skein

Regia Kaffe Fassett Design Lines

A second pair for the SOS.

Pattern: my own, top down ribbed socks with heel flap and gusset, worked on 64 sts.
Yarn: Regia Kaffe Fassett Design Lines. Not sure of the colour, both labels have gone walkies.
Needles: 2.25mm circular.

I intend to just knit a few plain ribbed socks, I have so many patterns waiting to be case on!

Speaking of casting on, there are two new socks on the needles.

These will be Dublin Bay socks, nearly all stocking stitch sock with lace panel down the side.  I thought this yarn might be ok with such a simple pattern, but already it's pooling and is so busy.  I shall persevere. though; these socks are for me, and I can't afford to dither other my SOS knitting!

Second sock

These shall be Twining Leaves Lace, by Evelyn Clark.  The yarn is Shibui Sock, bought from Stash.  I'm very pleased with this yarn, it's a superwash merino, slightly thinner than, say, Koigu or CTH.  I couldn't decide which size needles to knit with. The pattern suggests 2.5mm, which meant that I tried 2.25mm initially.  But I prefer this pattern on slightly larger needles (even though it's a big bigger) so I've changed and reknit it on 2.5mm dpns.

I hope to finish these (or at least one pair) before next Friday. That's the great thing about socks, they go so quickly that you can't get bored.

Regia ribbed socks progress

Just a very quick 1.30am post, I'm watching Glastonbury on tv, and have a vodka by my side.

I've finished the first of my Regia Kaffe Fassett socks and am halfway down the leg of the second one.

Progress photo of sock #1 taken earlier this evening.

Chris modelling his Christmas/birthday sock.  I had him try it on for width a few days ago and he has his eyes firmly shut, so that he didn't spoil the surprise, but the same thing happened last year, and he'd forgotten what they looked like by December!

Tomorrow I'm going to dig into the Chosen bag and pull out another sock to start.  I've a stack of stuff to do tomorrow whilst Chris is over at the boat - library books returned (and I'm choosing for both of us), food shopping, housework and knitting. So just a quick post tonight.

And although I've been saying that my stash would never fit in the boat, here's the real reason why I'd never stash it on the boat.

See that circled area? It's a mast!  Chris was over at the boat today and suddenly there's all these police and fireman there, trying to get into the marina.  Someone's houseboat sank!  Suddenly!  People were running around with trolleys trying to fish stuff out of the water.  The poor guy.  I have no idea what happened, but whatever it was, it must have been a catastrophic something to cause what was a sturdy boat to sink so swiftly. 

Cherry Blossom Socks SOS #1

So much for me blogging every other day.  I was going to blog last night, but then I thought I'd wait until I'd finished the Cherry Blossom socks, I knew it was possible to knit the foot in an evening.

State of socks when I arrived home last night:

Cherry Blossom second sock.

Regia Kaffe Fasset ribbed, first sock

 

Plans last night: to finish the Cherry Blossom socks.  Done! But the photos were rather pink, so I've waited until today to get a daylight photo.
Here's a close up of the beads and pattern.

It's a very pretty pattern.  I was wrong on the bead count - the pattern is correct. I seem to have omitted some of the pattern, I think, as I had about 11 beads (odd number!) left over on sock #1.

So, here's my first pair of socks for SOS.

Cherry Blossom Socks by Sivia Harding.

Started: 21st June
Finished: 25th June
Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino, colour Pixie.
Needles: 2.25mm circular (though I used two circulars around the heel and gusset)
I followed the pattern exactly, no modifications at all. Clearly written, with chart and written instructions. Available as a download pdf file from her site. (Or via ravelry)

I haven't washed them yet, but when I do that will eliminate the slight ladder that's showing on the right sock - it's not obvious when I look at the sock, but you can count on it being very obvious in a photo!

I'm going to try to just work on the regia socks for the next two evenings, and start another sock on Saturday.

