Just past the heel

Well, what with the couple of hundred of pages of reading and assignments every night, there hasn't been much knitting.

And my Sockapalooza-2 yarn hasn't arrived yet. (Any day now, I know it!) So I've been practicing.

I present to you, the status of my toe-up socks. I'm now just past the heel.

One sock:


Two socks:


Heel of sock:


The darling cable-to-be (one of three on each sock):


There's a lot a really like about this pattern. I love the toes. No, hang on, I LOOOOOVE the toes! The figure-eight cast-on is fantastic. I think I'll do it a bit tighter next time, but I love it.

I love how the heel's constructed. I don't know how I feel about garter for the heel, but I love how the short rows are done. We'll see how well the garter stitch stands up!

And really. Who doesn't love Koigu?

It's my day off...

So there are now a whole bunch of my old FOs on my Hot off the Needles page.
I like the finger puppets best:

I think I'm traumatized...

Oh dear.
I stumbled across this while looking for a stitch pattern for a shawl. I don't think this will be the winner.



If you desperately need the pattern, you can click on the photo.

Toe-up Toes

I got two toes:


And hey, a closeup!


So now I have to figure out what I'd like to do for the top of the foot...
Ribbing?
Stockinette?
Something fancy?

Socks, socks, socks

Well, I have the weekend to myself, and a need to relax.

My Sockapalooza yarn isn't here yet, so I think I'm going to have to start on my Koigu pair for myself! (pssst... that's also the yarn pictured in my title bar)



And I'm going to try out some toe-up socks this time... I'm attempting it from a mix of:Wendy's Toe-Up Sock Pattern and Stasia's Percentage-based Toe-up No-swatching pattern.

Hopefully, there will be pictures soon!

I think I have found a pattern

Maybe it won't be for this round of socks, but I really like the looks of these:


They're from Jeanie Townsend's Yahoo Group - the pattern is Pretty Petals (in the Files section, once you've joined).

So now I just have to wait and see what my new yarn swatches up like. I can't wait for it to come in the post!

Not a whole lotta knitting going on...

Well, knitting seems to be low on the priority list these days. I had a midterm on Monday, and our final exam (cumulative for the whole course) is tomorrow.

Therefore, I am getting so itchy to knit! This weekend is our one weekend without homework, and I am very excited to get some quality time with my yarn. And maybe some Law and Order...

Sockapal-2-za - First Update

Well, I have my buddy, and I have ordered yarn. It should arrive this/next week.

Wanna see? It's 100% merino. Mmmmm.


And of course, I'll be using my fabulous new Addis from my Secret Pal!

Now to decide on a pattern... something plain I think... and I'll definitely do 2-socks simultaneously on one circ... unless I decide to do toe-up (is 2-socks simultaneously on one circ toe-up possible?)
Once the yarn's here, there will be some serious swatching.

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Posted by Linz to Sockapal-2-za at 6/22/2005 12:11:00 PM

Positive Reinforcement

Well, la Clapotis got her debut on Monday -- (and again yesterday) -- and got rave reviews! The other knitter in the class ogled the stitches, and the rest of the girls spent our break petting me. They said they couldn't stop because it was too soft!

And of course, I feel so fabulous wearing it! Thank heavens the building is overly air-conditioned.

I think the project has been justified.

Now just to pass that exam on Friday...

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Posted by Linz to LinzKnits - Clapotis at 6/22/2005 09:14:00 AM

Clapotis Project Details

Well, now that it's done, I feel that I can do my postmortem properly.

Pattern: Clapotis from Knitty.com - with no adjustments

Yarn: Fleece Artist Kid/Silk 2-ply; I bought 2 x 440 m skeins = 880m, and used about 500-550m; no colour name, sorry! Oh the drape, the sheen, it's beautiful!

Needles: US 6/4mm addi turbo circulars - if you're contemplating using straight needles, there's a lot of weight by the end of the pattern... oh, your poor wrists! Switching to circs puts the weight in your lap instead!

Gauge: about 5 stitches/inch; pattern calls for 4 stitches/inch

Finished Size: unstretched - 17"x68"; the width goes to about 22-24" when I wear it... (I don't know how, it just does)

If I had to do it again?: I definitely would, just after a break. I'd probably make it a bit wider, but the length is perfect! I'd love to use a variegated yarn (it was my initial plan), but after seeing a million of them online, there seems to be a big risk factor in how they turn out.

If I used Fleece Artist again?: Well, the US 6/4mm needles were what they recommended; I'd probably go down a size for my stitches to be just a bit closer together. However, the Clapotis has been stretching in the right direction, so my stitches are looking lovely.

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Posted by Linz to LinzKnits - Clapotis at 6/21/2005 09:19:00 AM

Desperately in love...

How have I never seen this before?

Fiddlesticks Knitting - is definitely my new favourite site!

Cool or weird?

I apparently had 188 new visitors to my site today.

I don't know if my new hit counter is on the fritz, or if it's true. I did post my link (of my finished clapotis) to a number of places, but that's pretty amazing!

We'll have to see what happens...

Analysis/Paralysis

Hmmm, I've been trying to find the perfect pattern for my gorgeous Brooks Farm yarn. I think I need to do a shawl... and I can't find a pattern that's not too busy! I think the yarn would be ideal for a Clapotis, but I'd like a change of pace... hmmmm.

