Work in Progress Thursday?

I do not know what happened to Wednesday. It slipped right by me and I did not write up a blog post. So today will be my Wednesday and Thursday rolled into one.

First let us start with what I am working on:

One down, one more to go

The Rainbow Brite Socks. I am still going at it. I should have been done with this project ages ago but it has turned into the after thought project. The project that I would work on for a little while when my main project is giving me heart burn. Well, since I already finished the first sock I decided to knock this one out and finish it this week.

Now on to the latest project. On the Crochet Along on Google+ group we are  working on the Himbeerwellen Mitts as our CAL for the month of October.

Not my photo. This is the photo from the project page.

I have yet to start this project, actually I did start it but frogged it so that I can practice on thicker yarn so I can get a hang of the stitches. I am pretty excited about this project. The mitts are very pretty, I am learning a new technique and I get to use this beautiful yarn:


Cephalopod Skinny Bugga in the color Spanish Dancer

What projects are you working on or about to cast on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: Rainbow Brite Socks and Mist Stole

I am currently working on a few projects but the two that seem to be taking up all my attention is my Rainbow Brite (Remember her?) Socks and my Mist Stole.

I have not made a pair of socks this year and I figured now that the year is starting to wind down I should at least get one pair in. I have had this beautiful Ashton Studios colorful yarn in my stash for a while and decided that I will give their yarns one more try. So far I have not been disappointed. The yarn is not splitting, it is not fuzzing, it is just working up beautifully. I have been working on them a little at a time, whenever I need to take a break from the Mist Stole. I hope to have the socks completed by the beginning of October after I am done with the Stole.

I am working on the foot of the sock.

 I have not created a project page on Ravelry for the socks and I am not following a pattern. I am just making it up as I go.

The next project I am working on is the Mist Stole. This is for the Google+ September Crochet Along (SepCAL). I am really having a lot of fun making this stole. It is very simple and the yarn is a dream to work with. It is taking me a while to completed as this month has been a super busy time at work, but I hope to have it completed by this weekend and blocked during the week.

Almost done with the 2nd ball of yarn.

What projects are you working on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting/Crocheting!!
~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: Nupps are Evil and Why I Fail

I have started and restarted this blog post a few times now. Is not that I do not have anything to say, is just that I am currently in the "negative phase" of all my "work in progress" projects. Which in turn makes this blog post more like a big whine-fest.

The negative phase of a project is when you have reached a point in your project where you are not happy on your progress for one reason or another and have nothing good to say. When I hit that phase in my project I set it aside and start another one. This is usually a very good thing for me, I get in a better mood, finish a project that takes me to my happy place which puts me in knitting nirvana and I can go back an tackle the "other" project. Well, I currently have 3 such projects and none have taken me to my nirvana.

Those projects are the Layered Ruffle Sweater, Pei and Peony Cardigan. Let us take a closer look at my purgatory.

WIP #1: The Layered Ruffle Sweater

I am using Berroco Vintage DK in Red on #5 needles

This pattern is from the "Modern Top-Down Knitting" book I bought a while ago. I plan on knitting this top without the ruffles, shorten it a little, add waist definition and cap sleeves. I started this pattern out easy enough but when you arrive at the shoulder shaping of the pattern she lost me. I was finally able to get together with one of my friends and she broke it down to me in English I can understand. I have been meaning to get back to it, but I have not been able to find the momentum.

WIP #2: Pei

I am making this in my own hand dyed yarn on #5 needles

This pattern is super simple. I was actually having a lot of fun with it that is until I reached the NUPPS. Dear readers, I have gotten away with never making nupps. Every time I have seen them in a pattern I either put a bead where a nupp is supposed to go or not do them at all. With the complaints I have heard from other fellow knitters I had decided I just did not want to endure the evils of nupps. But I decided that I will try them. I have to grow in my craft and that means that I need to try new things. Well........

NUPPS ARE A THING OF THE DEVIL!!

Why did I bother? But as you can see from my picture, I have frogged the darn thing and begun casting on today.

WIP #3: Peony Cardigan

I am using Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock Yarn in Olde Towne East on #4 needles.

I have to say I LOVE, LOVE Cecily Glowik MacDonald patterns and when I saw the Peony Cardigan on Interweave Knits, Spring 2012 magazine I just had to buy it. I fell in love with that cardigan. Though I currently have a love hate affair with Neighborhood Fiber Company Yarns (That story is for another post) I knew that I wanted to make it in the Studio Sock yarn I already had in my stash. But as you can see from the photo I have only gotten the top edging done because I have reached the increase section and I do not understand it. Not even the ladies from my Knit Group could answer my questions. ARGH! I plan to email one of the other people that has completed this pattern on Ravelry or Cecily. It is just frustrating to get stuck like this. I want to wear my Cardigan THIS Fall not NEXT Fall.

The reason as to why I fail

Almost finished!

You see that picture above? All those colors and fluffiness? Those are things that I have finished knitting but have not blocked, there may even be one or two where I have not weaved ends yet. We have spoken of my blocking "problem" in the past on this post. My goal is to have at least half of the growing pile blocked by the end of the weekend. What is the point of knitting if I am not going to use the stuff?

Now that I have gone on and on about my never ending projects, tell me, what are you working on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: Color Affection

This is not going to be a very long post because the only knitting I have been doing is the Color Affection Shawl and it is a monster of a project.

I am working on this project using MissBabs Yummy Superwash Sock and Baby Yarn in the colors of OOK, Coventry, and Cloak. The colors are awesome, they are different shades of blue which will work well with my work outfits when it starts to get colder. I also need to mention that the yarn feels so squishy and soft. 

I was making plans to make another one but I think I will be putting the second one on the back burner. As much as I love the pattern it takes forever. I have been working on this pattern every free chance I have and I feel like I am no closer to being done. 

Here are some progress photos:

First section of the shawl. 

2nd section, two color stripes.  

Close up picture of the 3rd section, three color stripes. 

Full photo of shawl progress.

You can see more information on my Ravely project page and you can go here for the Designer's pattern page.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: 198 Yards of Heaven

This pattern is not a hard pattern but for some reason my brain was not making sense of if it. Made me feel like a total duffus, I had to start it over 7 times to get it right, thus the reason why I am not even half way done with the project. I meant for this to be my road trip project and I was supposed to wear it for St. Patrick's day, that is why I am making it in green. I guess I will just have to wait till next year.

In the mean time, here is a progress picture:

Hopefully I will be done with this by this weekend and I can start on my next project. What are you working on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: Multnomah Shawl

If you follow me on Google+ you have already seen my Work in Progress or WIP for today but if you do not, it is the Multnomah Pattern by Kate Ray.

I really love this pattern. It is knitting up so pretty, especially now that I am up to the Feather and Fan border. But I have a problem, while it is an easy knit and should not take very long, I am going on week three knitting this up and the reason why is the yarn. It has not been a very pleasant experience knitting with this yarn, it splits and catches on to anything it comes into contact with. It is such a shame because I actually like the color and normally like yarns by Ashton Studio Arts.

I will have a better write up on the yarn when I am done with the pattern. In the meantime here is a progress picture:

Multnomah Shawl

What are you working on?

Until next time, happy knitting!

~Knitting Chica