Feeling caught up...

...even though not much knitting has been done due to soccer practice starting up and helping my sister move into her new place. But her moving meant I had a clear bed to block my second Ulmus finally.


yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Potomac & Falcon's Eye
needles: size 5 KP nickel-plated circs as opposed to the Harmony circs used on Ulmus I
pattern size: large


And since I won't be going to Sock Summit, just living vicariously through all my knitting friends that are, I don't have homework to do and can casually work on my WIP's. So far I've got one Kai Mei sock done. Have I mentioned how much I love the squishiness of Pigeonroof Studio's Siren Two sock yarn? Lurve it.

Feeling a little behind

All my knitting friends and non-knitting friends (but they're all still really crafty!) are scoffing right now at that title. Maybe it's just cause RL is busy with visits from old college friends and general summer activities with the Monkeys. Or maybe it's when the summer fog comes in and hovers around that makes me feel all emo and not very zen. Who knows.


But see, I am behind on blocking my second Ulmus! One bed is unavailable since my sister is staying with me 'til she gets settled in after her move up here. And I just need to find the time to clear off the other bed to have the space to do it. So very briefly:

yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in Potomac & Falcon's Eye (love this combo too!)
pattern size: "large"
needles size: US 5 KP circs


As Tapmouse says, you can't just have one (pair) when it comes to the Cottys. Lovely written pattern & definitely a quick knit.


pattern: Cotty by the every lovely Irishgirlieknits
yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Plankton Ooze
needle size: 2.50 mm KP nickel-plated dpns
mods: none 'cept less pointy toe


Also moving along, though much more slowly as I'm on the traveling lace panel portion, is my first Kai Mei sock. The Pigeonroof Studios Siren Two sock yarn (superwash merino/cashmere/nylon) is so scrumptious.

End of Vacation

Monkey1 took this on the way to the little lake where we've been hanging out most of the week:


I have no idea where Monkey1 took this pic, so I'll say it's in the cabin neighborhood:


Love all these pansies popping up in the drainage ditches around the neighborhood:


With a little pop of yellow as well:


Lots of these to blow on:


All my vacation WIP's minus my Digitessa which is only halfway through the gusset:


Left to right: Around the pansies our friend picked, my second Ulmus (Potomac/Falcon's Eye) almost to the small size count, Fraggle Squiggle almost to the heel, and Monkey1's tiered skirt almost to the the next tier.

We're so pooped out, we may need to catch up on our rest at work. ;)

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday Wei!

Ulmus & Twirly

My first Ulmus is done!


pattern: Ulmus - large size
yarns: STR lightweight in Dutch Canyon (~74 g) & Mossay (at least ~141 g)
needle: size 5 KP circs

unblocked base x height = 40" x 20"
blocked base x height = 63" x 25"


I love how it can be considered a large scarf or a small shawlette. I love it so much that I'll probably make the second Ulmus in the large size too.

Also done is Monkey2's Twirly Skirt/Poncho. But because I upsized 1 too many, it's a little too big. So Monkey1 borrowed it for the chilly slightly foggy morning and struck this pose because "that's how all the models do it." (Uh-oh, no ANTM please!)


Clearly Monkey2 was less than pleased that her skirt/poncho was absconded by Monkey1, so no modelled pic of the FO as a skirt could be taken for the moment.


yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Cotton Ball, Pink-a-Boo, Tea Rose, and Candy Apple
pattern size: 8 (at least there's lots of growing room)
size 7 KP circs

Mods:
- Converted to in the round
- Knitted the waistband closed 'cept for a 1" gap for elastic insertion
- Faked the drawstring look by running a shortish i-cord through the 2 drawstring holes in the front

Swatching around

In between whittling down my sock WIP list, tapmouse & I were having a little bit of fun combining various STR skeins for the STR Ulmus KAL on Ravelry.

My first choice based on a stash pic I took a few months back is Dutch Canyon & Mossay:


My original second choice was Potomac and Petrified Wood. I discovered this while rooting around my stash and talking to tapmouse about her potential Potomac combinations.


She then suggested Potomac & Mossay, while perfectly fine, didn't give me the aha! or instant love reaction for me.


So then I started seeing knitters starting their Ulmus,' especially tapmouse's Footzey Foo & Harlotty combo and someone's Petrified Wood & Lucky combo and was inspired to try Potomac and Falcon's Eye. Now this was interesting.


So the swatching began with Dutch Canyon/Mossay first:


I then started the Potomac/Falcon's Eye swatch with the intention of also swatching Potomac & Petrified Wood, but because my Dutch Canyon/Mossay was already coming out deeper & darker than I had anticipated, I decided to stop with just the 2 swatches.


In fact, I've already decided that both swatches will eventually become full-blown Ulmus shawl/shawlettes (depending how far I get with the lightweight yardage). What'll be fun & interesting is when I get further along to take a pic of the "back" side of the shawl. Sometimes, the color combo on the reverse side is just as interesting, if not more so.


While up at the cabin for the long holiday weekend, we stopped in downtown Sonora to do some business. Usually we drive through downtown on the way to one of our family adventures, so I took the opportunity to drag the family into By Hand Yarn which I've only managed to get to once before. It's a really nice roomy lys in the Sierra foothills.


I went in with the intention of just browsing & checking out stuff for inspiration when I momentarily fell off the yarn diet wagon. I will say however, that I forgot that my Monkeys can be quite the yarn enablers. Monkey1 directed my attention away from their Shibui stock (no Wasabi!) to a cute little baby sundress store sample done in the Caribbean & Fuchsia colors in Tahki Palma yarn. It's their new organic cotton yarn (I assume the base only as I'm doubtful of the dyes are) and the store sample felt quite lovely.


I grabbed what was left of the Caribbean & a few Fuchsias in hopes that I have enough for a tank top for Monkey1. I'm sorta winging it based on a couple free online patterns & my gauge since Monkey1 is in that dreaded tween size range where there are barely any free or pay patterns around.