Sweaters (and Sock)

I ride the train to work 3 to 4 days a week. Its an hour and 20 minute ride each way, so that provides lots of knitting time. I usually knit about half of the way in the morning and the whole way home (except when I'm roped into playing poker. Which I always win.). Anyway, I really don't mind the train part of the commute - I've made quite a few friends and its a nice way to wind down after work. We actually have a lot of fun. What I don't like is that I dont like is that I don't get home until almost 7pm. My day is spent pretty much at work or getting there and back. Its kind of a drag.

But on to knitting:

First off, I finished a sock I have been working on forever. Its a pretty simple basket weave pattern in a purple and black yarn (Crystal Yarn Panda Wool) that I bought when Molly and I were in Austin last spring. I have yet to cast on for the second sock...

Otherwise, I have been on a sweater mission this winter. I started two sweaters; the first is a cozy sweater knit in bulky wool (I'm using Berocco Peruvian Quick). It is a hybrid between these two patterns. I have the body finished and I just started on the shawl collar. Its really too bulky at this point to take on the train, so it hasn't gotten much knitting time lately.

The second sweater is a top-down raglan sweater I am knitting in some sport weight cotton I have had forever. Its going to be a pretty simple striped sweater/tunic with bell sleeves. I am having a lot of fun with this one because I am using a "sweater calculator" and just making the rest up as I go. I think it will be nice for spring, which is already here in Albqueruque. It has been in the 60's lately :)

Mystery Solved and Decisions Made

Pattern: Mystery Socks by Kirsten Kapur

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM

Needle: US 2

Start: October 7, 2008

Finish: November 11, 2008

I made these socks not knowing what they would look like in the end; they were 'mystery socks'. A designer (Kirsten at Through the Loops) posted a part of the pattern once a week for the month of October. It was a fun project and I tried to keep up with the weekly 'clues', but of course, I got distracted. I always do. They turned out nice - a little fancy for my taste, but it was a fun to watch the pattern appear as I knit along. They will find a good home, I'm sure.

And since I know you all were really worried about my brown dilemma, here's what I came up with (and thanks for the suggestions!): start one project with fun bright colors and start one project in brown.

So, I am making some of those fingerless mitts with the flop-over mitten thing in Noro (like these):

still havethe flop-over part to do

And I am making a vest with one of the browns. I am making up a pattern as I go, so we'll see how it turns out. It will be a zip-up vest; I am aiming for something like this . This is what I've got so far:

You're right, I have been knitting

I've been knitting and not writing about it. Time has just been flying lately... I don't know where October went. Or September for that matter... I don't even remember September. Anyway, I've been doing a little knitting - mostly smallish projects. I made a Koolhas hat for my friend Seth when we met up in Wisconsin for a little adventure a few weeks ago. I used a ball of Cascade 220 that I had leftover from my Tree Jacket and I lined it with fleece so it wouldn't be scratchy. I was happy because Seth really liked it - he wore it the whole weekend and kept showing it to other people. I tend to knit for other people whether they appreciate it or not - and I wasn't sure if he would - but its always a good feeling when people really do appreciate it. I only got one really crappy photo of it, though:

The photos from the beginning of the post are from my trip home. I had an terrific time. I packed a lot in for the short time I was there. And for missing my flight to WI. But we won't talk about that. Anyway, we went to a wedding of one my high school friends and saw lots of other friends there. We took a little camping trip up to Door County, where the weather and the colors were spectacular. And we went to a Packer game and tailgated with some other friends. The Packers won and the UW band played during half-time. It really was a blast! It was a perfect fall getaway... it made me all the more homesick, though :(

I made another hat, this one for myself. Its the Urchin Beret pattern by Ysolda Teague. The yarn (Lumpy Bumpy by Farmhouse Yarns) I picked up here in Albuquerque when I came for my interview. It was 'souviner' yarn because at that point, I wasn't sure if I'd be coming back. I absolutely love the yarn and the pattern suits it perfectly. I've been wearing this hat quite a bit already.

