Spotty posting

Sorry about the irregular posting lately. Things is busy around here, with traveling and buying a house(!), and I expect it will be this way for another month or so. Also, no pics. Boohoo. Matty just brought the camera back from his business trip today. And it was too hot to take photos and is now too dark. And still too hot. (My mantra is "At least we don't live in Sacramento anymore".)

Knitting goes on, although it isn't terribly interesting right now. I have picked up Venezia again after a hiatus following starting over. I would say I am about two repeats in, just about the point I ripped back before - I know because I finally got to stop pulling yarn from around the balls and am now pulling from the inside. I really hate working it on the dpns, but it just isn't big enough for the 16" circ, and probably won't ever be.

I started a BYOB for a friend's birthday present. Not much to say about that, besides that I need more yarn for it. I'm probably two thirds of the way done with the Damask bag, it's an 'every now and then' kind of project.

And I have no travel knitting for my trip tomorrow. What am I going to do for a week? Read a book?? Ugh. But. I did look up the nearest yarn shop to where I'm staying. I'm toying with the idea of taking a shawl pattern and needles and picking some laceweight up when I get there.

OK, laptop is getting too hot to touch, gotta go. I'll try to post something interesting when I get back in a week or so. Enjoy your week!

The most expensive sock yarn I've ever purchased

Say hello to Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in the colorway "Misty Moor". Yumm.


I actually paid $24.75 for it. Most people I know would consider that nuts.

I had a very hard time figuring out what to do with it. I loved the color in the skein, but I began many sock patterns only to decide that the variegation just wasn't working. I did not want to knit a plain stockinette sock. I did not want to knit another pair of Monkeys. (I have never knit a plain pair of socks, and I very rarely knit a pattern twice.)

One pattern was looking pretty good:

That's Eunny Jang's Entrelac Socks from Interweave Knits. It looked great. It did not fit so great. And if it was too tight for my foot, it would definitely be too tight for my leg.

Most recently, I started the Child's French Sock by Nancy Bush, but I wasn't pleased with that either. So I kept the ribbing and made up a little 12 stitch panel to fit between some stretches of stockinette. Here's the first one; second one is in progress.

No Name Socks

Sorry this took so long. I'm not fond of taking photos.

No Name Socks

The stitch pattern in these socks is based on one from Gisela Klöpper’s Beautiful Knitting Patterns. The stitch patterns in the book aren’t named and this one doesn’t really bring any particular object to mind, so I was at a loss for what to call them (other than “seat of your pants socks”). The book really does have some beautiful knitting stitches, I highly recommend it.

These instructions will help you knit the socks as I did. They aren’t perfect, so a list of possible modifications follows the pattern. I’m using standard abbreviations that can be found at Knitty.

NOTE: This pattern is an outline of how to knit the socks, rather than complete, row-by-row directions. If you have never knit socks before, don’t try to make this your first pair. Or second.

As always, please don’t reproduce this pattern for distribution or sale, or make socks for sale using this pattern.

Yarn and Needles
The yarn I used was Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Stretch. I used a single 100g ball for the pair along with US size 0 needles for the foot and cuff and size 1 needles for the leg. The pattern is really stretchy, so I’m not giving you a gauge to work toward. Have you ever done a gauge swatch for socks anyway? Me neither. Use “sock gauge.”

Directions:

Toe:
Using your preferred method for toe-up cast-on (eastern, figure-8, magic loop), CO 16 sts.

Increase 4 sts every other round on the toe until there are 68 sts.

Foot:

Set up round: K34, [p1, ktbl 1, p1, ktbl 1, p1, ktbl 1, p1, k2, m1, k2] three times, p1. (71 sts).

Next round: K34, work row 2 of cable and rib pattern 3 times, p1.

Continue in pattern until you have worked through the chart 3 times, or to desired foot length. It’s probably best to end on row 11, 12, 23, or 24 of the chart if possible.

Heel:
Work the heel of your choice – I worked a short-row heel on the 34 stitch from the bottom of the foot.

