Casting On for June!

Jun 072012
 

I do love the first day of the month when classes are posted for the Harry Potter House Cup. Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like choosing projects, determining how they will fit the prompts, and casting on in mad abandon. (Speaking of abandon, I do realize I missed WIP Wednesday….Bygones). It was particularly fun this month, and I so appreciated your telling me what to do guidance in sorting through my stash to match up yarn and project. First off, the Selkie Socks by Allison Janocha. I loved these and went looking for colors to match the muted look of the sample. I thought you were a little nuts when you suggested I use some Wollmeise Clementine. Orange? Really? And match it up with Fuchsia for the contrasting stripe? But your reasoning totally made sense. It’s unlikely that I’ll use an orange skein of Wollmeise for a shawl – so why not socks? I’m really happy with the way they’re turning out. The pattern is easy to memorize and I’m almost done with sock #1.

Then we talked about my Line Break by Veera  Välimäki. I love the pattern and will knit it someday in something squishy and soft. But 1,000 yards of garter with a deadline had me not feeling the love so much. I’m going to do Lady Jane instead. Paulina Popiolek‘s pattern has been calling my name for some time now. It has some garter, but then lace at the end for interest. At first I got Elysium for it, but decided I wanted it larger. I’ll use my Saffron Dyeworks Mini Mica for it and do some mods to be able to use at least 1,000 yards to meet the requirements of my Broom proposal. I got a start on it, but need to get cranking! The Elysium I may use for Flukra by Gudrun Johnston some time down the line. Yours is just stunning!

As for your yarn throw down of Gaia Lace vs. Nautilace, I stand by what I said. First off, why create your own suffering by wanting something you that is no longer available?  The Gaia has a softer hand, or sure. However, the stitch definition and gentle shimmer of the Nautilace is just gorgeous. Speaking of which, I’ve got to get going on my Evenstar!! That baby’s not going to knit itself! Happy knitting!

~Purled

I’m No Floozy – WIP Wednesday

May 302012
 

It’s that special day of the week where we whip out the WIPS – Wednesday WIP days stop me from feeling like a complete floozy who has hot, but short lived flings. Time to resurrect those one night stands of the past and reassure them that it was not just all about looks, if that is possible. This Wednesday, I have a lot of ‘splaining to do to some sock projects.  Let’s begin:

One Night Stand #1: For Kantaben

First Date:  April 9, 2011

First Impressions: Loved the Socks That Rock yarn, and there’s nothing like a short row heel combined with your basic Leyburns pattern. The Harlot has made multiple pairs of these, so how can you go wrong?

Follow up Phone Call? Yes, a few times. Got so far as the short row heel on sock one. Then it might have been the way he was a bit too fancy with the faux cross stitch. A real looker, but like most good lookers, a little too attention seeking for my taste.

Plan to See Him Again? Yes. These are for a good friend of mine on the Vineyard, so I outta get them done before I move back. Perhaps a June Detention project.

 

One Night Stand #2: Vanilla Socks

First Date: May 1, 2011

First Impressions: A May Day celebratory date. For Gawd’s sake, it’s Wollmeise. What could go wrong? It’s like being fixed up with your teenage crush. Combine that with making up your own not-so-fancy pattern and you’re good to go. Easy to get along with, and you feel so clever by ‘designing’ these.

Follow Up Phone Call? Here’s the thing. I got as far as going past the mark for the afterthought heel. Then, I had a little trouble. This resulted in the cake of yarn (yes, Wollmeise yarn!) getting nearly demolished when I threw dropped the it out a car window. Oh what a tangled web we wove. We fought, we cried, I apologized over and over, and finally straightened the entire mess out. But it was ugly for a long while.

Plan to See Him Again? Yes. These are great colors for fall. And my sister’s birthday is in September. The plan is deny, deny, deny if the throwing falling out the car window episode is mentioned again.

 

One Night Stand #3:  Cookies for April 

First Date: April 12, 2012

First Impressions: I love this Socktopus yarn. Perfectly round. The pattern is not hard on the eyes either. Easy enough to get along with, and interesting enough to hold my attention. Or so I thought. Perhaps I ought to rename them Cookies for December.

Follow Up Phone Call?: Sadly, no. I got this far on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Plan to see Him Again?: Yes. Both the yarn and the pattern make it a nice sock. One that would be good for me. No drama, no balls of yarn being dragged behind the car while you speed away, no frogging back, a real Steady Eddie. Perhaps this is why I ran after one date. I simply cannot get enough of those bad boys who do you wrong. (See One Night Stand #2 for reference).

