Progress

Y'know, I just wrote a whole pile of stuff about how today is garbage day, and how much my dogs love to greet the guys who collect our blue box stuff, but ended up deleting it all.  It was turning into a rant on how much garbage some people throw out, how little we have (compost, dogs eating some leftovers, recycling, etc.) and how our city is changing the way it does things and making us pay for it...

I may still, one day, revisit that topic.  But for now - I'm going to post progress pics for you. This morning I took pictures of all the projects that I am considering "current" - even though one of them has been put on hold...

First up:  the one on hold.  I found a single 50 gram ball of Patons Kroy sock yarn at Michaels one day, and it had been drastically reduce in price as "discontinued".  I bought it, and a companion contrast ball, to make the cuffs, heel, and toe.  I plan to do an afterthought heel... Anyway, I loved the colours on the ball, and I really didn't pay a lot of attention, but it was called "stripes" - and that is what it is.  And much duller knit up than I expected.  But, I'm going to carry on.  I stopped for a bit, to see how much yarn I had left, in case I needed to make fraternal socks (striped cuff, heel, toe on black sock for second one) or if I could continue and make a matching pair.  Then, I discovered that I wanted/needed the needle in this sock for one of the January socks I'm working on.... so, I put the sock on a piece of yarn, and will come back to it later.

The January sock I needed the needle for - the January mystery sock pattern.  Four clues will be released a week apart - and to complete them, I wanted to do them two at a time.  So, here is the progress on clue one (which covers the cuff) - 12 of 21 rows completed.

The picture came out more blue, but really the yarn is turquoise.  Not a solid colour, but a tone-on-tone.

Next, the other January sock - from a featured designer.  I can't remember the name of the designer, dang it, but the socks are Hermione's Everyday Socks.  I've finished the 1X1 rib cuff of the first sock.  This is the one I'm doing on the Lantern Moon needles, one of which broke - the glue seems to be holding, though...and this yarn is also more turquoisey than the picture.

The yarn I'm using for the January theme sock (theme is flora/fauna):

Briggs & Little Durasport in Rosewood.  The pattern I'll have to design, since I couldn't find anything that grabbed me. :)
All the above January socks, as I've mentioned over the last couple days, are from the Ravelry group, Sock Knitters Anonymous.  (hey, I just added my first ever "click on the word" link!!! Wuhoo!! I could never figure that out before, but this new Blogger dashboard made it super easy!!)  Anyway - If you can't find the group, just search me out - I'm Catlady2 at Ravelry - and check out my projects page.

Last year, I joined the Celtic Cape KAL in another Rav. group, and started it, but didn't get very far before it ended up in the UFO pile.  This is how far I got:

I know, not easy to see, but there is a repeat cable pattern, and the strip is supposed to go over the front of your head from collar bone to collar bone - using a tape measure, I need one more partial repeats - which is why I back-burnered it.  Didn't want to reknit on different needles, wasn't sure how to proceed, etc.  So, finally, while prepping for this year's attempts to clear up projects, I just went ahead and put the strip over my head... I am going to do one more full repeat of the pattern.

Progress on the crocheted afghan. 

And, finally, a late start on some socks that I wasn't sure if I was going to make at all - but I kind of wanted to.... I'm in a yahoo group, I think I have a sidebar link to it, called "Six Sox Knitalong" - the premise is you make six pairs of socks in a year, one new pattern every two months.  Now, the months aren't even with the calendar year - that is, the new pattern will be put up on February 1, 2012.  The current patter, called "Woolie Wellies" was posted December 1, 2011... It is done on a heavier weight sock yarn - the recommended is "Big Fabel" from Drops.  I like making the heavier socks - just didn't have any yarn handy, and was toying with the idea of doing or not doing the socks.  The intriguing part is they are toe up socks.  I haven't actually accomplished a pair of toe up socks yet.  I've started a few, but haven't finished.  So, since I now have some leftover Cascade 220 in lime green (again, the pic I'm about to post doesn't do it justice, but I think I managed to come close when I shared the hat and mitts last month), I thought I'd give the pattern a try.  I started them last night, using for the first time, "Judy's Magic Cast On" (knitty.com has the directions).  I followed the directions exactly, and really wish I hadn't - it involves a knot, that is quite prominent... I am not sure if I want to just go ahead with these and hope I can still wear the socks, or if I want to restart... I'm not that far along... Oh, and one toe has a stretched out stitch in one of the stitches from the cast on.  I may just try to fix the toes later.  I really am not wanting, despite the few rows involved, to rip it out.... I do need to get a bit further along, to determine where that knot will fall when the sock toe is on my foot, to determine if it will be a problem or not.  Plus, if I want to finish them before the end of the month, along with the three other pair of socks that I want to do before the end of the month, then I really shouldn't waste too much time deciding...

Today's agenda:  shopping and a bath. :)