Monday, November 17, 2008

Sweaters, and Socks...

I've started on E's new Griffyndor sweater. It is going to drive me crazy and I don't like the yarn, but I'm trying to get over myself and just knit it. I'm using some of the acrylic yarn I recived from our friends grandma. Yuck to acrylic, but I'm reminding myself that this is for a 6 year old boy who will wear it for one winter and out grow it. Plus doesn't really need it to last that long. I'm trying very hard to make it large enough it can go over another shirt, since last years model was too tight in the arms to be anything but a primary layer. Sigh. I'm still learning this shit though.

It is burgandy and gold, as are the movie colors rather than scarlet and gold, simply because I didn't have any scarlet yarn, well not any I was willing to use, the reds she had were more like Ronald McDonald hair red, than anything I would put in a sweater for my son to wear. (See I'm still picky)

The fabric is really dense because the yarn is a heavy worsted and I'm using size 7 needles, and I do not knit loosely ;) 4.5 sts/inch. I figure that will work since it is going to be an outer sweater to help keep him warm, and it isn't wool which has real insulating properties. (yes I'm still confllicted about knitting this in acrylic why do you ask?) Eh, we'll see, it shouldn't take too long to knit up and then we'll see what we see. He wanted it to be the exact same colors as last year but when i told him I would have to buy the yarn he looked sternly at me and told me, yet again, that I am not allowed to buy yarn while I still have a garage full of yarn. ;) (he takes after his father in many ways)

Socks, what am I doing wrong? I don't think hand knit socks are all that cofortable. I think it is partly because I'm getting the fit all wrong. the last pair I knit E are really too tight to pull on his feet. How to you make the heel so you have extra room to get them over your heel/arch? He has skinny legs so to keep them up they need to be pretty small at the top but then they are a bit too tight to get over his heel. Also I think I'm running into problems because I tend to knit tight and so they don't have much stretch. Hmmm maybe if I knit them in a k1p1 all over pattern (well except for the sole) they would give enough stretch? Anyone have an idea?

Saturday, November 15, 2008

No really I am still knitting.

This is not going to be a post about the baby sweaters or the craft show I didn't go to. Instead this is going to be a post about a really fun quick knit I just did. My son E has a love of cephalopods, yeah I have no idea where it comes from but there it is. I knit him a cuttlefish earlier this year. He loves it. At the time I got that pattern I also bought a squid, octopus, and dumbo octopus pattern. He wanted the squid next and I had him pick out the yarn and I've been promising to make it for months now. Well on Thursday morning I decided this was the day and I started on the arms. I finished all 8 arms and both tentacles by that night. Yesterday I started on the rest and by 6 last night it was done. So I present to you Squid Squid and Cuttie...


As you can see they have become fast friends and both enjoy sleeping with a 6 year old boy. Who knew that nearly alien sea creatures could be so darn cuddly?