Variations

I've finally finished a spinning project I've been working on for a couple of months: 5 batts of Abby Franquemont's superwash / alpaca / nylon sock blend in Tiger Lily. It has been a pure joy to spin, so I don't know why it has taken so long -- life just gets in the way sometimes, I guess.


The top skein is a three ply; the bottom one is Navajo plied, although not with any great attention to color changes, so there is some barber-poling. The first skein should give me a tweed fabric, the second one, a striped fabric.

Following some interesting posts of Abby's on twist I decided to spin a soft single and then ply it up harder, without worrying about a balanced yarn. Looking at it, I almost wish I had put a little more plying twist in. But first I'll knit it up and see what it's like to work with and how it wears.

I love this yarn & can't wait to start knitting with it. But I do have some decisions to make. I have about 375 yards of each yarn. I haven't figured wpi yet, but I think it's a little heavier than standard sock yarn. So maybe I have enough for two pairs of short socks. But maybe I don't.

I think the safest bet would be to make toe-up socks, and to plan for them to be knee-high. I need some longer socks for colder weather when my standard short socks just aren't enough. BUT the question is -- do I make one sock from each yarn? Or both feet from one yarn and both legs from another? Or mix & match? Maybe I will just start knitting one sock and see where it takes me.

Here are a couple of closeups. Don't the colors just make you want to sing? Part of me wants to use the yarn for something more "special" than socks but another part of me (my feet) wants cozy warm socks to cheer me up in the middle of winter. Not that we have winter here, but that's another story...


Isn't it interesting how some of the alpaca fibers aren't dyed? (At least I'm guessing that's what they are. Click for big if you can't see them. ) They make a little shaggy halo that might or might not affect the final socks; we'll have to see.


So the real question is: do I finish my current socks before casting on for these?

Gotta knit!

It is September and I want to be knitting something Substantial. Enough with the socks already. I want a Garment.

So if I were to work a quick and probably inaccurate gauge swatch with some bulky handspun (last seen here) and cast on without any more planning than I can do while packing a lunch for a sideways, randomly striped vest, what do you suppose the odds are that it will turn out to be something I can wear and enjoy?

Just asking.

Know thyself.

I finished my Sidewinders:

They're .... okay. They are a little tight at the ankle, because my instep is so high. They're a little baggy in the leg. But they'll do.

If I made another pair, I'd use Maia's modifications for a high instep, and to eliminate the toe graft. But I won't make another pair, because I learned something.

Turns out I don't like fancy sock construction methods. I want a plain old sock that goes from top to toe, or toe to top. Heel variations are fine. But I just did not enjoy making a peculiar piece of fabric that eventually turned into a sock.

(What do you think this means about my planned Baby Surprise Jacket? I am curious, myself.)

The two things I didn't like about it:

• you can't try it on.
• something's happening all the time, and you need instructions to know what to do.

Socks are my carry-around project, and if I have to carry around a 28-page book of instructions (really! though I'm sure it could be condensed to about four pages, but I don't want to take the time) and then actually LOOK at them while knitting, it kind of defeats the purpose of a carry-around project.

Of course, I might not actually look at them, as shown by these toe grafts:

Following instructions

Winging it.

The same sort of thing happened at the center back. The second sock has one too many rows, or perhaps one too few, so that the graft is visible in the garter stitch section. I realized immediately what was happening but I just Couldn't Be Bothered to fix it.

So I'm thinking I won't be knitting Debbie New's fabulous garter stitch swirl socks. Too bad, because they've been in the back of my head for about 10 years now, but there you go.

What happened to summer?

My, the time has flown. First Ravelry sucked up my time, then we went on vacation, and then, and then ..... and now summer is over. Or at least, school has started, which seems like the end of summer even if it's still hot out.

What did I accomplish over the summer? Not much, as it turns out:

• I have a pair of socks almost done, and another pair coming along nicely.
• I have a lovely sock yarn almost spun up.
• I have a lot of pictures on Ravelry.
• I've acquired a 2 harness loom for the kids that almost works.
• I've agreed to teach a tatting class in October, so I'm madly trying to increase my tatting skills.
• I tatted a bookmark but gave it away without taking a picture of it. It could have been better, so I think I'll make another one. And take a picture of it.
• I've done some gauge swatches for my Falling Leaves vest.

Almost, almost, almost. Lots of fooling around but no real results.

But now that Fall is Here, I'm sure I'll accomplish lots! Or at least take some pictures.