"Beware the ides of March..." Or, A Finished Sweater and Socks! (Pic heavy)

"He is a dreamer, let us leave him: Pass."*

"Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood" from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits Book.





I'll have modelled photos and more knitting details tomorrow, still drying :)

(I want my wood medal!)



Baby Cable Rib socks from Sensational Knitted Socks
Started March 2, 2006
Finished: March 15, 2006
Socks That Rock, medium weight -- Carbon colorway
Addi 1.5's (2.5mm) -- 2 socks on 2 circs
136 gm yarn total

Some finished pics...













I'm amazed how "identical" the socks turned out-- I knit from the inside and outside of the skein and assumed the socks' striping/pooling would be reversed, but it wasn't. I didn't intend for them to match, but if I'd chosen to start both socks from a similar colorway break, I'm sure I could have had identical socks. This may be a cool thing for some people who like identical socks... I'm indifferent (I think fraternal is the norm in handpainted yarn, I like the character it gives.) But there you go :)


26 gm leftover from skein. 136 gm total used for the 2 socks... one thing that impressed me when I purchased the "Socks That Rock" was the weight of the mediumweight skeins, plenty for socks. I'm not sure if there's enough here for a pair of toddler socks, but perhaps I'll use it with a solid heel & toe.

Socks on:







I find I liked the pattern more on the needles than off; on the baby rib looks too small to me. Perhaps I just got too used to them on the needles, they were there for so long!

Check out the detail on the 3 st garter edge on the heel flap, I've never done it before (tek from Sensational Knitted Socks, when in Rome etc.) and am not sure how I feel about it. I like the look, but was unhappy with how picking up the garter ridge stitches... I prefer picking up the selvage stitches tbl for the twist, but I think I'll try this "edge" again sometime.

The pattern is nice and "fitting" all around, no bags or looseness. And the socks and the yarn feel great on, I like the mediumweight yarn! :) (Caveat: I haven't tried the lightweight.)

Knots in "Socks that Rock":

**Edit, March 16: I took Jennyraye's suggestion and contacted Blue Moon Fiber Arts about the knots in my skein of "Socks That Rock"-- I received a very (VERY) prompt email stating that the number of knots I found were unacceptable and not their norm. They are going to make it up to me and I'm thrilled; I wasn't going to contact them about it but I'm left super impressed by their customer service and how they stand by their product.**


Detail of knotted, broken 3rd ply in "Socks that Rock"


Detail of 2 knots inside 1st sock.


Inside of 2nd sock, 2 knots in ply. Needle inserted to give an idea of the knot.


Broken ply not knotted.

I will say, as heavy and as pretty and as coveted as the "socks that rock" yarn is, I'm disappointed by the knots I found in the yarn I used. They weren't "true" knots-- they didn't bring together breaks in the entire yarn. Instead, in four seperate spots in the hank, the 3rd ply of the yarn had broken and had been tied back together. I'd also found several "slubs" or loose bits of the 3rd ply of the yarn that wasn't broken enough to be knotted down to itself, but nonetheless left a loose strand from the yarn even though it was caught up in the twist of the yarn somewhat.

I'm bummed; even though I was able to "hide" all 4 knots in the inside of the sock (with a little figeting and varying tension so they'd end up back there), I was disappointed to find them in the first place.

In other knitting news...



I joined the "Diamond Fantasy Shawl" KAL for Sivia Harding's beautiful pattern and was going to use some of the Lisa Souza Sock! yarn for the scarf (it only takes one hank!) but when I pulled it out of the stash bin, I decided I needed some *eye of the tiger* kickarse socks in my life right now, instead. So this (mahogany colorway) will become some rockin socks... I'm thinking "Childs first sock in shell pattern" from Knitting Vintage Socks.

Eye of the tiger was my favorite song when I was like, 6.

I've also decided to frog my "Glad Ragg" socks I started for the Six Sox KAL, and use the Cherry Tree Hill supersock for the shawl, instead. I like the pattern, I love the yarn, but I can't get into them... one finished cuff has been sitting in my inbox, taunting me. This'll be the 1st sock I frog "without reason"... its still waiting to be ripped, don't know if I'll work up the courage today or not.

Thanks for slogging along if you'd gotten this far :)

* Julius Caesar, Act I Scene ii.
Shakespeare is rolling in his grave.

