Dishcloth Square Blocks

Meet Dishcloth Square Blocks. Or at least, that's what I'm calling him. He's #2 in what seems to be a weekly series of dishcloth patterns, being designed by Anne. He's done in Lion Cotton Red, with #7 straight needles, in my very Continental method. You can find the pattern here, but be sure to note the contest rules for both cloths.



And don't worry. He's not going to live on the tree. The Knight has already claimed him as his own, and I suspect that before the sun sets, DSB will have been called into action.



I was impressed with the Lion Cotton. It was soft! I'll have to see if I can't find some more, since I don't recall where I picked up this ball, but I do remember that it was the only color they offered...



Now, what next?? You're not going to get to see Amanda's socks while she's on vacation. That just doesn't feel right. If she was here to taunt - er, make that see them herself - that might be different, but since she's out in the middle of the ocean enjoying some alone time with her beloved, I think the socks will just quietly head north on Monday, and you can pop over to her blog for a shot of the finished pair. I *NEED* to start on my Sock it to Me pal's socks, but her yarn won't be here until next week. I am going to send my pal a little package next week too, but the socks obviously won't be included. I guess that forces me to figure out what I'm going to knit for my tea swap pal, huh?

Beauty is Needles

I hope you're able to see this photo well enough. If not, proceed to Knitpicks site NOW.

Stop reading. Seriously.

Back? Cool. You know I'm a very loyal metal needle gal, but COME ON! How can you not rush to try these little works of art? I've ordered the 2.25mms, and folks, that means my Tofutsies are getting set aside until these arrive - maybe. The points look nice and sharp, and if I like the wee ones, you'll be the first to know, and I'll start trying the Options sizes too. (And ordering more wee little sock sizes in the fixed circs.) I also ordered the yarn for my Sock it to Me pal's socks. That'll teach the Knight to leave me alone on a Friday night.

Boxes First

I stop for boxes containing yarn. Who cares about planes, suitcases or other little details? I got to leave with the joy of new yarn in my heart (but without a hairbrush, not that it counts, because I figured it out in time to stop and buy one en route to the airport), and I arrived home to find more of the same (both yarn and hairbrushes, but the hairbrushes weren't new). As the Knight was trying to get me to the door so he could get me to the airport Tuesday evening, I was admiring the Vesper Sock Yarn that had just arrived. On the left is Meteor, which is a lovely brown/red/turquoise colorway. On the right is Crew, which is just assorted greens and white. The picture hardly does the yarn justice. I've often admired the Vesper colorways, and now I have two to call my own!


When I got home Thursday night, there was another box waiting for me from Knitpicks. There was another pair of 16-inch circs, as I've decided I like that length best for my sockies, and finally, at long last, there was some CotLin to try. (Center, in Moroccan Red.) It feels softer than the other cotton-linen blend I tried, so I'll give it a whirl. My mother inlaw selected some of the Felici self-striping in Hummingbird (on the left), as she was honest enough to admit that she won't be bothered to hand wash hand-knitted socks. I couldn't help but order some of the Firefighter colorway in the same yarn. I don't know whether I'll make them for the Knight or for me, but I want to come up with a little Maltese Cross pattern for them. (No, I still haven't unpacked. I packed light, so there's nothing but dirty clothes and the books from my workshops in there, and the two cookbooks I purchased, but they aren't touching my soiled laundry. However, the yarn has been fondled and blogged, so don't question my priorities!)

Since I don't think Knitpicks does a great job of displaying their colorways, here's a closeup of the Hummingbird. We really lucked out here! My mother inlaw will love it, and I'm looking forward to casting on for her wee little socks. She wears a ladies size 5 (US), so it won't take long at all to whip out some simple socks for her. I will say that the colors aren't quite as bright/neon-ish as my photo shows, but it's a heck of a lot more than you'll see on the company's site, so I hope it helps. Her birthday isn't until November, so I doubt you'll see these socks much before early November.



Likewise with the Firefighter. There's nothing close to the whitish pale gray I captured with my sub-par photography skills. There's a rather solid, true light gray, a dark gray, and some not quite fire engine red in this one. Heaven only knows when I'll cast on with this, because unless there's a pattern I've not been able to Google, I'm going to have to swallow hard, take a deep breath and venture into the land of writing my own pattern on this one. I don't want anything too lacy or patterned, but I do want a Maltese Cross or two on there somewhere, maybe dead center of the front of the leg, between two twists or something?



