The Big Project is Finished--Go Blue!

Finished my daughter's University of Michigan Afghan with over a month to go before she leaves for college! I am very pleased with it and hope that it brings her good luck and lots of love in college. I used almost 2,000 yards of yarn in this afghan and enjoyed the pattern very much. Making it in strips of two squares (as recommended on Ravelry) was great, and I liked the mitered garter border I added.
So now it's on to some new projects, particularly in advance of a vacation where I'll need some big and small projects to occupy me. I'm going to try my luck at getting knitting needles on a transatlantic flight too!
I'm working on the Cauchy Socks from Cookie A's Sock Innovation for my husband;
The Uisce scarf/shawl from Carol Feller's Stolen Stitches booklet-- a good way to use up my lovely Brooks Farm Mas Acero;
and the Transverse Cardigan from Interweave Knits, which I've always wanted to make and will be a nice use for my Autumn House Farm's Finnean's Rainbow yarn, purchased at Rhinebeck last fall.
Lots to do before I leave, but at least all of these projects are on the needles and ready to go!

The Big Project is Finished--Go Blue!

Finished my daughter's University of Michigan Afghan with over a month to go before she leaves for college! I am very pleased with it and hope that it brings her good luck and lots of love in college. I used almost 2,000 yards of yarn in this afghan and enjoyed the pattern very much. Making it in strips of two squares (as recommended on Ravelry) was great, and I liked the mitered garter border I added.
So now it's on to some new projects, particularly in advance of a vacation where I'll need some big and small projects to occupy me. I'm going to try my luck at getting knitting needles on a transatlantic flight too!
I'm working on the Cauchy Socks from Cookie A's Sock Innovation for my husband;
The Uisce scarf/shawl from Carol Feller's Stolen Stitches booklet-- a good way to use up my lovely Brooks Farm Mas Acero;
and the Transverse Cardigan from Interweave Knits, which I've always wanted to make and will be a nice use for my Autumn House Farm's Finnean's Rainbow yarn, purchased at Rhinebeck last fall.
Lots to do before I leave, but at least all of these projects are on the needles and ready to go!

Socks IMO A Dear Friend

First, Happy 4th of July to all--watching the fireworks displays in Washington, DC and New York City tonight makes me feel very patriotic. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
But on to knitting. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted--we've had a lot of big occasions in our household, most notably my DD's graduation from high school. So while the knitting (particularly her college afghan) has gone on, the blogging has taken a back seat. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Prior to the holiday weekend I finished the socks I have been knitting for quite some time--in between projects--from the “Egg-Stra” Special Sock Kit by Skacel; all proceeds went to Ovarian Cancer research, and I wanted to support this cause in memory of my dear friend who passed away from a form of this disease. However, the pattern looked a bit too complicated. I decided “On http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifHold”, from Wendy Johnson's "Socks from the Toe Up," was also a fitting pattern to honor Mimi’s memory, as she did hold on for so long, fighting as hard as she could.
I learned a lot while making these socks, including more experience at toe-up socks (although I just couldn’t get Wendy’s short-row heel, and ended up going back to my old stand-by, Sensational Knitted Socks, and used an Eye of Partridge heel). The kit had come with beads, and I worked them into this pattern in a pretty design. I also tried the dental-floss-threader method of adding the beads, and I think I like it much better than the crochet hook method. Good to know both ways.
Finally, I used the sewn bind-off to ensure stretchiness at the cuff. Very pleased with these socks.
Immediately cast on Cauchy, from Cookie A's Sock Innovation, for my DH, using the very pretty, but very thin, Swanky Sock BFL Yarn in Navy Blue from Evermore Studios. We'll see how I do with an 80-stitch sock (at a gauge of 9 stitches/inch)!

Socks IMO A Dear Friend

First, Happy 4th of July to all--watching the fireworks displays in Washington, DC and New York City tonight makes me feel very patriotic. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
But on to knitting. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted--we've had a lot of big occasions in our household, most notably my DD's graduation from high school. So while the knitting (particularly her college afghan) has gone on, the blogging has taken a back seat. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Prior to the holiday weekend I finished the socks I have been knitting for quite some time--in between projects--from the “Egg-Stra” Special Sock Kit by Skacel; all proceeds went to Ovarian Cancer research, and I wanted to support this cause in memory of my dear friend who passed away from a form of this disease. However, the pattern looked a bit too complicated. I decided “On http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifHold”, from Wendy Johnson's "Socks from the Toe Up," was also a fitting pattern to honor Mimi’s memory, as she did hold on for so long, fighting as hard as she could.
I learned a lot while making these socks, including more experience at toe-up socks (although I just couldn’t get Wendy’s short-row heel, and ended up going back to my old stand-by, Sensational Knitted Socks, and used an Eye of Partridge heel). The kit had come with beads, and I worked them into this pattern in a pretty design. I also tried the dental-floss-threader method of adding the beads, and I think I like it much better than the crochet hook method. Good to know both ways.
Finally, I used the sewn bind-off to ensure stretchiness at the cuff. Very pleased with these socks.
Immediately cast on Cauchy, from Cookie A's Sock Innovation, for my DH, using the very pretty, but very thin, Swanky Sock BFL Yarn in Navy Blue from Evermore Studios. We'll see how I do with an 80-stitch sock (at a gauge of 9 stitches/inch)!