Toe up, short row toddler socks started

I finally am to the point where I can decrease the toe on my Baby Cable Rib socks, but my littlest "helper" handed me my knitting and the ball collapsed in itself (perils of knitting from in and outside the ball, I suppose). Along with somehow untangling the mess, I also have to transfer the sts off the needles and reposition them for the toe decreases... I always leave the sts on the needle as they appear after the gusset decrease instead of keeping all instep/sole seperate or keeping 1/2 & 1/2... it makes to hide any potential laddering at the side of the sock at an unusual place and is just less fussy than moving them around. Since I knit 2 on 2 circulars (meaning if I can knit one on 2 circs, I'll knit 2 on 2 instead), its less easy to reposition and not a big deal to leave them as is-- until I get to this point :)



So instead of fidgeting with them, I decided to start some toddler socks for my toddler :)



I'm using the toe up, short row toe and heel instructions from Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy. I've had this book for awhile now, read it but just kinda scratched my head and had no idea what the author was talking about. I knew I could probably wrap my mind around it if I had needles and yarn in my hands, and after several (4!!) false starts last night, I was able to use her invisible cast on and work the short row toe. I also was able to get the heel down pat after only one mistake (the heel was at a 90 degree angle from the toe!)...

I have to say, this is my favorite time working short rows in socks. Her explanation leaves me wondering why it works, but following line for line (and having to figure a few details on my own along the way), I have a short row heel and toe that have NO gaps or holes, and looks great. I haven't been able to try it on baby yet, partly fear that one of my new dpns will snap as he wrestles out of it, but partly b/c it worked up *so* quickly. I'm also thrilled they're "custom" sized, strictly speaking my own pattern for baby's foot using Ms Gibson-Roberts' directions-- kinda neat.

I CO 32 sts, with 7 sts/inch on US 2.5's (3.0mm), using Interlacements Toasty Toes in "Turkish Carpet"... this little ball was my leftover from my second pair of Jaywalkers, and I'll probably have to dip into the leftover of the 8 oz skein I made when splitting the hank in 2 (my ball winder can't handle more than 4 oz.)... but even I'm surprised at how quickly they're being done! I mean, they are baby socks in dk weight yarn, but still :) Baby may have to keep wearing these thicker socks since they're such a quick knit for me! I do want to knit some finer gauge socks for him though soon... oh! The Juta stocking in Folk Knitting in Estonia yarn info:

Size S: Koigu Merino (100% wool, 176yd/50gm), 1 skein. 18 sts/24rnd=2"/5cm in stst
Size M: Satakieli (100% wool, 357 yd/100gm), 1 skein. 16 sts/24 rnds=2"/5cm in stst
Size L: Satakieli (100% wool, 357 yd/100gm), 1 skein. 16 sts/24 rnds=2"/5cm in stst

Size 1 needles (2.25mm). To fit a 1 year old (5 year old, adult foot): About 5.5" (7, 8)" around and 5.25" (7.25, 9.75)" long

HTH :)

I do prefer going top down with a heel flap still though, I have a weird happiness wash over me in picking up heel flap stitches. But this technique'll work great for some of the underweight skeins in my stash (where I worry if I'll have enough yarn to finish).

Henry the bear finished, more sock progress

Henry the bear
from "Unusual toys for you to knit and enjoy" by Jess Hutchison
Started: March 10, 2006
Finished: March 12, 2006
Knit Picks Wool of the Andes-- daffodil, maple syrup, blue bonnet (red for embroidery) and unknown sock yarn for face
US 7 Pony Pearl dpns





I'm calling bear "kikiriki" for one of *my* babybear's (numerous) nicknames-- its the equivalent of "cockadoodle-doo" in Puerto Rico :) I am amazed at this bear, the only seaming was adding the legs, arms and ears-- everything is done in the round. It is so cute (if I say so myself)... the duplicate stitch is weird, the seaming of arms and legs is wonky and a little bumpy, but I don't care since *my* baby bear loves him! He couldn't wait til he was finished, so I gave him the "bean" (the head/body) to play with while I finished the arms and legs last night-- I had to sneak it out of bed to finish him up so bear'd have appendages this morning :)

I wanted to knit another right away, but kikiriki sr. loves this one so much, I want to give him a few days with just this bear... so I think I'm going to start a new pair of socks for him... "Juta's stockings" from Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia, or maybe something in Interlacements Toasty Toes (its been cold around here lately)... Kiki loves everything I knit, picking out handknit socks to wear under shoes, toddling around with this bear-- just makes my heart sing. :)

I do want to comment about the Wool of the Andes-- the daffodil (yellow) was noticably thinner than the maple syrup and the blue bonnet colorways. I'd read about the Knit Picks Merino Style varying in thickness across the color palette as well. It wasn't a big deal to me as I was "only" knitting a toy, but if I was doing colorwork or something flat where tension and evenness were expected across a yarn line, then I'd have been quite disappointed. Perhaps it was a fluke ball (I only ordered one each of several colors)... but I *don't* think its right to say, "well, its just $1.79, what do you expect?" and blow it off... I base so many purchases (online) on others' opinions so there you go. I'm happy with it though, for my bear! :)

I have a confession. I had to buy new dpns for the bear, my bamboo US 7's had disappeared into the maw of the house (prolly under a crib, in a toy chest somewhere)-- so I traipsed to Article Pract, my local yarn store for a new set. Aside from the Pony Pearls (I chose for their length, but end up liking a lot, surpisingly!) I walked out with...


