Friday, August 27, 2010

A project finished and another one starting

I finished another pair of socks.  This was a sock club project from For Yarn's Sake (my LYS).  The project is called Italian Summer- featuring a pattern and yarn exclusive to the club.  The yarn was hand dyed with Walla Walla onion skins and Calendula flower petals.  Cool!  They're short- so they're nice in this transitional season.  And very comfy.

This pattern is done with an "afterthought heel".  I never tried this before so it was a learning experience. You can knit it top down, or toe up- it doesn't make any difference.  You put the heel in AFTER the rest of the sock is done.

You work the sock like a tube.  Where the heel will go, you knit a row with waste yarn (white- right side of photo).  When you're ready to go back and work the heel, you VERY carefully, remove the waste yarn to expose live stitches, and insert the needles.  Then you work the heel (left side of photo).  It's pretty easy, as long as you don't mind picking up the stitches when you remove the waste yarn.  And you have to kitchner stitch the end of the heel.  I like doing the kitchner stitch, so that was fun for me.

I started a new knitting project, but I'll only work on it when I'm riding in the car.  My main project for the next few months is a wedding quilt for my son and his intended.

I'm (deep breath) making them a king size double wedding ring quilt.  The wedding is in December.  If I fall behind- cheer me on, please!

The wedding colors are white, black and red.  It should be a beautiful winter wedding!  Here's the beginning of my pile of fabrics.  I'm collecting everything black and white and red that I can get my hands on!

Here's the exciting part!!!!!!  Even as we speak.... the men in brown (UPS) are transporting my new Accuquilt GO! to me!  Along with the cutting machine, I will be receiving several die sets- one of which is a double wedding ring!  Yea!  No cutting all those little pieces with templates!  I'll be showing the GO! cutting system to you as I learn to use it..

And I have a little (make that a BIG) surprise for you.  The October giveaway will be...... shhhh.... it's a SURPRISE!

Speaking of giveaways- just a few more days to enter the giveaway for the magnets.  If you haven't entered already, go over to the sidebar and click on the photo of the magnets.

13 comments:

QuiltSue said...

Those fabrics are going to make a fabulous quilt. Are you getting the DWR die to go with your Go! cutter?

Colleen's Blog Long Island NY said...

Love the socks. Interesting heel.

Sharon@LoftyQuilts.com said...

The Double Wedding Ring Quilt is on my bucket list. I am afraid of the challenge it presents. It would inspire me to give it a go to hear what tips and tricks you discover along the way.

Needled Mom said...

Those socks are adorable. I love that the yarn is dyed with onion skins and calencula petals!!! It sounds like an interesting way to put the heel in too.

Taht RWB quilt is going to be amazing. King size???? December???? Oh my!! Glad you will have to GO to help with the cutting.

Judy C said...

Love the socks, and I can't wait to see the wedding ring quilt! Cheering you on from the sidelines

Judy S. said...

That's a very cute sock. Amazing that it's natural dyes. Who'd have thought to use caledula? What's your favorite cast on for toe up? I've heard about those cutters; they seem pretty addictive! Wedding ring is a great pattern...lucky them!

Barb said...

Love your sockies....

Marlene said...

Love the socks.
Cheering you on for you quilt. Fabulous colour scheme.

Soggibottom said...

Love the colours of the wedding quilt. You have my full attention. :-) x x x not sure about the socks though. Think they would have taken me longer. Look cosy.

Nanbon44 said...

very talented with the needles, me I have two left thumbs and nothing I try to knit turns out right. As for quilting, I am planning a black/white and white/black quilt with a little kick of red thrown in, now I just need to go on a hunting mission and capture my fabrics.

Bec Clarke said...

Oh will certianly cheer you on with the quilt. I made one for my brothers wedding 2 years ago and it took me 6 months with small baby so I am positive you can do it.
Mine was huge too, it hung well over the sides of a queen bed about 6 across by 7 rings down.
It was hard but rewarding and I can't wait to see all your pics.

quiltmom anna said...

Sue,
I love the fabric choices for the wedding ring- I have made one and it is fun even though it is more complex than some patterns. Are you doing a continuous arc or a pieced arc?
The go cutter will definitely help to make is simpler. I will look forward to seeing it progress.
Regards,
Anna

Anonymous said...

My friends daughter had a red, black and white wedding also. I made her a quilt but it was stars. I aspire to one day make a double wedding ring.