And now I'm working on a pair of socks... it is the Mystery Sock pattern that was part of Socktober fest. Right now I am about 70% finished with them. I wanted to finish them by the end of October for Socktoberfest, but now its November and they're not done... I've only got the feet to do on each sock, so I should have them finished pretty soon.

Hope you all are enjoying the weekend - the weather is lovely here. I hope it is wherever you are too!

Coreopsis

Pattern: Retro Rib

Source: Favorite Socks

Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Fingering, dyed by me with coreopsis flowers

Needle: US 2

Start: July 4, 2008

Finish: August 30, 2008

I LOVE these socks. What can I say? They are perfect - love the color, love the pattern, love the contrasting trim. Love love love.

I'm back...

I had a really great time in Idaho... I worked with three really fun and hard-working guys, spent every day outside in the sun and wind, only got sunburned once, learned to identify all kinds of grasses, and saw a ton of raptors, antelope, groundhogs, and a couple moose. After all the moaning and complaining I did about having to go, it turned out to be a really great month.

Not much time for knitting, though. I knit a few days, but we were working 10 to 13 hour days, so there really wasn't much leisure time. And pretty much all the leisure time I had I spent sleeping. But now that I'm back home, I've had more time for the sticks... I'm working on the fourth version of a baby sweater for my friend's baby. She's having a girl (yay! the first girl of all my friends' babies). I've finally decided on Helena, from the most recent issue of Knitty.

I've pretty much done all of this over the weekend... I've been working on it like crazy so I can send it off before the baby comes. And because I have a ton of other gifts to work on... everyone I know is either getting married or having babies. I really like to give personalized gifts, especially for my close friends, but it is getting to be a lot of work!

I also started a pair of socks, Retro Rib from Favorite Socks. I'm making them with yarn I dyed last summer with coreopsis flowers. Cheryl dyed a bit of the yarn brown for me so that I can have contrasting heels and toes... I think they are going to look really nice.

29!?!

A year ago Molly was in the hospital, my grandpa was sick. I spent my birthday alone, lonely, and worried about my sister. My then-boyfriend brought me a Hardee's biscuit (bacon, egg, and cheese) for breakfast when I told him I wanted to go out for breakfast. (I will never forgive him for that). Life was really, really different and I was a really different person. It's been a long year. But its been a year I wouldn't give up for anything. Among other things, it has been a year of self-discovery, self-analyzation, and self-realization. Realizing that I am a seriously awesome gal (!), that I am 100% capable of being alone (in all senses of the word), that sometimes things don't turn out as I expect, but everything really does end up for the best. I realized how lucky I am to have such thoughtful, caring, loving, special, talented, simply amazing, kindred-spirit friends. And lots of them. Friends I didn't even realize were my friends. For the first time in my life, I feel like I know who I am... I know where I'm going and where I want to go... and I'm happy with where I am right now. Its a pretty incredible feeling. I don't really think there is anything else like it.

So yesterday was a day to celebrate. I moved across the country two weeks ago, but I didn't spend the day alone! I went hiking in the mountains with two of my new co-worker friends. It was beautiful - a gorgeous day, not too hot and not windy at all. There were great views and cactus blooming (check out flickr for more pictures). I hiked 5.5 miles - the longest I have gone in a long time. On the way home, Frazier insisted that I stop at the store to get myself a treat, and of course I didn't really resist, I decided on a six-pack of local brew and a chocolate/hazelnut bar. Little did I know the little man himself went in a got me a treat too, and when we got home he fixed up a wonderful lemon tart with fresh strawberrys and blackberrys. Man, am I lucky to have that dog or what? He's so smart! We were pooped when we got home, so we ate our treats (of course I shared with him) and plopped down on the (new) couch to watched a move and knit and then went to bed exhaused and happy. A pretty darn good day. And I even finished those socks I started last September. We'll call them Jill's longest project ever:

Pattern: Uptown Boot Socks by Jennifer Appleby

Source: Favorite Socks

Yarn: Plymouth Yarns Sockotta

Needles: US 2

Chugging along...

Exactly two weeks until my thesis is due... eek! I actually feel pretty good about it, though. Ask me a week from now... I'm not sure I'll feel the same.

I have been very disciplined lately - working a strict schedule, and making time for knitting, reading, and relaxing for an hour or so before my 9pm bedtime. So, progress is slow but sure. I finished one of my Uptown boot socks. I've barely started on the second one though. I've been spending lots of time on my Brea Bag. I'm almost finished and I'm afraid I'm going to run out of yarn... Its just Lion Brand wool, so I could buy more, but the whole point of making it was to use up that yarn! Oy!

I did these little embroidered hedgehogs a while back with no plan for them. I just thought they were adorable, which they are. The other night I decided to send a package to one of my friends and I figured the little 'hogs would be a prefect patch for this red tote bag I had. My friend Cheryl made the bag while she was teaching a sewing summer camp and gave it to me when Frazier was having his surgery. My friend is kind of going through a crisis and I needed a quick package to send her... I don't think Cheryl will mind that I'm passing on her tote (I hope not, anyway!). I think it turned out really cute!

How many projects can I work on at one time?

I have managed to get some knitting time in over the past few weeks and I even went to knitting club last night! I've got lots of projects in the works, so here's what I've been working on:

Uptown Boot Socks in Plymouth Yarn Sockotta

I started these way back in September, and finally just pulled them back out this week. They are very fast... When I pulled them out on Wednesday I only had the cuff done.

Tree Jacket, in Cascade 220.

Coming along nicely. It use to be a lot longer, but I had to rip it all out because it was too big. I think this will fit better. That stitch marker? Yeah, I accidently dropped a stitch.

Cabled socks, in Kollage Lucious

I don't really like the yarn. Its very splitty, which is annoying, but it also just kind of feels like its going to fall apart. I haven't worked on these since I got back from Austin. Lately, I'm just not interested in having to think when I knit.

Brea Bag in Lion Brand Lion Wool Chunky

I have one side finished and have to do another side and the gussetts. This was really fast, I made this side in a couple days, I think. It was a while ago, though. Again, I'm not really interested in having to think.

Tie-Dye Socks

Tie-Dye Socks

Pattern: Toe-Up Sock Formula from Knitty

Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too Wick, 2 skeins

Needle: US 4

Start: 12/28/07

Finish: 1/13/08

These turned out really cute... the yarn pooled (or chunked, as Molly says) like crazy, but I like how it looks - like it's tie-dyed. The yarn is soy/polypropolene blend (thus the name 'wick') and it is super warm. Good thing the yarn wicks, because my feet are toasty warm whenever I wear these socks (like right now).

These were my first toe-up socks, and boy were they easy. Toe-up socks are so much more straight-forward than top-down socks. And making that toe is kind of magical, too :) With the formula/pattern Knitty provides it is super easy to custom fit your sock for any size foot and yarn in any gauge. Plus, you can knit until you run out of yarn! No leftovers makes me VERY happy, cuz I'm kind of weird about leftovers. When I pay $15 for yarn to make a pair of socks, I want to use up every last bit!

Welcome, Autumn!

I love putting on socks for the first time every fall. And its even better when they are handknit ones! Fall is in the air - even though it is still 85 here in 'bama, the air is a little crisper, and the breeze blows a little more often. It doesn't take much to get me in the mood for fall... it is my favorite season. I took this picture a couple days ago when it was actually cool enough to justify socks, but I have to tell you. The dead leaves? They're from the draught - the tree in my front yard is dying.

I finished up my spring greenie scarf:

Pattern: Midwest Moonlight, but Leigh Radford

Source: Scarf Style

Yarn: Jaeger Monte Cristo, from the thrift store

I like it - the yarn is perfect for the pattern and I love how it feels and how it drapes. But the color? I'm still working on liking it. I have a brown leather jacket that I think it will look really nice with.

