wip: slide & perfect fit short socks

After completing the Garden TAATs, I made it my mission this Socktober to cast-on two projects: an ankle sock scrapbusting project series, and a more involved sock project from my queue.

I've made it an idle goal for a long time to own only hand made socks a long time ago (with the exception of Muji's adorable recycled yarn ones), but it hurt my soul to go running or working out with precious merino cabled ones. The solution presented itself the moment I took a detailed inventory of my Ravelry stash. Working on these toe-ups with the help of ArtDesign1's pattern, I intend to find a straightforward and fun method that will comfortably fit. I've enjoyed the nostalgia of knitting up yarns from past projects, and am excited to see how they clash together (though my current one looks pretty deliberate in color scheme).

As for the second list item, I went for Slide by Cookie A. Those socks look absolutely gorgeous and will definitely give this product knitter something to chew on and learn some patience. With these cooling(?!) southern California months, I've really been chomping on the bit for more wool and more FOs, so here's to slowing down and taking it one stitch at a time.

This post is part of Ginny Sheller's Yarn-Along. Click on the image above and share what you're working on!

wips: lassie and GD + stash addition

The Lass socks are still happening. I thiiink I might not be much of a lace person right now, as I'm a little too nonchalant to make sure the pattern's made as intended. It's just too comforting a think to know that the sock will still be perfectly wearable, even if a yarn-over is off by a couple stitches, or some diamonds don't line up perfectly.

Blanket update! GD's been growing quite a bit! They're at 30cm now (about 12in). I've run out of worsted yarn, so the smaller quantities of fingering weight have been held double for some of the more recent stripes. I've been making a lot of works for shop for the sole purpose of using the leftover yarn in the blanket, so many things are in stock and ready to ship when ordered!

If you have any yarn scraps (anywhere between 1-25m) sitting around your home that you want to get rid of, don’t hesitate to let me know! I’d be happy to repay the cost of postage to you as thanks. At the rate I’m knitting regular projects with my tiny stash, this blanket might not be done for another...decade, so I’d love to help take care of your yarn stash too! Acrylics are preferred but I won’t say no to animal fibers or wool-blends. GD’s already a healthy mix of both so I won’t mind at all. Just no cotton please!

Speaking of stash yarn, I went out and bought a pair of skeins for my first shawl pattern. I’ve been thinking a lot about which yarn to use for a shawl I intend to wear often, and while the fine wools at our LYS’s would be a joy to knit, dryer-ability would have to be the key for me. Heartland seemed like the best bet for now. I’m planning to use the Stingray pattern by Evan Plevinski. This pattern's been sitting in my queue for months now and am excited to start on this once Lassie’s finished (let’s just disregard the existence of my Regia Handpainted sock for now…I'm still trying to forgive its frustrating splitty yarn after all this time).

So this concludes my personal knitting update for now. It has really been one hell of a stashbusting month for me. I’ve been piling up some charity knits from the more obnoxious looking yarns people have been donating to me over time, expect a update about those once I’ve successfully eliminated that stash.

Linking up with KCCO at FrontierDreams!

yarn-along iv

It's Wednesday again!
A few Wednesdays have passed without a post...but I'll just go ahead and forgive myself for that, hopefully you will too. Not a lot was happening on the personal knitting/reading front and I've been eager to use the lull right after midterms to burn through a small book or two and cast on something for me for once.

Coraline was finally finished [a cute book!], Hagakure and the Lord of the Rings are still on the backburner. I read through a pair of Leo Babauta books [a good pick me up for productivity/motivation help].

Today I'm about to start reading a gifted book from my boyfriend--Prisoners by Franz Molnar. I've put off reading this book for a while because it's written in a way that isn't too easy to read through [despite being such a small book..] This isn't even the second time I've attempted it from the start, I almost have the first 50 or so pages memorized by now.
This time, I'm determined to know the whole story.

On the knitting front, I've started a new pair of socks! You might remember when I stashed this yarn for this project. It's been on my mind for a while to make socks from this yarn, but it wasn't until I saw Susan's post of her handmade sock drawer that I went..what the hell, and just casted on. Toe-up socks, too! The idea was to have each skein become a separate sock, so the cuff is going to be as long as there is yarn left after the heel's turned. It's a really satisfying thing to see through.

I think i'm falling in love with socks and sock yarn. I've only completed one pair so far, and only really made one purchase of ~officially~ labelled sock yarn but can feel the pull already. It's so hard to explain but it's mesmerizing how unique and pretty this yarn looks both in skein and in FO form. I must knit all the things! AUAGHHH SOCKS

This post is made alongside many others in Gsheller's Wednesday Yarn-along!

Click-through the image for more information on this yarn-along,

and let me know if you decide to join!

yarn-along i

Just thought it would be a neat way to keep to reading and personal knits by participating in gsheller's yarn-along every other wednesday!
The Barnes and Noble store nearest my house had a closing-out sale, so I went in for a look and nabbed a copy of Neil Gaiman's Coraline for a good price! This made for a charming read, I'll allow myself to watch the animated movie by Laika finally.
Hagakure was a gift from Jason, and is turning out to be a more long-term read for me. The book is short but full of little passages that can really cause you to think. Every few pages I find a new one that resonates well with me, like this one:

The proper manner of calligraphy is nothing other then not being careless, but in this way one's writing will simply be sluggish and stiff. One should go beyond this and depart from the norm. This principle applies to all things.

I'm hardly a quarter through this book, and it's already been an insightful and interesting read.

As for the knitting work in progress, that's one half of the Trigger Gloves I'm knitting for Jason. I've got both gloves mostly finished, too--it's just the thumbs that need to be worked in, and the ends to be weaved in and these will be ready-to-wear. I'll finish them by the end of this week. Promise.
For those curious, these gloves are being worked with Paton's Classic Wool in the colorway named Mercury. Something in me thought it was a good idea to use a pure wool for these gloves to keep those weaved in ends from unraveling and sticking out. And considering how he'll wear them wherever he goes once given a chance, a wool might full well or toughen up over time [or at least be slightly simpler to repair]. Am I right in assuming these things about wool over something synthetic or is this based on misconception? Not sure but I suppose I could look it up on rav.

Click-through the image for more information on this yarn-along,

and let me know if you decide to join!