Finally, two FOs to report!

So, this weekend was fairly productive for me. I finally finished my third sock (to go with my first one), and I was in such a knitting place that I cast on and finished a tea cozy in like 11 hours. And today I'm wearing my first pair of hand knit socks! Yeah! Now time for the pics and details.

Sock # 3

Yarn: Knit Picks Memories, 100% Merino Wool

Colorway: Fly Fishing

Needles: Knit Picks US1/2.5mm aluminium dpns

Pattern: "Straight-Laced" in Knit Socks! 15 Cool Patterns for Toasty Feet by Betsy Lee McCarthy

Price: yarn and needles gift from princessgenevieve during Secret Pal 9

How long: Off and on for about two and half months, I think.

Where knit: Mostly at home and at a few SnB Amsterdam meetings

What did I learn?: My first time doing the Kitchener stitch. It didn't come out too nicely, though, so I need to try it again. I also learned that you don't want to knit the foot the actual length of your foot... You want it a bit shorter (or at least, I do) so you get a nice snug fit.


Tea Cozy

Yarn: year of the goat, hand-dyed, 100% wool

Colorway: no name--greens and browns (rusty reddy brown)

Needles: US7/4.5mm Bryspun Bry-Flex plastic dpns and US7/4.5mm Denise Interchangeables

Pattern: Modified version of Kureyon Kozy from Knitty.com

Price: Yarn gift from princessgenevieve during Secret Pal 9

How long: started around noon on 3 June, finished around midnight (with a few breaks and a nap in between), ripped a bit on the morning of the 4th and reknit, finishing around 9:00am. So roughly 10 hours total.

Where knit: at home

Modifications: The teapot I was knitting this for is a Turkish teapot, and it is not round like the teapots this cozy was intended for. I had to knit it much taller than the pattern called for. And since the handle is so high, I kept the cozy in one piece, more or less, until that point instead of knitting two flaps like the pattern calls for.

What did I learn?: I practiced combined knitting for the bit I reknit this morning--purl by wrapping the yarn from under the needle and then knit into the back of the stitch. This is one of the suggested techniques for knitters whose purl stitches are a little looser than their knit stitches. My ribbing was a bit more even, but I still need to practice.