Monday, June 9, 2008

Monkey Socks in Yarn Pirate Patina
















I started on these immediately upon receiving my Yarn Pirate Booty Club. I wrapped my YO's the wrong way, so I didn't get the expected line of holes, but now I know better. Very comfortable socks and the shiny yarn feels great! Unfortunately, the size 2 needles make it a bit threadbare on the bottom and I fear they will wear out before they should. I've got leftover yarn to repair it, which will be another experiment. Started May 20, 2008, finished June 2, 2008.

I'm still trying!


IMG_1870
Originally uploaded by virginia99



IMG_1968
Originally uploaded by virginia99


I have redyed my yarn by tying off approximate 1/8's and dyeing alternating sections red. It actually looks nicer in the wound cake than I imagined it would.

I intend to knit on it as soon as I free up some needles.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Upstream Architecture in Lorna's Laces (Jeans)


Lorna's Laces Socks
Originally uploaded by virginia99
I'm using Cat Bordhi's Upstream Architecture, with 2x2 cables growing out of the increase lines. I'm seeing some nice pooling, which I love. After many false starts, I finally broke down and started keeping track of my increase and cable rows on a piece of paper. When I was younger I could tell when to cross cables just by looking but I can't now. Notice the cables are closer together at the beginning. I'm going to pretend I meant to do that. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in the jeans colorway.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Trying to Force Pooling-An Experiment Probably Gone Wrong

Now that I've done all the work, I'm afraid I may have miscalculated, but time will tell. I thought I had this figured out, having drawn little diagrams and such. to begin, I cast on 72 stitches and knit a few rounds, then mark the beginning of each round with a Sharpie. Later, I do one with 64 stitches, but didn't take a photo of that.

I unknit the sample and make a hank big enough for 4 rows. This may have been a mistake. I cram it into a baking pan, divide it into approximate quadrants and set it to soak for about a half hour in warm water with a bit of dish soap in it. Then I take unsweetened Kool-Aid and dilute it in a convenient amount of water and pour it where I want it, trying to keep my quadrants quadranty.


I covered it in foil and baked at 350 for about 15 minutes. Notice that the water is clear, all dye has been absorbed. I'm not terribly fond of the purple bleeding into the green, so I may divide the quadrants better next time. Now it's hanging to dry. It may take a couple days, then I'll knit it up. Update, 15 minutes later: Now I see that what I will get is just a lot of 1-row stripes. I'm going to knit it up anyway, it'll be fine, but it won't be forceable pooling. Back to the drawing board.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Bulky Cedar Finished


Done, only took about 3 days, including working all weekend. Very quick and very warm. I like how the stripes in the yarn show the architecture around the ankles. Also, they make my feet look small.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Bulky Cedar Sock

One sock finished in about 8 hours, although I ripped it back to the heel to resize it. 2nd one coming soon!

As I was working, I noticed that it would fit in different ways: on the hand and backwards on the foot, leading to the possibility of other garments. Oh, and those quick homemade wool stitch markers? That gives me an idea: felt stitch markers, on the way!



Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Cables & Corrugations




This sock is so beautiful! I have had many complications with this project. I had to abandon sock #2 as the yarn was thinner, and I bought a new skein to replace it. The new skein seems shinier and paler, although same dye lot. No matchy-matchy for me. I love this pattern so much I will have to do it again in a consistent yarn.

Opal Neon Coriolis


Opal Neon Coriolis
Originally uploaded by virginia99
These are for my daughter, and should become a Coriolis soon! I love this yarn, so colorful. Yes, I keep it in a dorky little purse from a thrift store.

Started sometime in February.

My feet are cold!


Bulky Socks
Originally uploaded by virginia99
I found some 20-year old stash yarn called Pingouin Meche Cendree. It is a 1-ply bulky wool much like Lopi. It's scratchy and will felt quite well. We got it at closeout prices in 1984 or so. I've made a few sweaters and hats of it. My mother knit me a blanket that's so heavy I can't use it so I will take it apart.

I will take this yarn and double-strandedly make a pair of house boots. I expect it to be very quick. I am looking at the New Pathways class socks and hope to make a 20-stitch sock with a cable up the top. I may felt them later for my daughter and make 20 more.

March Comes in Like...a sheep.

I just got my camera back, so here come lots of photos. I've been fairly diligent about getting some knitting things done, and I'm getting faster.

I have been strongly wishing for some natural-colored socks and just received an order from Copper Mosse on eBay:

Natural brown Corriedale, very soft, 8 oz:


Natural brown Shetland, not quite as soft, almost the same color as the corriedale, 4 oz:



Natural Coopworth, fairly soft, 8 oz:



Natural Jacob, not very soft but pretty nice, 8 oz:


Dyed wool roving, very very very soft, for my daughter to learn spinning, 4 oz:

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

I spin too!



I just discovered a lot of unspun wool roving from many years ago in a closet. Wow! Looks like I did some kool-aid dyeing and I also have a nice large can of soft, natural brown wool locks. There are also a few skeins of yarn that I evidently spun. A friend just told me this winter that I gave her a hat many years ago that I spun and knitted. I'd forgotten all about it but she didn't!

I've been experimenting with spinning these the last few days. I have always just spun by feel, but I know there are techniques for getting what you want out of spinning. Much of this fiber feels sticky and is difficult to draft. Maybe it gets that way when it's old, maybe it just needs washing. My daughter tried to spin a little and got frustrated quickly. I just ordered some new fiber so we can both have an easier time of it.

Knitty's Broadripple



2/20/08-Finished! Only took a couple days to do the second one.

I estimate the beginning of this one as 2/12/08. I'm using Opal Rainforest 6-ply Flamingo. Nice, big yarn relative to what I've been using, and an easy-to-memorize design that is pleasing to watch as it grows. I've got no camera this week but will post photos when available. As of today, I have one sock done, and the second one is an inch tall. Although I meant these socks for me, I failed to wait for bigger needles and used a size 2, creating a perfect fit for my 9-year old daughter.


Coriolis of Caterpillar




My second start from New Pathways. I'm using Opal Rainforest Caterpillar (Raupe) for this one. I love the firm texture of this yarn. It doesn't split as I poke into it and after washing it is very soft and the fit gives a little. I find this pattern easy and relaxing to do, with just a little to think about as I work the band each row. The band does make it a little hard to pull over the heel to put on, but once on, all is well. Plenty of errors made this take a little longer. I made one foot too long and decided to knit a new toe after pulling out the excess. Also, I took the height down to just above the ankle and finished with a few rows of garter stitch and a tubular bind-off.
Started: 1/11/08
Finished 2/8/08


Cables & Corrugations


From Cat Bordhi's fantastic new book: New Pathways for Sock Knitters, I decide to begin a beautiful pattern using Jojoland Melody Yarn. The yarn is incredibly soft, and variegated randomly from what I can tell, so no color repeats. Unfortunately, as I arrived at the heel area, I realized that each skein was a different thickness, so I put away the weak sock to use in another project, and decide to finish the strong one later when I recover from the pain.
Date started: 1/9/08 according to photo information.
Date hibernated: 2/11/08.

Finished Jan 3rd




It wasn't so bad. I made the ankles really baggy as my feet swell. Actually, it's too loose and I don't like them. I may choose to redo the tops when the weather warms up and I want some cottony socks to wear. For now, on to more wooly things.