March FOs - Happy April Fools!

I have a few finished objects for March. I wasn't a knitting fool - but I did knit.

I have to admit that I didn't knit on Boop's blanket very much this month so I need to pick it up again. I have picked it up a few times in the evenings while watching TV - so it isn't a total loss. I need to realize that this blanket may not be finished for a looooooong time.

Well - here are a few of the FOs.

I finished the Mock Cable socks at the beginning of the month.
I used an old mock cable pattern for dishcloths and adapted it to socks. I am very happy with the results and will probably try adapting more stitch patterns to other uses now.

I was so excited about finishing the socks that I worked and ended the toe too soon.

So I gave these socks to Betty Boop. They fit her beautifully and she is excited to have a pair of hand knit socks. The yarn is Sockotta and it was a gift from a dear friend, Liz.


Here is a closeup picture of the stitch pattern.

They were done 2 socks on 2 circs from the inside and outside of the same ball. I had never knit socks that way and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was. Knitting off the same ball wasn't a big problem like I thought it would be. Every once in a while I would make sure my yarn wasn't all twisted around itself.

I know that if I could have remembered to turn a different direction each time I turned my socks - it would have never twisted up - but I am a clockwise turner. I always seem to turn my work clockwise and never counter-clockwise.

I knit socks a lot on Magic Loop and the 2 Circs wasn't that big a change for me. I didn't like having all those needle ends hanging down though. So I would take the two needle ends that I wasn't working with and put them out of the way. At first I was sticking them in the sock fabric - but I was afraid that would pull the socks or snag them in some way. So I took the twisty needle holders that I have and would put the ends of the needles through them like this:



It kept them out of my way and I knew exactly which needles to use at what time.


I have started to do some charity knitting. I began with the easiest of knits - the baby hat.



I love stockingnette stitch (in the round) and it was mindless and soothing. I can do these when I am on the phone or at meetups or where ever. They don't take any time or yarn to knit up - so you can use odd ends and minimal time. My knitting guild (Bluebonnet Guild of North Texas) knits these for the premies at the local hospital. Since I am VP this year - I thought I better set a good example. I am so glad I am knitting them. They are fun.

I have also finished Oceanside - My so Called Scarf.



It is really "My So-Called Scarf", but I am going to make it in several colorways so I am naming them appropriately. I saw this scarf last Fall in the local yarn store (Simpatico) and I got the pattern, but I didn't get any yarn. Then when I was traveling in New York last year, I found the perfect yarn for it. (Manos del Uruguay) It was expensive, but perfect - so I bought the yarn and went to the next NY yarn store on my list and found ANOTHER perfect yarn for it. So- not to be discriminating - I bought it too. When I got laid off, I couldn't knit with some of the yarns that reminded me of my old job and old travels, so that project was put by the wayside. Then a lot of the girls in my local knitting group starting knitting the pattern. Well, I was reminded of how pretty it was and realized that I still wanted to knit that scarf - so I cast on! It is a quick knit and fun to do! I learned a lot from this project - because it isn't easy to rip out if you make a mistake. It is a pretty stitch though.




I will make the 2nd scarf soon, it will be called the "Flora/Fauna SoCalled Scarf". Out of this other perfect (Manos del Uruguay) yarn.


There is a third yarn that I MAY use for this pattern, but after I make two of them - I will probably opt for a new stitch.


I learned that I need to have more than one thing on my needles (and that doesn't count Betty Boop's blanket). When I finished the scarf, I was at a loss.

I have been trying to only have one or two projects on the needles, but I need at least two started at a time because starting is the most difficult part for me!! I know - I was surprised too.

But I will make bags up with the yarn and needles and the pattern and I will NOT pick them up and start them. Casting on is a big deal for me. I know a lot of girls who can cast on at meet ups and I have a VERY hard time doing that. I need to concentrate and devote myself completely to the project for the first two rows or so. Then I can look up and be with the world around me. I don't know if it is the commitment or what, but it is something that I JUST discovered about myself.

If I finish a project and still want to knit - I have a problem!! I wander around looking at my yarn and thinking "I just can't devote myself to that right now". But if I have another project already started, then I can pick it up and am happy to do it.

I think I may have solved my problem, I cast on a pair of socks before I finished Oceanside, and I loved picking those up. While I am knitting on them, I have also thought of three other projects. I have put the bags together for them and I will start one today - WHILE I DON'T FEEL PRESSURED TO COMMIT TO IT. As long as I have SOMETHING to knit (and again, not counting Boop's blanket), I will be ok.

When I find I am about to finish a project, I will stop and cast on another one.

I still don't want to have LOTS of projects on the needles, and this will help prevent that.

I wonder if anyone else has this problem?

Answers to Previous questions:

No, I do not have an Etsy store, I think there are enough out there with people who are far more talented at dyeing.

Yes, I love dyeing yarn and knitting it up - I have started buying my yarn 'Nekked' as my friend, Tasha, puts it and dyeing my own.

I use all food grade dyes (so far) because I want to be able to dye in my kitchen. But I do hear the dark side calling me...