Leg:
NOTE: You may want to switch to one size larger needle for the leg, especially if your ankles/calves aren’t really thin, since the charted pattern doesn’t stretch as much as the stockinette on the foot. If you have lovely slender ankles, I’d like you to know how much I envy you.

Begin working back of leg in pattern, increasing 1 st on the back of the leg on the first round. (72 sts). You should now be working 6 repeats of each row of the chart to make a round.

Continue in pattern until you have worked through the chart 3 times on the leg, ending on row 23, or to desired length, ending on row 11 or 23 of the chart.

Cuff:
If you switched to bigger needles for the leg, switch back to the small ones.

If ending on row 23:

Next round: [P1, ssk, p1, k2tog, p1, ktbl, p1, ktbl, p1, ktbl] 5 times. (60 sts)

Next round: P to end.

Note: On the next round, the knit and purl pattern differs from what you would intuitively expect given the charted pattern, just to change it up. If you aren’t comfortable with it, just do whatever combo of knits and purls makes you happy.

Next round: Establish rib as follows: *[P1, k1] twice, [p1, k2] twice*, repeat from * to * 5 more times.

Repeat last round 16 times. Bind off all sts using either a conventional cast off done loosely, or a sewn cast off.

If ending on row 11:

Next round: [P1, ktbl, p1, ktbl, p1, ktbl, p1, ssk, p1, k2tog, p1] 5 times. (60 sts)

Next round: P to end.

Note: On the next round, the knit and purl pattern differs from what you would intuitively expect given the charted pattern, just to change it up. If you aren’t comfortable with it, just do whatever combo of knits and purls makes you happy.

Next round: Establish rib as follows: *[P1, k2] twice, [p1, k1] twice*, repeat from * to * 5 more times.

Repeat last round 16 times. Bind off all sts using either a conventional cast off done loosely, or a sewn cast off.

Modifications:

Despite increasing needle size, the socks still came out a little tighter in the leg than in the foot, due to the stockinette on the bottom of the foot stretching more than the charted pattern. If you wanted, you could adjust for this a couple of ways:

1. Add another purl stitch between stitches 6 and 7 and/or 12 and 1 on every repeat of the chart – that should add 6 or 12 stitches for a total of 78 or 84 stitches.

2. Add a full repeat of the chart to the back of the leg – that will add 12 stitches for a total of 84.

3. Make the foot tighter to match the leg tension by working fewer stitches for the bottom of the foot – an easy way to do this is to increase the toe to less than 68 stitches and then do more increases when establishing the stitch pattern on the top of the foot. Remember also to adjust the number of stitches increased at the beginning of the leg to get 72 stitches.

The Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Stretch I used had plenty left over, so making the leg bigger would have been possible without an extra ball.

Other stuff:

• It should be very easy to modify this pattern for a sock worked from the cuff down. The chart looks virtually the same upside down.

• I have no idea how to do a heel flap from the toe up (and I was too lazy to learn for this sock), but if you do, I bet it would look cool.

Have fun!

© 2008 Sarah L. Castor

A little Friday (the 13th!) fun

Hee hee, I got tagged!

1. What were you doing ten years ago?
It's funny to think that exactly 10 years ago today I was recovering from jetlag and exploring London. Guess it's time to renew my passport! I would never have guessed then how my life would turn out 10 years later.

2. What are five things on your to-do list?
Hmmm. Some weeks I feel like I have a to-do list, but not really right now. I guess I should do the following: (1) I've got to get knitting on a cami I put down because it was getting complicated.
(2) I need to return some library books by tomorrow. (3) I should go clean up the bathroom (guests coming). (4) I should mail a CD of photos to my cousin Shelley, and another one to my friend Kristi. (5) Oh yeah, I need to finish up that sock pattern.

3. Where have you lived?
Suburban Portland; then Eugene, OR; then Washington, D.C.; then Sacramento, CA; then Bend, OR; then Portland. I have come home to roost.

