The Apricot Jacket is back, folks. Look, I finished the fronts!

I finished the knitting on these Sunday night. Things went pretty smoothly after I managed to get the ribbing at the bottom correct (you are looking at attempt #3 there). The sleeves are on the needles as I type and, if I don’t get all distracted, I might be able to finish them before I head up to Michigan for Easter weekend. I'd like to say I'll have everything finished and sewn up by the time I get back, but I tend not to knit much when I'm around my family. They bring out my slothful side.

FYI: the finished cardi will be about the same color as the lightest bits shown in the pic. This yarn looks all orangey and blotchy when it's wet.

In other news, The Rib and Cable socks have been gifted. After much rigorous brother-in-law testing, Natey declares the Mountain Colors Bearfoot to be Not Itchy. There you have it folks. His sensitive footsies have spoken. Selah.

Posted by Elli at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

The Specs:
-Pattern: Rib and Cable Socks from Fall 2005 Interweave, severely modified.
-Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot, in Juniper, and Sock it to Me Essential 4 Ply in Mint Leaf.
-Skeins: One 100g skein of MC Bearfoot + about 20 grams of the Mint Leaf.
-Needles: size 1 bamboo dpns.
-Start to finish: March 5 - April 2.
-For: Brother-in-law Nate, for his birthday (which was in February...hmmm).

I severely underestimated these socks from day one. They may look all green and innocent, but under that cabely exterior they're really pretty devious. This was one of those projects that turned out fine, but took forever to knit because things didn’t go quite as planned.

Modifications:
-knitted toe-up in case I ran out of yarn. (I did, so that was good).
-I made the socks 80 stitches around instead of the required 60, to make them man sized.
-I used a PGR shortrow heel.
-The first sock was a bit too snug in the ankle (I was knitting tightly, in hopes that I wouldn't run out of yarn.) so I dropped the stitches on all four of the cables on the back of the leg and hooked them back up again sans cables. This took forever, but it fixed the problem.
-When I ran out of the Mountain Colors Bearfoot, I stopped cabling and just knitted the ribbing pattern using leftover yarn from the Squirrelly Swedish Mittens (points for stashbusting!).

In fact, the only part of the directions I followed was the bit where you set up the cable pattern. I didn't even read the rest of it. Oh, and I used the required yarn, but not at the correct gauge.

Other considerations: The yarn pooled, so I alternated knitting from the inside end/outside end of the ball. This was a pain in the neck, and the yarn still pooled anyway.

Final Verdict: Pending. [If we disregard the fact that I am gifting Very Warm socks just as the weather is getting nice and balmy, I will consider these a success if a) they fit and b) Natey doesn’t find the mohair content in the yarn to be too scratchy.]

**a bit later** geesh--I'm a grouch! I just re-read this and I sound like the biggest negative grump. I really do like them and I'm thrilled with the way they turned out. I just thought I should add that. Coming soon: more positive posting!

Posted by Elli at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Who knew that introducing simple cables to a sock (and making them for largish boy feet) could suddenly turn socks into a three week process? I wouldn't be surprised if, after I finally finish the green cable and rib socks, I don't knit another patterned sock for the rest of my life. It'll be plain old stockinette socks from here on out people. I know they're not that much fun to look at, but it's not as if I've got much to show as it is. The second sock pretty much looks like this one right now.

What is it they say about taking hair from the dog that bit you?

Socks that Rock in Olivenite (more accurate color here). Obviously too nice for just plain old stockinette socks. I think this skein is going to go and sleep in the stash for a while.

Posted by Elli at 9:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It's been a wee bit hectic around here this week--we had the apartment repainted, I was gone for a couple of days for a conference, and my sisters and their male companions came to visit for the weekend. I don't have much knitterly to report, but I did start a sock with the Mountain Colors Bearfoot, see?

It's inspired by the Rib and Cable Socks from Fall 2005 Interweave. I decided to do them toe-up and make them man-sized, and I'm changing the heel. Other than that they are the same.

This afternoon's project is to work on the mitten pattern. I should have it finished in time for the warm weather...

p.s. Angela of yaiAnn knits! is running an Ironman triathalon for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Donate if you can, or just go and look at the cute pics of her being all active and stuff.

Posted by Elli at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)