Ah, purple yarn!  I have been wanting more purple colors to play with, not being completely satisfied with the purples I could buy.  Last weekend, I played with blending up my very own purples, and am thrilled with the results!  I can't wait to use some of these new colors!!

Does he really think that's a good place to rest?

Bond kitty on my computer.... 

I wandered away from my knitting corner and my husband says "Hey Julie, come look at this?"  I was busy in the kitchen, so he brings me his cell phone with a picture of the cat on my computer!  Had he removed the cat?  No.  He went back into the room to do that, but instead came back to me with another picture!  Is the cat still there?  Uh, yeah, he just looked too cute.

I finished up what I was doing and headed back to my knitting, and yes, the cat was still there...  so, of course, I had to go and get the camera....

Be true to your knitting self

Why did I do it?  Why did I start knitting a scarf?  I don't like knitting scarves.  They are long.  And about half way through, I'm done.  I don't want to knit anymore.

Why did I do it?  My very good friend was knitting one.  The pattern looked beautiful!  I thought "I haven't knit one in a long time.  It'd be perfect in those hand painted yarns."

I got half way.  Knitting it was addictive in some ways.  Just one more row.  Oh, let me finish a repeat.  One more?  Soon, it was half way done.  Since then, however, it's been like pulling teeth to get myself to work on it.  And it's lace.  I'm not sure I even like knitting lace, the yarn overs, the knit 2 togethers, the ssk's.  I'll be knitting along and will realize that I forgot to knit 2 together 2 rows ago.  What a pain it is to go back and fix it. Why then (if I don't think I like knitting lace) am I finding more lace projects that I want to knit?  This isn't my first lace project and I don't remember having such difficulties in the past.  Maybe this scarf and me just don't get along well.

The scarf is almost done.  It'll be my last scarf.  For a while.  Until I forget how much I dislike knitting scarves.  There are those who have sss (single sock syndrome) and then there is myself, with hss (half a scarf syndrome).  While I won't be knitting another scarf anytime soon, I probably will knit more lace as it is so lovely.
 

Green Weave Tabi Socks

So, I started knitting a pair of socks for myself, following the Mad Color Weave pattern, when my youngest started talking about how much she missed her tabi socks. One of the socks got lost at a friend's house and that friend's mother said "sorry, we can't find it."

Tabi socks are from Japan and they are socks with a separate big toe, like socks for flip-flops.  My children are very interested (some might say "obsessed") in all things Japanese, loving anime, manga, and dressing up for cos-play in Japanese inspired costumes.   My parents went to Japan last year and my children were thrilled with the presents they came home with: tabi socks and kimonos for all! 

I searched online to purchase new tabi socks for her, but couldn't find anything in her size.  Truly there must be something I'm missing because I can't believe that they aren't exported in greater numbers.  Oh well.  I'd been planning to knit her some new socks anyway, and she says "Could you knit tabi socks?"  Oh, hmm...  hadn't thought about that.  Sure, I can knit up some tabi socks!

Here they are!  Now that they are done, I can get back to knitting my socks using this pattern.  Sock number 1 still in progress....

Blue Wave Mobius Cowl

I knit my first cowl a couple of months ago and absolutely love it!  It helps to keep my neck warm, but then, when I start to overheat, I can fling it off (which one can not (well, should not) do with turtlenecks in public).  I found the pattern in a Knit Scene Easy magazine which I had bought to try to encourage my teenage daughters to learn to love to knit.  It didn't work so well at that, but I found some cute projects!

I love the premise of this cowl - knit a rectangle, twist it, and then sew it up half way.  A half-mobius scarf, if you will.  I wanted to explore this form in something other than garter stitch and I wanted something smaller.

I started searching online for reversible cable patterns.  I found references, but nothing exactly fitting my desires.  I wanted something that was the same on both sides, not just something that looked good on both sides!

Blue Wave Mobius Cowl

Yarn: 100 g fingering weight (I used Whimsical Colors Cashmere Bliss, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon in the Blue Seas colorway)

Needles: 3mm (US 2 1/2) (straights, circular, whatever!)

Finished Size:  9" x 21"

Stitch pattern:

Row 1 & 2: K1, P1, (K1, P3, K1, P1, K3, P1) repeat until last 2 stitches, K2

Row 3 & 4: K1, P1, (K1, P3, K1, P1, CB3, P1) repeat until last 2 stitches, K2

** CB3:  3 stitch cable - Slip stitch purlwise onto cable needle in front of your work, K2, K1 from cable needle **

Scarf:

Cast on 94 stitches (multiple of 10, plus 4).  Repeat rows 1-4 until the scarf is about 21 inches long.  Cast off all stitches - leaving a tail of about 20 inches to use to sew it up.

