Sunday, December 31, 2006

The end is near....

Not Armageddon, just the end of 2006 -- bring on the new beginnings!

Thanks for the compliments on my Scale Skin socks! I'm glad my unnatural love for them has been validated :)

A lot of commenters asked for the pattern and it's readily available at the Six_Sock_Knitalong yahoo group. It's called "Michelle's SSS pattern" listed under August 2006 in the file section BUT you must be a member to get the pattern.

That being said, I know my readers are so smart and the pattern is honestly so EASY, it's ridiculous! So for all you smarties, here's the stitch pattern:

Cast on an even # of stitches divisible by 4 (52, 56, 60, 64, ect.) I used 64 for my picot edge, then decreased to 60 for the leg and 56 for the foot. I feel the scales do run a bit big because I usually use 64 as my "standard" for a woman's medium.

Round 1 and 3: Knit
Round 2: *K2, yo K2, pass the yo over the 2 stitches just knit*repeat from * to end
Round 4: *yo K2, pass the yo over the 2 stitches just knit, K2* repeat from * to end

That's it, I swear!

So you can plug this stitch pattern into your standard sock formula and you can have a love affair with your socks too! :) And for those more adventuresome among you, why not give beaded knitting a go in 2007? It's so much fun and really enhances the finished object AND there just happens to be a nifty tutorial on my very own side bar!

Now for some more knit love, I give you Ruben!




Specs:

Ruben designed by Elsebeth Lavold in Designer's Choice, The Sentimental Journey Colllection, Book Two


7.5 skeins Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Verdigris (subbed for the cotton patine suggested in the pattern)

US #3 (3.25 mm) addi turbo for ribbing and US #5 (3.75 mm) for the body

Mods: NONE! :)




I love this design and I LOVE Silky Wool!! It's become one of my favorite yarns as it knits like a dream and just flows over the needles plus it's sooo soft.
On the downside, altho it was a simple cable, the pattern is pretty organic in that it leaves quite a bit up to the experience of the knitter. Plus, there are no schematics so size is kinda based on getting gauge and trust! Lining up the cables to "flow" into the ribbing was quite hair raising too so I'm pretty proud it only took me two tries :)




The Silky Wool is pretty fragile, you can pull it apart quite easily and I was concerned about using it for the sweater finishing. Being unable to find a suitable colored yarn to seam with I did use the Silky Wool but *very* carefully and did tear the working yarn in mid-seam a few times.



In the end, it's a gorgeous, classic, manly sweater that I would knit again keeping in mind the caveats I mentioned!

There's been a lot of buzz around Knitbloglandia about paring down for 2007. In other words it's cool to.....



Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

And here at Chez FKD, we will be jumping on this bandwagon! And we'll even be paring down the rules......

The Rules:

1- knit from stash for the entire year, 2007
2- sock yarn DOES count (boy oh boy, does it!)
3- yarn purchases can be made for gifts but only after all possible stash options have been exhausted
4- Gifts of yarn and yarn swaps don't count - especially birthdays (hint, hint!)
5- I'm on the fence about the one "free" day...I would really like to try to make it thru 2007 with no yarn purchases at all! It's not so much that I have this ginormous stash, but that I have yarn for so many projects already that I really want to knit, it just seems a shame for them to be languishng in the stash!

ETA: The showing of the stash will NOT be happening, never ever, no way, no how, nein, neit, nunca, nuh uh so I'll just pretend we never had this conversation :)

That's it! So good luck to me and all the other knitters taking the plunge!

To all my friends in Knitbloglandia who've shared a little bit of our lives here at FKD in 2006, Pumpkin and I want to thank you for your friendship, kindness and support and wish you a


Happy, Healthy 2007!!

36 comments:

Dave said...

That sweater is gorgeous -- I love how the ribs flow into the cables.

Anonymous said...

That is just a beautiful sweater!

Carol said...

I'm with Dave, it's gorgeous! A Very Happy New Year to you Debi! And of course to Pumpkin too! Does the P-Man get some special goodies to celebrate? Some yummy pizza perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous sweater.

(No free days at all? Can that even be done without turning into a werewolf?)

Happy New Year to both of you.

Suzanne said...

Reuben is GORGEOUS! those cables flow beautifully. Glad to hear the positive review of Silky Wool--a frustrating yarn is BAD TIMES for a large project.

Did I say those cables are lovely? I adore the way they flow into the neck ribbing.

Terri said...

Ruben is a gorgeous sweater. I am sure the lucky fella will love it immediately and forever. Thank you and the P-man for a whole year of fun, pictures, and the always kind knitting help.

Be healthy, be happy, and always be knitting! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Ruben is beautiful!1
Have a wonderful new year, Deb.

