G is for Garter and a bit of a Game

UPDATE: I got so many good ideas that I couldn't make up my mind. So I'm letting BDE pick. Results very soon. I want to thank all of you so much, this has been enormous fun!

BDE got married last week and I wanted to make her something but the wedding was in Antigua and she gets itchy from wool so that leaves out a shawl. So after wracking my brains and looking at yarn, I finally bought a skein of Seduce by Berrocco in vintage white, a color that is as close to her gown as I can get, and decided to make a garter. Now there were a few patterns on Ravelry but none were exactly what I was looking for. So I designed my own. I found a stitch pattern I thought would work, well actually I tried a bunch of them, and picked this one. It really didn't take long at all when I actually got down to it, but designing something myself is much more time consuming than I had imagined.










Materials:

Yarn: Seduce by Berroco one skein (I used not quite half of it)

1/8 inch elastic 14" or to fit your leg

1 yard 1/8 inch ribbon

sewing needle and thread

Size 3 needles (or size to obtain gauge)

Gauge: 25 sts = 4 inches/10 cm

Cast on 8 sts
Set up row: Knit
Row 1: Slip 1 st, k2, yo, k2tog,k1, yo 4 times, k2
Row 2: Sl 1, k1, k1 p1 k1 p1 into the 4 yo's, k3, yo, k2tog, k1
Row 3:Sl 1, k2, yo, k2tog, k7
Row 4: Sl 1, k8, yo, k2tog, k1
Row 5: repeat row 3
Row 6: BO 4 sts, k4, yo, k2tog, k1

Repeat 24 times
Bind off
Seam edges together
Thread elastic through top loops and sew together
Thread ribbon over elastic and make a bow.

Based on Petite open points from Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein

So now that I'm a designer, I need a good name for the garter. Any ideas? We'll have a little contest I think and I have two skeins of Berrocco Geode for whomever comes up with a catchy name for my first, and maybe last, design.

F is for Fun in the Sun

And that's what we had in Antigua. We stayed at the Jolly Beach Resort and it has the best beach in Antigua. It was beautiful and warm. The water is the most amazing blue and warm enough even for me. We brought home shells and even some sea glass for my collection and we rescued a starfish. We swam and lounged and drank a bit. We saw shows with singers and dancers and ate a lot. I knit a bit on a sock, too. And best of all, we were all there for BDE's wedding which was so beautiful. And now we're home, but I do believe we'll go back because four days just wasn't enough.

March Socks or Why Is Red So Hard to Photograph

I've been thinking that I need red socks, I don't have a lot of red clothes but sometimes I wear red and I have no red socks. Now all reds are not the same and I like a red that isn't orange, more of a blue undertone, a rich red. So when I visited a new to me lys not too long ago, this red jumped out at me. A little variegated, a nice red and I knew which socks I wanted to make with it: Leyburn Socks. But they're toe up and I like the way top down fits my funny feet better. But, it seems that those that knit before me have just turned the pattern upside down and it works just fine. Although I had to use my incredibly poor math skills. I ended up with 60 sts on the cuff, increasing to 61 for the leg and back to 60 for the foot. My problem is taking a picture that shows the color well. I had them in the sun, in the shade, in the morning, in the evening, on the porch, out in the yard, on the porch in good light, on the porch in lower light, in the house near a window, well just about everywhere I could think of and it still isn't quite right. Close, but not quite right. Any tips on red yarn pictures?









The yarn is Plymouth Happy Feet. I wish you could see the color.

And we're off to Antigua on Friday morning for BDE's wedding. I have all my knitting packed and extra needles in the suitcase just in case. Actually, the knitting is all I have packed right now. But I know what clothes I'm taking. I got my hair cut and a pedicure and I've been using that tanning cream so I don't look quite so pale. Mr. Truck bought new shorts. We're all ready. I'll be back next week with a tan and some pictures.

E is for Evan

He just turned seven and he just started wearing glasses. He was such a tiny baby, he scared us all just holding him but he's a tough one. We call him the class clown and we despaired of his ever being good. But he's a sweet, funny little boy and I can't remember what life was without him. We tell him he's our favorite grandson and he hasn't figured out that it's because he's the only one. But he loves coming to Grammy and Opa's house for sleepovers and he goes straight for the fridge when he gets here. I've never read a complete book to him, he would never sit still long enough and now he can read all by himself. He likes tools and cars and burping and annoying his big sister and he is very gentle with babies and once when he was very small he dialed 911 and the police came to our house. We love our little man.

Yesterday I Wore a Sweater

Well that's not exactly what I mean, I always wear a sweater. But yesterday I only wore a sweater. It was the first time since the fall that I only needed a sweater, no coat. Such freedom! Spring is finally in sight and my flowers are starting to bloom again. One little crocus




and the little snowdrops.