Cherry Blossom Sock progress

I thought I'd get Cherry Blossom sock #1 finished and half of a plain sock (to the heel) done by Sunday night, but we were out and about for most of the day and, apart from cinema knitting, I hardly touched my knitting. 

I did finish Cherry Blossom sock #1 though.

The plain sock which was cast on for cinema knitting yesterday is in Regia's Kaffe Fassett's Design Line. It went very well in the cinema, but when I had a look in the  light I noticed that there was one row several inches down where I'd done nearly half a row of moss stitch rather than 1x1 ribbing.  I initially thought I'd leave it and live with it (they're for Chris, he wouldn't mind), then I thought I'd get a crochet hook and just do the knit stitches (where that purl stitch really stood out), but eventually went for frogging back. 

In effect this meant that my plain sock wasn't half done last night -  had just half an inch of ribbing done. Never mind, I managed 30 mins on the commute and most of my lunch hour whizzing away on this leg. Progress so far (at 7.30pm) is thus:

Not bad.  Pity Chris doesn't like short socks.

Did anyone else on ravelry in the SOS group have a fit when they saw so many posts on finished socks last night?  I did!  It turned out that both pairs were dk weight and the remainder of the posts were comments not posting of piccies!  Since then there's been a few more photos posted, but I'm so glad that I'm not the only one still on pair #1! 

I'll be happy to knit 10 pairs.  I'd prefer to knit 15 pairs. I'd be overwhelmed if I knitted 20 pairs! 
At this rate I'll do 10 pairs, but it all depends on how patterned the socks are I suppose.
I'm going to access my knitting every week, to see how I'm doing.

As if I don't have enough sock yarn selected for my SOS, this gorgeous yarn arrived from Yarn Yard today. It's June's sock club plus package.  The photo doesn't do the colours justice.  The colours aren't as washed out as this, they're more saturated (but not too bright, just very, very summery).  I'm going to leave them on the side, just in case I get bored with my selection!  It's a proper yellow, not this yellowy creamy colour!

Tonight's knitting is threading 328 beads onto yarn for my second Cherry Blossom sock. The yarn is delicious (Fleece Artist) and I must say, I prefer the fabric knitted on 2mm needles; it's very dense but it seems much softer and fluffier.
I think I'm going to post every couple of days during the week, about this time. It's when I get in from work, there's enough light to take a photo outside, and I still have the evenings to knit.  Hopefully  by Wednesday there will be much progress!

SOS Cherry Blossom Sock

Today's the first day of SOS.  I tend to only knit socks on my commute, or as a carry along if I'm out and about.  Hence they are nearly always just plain socks.  My reasons for joining this KAL are primarily to try out some of the patterns I have stashed over the years. Ravelry has been brilliant for planning which patterns I want to knit, and also (not so good, the queue is mad) for finding new patterns. Quite a few seem easy enough to use as commuting knitting, and others seem to be great for varietaged yarns.  I may discover a new easy pattern instead of the 3x1 ribbing I always use.

My first pair are Sivia Harding's Cherry Blossom socks (though not very cherry coloured).
Beads with a little bit of cabling going on down the side of the sock.

 
I chose Fleece Artist Merino, colour Pixie, as I found matching beads.

Initially I nearly gave up on this combination whilst threading the 336 beads on the yarn (that's just for one sock!).  This merino is quite delicate, and my beads, size 8, were quite snug. I thought they might shred the yarn.  I've been very careful pushing the beads down the yarn!

 

I've had to frog about 10 rows on the leg (my fault, forgot to do a cable, and as I'm using 2mm needles, it's easier to just frog back than do spot repairs).  I've also ended up with too many beads left over! I think the pattern has an extra 8 beads anyway, but I also think i've missed a few rows out somewhere! Not immediately obvious where, so I'll get the pliers out and break off the 15 surplus beads!

This is the current progress picture.  I'm on the heel, and will finish this before bed at the very least. 

With flash (which shows the beads)

Without flash (which shows the texture)

I think that I'll try working on just two pairs at a time.  I need simple socks for commuting and weekday evenings, but can work on socks which require charts or counting at weekends.  We'll see, this is just day one, of seventy!