I pledge to call each of these up again out of the pile tonight and spend some time with them. Just to prove I am not a floozy.

~Purled

Conquering the Socks Demon

May 152012
 

Some are dedicated knitters of socks. They will tell you, “oh, I’m a sock knitter”.

What they ought to say is that they are SockS knitters. Because I am most definitely a sock knitter. I have knit many a sock. When it comes to sockS though, I seem not to be able to finish very often.

Second Sock Syndrome seems to be a well documented ailment among people like me. It has inspired many “solutions”, Two at a Time Cuff Down, Two at a Time Toe Up…and each time, I eagerly try. Because these new techniques are going to get rid of my Demon.

As it happens, apparently I’m not a big fan of Two at a Time. I think it’s because there the extra step of winding two balls of yarn, weighing carefully as you go to make sure you get 2 equal balls of yarn. And if there’s one thing I dislike more than knitting that second sock, it is winding yarn. (That deserves a post all on its own.)

And then, you have to knit the socks on either two circulars or magic loop. I use both methods all the time. Sleeves (I don’t like those either), mittens, tops of hats…But when it comes to socks, I can’t seem to do it.

Alright. I can do it. I just don’t like it.

You may say…”Don’t knit any socks!!” There’s a problem. My toes love hand knitted socks. To me, it’s such a huge luxury! I want a drawer full of hand knitted socks. (That’s Cookie A’s Monkey out of Wollmeise 80/20 in Clementine on my left foot, and a plain vanilla sock out of Sanguine Gryphon Eidos in Nuit on my right.) If you’ve never worn hand knitted socks, you are denying your feet a big treat.

So, I decided to face my Socks Demon head on this year. I took a full day class at Vogue Knitting Live in January with Cookie A. (She’s a great teacher, by the way.) I joined Cookie A.’s Sock Club. Because, I reasoned, if anyone can knock the Socks Demon out of me, it would be Cookie A!!!

She even had a suggestion for me. “Why don’t you knit one sock of each pattern (the Club comes with 2 patterns)? It’ll be fine if you are knitting it out of the same yarn!” (It’s a great idea, by the way, for others suffering from Socks Demon!)

Oh but I had other ambitions. My plans were big. I wanted to knit all twelve PAIRS of the socks that were coming to me in 2012.

I’m starting late (yes, I’m aware that we are almost half way done with 2012), but I’ve taken a big step. For my O.W.L. project for Harry Potter House Cup, I am knitting 3 pairs of socks. I’m on sock 1 right now, Wayward from the February shipment. I’m using Hedgehog Fibres Sock in Slytherin Jade. So far, so good. And maybe — just maybe — I can trick myself into thinking that the second sock is a different sock because the cables travel in the opposite direction!

Do you have socks on your needles right now!?

 

~Twisted

Ellington….still.

Nov 102011
 

When I heard you joined Cookie A’s Sock Club, I had to jump in as well. Last year I went back and forth about whether or not to grab a spot, and when I finally decided to do so, all the spots were gone. I do love her patterns, and tonight’s confession is that I’m still suffering from SSS (Second Sock Syndrome) from Ellington. Remember these? I have yet to cast on sock #2. And guess who should have been wearing these socks by now? You got it. My shawl-less sister. The Ellingtons were promised to her as a Christmas present from 2009. Clearly, I’ve got some issues…

I also joined Romi’s Pins and Laces Club, with the Pin and Pattern Option. I have got to use some of my stash! Currently, I’m using three skeins of Madelinetosh Sock I had for Buttonwillow. I decided to make it bigger by doing 8 more repeats of Chart A which ended up adding a lot of width and might make the shape a bit wonky as it’s a crescent shaped shawl.

I will most likely do a few more rows of the lace edging to balance it off some. We’ll see how it goes. I’ve got about 4 more rows before binding off, and at this point one row is taking about 45 minutes, so this could be finished quickly!

In anticipation of Romi’s next release of her Muse Shawls series, I snapped up some Panoply of Peacocks Fingering by Alisha Goes Around during a recent Loopy Ewe Update. The colorway is Estuary, and I have to tell you, the depth of it reminds me of a certain German yarn we both love…Heavenly, right?

I did belong to a fiber CSA a few years ago – Juniper Moon, which used to be Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm. I still have two pounds of kid mohair/cormo roving I’ve yet to spin from it!

