Knitsense: FO's for January

This is the first Test-Along I did for Larissa and her future Knitalong book which has an anticipated publication date sometime in 2008. This was a very quick to knit and comfortable sock pattern using less than 1 skein of Manos. The socks are slightly fulled which gives the stitches a little extra springiness. I finished the pair in about a day and a half which made them a lot of fun to knit. I even bought another skein to make a pair of (house) socks for the hubby.

Pattern: Socks 101 Test-along

Yarn: Manos 25 Shale
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #10 40" Magic Loop
Notes: Made Women's Large (CO 36 sts) w/less than 1 skein

The Glaistig hat was also a lot of fun to knit. Not only because of all the things I knit, I probably love knitting hats the most. But, this hat was especially enjoyable to knit because I learned two new techniques while doing the Glaistig hat. The first new technique was the Alternate Cable Cast-On. This cast-on works up slowly; but, looks excellent with the K1, P1 ribbed edge of the hat. In addition to learning the new cast-on, this hat was excellent practice for learning how to cable without a cable needle. The instructions, at Grumperina's blog, use a six-stitch cable as the example. The hat uses an eight-stitch cable and two strands of yarn held together throughout; so, it was a little tricky. However, I really feel like I've got it now. It is hard to see the extent of cabling from this photo, and also, I think, because of the variegated yarn, so take a look at the picture at the AntiCraft...it is a really cute hat, modeled here by my niece.

Pattern: Glaistig from the AntiCraft
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted in Ingrid's Blues w/Koigu KPM in Black
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #8, 16" and 40" Magic Loop
Notes: Used Alternate Cable Cast On and Cabling Without a Cable Needle

Here is my second Test-Along pattern done for Larissa's book. We were to knit a 7" square using sock yarn in certain colorways following a specified pattern exactly. I basically ended up having to knit this square (almost) three times before I got it right. But, it is done and I have already mailed it off to Larissa. A few dozen of the squares received will be chosen for inclusion in the book's sample afghan. The others not chosen will be made into additional afghans and donated to Warm Up America. So, either way, as Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Pattern: Square Test-along
Yarn: Socks That Rock Medium Weight color Scottish Highlands
Needles: Addi Turbo circular, size #1(2.5mm) 40" Magic Loop
Notes: Had to go down in needle size (from #2 to #1) to obtain required gauge and square size.

I joined another KAL. It's not as if I don't already have enough projects; but, sometimes it is nice to follow along with others on a small project, where someone else has chosen the pattern. It's the Monthly Dishcloth KAL, which provides a new pattern at the beginning of the month and another one in the middle of the month. Each pattern is given several lines at a time over the course of about a week. And, you don't know what the finished dishcloth will look like until it's done.

Pattern: 2007 January Mid-Month KAL
Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream 100% Cotton
Needles: US #7
Notes: Did cables without cabling needle

Here's the final FO for January. It's Calorimetry from the Winter 2006 issue of Knitty. I completely finished it and bound off only to decide that the yarn I chose is either a little more stretchy or maybe my head is a little smaller than the pattern is geared to. In any case, it was way too big.