SOS countdown sock stash, part 5. (and a little bit of knitting)

Phew!  The last of my sock stash!  I think I may have some very boring skeins in the rest of the stash, but it's well hidden!

Some remnants.  enough for another 7 pairs.

On top Stahl (part of a sock club kit).

Bottom, from left, Skein Queen, CTH Sockittome, Lorna's Laces Shepherd, YarnAddict Bamboo x2, and Indie Dyer.

Chosen:

From left, Indie Dyer, Skein Queen, Yarn Addict and CTH.

This makes my total chosen for SOS - 30 skeins!

I will not, of course, knit 30 pairs in 10 weeks, after all, I have a full time job and work long hours. But I will try to knit as many as possible, and the rest will remain in the SOS project bag until they're all knitted up, which might take me the rest of the year and some more.           

The winding was a proper pain, and has taken me all week!

I've still patterns to allocate, but I've broken the back of it.

And, as I haven't been able to fit in a blog post about knitting, I'm fitting it ont this post.
I finished my June squares on the Picnic blanket.

Only 18 more squares to go!  But, it's on hold whilst I concentrate on SOS. 

I needed commuter knitting this week, so I cast on a baby surplice jacket, no photos yet, and with all of this winding of yarns, and printing of patterns I just haven't had much time to knit on it. It may well go into hibernation along with the Picnic blanket if it doesn't get finished in time.

Tomorrow is the start of SOS!  I will cast on a plain, ribbed sock (as we're going to the cinema and this makes prime cinema knitting) and a patterned one.  Not sure which, I may just stick a pin in my pattern spreadsheet and see where it lands.   Verrry excited!

SOS countdown sock stash. Part 4.

Today I'll be posting the rest of my sock yarn, with the exception of newly acquired sock stash! Some is sock club, but as soon as I told myself I would NOT buy any more sock yarn, off I go ordering more!
I'll round it up tomorrow.

So, box 7. Loosely this consists of yarn which is either solid, nearly solid, or with just a little variation in the colours. 

Enough for 17 pairs.

Top: Yarn yard

Middle, from left: Yarn Yard x3, Posh Yarns x2 (I think), Joslyn's Fiber Farm x2.

Bottom, from left: Knitwitches x3, Curious Yarns (who seem to have disappeared!)

Enough for 20 pairs.

Top, from left: Socks that Rock, Fleece Artist, Jitterbug, Lana Grossa, Gems Pearl, Alpaca Sox, The Knittery, Stroud Wool, Wollmeise.

Bottom, from left: Smooshy x6, Cherry Tree x3, Arequipa.

The chosen.

From left, Yarn Yard, Knitwitches, Smooshy and Stroud Wool.

A breather. 
I took all of these photos a few weeks ago, when we had a power cut.  All in one go, which is when I realised that I had missing sock stash!  I found it in a vacuum pack, hiding amongst the koigu!

Enough for 5 pairs.

From left, Posh Yarns, Fibrespates, Cherry Tree Hill, Yarn Yard and Celestial Merino.

I think that's correct, but some have lost their labels as usual around here!

Now the koigu stash doesn't count as sock stash, but whilst I was there, I took out a couple for SOS.

The chosen.

From left, Art Yarns, Koigu, Posh yarns (such a lovely summer colour, and I've had it for years.

There you have it!

Tomorrow I'll show my recent acquisitions.  And as new is always so tempting, I bet some of these are pulled for the SOS Chosen!

SOS countdown sock stash. Part 3.

We're onto the normal sized boxes now. Two boxes today, as they're not as big.

Box2.A mixed lot.

Enough for 12 pairs.

Top, from left: 2 kits, Schaefer Anne x2, Hipknits.

Bottom, from left, Joslyn's Fiber Farm x3, Jitterbug, Celestial merino x2, Goddess Knits.

Enough for 16 pairs.

