And I guess one more.

Those socks that are started down below. I finished them last week too.

They are HORRIBLE.

The pattern was great. The yarn seemed ok. But then there was pooling. I finished them anyway, thinking if I was wearing them in Mary Janes, it wouldn't really matter. And it didn't seem to from a look standpoint, though they don't look so hot without shoes:



Problem is, they fit horridly. The heels sag, and they slide down into my shoes. The leg openings were huge by the end of the day. I am just going to conclude that Cascade Fixation might fall into the category of "not for me." At least not for socks. Which is sad, but I like a smaller gauge for socks anyway.

Live and learn.

Five finished objects in just one day!

Having discussions about craftiness the other night was spurring my brain into design territory. I went supply shopping yesterday for a new idea I have, but I promised myself I needed to finish up my niece's outfit, that I started back in May, before I took this on.

That turned into, well, you better start the project you promised a friend a while ago too. And that was quick, so I finished it.

Then I figured, hey, I'm on a roll, I might as well finish the one FO I have sitting around that merely needs one seam sewn.

(Oh, and as I write this, I realize I finished another project just a few days ago, which just needed ends woven in, so there'll be a sixth on this post.

First up, the final part of the world's cutest baby outfit, a kid's cotton hat from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Started that last night, and finished the hat part, then knitted the icord upon waking this morning. Here it is as modeled by the ugly doll Target:








The second piece to that merely needed closures. This pattern is bekah knits' Baby Merry Jane:








The third piece of this needed the most to finish: ends woven in, collar picked up and knitted, pockets and tabs sewn on. But here it is, Anouk, as styled with the other pieces.








So while all that was blocking, I knitted up a quick earwarmer headband that Donna de la Muerte had asked me to do for her a while back. Donna crochets, but doesn't knit, so this was a services trade. :) However, Donna also finds me the most kickass buttons and such related to knitting at craft shows, so I think I'm still in the hole after this. (She's also probably doing a knitting tattoo on me in the very near future, so stay tuned for that.













And then, lo and behold, I actually decided to sew up a tank top that I started way back in 2004. Seriously, this was probably my first major purchase at a real yarn store, and I believe most of it was actually knitted on aluminum needles, something my hands couldn't take now.

This might be the world's heaviest tank top (it's double-stranded Lana Grossa Rotonda), but I think it's still pretty wearable.








And, for FO #6, we see the cash iroha gloves I started knitting last winter, and then picked up on a whim the other night, just to realize that only one glove needed ends woven in. That was simple enough while sitting around with friends, so now I also have fuzzy soft blue gloves.



Nadja's hands are much smaller than mine, but she graciously modeled.

Now I really want to go work on one of the two sweaters which are languishing half done in the other room. But maybe that's enough for one day. Maybe not.

Destashing!

I'm finally getting around to clearing out some leftovers and unwanted yarns from my stash.

If you're on ravelry, it'll be easiest to take a look at them here, on my stash page and then PM me, but if you aren't on there yet, I'll post this list here as well.

I'll entertain the idea of trades, and prices are somewhat negotiable, but I do prefer sale via paypal and shipping within US only. If you're interested, feel free to email me at wittyknits AT gmail DOT com.

Thanks all!


Diakeito Disantafe 524 $12 plus shipping All the yarn is there, but a few yards were used for swatching and have been cut, so that yardage is in a small ball are inside the ball.
Harris/Rowan 4ply 010 Hot Pink $5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Charcoal $6 plus shipping
Noah's Yarns Silk Laceweight lime green Hand dyed 100% silk laceweight from a woman from Dayton. Purchased at Wool Gathering in Yellow Springs, OH. A few yards were swatched, and then rewound, but not cut. $8 plus shipping
Recycled Wool Charcoal Tweed charcoal "About 200 yards? Kind of scratchy, probably would felt well. $3 plus shipping
Recycled Wool Purple Heather dusty purple heather "approx 725 yards $9 plus shipping
Unknown Multicolored Ribbon Yarn blue/green/white $1 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky forest green $2 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky Concord 145 $5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky fuschia $5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky light blue $2 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky Appleton 141 $5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky Nantucket $5 plus shipping
Somerhill farm singles white "Singles purchased at Wool Gathering in Yellow Springs, OH. $7 plus shipping
Unknown thick and thin slubby cotton natural $2 plus shipping
Berroco Denim Silk 1405 brown $9 plus shipping
Berroco Denim Silk 1416 pink $7 plus shipping
Berroco Denim Silk 1415 purple $7 plus shipping
Berroco Lullaby $5 plus shipping
Berroco Suede $9 plus shipping
Bertagna Filati Fashion Denim Print yellow $4 plus shipping
Bertagna Filati Fashion Denim Print white $20 plus shipping
Cascade Pastaza 1017 $8 plus shipping
Cascade Pima Silk 5144 $6 plus shipping
Cascade Pima Silk 5139b $6 plus shipping
Cascade Pima Silk 5224 $6 plus shipping
Elann Peruvian Highland Wool 3819 magenta $6 plus shipping
Lana Grossa Binario 17 $9 plus shipping
Lana Grossa Rotonda 19 $4 plus shipping
Lily Sugar'n Cream Solid Natural $1 plus shipping
Lily Sugar'n Cream Solid 18083 $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Cotton-Ease 101 Strawberry Cream $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Cotton-Ease 144 sugarplum $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Jiffy Solid black $4 plus shipping
Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton blue $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton 100 white $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton 157 Sunflower "$5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Magic Stripes Purple/Black/Blue/White $5 plus shipping
Lion Brand Magic Stripes 207 Regatta Blue Stripe $6 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids & Heathers denim blue $1 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids & Heathers natural heather $3 plus shipping
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Sportweight fuschia $6 plus shipping
Louisa Harding Fauve 10 $8 plus shipping
Louisa Harding Fauve 06 $8 plus shipping
Louisa Harding Fauve 12 $8 plus shipping
ONline Linie 81 Gina 11 sage "Has come loose and been rewound, but it's all there.
$4 plus shipping."
Patons Fresco pink $9 plus shipping
Patons Kroy Socks 4 Ply 54555 Pink/Grey/Fuschia $6 plus shipping
Plymouth Yarn Encore Colorspun Worsted multi $2 plus shipping
Plymouth Yarn Encore DK brown "This is only missing a few yards, if that. (Enough to embroider a nose on a Bobbi Bear.)$3 plus shipping"
Plymouth Yarn Encore DK green heather "I think this is almost complete. $2 plus shipping"
Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted 598 blue "$8 plus shipping
Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted 1064 green $8 plus shipping
Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted natural $9 plus shipping
Plymouth Yarn Turino Silk Print 103 $10 plus shipping
Reynolds Lopi 9984 $9 plus shipping
Reynolds Lopi 0215 $11 plus shipping
Rowan 4 Ply Cotton 138 $5 plus shipping
Rowan Cork 046 "One complete ball plus a tiny bonus of a couple yards.$9 plus shipping"
Rowan R2 Paper 005 grey $20 plus shipping
Rowan R2 Paper 006 pink $10 plus shipping
Rowan Summer Tweed 500 $10 plus shipping
Tahki Cotton Twist 832 $6 plus shipping
Target Knitting Funky Fringe Yarn fruit punch $1 plus shipping
Target Knitting Funky Fringe Yarn champagne $1 plus shipping

