Tricotine

Tempting II Yarn

I received my TLC Cotton Plus and an extra set of #8US double pointed needles for making my Tempting II.

I chose to make it Navy color. I think it is going to look great with a golden buckle...

I cannot wait to cast on! :)

Although we are moving tomorrow, I hope I will be in time for the official start of the KAL with the Sexy Knitters Club.

June 20th - A little bit of everything

= While my MIL was home visiting, she offered to baby sit, so DH and I went to see The Da Vinci Code! Although some people find it disappointing, I think it is a great movie! Complicated but interesting story! The kind of movie that makes you think...

Although the movie is partially french spoken, I am going to need to see it again AND read the book to make sure I got it all right! But DH feels the same way so I guess it is not only a language issue... ;)

= This morning - thanks to Bogie from the Sock Knitters Yahoo Group - for the first time, I have heard about the Turkish cast-on. It is an invisible cast-on for Toe-Up Socks and other items that require closed end cast-on. I am going to NEED to try that one! It seems to be a bit complicated but Debbie's tutorial seems to cover it all pretty clearly...

= About the Summer of Stash and as I have stated in my Goals, I have used my right to Exception for the first time! I have ordered from JoAnn 4 balls of TLC Cotton Plus for making the Tempting II along with the Sexy Knitters Club...

= And now, to end this post on a smile, a link that was posted to Busy Knitting by Wendy. Now, ain't that X-treme Knitting or what? LOL

 

BLUE Tropicana Sock II finished but...

I finished the second BLUE Tropicana Sock - the one I made using larger size double pointed needles (#2.5US instead of #2US) - and it fits me perfectly this time!

The photo shows the difference between the 2 socks pretty well...

So, now what?

Well, I think I am going to frog sock #1 and to redo it with 2.5 US needles also...

One though... Although pretty looking, the wavy pattern is not very stretchy, making the leg of the sock a little loose...

Tropicana Socks - I am struggling again!

I wonder what is wrong with me lately? I never had any trouble with my first 10 pair of socks... This is #12 and I am struggling... Again!

I finished the first BLUE Tropicana Sock and I am glad I didn't mke them Two-at-Once because - as the photo shows pretty obviously - the sock is a disaster doesn't fit me as well as it should...

...........................[Click on photo to enlarge]

It seems like - once again - that heel is not deep enough, making the insteap too thight and the leg too short in the back... (BLUE Arrows)

I guess I must have a somehow weird foot strong top of the foot because I already had the problem previously...

I am not going to ripp that sock off yet though...
I am going to cast one Sock #2 but with a bigger size needles, make that Short Heel deeper and see how it goes.

I usually make my socks with my #2.5US flexible double pointed needles anyway... They are so comfy to knit with! My socks always turned out nicely with them!

For the present socks, I used size #2 double pointed needles - as intructed in the pattern - because I thought I was important for the texture of the sock... But I always tend to knit thight and I should have thought about that!

As much as I hated it when I made it on the Two-At-Once, Toe-Up Socks, I wish I made the Afterthought Heel this time because I would be able to fix my sock without ripping it off to the shaping heel point now... I guess here is one for the Afterthougt Heel right here!

I like the way the Tropicana instructs the Toe shaping! It is the first time I make a sock that is not pointy and this is my for the Tropicana pattern!

Summer of Stash Goals

I don't think I am especially addicted to buying yarn as I always usually only get what I need for projects I want to make. The problem is that I always get a little more than called in patterns. You know... Just in case! And that is mainly what my Stash is made of... leftovers scraps and extra skeins, mostly Acrylic Worsted Weight and Sport Weight yarn + Thread Cotton (I also like to Crochet).

It wouldn't be too bad if every year more leftovers didn't add on... By now, it came to a point that I really need to do something with all that yarn that I don't even know where to store!

So, here I am, well determined to shrink my stash for good!

First, let me introduce my stash. It hasn't changed much since April 1st, Flash your Stash Day, although I have tried to shrink it in April during my Stashalong "yarn diet"! But I also bought some yarn since then...

Anyway, here are My Goals:

1 - I want to finish some WIPs that have been left on the side for too long: the Lacy Pyramid Afghan that will be my "teammate" in the Amazing Lace and the Queen Ann's Lace Tablecloth which is a Crochet project but I want to finish it too...

2 - I also want to be able to keep up with few KALs I have signed in previously my commitment to SOS:
- the Sexy Knitters Club's which who I will be knitting Tempting II
- the Picovoli KAL with my cyber friend April
- the Tubey KAL
- Project Spectrum that calls for Blue in June, Violet/Purple in July and Neutral/Black & White in August. Blue is not going to be a problem as I have lots of it! but I might need to get the other colors...

My exceptions: I will allow myself to ONE day per month to yarn indulge myself but only if I cannot find what I need in my stash first. Does this sound right?

My rewards: Get rid of those huge moving cardboxes that contains my stash and that sit in my hallway and living room would be my greatest reward! Not mentionning having my own Craft Room... But I am afraid I am asking a little too much here, now don't I? ;D

Picovoli #2 & FOs

= I am about to cast on another Picovoli that I will be knitting along with April, and I realized - when I was looking for the link - that I didn't have a list of my FOs (Finished Objects)... I had to search for my previous post to get the pattern which is not really convenient, right? So, I made a list for 2006 - in the side bar - with links to the patterns (if available) as well as for my 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002 FOs. When there is no link to a pattern, clicking on the link will take you to the post and/or photo of my FO.

= I plan to modify my Picovoli #2. I want to make it with 3/4 sleeves and using Acrylic Sport Weight yarn - Summer Of Stash membership oblige... I might not Picot the edges this time, but make a rib 1/1 instead... Experiment again, experiment always... and we'll see how it goes! Didn't one of those quizz told me that I was an Adventurer Knitter?

= Another rainy day again today... It seems like it has been raining for ages! OK... I exagerate a little but it certainly has been raining for weeks now! It reminds me a lot of the weather on the great Pacific Northwet like they say in WA!  I wonder when Summer is finally going to show up... I want some warm sun now! I thought that drawing from the Old Farmers Almanach, June 6th Newsletter was a funny illustration of our weather in Maine right now! LOL Nothing much to do but staying home and... well, Knit!

 

 

Current WIPs - BO Scarf & BT Socks

I cast the Branching Out Scarf on aluminium needles but I instantly felt more like using bamboo needles for such a soft yarn...

As I don't have straight bamboo needles #8US, I am using circular bamboo needles which is fine because I am a tight knitter (I try to correct myself) and for some reasons, using bamboo and circular needles always tend to fix that issue a little. And this is especially important with this lacey project...

I cannot believe that I actually broke that fragile Mohair yarn because I was pulling too hard on it!

I guess switching to a sock project from time top time doesn't help because I have to thight the yarn where the needles meet for avoiding ladders...

Anyway, here are my Blue Tropicana Socks short row heel. I had some hard time trying to figure out what srpo meant... In fact, I am still not sure but I figured out that it might be some kind of wrapping... ?

I only made that short row heel thing once and it was about 2 years ago when I made the Fortissima Socks... It was my second pair of socks.

What I did seams to be right so far... Cross my fingers!

[Click on photo to enlarge]

I only hope I will be able to remember what to do when I will make Sock #2! ;D

BLUE, BLUE, BLUE!

Today I will "Show My Blues" for Project Spectrum! My BLUE Stash and also some of my Daily Blues!!! :)

...........................[Click on photos to enlarge]

Blue Tropicana Socks in progress + new yarn

I am about to start the short row heel of my first Blue Tropicana Socks! I really like the way the waves "play" with the different shades of BLUE! :)

As already mentionned in my previous post, it is the first time I am making patterned socks and I think it is kind of fun! It certainly is less boring than the plain Stockinette Stitch socks! :)

Besides, it feels good to make socks with double pointed needles again! :)

Amazingly, I don't have any laddering issue with that sock!
Is it the patterned texture or the yarn that is more stretchy or did I improve my knitting in the round with double pointed needles technique?

Well, no matter what it is, I certainly won't complain! ;)

I took a little trip to A.C.Moore today and got myself some Magic Stripes Sock Yarn + #1US circular needles and bambou double pointed needles because I feel like knitting socks lately... plenty of socks! And especially the so popular Jaywalkers that I had to postpone until I got #1US size needles... Well, it is done! ;)

I have never made socks with bamboo needles yet and I have always wanted to try!

On one of that yarn label (the skein in the very back on the photo) is the pattern of a hat and its matching scarf to knit with yarn sock! Great idea! I might give it a try sometime... :)

That free pattern can also be found on the Lionbrand website as well as many more patterns for self-striping yarn sock.

I also bought some wonderful 78% Mohair/13% Nylon/9% Wool pink yarn for making that lucious Branching Out Scarf for my MIL.

Although the pattern calls for only one skein, I got 3 of them. You know, just in case as I am not using the yarn the pattern calls for. I think I will be using a little more than one skein actually because my substitute yarn only contains 140 meters per 50 gr. instead of 175 meters per 50 gr.

I thought my DH was going to choke when he realized that 1 skein was $9.50! LOL

I know there are more expensive yarn than that but I think it is the first time I pay so much for a single skein of yarn! I am usually more "reasonable"... But I am not making a blanket here, right? Besides, that scarf is going to be a gift for HIS Mom, right? Not to forget that my BD is coming up...

But I guess I am trying more to justify that unusual expense to myself rather than to my Husband here... ;P

I cannot wait to cast on that scarf though! he he he

When I first saw it, I have immediately got attracted by the colors of that Sugar'n Cream worsted weight cotton!

Perfect for making some June and July Project Spectrum Washcloths! :)

I especially want to try the Lacy Round Face Cloth pattern with varigated cotton!

I only have made solid colors so far, one yellow and one green.

By the way, I forgot to mention that I finally gave up the idea to make socks for my MIL or for anyone else who doesn't have the same size as mine and whom I cannot measure the foot...

My next Sock Project - Blue Tropicana Socks

I feel like I really NEED to work on some Socks again and quickly! I just don't like to sit on a failure... So, here is my next project, the Tropicana Socks, a Magknits free pattern. Thanks to Kim B. (I don't think she has a blog) from Sock Knitters for pointing that pattern! Beautiful pattern,isn't it? This is actually going to be the first time, I am making textured socks! So far, I have always made Stockinette stitch socks. But since they are going to be BLUE, I am going to call my Socks Blue Tropicana! It makes sense, right? ;D Talking about yarn, I am going to use that yummy Sea Blue Magic Stripes sock yarn that my SP7, Paula, gave me! :) I also plan to use double pointed needles.

 

Enough experimenting and back to the traditional way of making socks!