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire?
Frak, what wouldn't I do if I were a billionaire?!? Besides the obvious stuff, I would make sure my husband got a big, bright art studio - on the five acres of beautiful wooded property located 5 minutes from downtown that I would buy with my billions. And, yes, acres of wooded property available 5 minutes from downtown is completely unrealistic, but so is me being a billionaire. And, I would buy my dad a pony. (Sorry, inside joke.)

Since I would hate to single anyone out, consider yourself tagged if you feel like it. If you don't have a blog (you should get one, but also) you can put it in the comments.

At some point, I promise

Oy. I know, it's been almost a couple of weeks since the last post. All but one project on the needles at this point is unbloggable. The sock pattern is ready, but the socks have no name and I haven't been able to get decent pictures (stupid Portland weather).

The only bloggable project right now is Venezia and I've made negative progress on it. There is nothing in the pattern that explicitly (at least I don't think so) says to purl the seam stitch with both yarns, but I think you are supposed to and I was only using the main color. I ripped it back to the cuff and in so doing, realized I had started on the wrong row of the colorwork pattern anyhow - I used the starting row for the smallest size and I'm making the second smallest size. So it was good that I frogged, but it was a setback.

I hope to have something more entertaining to report sometime soon.

The verdict

Thanks for your votes! By a wide margin, you reported that you would like a free, basic outline for the socks. I have already done most of the writing, having noted the totals over the last few days, and I will try to take some better (less blurry) shots of the socks this weekend, to aid in your knitting should you attempt them.

Here is the final tally:
Free pattern: 24
Complete pattern: 7
No pattern: 3

Venezia

I'm not sure why I started this project now, as it's getting to be summer and will be no fun to knit in the heat. But then it will probably take f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to finish, so I guess I thought I would get a jump on it.

Sleeve/gauge swatch without flash (best color)


With flash (poor color representation, but a full pattern repeat!)

If you will recall, this is project 2.2 (steeks) on my Knitter's Challenge. It's intense. I'm still not that good at stranded knitting, although I'm getting better and I'm trying not to be too tight with it. Gauge is good so far. I'm very very very glad I'm not using 10 colors.

I don't think I will get to a point where I can work without the chart. I usually think this (and then I end up memorizing the pattern), but I really think it this time.

Still not sure what I will do about the neckline - I don't know that I want a boat neck, but it will be a very warm sweater and I will probably have to wear it when it is COLD, so I don't want too much skin exposed then.

PS - Keep those votes coming! It is completely anonymous, if you were wondering, so don't feel bad about voting your true preference. I totally dig honesty.

Sock pattern

I've had an inquiry or two about the "seat of my pants"socks. Before I write up a pattern, I'd like to get an idea of just how many people are really interested, since pattern writing isn't cheap (in time or mental energy - see here).

I am not fishing for compliments. Seriously. If the comment section to this post is inhabited by crickets, I will not be hurt. There are enough sock patterns out there, I'm perfectly fine if you don't feel the need for another. Frankly, I feel sort of bad about polluting the internet with another one, which is why I'm asking first.

So - show of hands (by taking the poll on the sidebar) from those who are really (enough italics yet?) interested in a pattern for the socks.

If you're still with me, you have a choice to make: a trade-off between cost (or lack of it) and completeness of pattern. Would you prefer:

a) a free pattern that is more of a rough outline of the sock (appropriate for those who have knit socks before and can fill in their own blanks)?

Or:

b) an inexpensive (but not free) pattern that has complete directions (appropriate for those who can't fill in the blanks)?

Both come with the usual tech support (me answering your e-mails) if there are errors - actual or if you just aren't sure - in what I put out.

I realize that money is a bit of an indelicate topic, but I'd like to be efficient about this - you get what you want (if, in fact, you want it) and I don't expend the wrong amount of energy in the process.