Anouk, in progress

Anouk, just need to sew
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

All the pieces are knitted. Just need to sew up.

So all that's left to create the worlds cutest baby outfit is sewing this up, making the hat, and sewing the buttons on the booties (which I am crossing my fingers she hasn't grown out of, otherwise, I'm making a second set.

So of course, what do I do? I cast on the world's ugliest socks.

Ugly socks
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

Cascade Fixation, with a tiny bit of modification off of a freebie footie sock pattern I foundon ravelry. By far the worst pooling of anything I've ever made, but they'll be fine inside shoes.

Sweater for Chloe

Sweater for Chloe
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

Finally finished this one. A very quick knit, but I am not one for finishing things up lately, especially if it involves the sewing on of buttons, as evidenced by several projects indicated at 95% finished in my ravelry notebook.

In any case, I'm going to mail this off to Chloe soon, even if it'll be a little while before she fits into it.

Pattern: Baby's Pure & Simple Pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Bubblegum
Size 8 needles

The Outfit so Cute it Hurts

I've started on the cutest outfit ever, for my niece Maya. I've wanted to make Anouk from Knitty (by Kate Gilbert) for several years, but haven't known any little girls of the appropriate age. Now it seems there's a baby boom among my friends and family, and wouldn't you know, quite a few little girls.

I stashed some Pakucho Cotton a few years ago for a dress for myself that never materialized, but I got this crazy color scheme in my head for this and I'm using this for Maya's Outfit instead.

The whole outfit will be:
Baby Merry Janes by bekah.knits
Anouk
Child's Cotton Hat from Weekend Knitting

I'm using the Pakucho Cotton, Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Old Rose (doubled as necessary) and yellow and teal kitchen cotton for the other contrast. The socks of the Merry Janes, the icord in the hat will both be the Old Rose. I think this will be ridiculously cute. Can't wait! (Even if, in my excitement yesterday, I completely screwed up the first bootie. Sheesh.)

Progress thus far:

It's official....everyone has a knitting book but me

One of my teammates alerted me to this book last night at practice. Yes, that's Kelley Deal as in The Breeders. Wow.


One of the profs where I work has been cheerfully prodding me to write a knitting book that combines knitting with one of my other interests. We came up with "geek knitting" (but I think it's been done) and of course, knitting and roller derby. My argument has been that derby takes up enough time that the book would never get done. So I am happy to see that someone else has a better life/work/derby/knitting balance than me. Joan of Dark of Naptown has this book coming out soon. That's seriously awesome.

The first gloves, in progress.

glove1
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

My ultra-luxurious Noro Cash Iroha gloves. These are super soft and awesome. I have actually have all but the thumb done on this one right now, and hope to have the pair done by the end of the week.

Nadja's Holiday Scarf

nadjaScarf
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

The finished product as modeled by the recipient. I really wish I'd made this a bit narrower and therefore longer, but the random striping worked out pretty nicely.

Christmas Present - Finished! In February!

Baltimore 002
Originally uploaded by wittyknits

I just finished one of Nadja's Christmas presents this weekend -- this is a randomly striped garter stitch scarf out of Terra by The Fibre Company. We picked this up in NYC at Purl while there over Thanksgiving. It's super warm and soft -- a Silk/Alpaca/Merino blend. Yummy.

I blocked this one quickly (as evidenced by the photo) but I think it will loosen up even more once she's worn it for a bit. I'd make it a bit narrower if I had it to do over, but I'm still pretty happy with it. I wove the ends in as I went on one side, and then pulled the rest through with a crochet hook when done, and so far, it's all holding.

Started a pair of gloves for myself two nights ago. I have especially large hands, mostly beause of my super long fingers, so finding gloves in stores to fit me is a little difficult. I've ripped up two pairs of gloves this winter, just from pushing my fingers through the ends. So I'm happy to have a custom pair of gloves. I've never made gloves before, oddly enough, and these are going super fast (using DK weight yarn) so I might be hooked. I have an idea for some fancier gloves out of sockweight yarn, so those might be up next finally!