Gauge....Darn You All to Heck!

That was a quote from Alex in Madagascar. It is a mere hint to the wrath I feel towards gauge. Gauge and my inability to trust my own gut.

How fitting that right now (totally by coincidence) I'm re-listening to Stash and Burn Episode 28: Second Chance and as I typed the title, Nicole said "I have gauge issues with socks." I feel your pain.

Jaywalkers. Dammit!

I shouldn't blame the pattern. It's really all me. The worst part is I was right all along.

Remember how I said that I was concerned that knitting with size 1's would be too tight? Remember how I went out and bought size 2 dpns specifically for these socks and even started them with the size 2 dpns? Remember how I said that I know I knit tight and often have to go up a needle size? I'd even swatched with the size 1 dpns and found that I got 9 sts/inch in stockinette - which is clearly too small for this pattern.

I was knitting along happily with my 2's for about 3". I tried it on and thought "no way, this is way too big." It really didn't cling to my leg, more like skimmed. So I vaguely tried to measure my sock to recheck the gauge and even though I knew it was ok, I switched to size 1's. I thought it looked good after the switch because the baggy look had left and it was all nice and even. My hands were getting sore but I kept on going.

As I neared the end of the leg, I decided to give the fabric a tug. The entire size 1 area had very little give and I started to get worried. I tried to pull it on my leg. Though I did get it on, it was rather a contortionist act and I was terrified I wouldn't get it off again. I did get it off and like an IDIOT, rather than frogging back right away like I should have, I forged ahead, switching to size 2's, thinking that I might be able to save them that way.

R
emember how I said I wanted to turn the heel by the end of the day? I clung to that hope with an iron grip.

I knit the heel flap. I turned the heel. I even knit a few rounds of the gussets. I figured that would be a good time to try it on again and see if the switch to the larger needle loosened things up enough to still salvage the sock. Uhhhhh.....no.

It was still a wrestling match to get it on and then I had the sensation that my circulation would be cut off. To add insult to injury, I took out the tape measure and measured my gauge over pattern and I was right on with the size 2's to begin with.

Through my years of sewing, quilting, knitting and crocheting, I've tried almost every shortcut in the book. Usually before actually trying something the right way. For example, the first time I had to sew a zipper in a garment, I thought "pin it, baste it, then sew it? Pish posh, I can do it without the basting and pinning; how hard can it be? After ripping it out and trying other "short cuts", probably 4 times, I did it the way you're supposed to and it was perfect. There have been many other similar instances where I have been humbled into abandoning "my way" for the "right way". This was one of them.

I frogged back to the original size 2 area of the leg of the sock. Now I'm stuck with a pile of variegated spaghetti. The sock still holds it's charm for me, but I have to say that this incident turned me off just enough to pick up the second sleeve of the Hourglass Sweater. Plus, in a couple weeks I'm getting together with 4 high school friends and we're going to have a portrait session! Sounds kind of corny, but it will be really great, I think! We've been told that solid colors are best so I'm reinvigorated to get this sweater done. Sapphire Heather would be beautiful in a portrait. Now I'll shift my hopes toward having enough yarn on hand to finish it.

The sock rides again

I thought the Hourglass Sweater would hold my attention enough both in it's quick-knitability and because there's an occasion in a couple weeks at which I'd like to wear it, but the Jaywalkers are mesmorizing! I knit a little more on them before the kids woke up and I'll do some more while watching TV tonight.

I think I love them so much because you have to do so little work to make the chevron pattern appear. My first chevron attempt was on size 0's two years ago. After 4 hours of knitting, I'd only gone about 2 inches. I was decreasing and increasing and yarn-overing constantly and I'd lose my place easily. I wondered how the heck anybody could get addicted to sock knitting?

I've been trying very hard to ease up on my death grip on the needles (probably why I didn't actually have to go up a needle size to get the right gauge) so working at this fine gauge has actually been quite pleasant. I'm even thinking about how great it would be to finish these quickly so I could go on to a pair made out of worsted weight yarn!

Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks has really inspired me. She explains everything so well and the explanation of the sock percentages is eye opening. I'm even excited about doing the plain basic socks. I'd like to use up some odd ball worsted bits to make some thicker socks.

(insert lightbulb flash as I experience boredom with work in tandem with an intense desire to dye some yarn - Break Time!)

When I write my posts, sometimes I leave it up and add to it as I go through my day. After writing the last paragraph, I had a flash of inspiration to overdye one of the gray Wool-Ease skeins I purchased yesterday. I'd intended to use them with some leftover sock yarn to create some kind of scarf for spring, but after getting the Budd book, I really only want to use it for socks.


