Show and Tell

I’m a bit embarrassed to show you my WIPs this week because I started two new projects. I wouldn’t have started them if I hadn’t realized last weekend that I had only a couple of weeks to make my father socks for Father’s Day and a friend and his wife are having a baby that is due July 3rd and I needed to get that project going.

I wanted to make a sweater with the Koigu mill ends I got at Rosie’s before we boarded the bus to MD S&W. I loved the colors in the hanks, but when I wound them up it didn’t work. I even knit it a little bit and it really didn’t blend that well. I’m sure I’ll find a use for those mill ends.

I wanted to make a cardigan for the new little girl and found a pattern I like in Stitch n Bitch Nation, Baby’s First Tattoo. I’m not going to put the designs on it, but I liked the shape and the fact that you snap the front up instead of dealing with buttons. I picked out some Baby Boo by Numma Numma (color Strawberry, Bananna, Kiwi) and started over. So far I’m happy with it. I’m following the six month size since I don’t think that baby will need a sweater till the fall and winter anyway.

I bet Bezzie and Jen are wondering what happened to the Baby Kimono I was going to make in the Tess Ribbon I bought. I’m wondering the same thing too. As I thought about it, the pattern and ribbon weren’t right for the parents. It seemed too fussy. A sturdy wool cardigan seemed right to me.

So there’s that.

Then there’s the other project on a deadline. If you remember last year I was knitting forever on my Dad’s socks. This year I knew if I didn’t at least try to knit the two socks at the same time I’d never make the deadline.

I really had a hard time trying to figure out how to cast on. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it. I wasted a week trying it out and being frustrated and ignoring the yarn pointedly. Then on Saturday I went to Jen’s, and since she always helps me figure things out, I brought yarn and circs with me. True to form, she led me to a cast on victory and I’ve got about an inch or so knitted on his socks. I’ll be working on them pretty exclusively till they’re done.*

I’m going to go with ankle socks again, since that’s what my folk’s wear 70% of the year, but I want the cuff part to be a little longer. So the cuff will be 2” and then I’ll be whipping through the heel and gussets and the 11 inches of foot. Sheesh.

You lookin' for to use more stringies?!?!?!?!?! Lemme help. I attack them. More is good!**

The Lace Ribbon scarf is longer. The Cammo afghan and Haps 2 haven’t been touched since last week. So everything else is pretty much the same. I should have been working on my Bombshell tank top because it’s the perfect weather to wear it, but all I did was pull it out of the bag in the closet. Sad isn’t it?

*Check out the advanced photo shoot technique using the crossed leg as a background for the knitting. Egads!
** Thanks Amy for giving me the thumbs up on the knitty.com image in this photo.