To welcome in autumn, I am starting on a fallish pair of socks, and I made venison stew for dinner. It doesn't get more autumn than that. Now, if only it wasn't so hot outside!

'Sconnie

Our trip to Wisconsin was fantastic - we left the 105+ temperatures behind in Huntsville and arrived in Wisconsin to temps in the 70's. That is my kind of weather! Unfortunately, it was a little to cold to do any swimming, but we still spent lots of time near the water - taking the dogs to the beach, lots of fishing, canoeing, and just general lounging by the lake. I thoroughly enjoyed the week. I didn't catch a single fish, despite lots of casting, but Bill caught a musky, a small mouth and two northern pike, so he did fairly well. I think we were all hoping for the BIG FISH, but he just wasn't hungry...

I think my dad liked the socks I made for him for his birthday - they were one of my secret projects. Just a basic K2P2 rib in Trekking XXL yarn.

If you want to see more pictures from our trip, I've uploaded some to my Flickr account.

Go With the Flow

Go With the Flow
Originally uploaded by wickjill

The finished pair of socks for my Sock Pal. I really liked how they turned out, but I'm afraid they will be too small. The pattern says to stretch the material as you measure because the socks stretch so much... so I did that. They fit me perfectly, but my Sock Pal has bigger feet than me. So I am thinking I might have to rip out the toes and make them a little bit longer, which I don't want to do. I feel like these took me forever to make them, mostly because I did other stuff inbetween. Anyhow, I just don't feel like re-doing them! I guess I will see how I feel in a week or so. They don't have to go out until August 2nd.

Rachel, my field assistant, is leaving at the end of July to pursue a Phd at the University of Massachussetts. She is a crocheter-turned-knitter. She knits a lot, but never makes anything for herself... so as a thank you for all of her help over the past two years, I am making her a pair of socks. They are the Cabled Footies from the book One Skein. The first one went super fast (about 3 hours of knitting) because they are made with worsted weight yarn on size 9's. I am using Paton's Classic Merino. I love how the first one turned out - they will be super warm, which will be good because she will be a southern gal in New England and I think she will be COLD in the winter! They will be great as slipper - socks.

summer in the city

So I know this is sort of cheating since Jill made them not me, but look at my new socks!! A little cozy for this heat we've been having but I really love them and Jill sure does know my colors...
I have been super busy with making up classes and working and my summer class and everything, but I just took my last final and all I have to do is hand in a final cpy of a paper and I'll be home free!

I have been working in the experimental petrology lab more and more and I got my own project to work on this summer which is super exciting. It's a little complicated but I'll give you the run-down: I am going to be using this technique (called MISE or modified iterative sandwich experiment) to try and determine the compositions of equilibrium melts at 3 gigapascals. Basically, I take some crushed up synthetic mantle minerals (peridotite) and I take some powder who's composition I guess ("meat" of the sandwich, if you will), and put them in an itty-bitty capsule, put them in layers of graphite, magnesium oxide, barium carbonate, and lots of steel, and crush them with a piston cylinder to 3 GPa and 1449 degrees celcius and see what happens. I see what the composition of the resulting melt is, and do another run with that composition as the meat. And again and again until I get the same melt every time, at which point I've determined the equilibrium melt for that peridotite at 3 Gpa and 1449 Celcius. Pretty cool huh?


Other than that, I've been seeing this guuuuuuuy, Brian. We're actually going to Chicago this weekend for Father's Day because that is where he is from. Then next weekend we're going to Two Rivers. Crazy. The weather has been gorgeous so I've been doing tons of biking and galavanting around the city and it's marvelous. So, now that I won't be so busy expect many many more knitting updates from me.

Some summertime photos: Brian & I hiking, the Superior hiking trail, views of Minneapolis...

