Been busy lately?

I have.

Not just knitting, by the way. May has become almost as big a month for nonprofits as October around here, so I've been running around to events, PLUS all the nonprofits I'm involved with seem to have something big going on. For Peninsula Bridge, we're knee deep in the process of hiring a new executive director. I'm on the hiring committee, and I think we're finally close to making a decision. Our board meetings are also more frequent as we manage this transition. I signed up to be a lead partner (used to be called liaison) for SV2's latest education grantee, Partners in School Innovation, and in addition to what I did in May I have at least 2 more lengthy meetings in the next few weeks (wrapping up the contract and analyzing their fundraising program). I also was involved with the international grant round and am on the consulting team for their grantee, Blue Planet Network. DCP just had their 8th graduation; I announced the scholarship winners (our committee spent numerous hours in April and May evaluating the candidates and making our decisions). Kids in Common was the quietest of my nonprofits (mostly emails and phone calls this month). Dana and I are interviewing a prospective board member on Monday and will be planning the next week's Vision Council meeting agenda as well. Friday of Memorial Day weekend was Menlo School's benefit, and as assistant treasurer I spent many hours posting credit card transactions, making bank deposits, and making sure everything tied out. The money is still coming in, but it should soon slow to a trickle. I'm also on an ad hoc committee of nonprofits, schools, government agencies, funders, and community volunteers working to increase the number of first generation students to graduate from college. We've been at this about a year now, mostly doing research and trying to decide how we could be most effective; a great opportunity dropped into our laps (College Day across all of San Jose Unified School district from kindergarten through 12th grade) and we are now scrambling to make the most of it.

To be able to sleep at night after all this excitement, I have been knitting routinely. Here's what I've done:

Finished the April socks from the Trekking KAL:

I also finished the May socks. It may not be visible here, but the back of the leg is eyelet rib and I mirror imaged the lace design on the top of the foot and front of the leg.

I also finished the Almost Saintly socks.

I made another baby surprise jacket. Joe says I can't give this one to charity, but need to save it for someone who'll appreciate the sophisticated colors.

I also made a few scarves. This is a honey cowl (thanks to Carol Glasstone for alerting me to this lovely design) I made for Joan, the woman I volunteer for at Menlo.

I finally finished the first of four "nano" scarves from Morehouse. These designs are all based on microscopically close color photographs of living things and knit in laceweight single ply merino. The one below is based upon diatoms.

Another cowl, this time in my own lacy pattern in Noro Taiyo (cotton silk blend). It's a good weight for a late spring /early fall accessory.

And finally, a Universal Scarf (Vicky Square design from last week's Knitting Daily post). This is in navy (not the bright blue it seems to be) Crystal Palace Iceland.

What am I knitting now? Another Universal Scarf, this time in mint Classic Elite Princess, the June Trekking socks, the March Blue Moon kit (Merry Sockster socks in Electric Koolaid Acid Test), and a top in lime Classic Elite Sprout (Pebble Beach from a new CE booklet).

Finally banished the boggarts!

It took awhile.

First, as my friend Suzi put it, I needed a "palate cleanser". Two baby hats and one baby sweater later, I was finally ready to plunge ahead full speed on the March Trekking socks.


This time, I went with needles just a bit smaller than called for, test fit the first sock every few inches, and IT WORKED! I finished the dreaded design a day before the contest deadline and got confirmation from Skacel that I had submitted in time. Here's a snap of the finished socks:


I like this colorway (a gently striped green Pro Natura) better than the suggested yarn (a bright rainbow), and will definitely get a lot of wear from these socks.

Here is a picture of the sock monkey I knit in March (my only FO for the month -- I told you the boggarts were persistent!). As you can see, it is quite large.

I am making progress on other socks now. Here is the first completed Almost Saintly Sock:

The April Trekking Knitalong sock is coming along nicely. I am up to date with the instructions published so far (and yes, I've tried it on). Here's a pic:

Last night I was able to knit and relax with a few knitting friends. I was the only one working on socks. The sweaters, skirt, and baby blanket were all lovely; I think it will soon be time to get back to larger projects.

Of course, there is that Rockin' Sock club March shipment calling to me...

Boggart attack!

As fans of Harry Potter may remember, boggarts are malevolent household sprites that do things like make milk spoil and steal small items. I have decided that this house has a boggart who took a liking to my March Trekking socks.

I was through the cuff and heel on my fourth try at sock number 1 when I took a good, hard look. The sock was approximately the correct dimensions, but all that ripping and reknitting had seriously compromised the yarn. In a word, it looked ratty. Since I did not think I had enough untouched yarn to knit a fresh pair of socks, I did something I haven't ever done before: I tossed the WIP and its attached yarn in the trash (removed the needles and marker first, of course).

After giving myself a few days to recover, I returned to Green Planet for replacement yarn. They did not have any more March yarn in stock, of course, so I went with a slightly striped Trekking Pro Natura in greens and blues. I cast on for a FIFTH time a few nights ago on size 2.75 mm needles and made it through 2 repeats before going to bed. The next day I picked up my knitting to find that one needle had disappeared. It turns out that the one size of sock length dps I have ZERO extras for (go figure) is 2.75 mm.

I searched for the boggarted needle for two days, knitting (much slower than usual) on three needles before breaking down and buying a new set of needles today. Five repeats into the cuff for sock #1 it finally looks decent.

