Checkerboard Socks Finished

I finished these on Saturday. I'd used the new KnitPicks circulars (not modular), size 2.25 mm (#.5), which I loved. Yarns are Trekking XXL color 284, dye lot 4896 for the blue gray and for the red, some left-over Lang Jawoll (I love this dependable yarn!) in color 83.0098/ lot #581/71. I used the matching reinforcement yarn for the toes.

The D.B. loves the checkerboard pattern. If I'd had more red, I would have used it for the heels as well.

They fit her perfectly.

Socks with Schaefer Yarn

Another pair for my D.B., finished mid-October, 2007. I used my favorite pattern, starting with 96 stitches on #0 needles and her very favorite pattern. Finally, I've come to the right calf shaping. However, all her socks gather round the ankles anyway - which the dear doesn't mind. I bought this yarn, even though it's made in New York State, when I was visiting Las Cruces, N.M. last June. I'd never come across this yarn in any New York City yarn shops, and definitely not in my quite limited NJ lys.

The details: "Anne" by Schaeffer Yarns. 60% merino superwash, 25% mohair and 15% nylon. At $26.99 (silly, that!) it's expensive but you get an awful lot of yarn for your money -- 560 yards / 4 oz. I have enough left over despite the generous socks pictured above, for a pair of booties!

I just love this yarn. More especially, my D.B. adores the colors and feel of it. It was a real pleasure to work with and although the socks have only been in the wash a few times, they're holding up well.

Blog Fairy Fiber Present

Present from Jeanne -- cotton and hemp yarn. This is one of the sweetest presents I've ever received. My friend read this very blog to find out what I would really like for my 60th birthday. So, she read my 10/15/07 post and went hunting on the web for more of this wonderful yarn. And, look, there it is.

Isn't that a lovely present from someone who doesn't even knit?

Another Absorba the Mat

The Absorba Frenzy continues. This time it's big enough to count as a rug.

Materials: leftover of 3 1lb cones plus most of 3 more 1lb cones Elmore & Pisgah Peaches & Creme Mountain Colors double worsted
Dimensions: 36" x 30" prewashed
Cat: Phoebe Rose
Leftover: 2 oz yarn!

This little rug is very heavy and thick, as one knits 3 strands at once on #15 needles. But, these wonderful absorbas have the virtue of staying flat on the floor, not tripping up passers-by.

The top photo features Phoebe Rose sniffing out Absorba in an early phase. I ended up with three strips around the center, with two more on each long side (to make 4 on those sides), resulting in a rectangular Absorba.

Another rug / mat for The D.B.! yay!

Dishcloth

Here's a little washcloth for Elaine -- I used a favorite Sugar 'n' Creme by Lily skein and made up the eyelet pattern as I went along. Elaine likes dishcloths with holes 'cause they don't mildew so quickly. We gave it to her for a very late birthday present last weekend. She loves it and thinks it's too nice for dishes. Oh well.

Layette beginnings

The prospect of becoming a grandmother is soooo wonderful. Kinehura.

I've begun knitting for my first grandbaby, due in August. These booties were made from leftover Schaefer Sock Yarn "Anne". They're still missing their little ribbons but that will come this weekend, I think. This cute little washcloth is from my favorite and otherwise totally reliable knitting book, Mason Dixon KnittingUnfortunately, this is not a good pattern. It just won't lie flat. Look at the book -- you'll see that it's never shown flat. But, never mind, it's still very cute and I know how to make flat round or pinwheel items all by myself. So there! I knit it in Sugar 'n' Creme by Lily worsted. If I haven't planned too much, there'll be a big old baby towel to accompany it.

Blanket for Tirtza Chaya and a Present for Her Big Siser

For the blanket:
Materials: 6 skeins of Cotton Classic DK 100% mercerized cotton; 6 skeins 1.75 oz / 50 g and 108 yds / 100 m in crayon colors, light navy, bright yellow, dark purple, kelly green and school bus orange. This is an unforgiving yarn. Pattern: based on the "Modular Log Cabin Blanket" in, you guessed it, Mason Dixon Knitting. My adaptation: instead of 66 ridges, I knit 33. Except for blocks 9 & 10, used 24 or 12 ridges. Block #9 stripes: 9 green, 4 orange, 2 yellow, 4 purple and 18 red ridges. Block #10: 37 navy blue ridges. Block #1: Yellow; #2: navy blue; #3 red; #4 green; #5 & #6 purple; #7 yellow; #8 orange. Dimensions: (before wash and drying: 22.5 x 28".
The dickey: I used the Cozy Confetti pattern in Knitter's Magazine Winter 2007.
The dickey pattern was adjusted to allow for a button band, requested by the mother. I added 4 stitches on each side and inserted 4 buttonholes. For a four year old.

The hat used Sarah Bradberry’s size chart for watch caps for 18-20” head. On #9 cast on 80 sts in k1p1, knit for 6 1/2”. Decrease: 10 times around, always knitting the purl stitches in decrease. Pulled last 10 sts together. Then added 3 “curlicues” on top. For curlicues: Row 1 & 2: Knitted cast on 25 stitches; Row 3 Knit two stitches in every stitch (except in 1st and last); Row 4 Knit; Row 5 same as row 2; Row 6 Bound off loosely.