Tanis Fiber Arts Club sounds tempting. I really should dig out the Fiddlehead Mitten kits I have from her. They’d make perfect Christmas presents. Then again, I do have a shawl and a pair of socks I could complete for a certain sister…

I can’t wait to see your Bedford! And how’s Leaves of Grass coming? I’m expecting my latest Loft shipment for that any day now…

~Purled

 

Clubby Knitting

Nov 092011
 

Socks on no less than #2 needles? Really!?!? Not that I’m an avid sock knitter, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever used anything bigger than #1 needles to make socks — and I’m a tight knitter!

I say that I’m not an avid sock knitter, so what am I doing signing up for Cookie A’s Sock Club?

Because her socks are probably the only ones that can hold my interest for both of the pair to be knit!  I missed the sign up last year and was pretty bitter about it which explains why I have had today marked on my calendar for a while. In 2012, I get, every other month, yarn, 2 sock patterns and 2 cookie recipes. I’m not so sure about the cookie recipes, but the sock recipes I know will be great. This may mean that I just committed to 12 pairs of socks in 2012!!!! <Starts to stash dive then realizes that the patterns come with yarn.> Remember when I used to say that “I just don’t DO socks”?

Speaking of clubs, I am also signed up for a shawl club, Romi Hill’s Pins & Laces  Club, which gives you exclusive patterns for a while (I think it is at least 3 months, although I think since this club has a “Pattern Only” version they will not be released until 2013). For 2011, I did the option with just the pattern and the pin, but for 2012, I signed up for the version with both the pins and the yarn.  I’m actually not 100% sure why I decided to do the yarn option this time around, since I have done OK so far with stash yarn for all of Romi’s other shawls that I’ve made. I’ve not yet knit a shawl with the recommended yarn, but she does get some exclusive colorways and her choices always seem, from photos anyway, to be beautiful! I really love her designs and have knitted a pile of shawls by her.

See a trend? I’ve found a way to secretly grow my stash with some indie yarn.  I’m going to experiment next year with the full artistic expression of the designers.

Just in case that’s not enough yarn, I’m also signed up for 2 fiber clubs, one from Little Red Bicycle and another from Tanis Fiber Arts. The Tanis club comes with exclusive designs (and just check out this list!) from:

 

Julie Crawford of KnittedBliss
Hannah Fettig of Knitbot
Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting
Hilary Smith Callis of the Yarniad
Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops
and Jared Flood of BrooklynTweed.

Remind me that I have bought LEAPS for 2012 for yarn and I’m not allowed to buy more yarn. Well, the Little Red Bicycle is for November to January so that doesn’t really count for 2012, right?

Didn’t you do a yarn CSA at some point? Tell me about that.

Oh and by the way?

I’m FINISHED with Bedford. Not FINISHED as in done with, frogged, ripped — but I finished knitting and blocking. I will write about that sweater in all its glory when it’s my turn to write.

 

~~Twisted

Everyone Outta the Pool

Nov 082011
 

I’ve been working on a pair of socks out of Wollmeise in the Raku-Regenbogen colorway. I fell in love the combination of colors way back when I got my hot little hands on it last year. 

I love working with variegated yarns, and I prefer the colors to not look too run-of-the-mill to avoid having it look like homemade. That’s another one of the reasons Wollmeise is such a good choice. The depth and off-beat choices of the colors Claudia puts together add up to something that works well in any situation, and especially socks.

One of the challenges in working with any variegated yarn is pooling. Some learn to love it, but I find that the splotches of color tend to detract from most projects. This became apparent when I started working on a pair of toe up socks.

Confession – though I know that using too large an needle will add to friction and shortened life span when knitting socks because the stitches are not tight enough and tend to slide around during wear, I avoid using size 2.25mm (US 1) needles or lower for socks. I’m convinced that it will take way longer to knit them than if I knit with a size 2.5 mm.  I cast on with 2.5 mm needles per usual, worked over half the foot, and ended up with this:

Ugly, right?

It just kind of gives it a K-Mart look – sort of like “I ran out of yarn, but I found this in a garbage bag in the attic and I really needed socks, so….”

There are two quick ways to deal with pooling. One is to change your stitch count – easier to do with a shawl, but socks need to be well fitted. The second is to change your needle size. Begrudgingly, I put away my 2.5mm needles and cast on again with 2.25s. The results were much better. Here’s a comparison shot from the front:

I love the way the sock on the right is more stripey. It gives it a polished look. You can see the same on the back:

I’m happy with the results of moving down one needle size. And no, they don’t take longer to knit.

