more socks -- Spey Valley

Spey Valley start
Originally uploaded by aswiminknits

I have stuff in progress that I should be knitting, and non-knitting stuff I should be doing. (Alumni research paper? What alumni research paper? I don't see an alumni research paper. Do you see an alumni research paper? No alumni research paper here. Move along now, folks).

Instead, I started a new sock. This is the Spey Valley pattern from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush. I've made other socks from this book (Whitby, Friday Harbor) and coveted still more (New England, Traveler's Stocking, Conwy ...).

I had to start a new sock. I'm going to hear the Yarn Harlot speak on Thursday night. What self respecting knitter goes to hear the Harlot without a sock in hand??

The yarn is a roughly sport-weight tweed from Regia. The socks are for my father in law. For Christmas. Excuse me while I go pat myself on the back.

Who else is going to see the Harlot in Burlington?

Back to work.

thank you, all!

To everyone who stopped by and took the college satisfaction survey, thank you! I had 115 comments on the last post, and we had a total of 189 people who completed the survey. We're now done collecting data, so the link in yesterday's post is now dead.

We will most certainly have more data to work with than anyone else in the class! Of course, I kind of had to explain to my classmates how we had so many participants.

Me: See, I have this blog ... I write about knitting. Knitters are really nice people. And when you bribe them with the opportunity to win yarn, they'll come through for you!

Them: Oh ... Um, yeah. Sure.

So, thank you to everyone who helped! I will be spending the rest of the day crunching numbers, and will select a contest winner tonight.

contest, with knitterly prizes!

Have I complained incessantly about mentioned that I have gone back to graduate school?

Right now, I am taking a required course on research methods and analysis. As part of the course, students are asked to design and execute a research study. My group -- we all in the higher education administration program -- is surveying college alumni about student satisfaction with the undergraduate experience.

We have put together a short online survey, and need to find participants. The survey only takes about 6-7 minutes to complete. I'm hoping that many of you would be willing to help. Click here to take the survey!!

As an added incentive, I will be giving away a knitting-related prize to a randomly selected survey-taker. The survey is anonymous. So, if you take it, leave me a comment on this post, and let me know that you completed it (on the honor system, of course!). I'll pick a name at random from everyone who commented.

One catch -- we are surveying graduates of four-year colleges in the United States. So, if you don't have a degree from a four-year college in the US, then you are not eligible for the survey. But, if you leave a comment and tell me that if you had been eligible, you would have taken the survey, then I will include your name in the prize drawing anyways :)

Once I pick a winner, I'll pick a prize that I think the winner would like.

Click here to take the survey!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your help!

studying? what studying?

Back in June, I got some yummy roving from the Sheep Shed, while at NHS&W. It's been calling my name, so I spun some of it up this weekend. This is 2 oz of handdyed Coopworth. I have another 2 oz to spin, and then I'll ply them. I have no idea what I'm doing, but it sure is pretty!

I really should be studying for class instead, but this was such a nice break. Good thing the Fiber Revival takes place during my three week long summer break!

gifties for Liam

One of my buddies from college is having her first baby any day now. So, I whipped up a hat and booties for Liam, the baby, this week.



Project specs:
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino light blue (202) and gray blue (207).
Needles: bamboo DPNs, size 4 and 5
Gauge: 6 sts/in (hat) and slightly smaller for booties
Pattern: my own pattern for the hat, and Ruth's Perfect Baby Booties* for the booties.

My friend liked them, and I now hope that they will still fit when cold weather comes along in the fall!!

* The pattern for the booties had several errors. I like how the finished product looks, but beware of the mistakes if you make this! I tried to contact the person who wrote the pattern, but no reply. Also, the pattern is designed to be knit flat. I did mine in the round where possible.

Update: The pattern has been corrected!

a little help, please?

1) Have you knit a Clapotis? (Who hasn't? Oh wait, I haven't!) I have 500+ yards of Heritage Handpaint yarn, a rayon/silk blend, and I'd like to make a Clapotis with it. I think I need to downsize the pattern a bit. Anyone want to tell me how to do this? I know there are about a gazillion people who've done this, but I haven't quite wrapped my head around the pattern yet. Tips?