So I'm Frankensteining what I hope will be a blue-ish purple. I know the color won't take extraordinarily well since this yarn is 75% acrylic, but it should do something. Plus, I just like the process. I used royal blue and violet Wilton icing dyes and I'm trying to drip in blue, red and green food color from time to time. We'll see what comes out!

What I really like about dyeing Wool Ease is that because of the acrylic content, I get subtle semi-solids without even trying. I also like to tie my skeins rather tightly in order to add to the depth of color and variegation.

This might just be the year I totally and completely embrace sock knitting!

Back to the grind...

...but not without getting a fair amount of knitting done. Ever since Christmas I've been all over the idea of instant gratification knitting. After devoting so much time to that infernal blanket, it's hard to look at a large project.

I made 2 more Mason-Dixon Washcloth Reloadeds - that makes 3 washcloths out of one ball of Cotton-Ease! I think there's enough left of each color to combine them into one more washcloth. I'm gonna go for it. This totally fits my definition of a perfect patter - it's beautiful, useful, short, quick, challenging enough to hold interest yet not intimidating and best of all - it's correct! Man, I hate when patterns are wrong. Aren't there people who get paid the big bucks to make sure patterns are right? That's a story for another day.

I finished one Cozy House Sock from 101 One Skein Wonders out of my leftover Shetland Chunky in Rich Teal from the Drops sweater. It's wonderful! I have yet to cast on for the second sock, but it won't be long.

What else...oh - and I got back to my Hourglass Sweater. I'm using Wool of the Andes in Sapphire Heather and it's gorgeous! I finished and attached the first sleeve and started the second sleeve this morning. I made it through the hem and I'm ready to start the shaping.

This whole knitted-in hem thing is a wonderful trick, but somehow it was a real problem until the second sleeve. Both on the body hem and on the first sleeve, I could not for the life of me figure out which loop to pick up unless I went to the wrong side, placed loops onto a fine dpn, then held that needle in my left hand and knit off both needles. With the second sleeve, however, everything clicked and I picked up the stitches from the cast on row as I went and it went as smooth as silk. Yay me!

I also finished the Spiral Rib Tweed Hat and one mitten from IK Holiday 2006. I'm a bit disappointed because the pattern said I should only need one skein of Lamb's Pride Worsted. I made it through the cuff and about 1" of spiral rib and then I ran out of yarn. The set is really pretty (though my husband laughed at me when he saw me wearing the hat) and I really want those mittens, but they will have to wait until Thursday when I can get over to Silver Creek Cabin and buy more yarn.

AND, I started a pair of Jaywalkers. I think I'm the last sock knitter on the planet to make these, but I finally jumped on board and began them today. I went out this morning to JoAnn specifically to get size 2 dpns (about the only size needle I didn't have) for these socks. I figured that since I knit tight, size 2's - rather than the recommended size 1's - would be perfect. Well, 3" into the leg I tried them on and they just skimmed my leg. I prefer a more snug sock and they did look off on gauge anyway. I didn't have the heart to frog them so I just switched to size 1's on a knit row and kept going. I'm 5" down the leg and hopeful that I will be turning a heel at some point tomorrow.

I bought some gray Wool-Ease today to futz around with a scarf design I've had in my head but it wasn't turning out as I'd hoped so I'll probably used the yarn for socks. I bought Ann Budd's new sock book "Getting Started Knitting Socks" today as well. I set out this morning looking for "I Can't Believe I'm Kntiting Socks", found it, but after flipping through it, discovered it really wasn't what I was looking for.

I hung around in front of JoAnn's horribly disorganized book display until I saw the Budd book. It's hardcover (yippee!) yet it still lays flat with minimal contortions on my part. I read it while I knited the Jaywalkers. This book is fantastic! I'm not totally new to knitting socks (I've knit 4 measly pairs) and I have Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks, which I thought would probably be the only sock book I needed, but I was soooo wrong! There were things I'd often seen in patterns or in Charlene's book and I'd think "ok, how exactly am I supposed to do that?" or "why the heck would I do that?"

Ann's book goes into detail, but the explanations are clear and concise. She gives her preferences and tips throughout the book as well, which I find very insightful. This book shows all the different ways you could pick up the stitches along the side of the heel. It has the best Kitchener illustrations I've ever found. I think I might actually be able to do it. It's a great book. If you're really super experiences at sock knitting, you probably won't need it, but I can see myself knitting the basic patterns and the other more embellished patterns for years to come.

