Random thoughts of a fiber enthusiast - mostly fiber related, sometimes coherent

Category: Knit Page 47 of 88

Two Down, Three To Go

Here’s the post that I attempted to post via my cell phone:

Finished 2 of the 3 pairs of socks I had on my needles.

Finished Socks

This means an unprecedented single pair of socks in progress!
Unfortunately, I stopped in at The Fiber Gallery in Seattle this
afternoon to visit with Eva and left with yarn for 4 more pairs of
socks. I don’t know if I have the discipline to not cast on a new
pair…especially since I also bought some rosewood sock needles…

If you are reading this, then hurray for technology. It means that
this posting via email from my cell phone was successful.

Well, we know it wasn’t successful. I had to go back to the old fashioned web posting (as if blogging of any sort can be considered old fashioned, especially via a blogging software instead of good old hand coded pages).

Now, before you ask if I failed my grade school math, I’ll have you know that I tutored math in high school for pocket money. But how does 3 SIPs less 2 make 3? It does if you casted on, not one, but two new pairs of socks! Yes, two. I didn’t have the resolve.

I casted on a toe up sock with some Fleece Artist sock yarn I bought at The Fiber Gallery. After I nearly reached the heel, I decided that I didn’t like how pointy the toe was. I started over with 16 co stitches instead of 10. I’m part way back up the foot.

Then I read that Abby will be at SOAR. I remembered that I brought along the first Batt Club offering, all spun up and ready to be turned into socks. I knew right away that I wanted to wear the finished socks at SOAR next week. I immediately casted on for a pair of top down ankle socks. I spun this yarn to be worsted weight, so it will go quickly. I don’t know how long it’s been since I only used 48 stitches for socks!

SOAR — I’m on the wait list for Margaret Stove’s lace class, but confirmed in Carol Rhoades hand carding class.

Socks

My sock knitting has languished, mostly because I have had no use for socks down here in California. Land of perpetual sun. But I’m spending the next month up in Washington. Land of perpetual rain. I need socks.

I dug out all my socks in progress, and found 4. This photo only shows 3 because I’m not happy with the 4th and will re-purpose the yarn.

Socks in Progress

Why am I showing you this? I’m taking these up to Washington and vow to finish these while I’m up there. Not only that, I’m taking a large assortment of sock yarn with me. All socks that I finish during my vacation will stay up in the cabin, for future trips.

You’ll recognize the hand paint from my self-patterned socks dye experiment. The other 2 pairs are Trekking XXL. I love this yarn.

Aside: Would you believe all 4 pairs of socks were on 2mm needles? In spite of this fact, I have even more 2mm needle. You know, just in case I decide to cast on for even more socks. The really interesting note is that all 4 pairs are worked over different number of stitches: 60, 64, 68, and 72. Huh. And they all fit.

That brings up the next topic. Why are we so optimistic when we pack our projects when we go on trips? Why do we think that we will read the 20 books on our nightstand, finish the 4 sweaters that we have in progress, various socks, lace shawls, AND pack more yarn and fiber to spin? If we haven’t been able to get to all of these in the past 12 months (or more), what makes us think that we can finish them in 4 measly weeks? Not to mention the watercolor paints that I plan on bringing with me — just in case, you know, that I have the urge to paint while walking on the beach with my dog.

Just call me Pollyanna.

If you can’t beat them…

I still can’t get gauge for the Rowan felted tweed. Instead, I will make the sweater in the next size smaller, and hope for the best. I really like how the sweater looks with the 1″ ease (fitted). Using the next size smaller, and my bigger gauge, I should get about a 0.75″ to 1″ ease.

So, in lieu of actually knitting, I will show you a picture of a shrug I made last month.

Shrug - frontShrug - back

I made up the pattern as I went along, using my favorite shrug-like sweater (old Benetton cotton sweater) as a basis. The yarn is handspun Blue Faced Leicester from Dicentra Designs. I can’t remember the colorway off hand, and I’m too lazy to go looking for the fiber band. The spun yarn is a 2-ply of approximately DK weight.

The picture washed out the colors a bit. The BFL has a wonderful sheen and drape to it. It’s absolutely lovely.

Page 47 of 88

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