All I can say is worsted weight. It makes socks fly! (Also, knitting is often more fun than reading for class.) I did some bargaining with myself when I got home from class this afternoon: if I let myself finish the first sock, I need to read 100 pages of the next book before bed. Time to go hold up my end of the deal!
Friday afternoon, we went frolicking slightly further afield. We hopped in the car and headed south to a nearby state forest to stretch our muscles and allow our minds to unwind a bit from a busy week. If you’ve been reading, you know I’ve been looking for good boy sock patterns, and the hang-up I’ve been facing has to do with how “fancy” sock patterns and sock yarn can be. I’ve settled on some socks made out of good, old-fashioned Cascade 220 superwash, as the feet they are intended for spend most of their time in hiking boots, romping through the woods.
Here’s what I’ve got so far — I’m using size 5 needles, and keeping my fingers crossed that the fabric is dense enough to support the amount of use I hope these get. Should I be thinking about carrying nylon thread along with the yarn for the heel? I should be reading right now, but I’d so much rather be working on these socks — or better still, off in the woods with boy and dog.
Here’s a picture of my reading companion. If only he’d start pulling his weight around here…
Back to the books. Have a great Sunday!
…walk into a bar. Nevermind. Instead, they enable this rooster to attempt to determine (in an incredibly unscientific manner, mind you) if she has divided a skein of sock yarn into balls of roughly equal weight:
This was necessary because yesterday I was determined to start a toe-up sock, encouraged by this tutorial over at knittingbybicycle. If one of the benefits of toe-up socks is being able to use up all of your yarn, I reasoned, I need to divide my yarn so that I can take full advantage of this approach to sock knitting. First I wound the yarn, and then I wound a ball from the ball I created, thinking I’d just stop when they looked about even. But even though they looked even, one of them seemed a bit tighter, and therefore, heavier. But I wasn’t sure: hence, the contraption pictured above.
Here’s what I’ve got so far. I’m following the tutorial for the 64 st sock, which might be a tad roomy for me with these needles (US size 2, 3 mm) and this yarn (Madelinetosh superwash merino in colorway pool), but I figure I’ll rib the whole leg if that seems to be the case. It’s a bit too early to tell. Here’s another picture of the sock:
I absolutely love the striping, and the yarn itself is wonderful to work with — it is slightly thicker than the other sock yarns I’ve used, and I’m finding that these are moving along quite quickly.
Also, I’ve added a bit to my sock yarn stash. I couldn’t resist the gorgeous pictures of Malabrigo sock yarn over at The Loopy Ewe. This came in the mail on Monday:
From left to right: Malabrigo sock in Ochre, Boticelli Red and Alcaucil, and Cherry Tree Hill sock in Slate. This yarn is gorgeous. I was initially thinking that the darker shades would be good for boy socks, and I may make a dressier pair for my dad out of one of these skeins. I’ve ordered a few more options from Webs, and I’ll share those when they arrive. The particular boy I have in mind lives mostly in hiking boots, so something thicker (but still superwash) seems like a better fit.
Time for another cup of coffee and a bit of sock knitting before I tackle this morning’s pile o’ reading. The sun is shining here. Have a great Wednesday!
Hooray! I love these socks. Not quite done in time to be appropriately celebrated as part of socktoberfest, but still the fastest full-size socks to come off of my needles to date. To review (raveled here): the yarn is Yarn Pirate BFL sock in colorway June Bug. The pattern is one of the basic Ann Budd patterns from Getting Started Knitting Socks – 8 st/inch, 72 stitches CO. I used 2.5 mm needles. These are a tad big around the ankles, but the foot and heel fit well, and the yarn feels like a dream on my feet. In fact, I may need to acquire some hip clog-like shoes in order to begin showing off handknit socks. Always on the incentive program, perhaps I’ll do some internet window shopping after I read another 100 pages.
Also, it is time to decide on patterns and yarns for the next pair(s) — anybody have favorite sock patterns for boys to recommend?
Happy Monday!
Apologies for co-opting a slogan of hope to mark the completion (finally) of my first BSJ. I’ve somehow misplaced all of my teeny tiny needles, and had to use a paperclip to poke the yarn through the holes of the buttons before rethreading my yarn needle and weaving in the ends. I hope to have this off to baby William later this week. He’s just over a week old — let’s hope he gets to wear this a few times before he outgrows it!
I hope that my subtle display of partisanship above does not offend. Four years ago, I worked as an organizer for a nonpartisan youth voting initiative, and despite my extreme disappointment in the partisan outcome of that particular presidential election, I remain committed to the importance of civic participation in the democratic process, despite its flaws.
Regardless of who you support or why, please vote today. It matters.
I know I’m way late to the party on this one, and I have to give Hilary credit — she was talking about knitting cowls out of all of the warm, beautiful yarn we were petting at my LYS, and suddenly I was buying this gorgeous skein of Manos to make a cowl for a friend. Over the weekend, while soup was being prepared, I made some serious progress on cowl #1. (So nice to be able to knit in the kitchen — not something you can do by yourself.)
