Lacy Sampler Scarf

I guess I was getting a bit bored with my Woodland Scarf so I decided to start in on my Lacy Sampler Scarf. Click here to see the pattern. I am using Queensland Collection Bamboo Cotton in pale blue and I love this yarn; I've never used anything like it. The yarn is a bit slick but nice to work with. The stitch definition is very pretty.

Woodland Scarf

I am still finding this pattern enjoyable and am now on my second ball of yarn. I was able to lay the scarf flat on my carpet and have it stay flat so you can see how the design of the pattern makes a great scalloped edge. I think the scarf will be over five feet long when it's done.

Woodland Scarf

This pattern is addictive. I did not take the best photos, but could not wait to show you how this is coming along. I highly recommend this pattern if you are looking for a fun project. It's complicated enough to keep you interested but not so tricky you get frustrated. It's fun to watch as the leaves emerge. There is a note on the pattern which calls the flow of the design "intuitive". I did not know what that meant until I started to catch on to the pattern. As you are completing the rows, you can just tell if you are on the right track because the stitches just make sense... you catch mistakes right away. That eliminates some frustration. I can picture this pattern in a baby blanket or even a lap afghan. It's that fun! I am glad I am making the smaller scarf version of this pattern; I think the color changes in the Mini Mochi yarn work well with the shorter rows. I think I like this pattern well enough to make a shawl version; I will have to find just the right yarn for it.

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Woodland Scarf

I found the perfect pattern for my Mini Mochi yarn. Click here to see the pattern.

Hiking Socks are Complete!

Yipee, I am glad to be done with this pair of socks and on to a new project. Socks are fun, but after the satisfaction and challenge of finishing the first sock, the second sock seems like a bit of a chore. My Hiking Socks fit like a dream and the stripes match up really well. I think I am catching on to how to make the stripes match up. Not sure what I will make next... I have a lot of sock yarn to use.

One Hiking Sock down....

One Hiking Sock down... one to go. I am using Susan B. Anderson's pattern for "Ribbed Socks for Bigger Feet" which I found on her blog called Spud and Chloe. This pattern is very similar to the Wise Hilda's Sock pattern I just finished a week or so ago. Both call for k3,p1 ribbing in the cuff and on the top of the foot, but Susan's pattern starts with 64 stitches and Hilda's socks call for 60 stitches. The ribbing in these socks makes them fit great. My yarn for these socks is On Line Supersocke and the colorway is called "Hiking" (I think). There is a lot of German writing on the sock label and, despite studying German for years, the label has me a bit confused. Whatever the case may be, the word "hiking" on the label got me to thinking this yarn WOULD make great hiking socks. I set out to make socks long enough that I could roll the top down for a nice cuff. I was a few inches into the cuff when I realized that when I rolled the sock down, the cuff revealed would be p3,k1 which is not as attractive as k3,p1. I got to thinking I should have started with p3,k1 and then later switched to k3,p1 part way down the cuff. Since I did not want to rip out all of my work, I got innovative and came up with a solution.

When I was about 5 1/2 inches into the cuff portion, I turned the sock inside out. The yarn was now coming from my left needle. So I brought the yarn to the front, slipped a stitch from the right needle to the left needle, wrapped the yarn to the back of that stitch, and then slipped the stitch back to the right needle, and then proceeded to knit in k3,p1 ribbing. The sock looks a little funny when the cuff is not folded down, but it looks great when I have it on. The ribbing on the cuff and the ribbing the top of the foot both match.

Here's a photo to show you where I turned it inside out. You can (hopefully) see where the ribbing changes to the left of my finger, just before the charcoal gray stripe begins. I suppose using a k2,p2 ribbing would have eliminated the need to turn the sock inside out, as would knitting p3,k1 ribbing (at the top of the sock), but I am kind of pleased with myself in that I came up with a "new technique" to solve my problem.

Hiking Socks in progress

Working on another pair of socks this week. I am making Hiking Socks. Not much time today so I'll have to tell you more about these another day. Here are some photos I snapped this morning.