Double the FO's: Stalking Socks and Oreo Mittens

Slipper socks in women's size 9 for my cousin for Christmas. The yarn is Jo-Ann Sensations Angel Hair, which is an absolute pain to knit with, but OMG SO SOFT. And they are the very neon-est of neon blue (which is why they're called Stalking Socks…fuzzy blue things instantly remind me of Monsters, Inc. :P )

Mittens for myself! I've been needing a pair. They look sort of large because, well, they are large. They're warm, but too thin to wear alone in Pittsburgh's windy winter, so the largeness leaves room for a pair of gloves to be worn underneath.

Both patterns were improvised, which makes me kind of proud, since I haven't designed a pattern in…let's not even count, ugh.

And speaking of accomplishments:

IT'S THE HOMESTRETCH, BABY.

The little things

Hey! You didn't really think I'd go without posting all week, did you? I love my readers too much for that!
*Note: Unortunately, I do not actually have time to post while on the beach. This post was written before I left *sheepish smile*



My new set of stitch markers! Made by moi, they feature random beads found at the rock bottom of my beading bag, some felt bunnies that were originally destined for earrings, a charm that was begging for orange nail-polish polka-dots, and cheap metal napkin rings that fit many more needles sizes than my previous set :)


An empty mint tin that now houses my tapestry needle, stitch markers, and travel measuring tape.


Unfortunately, these don't fit in the tin: my Hello Kitty mini-scissors that I found (after losing them when I was nine :P ).

And even though it's not at all little, I have to post this.


Yes, that is my second Cherie Amour sleeve. Done. And blocked. Yep :D
Onto the body, comrades!

FO: Mum's Ring-'O-A-Wisp

Knit faster than a speeding bullet, certainly prettier than my last one . . .

It's Ring-'O-A-Wisp!

Stages of knitting Wisp:
1) I know I don't have enough yarn, but I'll just make the thing shorter and narrower.
2) Crap! It looks like I'm running out of yarn! I'd better just end it here.
3) Crap! I still have a lot of yarn! I'll just put in one more repeat to make it look even.
4) Aw whatever. I'll make it a cowl.

So Wisp is a cowl, and it is lovely.


I can't believe I actually finished it this fast. Since I'm out of school but my brothers aren't, I really didn't have anything to do yesterday, so I picked it up and knit away. Like an hour later, I finished grafting the ends together and set it out to block (these pictures were taken before it got all wet). Only 53 more days until I can give to my mom ;)

Now I have more time for socks.

The Dreambaby DK? It will be a pair of Pomatomus. Because I saw it on Ravelry in many, many different solid blues and started drooling. Because I am a huge dork who loves mermaids. Because I need those socks :P

A well-deserved break from gloves

Remember when I had all that mohair and nothing to do with it? Well, here's a solution, four lace repeats in:


I'm using the Ironstone Yarns English Mohair (in periwinkle) to make my mom a Wisp for her birthday in August. This will accomplish my Knit Lace goal, get rid of some mohair, and provide a birthday present for my mom! What's not to love?!

But of course, there are problems. *grr*

I knew there wasn't enough yarn. I knew it, but I thought I'd change the sizing to make it work. So instead of 46 stitches, I cast on 32 stitches and everything's going smoothly. However, I'm four repeats in and I have half the yarn I started with.

"Blocking!" I thought. "Blocking will work miracles!"
Or perhaps just a really short scarf.

But I don't know that.

"Maybe I could just slip in an extra eyelet and make it a keyhole scarf."
Make a giant crater on purpose? My conscience wouldn't let me.

"What about making it into a cowl?"
Yeah, so my mom could get thousands of mohair fuzzies in her hair. She doesn't like getting her hair wet with Pittsburgh drizzle, let alone mohair fuzz.

Maybe blocking will fix that . . .

AGH!!!!

Maybe I'll just go back to gloves :P

Who knew popularity had a reason?

On Tuesday, I had this craving. I needed to knit socks, and nothing was going to stop me. However, there was a downside to this. You see, the Koigu yarn (KPPPM) I used for my first April Showers sock made my right hand (the yarn-holding hand) break out in what looked like small blisters all over my fingers. It's probably a bad reaction to the dye, and people on Ravelry said I could cure it by soaking the Koigu in soapy water, but I am still hesitant to pick up with the April Showers Socks.

Then I found this Filatura Lanarota Cuzco I've been saving since me and my mom went to Penn's Colony last fall (the name of the booth I bought it at escapes me). I had used a skein on my Fetching (what was I thinking??? Fingering-weight yarn held double on US 9 needles?!), but still have 340 yards left.

The yarn is very squishy and soft and delicious. It is 100% sport-weight alpaca, and I <3<3<3 the pumpkin color. I am making Cookie's Monkey pattern, and this is where the post title comes in.

If you are on Ravelry (which I suspect you are, since this is where most of my traffic comes from), you will surely have noticed the alarming number of people who have made this pattern. If you haven't, that's good, cause I'm gonna tell you anyway:
4192
Four thousand, one hundred, and ninety-two people have made these socks. That is so freaking insane.

At first I was all, "It's cute, but eh, I don't know. Surely it will not seduce me into knitting them."

But it has.

And it is addicting. And I love it. Just like those other 4192 people.
Henceforth, these are the Loooove Monkey socks.

Oh and by the way, I finished the back of Trendsweater. Onto the left front, my comrades!
If I can figure out how on Earth to do all these increases. Yeeeesh.

FO: The Nutcracker Scarf

Aww, look how cute I am in my self-designed scarf (ignoring my horrible un-glossed lips, of course)!

The lace detail

It turned out really great, considering it was my first time ever blocking.
Ooo, and I have photos of that, too!!

Maybe I'll give the pattern as a Christmas present ;)