Apologies for my dirty mirror. Here’s another shot:
I followed the worsted weight mods for the Dolores Park Cowl, but didn’t pay much attention to gauge or needle size (I used US 9s), so it turned out a bit more slouchy than I was expecting. It looks enormous on the table! I wore it around the house for a bit yesterday, and I’ve decided that I like it this way — with a sheepier yarn, perhaps it makes sense to go for something slouchier to improve comfort and create the right amount of warmth. I’m convinced now, but I NEEDED to make another just to make sure. I had some extra Malabrigo laying around, so I cast on 72 st, using the 9s again, and roughly followed the pattern, though I threw in a decrease row about 8 or so rows before the second purl ridge.
This is perhaps a tad snug — perfect in Malabrigo, but perhaps it would be annoying to a non-knitter in a different yarn? Also, this confirms for me that cowls should be bright! I think I’m going to hold onto this one, as it has already come in quite handy for keeping me warm while Boh takes care of his morning business. I’d also like to note that I began knitting this cowl yesterday, after beginning work on a paper for this afternoon, and that I completed the cowl last night. The paper is still only half written…
Also, I’m super excited to link to a shot of one of my pinwheel blankets in real life. Remember that wedding I went to in California last month? The one where I was weaving in the ends to the green pinwheel just before the ceremony, and thus had no picture of the finished product to share? The newlyweds in question purchased a house this year, and have been posting pictures of their progress as they turn it into “home”. Check out that blanket draped over a chair in the living room! One of these days I’m going to need to make a pinwheel blanket to keep, though I imagine Boh will fight me for it.
The leaves are turning crispy, the sun is rising after I wake and I can see my breath when I take Boh outside in the mornings. It’s official: sweater weather has arrived. To celebrate, I’ve finally cast on for 28thirty. I’m using the recommended yarn, in the exact same color, grassroots. (This may be the first time I’ve ever done this.) I love all the flecks of bright colors against the cozy brown, and I love the wooly-ness of Peace Fleece. Here’s one more shot:
I don’t think I’ve quite recovered from the wonderfulness of my Fall Break — it has been tough to get back into the routine of reading all the time. Hence this post, when really, I should be finishing the book for the class I have this afternoon…I can’t help it. Moments ago, I snapped these pictures of the animal:
There are no words.
In other news, Friday morning, I had my first real-life encounter with a knit-blogging friend. We met for coffee and then found ourselves petting yarn in my local yarn shop. It was a lovely morning, further confirming what I already knew to be true: internet knitting friends are even cooler in real life. She has the photo-documentation of our meet-up, so I’ll link there when she posts. (Hooray!)
Also, I finished the forest malabrigo boy hat, but alas, spontaneously gifted it to the intended boy on account of cold weather. He seems quite pleased with it, and if I can convince him to pose for a picture, I’ll share it here.
Boh is whimpering at the door — time to go O-U-T-S-I-D-E — and then I must get back to reading!
I crossed that river just to be where you are…” Dylan kept me company on my drive to (and from) the north country. I’ve been overusing the word “lovely” lately, but I don’t care. Boh and I had a lovely weekend catching up with a dear friend/accomplished farmer: roaming amidst cattails and piglets, grinding coffee with a crank, frying eggs recently gathered, sweetening coffee with maple syrup and knitting in morning light. Here’s a whole slew of photos from the trip:
I needed a good dose of mountain air and that feeling that accompanies spending time with dear friends. Being geographically closer to my “people” is one of the best non-academic parts of my new life as a grad student. (Thanks, P. Looking forward to my next trip up.)
as actual knitting progress is to the beginning of fall break! The sun is shining, beets are roasting in the oven, and I have a long weekend to take a few deep breaths, read more slowly, and enjoy the colors of fall. Here’s what I’ll be working on this weekend:
This is the beginning of a sunday market shawl for me. I cast on a few extra stitches to make it a bit wider/more shawl-like, and I’m planning to just knit until it is super-long for wrapping around myself a gazillion times. (Fleece Artist Somoko in colorway Masala.)
Another boy hat. For a boy. (Malabrigo, colorway Forest.)
Progress on Clue #2 of the Through the Loops Mystery Sock (in Sunshine Yarn). I love this — and I’m getting past the mental block I’ve had on non-stockinette socks!
Totally unrelated, but this pooch loves laundry. All he wanted to do was roll around in the clean sheets. Finally, I had to make the bed, and Boh was sad. Seems he likes the laundry better when it is in a big clean pile.
I’m heading north to hang out on a friend’s farm. We’re planning to knit on the porch, throw down at a barn dance, and give autumn the attention it deserves. To accompany me on the drive, I purchased Telltale Signs, Vol. 8 of the Dylan Bootleg series, and the new Jolie Holland album. I’ve given both a preliminary listen, and for what it’s worth, I highly recommend them.
My kitchener-ing is getting better. I love this sock, and I am beginning to see why in the blogs I read (anecdotally, anyway), folks who are in grad school might knit a lot of socks: it is nice to feel like you are making progress when you pick up and put down the needles in between endless amounts of reading. I plan to cast on the second sock after I prep for the discussion I’m leading in class today…
barefoot rooster 