Spot Check Socks

First month of my Self Imposed Sock Club is almost complete and so is my first sock...Spot Check.  Love the end result even if the sock turned out a bit more green than I would have preferred.  I was afraid that may happen since the greens in the variegated yarn looked to be very similar in color to the greens found in my skein of Jitterbug.  It was somewhat difficult to know how close these colors would be until I was actual knitting in pattern.  Sometimes the patterning didn't show much contrast between the two yarns very well...and sometimes that was due to me picking up the wrong skein as I knit.   Oops.  I ended up loving the overall effect of the socks though...perfect pairing of pattern and yarn.

The pattern did have a couple of errors...at least that's what I'm calling it since I duplicated the same issue on sock 2.  Overall it was a simple pattern to remember and produced a stunning sock.  I did not make any modifications to the pattern and the fit is excellent.

Details:

Spot Check Socks

Pattern:  Spot Check Sock by Beth Parrott found in Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol J. Sulcoski.

Yarn:  Colinette Jitterbug's Velvet Leaves, Fingering / 4 ply, 100% Merino, 318 yards / 110 gram.  I used 63 grams/184 yards of yarn.  Unplanned Peacock's Superwash Merino Fingering , 4 ply, 100% Wool, 490 yards / 100 grams in Whippoorwill.  I used only 17 grams/83 yards of yarn so I still have more than enough for another pair of socks.

       Needles:  Knit Picks Harmony, US 2 and Lantern Moon Rosewood DPN, US 1

       Gauge:  17 stitches and 22 rows= 2"

Side detail

Don't you just love the little details...check out the green line down the side of the sock.  It started at the gusset and continued all the way down the sock until the decreases for the toe.  So cool!

The pattern I chose for February will be Herringbone Rib Socks by Kristi Schueler also out of  Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn.   The yarn I selected for this pattern will be be either Austermann Step which is one of my oldest stashed yarns or possibly Trekking Pro Natura.  This one had been gifted to my Mom for Christmas a few years ago, but when she became ill and could no longer knit she returned it to me.  One problem with the Trekking is that she evidently used some of the skein so I'm concerned about running out before completing the sock.

I'm still leaning towards the Trekking though to honor Mom.  February happens to be both her birth month (Feb . 4th) and the month in which she passed one year ago on February 21, 2010.

Startitis...Is that a Real Word?

I don't think you'll find 'startitis' in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, but maybe they'll add it.  Every knitter I know has suffered from it from time to time.  It only has one cure that I know of and that requires you to throw all caution to the wind and get busy.  Which I have been...busy looking through ALL my books, magazines, Ravelry and whatever else I can get my hands on to try and scratch that itch known as startitis.  Not to mention I've been looking through the stash and deciding that I maybe I don't have the proper yarn.  Why oh why is that always the case!

At the moment I have pitifully little on the needles and have been fighting against starting 10 other things.  I keep hoping that it will pass and I'll maintain some order.  I only have 2 inches left on my Sock Club January sock...good thing too since I only have until the 31st to finish it.  All that's left is a Hokie Hat that has languished on my needles for way too long and a Josephine Shawl.  That's it until I start my next sock on February 1st.  It's why I'm having a terrible case of itchy fingers to cast on something interesting.  I keep pulling out my sweater patterns, but cannot for the life of me figure out which one to start...maybe I should just go ahead and cast on all of them.  Wouldn't that be a trip...maintain my sanity and keep straight each sweater.

How would you choose between  Peabody by Leila Raabe which was in BrooklynTweed (Jared Flood) Fall 2011 collections of patterns.  I'm in love with the front lace panel of this sweater...not to mention the lovely orange color.  The next sweater on the list is  Velynda by Bonnie Marie Burns of Chicknits.  I adore anything cabled and my dear husband always compliments anything I knit that has lots of cables.  One that I've dreamed about since the magazine showed up is the Leif Slipover by Adrienne Lawson.  Maybe dreaming about it should give this one the edge.  The last one is Eadon by Susanna IC.  I have had this in the queue for a while and still have not actually bought the pattern which intrigues me. 

How would you whittle it down to one?  Anyone?

If You Spun Your Own Yarn...

BFL and Merino

Well over a year ago I decided that I really wanted to learn how to spin my very own yarn.  Yeah, like I already don't have enough fiber in the house I wanted to add to the collection.  Not to mention the tools that would need to be bought...good grief I'm getting itchy thinking about it!  My dear husband even mentioned that I should take up spinning...'it would be cheaper'! Hahaha, that got me laughing because he has NO IDEA what trouble I could get into if spinning takes over my mind.

My first drop spin

Anyway my dear brother-in-law just happened to mention while visiting that he'd love to make a spinning wheel...oh be still my heart.  Problem was I had no idea what I wanted or for that matter what I needed in a spinning wheel, not to mention I had no idea if I even liked spinning.  I bought a drop spindle and a small bag of merino roving and started playing.  I figured that I taught myself to knit so why couldn't I teach myself to spin on a drop spindle.  I did find great book/dvd Respect the Spindle by Abbie Franquemont to help the process along. Not to mention all the videos and information I found online that proved very helpful.