How’s your sock knitting going?

Resurrection

May 142010
 

Hey kids…I’m back!

And I’ve been knitting.

First of all, Sock Madness Update! The second round featured *gasp* colorwork, featuring  Heatherly Walker’s pattern Cool Beans. I had never done a colorwork sock before, and hemmed and hawed about continuing after some miserable attempts.

However, after being reassured by my teammates that it would block out beautifully, I kept going. I knit English style and had a hell of a time learning to hold the yarn in my left hand while throwing with my right, but by the second sock, I was doing better. I read about keeping the contrasting color in my left hand so it would ‘pop’ and show up well, so knit one sock that way and the other opposite. It really shows in the stripes on the feet. I used Wollmeise 100% Merino Supewash in Fuchsia and Grasshopper.

At any rate, by the time I was finished, I felt better about tackling colorwork and becoming more skilled at it. Which will come in handy for the KAL I signed up for, but more on that later!

On to the next round of Sock Madness – Gams by Taya Schram. Can I just say I loved this pattern? It was my first time using Skinny Bugga and I chose Tomato Frog for the lace sock. It knit up quickly, and though many were remarking on how tough it was on the wrists, my Signature Needles came through and made it a breeze. I finished the pair shortly before leaving for Spring Fling. And these socks actually fit me!

While waiting for the next pattern to be posted, I cast on Vesper Socks for The Loopy Ewe’s Spring Fling which was held in St. Louis. Lala had an idea for a bunch of us to knit up a pair of vespers and take a pic of them all together. I chose Spring Meadow and love the colors of it. I’m almost to the toe decreases of sock # 2 and hope I don’t run out of yarn! This is where a yarn scale comes in handy. I was watching my new favorite knitting podcast/videocast the Knitgirllls and saw first hand how Leslie was weighing yarn left after knitting sock #1 comparing it with the weight of the actual sock hoping she’d have enough.  I gotta get me one of those!

Speaking of the Knitgirllls, you really ought to check them out. It’s fun watching the two of them go back and forth amoungst yarny goodness and they are really funny as well as informative – but be warned! Do NOT watch this if you are either on a yarn diet or bag diet! The stash and bags these two have would fill an upscale yarn shop. Just sayin’.

Next post, though belated will be all about Spring Fling!

Death, Sockmadness and Sisters

Mar 242010
 

I am dead.

Spalc’s socks of death reached my doorstep more than a week ago. Despite heroic measures, I could not be saved. They struck me down and though slain, I had warm cushy feet.

Made from Regia 4 Ply, they fit perfectly – and I do love the color. Perfect for jeans and Birkentstocks. I tell my sister in Chicago this is a fashionable way to wear hand knit socks and she scoffs and mumbles something about me living on the Island for far too long. Frankly, I think she’s secretly jealous she can’t get away with wearing jammies to the post office and would love to live here.

Sockwars was really fun. I had a great time doing it and was happy to make it to the final 15. Can’t wait for Sockwars VI! Hats off to Casualknitter for organizing and running such a great event.

Once I was done with dying, I went on to Sock Madness Forever! Yet another knitting competition, it began March 10 with a sideways sock, appropriately named Simple Side to Side Socks by Deborah Swift.

It was an easy knit, and fun doing socks in a new way. The first tube I knit turned out to be way too small, so I redid it using a total of 44 rows and a larger needle. I used June Studios Super Cash and I love the yarn – soft and cushy. The socks, however, I’m not wild about as I’m not a huge fan of variegated and the sideways pattern makes them look particularly wild. But, it’s good to try new things. Still, I think I’ll gift these.

Speaking of which, one thing I did learn is how stodgy I can be in my ways when it comes to learning new techniques. In Sock Madness, it is required that you not only not alter any pattern, but also use the cast ons and offs that the patterns call for. This one called for a tubular cast off. At first I was all “Fer crying out loud, I already know eleventy ways to cast off, why do I have to learn another???” Ten minutes later, I was all “0oOOh how cool!”

It took me about 10 days to finish them as I was a bit uninspired and the first round of Sock Madness gives you a good two weeks. In the meantime, I cast on another pair of Monkeys using Handmaiden Swiss Mountain Sea Sock in the Cezanne Colorway. I once told my other sister, the pragmatic one, that I was planning on knitting socks for everyone in the family. She looked at me blankly and said “Why?”

