The Loopy Ewe

I placed an order from The Loopy Ewe this week and it arrived on Friday:


I got two new solid colors of Panda Cotton: Tropical Peach and Deep Water (blue). Both are very pretty and now I have some solid colors on hand in case a new mystery sock project pops up!

I also ordered another bar of my favorite soap: Jasmine Knitter's Hand Soap from the Blue Ridge Soap Shed. I have tried both the Jasmine and Green Tea scents and they were both nice. The bars last a really long time - I think the first bar lasted me almost 9 months usually using it several times a day. This bar seems to be going a little faster, but that's probably because I use it more frequently!

I also ordered the exclusive Loopy Rules set from Karatstix! I've admired Karatstix's products for awhile and when I saw she designed a set for the Loopy Ewe I knew I had to get it! It's a little 2-inch ruler and a sock shaped needle sizer. Cute!

My favorite online yarn shop made my day once again! Thanks Loopy Ewe! :-)

mystery sock; Tofutsies sock

One mystery sock is complete:

I still need to knit the leg of the other one.

I have also been working on the second Tofutsies sock, so maybe I will finally complete that pair:

FO's

Finished Objects!

Noro scarf is done:



Circle Cloth is done:



Clue 3 of the mystery socks is also done on both socks, but it was just turning the heel, so I didn't take updated photos yet. Have to wait until Friday for the final clue (leg and cuff) so I need to cast on a new project! Decisions... decisions...

Or I could... work on the Tofutsies socks...

Ahah!

I finally found the blog post about Cat Bordhi's "learning yarn" that I was describing yesterday!

I think this is such a great idea; now I just need to find out when it will be available and who is selling it. Until then, I'll just have to find some yarn in my stash to use as learning yarn...

knitting progress

I am still making progress on the Noro scarf. I love the gradual color changes. Here's a photo of the end of the scarf as it's rolled up while I'm knitting it:


And here it is zig-zagged out:


I have finished clue 2 on both socks for the May mystery sock pattern. It is a fun knit. I wish the cables showed up better, but maybe once the socks are complete, they will stand out more:




Since I have to wait until Friday for clue #3, I am continuing to work on both the Noro scarf and Circle dishcloth:


I'm about 3/5 done with the dishcloth. I have two more pattern repeats to go. This pattern is really cool. I'm only having trouble with carrying the yarns up the side where I'm changing them. You can't see that in my picture - ha ha.

I've been thinking that I need to get some practice yarn to start learning the techniques that I am not familiar with. I need to learn to knit Make One increases without holes, because I usually just decide to knit through the front and back loop, but this is not always ideal. I also need to learn how to better carry yarn up the sides of my work, because I'm having issues with how this looks in both the Noro scarf and the Circle Cloth. I'm sure I read somewhere that Cat Bordhi developed a yarn that was supposed to be the ideal practice yarn, but I tried searching online for this today and couldn't find anything about it! If anyone knows if this is available or when it will be available, please leave me a comment! I think it's a fantastic idea! From what I recall, it changed colors so you could see your different stitches and also stood up well to repeated frogging and was a yarn base that had excellent stitch definition. I want some!

I will leave you with a new Shelby photo:


He can't understand why I am this interested in yarn. :-)

Wee Tiny Sock Received and other knitting updates

I received an adorable blue (my favorite color!) wee sock from my wee swap partner, Lisa. Thanks Lisa!! I did receive it last week, I'm just late in blogging about it. :-)

The Sampler Socks are complete:




I sure hope they fit my friend!!

I cast on a Circle Dishcloth which is a really interesting pattern:


I also knit this Bee Stitch dishcloth, which is such a fun, easy pattern:


Oh, and this is the wee sock I knit for my swap partner, Jessica, using Maizy yarn:


I'm also really enjoying the mystery sock KAL of the "kiila" pattern by Yarnissima. I finished clue 1 for the first sock and am about halfway through the 2nd sock. The next clue will be posted on Friday. So far, the pattern has a little twisted cable pattern up either side of the foot - cute!:




I am trying to cable without a cable needle with this pattern, but last night I dropped a stitch and it was almost a disaster. I still think my cable might look a little funny at that spot, but I managed to get the stitches back on the needles with the right number of stitches and move on. Those little two stitch twists are tricky sometimes!! Reminds me of the Brigit socks...

Mystery Sock cast on!

I cast on for the May mystery sock pattern by Yarnissima. For more info on Sockdown in the SKA group on Ravelry, click here.

Here's my cast on toe:


I'm using Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Soy in Poppy Red. I think I won this yarn from participating in the Olympic Sox KAL last summer.