Felted rug - not square but at least it's done

My crocheted felted rug is finally done. I had to learn how to crochet to do this one, which is my excuse for why it's far from square. (Here's where to get the pattern.)

Here's what it looked like before felting. You can't tell the scale from the photos, but it shrank a lot, which of course is the point of felting. It also hides lots of sins.


And in pieces:

The cats don't seem to mind that it's not square.

Airplane Knitting - Brooklyn Tweed Noro Scarf

An almost perfect project for knitting on an airplane: the Brooklyn Tweed striped Noro scarf. I say "almost" perfect because unwinding the two skeins of yarn while crammed into a middle seat between two teenage boys (lovely as they are) was a little tiresome. I made a lot of headway on the plane from Boston to Denver, then knit a lot in our slopeside condo (watching the Sopranos) after strenuous days of skiing.

I used Silk Garden in colors 258 and 264. Here's Bode helping model it:



Not to be outdone, here's Dixie modeling it.


Lastly, here I am wearing it as we attempt to patronize the only yarn shop in Aspen - The Yarn Gallery. Despite the fact that it was 5 PM there was an "out to lunch" note on the door. I never did get inside...

"Real" Toe-Up Socks are Done

Yay, my first "real" socks are done.

Here's my fat kitty Dixie helping model them:

I've definitely been bitten by the sock bug. I recently bought enough yarn for three more pairs. The next pair will be with Noro Kuryeon sock yarn and itty bitty needles.

The "Learning Experience" Knit Socks

I decided it was time to learn to knit socks this year. I learned how to knit in 1981 in between my sophomore and junior years in college. My grandmother taught me to make a "scarf," which was basically just a long knit-purl thing that curled up and looked silly.

So after 30-something years of knitting (and no, that does NOT make me an expert) it was time to tackle the perils of straight needles and make socks. Everyone else is doing it, and they look so wonderful. And I could actually wear socks, unlike the sweaters that just make me too hot these days.

I needed an easy pattern. So I found the Tropical Punch Slipper Socks on Ravelry. The pattern was clear and well written, but I didn't follow the instructions and used a single strand of yarn (Noro Kureyon) instead of two. So they came out kind of funky.

But they served their purpose of getting me over the sock hurdle. Now I'm ready to knit some socks for real (and I will follow the directions). The next time I do the Tropical Punch Slipper Socks I'll follow the instructions and make some nice slippers as a gift for someone.

Because Anonymous said the blog needed more cat pictures, here's Dixie modeling the Noro socks: