When There's Nothing On The Needles, Cast On!

The Dad Sweater has been completed! Dad didn't want it before his birthday, so I'll have to get modeled pictures some time next week. 

Canon Hand Dyes is having a Black Friday KAL which involves knitting with her yarns. I'm rearing to go. I've already wound my skein of "We're All Mad In Here."

The only problem with the KAL starting on Friday is that I finished the Dad Sweater last week.... which meant I had absolutely nothing on the needles. I took this as an opportunity to knit a pair of Haleakala socks. And the yarn is a skein of Tosh Sock in Nebula that I unearthed from my stash the last time I went through and straightened everything. It's definitely one of the older skeins I have, and I think it pairs well with this pattern.

Of course it wouldn't be a true sock experience without some ripping. I'm making the laced version and it ended up being a bit tight over my instep. So I ripped back and made the heel flap a bit longer than I would for other socks so that there would be more gusset stitches which, in turn, would make the top of the sock looser. It fits much better now.

Middleford Yarn Co.

Last week I went up to visit my Oma. On the way, Mum and I visited some yarn shops. I got a warm reception at Middleford Yarn Co. in Medford Oregon. We popped in and found out that it was one of their knit nights, so of course I had to stay and knit. (I only managed to knit one round of the Dad sweater... what can I say, I'm chatty.) I also managed to not take one photo the entire trip. Luckily for me Heather took one of Tami and I. And now you can find copies of Lit Knits at Middleford.
I will definitely be back, the shop is beautiful. And next time I'll remember to bring my camera.

In other news for anyone who will be in the Bay Area this weekend, I'll be at the Piedmont Avenue Craft Fair on November 23rd from 10-4 with copies of Lit Knits for sale. It’s located at the Piedmont Elementary School Auditorium, 4314 Piedmont Ave. Hope to see you guys there!

Finish All The Things!

It's funny how every autumn, everyone gets really busy, including me! After getting the books, it was just event after event. I barely have had a chance to catch my breath. Anyways, I was thinking about what to write and I realized that I haven't talked much about what I've knit, much less what I've finished in quite some time. So without further ado, here is a parade of FOs starting with one from (gasp) August. I made the Free Bees pattern in 2011, but it wasn't until this year that I knit myself a pair. So here is August's FO. Free Bees knit with Tosh Sock in the Gilded color way.

In September I knit up my third pair of Velomeisters from the yarn I got during the epic yarn crawl of '13. This was the closest match of yarn I could find to match my crazy bike shoes. The orange is so loud in both the shoes and socks that there was no way to get the camera sensor to capture them correctly. Just know that it's hard to miss me when I bike by. The yarn is Alchemy Juniper in the Blue Jay Way and Tangerine color ways.

In October I knit up both a Deep Sea Wanderer, seen in an earlier post, and this Watch Cap. The hat was for a friend's birthday. He was thrilled. I had a hard time giving it up though, it fit me pretty well. The yarn is  Plymouth Worsted Superwash Merino in the Dark Gray color way. 

Then there is the Pomatomus socks. It took me from September to November to make these. And considering that I knit on them nearly everyday, that is far longer than they should have taken. Previous posts explain the multiple problems I had (because of me, not the pattern.) The socks are awesome though. The yarn is Socks That Rock Medium Weight in the Tlingit color way that Alicia destashed on me. Thanks Alicia! The socks truly rock.

So what am I left with? Well, I'm knitting my father a birthday sweater. I started in September, but I completely ignored it in favor of finishing the Pomatomus socks. However, as soon as the socks were done, I realized that I had less than a month to finish the sweater. So I have been completely monogamous with this project. It is my only WIP at the moment. That's right. I have nothing else on the needles. I have so many things I want to cast on, but I know I won't finish this on time if I do.
It is Brownstone out of Naturally Mainlander Aran in color 862. Dad was with me when I bought the yarn in New Zealand in 2010. He said, "Maybe you could make me a sweater." I laughed at him. I'd never made a sweater before and I certainly wasn't ever going to make a dad-sized sweater. I suppose the joke is on me. (The picture below isn't current. I've only got 2.25 inches left of the collar, then it is just all the finishing work.)

I don't even know what to cast on next. Everything seems exciting at this point.
What are you guys working on these days? Or are you about to have a bout of start-itus like me?

It's Here!

It's here! We picked up Lit Knits from the printer on Friday and it came out wonderfully.

We ended up using two cars to pick up all the boxes. Dad and I unloaded one of the cars while Mum talked to a neighbor. When she came in she said, "Wow, that doesn't look too bad." Dad had to tell her, "The other half of the boxes are in the study." "Oh." 

These are just half the boxes. 

We spent Saturday evening packing up all the books in mailers. They will be sent off this week. So if you preordered a book, keep a weather eye out for your package. And if you missed out on the preorder, the books are now available to order. (Or if you live near A Verb For Keeping Warm, they have some copies as well.)

Knitting Lab = Mojo Restoration

After dealing with the sock that refused to be knit, I lost my knitting and blogging mojo. I was starting to think that I'd never feel better until Tyler and I went to Interweave Knitting Lab in San Mateo. And then this happened. 

Canon Hand Dyes is one of my new favorite yarns and when I found out Amy of CHD was going to be at KnitLab, I was beside myself. And then Pigeonroof was there.... and Knitwit. Here is the evidence of my lack of self control.
The top row is: Freia Ombre Worsted in Denim, and two skeins of Pigeonroof SUPER Sock in Malachite (top) and Dragon Days (bottom)
The bottom row is all the Canon Hand Dyes (L-R): In the William base we have a brown heel toe skein, Vintage Christmas, We're All Mad Here, Etude No.18, and I Desire Nothing But The Reward Of A Villian. The next two skeins are the Charles base in The Prince Of Darkness Is A Gentleman and Days Of Wine And Roses.
The truth is, I wanted more. So much more. I satisfied myself a bit by enabling everyone at the yarn shop later on.

I also talked to Esther who treated me to some stitch markers. I'm super stoked about the Little Prince and Star. We had talked about the Celestarium. It was #1 in her queue and I had the original with me. So naturally one thing led to another and now I have some lovely stitch markers.

I did finally manage to finish the stubborn socks this past week. I'll talk about them soon. Unfortunately I'm not diving into anything new because I'm trying to finish the epic Dad Sweater in time for his birthday. I have less than 4 weeks to do it. I think I can, but I'm currently in the vast wastes of the stockinette body.... and the sock yarn is calling to me.