BFL

silk hankie

first handspun yarn

My first 'spun yarn' was definitely not much to look at...thick and thin with 'slubs' all along it, but it was my first spun yarn.  Of course things got busy I lost focus and stopped playing with the spindle until a few months ago.   In December I managed to take a beginning drop spindle class at a local shop, Holly Spring Homespun taught by Daryll Sneden.  It really helped jump start the spinning bug again.   She showed us how to spin all kinds of fibers, even silk hankies.   I had never plied yarn before and she showed us how to do that as well.  I started practicing everyday until I was out of roving.   By the time I had finished spinning the singles and plying everything I ended up with a whole 55 ounces!  Not a huge amount, but each spindle full of fiber looked better than the previous one.  Wow!  It's true that practice does make perfect!  I even used some of my yarn in knitting some miniature sweater ornaments for a few special friends and family. 

Christmas has replenished the supply and now I really need to set aside time to spin.  I'd love a wheel, but still no idea what type. Yet. 

mini handspun sweater ornament

Plaid

A few weeks ago my youngest asked about the possibility of knitting him a scarf.  You cannot imagine my excitement at the request.  He did say that he was 'picky'...imagine a 24 year old guy that is very particular about his clothes kind of picky.   Game on!

I started the process immediately by searching Ravelry for an appropriate pattern to suit him.  His request was fairly simple- he wanted something plaid, in fact one similar to the 'fake cashmere' one he bought for himself.  Definitely did not want argyle or stripes or 'fancy' cables...so off I went on a search for the perfect plaid.   Ran into a few problems, the largest one being my youngest not liking any of the patterns that I found.

After a few days I did discover a pattern that I thought would work...maybe a bit weird, but the faux plaid was very similar to the scarf my youngest liked.  It was weird in that it was a pattern for a plaid mini skirt!   After a trip to the library for the book and a few calculations I decided against it.  The skirt was knit using bulky yarn and after changing the gauges and playing around with the pattern it just wasn't quite right.  I ended up finding a pattern just as weird though...how about a bolster pillow as my inspiration?  You bet & it worked out perfectly for a plaid scarf.  Hopefully my youngest likes it as much as I do.

Details
Pattern:  Family Pillows (modified)

Yarn:  Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool, Worsted / 10 ply, 100% Wool, 250 yards / 113 grams in denin (~150 yards) & black (~100 yards); Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Worsted / 10 pl, 50% Alpaca, 50% Wool, 215 yards / 100 grams in a light gray (~22 yards) and a very small amount of Patons Classic Wool Merino,

Worsted / 10 pl, 100% Wool, 223 yards / 100 grams in cream

Needle:  US 7, Addi's

Gauge:  really did not measure nor did it matter

Size:  Post Blocking 7' x 72"

Modifications:  CO enough stitches to get a full pattern repeat and knit flat rather than in the round.  Continued the pattern until I reached a nice length.  I stopped the pattern halfway through in order for the pattern to match the cast on edge when worn. 

Once dried after blocking I measured and cut an appropriate length of gray fleece to line the scarf.   I sewed the 2 layers together using an overcast or whip stitch so that there would be a bit of give & take between the two.  It worked terrifically and covers up the knitted back which wasn't all that attractive.  Also solved the huge problem of rolling that stockinette loves to do.  I love the end product...it's warm & cozy.  It's been mailed & now waiting to hear if the youngest actually likes it.  Time will tell.

Well heard from the youngest and I failed expectations...he doesn't like the "stiffness and style", but does like that it was "soft".  Oh well I gave it a shot.  On the other hand he liked the vest that I sent along with the scarf...so I'm 1 for 2.  At some point I'll try again with a skein of cashmere...what's not to like about cashmere!

First Half Done

I'm half way done with my first sock of the My Personal Self Imposed Sock Club 2012 adventure. First sock is complete and I really love the pattern. It's such a great way of breaking up a variegated colorway. Hopefully, the second sock will move along quickly since I'm 'supposed' to be done by the 31st.

I got sidetracked by a special request from my youngest for a plaid scarf...who could turn that down. The scarf is on it's way to him and hopefully he'll love it as much as I do. Tomorrow I'll track down the info and post some pics...really got to get knitting on Spot #2!

Happy New Year 2012

It's the beginning of a new year and wonders of wonders I'm actually going to post something. Lately I've been thinking about decluttering and that has led me to a self imposed sock club for 2012.

I have a significant stash of sock yarn that's been languishing in it's drawers & bags for quite a while. I know that some has been around since 2006...it was a free skein given to me by a fellow knitter who was guilty about her stash. Seems to be a fitting way to start the New Year. I've picked my first pattern for January...Spot Check. out of Knitting Socks out of Handpainted Yarns As for the yarns I'll be using Jitterbug's Velvet Leaf and Unplanned Peacock's Whippoorwill. The Jitterbug has been in the stash a long time...the yarn shop were I bought it recently became a closed shop. The Whippoorwill hasn't marinated in the stash (joined in June 2010) nearly as long so why not pair the two together.

I'm hopeful that this will be fun and I'll have 12 pairs of socks by the end of 2012. My rules are simple:

Pick patterns that will either:
1- show off the yarn in the case of the variegated skeins
2-spice it up with more complicated patterns for single colorways

New patterns only
New Techniques- toe up, magic loop and 2 circs are planned

By the end of the year I'll be down at least 13 skeins of yarn...if I can maintain not adding to the sock yarn one goal for the year will be obtained. Now if I can make myself post regularly...