Socks x 3

My second, third and fourth pairs of hand-knit socks.  (Here's my first.)  Each is an improvement on the previous (and also a little bit taller).  I just finished the yellow pair and they are totally my favorites - the little cables make for such a perfectly snug fit.

2nd) Autumn colored yarn:  Madelinetosh - Magnolia Leaf
Pattern: From "Knitting Vintage Socks" by Nancy Bush

3rd) Grey-blue yarn:  Regia - Stable
Pattern: Garter-rib socks from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

4th) Yellow yarn: Cascade Heritage - Mustard
Pattern: Combined baby rib stitch pattern with "How I Make My Socks" by Susan B. Anderson

Sydänmaa Mittens

More knitting!  I made a pair of mittens, my first, and I really really like them.  I used this free pattern and Drops Nepal yarn.  These were pretty quick and easy to knit and they fit my hands perfectly.  The only change I made to the pattern was casting on 4 less stitches for an extra snug cuff.  I just added them back in before the cable part began.  Wearing these I think I can put up with (a little) more snow.

Diode Hat

Here's a hat I've probably already worn more than any other I've knit for myself so far. I love the snug/warm doubled brim and tiny bobbles. The pattern is Diode by Erica Knits and I used Drops Alpaca. Thinner yarn and a lot of ribbing made it not the quickest hat to knit, but it was way worth it.

sawtooth hat

i think it's a rule, i have to knit at least one new hat for myself each winter...  this pattern is from this book which i found at our local library (a signed copy!). i hadn't really done much colorwork before and it's been a while, so i had to unravel a couple of times until my tension seemed right. overall this was definitely quick and easy to knit.  i used this mustard yarn and this grey yarn. i really like how snug the ribbing is and although the pattern did not call for a pompom…  well, how could i resist? anyway, it's a very warm hat with all those floats inside!

rainbow wrists

i'm happy to report that i finished these fingerless mitts that i started two years ago.  actually, i didn't work on them at all last winter and when i pulled them out recently i found that there was only about an inch left to knit on the second thumb.  oh, dear.

most of the knitting is a distant memory, but i do know that i used this purl bee pattern as a starting point, re-calculating things since my yarn was a bit thicker (i cast on 38 instead of 60 sts).  i added the picot edging for pizazz, but i also like how it snugs up all the openings, keeping out drafts and such.

i wore these a couple times before shooting photos, so if  you spy any fuzziness about the palms, blame the powdered-sugar-covered-fritter i ate at the apple festival.  it was too cold to take these things off.

mossy hat

a consolation for the lingering winter weather is that i've been able to wear my cozy new hat for the past week...  i used this easy pattern with this super-soft yarn.  it ended up being a great fit with just a little slouch.  i really like how the seed stitch pattern looks in slightly variegated yarn, not to mention the pom pom.  

and here i am in my new hat exploring an ice portal (polaroid taken by david):

(a few more details on ravelry).

peach cable cowl

i finished a knitting project and there's still snow on the ground!  (remember the photo in this post of when i had just begun).  this cable pattern was fun and easy to knit with a super-soft wool/nylon blend that's been rolling around here for a while.  i really like the woven texture with this squishy, spongy yarn... 

i thought i'd include my cable pattern here (which i adapted from a tighter/smaller woven cable pattern from this book):

i used size 10 (6mm) needles & a little over 2 skeins of a bulky 12 ply yarn (called bellezza canditi, made for joann's, which has been discontinued).

special abbreviations:

C6F or C6B (cable 6 front or cable 6 back):  slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold at front (or back) of work, knit next 3 sts from left-hand needle, then knit sts from cable needle.

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Cast on a multiple of 6 sts (I cast on 60 sts to make my cowl end up almost 9 inches wide)

1st Row (right side): Knit

2nd Row: Purl

3rd Row:  *C6F; repeat from * to end

4th Row:  Purl

5th Row:  Knit

6th Row: Purl

7th Row:  K3 *C6B; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3

8th Row:  Purl

Repeat these 8 rows until you've reached your desired length.  i knit until my work measured about 30 inches then bound off.  my cast off end was pretty wavy, so i decided to overlap and hand-stitch the ends together, since i knew i'd be pulling it over my head anyway.  to make it a little wider at the bottom, i overlapped the ends at the top about 3 1/2" and the bottom only 1/2".  i attached these vintage marble-like buttons through both layers to hold the outer end in place (and to look pretty).



and a view of the inside...  you can see the wavy end, carefully bunched up, overlapped and stitched in place:



here's a polaroid of my cable cowl keeping out the chill.  it works!

outside and in

best bits from these snowy days...

the view from our dining room window and a bright stop on our snowy walk (before it got super-cold).



back inside i take a break to knit a row while david does a puzzle challenge: