On a quest

Does anyone have a copy of Interweave Knits Summer 2004 and be kind to share a pattern from it with me? This issue is discontinued and can't even be found on EBay... :-( There is one pattern in it that I'd love to give a try... I give a skein of sock yarn to my hero!

Survey!

Just a little survey, for everyone's benefit, I hope!

What is your favorite(s) sock yarn of all time?

If it is a very expensive one (>20$US), what is your affordable favorite one too?

Odd question

Just a odd question out of the blue...

When you find a pattern you like but turn out to be crochet and you don't crochet at all, it is "portable" to a knitting one easily? Is it even feasible? Or do I have to learn to crochet?

Dyeing fun!

Apple to Apple yarn - The mixture
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

Last November, I felt like experimenting further at dyeing with Kool-Aid. It was a fun Sunday afternoon!!!

My lovely assistant helped me to design this stripy yarn. I had a certain width in mind and I gotta say, I am pretty close to it in the end! He also helped to achieve the colours I had desired.

Apple to Apple yarn - Ongoing dyeing
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

In order to do the red, we mixed some grocery brand cherry-flavored beverage powder with fruit punch or whatever darkish red flavours I had in the kitchen.

For the green, since it was not possible to find green powder, we had to be creative. I used Crystal Light Lemondade, with Gatorade Frost and Tang, because I ran out of source of yellow.

Apple to Apple yarn - Drying
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

I always keep a bit of grape Kool-Aid, in case I need to darken a colour.


I wanted bright colours, so I saturated and saturated the mixes. It was so sweet and sticky!


I heated and heated until no pigments wanted to soak in the fiber and washed. Happy yarn was born!

Festive finished Apple to Apple sock!
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

For the sock, just a basic pattern and stockinette stitch were executed.



As I was knitting them, I found they were more and more looking like Christmas socks. So I finished them on time for the event!

Knitter's New Year's Resolutions

In 2008, I want...

My Holiday WIP
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

... to knit my first sweater.

... to learn the Magic loop and knit 2 socks at the same time and toe up.

... to update my blog a tad more often, because right now, I am about 3-4 projects behind!

... to avoid buying any new yarn this year (yup, yarn diet!) except for a few exceptions which include exceptional yarn colorways and yarn for a sweater project. (I got a few skeins of yarn for Christmas. I should really melt that stash before considering buying more).

As you can see, I already started my New Year's resolutions! More on that, if I ever follow my other ones, in a timely manner! ;-)

Happy New Knitting Year everyone!

Needles and injuries

Note to self: Only bamboo. Especially for sock knitting.

Safely warm!

I can happily report that for the first time in say, forever, I feel warm when I wear my soft and luxurious Malabrigo Clapotis. The only problem I have met when the temperature falls 20 C degres below 0 is that my legs get really frozen. I just thought that I should knit myself some Malabrigo long-johns! LOL! Any pattern? ;-)

Now, that is what I would call ready for Quebec winter!