In other knitting news, Amanda's second sock is into its toe decreases. Then - of course! - I'll whip out Anne's second, "manly" pattern, and then, with whatever is left of a rather busy weekend, I'll tackle the elusive heel of the toe-up Tofutsie. I also need to finalize my plans for my Sock it to Me pal's sock pattern and yarn selections, because that will be my project for next week, and likely, the week after that. I haven't forgotten about my Tea Swap pal either, so that's the NEXT item in the assembly line. My felted bag pal has a pattern, and I need to make yarn selections there too, but since she reads my blog, that's about all you'll hear on that project. I also need to get started on the Knight's blankie when he's not around, but again, SitM and the Tea projects come first! Once those are safely behind me, I can start holiday knitting.

Contests Galore

Nashville? Yeah, I saw the hotel, the neon lights of their Broadway from my hotel room window, and that's about it. But more on that later. Right now, there are contests to enter and then I'm headed back to bed for a little more sleep.

TeaTime Ramblings is having a contest, and if you like tea, you'll adore her header art. I'm now thinking I need to learn graphic art AND get more technical with my blog!

Grace is having a blogiversary and a contest you don't want to miss. Tell her Anne and I sent you, because my brain cells weren't firing and I failed to mention that awesome Anne sent me.

Last, but hardly least, Anne whose name will have to soon be The Bag Lady Who Writes Dishcloth Patterns, has released her second pattern and has added that to her contest. Make sure you get both patterns. The first one was a lot of fun to knit and I'm sure this one will be too!

Unheeled

I don't think it's a coincidence that I often type a mildly naughty word instead of heel. My friendship with Devon was born of my first failed heel, and now Jessi is trying to help with the first toe-up short row heel, which after chatting with the pattern writer, I fear is a bigger mess than I thought. (Are the pictures any help at all? Can anyone see what I've done wrong!?)

However, the pretty little sock will have until Friday or Saturday to be heeled (that's for you, Anne!), as when I head home this afternoon, I'll have to finish packing and head to the airport. Cookbook University, here I come! I'm very sorry I won't get to see any of Nashville while I'm there. It's been over a decade since I've had time to putz around that city.

Oh - and someone remind me on Friday to submit my Short Story first line for the contest, okay?

Tofutsie Up!

I can now add Magic Cast-on and Toe Up socks to my resume. Sure, I'm a long way from complete, but there's a little toe and foot for ya. I don't know why all the photos of this August limited edition Tofutsies makes it look all sage and pink, because the toe is much more accurate; it looks like a hodge-podge of summer colors with yellow, orange, a Caribbean blue, and a little black for contrast I guess. The photo of the yarn is much more accurate. It took some dry runs, but I got the hang of the Magic Cast-on soon enough, and my M1s up the toe turned out better than I could have hoped. I think I might like toe-up better, but we'll wait and see how the heel goes first.

See the little divot/dimple/crimp on the needle to the left front? That's what will keep me from using these Susan Bates Quicksilver circs again. The point is fine, the surface is fine, but that dimpled join is a bear, as is the odd, gentle bend in the needle just above the join. I've also decided that I really prefer the 16" length for socks, so I'll be ordering more Knitpicks when I get a chance. Right now, I need to head to the fire house for dinner and a membership committee meeting. I'm taking my sock with me. Summer Daze, an exclusive pattern available only with the limited edition colorway, was easy to memorize, so I won't need to bring the paper along.

Anyone else getting some long weekend knitting done? I'll work on the laundry when I get home...

Anne's First Pattern

Anne has designed her first pattern, and she's having a contest! Here's my cloth, or rather, the cloth I knitted from the pattern. The Knight has already claimed it as his own, quite pleased that Anne made it large enough for a man-sized washcloth. I don't know what the colorway is, but the remainder of the Sugar & Cream ball will be used to make baby booties! If you want the pattern and/or you want to enter the contest, head over and get the pattern, and then post a photo of your finished cloth. There are other instructions, but you'll see 'em on Anne's blog. It was a quick, fun pattern!

The details: Yarn - Sugar 'n Cream. Needles - #7 straights. Method: Continental, all the way.





Also, does a single finished sock constitute a finished object? I'm just curious, because technically, the socks are a pair... At any rate, the first of Amanda's socks is complete. It's a cute little pattern, and it also knits up very quickly. I'm so glad she offered to take in the little fella', saving it from an uncertain future.

My first efforts at two socks on two circs died before the first round was complete. I'm just not coordinated enough for that challenge right now. I'm casting on with Tofutsies for the Summer Daze toe-up pattern, just because it is a little different. The fun, quick little pinky will be my travel project next week, and if it is anything like my trip to Chicago, I'll have it done before I get home. This time, I fly out of my local airport with a friend, but I fly home alone, so delays will mean I have no one to talk to and plenty of time to knit.

Back to socks now!