Last week I intended to show you the yarns I’m going to swatch and the patterns I’m considering. I even took the photos, but then I cast on for GYC (Garter Yoke Cardigan) and all I’ve done since is knit!

1. Herringbone Rib Socks – first sock is done! I even wove the ends in. Goal: knit at least a few inches of the leg on the second sock. Gratuitous photo of even more herringbone rib:

2. Wisp – same as last week. I really did go out and try to buy buttons. I found some for Wisp, but didn’t find any for GYC. With only half of what I needed and a checkout line 20+ people deep I decided I didn’t need buttons that bad.

3. Garter Stitch Yoke Cardigan (GYC) – making nice progress. This has been quick and enjoyable to knit so far. The only modification I’ve made has been to knit extra rows for length in a few places. The body is almost done. Here’s the poorly lit self-timer shot:

And yes, if you’re wondering – I *did* knit a swatch back in December using the yarn that I am knitting GYC with.

1. Clapotis – frogged. Although I find the pattern a bit annoying to knit, this really got frogged because of the yarn. I don’t think the colors are going to look that great in the end.

2. Herringbone Rib Socks – ripped back to the cuff and re-started. With this pattern 72 stitches around was not adequate for the sock to go over my heel. Normally with Shepherd Sock on a 2.5 mm needle I would get a good fit from this stitch count. So, what I am doing now is 3 panels of herringbone rib down the front/top of the sock and 2×2 ribbing on the back of the leg. This is also helping me stay sane since it has cut the fussiness of the stitch pattern in half.

3. Wisp – still needs buttons. Here’s a photo of it post-blocking.

4. Garter Stitch Yoke Cardigan – my new project! The pattern is by Melissa LaBarre and is available in Knit.1 Mag Fall/Winter 2008. I’m using Valley Yarns Williamstown.

Finished! They turned out really comfy, I didn’t want to take them off after the photo shoot. This is the third time I’ve used this pattern (or some variation of it) with Regia Brasil Color. Probably not the last time either…

Pattern: Gentleman’s Plain Winter Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Regia Brasil Color in denim blues with a bit of green
Needle: 2.5 mm Addi Turbo and Knit Picks circular
Mods: Substituted the French (Classic Round) Heel and Flat Toe rather than what was used in the pattern.

While I was in Washington I received several knitting related gifts. I also had a few moments to browse at my LYS where I selected a few skeins of DK to try out.

On the left are 4 balls of Jojoland Melody in two different colorways. This is a fingering weight wool with lovely color changes. Next up are the two DK weights I chose for the purpose of swatching. Many of the sweater/cardigan patterns I want to knit call for DK, but I’ve never knit with it and didn’t have any in stash. Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool was selected because it’s highly rated by other knitters; Rowan Felted Tweed gets mixed reviews, but is used for a number of patterns I like. With two skeins of each I will knit a gauge swatch and have enough to knit a beret or tam.

This is the pattern I received to go with the Jojoland Melody. I can hardly wait to see how the color changes progress as each spiral is knit!

Kitty Knits is full of fun, kitty inspired knitting projects. I particularly like the Cat Ears Hat and the Felted Catnip Mice are darling. The cover hat is cute too, but I’d use different colors. I’m sure I’ll be showing you more from this book in the future.

Finally, Knit.1 Mag. The pattern that really caught my eye is the Garter Stitch Cardigan. There are at least 4 others that I would knit as well. More from this issue to come…

I skipped over my WIP post last week without much thought for two reasons: I’m busy traveling and I only brought one project with me.

1. Clapotis – Knit 3 pattern repeats during the last week (umm…yeah not last week, but two weeks ago). Still undecided about whether it should stay or go.

2. Herringbone Rib Socks – no progress made last week.

3. Wisp – How could I forget this needs buttons? It’s finished except for the buttons.

4. Simple Socks – brought these along on my trip. The first sock is knit nearly to the start of the toe decreases.

Coming up next week, I have some new yarn to show you and lots of swatching planned.

There were two projects that I finished in December, but did not reveal. They were gifted to my Mom for her birthday and Christmas, and can now be shown here. With this pair of socks I knit 11 pair last year.

Pattern: Lichen Ribbed Sock by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Trekking XXL #126, better known as the Neapolitan colorway
Needles: US 1.5 Addi Turbo Circular and Knit Picks Circular
Mods: I don’t really remember, but I swapped the heel and toe for the ones I like best.

Pattern: Princess Mitts by Jennifer Hagan. Available free here.
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish in color
Needles: US 6 Addi Turbo Circular
Mods: Adjusted the pattern for worsted weight while preserving the neat cable pattern. Cast on 40 stitches. Knit to row 9 of the cable pattern before starting thumb increases due to my gauge with worsted weight yarn. To be honest, I didn’t really use the pattern at all – I just used the cable chart.

When Richard said he would wear a scarf if I knit him one, I jumped at the chance. I couldn’t talk him into modeling it for the blog though…

Pattern: Noro Striped Scarf ala Brooklyn Tweed
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, 3 skeins in colorway 267
Needle: US8 Addi Turbo Circular (because I use circs for everything)
Mods: Cast on 37 stitches, slipped the first stitch of every row. Only used 3 skeins of yarn in a single colorway.

I love the subtle stripes that happen with this colorway. Using all of 3 skeins the scarf turned out to be just over 60 inches long. I knit a coordinating hat using Brooklyntweed’s Turn a Square pattern as my starting point, but I have yet to block it. It looks a bit funky unblocked!

