Excited for Fall!

I was flipping through my newest copy of Travel and Leisure magazine and found this: knit goods! I've been thinking about knitting so much this month, with it being featured in magazines and on Fancy Tiger's Blog- the owners just went on a trip to Iceland-how cool is that?

Now I must go knit something! And all this has me thinking about Christmas...oh boy the work that needs to be done!


Any hand knits on your horizon? I saw that knitinsage is doing a mystery knit along-very cool. And the Yarn Harlot always has something (well, multiple things, really) on the needles. I'm thinking socks and hats myself. I would love to have some nice wool items by winter this year!

Oh and did you see the Fall Getaway cover? I'm really lusting for a vacation right now and that was such a tempting cover. I dropped everything to start browsing the pages for more info. But in the end, the hand knits got me-and they're a little more accessible to me than a trip to the Carribean for a spa getaway (at least so far anyway...one can dream).

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Craft File: Purple Socks

I could've sworn I've blogged about these socks, because I started knitting them forever-ago, but I couldn't find it in the archives! Anyways, sometime soon (hahahaha) these will be my purple socks. You may remember that I made socks for The Boyfriend on Valentine's day of last year...well now I want some. Hopefully they turn out better this time. I'm slowly churning away on them, it's my nighttime knitting project.


Details: yarn is merino sock yarn, don't know much else, but I bought it here, needles size 2.5, aluminium dpns (4), knit in the round using the Yarn Harlot's Basic Sock Recipe from this book.

Tips/Tricks: Try to focus on your tension. I didn't do that when I knit my first pair of socks and the first sock fits perfect but the second sock is HUGE!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Behold!

Here is the sock. I'm so proud...we will see if it ever gets finished.

Rachel May

Proof!

Today, I have two wonderful things to share with you! First up, the socks I made for the boy, modeled by him. You will notice that the sock towards the front of the picture fits like a dream, but the toe is a little funny-that was my first sock. I'm not ashamed, I'm really proud. You will also notice that the sock toward the back is improved in the toe action, however fit's WAY looser.

I knit the second sock extremely fast in order to meet the deadline of Valentine's day, but as it was 3 months after the first sock was knit, apparently I knit looser now. I was SO upset when I noticed this, but the boy assured me that he didn't mind, he really liked his socks (this is why he's a keeper). However, he went on to saying that he didn't want to wear the socks, because he might wear a hole in them. I informed him that he would be in BIG trouble for not wearing the socks after all of the hours I put into them, and that I would try to fix anything that went wrong with them, and knit him new ones if he's really upset about it.

Even though this pair of socks took me eons to complete, I would really like to make more. I do think that sock knitting is addicting. I really want to try it on circs though, because I think that would be faster for me. I would love to have a drawer full of handknit socks one day, that sounds wonderful! However, I should start with a single pair of socks for myself first:)

Also, proof that I have a degree! I got it in the mail the other day and framed it this morning. You see it pictured here on top of all the jobs I've sent my resume in for and haven't got. The most expensive piece of paper I will ever own, this degree. I thought it would seem more...prestigous. Oh well. Oh, and I put it in a frame I already had (yay for free!).

Rachel May

Preparation for Valentine's Day

I got this tea bag idea from Martha Stewart (not directly, she won't talk to me, but from the online database of craftiness). Being low on the funds, I am trying my hardest to use what I've got. I took regular black tea in tea bags, filled it with the boy's favorite loose leaf teas, and repackaged it. I put the entire thing in a paper bag that I made by reusing kraft paper and double stick tape. I tried to make it look like a huge tea bag by adding ribbon and a heart. I'm also REALLY close to being finished with the second sock, so it will definitely be done in time. I can't believe how fast the second one went, after I finished the ribbing it only took two days, but I'm trying to remember how I grafted the toe of the first sock so they match when I do sock two. Now I need to make an AMAZING Valentine card, but I need inspiration.

How will you be celebrating Valentine's Day?

Rachel May

Just Keep Knitting....

I'm making progress. I got to the heel yesterday and now I'm much further, and hope to get all of the plain knitting up to the toe done today, if not tomorrow. I'm really surprised by how fast this is going. I was worried that I wouldn't finish, but I can't believe how fast I got the plain knitting for the leg done. Anyhow, that's all I can post for now...I need to get back to work! Just keep knitting....

Rachel May

Positively Shameful

Okay, time for me to fess up. I've been lazy. REALLY lazy. I was just reading other people's blogs, the panopticon, actually (http://www.the-panopticon.blogspot.com/ check out his book, too...I really want it, knitting humor "It Itches") and Franklin posted a blog about these beautiful socks that he made.
SOCKS. I think I started knitting socks 50 bajillion years ago. They were supposed to be a Christmas gift for the boy, but I only finished one of them-I wrapped it with the other sock in progress and gave him that for Christmas. There's a lovely pic of the boy's cold foot, with only one sock to warm it up! Note: He may have been sleeping when I took that pic.Folks, I STILL haven't finished the second sock. I have photographic proof of my laziness. Oh, and the icing on the cake is that I pulled one of the needles out when I was going to take a picture of the second sock in progress, so I can try to pick up stitches or start over....completely...urg

I feel so guilty! I was going to surprise the boy with the socks when I got back from Montana...I had plenty of time...but nope, I was lazy there too. I had a great excuse at the start of the sock action. It took me a week to knit the sock, and I stayed up late, worked on it for hours straight, took it with me wherever I went, etc. I was in the middle of finishing school, graduating and attending to visiting family, and handmaking Christmas presents, as well as working two jobs.

And I still finished one sock. Now I have no school, no work (still....sad), and I spent all day yesterday playing Sims 2(which was fun, but not productive).

I'm posting this to hold myself accountable. I need to start getting crap done.Lets not even talk about the blue-scarf-of-doom.

Rachel May

On the Go

Today, I'm hanging out with my oldest sister, Jennifer. She's a knitter and a crafty person too. We are going to the Asian Market (if we can find it) in Denver and hitting the town. I hope to get some crochet work done while we commute to our shopping/hanging out places. I will post later and let you know how it goes.

Oh, and last night, I made another pair of armwarmers, smaller ones in one color. They look really cute and they fit like a dream. I will take and post pics for you all soon.

P.S. Somebody got Barack Obama to hold a sock! yay for knitters! (If that doesn't make any sense to you, head over to the Yarn Harlot's blog http://www.yarnharlot.ca/)

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Rachel May