Koigu premium painters palette merino, P322

Doesn't really need an explanation, does it? Okay, 3 words... Blue, orange, koigu.

And...


Susanne's ebony needles, 3.0mm (US 2.5) -- 10cm/4" glove length

I've been aching over purchasing Holz & Stein needles for a long time now, and had read that these Susanne's were comparable (both are made from recycled ebony musical instruments). I've been knitting with a set of Bryspun Bryflex US 2's in a 5" length and like them a lot (especially for smaller circumferences like baby socks, etc.) and since these were the only size they had, I went ahead and picked them up. I may ask them to special order the 7" length in ebony if I end up liking them... I'd feel better giving my LYS the business if they do compare. They had the Lantern Moons but in rosewood-- I like the look of the ebony more.

I realize that I didn't like metal dpns as much as I thought I did, especially after trying the Bryflexes and the Ponys in the past days. I don't like the grip of bamboo, but like a bit of a solid feel (just not as solid as metal)... we'll see. Kiki senior has already bent one of my Bryspuns to a 45 degree angle (it bent back, and tg for 5 in a pack...), so I don't know if I'll be staying with the bendy plastics or not. It was a bit of an epiphany for me to enjoy knitting with plastic needles though-- they weren't sticky as I thought they'd be, and to be honest the pink pony pearls brought a smile to my face when I was knitting the bear. (The ponys had less "stick" than the bryspuns, imo.) So I think I'll be trying out new needles in the future, instead of keeping just to metal (as far as dpns anyway; prolly won't switch out my addis except when I start the mohair reversible rib shawl-- who knows when).

So I already fell off of the no knitting purchase bandwagon. I've left the koigu on my desk for now to squeeze occasionally make me feel guilty... I did use my TKGA/knit and crochet show market budget for the purchases though, to make me feel a little less caddish.

I've also got quite a bit done on the baby cable rib socks...


Baby cable rib socks in "socks that rock" mediumweight, carbon colorway

I have about an inch then I can start decreasing for the toe (finally!) I actually am excited to finish and have pics done-- the color lined up oddly (in a way I like), and I think they'll look pretty rad when done.

Now, off to work on something else... :)

Knitting mail call, or How I Still Haven't Finished My Socks.

Hubris plays out in such ugly ways, sometimes. Instead of boasting I could finish my socks in a span of 4 days, I should have just shut up and plugged along, happy with what I could manage. Cos I've been struck with the baby's bug and am no where done...


Baby cable rib socks in progress
Socks that rock, carbon colorway (from blue moon fiber arts)

Part of the problem, aside from the fog of war in my head, is I have still been mulling over what kinds of patterns would be great for the Socks That Rock yarns-- given their stripey goodness. I haven't got much of anywhere yet, but here's a little swatchplay.


Socks that rock yarn, velvet moon colorway -- BMFA

And my mailman let out a sigh of relief this morning when I opened the door, not because I was wearing pants but cos he didn't have to come back with the four (knitting) packages that were weighing him down... A few pics to follow, to try and keep me from buying more yarn (even though Allison from Simply Sock Yarn just added new Opal, Lily chin dk, and regia to her sale yarns section AND has some of the new Interlacements Tiny Toes in stock!!)


Knit Picks Wool of the Andes.
1st column, top to bottom: mulled wine, red, hollyberry, maple syrup
2nd column, top to bottom: pumpkin, hush, blue bonnet, avocado
3rd column: daffodil, chambray, fog

I have coal and mist on backorder... I bought these to make a cadre of toys for my boogerbear from Jess Hutchison's Unusual toys for you to knit and enjoy. I didn't have any color mixes in mind, just kinda went thru and added a bunch of colors to my basket, hoping they'd make fun toys :) Knit Picks is out of several color cards til July (!!) so I just bit the bullet and guessed I'd like the ones I chose. I'm not a big fan of the red, maple syrup and the blue bonnet, and I think that "hush" is the prettiest of all. I'm not as crazy about pumpkin here as I am in the pumpkin Essential sock yarn I received (below). I'm also pleased with the feel of the yarn (at least in the balls), I've never bought WOTA before and was worried it'd be scratchy or unwearble, but its not. Not as fine as the Merino Style, but still nice and sometimes you just need a worsted yarn and big needles (anything over US 4 is *big* for me these days, it seems!)



