Harry Potter is a Jaywalker

I finally finished the first Jaywalker. Really, it should've been done over the weekend but I jacked up the toe decreases and had to rip it out and do it over. Usually when that happens I get annoyed with the project and will put it down for a day or two which is what I did. Then it took me another day to finish it up and get around to grafting the toe. I think the fact that I was rather uninspired by the pattern and
the final look of the sock didn't help.



As you can see the zig zags did finally show up. There's a lot going on in this yarn. The sock itself is kind of big too. I can wear it, but it's a little looser than I like. I knit the smallest size w/the recommended needle size so I can only assume Grumperina just has huge feet. Most other sock patterns I've done call for casting on 64 stitches or so. This one is 76.  What's that you say? Gauge swatch? Surely you jest! Seriously, Grumps just has big feet. You can take my word for it.

I just cast on for the second sock. I'll do the same cast on number but I decided to go down to a size 1 needle to see if that helps with the fit any. I think these socks will have to grow on me. So far I'm not in love.

Not knitting related at all.

This has nothing to do with knitting but it's something I felt worthy of documenting. I've been doing weight watchers since late July. As of this past Thursday I've lost 36lbs. Today I actually decided to take a progress picture just to see if I can tell a difference. I have a hard time seeing it in day to day life and just looking in the mirror. I think it's safe to say that I can finally see it.

Pre weight watchers, July 4th weekend at my cousin's wedding.



Today, before going on a nice walk in this beautiful 65 degree weather. 36lbs gone. My head is positively tiny!



I've still got a ways to go, probably another good 25-30ish or so to goal but even if I don't lose that much I'm still really proud of how far I've come.

100th post!

I've been wanting to blog all week but I've not really had anything especially witty to say and no finished objects to show off. I didn't want to post my 100th without at least having a picture or two to share.

So I finished Kevin's Christopher hat last night. I started it sometime last week but I'm not sure on the exact date...probably when I finished my helix socks but I restarted it a few times because I didn't trust the pattern. The whole time I was knitting it I was sure that the hat was going to be way to big. It just seemed so dang huge. I actually stopped knitting about an inch before the pattern called for it. It's not too short but that extra inch wouldn't have hurt anything.

Red Side.


Blue side.


I knit it with Knit Picks wool of the andes in New England Patriot colors. Just in time for there not to be any football next season! Not to mention that it's been in the 50s for the past two weeks so we're past hat season. But it's extremely cozy and Kevin is really happy with it. I expect him to wear it constantly next winter.

I also started a pair of Jaywalkers with some Opal Harry Potter yarn that my dear friend Manda gave me...oh ages ago. I thought it was about time I actually knit something with yarn in my stash. The pattern is ridiculously easy, but the yarn is pretty crazy and it's hard to see the zig zags. I'll keep it going for awhile just to see how it turns out. I've never really used a self striping yarn before but so far I'm not really seeing any stripes.

In other news, I've discovered that I like mangos.