Wikipedia says if I hang up a horseshoe I can keep the boggart away. I may need to try that.

PS: My output this month was negligible. One sock monkey, half an Almost Saintly Sock, a quarter of a Mondo Cable Cardi (from Noro Retro purchased at Stitches), and a minimal amount of my March Trekking sock. On top of that, I seriously added to my stash at Stitches and the latest Rockin' Sock Club shipment arrived yesterday (Electric Kool Aid Acid Test -- 'nuf said).

Pictures to follow once I actually finish something.

Three times was NOT the charm

The cuff on version 3 of the sock fit (barely) after a few repeats. It still fit (barely) after a few more.

I then remembered that sometimes socks, even those out of super wash wool, shrink slightly in the washer. Instead of taking the risk of not being able to wear the socks after the first time, I ripped again.

Since the cast on seemed plenty loose, I left it and the initial rows (all garter) intact. My new plan is this:

Cast on, all garter sections, and sole of foot will all be knit on size 2 1/2 mm needles.

Chevron sections will all be knit on size 3 mm needles.

Thus far, I have knit 4 repeats on the cuff. The cast on garter edge no longer ruffles and the circumference is a comfortable 8 1/4". It also stretches more than it did when I knit the same pattern on smaller needles.

I would have been much better off being a blind follower.

Three times a charm?

I decided to participate in all six months of the Trekking knit along sponsored by Skacel. January and February went very well, and were completed without a hitch before month end. The challenge was to finish each by the 15th of the following month. No problem, I thought.

I may have changed my mind.

I started a complex Lucy Neatby sock pattern in late February (a Stitches purchase from Shelridge Farm) as I waited for March to be posted. I was flying through this sock so the knit along would be a snap. No problem.

I cast on for March with the suggested needle size (3 mm), even though that seemed awfully big. The designer said this particular chevron pattern knitted up tightly. My sock cuff was 9 1/2" around without any stretching, so I decided some serious needle reduction was needed. I went down to 2 mm. It looked good, was about 7 1/2" around (smaller than I expected), so I knitted through the heel and started the foot.

I finally got the brains to try it on.

I couldn't. There was zero stretch in this chevron pattern.

I ripped out (AGAIN) and tried with 2 1/2 mm needles. This time the cuff fits (barely) and it isn't as sloppy as the first time.

Wish me luck.

PS: I finished the sock monkey (it is WAY cute), got most of the way through sock number one of the Neatby project, and got several inches below the armpits on a top down cardigan in Noro Retro (another Stitches purchase). All three of those are more complex than these socks, but all have gone much more smoothly. Go figure.

Snow in Saratoga! (California, that is)

I finished Rocky's sweater (see previous post) a day before the snow arrived. He really needed it!

Here are a couple of views at our house. These pictures were taken at around 6:30 am, before the sun was up sufficiently to start melting the snow. The snow was less than an inch thick at the deepest point.

You can see Justin having a grand time before going back to bed for another 4 hours (he is a teenager, after all).

Flurry of FOs in February, Spring Startitis, and Stitches West

First, the good news: I actually completed seven items this past month, despite a slow start. As I stood in line for Stitches West's market on Friday, I completed a shawl collared vest which I wore the rest of the day. This is one of the hot knits these days at Green Planet Yarns; mine is in Lamb's Pride Bulky instead of the called for Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. Here it is in progress, and after completion:

I also finished Rockin Sock Club January '11 socks, Social Network by Lucy Neatby. I showed them to the ladies in their SW booth, and they said it was the first completed pair they had seen. I really enjoyed making them, and they are very comfortable to wear.

I made lots of purchases at Stitches, as usual, but have already finished a Kerr Cowl (in Berrocco Borealis) and Ali's Cap (in Marion Foales 2 ply) from my new stash. The latter was sold as a kit to benefit a wildlife fund; you can see me posed with Ali MacGraw (the inspiration for the design) below.

Another FO for February was the Trekking Knitalong project, a pair of fingerless mitts. The "cable" is made with twisted stitches so it went very fast. I have not yet cast on the March project, but expect to within the week.

Our dog, Rocky, is quite elderly (we got him as an adult rescue dog a little over 16 years ago) and has lost some of his muscle mass in the past six months. The vet says he needs to wear a sweater, and loves this one I knit him a week and a half ago. He used to bite and pull off any sweater we'd try to put on him, but now he seems to look forward to having it on. This is the standard sweater from Dogs in Knits.

With the leftover yarn, I knit a hat for charity, just in time to meet my resolution deadline.

I've had a bit of startitis lately, and don't know how much is due to the yarn fumes from Stitches' market (and my new purchases) and how much is due to anticipation of the onset of spring. All of the February FOs were started and finished during the month, so I had no impact on the number of items on my WIP/UFO list. This month, I've started a sock monkey, something I've always wanted for some strange reason (maybe because Mom said no way would she let me cut up a perfectly good pair of socks to make a toy). The ears, muzzle, arms, and tail are complete, and I'm stuffing the legs/body unit as I go.

This weekend, I started a pair of socks (another Stitches West purchase). They are Lucy Neatby's Almost Saintly Socks (because they are so "holey") in Shelridge Farm's sock yarn (the variegated is a one-off). I stuffed the cuff with tissue to make the design clearer.

A later post will include a few more pictures and notes from Stitches.