Everything Under the Sun Socks

Sockapalooza sock
Originally uploaded by wickjill

I finished my first sock for my sock pal - and I really like how it turned out. At first, I didn't know how the pattern (Go with the Flow from Favorite Socks) and the yarn (Koigu) were going to go together. And I didn't know if I really liked the yarn that much after all. It seemed too pink. But now that I have one knit up, I really like it. All the colors pop for me, especially the yellow. I like that. I'm calling them Everything Under the Sun, because the yarn has every color under the sun in it. My pal has bigger feet than me, so I hope that they fit her. The rib pattern seems to stretch a lot, so I think they will.

Check out the new addition to the puppy family:

We found him on the side of the road, just about to get hit by a log truck. Its so sad how people just dump dogs out here. I don't understand it at all... I mean, look at that face! How could you just dump that on the side of the road?! Anyway, we picked him up, picked the ticks off of him, gave him a bath, and loved him up a bit. He's adorable, and snuggly, and curious, and all the other things cute little puppies should be. I think Matt & Rachel are going to keep him, as long as we don't see any signs around town that someone is looking for him. There aren't any houses near where we found him and since he was on the road, I'm pretty sure someone dumped him there (we put the collar on him). Oh, and by the way, he told us his name is Jed. So we're calling him Jed.

What I've been up to...

Can you tell I like pictures??? The top one is of part of our group from Relay for Life, which we did a few weeks ago with a friend of mine that is a cancer survivor (unfortunately, he's not in the photo). We made those shirts, though... we cut out stencils from cereal box cardboard and then spray painted them. Pretty nice, huh? My big project right now is the boxer shorts you can see in the picture - I'm making mine green... almost done with the first panel. The socks are for Sockapalooza4 - I'm not sure about them... What do you think? My sock pal said she doesn't want anything too girly or lacy. I guess they're pretty girly, although not too lacy. Should I try a different pattern? The yarn in the next picture is dyed with hibisucs flowers I got at the natural food store (for tea) and turned out a kind of purply color. I like it! And the bottom ... summer food - I love it! Veggie pasta salad and rice pudding. I don't know if rice pudding is really a summer food, but I always seem to make it in the summer. Its sooo YUMMY!

...I don't even know where to start, its been so long! I have been done at the coffee shop for a week now (thank God!), but its still been busy around here - the field season has somehow snuck up on me - the birds are here and are getting ready to get busy. So, I've been out in the field a bunch last week to get prepared, not really fun stuff, but it has to get done. That means not much knitting (well, not as much as usual). It rained over the weekend, so no field work, but I got lots done... taxes (finally), cleaning, organizing, and knitting.
I had been on a knitting hiatus last week - however,

I did make these wee sockies for my friend's baby whose first birthday was a week ago.

I've lost all interest in the cardigan that I started... so I've put it aside for a while. Its not turning out the way I was imagening, so its hard to motivate myself to figure out how to shape the sleeves.

I did however manage to work on my skirt a little. The lace is going much quicker on the second side than the first side did. I did this lace in two nights - just a couple hours (...okay, well maybe 4 hours).


Rachel and I have big plans to do some natural dyeing using plants. So I went to the library tonight to see if they had any books on dyeing using plants. Well, let me tell you, ya'll should visit the library. They have an awesome selection of books!!!! Why hadn't I thought of this before? So this is what I came home with:

The book on the bottom is Killer Tea Cosies - very strange book with all sorts of patterns (knit, crochet, and sew) for tea cosies, the next one up is Sensational Knitted Socks, Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, and on top is Wild Color - an awesome book that explains all about plant dyeing and what plants yield what colors under what circumstance, what you can add to the dye baths to change the results, etc. I am really psyched about this - Rachel & I even stopped in Hartselle on our way back from Bankhead today to look in the thrift stores for big pots or kettles to use for our project. I can't wait!

In other exciting news, we are getting trailers to stay in out at Bankhead this year! Could not be happier. One word: air conditioning (I guess thats two words). We are going to be staying out there this weekend, and I can't wait for the laid-back feeling of being out in the woods for a week at a time. I should be able to get lots done...

And Jamie, we need a update on whats going on with you. I know you're busy, but your brother proves to be a dearth of information when it comes to your big move... fill us in!