FO: Vortical socks
Pattern: (name, author, source) Vortical by Phoenix Bess from Knotions Winter 2008 issue [My Ravelry Project Page]
Size(s): (to fit) 9″ circumference, 9.25″ foot length
Yarn: (name, fibre, weight, colour) Sock it to me Puzzle in yellow/pink/blue/fair isle colour 719, sock-weight, wool/nylon designed to out-last the cockroaches and Cher, 60 g total (276 yards/252 m)
Needles: (size, material, style) 2 x 2.75 mm aluminium circular needles
Knitting style: (for stitch patterns) English for toe, foot and leg, combination for heel and ribbing
Heel and toe style: Toe-up; Judy’s magic cast on for toe, standard wedge toe, wrapped short row heel
Modifications: Knit toe-up with short row heel
Notes: Really simple, easy to memorise sock pattern which works well with self-striping and handpainted yarns.
The socks really, really want to bias so when they are on the foot, the instep pattern is desperate to skip off your foot!
Anyway, I’ve sucessfully completed another pair for the Sockdown Challenge on Ravelry (this was January’s challenge of a sock pattern from an online magazine)!
Back but busy
How’s that for alteration?!
I worked frikin’ hard in sorting through one small portion (4 full filling cabinet draws of papers going back to childhood) of my grandpa’s paper work, but it has inspired me to plough through my own “stuff” so no-one has to curse me under their breath when I’m gone.
I got one afternoon of tourist-time and my grandma took me to a couple of my favourite places
I did get some knitting done (not much, but the odd round or two watching TV and on the train did add up)
Photo taken on the train home
The socks are the only things I’m actively working on now because I’m designing a top for the Ample Knitters and that’s taking up quite a bit of my brain right now. The visit has put me back about 2 weeks, but the list have been quite understanding about it!
With that in mind, I’m probably not going to be blogging much in the next couple of weeks, but I’m a month in to the Project 365 thing (a self-portrait every day for 365 days) and I’m still “doing” Plurk if you want to see what I’m doing with my non-blogging time!
Amy can’t come to the blog right now
I’m currently (as in, when this post is published) in Welsh Wales. My exact location is kept secret for reasons of national security (or because I can’t remember how to spell it).
In order that you poor, poor people don’t get Amy-withdrawal here are the first 3 weeks (and one day) on project 365 for you to enjoy:
1. 365:022, 2. 365:021, 3. 365:020, 4. 365:019, 5. 365:018, 6. 365:017, 7. 365:016, 8. 365:015, 9. 365:014, 10. 365:013, 11. 365:012, 12. 365:011, 13. 365:010, 14. 365:009, 15. 365:008, 16. 365:007, 17. 365:006, 18. 365:005, 19. 365:004, 20. 365:003, 21. 365:002, 22. 365:001
I worked out that my one-month anniversary would occur while I was away, so this will do instead!
One last hit
I’m packed and (not) ready to go, but before I leave this beautiful internet for seven days, here are two insanely quick finished objects to share:
Both are from the Guardian Knitting Supplement published in July 2008.
a little wristwarmer with pocket
Cute and surprisingly practical!
Both knit in Stylecraft Renaissance DK on 4 mm needles.
And with that, I bid you adieu – until next Tuesday at the latest!
FO: Cricket vest
1. cricketvest1, 2. cricketvest2, 3. cricketvest4, 4. cricketvest3
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
Pattern: (name, author, source) Veste Everest by Veronik Avery from the Fall 200?5issue of Interweave Knits [My Ravelry Project Page]
Size(s): (to fit, finished size) Followed instructions for the 28″ size to fit 38″ (see modifications)
Yarn: (name, fibre, weight, colour) Vermont Organic Fiber O-Wool Balance Aran-weight 50/50 organic wool/organic cotton. 550 yards (500 m) cream and 40 yards (36 m) ruby
Needles: (size, material, style) US7 Denise interchangeable needle set and 4 mm bamboo circular
Knitting style: (for stitch patterns) Combination/Eastern Uncrossed throughout.
Modifications:
- Lengthened by 1 pattern repeat plus added several inches of 2/2 ribbing
- Used temporary cast on to achieve the above
- Omitted alternate cables to give more of a cricket vest look and to make the yarn go further!
- Added contrast bands in a red colour to make it into a Lancashire/England cricket vest (as requested by my mum)
- Worked v-neck and armhole bands as K1tbl, P1 rather than as written because I mis-read the instructions at first!
Notes: My mum was very pleased to (finally) get this vest after a year of promises and I was very pleased to actually have it finished!
I’ve detailed my modifications above, but I wanted to address one aspect of this design. As written, the vest is very short (9″ from underarm to hem); it’s more of a cropped top, to my mind. In the magazine photo, the model is sitting down, so you can’t really see where the hem hits her. As I was knitting this, I knew that if I followed the instructions, it would be too short for my mum. I added one pattern repeat in the body (which made it about 10.5″ long) and I then knit down from my temporary cast on and added another 4.5″ in ribbing. As you can see from the photos, it’s the perfect length for my mum!
Now, on to the lyrical waxing! I love how the cable splits at the neck and the way the decreases are worked so the two “strands” of the cable continue up the neck.
I love how the ribbing leads into the cable/rib pattern in the body (I’m not sure I’d have noticed this if I hadn’t extended the ribbing)
The yarn shows of the cables well, although it feels more like 100% cotton than a 50/50 wool/cotton mix. It also had an “odour” that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s not unpleasant, but it did set off my cough (could just have been me!)
And that concludes my finished objects of 2008. Here’s to a fruitful 2009! 
