When life happens...

Hi y'all.
So... No posts for a few days. And it probably will stay that way for a while. Life happened to me. It's quite messy, so I wont go into detail, but I probably wont post very much for a while. At least I got to start on my Pomatomus socks, and they are RAD!
When in trouble, hold tightly on to some yarn. (I will be back)

Your socks are like pools of springs!

And they are done. I will be a good girl after this and keep the recommended gauge. Maybe. The pattern is really pretty though, but I would recommend a yarn for the Spring Pool Socks that defines it a bit more than the rather loosely spun Delight. Really clever heal and gusset as well. When I started I thought it was a bit overly complicated, but it's actually rather brilliant.
For the moment I am so stoked on sock knitting that I want to start another pair right away. Next I will battle the Pomatomus socks .
I also noted that Arga Stickaren posted a new sock pattern, called Crocus . It's only in Swedish
unfortunately, but I will probably knit me a pair, since it seems like a perfect pattern for the leftovers of which you have heard me whining that I have lots of.

First sock down!

The first of my Spring Pool Socks are done. It's really nice but what was that thing about gauge again? I seem to remember something about if you knit a sport weight pattern in a lace weight yarn with smaller needles the outcome will be, well, smaller. This sock are really tight. I almost can't get it on my foot. But that's almost, it still fits in only barely, I will knit another one and think of them as a pair of socks that will not be saggy after some wear and tear.

Some pools of springs.

The pattern is a bit tricky, and a bit easy to get lost in. I would not knit these while chatting with other people of watching something engaging.

Lantern Festival Cowl

Weeeeeeee! It's finished! And it's sooooo cool! My Lantern Festival Cowl is done, and neatly so. I had to invent some rather creative methods for blocking since this baby wanted to be gently stretched out in the round. I made it easy for myself and rolled a couple of towels together, pulled the cowl over them and then pinned the edges. The blocking was very important for the finish in this one...

I use Sandnes Lanette in dark grey as a base color and Zauberball Crazy in Indisch Rosa as a pattern color. From the first yarn I used aprox 1.9 skeins and the second about half so not very much yarn was acquired. It also means I have even more leftovers for the sock challange....

The pattern was very well written, easy to follow and with a great chart. Do not try this if you haven't knitted a fair bit of stranded knitting before though, you really need to be able to keep a even tension through it all. Stretchy yarns probably help. And some blocking.

It got a great fit too. I usually feel most cowls are too big but this one is really snug and cozy. Too bad winter is over, not that it's too warm for this baby yet but it soon will be....

Some general fooling around is needed.

Challange accepted!

Polly Jean matching my new skirt.

Ok! I give in! I can't take it anymore. I will join Dödergöks sockutmaning too. After taking a good long look at my Polly Jean socks and thinking that I want more neat socks like that, and having a pep talk with Ulliganen and Stick å brinn! I am caving in to the temptation....

My goals: I will knit up the leftovers and not so inspiring sock yarns that I have. And make Pomatomus socks since I have been dreaming about them for so long and even have the yarn aimed for them. And maybe a pair of stranded socks in a cool pattern since my Ravelry favorite list is full of them. And I will maybe try to knit a pair of vintage socks, because it sounds like something I would enjoy.
Yeah. That will be all I challange myself to do. A girl has to live as well.

I went for it straight away and cast on a pair of Spring Pools in black-blue-white Drops Delight. I don't really like the yarn, but I'm sure I will like the socks a lot.

A challanger appears

The awesome Dödergök started a sock challenge. Start date: april, finish: september. Goal: To knit socks. As many as you want/need/can. Maybe from yarn you already have at home, maybe not. It's up to you how you want to challenge yourself.
Aaaand I am really tempted. I always need socks, I like knitting socks, I have some yarns that are waiting. But LIFE has taught me that I usually have tons of stuff I want/need/must do and that I should be careful with joining things just because I feel like it at the time without having thought things through. They feeling on wanting to join in on the fun times sometimes overwhelm me. And honestly, there are a lot of things I am currently working on, and other things than socks that I would like to knit.  I know the sock challenge isn't about feeling pressured at all, but I know myself and I would just end up feeling guilty about knitting anything else. And I don't want that. I want my knitting to be completely guilt free.
So I will make the very grown up decision and pass this one. I can knit socks anyway. 

A song about mittens (and kittens)

I laughed my mittens off.

Yarn and Tea!

I have been participation in Stickameras swap called Yarn and Tea 9. Some days ago I sent a yarn to a hopefully happy reciver, and today I got a package of my own! Oh, happy days! Some really yummy alpaca-silk, some bamboo, some sweet smelling teas and a small magazine with patterns.
I'm pretty sure the alpaca-silk will be a pair of halfmittens, but I might have to squeeze it and think for a bit first....

Endless stockinette

I am past the lace part of the Grace Cardigan . Now it's endless rows and rows of stockinette. However, I am so looking forward to this cardigan.