Monkey sock, not a sock monkey

This is a long awaited picture of socks knitted from the pattern titled "Monkey" in a knitty.com article last year. You can find it here. It was my first attempt at lace. These were also knitted at slightly larger than gauge because I did not possess size #2 DPNs at the time.

The pattern is marked at the second level of difficulty (advanced beginner?), which is fairly accurate. If you are tired of plain ribbed socks, these are a good step up. The pattern makes them interesting and it's not too hard to find where you were in the pattern when you last left off. If I did anything differently, I think I would have picked a lighter shade. The pictures don't really pick up all of the lace pattern because the colors in the yarn are a little too strong. All in all, I am still pretty happy with the final result.

Hal the sock monkey

This is Hal in his new home. It's not really that stark, its just being re-floored & repainted. Also with his new cat. Kitty 1, Hal 0

Where does he get such wonderful toys?

Last week, I made a sock monkey. It was my second one. He was properly christened "Hal" at our knitting group. He's now at his new home. Hal has a little time to prepare before he meets his new buddy, sometime in November. Until then, I am told he is getting curious looks from the cats.

If you have never made a sock monkey, I highly recommend it. It's not complicated (2 socks + clever cuts + strategic sewing+ stuffing = monkey). It's not expensive (less than $15 for materials makes 2 monkeys). And the comic value alone makes for a fun afternoon. (Come on, who DOESN'T smile when they see the red heinie?) Take your project on the road while you are working on it and you are sharing the laughter.

I also got a pattern for a knitted lion. It is pretty cool, but it has a lot of parts to sew together. I've been totally absorbed in working on it every evening. Despite having to knit the first leg three times (she can be taught!), it is actally going fairly well.

Now I am hooked on toys. I found a pattern for a little dragon, pulled out the stash, and have some things ready to go on that project. My favorite knitting magazine in print has a pattern for a wonderful bear in fuzzy novelty yarn (another stash raid? or can I go shopping?) Or maybe a ball to use up some more stash oddments.......

Branching out?

Today the new issue of Knitty came out. You can find it here. I am a devoted Knitty reader of several seasons now. The patterns are free and usually pretty easy to follow. And the magazine covers cool new books and tools in an evenhanded manner.



Most exciting this time was the announcement of the calendar contest for 2009. I am thinking about making a submission. More to come on that one.

Fun with Kool-Aid

How do you like the new picture? It is the first foray I have made into the vast land of dyeing. Those are wonderful hanks of a merino/silk blend in a sport weight that are now trying to decide what they want to be when they grow up. The "wheels" of yarn look a lot different than the dyed hanks. Unfortunately, I did not have the foresight to do a "before" and "after" shot.

For the past few weeks, the knitting circle has been kicking around the idea of dyeing yarn. Knitty.com has a few great articles, but we decided to use the technique described here. Kool-Aid as a dyeing agent -- who knew?

It's safe and relatively inexpensive if you are just trying out dyeing as a test project. Not including the yarn (under $20), I spent around $7 on Kool-Aid in every color that the store had and another $3 on a gallon of white vinegar. We had enough to cover all of the yarn, the carded fluff, the uncarded curls, and probably a stray sheep or two. There is definitely enough to have another go at a later date.

It also causes no permanent damage to your house or cookware. The dye is food grade, so no worries about lingering residues. I do, however, recommend gloves. The dyes did not damage our skin, but my cuticles and nails still had a zombie-esque look after repeated scrubbing with soap and baking soda. Another perk was the fruity sent left behind in the kitchen and the shower (where the skeins drip-dried.)

The only down side was that it took most of an afternoon. We used a handpainting technique that applied the dye to specific parts of the skein using a turkey baster. It put the dye where you want it, but it was tedious. After all the dye went on, the yarn had to be wrapped in plastic wrap and zapped in the microwave for a while to set the colors. This is supposed to keep the finished garment from fading as well.

All in all, it was a successful venture. I am definitely interested in doing it again, but right now I am thinking about knitting a test swatch to see how these work up.

We're back!!!!

Hi all! The knitting basket is as full as ever and I have stopped long enough to post snippets.

First, the bad news. My favorite LYS in all the world closed. :-( A group of the regulars has formed a support group and we have begun meeting at the local Starbucks every two weeks. There are plans for a resurrection, but capital and location are a challenge. In the meantime, I have cut back on my yarn purchases.

But all is not lost -- I have finished the pinwheel sweater! It made its debut last week at our meeting. I do not have pictures yet, but I am pleased with the way it turned out.

New socks are also on the needles. I am attempting a pattern called 'monkey' by Cookie. It is available in the free patterns on the Knitty.com website. The pattern is a variation of lace that looks like overlapping bamboo shoots. It is labeled under the 'experienced' skill level, but so far, so good. I am turning the heel on the first sock now and have not goofed up the lace pattern yet (knock, knock).

I am also in the middle of a spring sweater experiment. A few months ago, I went to a warehouse sale at a local mill. There was a lot of novelty yarn, but also a few natural fibers. I bought a really soft thick-and-thin cotton yarn in a variegated colorway that I wasn't really sure what to do with. A gauge swatch later on size 13 big fatty needles, and I had a plan. It's a simple plan really, just a front, back and slightly flared sleeves. The front and back are complete, as is about half of one sleeve. Because it is not too fiddly, I hope to have it done in time to wear before the weather gets too hot.

Next up is a dyeing experiment. I ordered a few hanks of natural yarn in preparation for some free time in the next few weekends. There was a really good article on knitty.com about dyeing yarn with KoolAid. I have also seen a few things on TV that look almost simple enough to do in my kitchen. The good thing is 1) KoolAid is relatively cheap as a dyeing agent, 2) it smells pretty good -- lots better than an acid dye, and 3) it will probably come off the counter and the floor.

Hopefully new posts will come more frequently now. Things are settling down and I will have more time for knitting in the near future (and hopefully for pictures. Sorry for the delay.)

The wild ones plus one.....

My house has become a puppy hostel for the next two weeks. My husband's friend and coworker is travelling and has entrusted his itty-bitty beagle yearling to our care. She's a beauty and a little bit of a troublemaker, but I think that is mostly youthful exuberance.



Our last puppy experience was when we took on the wayward Uma. She's the one in basic black. Grey lady Azure, at a mature seven years, was not quite sure what to make of the new arrival.