My first Sock Blank

Ok, what is a sock Blank? It is a new item at Knit Picks.
This is a sock Blank.

So what do you do with white, double knit sock yarn? You Dye it!
Mix the Dye. So this:
Becomes this:

My new sock yarn is resting on a towel, drying. I hope to swatch my socks over the weekend, and see which pattern I want to use. I have a complete album dedicated to my blanks. Click on any picture to view the entire album.

I had an entertaining afternoon. I went shopping after work to get my needed supplies. I soaked my blank in water, and mixed my dyes. I did not use any vinegar this time. The whole time I was working, I was catching up with the KnitPicks and It'sAPurlman Podcasts.

My Patrotic Sock

My sock appeared in another blog. Nobody Dyes visited my LYS on WWKIPD, and loved seeing her dyed yarn in socks. Thanks for sharing Nobody.(Click on link).

Blog Pictures

I have a new home for pictures for now. I am storing them on Google's Picasa.

http://picasaweb.google.com/darkinnknits/Knitting

I am slowly updating the blog entries.

Issues with my Blog

Many of the pictures are going to be broken links for a little while. I am receiving too many hits to my domain, and another oversize bill. I either pay extra for more bandwidth, or I move my pictures elsewhere. There are cheaper ways to store pictures, so I will move my pictures elsewhere.

OTN

Here is one of my OTN. They are the Patrotic Socks. The yarn is hand
dyed, called Patriotic by Nobody Dyes (etsy)

Congrats on Sprint Cup Win #4

Nap time is over? (IPhone Blog Test)

What do you mean nap time is over?

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Edit: I can now post text and pictures from my phone.

My New Vest

Here are pictures of my newest vest. Yes it was time consuming with 5 colors at the same time, but it was worth it at the end. I found this pattern from one of Yahoo's "Rachel's Knitting Room" She also has her blog @ rachelsknittingcorner.blogspot.com. The pattern is from FreePatterns.com. It was included in Rachel's Daily Free Patterns, so that you Rachel.



I was able to wear the vest one whole day. It is now too hot for vests.

Missed a Pair of Socks

When I posted all of my socks, I missed one pair.









I've been told this is a Princess Pattern, because the bottom of the socks are Purled.

Update

My ISP says I am offered a one time refund. I may have to move my pictures even for the blog elsewhere is this problem happens again.

London Pictures

After getting a $1200 bill from my Domain Host, I am removing my London Pictures for now. I still question were the alert was for even getting close to going over my bandwidth.

I have pictures to post when I have more time and energy to post.

On My Needles

Here is one of my projects on my needles. Socks with self striping yarn, toe-up, using the Magic Loop Method.

Getting Caught Up

Okay, I've been a bad blogger. So today, I am going to review all of my Finished Projects.

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Here is my CB Sweater.

I did have problems with the zig-zag. I need to twist my colors more often.





Here are the Squirrel families. They now have new homes with my Aunt and Uncle.










and each pair has an acorn.

Fingerless Gloves

Toe-Up Socks!

Self Striping Blue







Self Striping Browns









Large house socks. #8 US Needles, Alpaca yarn.

London Trip

I have pictures posted of my Trip to London England.

OT: HAPPY HALLOWEEN to my Friends

Happy Halloween!!

You’ve been Mooned!!

Nanee - Nanee - Nanee!
(hehe)

We do not stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing.
Never Be The First To Get Old!!!!!

Update and Ravelry

The CB Sweater is almost done. I have just not felt like tucking in the tails yet.

I started keeping a travel project. I am working on a pair of toe-up socks.

I finally received my invite to Ravelry.com last night. I am signed in as DarkinnKnits.

I've been trying to practice with my drop spindle, just have been busy and have not worked on it a lot.

Spinning and CB

Last night I learned how to use a Drop Spindle. I will post pictures soon.

