Mit in progress

Anemois, originally uploaded by Inca knits.

.. slowly so though..
Here it is - my Anemoi in progress! I knit a bit further than shown here. Just transferred the thumb stitches to waste yarn. I am slowly getting better at getting the tension right - though where it was probably too loose before it is almost too tight now.. difficult balance.
I still do it with yarn in both hands. I see it could probably speed up the process if I was less stubborn and transferred both strands of yarn to my left hand, but I really do enjoy alternating between the left hand pick and the right hand wrap.. And since it is also about the process I think I will stick with the double handed way of doing it for now..

(S)Mitten

Ok - I admit it. I am easily distracted and easily seduced.. (when it comes to knitting at least) I read about someone wanting to cast on for Anemoi Mittens and I dont know what happened but I felt sudden inspiration, bought the pattern without thinking twice and by evening I had made a trip to a nearby LYS and cast on for mitten number 1..
So did I finish any UFOs? Nope - that was optimistic to even imagine.. I added a WIP to the list, and abandoned most other knitting to do corrugated ribbing on 5 needles. Probably the hardest knit stuff I have done to date, but I got through 17 rounds of it and have moved on to the mitten itself, working from the chart. It requires all my attention and concentration to knit each and every round, but it is looking good so far. My only real concern being whether I chose some boring colors? I loved them at the LYS but working with them now I miss some red or purple inthere..

Knitting childrens socks

I am knitting socks for my friends kids. I am enjoying these small projects as they give me the chance to dive into my sockyarn stash without comitting to a full pair of adult socks.

The first pair are done. Not sure what I think.. The yarn is Adorn sockyarn from Three Irish Girls in the colorway Quinn. I do think these colors are really cheerful and I like how the yarn stripes up.

I have also started a second pair of childrens socks. Babysocks size 1 year or so. These I think are turning out really pretty. The yarn is awesome and I absolutely adore the colorway.

This yarn is sockyarn from Middle Earth Yarns 75% wool and 25% polyamide. The colorway is Heather Fields. I am really excited about this yarn - the colors are fresh, cheerful and elegant. Lovely yarn. I joined the Middle Earth Sock club (she may still have an open slot) and am starting to look forward to the first package.. (never mind its not till the end of September..)

Knitting thoughts

Knitting, knitting, knitting..
I have been trying to put in extra knitting time in the past week and it feels great. I seem to be thinking about knitting all the time. ALL THE TIME! Knitting and YARN, yarn, yarn.. (did I mention that I signed up for the Zen String sock club? And the Middle Earth Yarns sock club? - It will be a wonderful wooly autumn..)
I cant put words to the frustration that my projects are coming along so slowly. I dream big, and many dreams about wonderful projects, babythrows, lace shawls etc and it has taken me two days to finish up a childrens sock size 2 years.. (and that is just the first sock). But I am inspired at least. Dreaming about knitting is quite a good inspiration to actually get it done when awake. Wouldnt it be practical if I could knit in my sleep though?
I had to make a long drive today, and found myself constantly attracted to the second babysock on the DPNs right in the passenger seat beside me and cursed many times that driving and knitting dont go well together when you are the only one in the car (apart from a 6 month old baby that is..)

Stranded experiment 2

DSC_0203, originally uploaded by Inca knits.

Just to prove that I DO knit stuff then the stranded vest is coming along. It is quite fun to knit but I admit to not having swatched (well consider this my swatch) so it will probably be too small for my son. But it will be worth the experience. Better screw up this small project. The yarn was really cheap too. It is some Smart superwash I had in my stash. I bought it in my LYS at a huge discount because the labels had gone missing..

Stranded experiment

Stranded experiment 2, originally uploaded by Inca knits.

Ehh remember I promised myself that I would not cast on new projects for a while - till I finished some of the ones I am already working on?
Well - forget I ever said that..
My fingers have been ITCHING to cast on new stuff. I have been obsessing over new techniques such as lace and stranded colorwork. And now I couldnt hold it any longer. I cast on a "Branching Out" from Knitty and I started a stranded colorwork experiment that will hopefully turn into a vest for my youngest. I basically cast on in black superwash Smart (from Sandness yarn) and started working the Norwegian Mitten pattern from Elizabeth Zimmermanns book "Knitters Almanac". I worked only a few rows so far that you can see here. I am not completely content. I like how it works to knit it twohanded - it is fast and easy now that I finally master English knitting as well as the usual Continental/Skandinavian method. I have kept tension loose on the back to keep the fabric stretchy, but the stitches seem a bit wonky. Not sure what the problem is, so if you have a advice on how to get the whole thing looking more even I would love to hear from you..
How about all the other stuff I am working on? -
Dont even ask...

Babyjacket "almost" done! And rave about Ravelry..

Drops Babyjacket WIP, originally uploaded by Inca knits.

I am a Raveller! I finally got my Ravelry invitation ( http://www.ravelry.com) and absolutely love the place! So much inspiration.. I took nerdish pics of nearly all my yarn and most of my FOs and stuff on the needles. And I have done a bit of knitting recently too.
It is really hard to find time to knit with three little kids in the house - and often when I finally grab my needles in the evening I am so beat that I fall asleep or make numerous mistakes and have to frog the next day.
That doesnt stop me from having a trizillion things on my "to-knit"-list though..
I really really want to clear out some of my WIPs, so I decided to finish at least 1 - hopefully 2 before casting on the next project. I have been working on the Drops Babyjacket again recently and now only have the right sleeve and right front left till I'm done. Looking good innit!?!

A bit of a knitting crisis

So I have spent the past couple of weeks buying yarn, yarn and more yarn. Awesome yarn, beautiful yarn, sweetsmelling, colorfull, handpainted yarn..
And now I just cant seem to get started knitting any of it for some simple reasons. First I have SO many UFOs that I am halfway done with. I have knit 1 of the boyfriend socks and I feel I should at least have the second of those done before starting yet another pair of socks. Or some of the other UFOs - and I just dont feel the least bit inspired to knit any of them. Grr - all the time I spend being frustrated about not finishing anything would be much better spent knitting so I can get some of them overwith and move on to the next project!
Give me a virtual butt-kick will ya!

Yummie...

Just got this yarn in the mail the other day. WOW this is.. beyond words. I want more.. need more.. must have... more!!!

(and no - if you cant tell what yarn it is I wont tell.. It is hard enough to get hold of as it is..)

Boyfriend sock OTN

Boyfriend sock OTN, originally uploaded by Inca knits.

Yep - here is a pic of the progress (or lack of such) on my boyfriend socks..
I have bought A LOT of yarn recently and it is all arriving to me these days :D
It can be viewed on my flikr..