The bubble sock grows, slowly - but steadily. I spent one evening charting out the effervescence up the leg, well one evening and several attempts at charting, until I had something that looked irregular but could be charted over a repeat. The sock heel I'm using is eye-of partridge, and I'll provide a link to a how to, and I plied one of the spun yarns, so one done, one to do, and one still being spun - all misty grey blues.
So after several iterations, and the cartoon like crumpling of paper when it became obvious that the chart I was working on had a flaw, I ended Sunday night with a chart that seemed sensible. Remember that I was trying to capture that kind of effervescence that happens in a fizzy drink, as streams of bubbles rise, at first constant streams then nearer the top more random. I 'invented' two chart symbols, one for a complicated rearranged decrease of 5 stitches into 3, and one for a five stitch cable where the outside stitches cross over but the middle three stay where they are. I'm continuing to look for a more formal way to chart these. As I knit I realized that some of my bubbles were lining up, so I omitted/deleted one or two from the chart. I think it is working, maybe a little less of a transition from constant bubbles to random, but I've only got the leg length to work in.
Now, last post Cool City Stitcher asked what heel pattern I had used, I imagine the question was about the eye-of-partridge stitch on the heel flap. It is a simple slip stitch pattern, slipping every alternate stitch on the right side un-knit, and purling back on the wrong side. If you line up the slipped and knit stitches you get a subtle corrugated effect, if you offset them you get a dimpled effect. Persnikety Knitter at the house of grumpiness explained it well with a chart and all. If the question was about the heel shape, well its a traditional flap construction knit toe up, with several techniques borrowed from all sorts of sock patterns that I've knit over the years, I'm happy to explain further in a separate post if needed.
And last, this is the latest yarn off the wheel, Vintage Purls limited edition hand dyed cashmere-merino-silk. 112 wraps of my 1.85m ninny noddy, makes 207m. Beautiful grey blue - destined for something special, wristers or a wee scarf ....something that uses it all. Fingering weight and after a stiff wash it bloomed nicely and evened out well.
So there is just some Wabisabi-fibres angora merino alpaca mix to ply (Matt is taking a break just now but I'll be first in the queue when he starts dying and selling again - he has interesting fibre blends and preparations like pencil roving), and a sock to finish, and a Tam, and more to spin and lots to knit. Tomorrow I get to hang out with the South Canterbury Creative Fibre guild and guests at their open day, with Morag from Vintage Purls. We are both speaking, and I've read the invite - it says birthday cake so I guess this is a celebratory open day for the guild. If you are near Waimate and fancy some fibre fondling (there will be sales tables) do drop in.
Take care
na Stella
So after several iterations, and the cartoon like crumpling of paper when it became obvious that the chart I was working on had a flaw, I ended Sunday night with a chart that seemed sensible. Remember that I was trying to capture that kind of effervescence that happens in a fizzy drink, as streams of bubbles rise, at first constant streams then nearer the top more random. I 'invented' two chart symbols, one for a complicated rearranged decrease of 5 stitches into 3, and one for a five stitch cable where the outside stitches cross over but the middle three stay where they are. I'm continuing to look for a more formal way to chart these. As I knit I realized that some of my bubbles were lining up, so I omitted/deleted one or two from the chart. I think it is working, maybe a little less of a transition from constant bubbles to random, but I've only got the leg length to work in.
Now, last post Cool City Stitcher asked what heel pattern I had used, I imagine the question was about the eye-of-partridge stitch on the heel flap. It is a simple slip stitch pattern, slipping every alternate stitch on the right side un-knit, and purling back on the wrong side. If you line up the slipped and knit stitches you get a subtle corrugated effect, if you offset them you get a dimpled effect. Persnikety Knitter at the house of grumpiness explained it well with a chart and all. If the question was about the heel shape, well its a traditional flap construction knit toe up, with several techniques borrowed from all sorts of sock patterns that I've knit over the years, I'm happy to explain further in a separate post if needed.
And last, this is the latest yarn off the wheel, Vintage Purls limited edition hand dyed cashmere-merino-silk. 112 wraps of my 1.85m ninny noddy, makes 207m. Beautiful grey blue - destined for something special, wristers or a wee scarf ....something that uses it all. Fingering weight and after a stiff wash it bloomed nicely and evened out well.
So there is just some Wabisabi-fibres angora merino alpaca mix to ply (Matt is taking a break just now but I'll be first in the queue when he starts dying and selling again - he has interesting fibre blends and preparations like pencil roving), and a sock to finish, and a Tam, and more to spin and lots to knit. Tomorrow I get to hang out with the South Canterbury Creative Fibre guild and guests at their open day, with Morag from Vintage Purls. We are both speaking, and I've read the invite - it says birthday cake so I guess this is a celebratory open day for the guild. If you are near Waimate and fancy some fibre fondling (there will be sales tables) do drop in.
Take care
na Stella
3 comments:
Love (100) your interpretation of the Wabi Sabi Fibres Merino/Alpaca/Silk/Angora blend Stella! Yours is the first I've seen spun up. How's the hand and halo on your yarn?
I'll let you know, its still on the bobbin ... life is really getting in the way of my fibre time right now - either that or there are just too many things I want to do and not enough hours in the day.
That is some stunning cashmere/silk/merino you've got there - I love the colors, and I can imagine just how soft and wonderful it is to the touch. The socks are also turning out beautifully. And I hope you're having fun at your event, can't wait to hear all about it!
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