Monkey

I will admit that the first couple of hundred times I saw these socks on people's blogs, I didn't really see the attraction. They looked nice, but they aren't the Twisted Flower socks (by the same designer) or anything. But at some point, I got it. The stitch pattern isn't complex, but it is pleasing and, best of all, it works well for variegated sock yarn. Not a lot of patterns can say that. In fact, when I got this Meillenweit Bosco and first cast on, it was for a pair of Cablenets. A very nice pattern, but it just didn't work with the dark, multicolored yarn. But Monkey was perfect.


Details:
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meillenweit Bosco in a dark purple and lavender colorway, one 100g ball.
Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. in the Winter 2006 Knitty
Needles: US size 1 dpns
Comments: With the combination of a) having cast on 72 sts for Cablenet socks and worked an inch of 1x1 rib, b) not being able to find my size 2 dpns and c) having fat little calves, I stuck with the 72 sts (instead of 64) and just added 2 sts to each repeat. This meant I also worked the rib plain instead of twisted. I worked two pattern repeats like this, then decreased 4 sts, then worked another repeat and decreased another 4 sts, ending up with the original 64.
I added one repeat before starting the heel flap. I worked my gusset decreases one stitch in from the instep, rather than next to the instep, which fits better with the toe decreases, I think. It's a good thing I didn't use size 2's, because the socks would have been way to big.



They are super comfy! But despite increasing the size at the top of the sock, my calves are still fat enough that they slide down a bit. Damn genetics!

It's been a while since I knit a pair of socks and it was a really nice change of pace. I have issues with knitting socks - the usual "why knit them for $16/pair when you can buy them for $2" - but I'm trying to get over it. As the Yarn Harlot pointed out: it probably took 20 hours to knit these socks, so that's less than $1/hour for 20 really enjoyable hours and I got a nice pair of socks at the end. I've been wearing them regularly around the house too, so they don't just sit in the sock drawer.

Tyrolean Stockings

These are awesome! They are so comfortable. Except for the fact that it's DK weight yarn and standing on the purl bumps is not great. But if you are sitting - awesome!




Pattern: Tyrolean Stockings from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits
Yarn: about 3 balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed DK, leftover from Tangled Yoke
Needles: US size 4
Comments: Had to eliminate one repeat of leg (I'm a shorty). It's unfortunate the yarn in not machine washable; it makes them a bit less practical. But they're nice.

And look how cute, some baby stockings:


I adapted the pattern (same needle size just fewer stitches) to use up leftover yarn, and I STILL have some left. I can't get rid of this stuff. I totally guessed at the sizing - I told Matthew we need to have a kid so I have something to measure.

Cobweb knitting

I bought a skein of the Malabrigo Laceweight on a whim at the Yarn Garden because of the swatch hanging by it - absolutely gorgeous. It's merino singles, hand-dyed in Pearl the palest pinks and greys.


This yarn is exactly what I would imagine knitting with cobwebs would be like. Not cobweb weight yarn, actual cobwebs. That may not sound great, and it's certainly a little nerve-wracking, but it's sort of cool. I thought very carefully about what I wanted to make with this yarn before I started, because there is no going back. No frogging this stuff because the fibers stick to each other and it would be very easy to break the strand. I'm lucky if I can tink it. But there is no going back now.


I chose the Trellis scarf by Evelyn Clark from Interweave. It only calls for 440 yards of laceweight and it's fairly simple, except for the whole 7-into-5-cluster thing. Knit 7 together, leave them on the needle, yo, knit the same seven together again, leave them on the needle, yo, knit the same seven together AGAIN and slip them off the needle. Oy. I had to switch from the bamboo to metal needles because the bamboo tips weren't pointy enought, but the metal ones aren't much better. I dread every first and ninth row of the lace pattern. But it makes the most be-yoooo-tiful stitch.

I killed the Print o' the Waves stole

In keeping with the "new year, new start" theme (I killed a houseplant too), I took it apart and rewound the yarn. I look forward to making something else with it.