random threads

Socks are not all I have underway at present. I cast on for my second Chevron Scarf from Joelle Hoverson’s Last-Minute Knitted Gifts book. Just like my first scarf, I am using Socks That Rock Mediumweight (which I learned yesterday is the original STR weight that was offered). Colors this time are Backstabber (maroon) and Chapman Springs (blue/teal with accents of lemon and maroon).

You’ll also see in the photo I have made my own set of polymer clay decorated knitting needles, similar to what Sue Dial makes and sells at my LYS. I’ve stocked up on various sizes of bamboo straights to make more…I think it makes the knitting even more fun to use such funky needles.

Unfortunately, while this is a quick knit, I have been sock-focused the past five days and haven’t touched this since last week. And I’m casting on for something new in a KAL (hint–check the sidebar) this coming weekend.

And somewhere I need to find time to tidy the house–Mom and Dad are coming for a quick visit the weekend after next.

Next stop in the yarn-buying tour of Michigan, was Rae’s Yarn Boutique also in Lansing. This is not a place to visit if you are claustrophobic, as it is tightly jam-packed into a small space. That photo on the website is about 75% of the entire store, but Rae does have something that few other shops have, SOCKS THAT ROCK. Only in lightweight and heavyweight mind you, but does that matter to the STR aficionado? No. I bought four skeins:

Farmhouse

Alina

Carbon Dating

Watermelon Tourmaline

Plus another skein of Noro Kureyon (#185 I think) for my some-day Lizard Ridge afghan, and some rainbow-stripy Regia Nations:

After all my yarn buying, I had to fortify myself with a tasty lunch at the Soup Spoon Cafe in Lansing–delightful spot where I had Cheddar Aparagus soup and a Tuna Melt sandwich.

Next, I have an outing with yarn and my parents…stay tuned.

I’ve been knitting a lot lately! More than blogging, obviously. I finished the Chevron scarf in a week’s time, and it is 78″ long! I blocked it on the guest bed, by pinning it out and spritzing it with water until wet, and then let it dry. Miss Cleo came to help. During the pinning, she kept trying to eat the glass headed pins, or at least, pull them out with her mouth, so I had to keep yanking the pins away from her. Bad kitty! Above photo is after the blocking when she was performing the final inspection.

As you can see the two ends of the scarf are different, and that bugs me a bit. I pondered if there was a way to make them the same, but concluded that would required a section with no chevrons in the middle, then knitting from the middle to end or else, grafting together two halves, and decided that I should just get over my desire for both ends to have the gentle scallops instead of one end scalloped and the other with pointy tips.

And the prettier (IMHO) scalloped end:

I really liked this pattern, and plan to do more. I’ve already picked out the next color combination…more Socks That Rock medium weight, Backstabber is the maroon/fuschia and Chapman Springs is the Blue/teal/multi color.

With two pairs of socks finished over the weekend, you know I had to be starting something new. Well, at least it is an item on my YIPs list (Yarns-in-Progress)–The Chevron Scarf from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Holverson. Check out the Flickr group for inspiration from all the different colors and yarns from which people are knitting this scarf.

The pattern calls for two shades of Koigu, but like many others, I picked medium-weight Socks That Rock yarn. My colors are Algae (the light greens/blues) and Rare Gems (the dark blue/purple/teal/green). The pattern is easy to memorize, a four-row repeat where you do the decreases and increases on one of the four rows and the others are just knit or purl.

I bought some new needles just for this project–bamboo straights with colorful polymer clay on the ends. Size US 6 was the smallest they had, so I got them even tho’ the pattern called for Size US 5 and I usually have to go down at least one needle size to get gauge. Oh well, this is a scarf…so how important can gauge be? I’m getting 6″ wide instead of the pattern size of 5″. The needles are made by polymer clay artist Sue Dial of Rock Hill SC (just south of where I live in Charlotte NC), and carried by my LYS, Baskets of Yarn. Sue also makes gorgeous shawl pins of polymer clay, and I’m taking a class next Saturday to learn how.

The knitting has been going quickly, so I have about 16 inches (40 cm) finished. I want at least 60″ total, maybe the 78″ the pattern calls for–we’ll see how far the yarn goes…