Two new socks get a start on the needles

Well yes, two socks but only one pair, but this time I am knitting two at once. First up some correspondence, then there is an update on the Garter ribbed cardigan, and I'm swatching. I'm still spinning a little more merino - but my replacement Merino Alpaca arrived - and it is as nice as last time. Lets hope I don't ruin it again this time.

Thank-you for all the nice comments - KathyR, thank you I have followed up the auction link, and hope to score the advanced spinning book by lunchtime Monday. Sarah - great suggestion, the Scroll socks are now on my hit list. The repeat looks similar in structure to Pomatomus which was really fun to knit. Choosing a new sock is so hard - there are so many on my 'next' list, and at least another dozen on my 'after that' list. Knitting Linguist - I dithered at the end between Embossed leaves and Merino Lace - in the end it was Merino Lace - but only because I thought that the lace would be less challenging if I was out and about knitting.

Knitting two socks at once, or Merino Lace socks from Interweaves favorite sock book, but not merino yarn. The yarn is St Ives in soft grey, from the Local Knit World, but originates in Brittan.

So - two socks at once, on 2 circs, a new method for me. I have to admit it took 2 nights to cast on and get started - just having the two cast ons split between the two needles in the same/right direction was a spatial challenge in its self. The first few cm's were rough, the little tubes keep flipping inside out and its hard to work out where you are going and where you have been. Still I'm past the rib section, which is really a mix of narrow lace and wide ribbing, and just starting the leg section. Knitting two at once, is fine, but progress seems slow, predictably as it is split between the two socks, they grow half as fast as expected. A very nice pattern so far, the different lace gets added in stages, so you can work out the rhythm of each before adding a new one. I do like the lace when it is opened out, and might have to make some sock blockers for this pair to do them justice.


Swatching - some teal 4 ply or fingering, from the Milton Woolen Mill. Not quite sure where I am going with this, but I do want some more little slim cardigans, and this is a great weight and colour. I have tentative plans to knit something with set in sleeves, following up on the knit to fit workshop with Barbara Paley a few weeks ago. So far I have just knit a swatch in different needle sizes, and played with some linen stitch variations. I do have some of this yarn in white - so a colour work band could be a possibility. Honestly - my head is not there right now, so it was just playing with the yarn more than swatching with a purpose.


And the garter ribbed cardigan - grows very slowly, very slowly a few rows at a time, still as we head into summer - Bear won't need it for a while.

And I'm spinning the merino - in practice for the Bean sprout Merino Alpaca that arrived during the week. You know - the replacement for my mucked up earlier attempt at spinning the stuff.

Take care - don't over spend for Christmas, and make sure you all have enough dark chocolate stashed for those moments when only dark chocolate will do.