Sock

maybe that should be 'So'... or even 'S' for there is not enough to warrant the entire word 'Sock', there is only a little more than a toe. And there is a reason, to do with checking before starting. Today there is the new sock - or 's', and the two spinning projects in process, and wonderful gift/swap that M made.

Bears new sock, or 's', which is certainly Nancy Bushes Gentlemans sock with Lozenge pattern, not the Gentlemans fancy evening sock [sorry Rav link]. For reasons I can't explain, not even to myself, I wasn't drinking more than black tea (earl grey), not inhaling or partaking of mind altering substances, or even sleep deprived or hungry .. I spent one whole evening reverse engineering and then knitting the toe of the wrong sock. Let me repeat that knitting The Wrong Sock, as my eldest would say slowely da...da...da (music to indicate the scary music played in a spoof movie or cartoon to signal impending trouble). I had 3 pages of my knit note book devoted to reverse engineering a circular cast on start toe incorporating a 3 point star as the increases. What was I thinking? I have no idea but in truth I probably wasn't thinking at all, at least not thinking about what mattered I was caught up in the reverse engineering process. And no .. no photos but it was a nice toe feature, that 3 pointed star, and I suspect I will return to it in a more lucid and planned lucid moment entire evening.

Which brings me to Wednesday, blog day and only a half a sock foot to show, and a much more plainer and straightforward toe. I tried to convince myself that the 3 star toe would work - but no, design wise they were a mis-match. Judy's magic cast on, and there you go straight into the lozenge pattern just like that. Oh and the yarn tail from the toe? After a few rounds I bring the tail out thru the first and last stitch of the round so once the work in underway it becomes my round indicator. Stitch markers don't stay on magic loops so well as start|end of round markers.

I have been spinning .. attempting laceweight merino. I had this lovely merino top hand dyed by Lindy Chinnery in Lawrence (40 minutes up the motor way so sort of local). I have googled fractual spinning and have split the top into two lengthwise and one section into 6 lengthwise. This in theory will even out the colour changes over the length of the yarn and give a pleasant result. I've spun half already - how consistent I know not .. my trust in my ability is damaged this week .. but its probably realistic where spinning is concerned. I'm not a pro at this by any means but it is fun.

On the other wheel is more merino, again spun fine, but this time for a 4 ply. This is beautiful fibre from Fine Fibre Farms, combed and carded and gilled (probably not in that order), and beautiful. I have 130g of this in this grey/beige colour and 130g in white and thought something colour worked - hence the four ply. Four ply will give me the most even yarn - the more plys the more variation is reduced when they are plied together --- that is the theory, now for the practice.


Lastly is this broach, well a cable needle made by M [aka Tomlinl1 on Rav], she has wonderful sense, the little fern is cut from a New Zealand 1c coin, no longer legal currency. We have no coin smaller than a 10c now, so kids no longer get to agonise over 2 for 1c candy and things labeled $1.99 or $1.95 mean you don't get change when you buy them. Any way this is way too pretty to keep hidden in my knitting tool kit - so I decided it could do double duty as a broach .. on no less than my Tangled cardigan, I need to see if it works as well with Owls next. I can't remember what it was I did to deserve M's hand wrought gift, so I hope I have paid up already and if not she will remind me next time we knit.

take care
na Stella -