I'm so excited!

February Square

I love this blanket in a year thing. I can pick something really challenging but it's only a little square so I'm not committing a lot of time to it. Very good idea. If anyone's interested here's the Ravelry group.

This square is the True Love Knot Pillow and it was a bit of a challenge. There's just a chart and a key, no words. It required a lot of stickies to keep my place, a little frogging and a bit of bad words but it only took three or so evenings and then one to block.



I still haven't decided how these squares are going together or in what order but I'm thinking there will probably be an applied Icord edge around the whole thing. But then again I don't even know what I'm doing for March yet, so these ideas are still rather fluid.

I do know that this design really made it clear how some cables are actually made and since I've been working on a little design project of my own, that information was definitely one of those light bulb moments.

Lazy Weekend

We didn't do too much last weekend, sort of a lazy, sit on the couch and watch movies kind of weekend. I did manage to knit this bonnet for a co-worker's new baby girl. It's a really fun pattern and there's a great tutorial on the figure 8 cast on.

Top Down Bonnet by Hello Yarn

I made these Mary Jane's for the baby, too. I used up some of that left over yarn, you know the bits you can never throw out. I have to do something with the ends and get buttons.

Mary Jane booties

I finished my Nutkin socks. I really like how the pattern changed the look of the self-striping yarn.







I bought these shoes. So comfy and you can see my socks.





And I bought a dress for BDE's wedding next month. It's so funny, it matches our living room in Delaware. I brought Mr. Truck with me and he's really good to take shopping. First, he doesn't let me take more than three dresses to try on because I'll get too confused. Second, if it doesn't look good he tells me right away. "Take it off, it looks like a potato sack." "Take it off, you look pregnant!" This isn't always a pleasant experience but he's always right. This was his pick and I think it looks pretty good.




After shopping, we went home and sat on the couch some more. We did see some pretty good movies, though.

D is for Darning

I think I've mentioned Mr. Truck's sock issues before and how his goal is to have 365 pairs of socks every year. A long time ago we had this running joke about darning socks, something I swore I'd never do. You see, my Grandma darned socks and I remember them being lumpy and uncomfortable as well as funny looking. But I did buy this darning egg at an antique store as a gag gift. We've been using it as decoration ever since.


It opens up to store needles and thread. As you can see, mine is empty.





But now I have holes in my hand knit socks. These were knit out of Wool-ease sport weight that was left over from another project about four years ago. I've been wearing them as house socks and shoveling snow socks. And I'm actually considering darning them or just throwing them out. What do you think?

Knitting Guilt

I think we've all done it. Gotten to the end of a project and then gotten distracted or bored or just busy. After the big Christmas rush, two of my projects just got put aside. I couldn't forget them because they were sitting there mocking me. This one was sitting next to the computer cabinet waiting to be sewn together. It was even blocked once. All I had to do was seam it up.




And this one was next to the bed staring at me every night. Almost done, just the button bands and the seams.




So when I couldn't stand the guilt any more I made myself sit down and just finish them. Here's the Peapod for Reese. In yellow this time.




And the Apres Surf Hoodie for me. This took a long time to knit but it wasn't really hard. Thin yarn on very small needles, but the lace pattern is easily memorized. The yarn is Beaverslide Light Sport Weight and it's a single ply. It's a bit coarse and has some stuff in it, I think it's straw or sticks or something. But when it's washed, it just blooms beautifully and is soft and a bit fuzzy but not too much to hide the stitch pattern. I love it.




And it's a good thing I finished Reese's sweater. She has officially outgrown all but one sweater that I've made her and Cherry Pie says she needs more. Poor baby has to wear store bought sweaters and my reputation will suffer.

C is for Cakes and Cameras

I've already talked about the beautiful yarn I bought at Rhinebeck and it's finally time to make my sweater. I spent an evening with the first hank hand winding it from my swift. I've gotten pretty good at making center pull balls with two pencils and it's not a bad job. Kind of relaxing. I finished knitting the first ball the other day and decided to wind the second hank. Just as I dragged the swift up from the cellar Mr. Truck said, "Wait!" and disappeared. He came back with a small box and said, "I was going to give you this for your birthday but I think you need it now." Look a ball winder!



He actually went on line and googled yarn ball winders and then compared them and bought me this one. I'm so excited and yet I can't believe he did it. Of course, he has seen me look at them every place I've been. So we made a yarn cake. Mr. Truck turned the winder and I did the swift.




And I can take pictures of them because I got a new camera. The old one was not working very well, it would only take two or three pictures and then turn itself off, very frustrating, and no, new batteries did not help.