Onward, young stash buster!

Ok, maybe not so young, but I am in a stash busting mood! After completing a few large projects, I always like to throw in several small projects both for their stash busting benefits and the instant gratificaton that comes from a couple days of knitting.

I made the Super Yak Scarf from 101 One Skein Wonders with some leftover Shetland Chunky, but when I ran out of yarn to finish the Cabled Cap, I frogged it. I didn't like it anyway and I adore the hat, so it was a good trade off. I also started the Sock it to Me scarf from Designer 101 One Skein Wonders with the Opal Rodeo leftover from my Coriolis socks. I'll probably just wait until there's more leftover sock yarn lying around and make it a mish mosh of colors.

I still have some Violet and Slate Cotton-Ease so I'm going to try to make a couple more Mason-Dixon Washcloths since I love those so much and don't want that yarn to go to waste. I'd also like to get through all my UFO's. I have an Hourglass Sweater in the works as well as a new cabled sweater for Ben. I love to see yarn get used up. I feel productive and I feel like I'm doing something beneficial for my household - reducing clutter. (psst, then I get to buy new yarn too!)

Now, I'll share the story of the epic hat for my daugther. She got a new winter coat this year - I'm sure many of you have seen it. It's from Kohl's and the brand is Arctic Zone, I think? Black, with skinny white and green stripes along the arm, across the chest, and down another arm.


A. wanted a hat to match and since I love knitting for her, I was happy to dig out my Holiday 2006 edition of KnitSimple. That magazine had several hat patterns, in varying gauges, sized for preemies, babies, toddlers, children, women and men. I'd made her a 2x2 ribbed striped hat last year in the child size and she loved it. In fact she wore it so much that she eventually lost it.

I set out to make a 2x2 rib hat in black, white, green and blue stripes. The first attempt had to be frogged because I neglected to account for a brim length when I measured the total length and the hat ended up being about the right size for a Cabbage Patch Kid. The second attempt had all the right measurements for a woman's hat, but still ended up looking like it might fit a 2 year old. See the hat on the left.

Even though A. specifically said she wanted the 2x2 ribbed striped beanie hat, I made the executive decision to make her a striped Cap Karma. I thought the cabled pattern would be warmer than the 2x2 rib. I followed the basic Cap Karma pattern and then went with Jared's decrease in pattern instructions. I love it and it looks so cute on A!

Isn't she darling? What's that? Did she like it, you ask?

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

I could tell she tried to be tactful about it, but she said she really liked the other one (2x2 style) better and really didn't like the cables "or whatever" on this hat. CRAP! I should have known. Departing from what's expected or wanted really hasn't ever worked out for me. Oh well, now we'll have another hat to throw in the bench as a standby.

On another note, I started something that I've wanted for myself for over a year now. I started the Spiral Hat and Mittens Twill Set by Sharon Shoji from the IK Holiday 2006 issue.

I always have a little anxiety when I go to a yarn shop. I'm a thrifty person who rarely buys yarn from a yarn shop for my projects. Typically I'm going to Michael's or Jo-Ann and I've never bought a sweater's worth of yarn from a yarn shop. However since I knew that this would cost me less than $15 bucks, I went ahead and bought Lamb's Pride Worsted in Clematis and Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn in Elderberry. The photos don't do the color justice. It's beautiful!

I know I'll finish the hat today. It's a fast knit and the twill pattern is one of my favorites. I can't stop touching this hat and squishing it between my fingers! The sock yarn gives it just the right punch of color interest and I hope it finishes up and wears as well as I hope it will!

On that note, I think I'll get back to my knitting. I also need to get back to work, but this hat is addictive, as is any quick project. I keep giving my self a cut-off point when I'll stop and do laundry or work or something, but it's so tempting to keep going!

The Crisis and the New Year's Resolution

Wow! It's been nearly a month! By the looks of thing, nobody has noticed, but it feels like a long time so I thought I'd get back in the blogging game.

