Behold! They are finished!
Pattern: Monkey from Knitty.
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, a bamboo, cotton and nylon sock yarn. Super soft.
I’m pretty happy with the way they turned out, but I think I have finally lost my cuff-down mojo….
Toe-ups? Moi? Incredible though it may seem, here before you lies a short-row garter stitch toe and a partial foot. I quite like the toe. It is taken from Lucy Neatby’s Cool Socks Warm Feet and starts with a provisional cast on (always a good sign). You make short-rows all the way around the toes and then join up in the round and continue for the foot. I’m already looking forward to the heel. What can I say? It must be the weather.
I have also been plugging away (and really, there is no other way to describe it) at my Icarus shawl.
It gets wider and wider and each row gets longer and longer. Now, it’s all fun and games on the right side rows but it’s the purling back that’s killing me. I’ve heard of stamina knits but this is ridiculous. I’m not even past the first chart yet! There are three more to go…
I have been swotting up on some finishing technique too. Remember the Lucky lace wrap? I tried four times to sew the neckband on and I just couldn’t get it to work. Even my mum tried. It’s been good wrap weather lately so I dug it out and decided to give it one last go.
Success!
You can see more detailed shots here and here.
The fuzzy blue top-down V-neck is motoring along but I didn’t take a photo of it because it looks exactly the same as before, only five inches longer. I tried it on and it fits perfectly. Twice in a row? Seems too good to be true but it’s just a happy symptom of top-down knitting. Speaking of which, I have completely changed my mind about the Cashsilk top. If you are prone to emotional reaction to knitting being ripped out, look away now. Ever since I cast on, it hasn’t felt right and I kept stalling on it. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I had so many issues with the design: the hip darts, the bust darts, the armholes, the V-neck, the shoulder shaping. Now I realise that I would have had none of these issues had I started it from the top down. It makes so much sense! Onward valiant knitting!
Lucky is gorgeous! I’m sure you’ll get lots of wear out of it. I’ve also had a recent addiction to top-down knitting – successful sweaters are such a rush (even when they were made by someone else!).
Have a nice weekend!
OH! Now I’ve got to hit up the book store and find that toe. It’s beautiful!!
The Monkeys and sweater are nice too 😉
Love and Laughter,
Amy
Great monkeys! Those colors are very cute and they work well with the pattern. I gasped audibly when I read that you’re knitting toe-up socks.
Icarus looks like a nice shawl, but every single person who’s knitted it has used words like “stamina”, “neverending”, “Sisyphus”, “endurance”, and so on.
I love the little lacy dots on Lucky. They’re probably supposed to be shamrocks, but they look like pawprints to me.
stunning!!!love it! I want it!! 😉