It's Random

See the little random number generator over to the right? It's been there for a few days. Anyway, I put it on my blog so it would be handy. I set it for a default minimum of 6, and a maximum of 20, and I'm using it to knit a version of the ribbed scarf, where I knit two & purl two for a number of rows, then hit the random number generator and do purl two, knit two for a number of rows, and so on. It makes knit two, purl too a shade more interesting, but still mindless. I like it.

The scarf I'm working on is good in ribbing, because it's handpainted, and it's mohair :) I won it in a NETA drawing, so it's extra-special! And my sister helped me design it, and that's perfect. Here it is so far:

You too can use a random number generator to make a scarf; use any number for high and low setting you like, or use mine. Mine is from random.org, and you can get one too, it's free. Or use the one on their website. I used 32 stitches and size 9 (5.5 mm) needles, because the mohair is a bulky weight and size 9 is the biggest needles I had that aren't circular. Go nuts :)

 

Edit: The yarn in question is from Dorchester Farms of Dorchester, MA; it's hand painted brushed mohair, of indeterminate color, gold/burgundy/periwinkle. It has 231 yards in 4.2 ounces.

Mystery Sock KAL Clue 2 Is Done!

The Triple Right and Left Twists were not so bad, once I did a little head scratching how I could manage it with the jig.

Here's the jig:

Poor Nora. So sad that she can't go out.

No More Cold Hands!

Now on to Clue 2 of the mystery socks KAL, in which Beth overcomes the Triple Left Twist and the Triple Right Twist....

One Down, One To Go

First mitten is done, one remains to be seen. And then there's weaving in the ends. I hate making mittens....

 But my other hand will be cold if I don't make it, so I suppose I must.

My Hands Are Cold.....

..... because I have no mittens. Well, I *have* mittens. Lots of them. Very nice ones! But they are in the house in Appleton, and I am not. So since I need mittens, and since the Clue #2 of the mystery socks doesn't come out til Friday, I figured I'd start a pair of mittens.

I'm using some luscious yarn from Good Karma Farm that I received for Christmas, in my favorite color, Caribbean Twilight. It's so pretty! I love it. I'm using size four needles. The cuff looks funny, but don't worry, be happy. It all evens out. 

A few years ago I made a bunch of these mittens out of Maine wool, and they were a hit. I started out using a pattern, but here and there I tweaked it enough that I thought I should write it down, so I did. Enjoy and keep your fingers warm!

 

Beth's Awesome Mitten Pattern

Materials: 4  oz. Good Karma Farm 60% wool, 40% alpaca yarn

Size 4 double pointed needles

Gauge: 6 stitches = 1 inch

Right Mitten:

Cast on 40 sts. Work 6 rounds stockinette stitch. Work K2, P2 for 3 1/2". Increase 4 sts in last round to 44 sts. Knit 4 rounds even. 

Increase for thumb:

Rnd. 1:  Inc. in first stitch, K1, inc in next stitch, place marker, (thumb gore sts marked off), knit to end of round.

Knit 2 rounds even.

Continue, increasing one st in first and last st in thumb gore every 3rd round until there are 13 sts. in the thumb gore. 

Knit 2 rnds even. Slip thumb gore sts to a piece of yarn to hold them. 

Cast on 3 sts at beginning of next round and continue working in stockinette st until 6 inches above ribbing, or 1" less than total desired length of mitten.

Decrease for top:

First dec rnd:  (K2, k2tog) around. 

Knit 3 rnds even.

Second dec rnd: (K1, k2tog) around.

Knit 3 rnds even.

Third dec rnd: K2tog around. 

Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through all sts and pull the sts together. Weave in tail on inside. 

Thumb:

Slip thumb gore sts onto two dpns. With a 3rd needle pick up and k 3 sts over the sts cast on over the thumb gore opening. (16 sts for thumb). 

On first round of knitting, redistribute sts evenly on three needles (5, 5, and 6).

Knit around until thumb measures 2" above cast on sts. Dec 1 st in last round (15 sts).

Dec for top of thumb: 

Next rnd: (K1, k2tog) around. 

Knit one round even.

Next rnd: K2tog around. Finish as for top of mitten.

Left Mitten:

Work the same as for Right Mitten except when you increase  for the thumb gusset, do as follows:

Rnd. 1:  Work to last three sts, place marker, inc in first stitch, K1, inc in next stitch (thumb gore sts marked off).

Finishing:

Weave in ends. Block, if desired. 

 

Mystery Sock Knit-Along: The Family Jewels!

The Family Jewels sock KAL (knit-along) started today. It's hosted on Ravelry by Wendy Gaal, the owner of Knitter's Brewing Company . It's a "mystery" knit along, which means you don't get a picture to see what you're making; it's a mystery! The clues are released as bits of the sock pattern. You get a little bit of the pattern at a time.

The first clue was released today. My sister and a friend came over to wind the yarn for me, which was very nice. Nicky was being very helpful, as well as entertained. Clue #1 was the toe of the sock. It's a toe up construction. I was kind of scared about doing a toe up sock. I've done them before, but with only one hand, it's tough. Judy's Magic Cast-On was easy enough, but that first round had me in tears. But then I realized, is it the actual work that I can't do? or is it just that it's frustrating that it's not as easy as it used to be? Stoically I tried again, bound and determined that by God, I would do it if I did nothing else. Surprising what a litle elbow grease will do :)

So now I've completed all 19 rows of the first clue, and am ready for the next clue. Everything else about doing these socks should be pretty easy; it's really nothing more than a bunch of travelling stitches, and they're easy enough to do. 

Piece of cake :)

Blocked

Here is the scarf after blocking:

Amazing, the difference, no? It's like magic to block lace.

Now I'll just putter away til I've used up my scrap sock yarn...

Another FO

My Edna scarf is done. I love it! It's going to be like magic to see what it's like when it's blocked. Here it is:

It soaking in water now.

The only thing I have left is my scrap yarn crocheted whatchamacallit. I asked my husband to bring down 100 grams of sock yarn, and he brought down 150 grams of sport yarn, which I would use to make something out of, but of course it has to be wound. SIGH. I have the yarn for my mystery sock KAL, which starts Friday by the way, but that yarn must be wound too.

It will be better tomorrow, Scarlett.

Resolutions and Socks and a Scarf

I'm not much for making resolutions, they never stick anyway. But now that the hubbub over making resolutions is complete, I can formulate some thoughts on it. 

I think everyday, I can live the best way I can. Some days it means sleeping a lot, somedays it means knitting or crocheting or spinning or weaving a lot. Some days I might read, or write, or watch a movie or write a blog post with knarly pictures of something I've finished or am working on. Whatever it is, I am going to do what seems the best to me. Because people, I'm living on borrowed time. I really should be dead, should have died April 19, 2010. But I didn't, and everyday that I have now is an Extra Day. And I'm going to use them the best way I can, everyday. That's my resolution and I'm sticking to it.

I finished my pair o' purple socks last night. Here they are blocking now:

The second sock is slightly better than the first. The cast on edge isn't as jumbled and the toe is almost perfect on the second sock, as opposed to 'what are you THINKING', which is what the first sock is like. However, the first sock had the 'WOOHOO! I'm knitting in the round on little double pointed needles!' factor. In the end, both socks are eminently wearable. By the way, the first sock is the one on the right.

I'm still working away on the lacey scarf, which is almost done; I only have about a foot to go. It's so pretty:

It's so pretty. I love it.