Sommer Designs

If you can stand another knitting post: sock progress

Well, last week I turned the heel - that was fun. RohanKnitter said turning a heel was magic & she was right - it was magic. All of sudden, there's the heel. Just like that. The gusset? Not so much fun.

This was my progess yesterday morning:

 

And this was this morning, excuse my feet:

My last sock class is tonight, and we are supposed to be at the toe. I just finished cutting out a slew of aprons & lavender liners and can now sit for a while and get some rows done. I'm hoping I can do it.

As you can see, I switched to plain ribbing for the instep. I was having trouble getting back into pattern and finally just said f*** it. Now, of course, I regret that decision because I'm not quite happy with the way it looks. Granted, it won't be seen while worn, but I know. This was a great lesson for future socks.

Two things:

1. I'm deleting the Dinner Challenge blog - I had such great hopes & aspirations for that blog, but I have no time. If there was a recipe there that you liked, please go copy it soon! I will continue to post recipes periodically, but they will be here instead. I just need to keep things simple.
2. Today is technically the last day for the fabric sale at Fabric Carnival. I might keep some of the prices low on some fabric, but, I am going out of town on Saturday and will be closing both Fabric Carnival & the Sommer Designs Etsy shops for a week. If there is anything you've been thinking about, please keep that in mind.

Guess what?

I finished my sweater.

 

Friday night, I was thinking about how ridiculous it was to be so close to completion, but not finishing it. I had already ripped out the neckline, so it was just a matter of picking that up and knitting it. This time, I used the correct needle size, and picked up 2 stitches, and skipped 1, as Stephannie suggested, and just kept my fingers crossed. Two hours later, it's done and tacked down. I hate having to do any hand sewing of any kind, so the tack-down at the bottom of the "V" is a little sloppy, but it's done. I quickly wet and blocked it overnight, and it was ready Saturday afternoon (just in time for a night out with my man & good friends!).

Whaddaya think? It's not as low as it looks on the pattern (good thing); I am wearing a cami underneath, but you can't really tell.

Likes: I love the yarn. I love the pattern [for the most part]. I love the sleeves. I love the ease of the top-down knitting and not having to piece something together at the end.

Dislikes: the arms flare from the elbows, not lower down as I had thought looking at the pattern. I was after a more bell shape at the ends [which I love]. Also, the purl ridges at the body bottom and sleeve bottom don't really lay flat, even after blocking [and pressing down to flatten]. The neckline purl ridges lay totally flat. I saw that someone on Ravelry had modified the pattern to a flat seed stitch, or garter stitch, for the neckline, bottom of sleeves and hem, and it was nicely flat. I'd do that, if I were to ever knit this again.

Overall, I'm happy. More than happy: I can't believe I knit a sweater. With my own two bumbling, fumbling hands. The specifics:

Pattern: Simple Knitted Bodice by Stitch Diva Patterns
Yarn: Malabrigo Variegated Worsted in Velvet Grapes
Needles: #4 & #7 Circulars
Time: Approx. 2.5 months
Ravelry link

And there you have it.

Studio Shakeup

 

There's been a lot going on over here. I know it seems like all I've been doing is knitting, but I have a good reason. Waaaay back in February, February 10 to be exact, Scott decided that he was done with DirecTV and decided to have Verizon FiOS installed. It's part of the whole living room redecorating project (that started even further back, in December, if you remember).

Well, for FiOS to be installed (which, by the way, is really spelled FiasCO), they needed access to our phone box, which was behind one of the large shelves in my studio. Which meant that everything on that shelf had to be removed and placed haphazardly around my studio. Which, as you can imagine, created studio chaos and utter disorganization, my favorite thing.

What was supposed to be a one day installation turned into a five-week communication & installation nightmare. All the while, I felt like I was in limbo because I can't work in disarray. Which is why I got so much knitting done. Good timing, in a way.

So now Verizon FiOS is installed, and really, I can't tell if my Internet is any faster, nor can I see my weathermans cosmetic surgery scars any better. I do know that my husband is much happier, and really, isn't that what super sonic fiber optics is all about? He gleefully ordered his new man-toy earlier this week and when it arrives and is installed, I think the redecoration will be almost complete. I'm kinda expecting to sit in the livingroom and have my hair blown back (like that old commercial, dang, what was it again? Pioneer?) when he hits power the first time. I can't wait to watch his face.

