Zig Zag Socks

Finally, I got a picture of the Irishman wearing his Zig Zag socks. Yarn is the wonderful Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock, which I'm confident will hold up to his prolonged abuses.


I completed a total of six pairs of socks in 2011--not as many as the 11 I'd hoped for, but half a loaf is better than none, eh? And maybe this year I'll set my goal at 12 . . .

Flotsam and Jetsam

I have been knitting much, contrary to the evidence of the blog. I started a Maplewing in my beautiful Silk Shimmer Lace. (Which she doesn't seem to be dying anymore? A pity. She HAS, however, greatly improved the photography on her website. Kudos!)


And as always, there are Mindless Socks in the works. Here is number one:



And I finished the Irishman's big zig-zag socks, but need to sew elastic in the tops and get some modeled shots before I hand them over:


And of course I have not yet blocked the big purple thing. There will still be entertainment to come.

Finally, a Finished Object

These have been done for MONTHS . . . I just now got around to taking pictures:


Pattern: Bougainvillea, by Anne Hanson.


Yarn: Malabrigo Sock, colorway "Velvet Grapes."



Needles: US 00/1.75mm. (Malabrigo is so soft and I knit so loosely that I usually use a very small needle to prevent wear.)


I am very pleased with these--the pattern is harder to see on camera than in real life, and I love how the little vines twine around everything.



P.S. This makes number five for Year of the Sock. I may not make it to twelve, but I'll definitely get to seven. That's not so bad, right?

Catchin' Up

It has been so long, my lovelies! I have been knitting mostly in dribs and drabs, but lately have been seized by startitis.

While the Birthday Pi is on hiatus (awaiting more yarn), I've also started another Mawelucky shawl, Dorothy:


Because I'm a madwoman, I'm knitting it in Jojoland Harmony, otherwise known as the world's thinnest laceweight. I am so envious of Aspen's beautiful Gail, however, that I'm willing to give it a go.

I also restarted the Irishman's Sweet Georgia socks, this time toe-up in a little lace pattern of my own devising. Quite fetching, eh?


And I also cast on a pair of Anne Hanson's Bougainvillea socks, but a picture for those will have to wait until next time.

I am trying very hard to be faithful to these projects, but I have so much else I want to knit. My alpaca sweater! My Maplewing! A Rose of England!

Less blogging, more knitting.

Kreuzstichstickerein!

I finished my dad's socks!

Pattern: Graphic from Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks

Yarn: ZAUBERBALL (75/25 wool/nylon).



And here he models them for all of us! I made a lot of mods to the pattern, because I am never ever satisfied with things as written. But that's not the fault of said pattern, which is very nice indeed. Since the Zauberball's a singles, it is prone to misbehavior, but it gives a nice sturdy sock. Overall, I'm very pleased.

For those playing along at home, this leaves me at four pairs of socks for the year. But I persevere! That means I only have seven more to go!

Year of the Sock: April in Retrospect

Well. I'm a little behind. But I have been knitting some.

This is the first sock of a pair of Graphics from Melissa Morgan-Oaks's Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks. Fabulous book, by the way.


I'm knitting these out of ZAUBERBALL in "Chocolate Cream"--don't you love it?

These are for my dad; for Christmas I gave him a "coupon" for a pair of socks in any color or style he fancies. He checked "surprise me!" so I went with the Zauberball. I'm hoping the cables will add warmth and stability so he can wear them with his boots.

I was also knitting the Irishman some socks in that lovely Sweet Georgia yarn, but I frogged 'em Wednesday night. The calf was coming out way too big (even for him). I think I just need to knit all his socks toe-up.

But that does put me seriously behind. I'm trying to have the Zauberball socks done in time for Father's Day, although that still leaves me down a pair for the year.

I've just felt blah about knitting lately--everything seems uninspired and limp. Maybe once I've finished the albatross cross-stitch my mojo will return. (It's almost finished! I'm literally on the last color of the back-stitching!)

Year of the Sock: March

Well, I'm technically a day behind, but that's not bad at all. At lunch today (after the menus and before the food), I finished the second Twisted Angles sock.


Yarn: Malabrigo Sock (440 yds/100g, 100% superwash merino), colorway "Archangel."


I made several alterations to the pattern. I felt the Malabrigo was so soft and loosely plied that it needed to be knit at a very tight gauge. Since I'm a loose knitter, this mean size US00/1.75mm needles. For the same reason, I substituted a slip-stitch heel for the regular garter-bordered heel written in the pattern.


Since the feet were biasing so badly, I used a French toe. It alleviates the problem by dividing the foot stitches into thirds instead of halves.


And a fabulous pair of socks. Happy birthday to their lucky recipient . . . who shall remain nameless for now!

Whole Lotta Nappin' Goin' On

Not much to report here lately. I've passed the gusset on the second Twisted Angles sock, so with luck I'll have that done by the end of the week.

I also put in some work on the back of the alpaca sweater when we went to the theater a few weekends ago, so it is almost ready to start the armhole shaping.

That's been postponed, however, in favor of the Birthday Pi. I'm about halfway through Clue 3, so I won't be winning any speed prizes. (From the sound of it, though, I may still distinguish myself in the KAL; the other participants are also taking a leisurely tack.)


The only novelty to report is that I did cast on a new pair of socks for the Irishman, though it's far too early to tell that they'll be Sailor's Delight. He's had his eye on this Tough Love Sock ever since I brought it back from New York last summer. It's really quite cute how he thought he was being all crafty when picking it out.

Year of the Sock: Still in It to Win It*

I managed to finish the Big Black Socks just under the wire for February--I bound them off while watching Maryland lose to UNC on the 27th (go Terps!)


Yarn: Cascade Pima Tencel (50/50 cotton/lyocel), color 7779. Pattern: Mindless Socks. US 2.5/3.0mm needles.

As well as finishing those, I've actually finished the first of the Twisted Angles. Check out the absolute gorgeousness of the gusset:


I felt like the Malabrigo needed a very tight gauge to be at all wearable, so these are quite small socks. Fortunately, I had a perfect model handy:


This is our patient and long-suffering fake foot. She is currently modeling a plain Zauberballe Crazy sock, but graciously agreed to help me out for a few shots.

The lace pattern biased very badly on the foot, but a French toe helped with that.

And I'm on track for March; I'm alllllllmost to the heel flap, which I should have done plus gusset by the end of the weekend. This Year of the Sock thing is working out!

*Unlike my bracket. You have betrayed me, Syracuse!

Year of the Sock: February

So far so good! I finished the second of the Faux Fair socks:


Then proceeded to wear them away from the photo shoot, as they are comfy and awesome.

I've made substantial progress on the second Big Black sock:


But knitting it is boring, so it's been superseded in entertainment terms by this:


Which is a Twisted Angle sock. This pattern was designed by a friend from my hometown, who gave me a copy and said "knit this and tell me what you think." So I am and I will!

I do need to get cracking so that I have two socks to show for February. I'm thinking the "pair a month" thing doesn't work so well, since I tend to have so many pairs going at once. Then again, maybe it's just the tedium of the Big Black sock that is wearing on me. The Yarn Harlot makes it seem so easy.

Year of the Sock: Update

I am declaring the first month of Year of the Sock a success!


See above the first two completed socks of the year. Okay, granted, they aren't part of a pair, but that's just a technicality. The first of both the Big Black Socks and the Faux Fair socks are complete. One is obviously sized to fit me, the other is . . . obviously not.

So on to February! I plan to get the mates to these finished up, and then it's Malabrigo time.