Knit Picks Sierra in Cranberry

For Starsky in Winter Knitty 2005. I'm glad I went with the cranberry; when I originally ordered the yarn, I went with lettuce-- thinking I needed a bright sweater for spring (its cold here in spring!) I kept doubting it, so I changed it to grape, and then decided I was mad if I thought I could pull that color off... so finally changed it to cranberry and made myself leave the house before I could change it again.

I think I over ordered, I only need 12 skeins for the L size, but ordered 14?


Knit Picks Essential in Pumpkin

I'm the most surprised by the essential sock yarn... I added it *just to see* since I'd not used it before and $6 for a pair of socks is pretty rockstar-- it is really nice, at least here on the skein. So much so I logged onto knitpicks and was going to order more colorways (what if they discontinue it? eek!) but talked myself down. It's quite thin, thinner than the lorna's laces shepherd sock (231 yd vs 215)-- I can't imagine why KP would put a US 1-3 needle recommendation on the label though; sure US 1's, but 3's? I guess I'm always a bit irked that sock yarn vendors use suggested needle sizes for non-sock garments... I also knit my socks pretty tightly, so my needle size always ends up smaller than suggested. (So I'll be quiet since I like the yarn :))


Kookaburra wool wash

I'm going to gear up for handwashing. Uh, maybe. :) And I think I'm mad for liking the sharp tea tree smell a lot!


Acloset.com stitch markers

Adorable stitch markers from China arrived today-- l to right: Chubby sumo kitty, blue whale, purple pig, mini purple chysanthemum kitty, blue hippo, green penguin, black cloisonne angelfish. Boye aluminum d-3 3.25mm crochet hook for comparison.


Vogue Knitting American Collection

which contains...


Lily Chin Reversible Rib Shawl in Vogue Knitting American Collection (also published in Vogue Knitting Winter 1999/2000 magazine). I think one of the projects for my Fleece Artist Kasula will be this shawl... but that's a bit off in time :) I think I'll also make it scarf size, or cut down on the repeats as the Kasula is heavier than the suggested yarn (filatura di crosa/takhi stacy charles "butterfly" -- 1.75oz/50gm -- 192yd/177m).

Reminder to self: Little sock knitter that could has to finish the baby cable rib socks before she casts on for Starsky!!

Baby Cable Rib socks in Socks That Rock mediumweight started

Baby Cable Rib socks from Sensational Knitted Socks, started 3/2/06
Socks That Rock, medium weight -- Carbon colorway
Addi 1.5's (2.5mm) -- 2 socks on 2 circs

I swatched the socks that rock and got 6.5sts/inch on my Addi 3.0mm and 7 sts/inch on 2.5-- so I went with the US 1.5's/2.5mm for these socks. I CO 64 sts (for those interested in the pooling/flashing/striping effects of the STR)... I think I've knit quite a bit for being dead sick since Friday; I really enjoy knitting with this yarn.

So much so I went to hem and haw over the Rockin' Sock Club (again)... but they're closed for new "applicants." Just as well :) I actually am quite curious about the patterns they intend to offer for their club, especially now that I've knit with it. Their yarn looks to almost always stripe and flash (which I like, I've always been a stripe and flash kinda girl)... but its hard to imagine what types of patterns will really take advantage of that. Jaywalkers did of course, manipulation of the stripes. I chose this simple 2x2 rib to show off the striping (not mask it), but any sort of "real" cabling will likely be obscured by the yarn (unless its a lighter one?)... and any lace work seems always to be lost in any handpainted yarn. The stripes are so thick that slip stitches prolly won't break up the color enough to be noticed (my heel is the traditional *k1, sl1* with a garter border, just a heel though; a regular sock pattern would be wider of course, but still would look like "regular" handpainted yarn to me, with inches of color repeats instead of rounds... I prefer the STR striping myself). They had some great fair isle socks on display at Stitches West (the same ones you see at The Fold's site), but they'd need 2 skeins-- hey! Now *that* would be cool, sending 2 1/2 weight skeins and a fair isle pattern.

I will be buying more STR, likely when they update their webpage with more colorways-- I hate hearing there are so many that aren't shown, what if there's one that's *me* and I don't know it exists? :) I saw one that's right up my alley-- Fred Flintstone... of *course* its orange!! That is so on my order, if and when I make one :) I have such a soft spot for orange yarn, its weird. I'd die and go to STR heaven if they had a light grey/silver, orange and blue mix... die and go somewhere for breaking my no-yarn goal anyways :)

Prolly not in the near future, since I went thru my stash again as boogerbear is also sick and in baby cold medicine dreamland-- retook the stash photos and broke out my new handy dandy digital scale to weigh my odds and ends and keep track of how much is actually there. So now I don't have to be so ashamed of the quality of the photos in my "stash" album on flickr, just the fact that Ozymandias weighs more than my kid. A LOT more.

Back to the socks... I think I'll have them done by Sunday, phlegm willing.