I'd made a conscious decision this year not to knit gifts for anyone and though it made me a little sad, it did mean I had plenty of knitting time to myself. I started the Tree Jacket, Hourglass Sweater and I continued on Ben's Cabled Sweater. I also finished a lot in December:

• Patons Cabled Cap

• Bernat Leaf Pullover

• 4 Mason-Dixon Washcloths (or Washcloth Reloaded, however you happen to refer to it)
(gave them away before I got pictures)

• Drops 79-24 Pullover

• The Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf

The Mason-Dixon Washcloths were a last minute gift idea for my sister and 3 sister-in-laws. A day before the Christmas celebration with my dad and step-mom, I decided that I really needed to make something for someone. My female immediate relatives seemed like the only realistic recipients (there are only 4 of them). I had a couple skeins of Cotton-Ease and went to work on the Washcloth Reloaded from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I sent Tony out to Bath and Body works for 4 bars of smelly soap. I made one washcloth that day and got halfway through the other. I finished the second one in the morning. I pinned them, spritzed them, and they were dry in a few hours. They turned out marvelous! I finished another one that afternoon so I could give it to another SIL the next day. I made the last one on Christmas Eve, blocked it, and gifted it that night. I think this might just be my second favorite knitted gift (Fluffy Lap Blanket being #1). I fully intend to make several of these and save them for end of the year teacher gifts - to the teachers who don't get blankets. The pattern is easy and how can it get any better than a pattern that decreases into nothingness?

Oh my GOSH, how could I forget the most amazing finished object of December!!!!!!

(drum roll, please...)

THE OMBRE ACRYLIC BLANKET!!!!!!!

I can't put into words just how wonderful it is to have that beast out of my house! It turned out beautiful! I could have made it longer, but I was so tired of it that I could not bear the thought of continuing. Plus, I ran out of yarn. My brother and his girlfriend made it into town the weekend before Christmas and we had them out for dinner and presents. He loved it and she loved it too. Here it is, modeled beautifully by Alicia and Yocasta.



On to the crisis I alluded to in the title of this post. Yesterday my Christmas present to myself (using gift money) arrived from the evil Crafter's Choice book club. They don't have the best selection of knitting books but they had an irresistable $9.99 for any book sale and I happened to find five (5!) books that I really felt I couldn't live without. I got Family Knits by Debbie Bliss, Modern Classics by Louisa Harding, Bag Style by Pam Allen and Ann Budd, The Best of Interweave Knits, and Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery.

As I entered these books into my Ravelry library (and as I contemplate the purchase of another sock book), I realized that I have a crisis on my hands. I have a lot of books. It might be getting a little out of control. This led to a New Year's resolution: in 2008, I resolve to knit something from every book in my library. Even if it's something little. I have knit something from nearly everything I own, but there are several books that have sat collecting dust on my shelf. It's time to change that or get them out of here.

I used to be a pack rat, but now clutter bugs me. If I'm not making use of something, I'd rather not keep it. It was quite a leap for me to buy the Debbie Bliss book - also for the Veronik Avery and Louisa Harding books - because I've always been a little afraid of those books/designers. In Knitting Daily yesterday, Sandi said something about fearless knitting. I've decided that that is the perfect motto for me for 2008. Anything from Debbie or Veronik would qualify as bravery for me. I love texture and cables and small gauges, but I've always shied away from it. I will change that.

Heck, I spent the money on all these books, thus there was something that appealed to me enough to want them, so why not make it?

The air is clear and so is my conscience!

Yarn conscience, that is. I don't have a huge stash, and I did already do one major stash airing, however the remaining yarn was grating on my mind. Today was the day and I bagged up or tossed most of what I didn't get rid of the first time around.

The spur in my backside is that my mom, my brother, Jamie, and his girlfriend, Yocasta, are coming to my house on Saturday to celebrate Christmas. He lives in the Bronx, New York, and he's only able to come into town for a few days. I'm trying the strategy of one area of the house at a time - and I started today with the formal living room and dining room.

To call it a formal living room is kind of a joke. There is a sofa, but I'm the only one who sits on it. My 100 year old Mason & Hamlin upright is there too. And my desk, or, the Armpit of the Room. I have a jar of buttons, a fork that a friend bent into a bug, a mug with pens, piles of work papers, a printer/fax machine, laptop, 4 boxes of contacts, and several mini DV tapes. Oh, and shhh, don't tell, but I also have Christmas gifts stashed inside the pullout front drawer. It's kind of a nightmare, but I did already clean it so that wasn't my focus.

The starting point was the corner between the piano and the wall. I have plastic tower of drawers that hold medical records, insurance documents, recipes and yarn. Next to the tower is a small cabinet that holds my piano music. On top of that is a large basket full of all my wool balls and scraps. On the floor around everything were boxes of phots (another project I haven't finished).

Once I knew what I was up against, I went out and got 3 of these cool new plastic containers that are designed to fit on wire shelving. I labeled one Feltable Wool, another Cotton and Cotton Blends, and Wool Blends. I have a plastic box under my bed already for the acrylic that I might still have a use for.

