polish and mani posts on new blog

for mani's, swatches, Konad and all that is nail polish, please visit and subscribe to my new blog Tweeandhoney on wordpress :)

EDIT June 15 2011

wordpress & i were not getting along. you can now follow t&h on blogger at tweeandhoney.blogspot.com. sorry for bouncing around! 

cabling without a cable needle video

this is a quick demo video - it's no frills, nothing glamorous. the explanation below assumes you have an understanding on the way cables are formed.


eta:i uploaded the video directly to blogger many times but it ate it!  hence, a vimeo link instead


and here's how i do it!
please excuse the chippy polish ;)
 

this is a 'hold stitches to the front'/ left leaning cable twist. i find it easiest to insert the corresponding needle into whatever stitches are on the back first, then insert the other needle into the stitches on the front. for this left leaning that's right needle into back stitches, then left needle into front stitches. the reverse right leaning cable: left needle into back stitches then right needle into front stitches. (for a right leaning twist you hold the stitches to the back.)

The Perpetual Sock Saga

November 28 2009

i wanted to do these on 2.5 mm needles. because those are the only Signature dpns i have. but i just couldn’t get used to the way the fabric looked. so i switched to 2.25 mm. the fabric now looks the way i like: goldilocks.

using toe as gauge getting like 9 stitches per inch. pattern wants 8. (probably the M1 increases tightening up the stitches. hopefully chills out once i stop increasing.) for my size the pattern already wants lots of stitches (76sts at 8 sts per inch). and despite the math and the logic i have only increased to 72. trying the toe on it already seems just a tad loose. even though i measured my foot and calculated and my gauge is tighter than the pattern. even still. it’s weird. but also i am still earning points towards my “Sock Knitter” badge. if you have any insight, please feel free to leave a comment. * note added dec 6- it was the M1’s tightening gauge. after finishing the foot and working on the ankle gauge is a definite and clean 8 sts per inch.

i will try it on again near the middle of the foot and if it seems tight i will add some increases.

see-sawing on the idea of an afterthought heel …

i expect these to take 1.5 skeins if i keep them below the knee. can’t imagine i will have enough patience to go over the knee with these but it would be nice to use all the yarn. we’ll see. plus, i’d like to repeat this pattern if i can get it successfully down. ::fingers crossed::

Dec
having major issues with the stitch count. frog and repeat. sticking with 64 sts on 2.25 mm needles. my gauge is 9 per inch. pattern is telling me 76 stst at 8 per inch for my size. ::shrug:: 64 is working just fine.

Dec 3
foot doned! in record time whilst chilling with Frogtasticjess at the whole foods.

Dec 4
no knitting today.

Dec 5
picked this up to get at that heel. i went through it with minimal frogging. haven’t got this short row heel symmetry perfect yet, but it’ll do for this sock.

ankle doned!

Dec 6
not sure if i should follow the pattern for the calf increases and all. since i had all that trouble with what stitch count to go with, i don’t even know how to read the chart and follow the pattern at this point…

Dec 7
no knitting today. Working with Nozo setting up the visuals in Trish’s apartment for the even tomorrow.

Dec 8, 9 &10
after having a good look at the calf increase section form the pattern i realized i could use it after all. instead of following the chart portion for my size, i followed the stitch count i actually ended up using. so, it was like 3 sizes smaller on the chart. it is fitting perfectly. i have just been chugging along. finishing up the decreases while watching Lost. if only Netflix would play without reloading every few minutes and interrupting my flow :s

July 2010
every now and again i toss a few rows onto these bad larries. they are done up to the ribbing and the ribbing is perpetual. i grab this project bag when i need some mindless knitting. after the summer i’ll probably be motivated to finish them up so i can friggin wear them. no hurry while this damn heat an humidity abounds.

August 2010
rib rib rib

September 28 2010
BINDING OFF! i decided to stay to the knee for these. i want to wear them to Rhinebeck, it’s getting cold and i am in a finishing mood!

• noe to self: when i attempt again to make over the knee socks or thigh highs, i will start the ribbing much, muchmuchmuch, much later.

used JSSBO

in the third picture (bottom to top) you can see the purl bumps this bind off leaves on the knit stitches. lsg discusses them here

October 5 2010
Bound off the second sock in the wee hours last night. not with out fail, as my knitpicks Harmony circ tip snapped near ten rows left. grrr. not a big deal i thought as i have Harmony size 1 dpns in stash, i go to get them, i ordered them a while ago, the package says size 1, i put them in a needles gauge and blam! size zero. knitpicks you fail again.

i finished them with the broken needle. wasn’t easy and my yarn did not like it but i had no other recourse! i was short on time.

i have crazy eyes in this pic. but whutevs!

mannequin mani

something i hardly ever do, don simple nude polish. it jumped out of my stash and seemed appropriate for the Autumnal Equinox. renewal, balance, fresh starts and all. tomorrow i may not be able to resist splashing some black or something on top. as it is i am tempted. but i kinda loving the clean blandness of it.

Revlon 705 Grey Suede

colorama haul

check out what i got in the mail today!

sorry for the tip wear shot. this is a fresh from the package pic.

more flaky pics

here are a few more pics of the flakiness. i took them today in sunlight. still trying to catch those colors!

the creamy center

i like the creamy center of knitting- not much a fan of casting on or binding off. that's why i like knitting shawls- you only have to cast on like 3 stitches! of course, you pay for it in the end with the binding of of i-don-t-even-want-to-know-how-many-stitches !

that's also why i prefer to knit socks from the toe up- casting on 56 to 60 sts means i have to count the stitches hundreds of times to make sure the number is right. oh and that "join, making sure the stitches aren't twisted" oh no no no! recipe for disaster that is.