Monday, August 24, 2009

Summer Lovin

I have a new love in my life and her name is Hazel! Hazel Knits actually. I had bought a couple skeins of the Artisan Sock Yarn a while ago and I've been wanting to give it a try. I cast on the Summer Lovin Sock by knittingnonstop this weekend using the Cabbage Rose color and WOW do I love this yarn. It has a great feel to it and it makes a beautiful fabric. It's sturdiness and twist remind me of Socks That Rock, but Hazel Knits has some nylon in it as well. I wonder if the nylon actually makes a difference in how the yarn wears?

I also tried a new cast on. Turtlegirl76 mentioned on her blog last week that she had used a super stretchy cast on for some knucks that she learned in a cast on class at Sock Summit. It is the Twisted German Cast On. I found this handy video tutorial on You Tube and decided to try it myself. LOVE. IT. It is in fact super stretchy and it is very uniform and sturdy in it's appearance as well.
See what I mean???
Give it a try. I think you'll love it too!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Give me an A!

These socks get an A all the way around! I started them in April and finished them in August!

Pattern: Hedgerow Socks by Jane Cochran
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight
Color: Tanzanite
Needle: Addi turbo 1 (2.5mm) magic looped
Mods: I changed the toe to a wedge toe

Edited to Add: Oops! I intended this post to go on the Sock a Month blog! But I'm glad to share them here too!

July Club Kits

I'm a little behind in my posting! I can't believe that I haven't added my July kits yet, so here they are. The first one is the Rockin' Sock Club July Kit. The yarn color is called Garden Daze and the dyer notes really brought to life for me the thougths of garden vegetables. Can't you just see the peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and corn? I can.
But I also see my flower beds..........


I wasn't crazy with the pattern, called In Season, that came with the kit this month so I know that I won't be knitting it with this particular yarn. I love my Socks That Rock too much to knit the anklets that came in the kit. I'll probably do the pattern at another time with something else. And since this yarn reminds me so much of my flower gardens I think I'm going to reknit the March RSC pattern, Rogue Roses, with it.

This is the sticker that came in the kit. I love it :-) What I love even more about it is that I left it on the kitchen counter for a couple days and all of my boys thought it was hysterical. First they couldn't believe it was mine, and then they really couldn't believe it came with my yarn! The looks on their faces were priceless and the stuff that memories are made of.
I also got my July Woolgirl Oz Kit. As you can see this month's theme is Dorothy! I want to grow my hair long just so I can have those wonderful braids and wear ruby shoes for Halloween! Every time I open a box from Jen it's just like Christmas. The goodies are so much fun in her kits. There's 3 magnets, stickers, bookmark, a luggage tag, a pen, a fabulous Dorothy stitch marker by Wee Ones, as well as a pattern, yarn and a project bag. So much fun!
I haven't cast on yet, but I do have the yarn wound. It is Dashing Dachs and I chose the sport weight. I have to say I am very glad that I chose the sport weight because this particular yarns' recommended gauge is 8 stitches per inch on 2.5mm needles! Can you imagine what the fingering weight is?!? I'm looking forward to trying it!

I have been busy knitting too, but I'll save my project updates for another post. But I will tell you that I did let my bad case of startitis get the better of me and have cast on a couple new things as well as finishing up some stuff!