I received a homework assignment. I have a small bag of raw wool. When I say raw, it is shaved from the sheep, grass, straw and all. It have to be cleaned and washed before it gets to be prepped.

The CB sweater had problems. The sleeves were not turning out right. One was wider than the other, and they were both too wide. So they sleeves were frogged. Instead of picking up 126 stitches, I and only picking up 100. My Spinning teacher is a experienced knitter, and gave me a couple of suggestions. I get the best pictures outside, and it is dark out,

New Song

This is the way we tuck our tails,
tuck our tails,
tuck our tails.

This is the way we tuck our tails,
for each loose yarn!

Yes, I am getting around to tucking all the tails for my swatches and hat for Level 1.

Updates

The CB sweater now has neck and collar. I'm starting the left sleeve now. More pictures soon.

I visited my other LYS, Wooly Wonders. I now own a drop spindle and a bag of roving. What are these? These are the tools used by hand Spinners. Yes, I'm going to learn how to Spin too. I'm taking a private lesson later this month on hand Spinning. I'm looking forward to it.

CB Update

Here is some pictures of the CB Sweater (CB Vest).

The Neck/Collar and sleeves are next. All will be done with picked up stitches.

Yarn Update

Been a busy summer and I keep forgetting to post.

Yes it has been another Hot summer and I have not been knitting as much.

Knitting Masters. The 16th final sample is done, and the hat is now done. I still have to tuck tails and block. I plan to re-photograph all the samples, and the hat, using the original posts.

CB. It got frogged, and restarted, with more frogging. I'm thinking it is going to be tight, but maybe blocking will help. I'm almost to the arm holes, so it will go faster.

Started a small dragon for the release of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows. Lost a weekend while trying to read the book. Dragon did not turn out quite as expected, so he took a break.

Finally got to meet the East Side Knitters that are unable to make it to the West Side. Who? The Las Vegas Knitters. http://lasvegasknitters.blogspot.com/ We meet on each side of town once a week.

Added two new entries to Podcasts. Guido is a hoot. Has his blog says:

It’s a Purl, Man

A site about a guy in Boston with yarn issues

The "Good Grief" CB Vest

I had lots of progress a couple weeks ago on the CB vest. Then I realized a problem.

Great pattern that I made up, but there is very little stretch to the pattern, and the vest is too tight on the waist.

Frog! Frog! AAUGH!

TKGA Master Book

I finally have pictures so far.

Here is my notebook. The first pages are my assignments, questions and references, that I will remove before mailing.

These swatches are my practice swatches. The tails have not been hidden, and have not been blocked.

Swatch 01

This is a 2x2 (K2P2) rib,

increases on the last row of the ribs,

then 4 inches of garter stitch.

Swatch 02

This is a 1x1 (K1P1) rib,

increases on the last row of the ribs,

then 4 inches of stockinette stitch.

Swatch 03

This is a 4 inches of seed stitch.

Swatch 04

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 bar increases on each side, every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 05

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 M1 increases on each side, every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 07

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 SSK/K2Tog decreases on each side, every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 08

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 SKP/KSP decreases on each side, every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 09

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 K2Tog/SSK decreases on each side, every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 10

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

5 YO (Yarnover), every other RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch

Swatch 11

This is a 1 inch of stockinette stitch,

A pattern of YO (Yarnover), every RS row,

1 inch of stockinette stitch.

Update 2

Swatch 5 done, along with my first YO! Ok, ok! My first YO done properly, in the pattern.

Should have pictures up soon.

Update

Each item in the list with (Practice) has been knitted for practice. 5 and 6 are not OTN (On the Needle) yet. I want to understand the increases better before trying to knit.

CB has the pattern finished. Just knitting to the sleeves next.

General

Lots of progress on the CB vest.

Got the 3rd swatch done, then went back and checked my directions. Garter? Garter? !? I thought it said use stockinette stitch. Ripped back to the rib, and started knitting again.

Okay.... things to do with cat hair?