2) Sockapalooza: Last time around, my pal totally spoiled me with lots of little extras. I'd like to send a few things off to my pal, but I can't think of too many good ideas. She seems pretty private, and only posts knitting stuff on her blog (nothing too personal), , although she does eat chocolate and drink tea, so that's a start! What kind of little gifties have you received that you've enjoyed?

socks on blockers

A couple of days ago, I blocked my Saucy sockapalooza socks.

This photo shows off the yarn, and the beautiful subtle variegations. The socks look a little slouchy in the photo, but only because I was in a rush to leave the house, and didn't "pose" them very well!

You can see the tops of my new sock blockers in the photo. Here's a full-on shot:


These came as a gift from Becky at Leggy Creations. I nominated my good buddy the Mafia for a prize in a contest on Becky's blog, and she won! But, Becky was so super nice, she mailed us not one, but TWO pairs of sock blockers -- one for the Mafia and one for me. Wow!!

Becky sells beautiful handmade sock blockers. The quality is wonderful -- each has a unique design and is made of smooth, high-quality wood, with a substantial clear protective finish. I threaded some yarn loops through the holes on top, and I hang them up on a shower curtain rod or a door frame, on a plastic hanger with lingerie hooks, in order for the socks to dry. I can't wait to keep using these!

Edited to add: I really want to buy this. But I have so much in the stash and such a limited amount of time. Yes, I know it falls under the "sock yarn" exception to "Knit From Your Stash". But I don't need it, I just waaaant it. And I have other stuff that I need to spend money on ... But it's beautiful, semisolid (I'm really getting away from sock yarns that are multicolored). And handdyed="won't be produced again". Argh!!!

Saucy socks

Saucy socks
Originally uploaded by aswiminknits

My sockapalooza socks are done!
(Click the photo for a bigger version.)

Project specs:
Pattern: Saucy, by Cider Moon
Yarn: Nature's Palette, zinfandel colorway
Needles: Knitpicks DPNs -- size 2 for leg, size 1 for heel and foot
Gauge: 8ish sts/in
Pattern mods: none!
Posted to Ravelry

These were a fun knit, and the first I've ever done with a slipped stitch toe to match the Eye of Partridge heel.

The yarn is tough to take a good photo of -- this is w/o flash, on a pretty overcast afternoon, outside, and the colors still look a little washed out to me.

Perhaps these will be arriving in your mailbox next month?

Sock-a-pal-progress

Saucy sock
Originally uploaded by aswiminknits

I'm knitting a pair of Saucy socks for my Sockapalooza pal. She was pretty open to almost anything, with a request that the socks not be too loud, too lacy, or in faux fair isle yarns.

I picked this yarn for its subtle variegations and machine washability. The color is "zinfandel" and the yarn is Hand Jive from Nature's Palette. I'm really enjoying knitting with it -- soft, not too splitty, and the color is yummy. I've got two socks complete through the gussets, so I'm getting close to the end!

The pattern is a fun one -- just enough lace and a cable every 2 rows so that I don't get bored, but not so complex as to require a chart. The EOP heel flap looks great with the subtle shadings, and the toe looks like it will be a new one for me!

I hope my pal likes these as much as I do :)

meager progress on the fiber stuff, big things in the garden

Little to show here. I was away last week with the kids I coach at their national championship, where we took top-10 finishes in events. Then, I came home and grad school class #2 started up.

Here and there I've done some knitting and some spinning. The big lumpy skein on the top is what I first spun up as singles, and plied recently. This is some mystery wool top, given to me by Teresa. The little skein on the bottom is what was leftover, spun much more evenly.

We've also been doing some gardening. Or, more accurately, moaning about needing to do some gardening. My mom came over and helped us one weekend. She pulled a ton of weeds. I think she missed one, though. See this gigantic thing that is taking over the roses? I think it's a weed. She left it, figuring that anything so large must have been put there intentionally. The fence -- it's six feet tall. The weed (?) must be about 7 feet.

Can anyone recognize this, or should I get in there and rip it out???