I Miss Socks: Do I Have a Problem?

I made some Fetching mitts. They are okay. I think I will wear them alot to keep my hands warm. I think next time they need to be fingerless gloves instead of fingerless mitts (with little fingerlets, like Knucks). DBF says, "But are they done? They don't cover your fingers?" Used size 3s, did them in 2 days, didn't use the whole skein of Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre. This is a good one-skein project (I had gotten this skein to see if it would work for a cabled sweater, and while I like the Alpaca in general, I don't think it shows off the cables at all!)
But I miss socks. I jammed out the STR club January selection already, and don't expect a new one until late March. I felt I should do something other than socks, because I have a closet full of them and don't wear them too much, but I just like knitting socks so much!
*sigh*
I started something else instead: Angelica by Stephanie Japel. I'm using SWTC Bamboo in a shiny purple color. My guage is way off, so we will see how that turns out. Maybe I will just start another sock?

Finally!

The Tilted duster is finally done! After blocking, a small turn in the dryer (it stretched after washing), and application of buttons and a snap, it is finally complete! I like how the side seam steeks turned out. I guess it was worth the time out!
Pattern: Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan from Fall 07 Interweave Knits
Needle: #10 Circulars: Used the Denise set.
Yarn: Plymouth Galway Highland Heather in Teal, purchased in Hilo, here on the Big Island!
Began: September 6, 2007
Completed: February 8th 2008
Modifications: Did the 44" chest, but should have maybe done a smaller size back? Knit the sleeves in the round to sleeve caps, and when I re-knit them, I added about an inch to the length, then made the sleeve cap less extreme. Other than that... Oh yes: Sewed, steeked, cut the side seams to fit. Heh.

Some before and after armpit photos:




Now that it is done: I like the yarn, the color, and the design (except, of course, the bat wing underarms that needed trimming). I think the wool is soft and warm. I was unsure if the empire waist would fall from my bust and make me look preggers. And it does. But it is still nice, I just need to be careful about what I wear under it.

Gong Hay Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year!
And, just in time to show off it's good-luck red and firey dragon dance lace: A Finished Object!
Pattern: Serendipity by Adrienne Fong (Blue Moon STR club January 2008 Pattern)
Yarn: STR Lightweight in Colorway: Dragon Dance (STR club selection yarn) I used 87 grams from the 128 gram ball.
Size: Small
Needles: 2 circs: knitpicks 2.5mm (I don't have the 2.25mm needles called for in the pattern)
Began: 1/30/08
Complete: 2/4/08 Perhaps the fastest I have knit a STR club sock pair!
Modifications: Hmmm. Were there none? Oh: I only did one round knit instead of 2 right before the toe: I was thinking the toe would be too long, but it was fine. Not much of a modification at all!
Thoughts: I started off wondering if I would like the striping with the lace, but with the designer's urging to try it, I did. Now I like it, although I have been back and forth about it. But then I thought: The STR colors are so great, and they almost all will stripe or pool, and although I am sure the yarn would look gorgeous in a plain stockinette sock, who wants to knit socks like that? Especially in a sock club. We would all be complaining that the patterns were boring, wouldn't we? So now I like it. I also like how the colors combine to be more orange and brown, when the skein looked red and salmon pink. The deep heel, which has been of some concern on the blog, is actually quite nice: I didn't think I would fit a sock with no gusset increases (big ol' fat arches) but the deep heel compensates. So from being initially ambivalent, I am now thinking that I will wear this sock quite alot: It is lightweight and pretty, and was fast to knit and dry. After all, of all the club socks from last year, I wear the red ones the most (Solstice Slip)!

Jan STR Serendipity, and Sea Serpent

I'm working on the January 2008 Blue Moon Socks that Rock Club kit: Serendipity by Adrienne Fong, in lightweight STR in Dragon Dance colorway. The inside of the ballband says "Seiryuu". I am making size small with 2.5mm needles.
And just for fun: Here be sea-serpents (not dragons...really)