On Obsession, Inspiration and Adaptation
Holy smokes! Here it is, the middle of March & I haven’t posted since my birthday.
In my defense, our internet connection went down in February, followed by my laptop having a meltdown (BadgerDan was able to resurrect it, but we are seriously looking at new ones right now for both of us.)
When last we left our intrepid knitter, she had just discovered the Sock Knitters Anonymous group over on Ravelry and was working on the January Mystery Sock Pattern…
The Beaded Mystery Socks are now done:
Pattern: SKA January Mystery Pattern by Sheryl Giles
Yarn: Lang JaWoll Color, 82.0198 (2 skeins)
Needles: 2.25mm
Beads: #8 Miyuki Glass Beads, Gold-lined Brown (8-135S)
As are the Strange Bedfellows Socks:
Pattern: Coupling by Deb Barnhill
Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering, Fern Green; Misti Alpaca Handpainted Sock, Taos
Needles: 2.5mm circs
I used a “Judy’s Magic Cast-On” Toe instead of Short-row one as in the pattern & did the foot in plain stockingette.
What they don’t tell you is that SKA is *not* a 12-step program and will lead you down a slippery slope, as I soon discovered…
First, I thought, I have time to do another pair for the January Challenge…
Pattern: Rolling Thunder by Sivia Harding (from Knitty)
Yarn: Austermann Step, col. 01 (approx. 1/2 ball – 45g); Patons 3-ply Scotch Fingering, Butter Yellow & Dark Burgundy
Needles: 2.25mm KnitPicks Classic Circulars, 2mm DPNs (for 3-ply sections)
Beads: Amber A/B #6 Miyuki Beads (6-257)
I shortened the leg by 1.5″ and reduced to only 68 sts at the gusset to accommodate tighter gauge and needles of 3-ply.
Hey, it’s stash busting right? Sure.
Enter the February Challenge and a designer that I had lots of patterns by, but had never gotten around to knitting…
Pattern: Naniboujou by Chrissy Gardiner (from Knitty, Winter ‘08)
Yarn: Cascade 128 Solids in Dark Brown (1108), Rust (2414) & Cream (8010)
Needles: 4mm
Chunky yarn, why not? (I used the 4.75″ size of the pattern)
Nice and fast, neat pattern, Husband loves them.
Which soon led to some simple kneesocks…
Pattern: Ribby Retro Socks by Chrissy Gardiner (Knitscene, Fall ‘07)
Yarn: Sean Sheep Armytage, Greens; Bucilla Tapestry Wool, Col. 011
Needles: 2.75mm DPNs
Hey, why aren’t you using the “good” yarn? Okay, I thought, let’s do some really nice ones…
Pattern: Knotty or Knice Socks by Chrissy Gardiner (Interweave Knits, Fall ‘08)
Yarn: Stonebarn Fibers/Gypsy Girl Creations, Cattails (2 skeins)
Needles: 2.25mm
I worked a toe-up flap heel (a la Wendy Johnson) instead of the short-row one as written (added a stitch to the sole needle sole to accommodate this) and then added 15 rnds of K1B, P1 ribbing as I felt they needed a cuff.
This yarn was actually the first yarn I ever bought from The Loopy Ewe.
Why not a cabled pair?
Tilted Cable Socks
Pattern: Tilting Cables by Chrissy Gardiner (Interweave Knits, Winter ‘07)
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Multiringel, Col. 5020
Needles: 2.5mm
I again knitted the foot in plain stockingette and lengthened the heel flap from 32 rows to 36 rows for my high instep.
Here’s a close up of the cables:
How about another stash buster pair?
Pattern: Kaibashira by Chrissy Gardiner (Knotions)
Yarn: ONline Supersocke 100 Highland Color, Col. 840 (45g); Paton’s Scotch 3-Ply Fingering Wool, Kelly Green (18.4g); Ornaghi Filati Merino Oro 2-ply Laceweight, Black
Needles: 2.25mm DPNs
I held the laceweight and 3-ply held together to recreate the effect of the Supersocke yarn and to bring up the gauge.
And darn it, I need a pair to go with my big ol’ grey tweed sweater…
Pattern: Squares & Stripes by Chrissy Gardiner (from Lion Brand “Just Socks”)
Yarn: Sandnes Garn Smart Superwash DK, Grey Tweed (2 balls); Mission Falls 1824 Wool, Raven (005)
Needles: 2.75mm DPNs
Enter the March Challenge and another mystery sock kal…
Pattern: SKA March Lace Mystery Sock by Kristi Schueler
Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints, Cherry Berry (9926)
Needles: 3mm DPNs (leg & heel); 3.25mm DPNs (foot)
I used the 42 stitch option & we have one more clue (the cuff) to go on these.
Did I mention that the new Spring 2009 issue of Knitty is out and fricking incredible???
I couldn’t stop myself…really!