Top, from left:  The Knittery, Natural Dye Studio x3, Socks that Rock, Araucania x2, German sock yarn, Great Adironback.

Bottom, from left: Shelridge Farm Ultra, Yarn yard, Fibrespates, Speed Demon Sport, Posh Yarn, Spunky Eclectic, Claudia Handpainted.

Chosen (another difficult choice!)

Just three.  From left to right, Posh Yarn, Spunky Eclectic, Shelridge Farm Ultra.  I've not used any of these, and (especially the two on the left) I love the bright colours.

Box1 - Lorna's Laces and Fleece Artist.

Enough for 13 pairs.

Fleece Artist.

A mix of the Merino sock yarn (top), Seawool and Somoko (bottom).

In transferring the stash I had this crammed into a suitcase, and a skein of the merino was trapped in the zip. I had to cut it to free it, and have marked it cut, in case I think it's moth damage!

Enough for 27 pairs.

Lorna's laces stash. What can I say?  I love this yarn.  

The chosen.

Two skeins of Fleece artist, Merino and Seawool.

Two pairs of Lorna's Laces.  I went for summery colours.

SOS countdown sock stash. Part 2.

Continuing flashing the sock stash. 

This is bigbox2. 
Mainly Cherry Tree Hill, Yarn Yard (I'm in Natalie's sock club) and smaller suppliers (or smaller stash, where I may only have one or two balls of a brand).

Photo 1

Enough for 13 pairs of socks.

Cherry Tree Hill - supersock and sockittome.  The bottom right is Louet Gems.

Photo 2.

Enough for 9 pairs of socks.

All Yarn Yard.

Photo 3.

Enough for 10 pairs of socks.

Mixed lot.
Top, left to right: Smooshy, Jitterbug, Schaeferr Anne, Bird in Hand, Regia softy.
Bottom, left to right: Stroud Wool, Chameleon Evolution, Opal dyed by Liz, Wollmeise, Shibui.

The chosen.  This was difficult!

From left to right.
Wollmeise (part of a kit), Jitterbug, Shibui, Yarn Yard and Louet Gems.  All not tried before and maturing in the stash. It's high time they were used. 

SOS countdown sock stash. Part 1.

In honour of Summer of Socks, from now on known as SOS, I'm going to post every day this week.  The official start date is Saturday 21st June.  I think I'm right in thinking that it starts at 0601 BST? So I can start as soon as I wake up (but for those fortunate to live in EST timezone they can start after midnight).  Ravelry group here, flickr group here.

Monday to Friday I will be ** flashing my sock stash **.  It is large. It is so large that I'm having to split it up into five posts!  I so much need this SOS KAL!

My plan was to empty each box, sort it out, take photos, and choose for the SOS.   My decisions for choosing yarn were simple:  try to include lots of the smaller suppliers,  choose summer over winter colours (bright, light, lots of green I see) and try some of the warmer weather yarns, such as cotton or bamboo.  I have some yarns which I'm dying to try out, but they're going to make very warm socks (alpaca, cashmere), so they've not been chosen for this knitalong.  My initial idea was to choose 10-15 skeins.  Um.  Not.  As you'll see!

My sock stash is organised, sort of.

We'll start off with Bigbox1. Made up of European sock yarns, such as Opal, Fortissima, Trekking. The stuff which is washable and wears like iron, usually patterned or self striping.

Photo 1.

Enough for 20 pairs of socks.

Admiral Druk, Trekking, Stahl Fortissima,
Austermann Step, Lana Grossa, Fixation, Esprit, Tofutsies.

Photo 2.

Enough for 9 pairs of socks.

All Regia.

Photo 3

Enough for 20 pairs of socks.

All Opal (I think, notice how labels fall off!)

And the chosen ones:

The top two on the right and the bottom two on the right are intended as plain socks for Chris and my brother.  Chris likes bright, so his socks will be the top ones! 

The others were chosen because they have summery yarn content: bamboo, cotton and whatever is in the Tofutsie yarn.

That's the first seven selected.  More tomorrow!