Socking along

Almost to the toe of the first Hogwarts sock. It's going to be blue and yellow, only. The Ravenclaw colours are blue and bronze but this is as close as I could get, and have already invested quite a bit (of time, effort and $$) in these socks. After faffing about with different patterns last week I finally settled on the simplest possible pattern that is not just stockinette: the body of the sock is k3 p1 around, with the purl stitch moving one ahead each row to have sort of a spiral effect. You'll just have to imagine how lovely it as, as my camera is all out of batteries.

Went to see "Miss Pettigrew lives for a day" at the weekend, on a rare date night with DH. It was very sweet, set in 1938/39 before all hell broke loose in London.

Off to West Virginia again, to do some training. This probably means there will be some sort of weather emergency in the next two days in the Washington DC metro area. You have been warned...

It's not looking good...

I've knit and ripped the Hogwarts sock three times now. I just can't decide on a pattern. The multi-coloured diamonds - forget it - far too many strings to keep a hold of.

Then I decided to do a lace pattern a la purple cardi. Nope - too fiddly on dpns and also too mistake-prone.

Here's where I was at 11 PM last night -

Back to just the cuff. Oh dear.

Yesterday wasn't all bad. I had an hout to kill in the morning so I stopped at Panera for a coffee and some ultimately-ripped knitting. I asked about the Irish soda bread advertised on the door. Not for sale, I was told, but as they were test baking they could give me some. Oh, OK then. I expected a little slice but got...a whole loaf! I couldn't tuck into it there and then, so I bought it to work. Here it is 20 minutes later. My co-workers helped! It was wonderful, sweet but slightly salty. Usually eaten with butter (not I-can't-believe-it's-not-butter, not Flora, BUTTER). But this didn't even need it.

So that's one of the great thing about St. Patrick's day. Yummy baked goods.

What's not so good about St. Patrick's Day -

Apparently St. Patrick was the Patron Saint of cheesy green crap for alcoholics...

And for the Jamie fans:

Another Monday

Purple cardi officially half done!
OK well the pieces are half done - still have both sleeves and one front to go. And the button band, blocking, and sewing... Once I finished the first front I put the purple aside and started on the Hogwarts Socks. I got some knitting graph paper and graphed out a simple diamond-within-diamond pattern, using my 3-shades-of-brown=bronze idea.
Silky tan colour for the cuff - CO 64, 24 rows. Started on size 2 dpns and transferred when enough rows were done so that it was stretchy enough. Then I introduced the other colours to the mix. This is when things got tricky.

I guess I'll try this a little longer, at least see if I can get one diamond done and then reassess - what you can't see is the approx. 30 strands of yarn tucked into my wee sockling there. And these 4-5 coloured rows took longer than the preceding ribbed 24....let's see how it progresses tonight.

On writing news - for the Knitting Poetry competition I have so far managed one fairly lame haiku. It's so difficult when you are restricted to just their words - the word to isn't even there...

And I'm not one of the Amazon.com breakthrough novel award winners :( I guess that would have been a lot to ask. But hey - it's an honour just to be nominated right?!?

Ravenclaw socks

OK - need to get cracking on these socks. Other Hogwarts swap folks have their boxes ready to send - eek. I went to the yarn store yesterday (they now know my name - probably a sign I've been there too much lately). Here's what I've got to work with:I think I'll make the main colour blue, with some kind of pattern - yet to be created - made out of the other colours, collectively imparting a bronze pattern - maybe some 3-d effect cubes? Hmm must go dig out some graphing paper...any good pattern suggestions are welcome!

Wooly pully - modeled!

Finished the helmet liner yesterday - I was worried about the gauge but I think it'll work:
Good for both 3 year olds-
and 39-year olds!
Ready to go.