Another one bites the dust! Time to Try Again ...

My last hand towel didn't quite work out as well as I hoped so, I'm trying again with a different cotton.  I had purchased 3 skeins of Berroco Luna (and used about 2.3 skeins) and using my Denise US7 needles, I: 

1. Casted on 51 sts
2. Used the Linen Stitch for 50 rows (ending on a Row 2) 
3. Used the Linen Ridge Stitch for 108 rows (ending on a Row 1)
4. Used the Linen Stitch for 50 rows (ending on a Row 1)
5. Then bound off.

Here's what my finished product looks like:

Now, I hope it works out better than the last one! 😉  If it doesn't work out, at least I have another cotton skein to try out so, I'll be making (at least) one other hand towel for our new bathrooms.  I wonder how many hand towels I'll end up making ... 

I Love Yarn Day 2017

This year on I Love Yarn Day, I finished a pair of socks for myself.  I know - exciting.  Actually, what I really did was spend the day (and remainder of the weekend) reflecting on what I have done (knitting wise - so far), catching up up-dating my blog and my Ravelry projects.  

I realized that I actually didn't do much knitting this year (mostly because we spent a good portion of our year renovating our place during our every spare moments (and weekends)) and as such. we were simply too exhausted to do much else.  So my new goal (never mind trying to obtain my original goal that I had set for this year) was to finish as many small projects as I can for the remainder of the year.  Hopefully, it'll help get my knitting mojo back into high gear so I can try to reach my sweater goal (again) next year (and work on reducing my stash - again).  

Off to knitting I go.  Happy I Love Yarn Day! ❤️

Too Cute For Names Socks (Tabi monogatari v11)

I'm in between projects right now so, I thought I'd work on another pair of short socks for myself. Using my Lana Gatto Sock yarns and my Chiaogoo US0 needles, here's what I did:
   1. I started with a Provisional cast on with a total of 46 sts.
   2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
   3. K 20 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
   4. Started the toes: with 23 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 15 

       sts for remaining toes. 

   5. Big toe:

       §  Row 1:

          §  Front: k, m1, k, m1, k to the 2nd to the last st, m1, k, m1, k for a total of 12 

              sts

          §  Back: k, m1, k, m1, k to the 2nd to the last st, m1, k, m1, k for a total of 12 

              sts

       §  Row 2-15 (14 rows): k

       §  Row 16:

          §  Front: k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 10 sts

          §  Back: k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 10 sts

       §  Row 17: same as row 16 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 8 sts on each 

           side

       §  Row 18-20 (3 rows): k

       §  Row 21: same as row 17 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on 

          each side

       §  Row 22-23 (2 rows): k

       §  Row 24: same as row 21 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each 

          side

       §  Bound off using the Kitchener stitch. 

   The big toe came out to 4.7 cm (1 ⅞ in). 

   6. The rest of the toes: 

       §  Row 1:

          §  Front: k to the end, picking up 3 sts, for a total of 18 sts

          §  Back: picking up 3 sts, k, for a total of 18 sts

       §  Row 2: k

       §  Row 3:

          §  Front: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog (L) / ssk (R) for a total of 17 st

          §  Back: k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k to the end, for a total of 17 sts

       §  Row 4

          §  Front: k, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k to the end for a total of 16 sts

          §  Back: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k for a total of 16 sts

       §  Row 5-8 (4 rows): k

       §  Row 9:

          §  Front: k, k2tog tbl (L) / ssk (R), k to the end, for a total of 15 sts

          §  Back: k to the the last 3 sts, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k for a total of 15 sts

       §  Row 10: k

       §  Row 11:

          §  Front: k, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k to the end, for a total of 14 sts

          §  Back: k to the the last 3 sts, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k for a total of 14 sts

       §  Row 12: k

       §  Row 13-14 (2 rows): same as row 11, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a 

          total of 13 & 12 sts on each side

       §  Row 15-16 (2 rows): k

       §  Row 17: same as row 11, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 11 sts 

           on each side

       §  Row 18-19 (2 rows): k

       §  Row 20: same as row 17, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 10 sts 

          on each side

       §  Row 21: same as row 20, for a total of 9 sts on each side

       §  Row 22: same as row 21, for a total of 8 sts on each side

       §  Row 23-24 (2 rows): k

       §  Row 25: same as row 22, for a total of 7 sts on each side

       §  Row 26: k, k2tog (L) / ssk (R), k, ssk (L) / k2tog (R), k for a total of 5 sts on 

           each side

       §  Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

   The rest of the toe came out to 4.5 cm (1 ¾ in).

