Tuesday, January 30, 2007

But they don't smell like Old Bay

I'm knitting sock with a new yarn (new for me al least) from SWTC called Tofutsies (toe-foot-sies). Isn't the colorway fantastic?
I'm using Wendy's Generic Toe-Up pattern and my new KnitPicks 5" US#0/2mm needles. I have the longer (7" ??) Inox needles in the same size but I found that they were getting caught on my long sleeves. These needles from KnitPicks are extremely sharp, I mean draw blood sharp. I also ordered two pair of size US#0/2mm 24" circulars from them and they are just as sharp.


It's 50% superwash wool, 25% soysilk fibers, 22.5% cotton, andd 2.5% chitin. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Chesapeake Bay area, Old Bay Seasoning is used on shrimp, crabs, and all kinds of foods around here. When I picked this yarn up at my LYS and Susan told me what was in it, I really expected it to smell like Old Bay. The yarn is very thin. After working with Cherry Tree Hill and Claudia Hand Paints I can really notice a big difference. I'm getting 10 stitches and 14 rows to the inch and the sock is knitting up narrow. I may frog it and increase from 64 stitches to 68 or 72. It fits but it's snug and I don't know how this yarn will be after it's washed. I'll bet it shrinks.

You can also see my new GoKnit Pouch from KnowKnits.com. I love this bag! It beats the ZipLock bags I've been using all to hell. I really splurged on KnitPicks site last week. I also bought Victorian Lace Today and the fancy folding chart holder.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

SIL Socks

I'm finishing up a pair of socks for my sister-in-law and I thought I would post a few photos. This pair is kind of a Frankenstein's monster of different patterns. I started with Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Pattern (which I love!) , then I found a reference to a sl2wyf (slip 2 with yarn in front) technique and thought that might work for the leg portion. The cuff is hemmed with a picot edge. Does anyone know a good technique for doing that on a toe-up sock? I love the simplicity of it on a top-down sock but it's really fiddly on a toe-up.
I also have a question about the short-row heels. Wendy's version works very well for me but the two sides look very different. I wanted to know if this is normal or am I doing it wrong?

If you look at the photos to the left you can see each side of the heel. One is nearly invisible and the other is rather bumpy. It doesn't feel bumpy, in fact they are both very smooth and comfortable. They just look so very different and I wanted to be sure that I was doing them right.

Here's the vital statistics:
Pattern: mostly Wendy's
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in the Water colorway (yumm!)
Needles: US#0/2.25mm Inox

I made the legs short so they will be good for summer wear with shorts.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Finished Objects

Happy New Year and pass the decongestant. Christmas was great but I came down with a nasty head cold on New Year's Eve. I'm still fighting it with no dicernable improvement. I did manage to knit while I was off over the holidays and even after the cold hit. I finished the toe-up socks made using Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Instructions.

The yarn is Fleece Artist Hand Dyed Merino 2/6 in a peacock colorway. There wasn't a name or dyelot on the tag. This was my first time using this brand and it was wonderful to work with.

I really like this pattern because it works for my size foot without any fiddling necessary. I cast on 64 and go to town.The heel usually works out well for me. If I pay close attention when I begin the heel I don't end up with big holes at the end. Keeping the tension even and sort of tight is the key for me.







Here is the heel of my first Koigu sock made using Wendy's Feather and Fan Pattern. I definitely love the Koigu.







Here they are being modeled
by me.