Solstice Slip

These socks are the 2011 Q1 KAL with the Socks That Rawk! ravelry group. I made it with a whole month to spare :0) I was really loving how the yarn striped on the foot, then the stitch count changed for the leg, and the colours then pooled in a spiral.
I knit the pattern toe up. The toe is knit with short rows in garter stitch. I like how the garter ridges 'hide' the wraps. They look pretty neat and the garter stitch makes the toe really squishy and comfy.
Same with the heel, knit with short rows in garter st. Super comfy.
I used Judy's Stretchy bind-off for the first time. Easy peasy bind off and super stretchy as its name suggests :0)
I love toe-up socks as I can make them as long as the yarn allows. These are my tallest socks to date and I was only left with a few inches of yarn.
Pattern: Solstice Slip by J C Briar for Blue Moon Fiber Arts

Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight

Colour: Rocky Horror

Size: 65st on foot, 75 st on leg

Capitola Cliffs

I am having the most wonderful time here in California. What a beautiful place, full of beautiful people. Stitches West was as wonderful as ever, I took some inspiring classes and am fired up with new techniques to practice. Carrie and I are spending this, my last day, relaxing in the pretty little seaside town of Capitola, before I must return to reality tonight.

I bought this Rare Gem skein of STR on the last day of Stitches. It had been calling my name all weekend, but with plenty (by my standards) of sock yarn already at home, I said that if it was left on Sunday, it would be fate. Funny how fate works.
I'm calling it Capitola Cliffs, because, look at the view from the window.....
If that's not a match made in heaven, I don't know what is :0)
A huge thank you to Carrie for putting me up during Stitches West, and to Terry for lending us her Capitola retreat :0) I have had a fabulous time and hope to see y'all, same time next year :0)

Purse v Purse

I'm traveling to Stitches West in Santa Clara tomorrow. Pretty exciting, eh :0) So what's a girl to do, but finish up a couple of projects from previous Stitches?!

I wanted a shoulder bag, but not quite as big as the Celtic Tote, which I've made a couple of times now. I scoured my collection of stitch dictionaries and concluded that I need more cable patterns. I did see this one though, and it actually turned out the perfect size.

The yarn was some cream worsted I had been gifted a million years ago, nothing special. The handle is the real Stitches deal though. Purchased on my first Stitches trip in 2008. Talk about stash, right! It's just long enough to tuck the bag under my armpit, not too tight. The bag is just big enough for phone, purse, tissues, keys, etc.
And what do we put IN the bag? A purse of course. I don't want to be toting round my giant Vera Bradley purse, so made up this little set, purchased at Stitches '09.
Pics before felting.....And after. Is it just me, or does the circley one look very boobtastic? They are a great size for credit cards and a wad of cash for yarn buying :0)
Last, here's something for all you Gleeks. Which character does this sporty lass remind you of?My guys got lego people for Valentines and they came with a menu of other lego people. As soon as I saw this, I thought it looked like the coach from Glee :0)

Headband

One of my friends here in the burbs has started giving art/craft lessons out of her home. She's super talented and a lot of fun too. My boys have been thoroughly enjoying their various sessions with her. I'll post pics of their masterpieces another time soon.

Before Christmas, she proposed a barter of my knitting for her lessons. Happy happy joy joy. Here's the headband I rustled up for her.
She trawled Ravelry for something you might see in her favourite shop, Anthropology, and chose this pattern, the Whitney Headband. The headband was mindless knitting, but the flower was more challenging as it was crocheted. I swallowed my fear though and pressed on, following the pattern step by step. I actually had to highlight the individual instructions as I completed them. Crochet's not so easy, but I made it. It may have one more petal than the pattern, but we'll call that a design modification :0)I used my beloved DB Alpaca Silk aran. Warmth was needed for a Christmas trip to PA, so that fitted the bill. Here's a quickly modelled shot. I can see why the short-rows of Calirometry are so popular - you don't get that rolled up bit at the back, but otherwise, I think this is a cute FO :0)

Headband pattern: The Whitney Headband by Jennifer DiMaria

Needle: 4.5mm

Flower pattern: Irish Rose by Lesley Stanfield

Hook: 4mm

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran

Charade

I've never made a plain vanilla pair of stockinette socks. But this is my second time knitting the next closest thing. The "Charade" pattern is so simple it's almost like knitting stockinette.

It's a 4 stitch pattern every other round. Couldn't be easier to remember.

It gives a nice ribbed effect, without all the purling, and a wee slipped stitch mixes up the yarn a bit. I heart it so.

Pattern: Charade by Sandra Park

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet

Needle: 2.5mm

Don't go breakin' my heart

I finally finished these socks, which I feel like I've been knitting for ages. I guess that's what becomes of distraction knitting all those cowls and Christmas hats.

But aren't they beauties? The yarn is Malabrigo sock in the Stonechat colourway. This is my second time using this yarn. It is so very thin. I think that contributes to my feeling like it takes forever to knit an inch. I felt like that the first time too. But I must say it's worth it. The socks are really light and thin and yet still very cushy.Cristi's pattern was great to knit too. The repeat is pretty simple and easy to memorise. The pattern stitches are easy to 'read' too. I like the pattern in this colourway. I think I'd also like to knit it in a crazier multicolour too - the slipped and garter stitches really mix up the colours.And here's where my heart broke in two. I got a wee hole on each side, as you can see below. I'm not feeling too bad about that though - I just started another pattern by a much more accomplished knitter than me, and the photos show holes in her sock too.Nice stripes.......Pattern: Breaking Hearts by Cristi Brockway

Yarn: Malabrigo sock in Stonechat

Needle: 2.5mm