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.
   7. Row 21: k to the end then pick up a twisted st from below for 24 sts on one 

       side & 23 sts on the other side 

   8. Row 22: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for 23 sts on each side
   9. Row 23-77 (51/63 rows): k, maintaining 23 sts on each side
Including the initial 20 rows, this came out for a total of 17.5 cm (6 3/4 in)

With the foot done, I started on the heel portion. My friend, D loves using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method so I thought I'd finally give it a try. Since the method is copyrighted, I can't give you much explanation as I normally do so, I'll just note any changes I did.
   10. Row 78: 

       §  Right side: K the "top" portion, adding 2 sts for a total of 25 sts; start the heel 

          on the "bottom" portion

       §  Left side: start the heel as you're already on the "bottom" portion.
   11. Row 79-90: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 7 twin stitch 

         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and 9 regular sts
   This came out to 2.5 cm (1”).
   12. Row 91-105: Continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method to turn the heel 

         until you have a total of 23 sts again. I generally followed the instructions but 

         when I got to the second ts, I found that there was a gap. What I did to rectify 

         this was to simply pick up the ts before it and knit/purl it together.  Then I 
         slipped stitch before finishing the next row.
   13. Row 106 (Left side only): Since the left side ended on a purl side, K to bring 
          you back to the correct side.
    It came out perfectly! :) *yay* :)

Side Note: comparisons between the German Short Row method and Fish Lips Kiss Heel method - which did I like better:
    Now that I've tried this other method, the Fish Lips Kiss Heel is much easier than 

    the German Short Row method because when turning the heel, there's not that 

    many stitches one needs to pick up to close out any gaps; you simply pick up 

    the twin stitch prior to it and voilà! you've instantly closed the gap. Other than 

    that, I could go either way in making and turning the heel. I think what will really 

    make or break the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method is the actual wear - will it hold up 

    to the vigorous wear of being pull on and off and crammed into and out of shoes 
    and so forth.  I think I will try this method on one of Hubby's socks to see how 
    well it will really wear as he's always harder on his socks than I am.

With the heel done, I finished off the leg: 

  13. Row 107: picked up 4 (R)/6 (L) sts on each side, k in the round for a total  
         of 27 sts on each side
  14. Row 108-127/132 (20 (R)/ 25 (L) rows): k in round, maintaining a total of 27 
        sts on each side.
  15. Row 128 (R): k2tog, k to the end for a total of 26 sts on each side

  16. Row 129 (R): K
  17. Row 130 (R): k2tog, k to the end for a total of 25 sts on each  lengside
  18. Row 131 (R): K
  19. Row 132 (R): k2tog, k to the end for a total of 24 sts on each side
  20. Row 133: K (R); k2tog, k to the end for a total 25 sts on each side (L)
  21. Row 134: k2tog, k to the end for a total of 23 sts on each side (R); k (L)
         Row 134-135 (2 rows (L)): K
  22. Row 135-137 (3 rows (R)): k
         Row 136 (L): k2tog, k to the end for a total 25 sts on each side
  23. Row 137 (L): K
  24. Row 138-147 (10 rows (R & L)): K
Total the leg was 10 cm (4 in)

With the leg done, it was time to actually finish off the sock with a short cuff as it was all I had left (*yay* homestretch!):
   15. Row 148-177 (30 rows): complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 8 cm 

         (3 1/8 in) of ribbing 

   16. Bound off using a variation of the Estonian bind off, in which I picked up a 

         stitch from the row below then used the Estonian bind off technique. :)
The total length of the leg and cuff was 16 cm (6 3/16 in).
Look another finished pair! *Yay*! :)

Cornucopia o' Yarn

It's finally Fall:

To celebrate, it was time to remake my hand towel for my bathroom.  So, off I went to Isle Knit to find some cotton yarn on my day off.  Here's what I picked up:

Plymouth Yarn Fantasy Naturale Multi in a Blue

This yarn is suppose to comes out tweedy and 

is the recommended yarn of choice for Sue's own hand towels

and

Cascade Yarns Luna in a Teal

I couldn't help it ... I just loved the colour!  

(And, it didn't help either that it was also 20% off!)

They're both cotton yarns so, I hope they work out better than my initial one.  I plan to use a linen stitch with the Plymouth Yarn and maybe a moss stitch (or a diamond stitch) with the Cascade Yarn.  We'll see what stitch pattern really works out with them!

Also, while I was there, I found this:

Sock Yarn - my Achilles heel

I couldn't help it.  It was the perfect colour combo for Hubby and it was also on sale.  What can I say ... sock yarn truly is my Achilles heel!

Now, I need to stop buying yarn and start finishing up all these new projects!

OMG - It was too cute to resist! Harinezumi (ハリネズミ)!

I'm finally on a 4/10 (four 10 hour days) schedule and have (finally) settled into my new routine.  On my first (real) day off (I've been on this schedule for two (2) months now but have been occupied by other "necessary" tasks until now), I had a chance to visit some of my favorite places in our Downtown area.  I got revisit many places that I had already known about, new places that I heard had moved into the area and even discovered a few new places.  One of those places happens to be a yarn shop, Isle Knit.  It's a tiny little store in an office building that is packed (floor to ceiling) full of yarn! 😍  And, the owner, Sue, is just as sweet as can be.  While I stopped by to have a look see of her stash of yarn, I ran across this:

Hedgehogs!! 😍💖 (in an array of colours!)  Sue makes them for our local Ronald McDonald Charity house for the kids; she says it gives them a little something to hold on to and it provides them a bit of comfort.  I totally fell in love with it and had to make a pair for my girls.  So here's what I ended up getting:

The pattern

The yarn

Poor Sue ...  She had to watch me waffle back and forth on several skeins of yarn in several colours; to make matters worse, she introduced me to more yarn! 😵😱  I finally settled on these two so she could finally close up shop and go home.

I need to finish up on another project before I start this one (and I can't wait to do so)!  More to come! 😃