Happy Blogiversary

Happy First Blogiversary to me. Hard to believe -- one year has gone by. The blog has had a name change (from the original, unimaginative "Kim's Online Journal," joined four rings, and given birth to a sister blog. In one year I've learned a lot about knitting and enough html to be dangerous. I can load photos and change my template.


Couple of knitting updates:

1. I've finished one Double Eyelet sock and have started on another. I'm not sure I like lace socks; I may not do another pair. I really like this yarn, though. Very soft and pretty.
2. I picked out the pattern for my Knitting Olympics project. I'm sticking with the idea of a vest, but I couldn't find my original pattern choice at the yarn shop I visited, so I'm going with one from Mountain Colors instead, called Simply Seemless vest. It calls for Weavers Wool quarters, but I'm doing it with the perfect yarn, Cascase 220, color 4006. This looks brown in the picture, but the little corner swatch is taken from Jimmy Beans Wool. This is closer to its actual color, which Jimmy Beans calls "dark dark burgandy, almost brown." I would call it a heathered purple, brown in bad light.

So, doing a different yarn means working extra hard at gauge. The gauge called for in the pattern is 4 stitches/inch (with the original yarn doubled on size 8 needles). I've swatched my cascade, not doubled, and I get 4 1/2 stitches/inch. I may adjust the pattern for this, or I may go down a needle size and try again. In the meantime, here's a boring swatch photo for you.

Project Spectrum

I've added a new button to my blog. It's a link to a new project -- Project Spectrum -- from LollyKnitting Around. She begins her description of the project as, "The idea of Project Spectrum is simply a celebration of the colors around us, and taking the time to notice them." You can read more about it at her blog.

I am very attracted to colors -- it is one of my major reasons for crafting -- playing around with colors. So, I think this may be fun. De Colores!

The Knitting Olympics

So, I did it. I signed up from the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. In short, the rules of this Knit Along are:

1. Choose a project that you feel is challenging. I've chosen a Fiber Trends Vest. My Knitting New Year's Resolution was to knit something that I could actually wear that wasn't a scarf, or socks or gloves -- something that required "GAUGE." A vest seems a little less challenging than a scary sweater, and maybe I can actually do it in 16 days. I'll be looking for the pattern, which is the Verstitility Vest this weekend. I hate to order just a pattern, because I end of paying the same for the shipping as the pattern.
2. No casting on prior to the opening ceremony.
3. Finish by the end of the Olympics.

The key here is Citius, Alitius, Fortius -- which (I am told) is Latin for Faster, Higher, Stronger. That's a good ideal, so I'll give it a go.

Current Projects

What have I been knitting lately? I can't seem to settle on a project. Ever have that happen?

First, I was working on a blue scarf, using Koigu yarn -- a combination of blues. It is from a Koigu scarf pattern book. I've posted about it before, but I have made some progress - in fact, I had to buy another skein of yarn.

I sat that aside and started working on a scarf from Vogue Knitting Scarves Two -- the Rib and Stripe scarf. It uses Noro Kureyon from two balls -- two rows from one ball, switch to the other -- back and forth, which gives a nice striping effect. I was liking this one at first, and then it started curling at the edges (it's ribbing, not stockingnette stitch, so I was hoping it wouldn't roll). I'm wondering if blocking will help.

And then we went to a yarn store in Kanawha City, and I found some beautiful Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn in Bitterroot Rainbow. This sock yarn, which has some mohair spun into it, it so SOFT! I'm using a pattern from Mountain Colors that was in my Knitting 2005 pattern calendar (called Leslie's Double Eyelet Socks), and so far I like it. The colors are twirling around the sock in a kind of funny pattern, but it's OK (even though I'm betting the socks will be fraternal twins, not maternal -- no way I can match that in a second sock). Here's another problem --> I was hoping to avoid second sock syndrome by knitting the pair at the same time, but this yarn comes in large hanks -- one hank does two socks -- and I can't make myself break it to start the second sock.

I then I found this Knit Along at the PurlingPs. It's called 200socks (instead of 2006, get it?). The goal is to motivate those interested in knitting socks, to actually knit socks. So, hopefully, this will motivate me to FINISH SOMETHING!

Although, the Yarn Harlot is hosting an Olympic KAL. Cast on a project on the first day of the Olympics and finish it by the end of the Olympics. Sixteen days. That's a nice challenge -- I'll have to think about that.

Victoria and Albert Museum

I was reading Mason-Dixon Knitting today, and Kay was talking about submitting her blanket to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Apparently the museum is collecting images and information concerning non-garment knitting projects and welcome submission from anyone. I looked through my finished objects and found my felted purse (which is not a garment, and is knitted) and submitted it. It is now part of the of the Victoria and Albert museum website. Go here to see all the submissions and here to see my submission. Isn't that cool?!

To submit your non-garment knitting project, go here.