14 May 2007

Sock Down! (and Done)

There was a sock mishap.

This


became this


when I realized that sock was too small. Now I'm waiting to cast-on again while I try to figure out if adding 8 stitiches will be enough, or should I add 16? The pattern does not allow for any give, so I'll confess to being a tiny bit paranoid.

But in other news, I designed my own sock! (OK, closer to how not to design a sock, but I'm still rather pleased with myself.)


These went really fast (US size 4 needles will do that). I also wasn't sure of yardage, so I made the leg a little shorter than normal.


Note to self: When creating your very own sock pattern, stop and think ahead before the knitting (which is where I did most of the actual thinking about the pattern.) If I'd been thinking, I'd have set the leg pattern up so it would have worked on the instep without too much jarring. What I did to clease the palate was one repeat of Undulating Rib, which I love, but didn't really work. Although there was a cool effect that I want to remember to play with someday.


I love how the instep turned out, though. (Not shown to best effect on a bottle, but you get the idea.)


Eye of partridge (eye of peacock?) heel which is also on the toe. I also love the garter stitch on the heel flap. These features where inspired by Cider Moon's Saucy pattern. And I think they work in this yarn (Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Iris) really well.

I have since washed the socks, and I'm thinking I'd probably go down a needle size next time, but the Boomerang was a great yarn to work with! And I loved the designing part, so I'd like to keep up with that. But I need to knit some other socks to get a feel for different structures. Right now, I'm doing my knitting for The Loopey Ewe's Quarterly Challenge. One pair of handwarmers down and I've started a baby hat.

04 May 2007

Distractions

Oooo, looky! I'm blogging!! Will wonders never cease? (I hope not. I need wonder in my life. Soon it'll be all I can afford.)

So, yes, a little discouraged by my complete inability to manage money. Or food. Or exercise. Or anything that is considered to be a sign of a responsible adult, so I will distract myself and everyone else with photos of knitting accomplishments.

First up, finished items:


Clapotis in Malabrigo Amorosa
This only took about 2 years. I may be over my Clapotis addiction. This will be a gift for someone.


Finished pair of socks #1. These took less than a year. (Funny story: Last year, in July, after a 4 month knitting vaccation, I decided I wanted, no, I needed, to knit wool socks. I had 13 pairs going. Made the first of each in about 2 weeks I'm still working on the second socks. Only 2 pairs left to go, though. To be totally accurate, I had two pairs of socks started before I added the other 11. Gidgie stop laughing. I can hear you in Seattle. Where I currently am.)
Art Yarns Supermerino #105. This is my favorite colorway, I have it in 3 other variations of their yarns, too. (No, I'm not obsessive at all. Why would you ask? Gidgie, I mean it about the laughing.)


Finished 2nd pair of socks. Interlacements Toasty Toes in Poppy Fields. I love the orange in these socks, but it must be said that there is a lot of dye still in there. I soaked these 3 times after wearing and they still bled a little in the wash.


Third pair of finished socks. Black Cat Yarns Sock Hop in Mai Tai (Sorry, I got this yarn on eBay but the store and its website are no longer there.) These socks I wish I had knit on smaller needles. Because I have concerns about their durablitity, they are bedtime socks. (I live in Minnesota. My toes get cold in the winter months. Why am I explaining this?)

Next up, a couple of in progress items:


Because on my birthday last year (it's September 28th; I know you wanted to know that so you could mark your calendars), I decided I needed more socks to work on (it was my birthday, I can do whatever silly thing I want to), I started these. Mountain Colors Twizzle in Mountain Tango. This is a wool/silk blend, so I planned these for comfort socks. They are currently in my office at work for when I really need to destress.


Ever wonder how much knitting you can do on a flight from the Twin Cities? Most of the leg of a sock you're designing. Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Iris. I love this yarn! I love this color. I'll try and remember to get a better picture tomorrow.

And just because:




The lovely ladies at Cider Moon keep sending samples with my orders. They're so pretty!

Forgive me, but I don't actually have time for a spell check right now.