Mini Knits!

I finished two more mini knit items that I will be submitting to yarn-love's Winter Wonder-gar-land contest!

A mini mitten:

And a mini Christmas stocking (for this one, I was aiming for the "most colorful" category!!):

Mystery Sock update

I have been knitting along on the mystery socks since my last blog post. I finished the leg and heel of both socks prior to clue 4 being posted on Wednesday. Since Wednesday, I have been working on the foot of the first sock and am just about done. I will move that onto stitch holders and try to complete the foot of the other sock before the final clue is revealed this Wednesday - the toe!

Progress photos:
It really is a cool pattern. Probably not something I would have tried if I saw the pattern first - too indimidating!! - but since I didn't know what lie ahead, I dove in and had a lot of fun! I tried on the first sock today and it seems to fit me very well. So I think I will probably wear these. When I have an outfit that fuchsia socks will go with! ;-) They should be fun summer socks anyway.

Here's a close-up:
And here is a photo looking down at the top of the foot (but off the blocker so you can't see the lace pattern quite as well):
But, you can see that she adjusted the pattern a bit, so the cable "squiggles" don't squiggle out quite as far as you go towards the toe. Very interesting!

I also found out on Ravelry that there is a Magical Mystery Sock Tour beginning in November where a new mystery sock pattern will be posted in each odd month. So, I definitely think I'm going to check this out! November's mystery sock will be slip-stitch colorwork which I have really been wanting to try. I'm looking forward to it! Of course, that will mean two pairs of socks starting up in November and two new techniques, because I will also be starting my toe-up sock knitting class. That's ok though, I am up for the challenge! I just need to find time to also squeeze in my Christmas gift knitting that I have planned...

P.S. For more info in the Magical Mystery Sock Tour, check out the Sock Knitter's Anonymous group on Ravelry!

Photos to go with yesterday's post

Here's the mini sweater I knit from magenta Panda Wool (leftover from my magic loop class socks).

So cute. :-)

yarn-love (the yarn shop I take classes at) is having a Winter Wonder-gar-land contest in December. You can submit mini knit items to decorate the garland and there will be prizes for most creative, most winter-y, etc. Details here. I love knitting mini items so you can be sure I'll be submitting several items for this!!

As for other completed projects, here is the illusion Christmas Tree dishcloth:

The front (looking at it straight down):

The back:

And looking at the front from an angle... the illusion appears:

See the Christmas tree? Pretty cool, eh?

I am making great progress on the leg of the 2nd Mystery sock. Only about 6 more rows to go and then the heel. I expect to be done with that before the next clue is revealed on Wednesday!

Quick post

Sorry, no pics. I finished clue 3 of the first mystery sock. It was an eye of partridge heel. Knit it in one evening! So, I will probably move the sock onto stitch holders and knit the leg and heel of the other sock before clue 4 is revealed on Wednesday. So far, I love how the socks are turning out!

I also finished the illusion tree dishcloth. It turned out cool. I need to take pictures!!

On Thursday night I knit another mini sweater using my leftover pink Panda Wool!

Last night I was knitting the Tofutsies sock but probably only got through a few rounds. Tiny stitches don't make for much progress! But it's an easy knit to pick up when I don't feel like thinking or following a pattern. Right now it's just round and round in stockinette until I get to the toe decreases... which won't be for awhile.

Clue # 2 and Illusion Knitting

I finished clue #2 of the Mystery sock. On the first sock anyway... I chose the cable pattern and the leg of the first sock is complete. Check it out:
It's such a cool pattern! Sorry I don't have better pictures of it; the lighting wasn't great. Here's a close-up of the cable section:
I think it's a really cool pattern so far. Can't wait to see what comes next! Clue # 3 will be revealed on Wednesday!!

I also started a dishcloth using an Illusion Knitting pattern. I've always wanted to try this technique ever since I saw an episode of Knitty Gritty where they were knitting scarves using illusion knitting. You use two high contrast yarn colors and knit two rows of each color while following a pattern of knits and purls. When you look at the knitting straight on, it appears to just be striped:
But, when you look at it at an angle, a picture emerges. Now, I'm just at the beginning so you can't see much yet... but here's a picture from an angle:
Those green stripes at the top in the center are the bottom of the Christmas tree! It doesn't look like much now, but just wait until I finish the dishcloth... :-)

Completed Projects

Hope everyone is having a nice Saturday. I finished a dishcloth last night:
Ugh, not a great picture, but you get the idea. It's just a dishcloth... ;-)

I also knit a mini sweater for one of my co-workers in honor of her 10-year anniversary at our company. I wanted to put "10" on the sweater in beads. In my bead class, we learned two techniques of adding beads to knitting. Since I had beads strung on my yarn, I decided to try that method first (which ended up being unsuccessful). I did not like the way the beads were looking and I decided to frog what I had knit and start over from scratch. This morning I re-knit the sweater (luckily it is mini!!) and when I got to the beading part, I placed them onto the stitch with a tiny crochet hook. I liked this look much better for this purpose and I am happy to say that the mini sweater is complete:
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The 10 stands out a little more in reality than it does in the picture. I hope she likes it!

