Fiber Musings

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

Tag: Socks Page 10 of 14

New Sockies!

By

On 17 Jan, 2008

In FO, Knit, Spin

I love my new socks! These are supposed to be my travel/meeting knitting, but I couldn’t resist. I pulled them out this week and finished them. I stopped every couple of rows to admire the hand spinning, the plying, and the stripes, and …

Yarn: hand spun (source unknown at this moment, because the tag is up at the cottage, but it was acquired at OFFF this past September); chain plied; 14 wpi
Needles:US #0 (2 mm)
Gauge: 7.5 spi
Pattern: My generic toe-up socks with figure 8 cast on; increased up to 64 sts; short row heel; and sewn bind-off.
Yardage: Unknown, but I used just shy of 2.75 oz. I still have 2.5 oz of this yarn. Enough to make some footies. (I’m sure I have it scribbled on the fiber tag, but it’s up at the cottage.)

Update (30 Jan): I found a picture of the fiber tag that I took after my shopping expedition to OFFF. The roving is from Sarah Anderson of Great Balls of Fiber. The fiber is 5.5 oz. of 80/20 Merino/Tussah in “Purple People Eater” colorway. No wonder it’s so beautiful and soft!

I started with 12 sts (figure 8 cast on with 2 circs), and used a short row heel. I normally decrease the heel down to the same number of casted on stitches, but this time, the heel was too wide. So, I ripped it out and went down to 8. Why 8, I don’t know. Now, the heel is too pointy. I kind of feel like Goldilocks. Next time, I’ll work down to 10 sts. That should be juuuust riiight.

On the second sock, I was having serious issues with rowing out on the heels. So, I ripped yet again, and reworked the heel with US #00 (1.75 mm). Much better.

I love these socks because it is the most consistent sock yarn I’ve spun to date. The grist is consistent through out. It’s slightly over spun, which I like for sock yarn. I love the way the chain ply preserved the colors. I love the stripes.

In fact, I love it so much that I immediately casted on another pair of socks using some more hand spun yarn!

This time, it’s Superwash Wool from Crown Mountain Farm’s Superwash Merino in “Say A Little Prayer” color way. I last used this for a baby blanket, but I also bought enough to make some socks. I spun the yarn for a regular 3 ply, but this ball is 60 grams of chain plied yarn from the dregs of the bobbins. That should be enough for some anklets.

Why is it that knitting socks with your own hand spun seems to go much faster than knitting the same socks with commercial yarn? Especially since I keep stopping to admire my own handiwork!

Socks vs. Lace

By

On 13 Nov, 2007

In Knit

While having lunch with Barb yesterday, the topic went to knitting, as it always does. (Knitting or sailing, or both.) She’s on the look out for a new lace project. For her, lace scarves, stoles, and scarves are the portable projects that she always has on hand. Socks, not so much. Barb is fairly new to sock knitting. Or rather, recently back to sock knitting. So, they still require some level of concentration.

This had me thinking. Yes, I always have one or two (or five) pairs of socks on the needles, but I’m not reaching for those as much as I used to. They are relegated to airplane knitting. At home, or at various functions, it’s my lace projects that I grab for.

I think the reason is that I’m somewhat bored with socks. I love wearing hand knit socks. But I am just plain bored with 8-9 sts/in of plain stockinette in tubes. While there are lots of lovely sock patterns out there, I don’t enjoy wearing them. I don’t like the feel of ridges or patterning on my foot. So, it’s plain stockinette socks for me.

But you would think that if I’m knitting/finishing fewer socks, I would stop buying sock yarn, wouldn’t you? Not a chance. I’m still hoping that all these lovely new sock yarns will bring the zing back to me.

I do have to say, I am loving lace. I love the rhythmic decreases and increases, and watching the pattern unfold. And, I’m less self-conscious about wearing my lace scarves and shawls these days. If my shoulders are cold, I will throw one on. If my neck is cold, I’ll bundle one around my neck. I don’t really care about scrunching up the piece to the point where you can’t see the patterning. I knit them because I enjoyed the process. And I’m wearing them because they give me pleasure. I can’t see the pattern when I’m wearing them. If someone wants to look at it while I’m wearing one? I’ll just take it off for an impromptu show and tell, and throw it back over my shoulders. I don’t need a mirror to make sure it’s “just so.” As long as I’m comfortable.

Finished Socks

By

On 22 Oct, 2007

In FO, Knit, Spin

AnkletsI showed off these anklets to Abby during SOAR. They were made with the Batt Club offering for July. I think she said that these were the first finished objects from the Batt Club. Please say it ain’t so! There has got to be others who have spun up and made something from those beautiful batts!

I received 3 or 4 batts (sorry, I was so anxious to spin them, I didn’t take notes). One definitely had more turquoise than the others. I toyed with the idea of separating that section out and spin it for the heels. I quickly tossed that aside to let chance happen. I used Abby’s recommendation for preparing the batts for spinning. Once I had all the little chucks of fiber, I tossed them (gently) into a box, and mixed them all up (again, gently). Then I dipped my hand into the box and pulled out each section at random. You can see the splotch of turquoise at the bottom of the toe of one of the socks. The resulting yarn was 2 ply light worsted weight.

The socks were made with my generic top-down sock recipe, using 48 sts on US #2 needles. Ribbing for 2″. Plain st st for 1″. Short rowed heels and toes. The toes were then grafted together at the top of the toe.

Super fast. Super easy. Super cushy. I love them. I have enough leftover for some wristlets.

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