Any suggestions?

Clapotis? C'est fini!

Yes yes, it is done! Of course, it took precedence over studying for my exam tomorrow -- so now I'm off to do some memorizing.

So I shall leave you with a couple of photos:




And a close-up:


And tomorrow, I'll debate whether or not I'm going to block it...

Happy Father's Day and have a great Sunday!

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Posted by Linz to LinzKnits - Clapotis at 6/19/2005 01:33:00 PM

Oh by the way. . .

. . . alpacas hum. And they're quite friendly.

Goats and sheep like head pats, and they're l-o-u-d.

But alpacas hum!

Estes Park!!!

Oh yes, today was fun!

I got to see all my alpaca!! This was one of the babies:


And did you know how many types of goats there are! I found a gorgeous new fibre called pygora. If you don't know what it is, go find some - it's glorious!
These were two-week-old babies with their mum:


And of course, there was shopping.
This is from an alpaca named, Santana from Crescent Peak Alpacas:


And from the good people at Brooks Farm, some kid mohair:


Phew, what a day!

A dangerous thought

Laceweight alpaca.

Because really, I want to make a shawl. And it would be so warm and divine.
Hmmmm...

But really, I've been thinking about trying some lace knitting. Yes, this is me, all busy with school, and it's apparently the perfect time to try some lace knitting. But all the patterns I've seen are too busy. Hmmm, definitely time to do some exploring.

Could you imagine a dragonfly-motive shawl made out of alpaca? Oh, bliss.

'Cause you know...

. . . it's only one more sleep to llamas and goats and alpacas, oh my!

I am WAY too excited for my own good. I wish I could work on my clapotis on the bus, but I think I have to memorize some stuff for my exam on Monday. Le sigh. Ah well, that gives me more room for anything I should choose to purchase.

Happy happy Linz!

Stormy days and Clapotis

Well, my clapotis is coming along very nicely. I've started the decrease section, and fall more and more in love with it (all over again) with every row.

But, because it just looks like a big version of what you've already seen, you get to see a photo of what I see when I look out the window instead!


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Posted by Linz to LinzKnits - Clapotis at 6/16/2005 01:46:00 PM

Sockapalooza - the Sequel

Well, I have my Sockapalooza2 buddy. I know that's not what it's called, but that's what I'm calling it.

I really had fun last time round, and it's a good excuse to work on a (smaller) project! I think my favourite part is watching everyone else's progress. And now I know enough other knitters that are a part of it, that it's extra good.

Hopefully I'll find something wonderfully luscious (that I now have an excuse to buy) at the Wool Market this weekend!

Guess what I'm doing next weekend?

I'm going to the Estes Park Wool Market!

I'm planning on meeting some lovely sheep, llama, goats, and of course, alpaca!

Oooooh, so excited!

New blog stuff

Well, I asked for advice on my new layout, and I sure got it.
So now there are new title bars on the pages, and a special one for the clapotis page.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I like it better this way.
Now to get rid of that frame around my photo...

Busy bee

Yeah, there hasn't been much knitting, since I'm now in another city and doing an intensive summer program! I think that'll change soon though, my fingers are getting itchy to work on my clapotis. (And I want to start wearing it!)

I was in class yesterday, and had left my computer out on the table with my desktop showing. This is the picture that was on it:

So of course, Aaron asked why I had a llama on my computer. I explained that it was an alpaca, and that this picture just made me feel unexplicable happy. I mean really. Can you look at that alpaca and not be happy?

Then later in the day, Leslie walked by my computer when I was completely at the other side of the room and exclaimed: "Who's llama is this??" I did the whole alpaca explanation again, sorted out the confusion that it wasn't my alpaca, and explained that I knit. Turns out, not only does she knit, she also spins... and on her desktop is a photo of her spinning wheel.

Yep, we're geeks. Voice geeks + knitting geeks. I love it!

And as you can guess, the photo on my desktop has now been changed.

Hmmm... changing my template?

Can you folks go check out what I've done with a potential new template, and let me know what you think?

Click here, and I will be eternally greatful!

I caved...

So, I've done it again. I've joined Alison's .
The first one was just too much fun.
So we know what one of my summer projects will be!

Oooooooh, presents!

Yeah, I did well today!
Check out what I got from my Secret Pal!

Not only did I get one package, I got two! So I got two cards, 5 balls of Rowan Cashsoft 4-ply (yummm), 2 balls of pink Koigu KPPPM (which made my jaw drop... it's still on the floor), Interweave Knits (the one I've been coveting), Tony Morrison's Beloved, Vegetarian Times magazine, 2 handmade cards - (yes, one of those is my new Koigu in vases!), a dark chocolate with orange and spices ORGANIC FAIRTRADE chocolate bar (yay!), blueberry tea (mmm), homemade rhubarb jam (did I say it was homemade? it's going to be so fabulous!!), a candle, and huge purple index cards (YAY!).

Definitely so spoiled.

And, because everyone needs some yarn porn:


Drool. Koigu + cashsoft. I am in love.
It's ok to spend the afternoon fondling, right?