I did start the leg pattern of the Mystery Sock on Wednesday but didn't get to far. I decided to go with the more challenging cable pattern that she decided to offer. Since so many were participating, she decided to offer two variations for the leg pattern! So, I need to work on that tonight. The Tofutsie sock is hibernating right now, but I'd like to try to finish at least one Tofutsie sock during Socktoberfest.

I also plan on making more dishcloths soon!

One finished, another started!

I finished the Bee Stitch cloth:
This was a fun pattern that I will definitely knit again!

Here's a close-up:
Believe it or not, this pattern is all knit stitch; what creates the cool effect is knitting into the stitch on the row below. You can find the pattern here.

I started a new dishcloth tonight that I found on the same website. This pattern was recommended to show off variegated yarn. So far, it's doing a good job:
This is Sugar 'n Cream yarn in the colorway "Summerset".

The next part of the mystery sock pattern gets posted at midnight tonight so I'm sure I'll be sock-knitting again tomorrow!!

Bee Stitch Dishcloth

I want to knit a bunch of dishcloths this year for Christmas gifts and as part of the Carefree Holiday KAL. I searched Ravelry yesterday and printed out some new patterns.

I cast on the Bee Stitch Cloth yesterday and it is a fun, easy yet interesting pattern. I love the way it's turning out and it should make a nicely textured dishcloth. I am knitting it on my 16" US 7 KnitPicks circulars that I bought for hat knitting and it is working great! I'm really liking it better than working on straight needles. I guess it's just a matter of having the right circulars with nice, smooth joins.

I went to take a progress photo, and of course Mr. Shelby had to jump up and investigate:
And then pose for a picture:
Oh sure, act like you're not even interested in my knitting:
Here's a close-up pic with the flash:
and without:
The colors are more accurate in the picture with the flash, but you can see the stitches a bit more without the flash. Click on any of the pics to see a larger version.

And as for Shelby... he's sleeping by my feet now.

Socktoberfest update

First, I'd like to share a picture of my mystery sock KAL sock cuffs. I finished the first cuff, put it on stitch holders and am almost done with the 2nd sock cuff. With this method, I may be able to finish both socks at the same time! I know I could do them both at the same time on magic loop but I think it would be too fiddly having both skeins of yarn dangling from the needles. Anyway, here is my first photo of the Mystery socks:
The yarn is Fuchsia Panda Cotton. I cast on 56 stitches on 3mm Addi Turbos using magic loop.

Here's a close-up:
On Wednesday, the next part of the pattern will be revealed. Stay tuned!

I am still working on the first Tofutsies sock. Here's a close-up of where I'm at with that. Still working on the gusset decreases:
Sorry, not a great picture. I should have turned the flash off. But, you get the idea.

Happy Socktoberfest!!!

Socktoberfest and a Mystery Sock KAL

Well, I think the fair isle sweater vest is going on the back burner for a bit longer. I swatched on my US 7 circulars and the fabric seemed too loose, so I think I need to try US6 circulars which I don't have. I am considering buying the Knit Picks Interchangeable set of circulars, but I haven't made up my mind yet.

So, I was browsing on Ravelry and came across a post about a Mystery Sock KAL (knitalong)! This sounded exciting so I signed up. I have never done a mystery KAL before, but a sock one sounds perfect. Basically, a mystery KAL is where some posts a bit of a pattern and you knit it and then you get the next part of the pattern and so on. (Bad explantion, but I've never done one before, so that's my basic understanding!) Long story, short... the finished item is a surprise!

The first part of the sock pattern was posted today and I think I may cast on tonight with some Panda Cotton from the stash! She recommends a solid color yarn. This KAL is in a Ravelry group for fans of Through the Loops which I believe is a designer and a blog. I will have to check it out! If you want to check out the Mystery KAL, it's on Ravelry here. It's called the TTL Socktoberfest Mystery Sock KAL. I also joined the Socktoberfest group on Ravelry which is a laid back sock knitalong for the month of October!

And now I have a project to use for my participation in the Carefree or not Holiday KAL!!

So, I'm off to cast on a new Mystery pair of socks!! Hooray!