FOs: Boteh and Monkey

Trying to make up for lost time...



Pattern: Boteh Scarf by Kathy Merrick from Interweave Crochet Spring 2007
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Red Rover (2 hanks)
Hook: F/5/4mm Boye aluminum
Time: 1 week
Mods: Gauge was tighter than specified so I crocheted 4 extra triangles for a total of 20 to reach the desired length.



Notes: My first real crochet project! I figured it out sometime last year, mainly because I really liked the Boteh Scarf. The yarn was originally knit into a mini Sarcelle that just turned out too short. It makes a nice Boteh, though. This was an easy pattern to crochet (note: there is errata for this) and made for nice instant gratification.

And I finally got the Monkey off my back...



Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. from Knitty.com
Yarn: Southwest Trading Co. TOFUtsies color #722 (1 skein)
Needles: US1.5/2.5mm DPNs]
Time: 5 months
Mods: Altered pattern to be knit toe-up, short row heels, knee-length (because the yarn would not end), increases for calf shaping

Notes: These are *finally* done. I pretty much got tired of their unfinished state and the slow progress due to making them exclusive travel knitting, so I devoted some time after the Boteh Scarf specifically to finishing these socks. I wanted to use up as much of the yarn as possible, which is why they're toe-up and knee length. One skein of TOFUtsies goes a long way (I wear a US 7 shoe in case anyone was wondering just how far). I still have a bit left over but that probably would have taken me closer to the knee than I'd like.

For the calf increases, I basically added a couple stitches per lace repeat over four rounds, which enlarged the overall lace pattern (i.e. each repeat has 4 rounds of eyelets originally, this went up to five after increasing). I also knit the ribbed cuff about half an inch longer than called for.

For some reason the color pattern on the second sock flashed instead of striped until I started the calf shaping. This one feels looser than its mate so maybe my gauge changed slightly for the first half and then tightened up. I did knit half of this second sock while on a couple hours of sleep and jet lagged. The latter half I did at home. Oh well. I'm just glad these are finally done.

Caught up...

Finally got myself caught up on the Mystery Stole. Clue 3 took one day like the first two while the bigger Clue 4 took a couple days. Since I was caught up by the time Clue 5 was released I decided to take my time with it and finished on Wednesday.



While I waited for the sixth clue, I frogged the Ribbed Tofutsie. It's now going to be Monkey by Cookie A.



You can't really see the lace pattern although I'm not sure if it's the colorway doing that or the kinks in the recently frogged yarn. I've modified the pattern to be worked toe-up in order to use as much yarn as I can. I'm more or less working backwards. I used the Magic Cast-on to cast on the number of toe stitches left at the end, flipped the chart upside down with a couple minor adjustments, and I will be knitting a short row heel.

I'm going out of town for a week so this will make good travel knitting. I'd take the Mystery Stole if it weren't for the beads.