I don't know if anyone even takes yarn donations (of yarn that isn't brand new, I mean) around here, but I bagged up the Fun Fur, Lion Suede, Red Heart, Homespun, Bernat Babysoft, and some unlabeled novelty yarn put out by Walmart a couple years ago. Into the garbage bag went the remains of Mariah (a story for another day), the body parts of a bunny that was never finished, bits of projects that were started, then abandoned, and some really ugly Red Heart.

I also tossed loads of papers. Yay for me!

Now my plastic tower has room for all the music that didn't fit in the little cabinet and there is still room for some afghan squares that I crochet from time to time. The basket is empty and the whole corner looks neat and organized. I can even see the floor! The living room is totally done and I nearly got through the dining room.

My bins worked great! Luckily my stash isn't huge so it all fit just fine and now they're resting comfortably on my closet shelf. The bins are clear so I can quickly see what I have and now my memory is refreshed about what I actually have.

It's a good thing.

Seriously, what is SO wrong with buying me yarn?

or other various knitting things? Somebody has to explain this to me. They ask for ideas, they get them...shouldn't that be a hint that what I've asked for is stuff I'd really want?

I have this friend - she'll know who she is :) - who's husband bought her a quilting machine. My husband said I quilted too much. Her husband bought her the Knit Picks Options needle set. Mine says I have too many already. I'm sure her husband would buy her yarn if she told him exactly what she wanted. Mine would rather burn my stash.

Nevermind that I want to make Emerald and have been leaving the pattern lying around the house with the yarn highlighted. I have a sticky note up smack dab in front of my laptop with all my yarn options for that sweater, along with prices and where to get them. Nevermind that I really love Silver Creek Cabin yarn shop. Nevermind that I spend nearly every minute of my leisure time knitting. Hubbo buying me yarn or anything remotely related to knitting is a pipe dream of Crystal Cathedral proportions.

So I went to the next best possible provider of knitting goods...Mom. She was the same person I went to when I wanted a walking foot and bias binder for my sewing machine, so I had high hopes. My list included the Options needle set, 3 yarn choices for Emerald (specifying color and quantity), and a few books that I would love but might not buy myself. And I did all this with plenty of time for online ordering. I also asked for a gift card to Amazing Threads, since Silver Creek Cabin is too far for her.

Did she listen to me? Nope. She called Tony and asked if there were any ideas for me other than knitting, that she really wanted to get me something that I would love. What? Are you freaking kidding me? She's seen how much I knit and how much I love it - ever since I first started as a kid. I told her I could perhaps use a nice wool coat, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking "a wool coat is not going to thrill me nearly as much as 10 balls of Cadena in Peat or 12 balls of Sheep Shop Sheep 2 in G17 or F029."

When Mom told me a day later that she really wanted to buy me a coat but was worried she'd buy the wrong thing, I sent her what I hope was a convincing email saying that the yarns/books/needles I'd put in my original gift idea list REALLY were great ideas for me and I'd be thrilled with any one of them. A coat would be nice - I have been wearing the same wool coat since about 1994 (egad!) - but I don't work outside the home anymore. A nice coat would be worn only a few times each winter for church and holidays. Knitting stuff would be far more useful and fun for me.

I don't see why, when it's something I love to do and really take pleasure in, whether it's making things for myself or others, there should be any problem in buying me gifts that would add to my enjoyment? Tony gets hunting things for his birthday and Christmas. Last year he asked for and received enough Cabela's gift cards to buy a new bow. Yet when I put down yarn shops as gift card ideas, people ask where else I might want to shop.

I gotta work on these people through the next year. Friday I'll see if my mom took any of my ideas to heart or not. I know she didn't order me anything from Knit Picks though.

Oh, I should give a mention to the one person who listens to my ideas and actually goes with them...my twin brother, Jamie. I gave him some knitting books as ideas, so cross your fingers, folks. I'm optimistic because this is the guy who actually gave me a book about canning and preserving when I asked for one. Go figure, actually giving a person what they want? No way! Thanks, Jame!

I have to give a closing statement, since I'm sure all this has made me sound very ungrateful. Generally, everyone does a great job at buying me gifts. My husband always knows what he's getting me far in advance and has a knack for finding just the right gift. I do love presents, but in all honesty, I enjoy giving gifts so much that I wouldn't mind if I myself received nothing. I love shopping for people and I love getting them something I know they'll love because IT WAS ON THEIR LIST! How hard is that?