This is the first lacey shawl I’ve knit and the first time I’ve used beads. There’s only one thing about it that isn’t classic lace – it’s fingering weight and not lace weight. Expect to see more lace this year as I’ve joined the Shakespeare in Lace club (sold out, but if you want a hint of what’s to come you can read about it) offered by my friend Anne at Wooly Wonka Fibers.

This shawl is a gift for my Grandma Glenda.

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Navy
Beads: 8/0 Seed Beads, the glass appears to be turquoise and the lining is a shade of periwinkle
Needles: US 6 Addi Turbo Circular, US 8 crochet hook for beads
Mods: Replaced Nupps with beads, knit 19 repeats of the bud lace pattern.

I enjoyed knitting this. The bud lace was getting a bit old toward the end, but it goes so fast in the beginning that you whip through most of it. About the time I was bored with bud lace I bought the beads and that renewed my passion for this project.

My beads were all placed on the purl rows. For each place where a nupp would be gathered up from 5 stitches into one I put a bead instead. Then on the border repeat, I put a line of 5 beads leading to the point.

I am really looking forward to knitting more lace this year!

Admittedly, my goals are more of a guideline that I keep in mind when making choices rather than diehard rules. Copied out of my post from last year with notes added:

Goals from January of 2008

• Catalog my stash on Ravelry – I did this right away and have kept it up to date.
• Finish my UFO’s which may include frogging – Yes! All of these have been finished.
• Knit primarily from my stash, ending the year with less stashed yarn than I have now – Pretty good results. Rough estimates (not taking into account the yardage) I knit up 20 worsted weight skeins, 3 DK skeins, 7 sport weight skeins, and 22 sock weight skeins. On the flip side, I purchased yarn for 2 sweaters, 1 mitten kit, and one shawl that have yet to be knit.

  I’m not counting yarn that was purchased and immediately knit up. There were 5 projects in this category and of those 4 were gifted upon completion. Buying yarn to make someone a gift they’ll love is absolutely worth it.

  What it really comes down to for me, is that I’d still like my stash to be smaller so that when I want to cast on for a new project I’ll buy what I need. Then when I see that new Norah Gaughan design that calls for DK weight I can buy it without guilt and in the color I feel passionate about at that moment.

• Knit primarily from books and patterns I already have – Pretty good results. I added 3 books, 2 booklets, and 1 magazine to my bookshelf. Considering how many new books came out that I was am tempted to buy I don’t think I did too bad.
• Keep learning new things about knitting – I gained confidence in sweater knitting, lace, and complicated charts. I still have many things to learn about lace and sweaters, but I have more confidence in approaching both now. In terms of specific techniques I used several new cast on and bind off methods. There’s probably more that I’m forgetting.

I had planned to set goals for 2009, but honestly I don’t feel like it. I will tell you some of the things I plan to do instead (and it will look something like a list of goals):

• Keep knitting down my stash
• Knit more lace
• Knit more sweaters/cardigans
• Wear my handknits more often

I know, boring post with no photos! I have 3 finished objects I need to show you soon. One needs buttons though – I nearly forgot it needed buttons so it’s reveal may be delayed.

Wow! Isn’t it crazy to look back at the year and remember all the things you’ve knit? The projects I finished last January seem like a very long time ago.

I’ve also been wondering whether I would complete 12 pair of socks this year. With all the sock yarn in my stash I figured a pair a month was a good goal and this has been in the back of my mind even though I never wrote about it on the blog. It didn’t quite happen.

1. Conwy Socks, 2. Thuja Socks, 3. Mini Purse, 4. Booga Bag,
5. Bart’s Socks, 6. 3 AM Cable Hat, 7. Winter Hat, 8. Mini-Sweater,
9. Newfoundland Mitts, 10. Koolhaas Hat, 11. Trekking Socks, 12. Newfoundland Mitts,
13. Vintage Velvet Scarf, 14. Monkey Socks, 15. Mad Color Weave Socks, 16. Wool Peddler’s Shawl,
17. Mad Color Weave 2, 18. Lace Ribbon Scarf, 19. Oak Ribbed Socks,
20. Little Girl’s Bolero, 21. Sunrise Circle, 22. Hourglass Socks, 23. Fishbone Lace Cowl,
24. Karnasta Hat, 25. Dragon Scale Wrap, 26. Bianca’s Jacket, 27. Riverbed Socks,
28. Pink Baby Hat, 29. Blue Baby Hat, 30. Dashing, 31. Wisp, 32. Swallowtail,
33. Noro Striped Scarf

For the year my project totals are:
2 Bags
1 Cowl
4 Hats
1 Ornament (the mini-sweater)
10 pairs of Socks
4 Scarves (is Wisp a shawl or a scarf?)
2 Shawls
2 Adult Sweaters
2 Baby/Child Sweaters
2 Baby Hats
1 pairs of Mittens/Fingerless Mitts
2 projects I have not revealed

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve included a couple of projects where the knitting was finished in 2008 even though the project may still be on the blocking board on this first day of 2009. Oh, and the Noro Striped Scarf is in the sink having a bath right now. Finished/modeled shots of these items coming soon. There are also some items depicted above that were mostly knit in 2007, but that did not get finished until 2008.

I’m still thinking about my knitting goals for 2009. More on that later. Nothing to exciting, just your standard stuff like learning a few new techniques, using stash, and the like.