pick up stitches under the heel & around the gusset to work the foot and I’m not quit sure how those ridges will feel. But a very large part of me just wants to keep going. It’s only the first sock and I love a good experiment.

Plus I’ve got these lovelies on the go as well. Also from Lara Neel’s Sock Architecture are the Strie socks. They are my first pair of toe-up socks…I’m working them 2 at a time on 2 circulars. It’s goes pretty quickly and I’m excited to get to the heel on this one. I’ve never done a toe-up heel, so it should be an adventure.

It’s funny how I’m willing to jump into new construction with socks and shawls and hats, but when I approach sweater knitting, I balk. I’ve finished the Whispers Top last fall and started the Turia sweater. I comb blogs and Ravelry ogling sweaters and feeling like I just can’t accomplish them. I’m nervous to take my own measurements, swatch, pick a size…and yet I’ve bought yarn! I even cast on Turia, but I’m contemplating ripping it out. I keep hearing about the benefits of Top Down Sweater Construction and I want to try it, and I don’t want to keep going on this sweater if it’s not going to fit.

Bah.

Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On.
& Emily at Snapdragon Crafts for the Love Your Library Challenge!
& Tammy at Life & Yarn for Stitch Along Wednesday (just a little early).

❤
Jenna

Did Somebody say Socks??

Wow! It feels so wonderful to be back in the states after a restful trip. We had a great time, lounging on the beach, eating as much seafood as possible, and even getting to go bonefishing! Being abroad really does make you disconnect due to the high cost of a phone and data plan. I’m certainly grateful for my time away, but it does put me fretfully behind on reading and posting 🙂

I had some great knitting time on the trip. With a nice long journey down and back, I probably racked up around 15 hours of knitting time. I worked on several projects I already had going, but I couldn’t resist starting two new ones…

Check out this lovely pattern. It’s 22 Little Clouds by Martina Behm (joining the Knitmore Girls for #Behmalong) and I’m using some deep stash…Malabrigo Worsted in this super rich royal blue, azul bolita. It’s leftover from a Honey Cowl I made myself a few years ago. Despite its gorgeously deep color, when I blocked the Honey Cowl, no bleeding! I ❤ Malabrigo.

Meet my first pair of Toe-Up Socks!

They are the Strie pattern by Lara Neel in Sock Architecture. I must admit I was a bit intimidated by the thought of having to learn a new cast-on, Judy’s Magic Cast-On, but once I read the tutorial on Knitty a few times, I had it. Then it was just increasing which meant re-familiarizing myself with M1L & M1R. Plus I have been holding onto the Zitron Trekking for about 4 years and since it’s been caked up at least that long, I thought they should be the next pair of socks on the needles, especially since I finished Nora’s socks!

We celebrated her birthday this weekend and it took all I had to pretend I hadn’t finished them when she asked me as soon as I walked in the door. I wrapped them up and waited until it was time for presents. So mean Aunt Jenna!

I think it was worth the wait. She was so excited she put them on straight away and ran all around. She even wore them over her pajama pants to sleep in.

I hope you’ve had a wonderful week and I can’t wait to catch up and see what everyone’s been working on!

❤
Jenna