Back to me: I've been cutting like a mad-woman for the last few days. My studio still isn't put back together and it still isn't really the organized mecca that I covet (and really, can't we all just visualize that it looks like this every. single. day.?) Which brings me to another point.

 

Fabric. It seems last week I ordered more fabric, mostly for another full apron production (yay!), but I want to make a little room over here. Until the end of March, I've put a whole bunch of Joel Dewberry, Heather Bailey, and other Free Spirit/Westminster fabric on sale for $6.00/yard over at Fabric Carnival.

Check it out - and if you would like more than 1 yard, please convo me and I'll put together a custom listing, yardage permitting.

I'll be in my woman-cave if you need me.

Knitting: Sock Progress

 

Knitting class isn't all fun and games and socializing, you know. We have homework. This sock has been everywhere I have been able to snatch a few moments of quiet time, 'just one more repeat, just one more repeat'...

Lucky for me, the pattern became very easy to remember, and I love, love, love this yarn. The actual sock, I like, but the pattern is so subtle that it's difficult to see. Our assignment: get to and finish the heel flap.

 

Hallelujah. The heel flap is also knit in pattern, so there's no slacking off, attention-wise. I'm amazed I made it this far.

 

Tonight we will learn how to turn the heelm and knit the gussetm and get back into the round for the final stretch. I'm a little nervous about this part, but know we're in good hands. Or feet.

Hallelujah.

File this under, I WANT THAT!

 

Oh. My. God. Is this not the most perfect car in the world?

 

I did the Sandpipers Spring Fashion Show Boutique yesterday at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The fashion show was all Lily Pulitzer, and this little beauty was parked outside. I have never, ever coveted an automobile as much as I was coveting that baby.

 

And considering that the day started (very early for me - I had to be there at 7 am) dark and rainy, having all those fabulous colorful fashions everywhere was just such a pick-me-up! My interior pictures turned out so dark, I'm bummed I don't have anything to remember the day with.

 

My favorite was all the women who braved the cold California rain and came out in their Lily summerwear! There were even a few sporty men with those awesome pink patchwork pants and bowties (seriously!) and an awesome pink beach cruiser was auctioned off. I would have loved to have had time to gawk at the fashion show, but we had an hour off to find a reasonably priced sandwich in the heart of Beverly Hills - much harder than it sounds, believe me!

 

So much fun, and so tiring - I've spent most of today recuperating! I think I'm getting too old for this...

Nah.

No words necessary

Sweater Update...and SOCK Class!

First off - I whipped out the neckline on Saturday, but it's...it's all messed up.

 

It's all huge and floppy. I specifically held off ripping it out because I wanted to show Stephannie. Turns out, besides the fact that I picked up too many stitches along the neck, I also misread the pattern and used the larger needles. Luckily, this is easily fixed, but I do have to rip it out and start all over. It only took a couple of hours ('it only took a couple of hours'...she said), but it will have to wait because I have to get moving on my socks! Woot.

 

Sock class at Twist last night! I'm making Hedgerow Socks, they are a little more challenging than just a plain pair, but hopefully not so much that I can't keep it straight. The yarn is ShiBui in that pretty blue (Rapids) to the left of my hand.

Little fun fact: that's Stephannie standing (limber, isn't she?) and to the right of her (in the picture, and to my right) is Michelle, who I finally got to meet! Yay for meeting online friends!

 

Fingers crossed for socks! You know I've been waiting for these!

Website Updates!

 

Busy morning - updated the website! New lavender liners, this darling apron and, the dish towels! Yay!

Now, I get to go check in on a sick kid - isn't that nice? People, wash your hands good, with soap!

Beautiful Sunday

I have, yet, another new toy. This one makes me work a little bit harder as it is a manual focus lens, but when you get it right, you really get it right. I've been playing quite a bit since it arrived yesterday.

 

 

 

Hope your Sunday is Beautiful. ♥

Sweater Update!

Two days ago, I had to sit down and wind my very last skein of Malabrigo into a luscious ball. I didn't think I would need it and was planning to return it, but alas, it was necessary.

 

Guess what? I finished the other arm.

 

I've also jumped ahead and gotten rid of all those errant end pieces. Now, onto the neckline.

I'm giddy. The end is in sight!