Lorette said...

Thanks for the hints on the sock pattern! And I love the sweater; very lovely!
Have a very Happy New Year, Debi!

Agnes said...

ONE WHOLE YEAR? Man, that's really tough! But then the other day when a sock kit arrived, my husband said he didn't understand why I had to buy more when there were still so many in the closet! I just don't know how to explain! Tough ... tough ... tough!
I've done some swatches and am all ready for Tuesday!
Happy Healthy 2007 to you and Pumpkin too.

Dorothy said...

Wow - Ruben is wonderful!! I love the cables and I love Silky Wool. I've only knit a shawl from it, but it's wonderful to wear and has held up well. Happy New Year to you and the P-man.

Nana Sadie said...

Gorgeous cables! Wow. And you know, P-Man is just the most snuggly guy...
What IS is about those red-headed boys? :)
Sock yarn counts? NO! NO! NO!
Well, I respect your choice. But I don't think I can go quite that far...
Happy New Year! And I do hope, even if 2006 was good, that 2007 will be FANTABULOUS!
(((hugs)))

Anonymous said...

That is really a gorgeous sweater!! Great job. Too bad you can't feel a blog picture-that wool silk sounds wonderful!!
Have a fabulous new year and I'm sure glad to have 'met' you. What was life like before blogging?? Was there life before blogging?

Anonymous said...

I'm intrigued by the Knit from Your Stash challenge for 2007, mostly because I can't believe anyone has that kind of yarn stored up at home. All I have are oddballs left over from other projects. Since I realize I'm in the minority (at least in terms of bloggers), I just smile when someone else joins. Good for you.

That sweater is just beautiful. You deserve loud applause for it.

alltangledup said...

happy new year to you too! I also like those socks, very pretty but I thought that they would be small because my standard ladies is on 72 stitches.

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year to you and the P-man from me and my 3 meezers, Minky, Victoria, and Casper. Kudos for a fabulous job on your sweater. I am So-o-o impressed! It's a good thing I'm not the recipient - I would stand all day gazing in the mirror at the cables!

Anonymous said...

Ruben is gorgeous! Happy 2007!

Carole Knits said...

The new sweater is wonderful. Happy New Year to you and Pumpkin.

Monika said...

What a great looking sweater! Lovely color, looks very comfy, well done!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful sweater indeed. I really need to join the knit from your stash as well. Happy New Year to you and the P-man :-)

Sharlene said...

Wow, I'm impressed, but now you've got to show off your stash...

Alison said...

Gorgeous sweater! Bet it feels wonderful, too.

I think it's funny so many are deciding to pare down their stashes because one of my resolutions is to buy more yarn:)

Happy New Year, Debi!

Opal said...

What a gorgeous sweater! I can't wait to see you show off your stash. *waggles eyebrows*

Anonymous said...

What a great sweater!!! You have given me the bug to make it as well.
I know what you mean about stash. I could knit for the rest of my life on my stash. At our knitter's guild we have a stash sale once a year. It is basically a stash swap, since most people go home with more yarn than they came to sell. Not quite sure how that works, but it does!!

Anonymous said...

Ruben is gawgeous! I'm still looking for just the right project for my Silky Wool.

I'm 100% supportive of you Knit from Stash effort. I'm also with you on the bare-bones rules. I know you can do it, of that there is no doubt!

- KB

Rebecca said...

RUBEN is fabulous! I love, love, love it! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I love your Ruben--enjoy it, it's beautiful!

Anonymous said...

happy 2007! give the p-man a little love from me and isabella too.

oh, and ruben looks SO GOOD! what an incredible gift. silky wool is really nice. i don't understand why it doesn't get more attention.

Norah said...

What a beautiful sweater!! I love the cable pattern and color.

Anonymous said...

Wow, your Ruben is just gorgeous! The color is so nice too. I'm knitting from the Stash too for '07!

Diane said...

I'm usually not a big fan of cables but Ruben is beautiful. What a fantastic job you did.

Jes said...

The sweater is amazing!
Happy New Year to you and the p-man!

Beth said...

Congrats on the camera!!!! (just read about it @ Wendy's) We expect seriously artsy-fartsy photos from you now. :)

Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Oh I absolutely aodre that sweater. I just love Lavold's patterns though.

Let's hope 2007 brings lots of completed projects, lovely yarn, and snuggling with our pets.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful sweater.

Please give P-Man and hug and a purr from Tigger and I.

Here's to a wonderful New Year for all of us.

Darilyn

Anonymous said...

Ruben: WOW!! Just... WOW!

Anonymous said...

Why are you torturing yourself like this? Does this mean you can't even go window shopping at your LYS? You poor dear.