WIP Wednesday- Sock skills

I do not usually do WIP Wednesday posts because small projects like socks don't look att that different between being WIPs and being finished, so I tend to save the suprise for a big reveal at the end.

Today however I have an ongoing project that I can talk about- Two at a time socks, yeah baby! (Sorry Austin Powers moment there)

In an attempt to get the festive season under control I have started the Christmas socks and it seemed like a good opportunity to try out two at a time (TAAT) magic loop style.

I have magic looped socks before, and generally prefer dpns. This is a first for TAAT though, and so far it is going well. It is a thick yarn so quick to make, meaning I should not get bored that it is taking twice as long. I suspect the final tada moment will be good when I realise that I don't need to start a second sock.

I have also added a WIP widget to the blog, I was just looking through Ravelry and spotted it so thought I would give it a go. I need to take more WIP photos though.

In computer news it is still playing up, but I have found a way round it that lets me post on the blog. More seriously yesterday it would not let me buy yarn! That being the final straw I whinged about it until my OH looked into it (He is much more computer minded). There verdict is that it is an issue with java and I will have to wait until the computer wizards fix it. That is one way to stick to a yarn diet!

Spinning FO

I have cleared another WIP, when it was blogged a few months ago it looked like this:
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It now looks like this:
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I am pleased that I have finished it, but I am not totally pleased with it. It is thinner than I was aiming for, I wanted a sock weight and ended up with over 16WPI. I know how to fix this, next time thicker plies or more of them. I struggle with spinning thick, so that is challenge number one.
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It is also over twisted, I am hoping some of the experienced spinners out there can give me some advice on this.
As I was spinning thin plies (really very thin ones!) I need a lot of twist. I was using the middle ratio option and not treadling overly fast, so to me that seems like it should only just give sufficient twist for something so thin (otherwise what is the third ratio for?). So how come it was so over twisted? I am thinking to fix this I need to treadle slower, or draft faster and maybe use the largest ratio. Any thoughts wise and experienced spinners of the world?
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I really want to make some soft, squooshy yarn!
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I have another chunk of fibre that is going to be my trial piece. I am aiming for a thicker yarn (around DK weight) that is soft and squashy. Either a two or three ply.

WIP Wednesday- Purple cowl

It is not a very inspired name, but that is what it is, a cowl that is purple. It is my only active WIP, the others are ducky socks in long term hibernation, a hibernating jumper and the never ending sock yarn blanket.

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This photo is intentionally bad in that I didn't want to show off the lace pattern before it makes it to FO Friday, I would have liked the colour to show up a little better, but my plans to photograph a load of projects outside in the sunshine have been foiled by a lack of sunshine.

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The yarn for this is gorgeous, but I am a little bored with the project. I think I am favouring the cast on excitement and instant gratification of tiny projects at the minute. Saturday is cast on day for the F socks, so I am not starting anything new before then, maybe I will get this finished- 5 repeats done, going until I run out of yarn which I suspect will be about the pattern recommended 8 repeats.

WIP Wednesday

Having finished up a few WIPs I have started a couple more- a tiny bit of startitis! (or possibly startosis according a medical type person)
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Not too many details, saving those for FO Fridays, but both are part of my efforts to use up part balls and leftovers that are lurking in my stash.
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A cowl made using purple cobweb lace weight held double, it has cables too, which is a bit daft as I said I was going to avoid laceweight and cables for a while!
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An attempt at some amigurumi using up leftover mini mochi. You might be able to guess this one.
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WIP Wednesday- Taking stock

I don't usually do WIP Wednesday posts, mostly because I prefer to put my FOs up on Fridays, and the posts would look rather similar. Since finishing up those UFOs and WIPs is one of my New Year Plans I thought I would do a post this week to take stock. So hold onto your, I assume beautifully handknit, hats...

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First up, knitting:

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The socks started over Christmas. The first is finished so I folded it up in the photo to avoid giving too much away. As you can see the second sock is a cast on and one round of ribbing. I like these but they are not my favourite socks of all time ever so will be done slowly over the next few weeks.

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This little chap is a caterpillar, a very hungry one! He was going to be a Christmas gift, but was taking way too long, especially as I don't know if the intended recipient really "gets" handmade stuff. I decided probably not and bought a gift instead. I will finish him up and he can guard my bookshelf.

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This scarf is a great pattern (details when I can officially FO it), but I am not a fan of using lace weight. It is taking for ever! Actually that is not entirely true, and it is fairly mindless working, which has its place. I hid behind it watching Resident Evil last night, which got quite a lot done as I am not good with scary films (film verdict- not too bad, feels a lot like a filler story between the last film and the next though, not too many jumpy bits, those are the ones that really get me).
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I decided a while back I should make myself a sweater. Since I like fast projects this is being done in chunky yarn with big needles, so a whole lot of new ground for me there! The body is done, but I need to think about the sleeves/make them up as I go along as I am miles off gauge and winging it!
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My sock yarn blanket, I think it has grown since it was last blogged, but I have not got back on it after the Christmas knits. The A-Z sock challenge will really give this a boost if I make it through all 26 pairs. This is exempt from the finishing up, I think it will be around forever. I really should sew in those ends though.

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Since a pair of socks takes about 70g of yarn there is a lot left over from a 100g supply. If I made too many blanket squares there would be a lot of samey areas, so to use up a chunk of the leftovers I have started a scrappy cot blanket. It might look like clown barf at the end, if it is going that way it may well be ripped out. This is exempt from the finishing clause too!
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My first proper attempt at colourwork, very cute but a fitting disaster. They are a struggle to get on and the foot is too loose. I have also decided I prefer heel flap and turn to a short row heel. In other words these need frogging and restarting from scratch, maybe after I have practised on a hat or something. I just haven't got up the nerve/patience to do it as all those wraps will be a PITA!
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Spinning wise I have just started this, it is handpainted roving in purples and black (ignore the red, that is the leader). It is coming out superthin, I can't seem to spin thick, it is a little frustrating. The plan so far is to three ply it and see if it is sock weight. If it is there might just be enough for a pair. Maybe with different colour heels, toes and ribbing.
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And finally this has been much neglected, it is really really thin and I am not sure what it will be, but it is a lovely orange. There is a lot of it to go!

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There are also a couple of planned projects that I kind of consider under the WIPs heading. The wool and pattern are both sat waiting, I just need to finish up some other stuff first.
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So, a big long list with a lot of photos, it should keep me busy in my work breaks for the next month or two :D

WIP Wednesday- How's it going?

Last week I confessed to having eleven projects on the go and being on a cast on ban, so how's that going? Well, I now have twelve WIPS. Huh? How can that be? OK, so I cast on a couple of stash busters. Of the original eleven I frogged one and got two more to finishing stage. The two scrap busters just need some finishing too. A bit of work with a needle and a spot of bead shopping will get my total down to a more respectable seven. I am having trouble resisting the pull of beautiful new projects though.

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I acquired the yarn for a couple of projects this week. Some for Christmas knitting- I am trying to be organised and start early (Is mid October early? I suspect maybe not). I have also taken a few steps out of my knitting zone and bought enough chunky yarn to make a sweater. It was from a destash and I have a pattern in mind, some fudging will be required as it is not quite as chunky as the pattern requires.

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Mmmmm, soft and blue.
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Must. Resist. Casting. On!

This is getting ridiculous

I pulled all my WIPs out into a pile to take stock and this is how it looks:

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There's ELEVEN projects in there, needing everything from a little finishing to possible frogging, My new month's resolution is to not cast anything on until I have finished some of these. There are a few long term ones, but the rest need to be shifted.

Obviously I did what any knitter would do- reached for the needles less than an hour later and cast something else on! In my defence it was small, needed to be done then and is now finished, so back to the pile of eleven.

That doesn't even consider the items I have got planned in my mind, like things for Christmas. Or the spinning.

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I am also refusing to put part balls back in my stash box to languish unloved so this little lot needs to be used up soon. I forsee a trail of cosies and bracelets for Christmas presents.

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