Saturday, June 23, 2007

Stuck

Welcome to the blog of the mad knitter! Yes, I've finally succumbed to the overwhelming drive to blog my knitting exploits...I fought this urge for quite some time, but I've now given up, surrendered myself to the universe and allowed my inner blogger some air time...she'd better behave or play time is over!


First up, my never ending frog-socks project. I hadn't *planned* on knitting frog socks. In fact, I had this lovely Knitty tank all lined up for myself to be completed by summer (I can kiss *that* goodbye now). But my hard-to-please son asked so very nicely, and I grabbed the chance to make something for him that he might actually want to wear, unlike the other sweaters/scarves/basically-everything-I've-knit-him since the age of three. So, without further ado, here they are:






Now, can you see the never-ending part? Here, look a little closer:



Aside from the fact that one frog has a smile and one doesn't (and why is the green showing through the blue? That has never happened to me before!), can you see the difference in width between, say, the top 1/4 of both socks? If you can't, it's my photographic/modeling abilities at fault because the difference in size is *quite* noticeable in real life. Apparently I was *so* worried about the cotton I used for the yellow stripe in the ribbing being tight around the leg that I overcompensated on the first sock and cast on too loosely, which seemed to carry all the way down through the frog section. I have some plans to fix this, but this means that I can't do the happy dance when I finish the second sock because I will be knitting what feels like a *third* frog sock after that! Well, not really, and it's only knitting (re-knitting?) the top section, but I *so* want to be done with this project, and it's not happening anytime soon!


And yes, I know the frog looks a bit like a bat, but I couldn't find any frog charts so I made this up all by myself, and considering I had absolutely *no* idea what I was doing I'm pretty darned proud of my bat-winged frogs.


And both will be smiling by the end of all this. As will I. As will, we can only hope, my son.

Anyway, this is what I long to be working on:




I know, it doesn't look like much now, but it will be stunning, I hope! It's Isabella from Knitty.com (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTisabella.html) That bottom part gets hemmed and makes this gorgeous picot edging all around the bottom of the tank. I cast on for it while I was waiting to get to the store for the frog socks' green yarn, and I do regret that the wait wasn't longer! I'm not a simultaneous-project knitter, so I seem to be stuck with those socks until they are done. I still have some shred of hope that I can whip up this tank before the weather gets cool again, but knowing how fast I knit, I suspect this may be wishful thinking.

9 comments:

anphoe said...

Yay, I am the first one to leave a comment again(besides the one in Erin's blog). Silly me "again". haha. I must be having too much time on surfing internet...

The frog on the sock does look like a frog when I see it in person (I only saw the first one, I think). As the matter of fact, as long as your hard-to-please "accept" it, who cares? I am sure they will be lovely/ cute socks and made your son happy and satisfied.

I love the Isabella. Are you using the Rowen 4 ply Cotton? I like the color you have chosen for it.

See you on Thursday!!

Encarna said...

Hello, you Mad Knitter you! Great first entry. Can't wait to read more and knit vicariously through you! I'm adding you to my RSS feeds.

Denise said...

Hey,

Congratulations on getting up a blog and joining the craze. (-:

Hopefully your "issues' with the frog socks won't lead you to being a "mad" (as in angry) knitter and still keep you a "Mad" as in determined and focused - notice I didn't say obcessed - knitter. I think you're great at working those needles, so I suspect without too much agony, you'll work it through with them frogs!!

So, are you making the Isabella for yourself?

Happy Knitting and Blogging!!

mad knitter said...

anphoe, how did you find me, and so quickly??? You are amazing, LOL!
I was buying for the Isabella on the day of WEBS tent sale, so I was getting something either there or at the Yarn Garden on the way. Neither store had the Rowan 4 ply, so I bought this pretty Mondial baby cotton with a comparable gauge. You saw it, because I'm using it for the yellow stripes on the frog socks!

mad knitter said...

encarna -
Oh my goodness, I'm on someone's RSS feed now! Thanks!

Kelly

mad knitter said...

Denise -

Thanks! And yes, I'm making the Isabella for myself. Hopefully it will be done so I can wear it this season...but who knows? Gotta finish those socks first, LOL!

Jen said...

Hey Kelly,

Great first entry and I love the frogs....beyond cute! Hope you get the chance to finish the Isabella for you this season. Did you decide what to make with the pink yarn from WEBS? Look forward to reading your updates!!

Jen (stealing a moment to surf and then to knit before picking the girls up at school)

mad knitter said...

Jen -
Thanks for the kind words about the frogs...Looking at them I can see every imperfection and that's driving me crazy, so yours were welcome words!! I am unraveling the top of the first as we speak to fix that "looseness" problem, and then I think it's on to Isabella, yay!

I am thinking of that "Mud Flap Girl" tank from one of the SnB books (SnB nation?) for the pink yarn. The mud flap girl doesn't thrill me, but it's a cute tank - is it Jenna Adorno? I love her! And so I'll probably just make a tank sans girl!

Erin said...

Hi Kelly, I think the socks look great! That frog is cute, and not at all bat-like. If they'll get worn, I'm not sure it matters too much that they're a bit different. I know that even though I always notice the "flaws" in the things I make, the recipients rarely ever notice them, and they never seem to care.