May 25, 2006

DC Follies

Hey all..

I just came back (well not just, I've been back since monday) from 4 days in the DC area, where me and the BF attended my nephew's graduation from George Washington University. (My nephew was mentioned by name during the president of the school's speech! very exciting!)

We had a very nice time in DC, except for the "getting up early every day". We did some sightseeing -- Went to the American History Museum, which was great fun... I got to see
Ted Baxter's Jacket! (which was pretty exciting for me, I am a huge fan of the Mary Tyler Moore Show)

We also went to the Zoo where I got to meet a distant relative


I normally do a ton of research before I go away and plan out places to eat - but I didn't really have time so we sorta winged it - and with the exception of the lunch on the run at the zoo, we ate pretty well.


This is a restaurant we happened upon when coming back from a long day of sightseeing. We had parked in Silver Spring for easier Metro access, and were on our way back to the hotel, and figured we'd grab a bite to eat. We were headed to another restaurant when we walked past this one and decided that Ethiopian food sounded good and went here instead. Very good decision - we had a really nice dinner.


We found this restaurant on our first night in town by searching online for something near the hotel. This restaurant was in nearby College Park. The food was good, and the staff were very very friendly.

I really had a great time.

I was pretty fortunate to be able to knit the whole ride down in the car... I've never successfully knit in a car before, I usually get queasy - but I got lucky :) I am just about to turn the heel on Jaywalker #2, and so far, at least, its coming out at least close to the same as the first.

I had posted on the Knittyboard that I'd planned on paying a visit to Stitch DC when in town and was lucky enough to do so. I went to the Georgetown store, and the very very nice person who worked there, knew who I was from my post and greeted me! I had a lovely time in the store which was a comfortable and quiet oasis in the middle of a mob of people, and picked up some Karabella Aurora 4, and Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock on sale, as well as a 40" size 5 Addi.


The Aurora 4 (above) is ostensibly DK weight, but it seems thinner than that to me. It wasn't significantly thicker than the Shepherd Sock (below).
They had used it to knit Embossed Leaves from the Winter 2005 Interweave,
and the stitch definition was beautiful!

May 16, 2006

A FO/2 :)

I finished the first Jaywalker!!!! :)

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO proud.

I immediately cast on for the second one and hope to finish it on my trip to DC this weekend.

It's a beautiful fit - but if i were starting from scratch i'd make the leg a little longer since as is it has some trouble staying up. (it hits an unusually dainty part of my leg ;)

SO cute! So Comfy! I'm very happy! :)

ON to number two!



May 8, 2006

And this one was JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST right..

Well so far at least.

After many false sock starts, Ive gotten at least the better part of a sock leg finished!

I decided to cast on again for Jaywalkers because I really love the pattern and have loved other people's finished ones. It is a fun knit.

This time I cast on in Regia Strato, on a Size 1 (magic loop -40 " addi.) and I am MUCH happier with the result.




Someone at Stitch Therapy (I don't remember her name, I'm sorry) gave me some advice on tightening my gauge. She told me that If i held the yarn a little differently, so as to leave less of a length between my finger and the needle, that my gauge would tighten up. Boy did it ever, I'm getting 9 stitches to the inch on these, and the fabric is nice and sturdy without being overly stiff. I'm doing the smaller size, and as of right now it fits perfectly, but I haven't done the heel yet and from what i understand, thats where it is tight.

Question: I've been having some problems with the heel flaps being too long AND too wide on my socks... should i try to go down a needle size? or should i reduce the number of the stitches to compensate.. Any thoughts will be appreciated.

And for anyone wondering? I love magic loop still :)

Anyway, I'm working from home today and I have about 40 minutes until I need to start. Gonna go guzzle some coffee and try and look alive. Have a great day all!

May 4, 2006

Goldisocks and the three pair

Hey all..

Sorry for the long absence. Allergy season has utterly and completely kicked my ass this year and I haven't much felt like posting. Damned oak trees. Plus i've had a few other random health thingies going on, and my mind, regrettably, has been elsewhere. But I'm back :) and I hope everyone is doing well.

From the look of the title of this post, you might assume that i've completed some socks.

you'd be wrong.

First to the plate are the bee stripe jaywalkers.
  • Round one of my bee socks got frogged due to their immense size.
  • Round two. the jaywalkers encountered a series of problems, the most serious of which is gauge fluctuation. It is first Magic loop project, I was getting used to the process, and my gauge changed so much over the course of the first sock (from 6 st/in on the leg, to 7st/in on the heel flap and heel, to 8 or 9 on the body of the foot, in places) that I have no idea how to knit a second to match. Nor do I want to, I was pretty displeased with how they were coming out so i am frogging this one too.
  • Oh yeah, and the leg was huge on me, plus I made th eheel flap too long. I mean i made it to the specs of the pattern, but it was enormous.. maybe I have little heels. Maybe I should try a short row heel next.

Status: Currently on hiatus until I feel like looking at bee yarn again.

Next we have a couple of sock attempts from Sensational Knitted Socks (a WONDERFUL BOOK). Thanks to Dani for the recommendation.

I've cast on twice using some of the Regia Strato i got.


I love this yarn, and I love how it knits up, and I've now cast on twice (in diff. sizes) for the baby cable rib socks from SKS, and both times they've been way too small. Up until now my gauge has been insanely loose.. i think we've had a switch.

So its back to the drawing board.
But I am determined, I "will" have a pair of socks done by mid may.