Another Pair of Socks!

When I was traveling last week I finished my Seeded Rib socks out of Wacky Windmill yarn. The pattern is from Getting Started Knitting Socks (page 88, but I worked 1" of k3, p2 rib at the cuffs and I held the yarn in front of the slipped stitches of the heel flaps); the yarn colorway is Found A Penny. I debated whether I should save these as a gift, but I decided to put them on right after I snapped the photo (before I even wove in the ends). They're perfect!

Ready for PreOrder!

As usual, I've had to be mum about my next book and could only show you an artistic image of the projects.

But I can now divulge that Scarf Style 2 is heading to printer soon and is ready for pre-order from Amazon (it doesn't seem to be available directly from Interweave yet).

Like the original Scarf Style by Pam Allen (published by Interweave in 2004), Scarf Style 2 is a collection of innovative neck coverings from a couple dozen diverse designers. From the traditional to the unexpected, there's something for every taste in neckwear, including textured stitch patterns, lace, cables, and colorwork that run the gamut from very simple to challenging, casual to dressy, and demure to flamboyant.
I sure hope you'll love it as much as I do!

Closing in on the Hem

After a few evenings of concentrated knitting, I am finally approaching the hem of my Briar Rose Glory Days cardigan.

Right now, the body measures close to 10". I think I want the total body length to be about 13", but I'll have to check a sweater that has a similar fit to be sure. In any case, I need to decide if there will be a bit a regular rib (k3, p1) at the end and whether or not I'll go ahead with an I-cord bind-off.
A nip of a strong beverage may help me decide.

A Lot of Little Sweaters

I am on my way to Billings, Montana, to teach sweater construction at Wild Purls Yarns, an adorable yarn shop in what's left of the Wild West. I will teach classes in working sweaters both from the bottom up in pieces that get seamed and from the top-down in a single seamless piece. In both classes, we'll knit adorable little sweaters. Here are my class samples (in various degrees of completion).

The three sweaters on the left are for the bottom-up class. In this two-day class (with homework), students get to choose between drop shoulder, modified-drop shoulder, and set-in sleeve construction with round or V-necks. By the end of the class, everyone is able to sew perfect (or nearly perfect) seams and pick up stitches evenly and beautifully.
The two sweaters on the right are for the top-down class. This class is only one day because there are no seams, but I don't expect anyone to get beyond the point where the body and sleeves are divided at the end of the day (their homework will be to finish the body and sleeves on their own). For this class, the students will choose between seamless yoke and raglan construction; those who choose the raglan will also get to choose between round and V-necks.
Assuming that everything goes well, I'll have images of student samples, which usually show a nice array of colors and patterns.

Second-Sock Syndrome?

In most cases, I cast on and start the second sock as soon as the first is completed. In the case of the socks I'm knitting from Wacky Windmill yarn, I got distracted with other projects. And that's a shame because I really love the yarn (my photo does not do justice to the rich coppery colorway) as well as the pattern (I'm following the stitch pattern for Seeded Rib Socks on page 88 of Getting Started Knitting Socks -- but at 8 stitches/inch instead of 6 stitches/inch). But I'm back on track now and have knitted about half of the leg.

The first sock is for reference -- I always count rows to make sure the second sock matches the first. The markers are placed every 20 rounds along the foot, with the last one placed on the row before I begin the toe shaping. I find psychological comfort in placing markers as I go so I can see my progress.

Inching Along

It seems that I'm on a knitting treadmill--I knit and knit but don't see any apparent progress on the body of my Briar Rose Glory Days sweater.

But this is giving me lots of time to think about the edgings. I still think I'd like a standard fold-over collar at the neck and a zipper closure. But now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be cool to trim it all with I-cord. I can use the I-cord bind-off on the sleeves and lower body. For the fronts, I can pick up stitches along the selvedges, then work the I-cord bind off to make a nice edging against the zipper. But I haven't quite gotten my head around how the collar will fit it. Should I work an I-cord edging on the collar as well, or would that be too much?
At lease, at this rate, I won't have to make a decision for a while.

Signs of Spring

We've had a bit of cold and snow lately (great knitting weather), and just when I was thinking that spring would never arrive, look what I saw peeking out of the snow!

It won't be long before that turns into a bright red tulip -- happy harbingers of spring to you all!

Just Can't Stop

I'm charging along on my Briar Rose sweater! It didn't seem to take any time to knit the sleeves --decreases will do that. I haven't bound off the cuffs yet because I want to try on the finished sweater to fine-tune their length. Because there is no shaping in the body, this I've been able to work on it while watching movies or knitting with friends. At this rate, it won't be long before I get to the hem.

Surging Ahead

Not only have I reached the point where I was before ripping out, I've successfully worked the upper part of one sleeve. The sleeve is worked by picking up stitches around the armhole (including the held saddle stitches), then working short-rows to fill in the cap. The advantage of working sleeves this way is that you don't have to sew any seams. Just look at that beautiful transition between body and sleeve!