Finished Objects!

First off, the title contains a link to my forum, where I posted the full convention report. It was HUGE, so I figured I'd just link to it instead of posting it here.

As you can see from the sidebar on the right, I have a couple of new prints since my last update. Please go check them out either by clicking on the thumbnail here or by going to www.divinebird.com under "Merchant Road" and "Non-Series Images".

Now, on to the finished objects!

I started these socks in June at my sister's graduation from Dartmouth. It was cold, rainy, and grey for most of the weekend, so the yarn was a real pick-me-up! I did my new favorite method of casting on both socks at once so I wouldn't be tempted to give up after one sock. I use DPNs instead of circulars, so that meant at least eight DPNS were in use at any one time. :)

Finished sock from the side...



Looks normal, doesn't it? Now look at the sole:




Hee! Tabi-style socks!

I like toe socks in general--the weirder, the better. However, by the time I reached the toes on these, I was just ready to finish. The first one got a normal toe, but it was just a tad bit short. When I started the toe on the second one, I said 'what the heck' and made a big toe and then used the rest of the stitches to make the remaining two-thirds-sized toe section. I made up this part as I went along, but I do have my notes if anyone's interested.

Yarn used was the ArtYarns Ultramerino 4 from my post back on April 26. I used most of the multicolor and about half of the solid green. The pattern was Ann Norling's basic sock pattern (by Deirdre Wallace) with my own adapted toe. I used size 2 dpns throughout. If I were to change anything next time, I'd use smaller needles for the ribbing. That's about it.

Around the same time that I cast on for the socks, I learned how to crochet. You've seen some of my projects here already, but the first real ITEM that I made was this cute purse.



And inside, with the zipper I found in my mom's zipper stash...



Note how the colors match the socks. I think I'm obsessed. :)

Yarn is some brand of kitchen cotton--Sugar N Cream, I think--and the pattern comes from "One Skein" by Leigh Radford. It took me about a total of four hours from start to finish--keep in mind, I'm a learning crocheter. This was one EASY purse. The strap was my own addition, which I think I'm going to take off and rework as a pair of shorter handles.

Still working on the Eleanor stole, and I just began a new pair of socks out of some pretty Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Rainbow. I'm using the same base pattern I always use, but this time I'm putting some cables in around the leg. We'll see if that works. :) I'll keep you posted on that as I go.

And that's what I've been doing lately!