In Full Bloom

Stick a fork in me. I am so done! The flower halves have been reunited!

Quickie recap:
pattern: Twisted Flower by Cookie A!
yarn: Louet Gems Pearl in Willow 2 skeins
needles: KP size 1 (2.50 mm) circs
size: medium


Comments not already discussed ad nauseum in previous posts:

Apparently the skein for my first sock was short anyway on yardage as I had to use the leftovers from the second sock skein to do the toe on this re-knit.

On this last time, the sock obviously went faster due to a comfortable familiarity with the pattern, but also due to finding a cabling w/o a cable needle tuturial that worked for me thanks to Carrie. It's amazing that no matter how perfectly logical and well written the various tutorials are online, what it boils down to is what works for one's style & tension in knitting.

I love this pattern, but it's safe to say that after knitting what would be considered 3 socks, I won't be doing this pattern again in my lifetime. Well, at least for a very, very long time.

Off to ribbing island on my Something Red cardie and a Horcrux sock, though I'm already tempted to finally cast on for my STR club Solstice Slip socks. I should get back to my Menehune Cobblestone sock though.

Half Flower

I've probably gone off the deep end in ripping Twisted Flower sock #1 when I decided to tie a story in with the process. The legend of the naupaka popped in my head while contemplating to rip or not to rip. It is one of my favorite childhood Hawaiian legends. Nothing so tragic as the classic story of two lovers from different classes/worlds being torn apart with only a glimmer of hope of them ever getting back together again.

(The heel isn't perfect, but I love the stitch definition the Louet Gems Pearl gives.)


My favorite part of the legend being if you collect the beach naupaka (the commoner man) and the mountain naupaka (the royal lady) and put them together that you could once again reunite the two lovers.


So one day, Twisted Flower 1 will be reunited with Twisted Flower 2 and I will actually have a matching pair while someone on Oahu will be reuniting the mountain and beach naupaka together.

P.S. Toddler hat modelled by Cheer Care Bear (the soccer ball is MIA) knitted from the free pattern on the Charmed Knits KAL. I used the orphan blue (shade #219) and yellow (shade #216) Rowan All Seasons cotton yarns purchased from Article Pract's big sale last year. No orphan "bronze" or "gray" skeins, so my Ravenclaw beanie had turned into a Cal Bears beanie.

A few more FO's

Pair #4 of the Baby Ugg Booties:


I whipped up my last pair of DIY suede booties out of the Berroco Suede & Plush I bought at my first trip to Stitches West for a cousin who just had a baby. My sister is in town for a wedding, so she gets to play courier.

The Chevron Scarf is done!

Pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts ('cept I wouldn't recommend this as a last minute knit)
Socks That Rock Pisgah & Peacock medium weight from The Fold
size 5 needles

Monkey 2 woke up from her nap before I could finish steam blocking the scarf, so it's still slightly roll-ish.

Twisted Flower sock 1 is tentatively an FO:

I discovered in a thread on the flickr Cookie A Sock Creations group that a couple knitters have had to go up a needle size on the leg portion so that they could get the rest of the sock over their heel. I had planned on knitting my second sock all on size 1 (2.50 mm) KP circs instead of the size 2 (2.75 mm) Susan Bates for the legs and size 1 (2.50 mm) for the rest, but now I'm not so sure. In the meantime, I finished the first sock just to get my FO itch scratched. You can see where I ran out of yarn in the toe and had to switch to the leftover yarn a knitty.com board member graciously swapped to me.

A birthday of sorts

I think I've come a long way since my very first post a year ago, yet I still have so much more to learn and do. For instance, the first segment of Project Spectrum will end tomorrow and my BFF socks are still not done. It's been slow going for me, but then this is the WIP that always gets bumped for other things. But I love this Fleece Artist merino, so I will plug on and finish at least before the next Rockin' Sock Club installment comes in.

And what's currently distracting me from mys BFF socks? To the left, it's Louet Gems Pearl in Willow I bought from a lys closing sale. I'm knitting/swatching Cookie A's Twisted Flower pattern in the large size with the pattern stated size 2 (2.75 mm) needles. I'm not sure how the yarn on this size will turn out 'til I get more into the pattern as I only just finished the cuff. On the right it's Knitpicks (KP) Essentials Tweed in Marin a on KP size 1 (2.50 mm) 32" circulars that I'm practicing the Magic Loop method on.

But the biggest distraction has been monkey1's Modello Giuditta capelet. Her birthday is coming up and I would like to finish it by then. I still haven't decided how to finish the bottom edge so I'll see if she has any preferences. Right now it's a debate between a few rows of garter which'll "match" the vertical edges & collar or a crocheted shell or floret border.


Apparently I lied about having scratched my yarn buying itch at Stitches West, but it is sock yarn. ;) Below is my first Loopy Ewe purchase of Zen String's sport merino (wonders if its Louet Gem sport base) in Opal. Very cute and Easter-y colors. Besides, I'll just consider it my blogiversary gift.