Pattern: Absinthe socks by Sara Morris (Knitty, Spring 2009)
Yarn: Scheepjes Invicta Extra, Electric Green (discontinued)
Needles: 2.25mm
And how about some baby socks?
Pattern: 44 stitches, 2×2 rib leg, flap heel, reduced down to 40 sts for foot.
Yarn: DGB Confetti Superwash, Col. 193
Needles: 2.5mm DPNs
Pattern: I started out with a standard Judy’s Magic Cast-On Toe, 32 sts (3″ foot), short-row heel and worked 1.5″ of the leg in stockingette, then on a whim incorporated the central pattern from “Jack Sparrow’s Favorite Socks” by Pamela Northrup, worked 3 rounds, then did 1/2″ in 2×2 rib before binding off. Leg measures 5″ to the bottom of the heel.
Yarn: Opal Pullover & Sockenwolle (10g sample ball), unidentified colourway; Paton’s Scotch 3-ply fingering wool, Black
Needles: 2.5mm
These just crack me up to no end.
Good news? I have 29 pairs already done for the 52 Pair Plunge II ending April 31st. Bad news? I think my husband wants me fitted for a straight-jacket.
By the way, the first round of Sock Madness 3 is tomorrow (maniacal laughing…)
It wasn’t just socks I’ve been working on during this period of radio silence…
There has been sweater knitting:
Austermann Abotanicity is finally off the needles!!!!!!
Pattern: Abotancity by Cassie Rovitti (Knitty, Winter ‘07)
Yarn: Austermann Step, colour 06 (4 balls)
Needles: 2.75mm, 3.25mm & 3.75mm circulars
I made mine short sleeved by using 2.75mm needles and decreasing every other row to 83sts then knitting even until I hit 4” and will need to put some darts in at the back as it’s a little big on me.
I finished half of a mohair sweater before deciding it wasn’t working:
(I took it off the needles, but haven’t yet pulled it apart, just in case I want to give it another go.)
And started what I’m calling my Zen Pullover:
It’s the “Rectangela” pattern from Berocco that I’m doing in Briggs & Little Heritage, Sheep’s Grey.
I mean how pretty is this?
There have also been dishcloths:
February Monthly KAL Cloth
Pattern: Kiss Me Cloth by Lisa Milan
Yarn: Scrap Dishcloth Cotton in Pink, Bright White & Variagated Pink
Needles: 4.25mm
(It is *very* pink to my “non-pink-person” eyes, but isn’t really all that aesthetically or technically offensive.)
February Mid-Month KAL Cloth
Pattern: Circle Cloth by Hakucho
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton, Sage Green & Green Twist (+ a scrap of lighter green when I ran out of the sage)
Needles: 4.25mm
And the March Monthly KAL Cloth
Pattern: Pot O’ Gold Dishcloth by Emily Jagos
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton, Banana Yellow
Needles: 4.25mm straights
For some reason, I decided that I immediately needed a new spring scarf to go with my green Levi’s jacket and after a stash dive, came up with this:
Pattern: Wear-as-a-Collar Scarf by Sally Melville (from Scarf Style)
Yarn: 3 Novelty yarns from stash (your guess is as good as mine)
Needles: 6.5mm straights
I am thoroughly surprised at how much I actually like it, for a novelty yarn scarf.
There has been crochet:
March Squares for the 2009 Sampler Afghan
Pattern: March Square by Julie A. Bolduc
Yarn: Chunky Homespun from frogged Equadorian Sweaters
Hook: 8mm
Thoroughly by accident, I stumbled upon a crocheted lace shawl mystery CAL and one “ooh shiny” moment later had this done:
Dogwoods in Spring Mystery Shawl
Pattern: Laceweight Mystery Shawl 2009 by Tracey McCorkle
Yarn: SouthMaid Mercerized Crochet Thread, Size 20 (White)
Hook: 3.5mm
which I took apart and re-did yesterday in some ancient 2-ply wool from the stash because the mercerized cotton was playing hell with my hands.
I plan on handpainting this shawl when it’s done.
And talking about shawls…
Last post I mentioned Mystic Star and how I wouldn’t start it until after the other ones were done.
Yeah. Then I saw a gorgeous clue 1 done in midnight blue accented with clear beads on Ravelry.
In the span of 3 hours this happened:
These
went in here
to look like this
and a bit of a blow-dry later, became this:
It now looks like this:
I just have clue 4 to finish and it’s done. Stunning.
(I also signed up for Mystic Roses, but honestly won’t be starting that one for a while – it’s the same size as Mystic Waters & I don’t have the yarn for it at the moment.)
It just goes to show you what happens to a knitter when you limit his/her internet useage!
In other news, my extremely wonderful & talented friend Silver Pheonix from over on Plurk & I will be meeting up in Toronto for a bit of a takeover yarn crawl on Friday. You have been warned. (Muahahahahaha)
Sock Madness and David within a 24hrs of each other. Be afraid, be very afraid. (I can’t wait 
)
