Finally, Leyburn!

Remember almost a year ago when I finished the first Leyburn sock? I started the second one right away to combat the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome.

Well... it didn't work. But this past weekend I finally completed one of my more pathetic over-a-year WIPs.



Pattern: Leyburn Socks (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight in Carbon Dating
Started: 1/6/09
Finished: 1/18/10

Yes, the Leyburn socks are finally done! The pattern is pretty easy to memorize, easy to knit even while watching TV, and cute. I really liked the yarn...

When I first started it the floats threw me off a bit and I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to try these guys 2 at a time, so I didn't and that was the trouble. I don't know what it is about knitting single socks but I never get them done in anything close to "normal" time. But here they are and I can cross another WIP off the long list. :)

Other than a secret project and a non-sock gift, the best contender for next FO is my Twists and Turns twin socks with MJ. That or the stockinette Mini Mochi sock that lives in my bag for bus knitting.

I'm also making good progress on Blurple Waves - I'm on the 5th ball at the moment and making a goal to knit a full ball of yarn or more each month this year.

I've also been taking a photo every day this year for Project 365 (those are all my pictures there). The theme this week is clutter and that's brought a couple of knitting-related pictures, so I thought I'd share.

Monday night knitting group, with the aforementioned Twists and Turns WIP:



And a bit of the stash:

Peapod

My first FO of the year is not socks. Shocking, I know. There are a few pairs of socks close to being finished, but this little project took precedence.



Pattern: Pea Pod Baby Set (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash
Started: 11/16/09
Finished: 1/10/10

Making this sweater was actually kind of fun, but it reminded me why I like socks so much. First there's the separate pieces all with their own ends. Then there's the blocking... before seaming. And the seaming. And then the blocking after seaming.

Honestly it wasn't so bad, and I did promise Stephania that I would knit this for her baby oh so long ago. Way before November. Way before the baby was even born!

After I got out my big Vogue book and looked up the proper way to seam (wouldn't seam without it!) I ended up very happy with the final product. And I can even seam while watching Deadwood on DVD. :)

Starting the New Year off right!

Yesterday I went out for coffee with some friends, which turned into dinner, which turned into getting up before 7am on a Sunday to take a knitting class with Jared Flood. An unexpected but delightful series of events.

I've been reading Brooklyn Tweed for a long time, mostly because it always has beautiful pictures. Maybe between my new interest in photography and my start at lace today I can emulate them sometime!

I enjoy taking knitting classes, even though most of the time I don't learn a lot. There comes a time when you have tried most things, and after the variety of projects I've made and the number of knitting classes I've taken (and taught) there isn't a lot that's really new to me. But there's almost always *something*. Today it was a variation on the Russian join.

Even if I don't learn much, it's still enjoyable. I like hearing from designers about what their process is, getting a sense of the person behind the patterns, and just getting motivated to start something different than my usual parade of socks.

Today it was Girasole. I've never knit a shawl or large lace project. (I did knit the Horseshoe Lace Scarf for Fiber Gallery, but that's a very simple lace pattern with only one motif over the project and no edging. I've knit lace socks that were more complex than that.

It's not that I don't know how to knit lace, or that I was afraid, it's just that I don't wear shawls. But I've wanted to knit one for a while, even if it just ends up decorating my couch. Maybe I can scrunch it up and wear it as a scarf...



Now I can pretend to be a "real" lace knitter and tell you how hard it is to photograph unblocked lace, although this one is small yet. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Cookie's Deep Dark Secret.

And now it's time for the promise I'll probably regret. I will finish this shawl before the end of the year. Oh yes, my first shawl in 2010... we'll see how it goes.