knit.sock.love

I'm so excited that Cookie A has her new book out on her website available for hard copy pre-order and pdf download. I knit one sample pair and test knit another:

new pattern: Wedge

yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Mr Greenjeans

size 2.50 mm KP circs

I loved how Mr Greenjeans knit up so much in this pattern that I saved my own skein of Mr Greenjeans for my own pair.  I'll be digging this out of my stash & winding this up to knit ASAP.

Also in her book are 12 (I think) previously published patterns that were re-written for more sizes and different presentation.  In some cases, like the Thelonious sock pattern that I test knit, Cookie improved the charts so they're much easier to read.  I bought the original Thelonious when it was first released, but never got around to it since I wanted to find a good copier that could increase the chart size w/o losing print integrity.  The charts had all the sizes on it & were hard to read in their original size. 

However, my caveat is that attention to marker placement is a must for Thelonious and also Strikken, based on a few comments by other test knitters working on Strikken concurrently with us Thelonious test knitters.

While I've only taken pics of the first sock for the test knit, the pair is completed.

pattern: Thelonious (knit.sock.love version)

yarn: Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Heather in Highland Mist

size: medium

needles: 2.25 mm Signature Stilletto dpns

mods: none since I was test-knitting

Sockober done for now

I need to switch over to some non-sock gift & sample knitting, so while I have a pair and a half to go, I'm done with Socktober. 

pattern: Rib and Cable socks by Ann Budd
yarn: Koigu KPM in "Raspberry"
needles: 2.50 mm KP nickel-plated dpns
mods: Same as the acid green pair.  Both partners have the same shoe size. 

I'm late to last quarter's Socks that Rawk KAL, but I'm done!

pattern: Blackberry Brambles by Irishgirlieknits

yarn: STR medium weight in Tanzanite - I had to dig for this as I own only a handful of medium weight STR.  Most of my STR stash is lightweight

needles: 2.50 mm KP nickel-plated dpns

only mod: one less decrease for less pointy toes

I've been randomly knitting baby stuff while I waited for my sister and a family friend to find out what sex their babies will be.  They're both boys, so I'll probably put aside the yellow Lucky sweater (& coordinating hat & booties) aside.  The seafoam blue hat is appropriate, but I only had the one orphan skein in the clearance section of a lys.  I have to figure out if I have coordinating colors in my stash to make some type of layette set with the hat. 

The blanket would've been a good gift, but I failed to read the care section of this acrylic yarn.  Unfortunately my assumption that all acrylic yarns can be thrown in the washer & dryer was wrong.  The care label says hand wash.  Not good for a new mom.  I've gone too far along with the blanket to frog, so it will go to my Monkeys.  While a blanket is nice mindless knittig for the monkeys soccer practice (& sometimes games), I may not make an easier care one  and stick to sweaters instead.  Baby sweaters are so much faster. 

Socktober

Just in time for the next RSC shipment, I finished my Dusty Corners by Linda Welch.

yarn: STR lightweight in Firecracker
pattern size: med
needles: 2.25 mm KP dpns
mods: longer heel flap to balance out snug leg.  I probably should've re-started on larger needles, but I really like how the yarn was knitting up in the pattern. 

And to assuage my guilt in finishing my own pair of socks, I started on a second pair of Rib & Cable Socks in a raspberry Koigu KPM to be gifted to the partner of the acid green Koigu KPM.

Part of that guilt was that I had cast on for Carrie's Blackberry Brambles  first 'cause I had this yarn & pattern at a lunchtime knitting session, but not the gift sock pattern.  I had finally got around to digging up my Tanzanite rather belately for the Socks that Rawk Rav group quarterly KAL.  My mediumweight stash can be counted on one hand, so my options are limited outside of the RSC.

Speaking of the RSC, I love our September kit.  Stephen had told us he was the designer for this installment awhile ago when we had a mini-RSC Sock Camp reunion at A Verb for Keeping Warm, so it was an exercise in a lot of self-control not to blurt it out.

Love the colorway & the patterns. I'll be knitting up Stephen's pattern in his honor & saving Meg Swansen's for stash STR. It's pretty much in keeping with how I've chosen this year's RSC patterns, except for 2. I chose Cascadia 'cause it didn't have bobbles & I'm debating if I should save Sweet Pea for baby stuff as there will be 2 more March babies among my family & friends.