Catch up

I'm not at Knit Night tonight because I've had a cold for the last few days and no one seems to want to be around me. Seriously, my co-workers have been looking at me like I'm a leper. First of all, it's just a little cold; and second, it's not like I'm going around licking people's keyboards. I'm extremely good about using Kleenex, washing my hands, covering my cough, and not touching stuff. Where is the compassion, people?! I wouldn't have even gone in on Monday if I didn't need to be at a meeting. It (the cold, and the ridicule, actually) was bad enough yesterday to stay home from work, but I'm feeling a lot better today. Except that I can't really hear out of my left ear. And sometimes my right ear. But no more nasal congestion and much less coughing. I digress...

Since I'm not at Knit Night, and it's a really lovely evening, I shall blog for you. Look, lovely evening:

Pinky tree

Shady backyard

Some socks for your viewing pleasure:

Details:
Pattern: I just made it up
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meillenweit Cotton Stretch in Cream, 1 100g ball, with plenty to spare
Needles: US size 0 and 1 dpns
Additional info: Toe-up, baby! Check it off the list.

Bristow, in progress:


This is going to be a nice sweater, but it isn't for me. A friend was visiting a few months ago and loved one of my handknit sweaters (Tangled Yoke, actually). She said that she would like to get her grandmother a handknit sweater and asked if I would knit one. I told her she wasn't getting a Tangled Yoke, but I showed her this pattern and she liked it. She bought the yarn, I knit for free. (I'm such a sucker.)

The yarn is Knit Picks Comfy and I really like it. Buttery soft. Anyone think it might work for this sweater:

Ella, from Debbie Bliss Summer Essentials

It knits up a little loosey-goosey on size 7's, but I think the fabric might be firm enough on 6's. Yes? No? Perhaps CotLin would hold up better.

And finally: you know that rule I made about not buying blue or green yarn? Well, I violated it already.

Violation

Knit Picks Gloss in Woodland Sage and Dolphin, for a bi-color Venezia (probably with a scoop neck). I'm totally not even sorry about it. Gloss doesn't come in that many colors and these were really the only ones I though would be a good combination for me. I certainly wasn't going to take a chance on Pumpkin and Serengeti just to obey some stupid rule I made.

So I broke it. And just what are you going to do about it? That's right, you're going to enjoy it. Because knitters always enjoy seeing other people by yarn, no matter what color. In fact, I bet you were rooting for me to break that stupid rule. Shame on you.

Last Saturday's knitting, or Why I hate you, Baruffa

All that stuff I said I was going to do last Saturday? I did it. I spent virtually the whole day in my lair, dealing with yarn and knitted things. Here's what I have to show for it.

A finished (but undyed and unblocked) girl tank:

See what I mean about the color being dead? I bought some dark brown dye for it, but that will be for another weekend.

Some new yarn:

Gems merino fingering weight in crabapple. For some socks I'm dreaming up. This is the first time I have ever used Gems, of any weight, and I've been looking forward to it for some time. I really like the twist to it. The swatch came out quite nicely. I'm thinking I might need one more skein though, because the stitch pattern will probably eat up the yarn quickly.

And you might remember this from a few weeks ago - a skein of Baruffa Cashwool.

You may also notice that the ends are not intertwined. Nor are there any bits of yarn wrapped around the skein to make it easy to place on the swift. Maybe you can see where I'm going with this.

Several weeks ago, shortly after I bought it, I took the band off and attempted to wind it. I did the best I could to straighten the strands, but I got only a couple of hundred yards on the ball winder before it bound up completely.


Have a closer look.

Just f***ing lovely. I put it aside for a few weeks, but when the power went out for a few hours last Saturday, it seemed like as good a time as any to take a stab at it. I spent 3 hours sitting hunched over on the floor unweaving (I guess that's the best word for it) the yarn by hand with little cardboard bobbins. I have three little bobbins (and a really bad backache) to show for it and it's only about a third of the way done.

F***ing f***ers. If this is how they keep the yarn so affordable - by not putting any effort into making it usable - then I'm not buying it again.

I have more knitting progress to share, but it will have to wait for another night. For now, here are my little not-helpers, not helping.