Shiny!

Hey Robin,
Lots to share. I am still in the midst of trying to finish my laceweight long jump event for the Ravelympics and am 6 of a possible 8 repeats in. I am convinced I cannot finish in time and yet part of me is still thinking "It would be SO cool if I could finish in time!" However if the event requires me to be blocked before the closing ceremonies I am scrood. Ah well, I will stay up far-too-late-tonight and try to finish anyway! :) Besides the idea of getting one of these:

with the word "lace" on it is just so much something-that-I-want. That's a badge I will have felt like I EARNED!

Oh and I don't have a picture of the lace in-progress because I feel like if I pick it up I should be knitting it and not picture taking. Oh the anxiety!

I did manage to finish another item that it looks like I haven't posted about. OK so it's half really. A sock from a pair. But this is the saga-sock... the one that is taking me an inexplicable number of redos to finish but now that I have one whole sock all done it feels good. Great even. I will share the pattern when I am all-done with sock-the-second. Here's a pic to entice though:

Got another FO for you with a BONUS! A FREE PATTERN TO SHARE!! Woohoo!! Been a while since the last one eh? The pattern is:

The Shiny iPod Sock
(called such because it's "Shiny" (as in Firefly), the yarn is "Shine Sport" and it's to keep my iPod shiny... triple threat!)

Materials: Knit Picks Shine Sport (I used the leapfrog colorway) one ball is enough to make two and maybe three of these; size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed kneedles; tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge: 5.5 sts/inch 7 rows/ inch in stockinette

Notions: one 5/8” button

Using Judy’s Magic cast on from knitty.com:

Cast on enough to make 36 stitches (18 sts on each of two kneedles to start, then on first row you will spread that out to 9 on eachkneedle).

Start working stockinette and split each ‘side’ onto two dpns so that you have more flexibility, remember when you knit your first stitches on starter kneedle #2 to knit through the back loop because those stitches are twisted.

Keep in mind that you will want to knit the first stitch on each kneedle a little tighter so that you don’t get “ladders”.

The first few rows of stockinette will be a bit fiddly and difficult to maneuver, but by the 4^th
round or so things start to relax a bit and life gets easier.

(Look Ma! No seams!)

Continue in stockinette until the pouch measures about 3” to 3.25” then switch to seed stitch and continue for 8 or more rows (this is a good time to put the ipod in the sock and test out the length).

Bind off all the stitches on one side of the sock so that you are working back and forth on the other side, this is the flap.

For Flap:

Work seed stitch back and forth on 18 sts for 3 or so rows, end with a WS row.

Next row: Work a decrease row (ssk, seed stitch to last two stitches, k2tog) (16 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: Decrease row (14 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: Decrease row (12 sts)

Next row: k5, bo 2, k5 (10 sts)

Next row: ssk, seed stitch 3 sts, co 2 sts, seed stitch 3 sts, k2tog (10 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: work one more decrease row (8 sts).

Bind off. (I used the “invisible Bind-off for Single-rib” found on page 46 of the Fall ’08 Interweave Knits)

Weave in your ends, sew on your button, insert iPod and Enjoy your tunes scratch-free!

(add one favorite-button and viola!)

I haven't had a test-knit of course so if "anybody" finds an issue I would love to hear about it so that I can fix the pattern here.

I am SO proud mof myself for this one! Used a whole-new cast on (which I am in love with and must use for my next toe-up sock), custom-fit the "garment" (can you tell i've been watching Project Runway?) and made it the way I wanted! No seams!! Wahoo! And this yarn is my new favoritest cotton ever... so soft. I want a sweater out of it!

Another note: this pattern is for fitting the classic, 3rd Gen and 5th Gen (video?) iPods. I would LOVE a chance to make one for an iPhone too! hint-hint! ;)

Later