Wednesday, April 09, 2008

heels and new projects


Heels, I love 'em. I was just saying to some-one earlier today that I love that point of turning a heel in a sock, when the tube becomes foot shaped, that point at which the sock appears magically from my knitting - today I've got another heel moment, and I've started a new project, but haven't got far. I've had some interesting responses about my mystery object - remember have a guess, leave a comment, and there might be yummy sock yarn coming your way.

So the heel, by now I've worked the heel, and decreased away all the gusset stitches, but the day-light has long gone so there are no updated 'today' photos. We've just ended daylight saving here in New Zealand, so its darker earlier, much darker, I can feel winter approaching, which means more time at home knitting, it feels to dark and cold for walks and gardening and other outdoor activity.

I'm a little amazed at myself for managing to keep track of the rows and the cables, increases and decreases. Its all worked out perfect so far, the right number of stitches just as the pattern says there will be. Oh I did have to fix a few cable twists, frogging back just the cable to correct a misdirected twist, easy once you know how. Easy to mis-direct a cable, and fairly easy to fix if you notice only a few rows on.

And I've finally committed to a new project, Tangled yoke cardigan by Eunny Jang. Only I'm knitting it at a much finer gauge, so I've re worked the numbers and cast on. So far so good, this might be my mindless project at least until the body and the sleeves done and the tangling around the yoke begins. I've not thought to much in detail about the yoke. I notice the yoke cable is not edge to edge on EJ's version - so I'm thinking I can add a repeat or two and space mine similarly.

The yarn is Eli riva supreme, a baby alpaca in a beautiful shade of blue. This yarn had a tendency to spiral when I knit it flat in some swatches last year, so I'll try Tangled yoke, and if I get spiraling, then I can always continue the 2x2 garter rib of the hem up and knit that for the whole cardigan. I've read that mixing knits and purls is a good fix for spiraling yarns. I'm knitting this on 2.5mm needles like my last two cardigan/sweaters, because I like fine gauge knits and because I'm slightly mad.

I'm off to a team building day at work this Friday, we are busing up to the Eden Hore collection, an amazing repository of over 200 1970's award winning garments & Jim Beam decanters. Thats as part of the workshop. Should be fun and terrifying at the same time - I'm not practiced at climbing rock walls with team mates, or falling trustingly blind folded into the arms of others ... .. the whole idea of the 1970's and team building in the same day is terrifying, totally terrifying I tell you. Have I ever told you about the bench my Dad installed in his kitchen a few years back? He was so proud, he bought the 2nd hand kitchen bench top from of a work mate who was replacing his kitchen. The bench top was Formica patterned all over with yellow and orange daisy's. None of us knew quite what to say, except for why... what would you have said? Using the kitchen was like cooking permanently at a summer picnic site. Maybe the 1970's was a time best experienced, but not to look back on?

Stella

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's amazing the difference color can make to a project. I LOVE your Salto socks - they look scrumptious and I am going through my stash to see what I have available for a pair of my own. Yet when I looked at the originals on Knitty, I was completely uninspired. Great job in picking out a wonderful color to highlight these socks.

Angelika said...

I love getting to the heel. That means I'm half way done :) I have the Tangled Yoke on my to do list somewhere too, but lost a little interest. Maybe seeing yours will spark it again.

Knitting Linguist said...

I'm with you about the 70's -- living through it once was definitely enough! As for team-building, I've always found it to be a bit awkward somehow, like summer camp gone badly awry.

But I love the sweater! That pattern really caught my eye when it came out, and it's going to look great in that yarn :)

Diantee said...

Looking forward to seeing how your tangled yoke turns out. I've nearly finished mine not that anyone would know as my blogging has been non-existent. I'm just coming up to the yoke cables after a very tedious bit of stocking stitch. Is that Eki Riva a 4ply equivalent? Love your socks, the cable looks really great.

Anonymous said...

Your socks are coming along nicely!

I really dislike those teambuilding exercises/games with a passion! I attended a workshop recently but fortunately we only had to stand up and write our SWOT observations on the board. Not too bad, thank goodness.