 

Now lay out your rectangle and take the right side and twist it (your scarf should look the same on both sides, so it does not matter which side is up).

 Then fold the two short edges together (it doesn't not matter which way you fold it, it all turns out the same):

Using your long tail from the cast off, sew up the short edge together - but only sew up half the short edge, leaving the other half open.  Weave in the ends of your yarn.  Wear it or give it as a gift to someone you love!

No longer stuck in a Sock Rut?

So, I've realized that I was firmly ensconced in a sock rut.  I knit 10 pairs of socks last year (at latest count) and they were all either just stockinette socks, or My Favorite Socks (which I found refered to as Garter Rib Stitch in a stitch guide book).  

Thanks to a dear friend who encouraged me to dive into Ravelry deeper (I was barely using it at all), I have discovered some beautiful sock patterns that I'm dying to knit!  I've started with the Mad Color Weave socks and love, love, Love it!

Part of my sock rut was due to previous sock knitting outside my lines and not being happy with the results.  I seem to be quite picky about my socks.  But these patterns are so gorgeous (and yes, I have quite a few sock knitting books as well) that I am truly inspired to try something new.  Plus, the benefit of Ravelry and being able to see these patterns in different colors as other knitters explore the patterns has shed new light for me.  So, here's hoping these socks fit and feel as great as they look!

The pattern for My Favorite Socks

Here is the promised pattern for My Favorite Socks:

My Favorite Socks

Size: Ladies (4-6)

Needles: 1 set (5) of DPNs size 1.5 (2.5mm) or size 2 (2.75mm)

Yarn: 100g of fingering weight

Finished circumference: 7 1/2 inches

Gauge: 8 stitches per inch in stockinette

Cuff:

Cast on 15 sts to each of 4 needles for 60 sts total. Being careful not to twist the stitches, join and work in the round. The rounds begin at center back. Work K2P2 ribbing starting (and ending) each round with a K1 for 2”.

Upper Sock:

Pattern stitch:

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: K1, (P2, K2) repeat until last 3 stitches, P2, K1

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until sock measures 6” or desired leg length, ending at center back with a Row 2.

Divide for Heel:

You will only be knitting half the stitches, those from needles 1 and 4. Knit stitches from needle 1. Turn work. Slip first st, purl remaining stitches from needle 1 and then continue purling all stitches from needle 4 onto the same needle. Turn, slip first stitch, and then K 29. Working back and forth, continue in st st, slipping the first stitch of each row. (K on RS rows, P on WS rows). Work 30 rows for the heel, ending with a WS row.

Turn Heel:

K 18 sts, slip 1, K1, pass slipped stitch over (psso); turn

P 9, P2tog; turn

Slip 1st st purlwise, K8, slip 1, K1, psso; turn

Repeat these 2 rows until only the center 10 stitches remain.

K these 10 stitches and divide back onto 2 needles, 5 per needle.

Pick up 15 stitches along the heel edge

K needle 2

K needle 3

Pick up 15 stitches along the other heel edge and work 5 stitches from needle 4

There are now 20 stitches on needles 1 and 4, 15 on needles 2 and 3 and you are working on all 4 needles again.

On the top of the foot, continue working in the pattern stitch from the upper sock. On the bottom of the foot, work in stockinette stitch.

Decrease round: K the last stitches from needle 1 together

At the beginning of the 4th needle, slip the 1st st, K the second st, pass the slipped stitch over (psso)

Continue knitting, repeating the decrease round every 3 rounds until there are 15 stitches on needles 1 and 4. Continue knitting sock until foot measures 7 1/2” long from back of heel (to the height of your little toe).

Toe Shaping:

Work in st st. On needles 1 and 3, knit sts 3 and 2 from the end together; on needles 2 and 4, slip the 2nd st knitwise, knit 3rd st and pass slipped st over. Repeat these 4 decreases on the following round once, on every 3rd round twice, on every alt round 3 times and then on every round 6 times. Knit needle 1 so that your yarn tail is at the end of those 3 stitches. Place stitches from needles 2 and 3 on 1 needle, and stitches from needles 1 and 4 onto 1 needle. You should have 6 stitches on each needle. Using the kitchener stitch, graft the ends together.