When I saw her at lunch last, I whipped out the sock in progress and showed it to her. She kept squishing and petting it and saying “Oh my GAWD!”

That’s why. This yarn is perfect for spring socks and it’s got to be fondled to be believed. It’s 51% silk, 29% Superwash Merino, and 2o% Seacell – and machine washable. The colors are fantastic.

So far, only one sock done. I’m thinking I need to go down a needle size to give it a little more resiliency. Monkeys can be quite stretchy and I want to make sure they stay up after a few washings. But pretty, huh?

I’ll end up frogging this one and reknitting it with 2.5 mm needles. Once done, I may give them to my sensible sister for whom the awesomeness of hand knit socks was a mystery til she held one in her hand.

Alice and Farm Fresh Yarn

Mar 092010
 

Look what came in the mail today…

My shares from Juniper Moon Fiber CSA!

Juniper Moon used to be known as Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm until they moved to Virginia last year. They are the originator of the first yarn and fiber CSA ever. They even have a lambcam!

I wasn’t sure what to expect for roving from them as this is my first year. Opening the box I found some fluffy white goodness that smelled of spring lambing and old fashioned yarn stores when all they sold was 100% wool.

Four bags gave me a total of 24 ounces of 50/50 Kid Mohair/Cormo Roving.

Now before we get to it, let me tell you I still do not know how to spin. Well, let me change that. I do know how to spin dreadlocks of coiled upon itself fiber. Yarn, not so much. But I am learning!

And oh yes, Woolgirl’s Alice in Wonderland Sock Club. The first month started with Alice herself.  The kit lived up to Woolgirl’s reputation of some well thought out and generous loot.

Inside -  a skein of Dashing Dach’s Superwash in an exclusive Alice Colorway made specifically for this kit, a Queen Alice sock pattern by Irishgirlieknits, and an awesome project bag by Slipped Stitch Studios. I already own one of these bags and it’s been my favorite – well made and the perfect size for a sock project, so I’ve been swapping things in and out of it for working on my project of the moment. I’m thrilled to have another! Made from two coordinating Alice fabrics (who knew they existed?) no less!

Also included: A “Drink Me” Alice quote pattern tamer designed by Slip Stitch Studios, a Queen Alice pen, an Alice in Wonderland journal destined to become my knitting notes journal, a set of 16 Alice mini notecards perfect to attach to gifts, and the cutest tiny Alice in Wonderland stitch marker designed by Jillian of WeeOnes.

I’m not sure whether to chance casting on the socks or to wait until the release of the pattern for Sock Madness. Yes, another knitting competition that starts any day now to coincide with March Madness. Women knit while men watch basketball. How sexist. And I can’t wait for it to start!

Another One Bites The Dust

Mar 082010
 

Yes, I’ve killed again.

Though my own death is coming soon, I had to do it one last time. Strangest Angel sent me the socks she was knitting in the nick of time before she met her death at my needles. They arrived Saturday, and were out the door today on their way to New Mexico – yes, New Mexico, not Mexico, and I did check the address several times before posting, thank you.

I snapped a pic right before Gypsy and I hopped in the car to send them off on this gorgeous spring day. Pretty, huh?

I have heard, however, that the Evil Spalc from Canada sent my socks of death on their way to me a few days ago. I can only hope that the Canadian postal system will live up to it’s reputation and they will take a very long time getting here. Once they arrive, I am dead. I can only hope there is chocolate inside the box. A sweet last meal would be nice.

On another note, I joined up with the Woolgirl Sock Club and all I can say is I am impressed! I got a great kit from her in the mail last week with the February shipment!

First of all, the kit comes wrapped in this pretty sheer blue cloth bag tied up in ribbon. The kit was called “The Dreamer”. And inside …

we have a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy (I’ve always wanted to try some) in a Daydreamer exclusive colorway especially for this kit, and two patterns – The Sleepwalker Sock pattern and Day Dreamer Hat pattern. Included along with that were a triangle project bag and a smaller triangle notions bag, Little Gems scissors, 2 stitch markers by Twice Sheared Sheep, a Woolgirl sock club pen, a Woolgirl sock club keyring
magnet, pin, notepad, gift tag and a 2 samples (Kookaburra wool wash and Sweet Dreams hand lotion).

Pretty Snazzy, huh?

And darlins, we haven’t even started talking about the Alice in Wonderland Kit from Woolgirl! More on that later!

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