Episode 10: Painting Mud

It's been two weeks since the last podcast, and almost a month since the last blog post, but I'm not dead! I've just been super busy with my new job, which I love, it just takes a lot of time, and I'm not fully adjusted to a working woman's schedule yet. I hope you enjoy the podcast, it's a little shorter than usual, but still jam-packed with goofiness and awesome fun!

There were about five WIPs this week, and no FOs, because I didn't get anything done with my new work schedule. I think that I will eventually be able to craft more as well as work, but I'm just not organized enough to do that just yet. My first WIP is the bright orange Tunisian crochet blanket that I'm making for Project Linus, in two weeks it's almost doubled in size! It's still not very big though, so that may or may not be very impressive.

I also worked quite a bit on my "Hippy Hippy Shawl", but I don't even think that it can be called that pattern anymore, since I've modified it so much. The Hippy Hippy Shawl was basically my starting off point, and I've done it in a different weight yarn, and added a different lace border, so there's really no resemblance to the original pattern anymore. This tends to happen a lot when I try to follow patterns, it's just that, I try, but it usually doesn't end up looking anything like the hypothetical goal.

I also worked on my Chevron Cowl, which is just a tube of chevron that I made up the pattern to, and I'm going to kitchener stitch the ends together and make a cowl that will go well with different shirts that I wear to work on a regular basis.

Then, I got sad because I didn't have a pair of socks on the needles, so I cast on a pair of socks with yarn that I found while I was cleaning out my stash. I have no idea what yarn it is, or where I got it. It's pretty cool looking, and I like how it is knitting up, I just have no clue what yarn it is. I'm working two at a time, toe up on magic loop, US size 1 needles.

Then since I took the fun fur blanket off the needles, because I was worried that Project Linus wouldn't accept it, because it's kind of a nasty thing. I cast on a Corner-to-Corner throw, that's crocheted, and this will be my third blanket of this type that I've made. It goes really fast and is really addicting and fun. 

Finally, I got some spinning done with Malabrigo Nube in the Solis colorway. It's nice and soft and I think it is spinning up very nicely. My LYS just started carrying roving, and I am definitely going to support them!

So that was all my crafting for the past two weeks, and it has been jam packed full of adventure and intrigue. I'll be doing my podcast every two weeks for the foreseeable future, just until I get settled into my new schedule. Thanks for visiting!

Vanilla Socks

Yesterday I finished my purse knitting project that has been in my bag a little over a month. It was from deep stash, so I'm not sure of the yarn brand or name, but it was fingering weight, and it was commercially spun and dyed, and self-striping.

So here are the finished socks.

And I'm going to describe my personal vanilla sock pattern that I use to the best of my ability. I have very wide feet, and have about 8 1/2 size length in my foot. I also have a very high arch, so it is sometimes a bit tricky to get it all to work out and fit on my feet. I also do my socks two at a time toe up on magic loop. 

Step 1: Using Judy's Magic Cast-On I cast on 24 stitches for each toe, meaning that there are 12 stitches on the front and 12 stitches on the back for each toe. 

Step 2: I knit one round, then I increase every other row until I have 36 stitches on either side of each sock, or 72 stitches around on each sock. 

Step 3: I work 2x2 rib on the top of each sock and plain stockinette on the bottom of the foot. This helps the sock stretch to go over the widest part of my foot, and stretch to go over my high arch. I work this until the sock is long enough to hit my ankle when I try on the sock. 

Step 4: I work a short row heel on each sock. This heel just really fits my foot and gives me enough stretch and give to form to my foot. 

Step 5: I work rib on the top and plain stockinette on the back for about an inch, just so the part that is in my shoe is not ribbed on the back, because that is sometimes uncomfortable. 

Step 6: I work 2x2 rib all the way around for the rest of the cuff. I work the cuff long enough so that I can fold the top over the foot and it is long enough that it is as long as the top of the foot of my sock. 

Step 7: I work one row of knit, and then work 1x1 rib for 6 rows, and then bind off using the Jeny's Super Stretchy bind off. 

Step 8: Weave in ends. I don't block my socks, and always use superwash, so I just throw them in the washing machine when I am done with them and have worn them. 

So that is what I do for my vanilla socks, and last year I made about a pair a month, so I was definitely filling up my sock drawer. I love making socks, I am just more in love with the fingering weight hats right now.