Awesome Socks - the beginning

Awesome Socks - the beginning
Originally uploaded by amynowacoski

I've had this idea in my head for these really AWESOME socks. So I decided that nothing is stopping me from doing them except me! So I found some yarn (thanks to my mother's GIGANTIC stash) and cast on! Here is the beginnings of my Awesome Socks! This is the sole of the foot. And why stripes? Cause stripes are AWESOME!

Sockdown February - Candy Cane Bellatrix

I chose Bellatrix Sock for the February Sockdown for Sock Knitter's Anonymous. The pattern was a quick knit and kind of fun with the drop stitches but I'm not super pleased with the end result. I was spot on with my guage, EXACTLY 8 stitches to the inch measured flat and in the round. The drop stitches makes them a bit loose. Its OK, I can live with it but they're not my favorite. I however love the yarn! Candy Cane from Holiday Yarns! LOVE IT!

Sockdown by Sock Knitters Anonymous – Yes, The Mamajama is Crazy

The Mamajama has roped me into another insanity project. Well, ok, the arm twisting wasn’t so tough, after all, if I could complete a sweater in SEVENTEEN DAYS for the Ravelympics2008, nothing is impossible right? Right? C’mon people, agree with me here.

So here’s the concept – There is a Ravelry group called Sock Knitters Anonymous (SKA for short, not to be confused with SKP) and they run this yearly competition. Well, it’s not really a competition, it’s more like a challenge (don’t believe everything you hear, especially if it comes out of the mouth of a younger sister – I am NOT competitive). They post a schedule for socks, one a month, and you have a two-month window to finish the assigned sock. The choice of patterns is meant to challenge you or introduce you to new designers or to get you to knit out of the box. There will be prizes, however I’m not sure how that all works. I think they just pick a random FO (finished object) and send that sock knitter a gift. Kind of cool huh? I know I wanted to be part of this when I saw that Yarnissima was one of the featured designers. The first day I got on Ravelry, Yarnissma’s Firestarter sock hit my queue and I just haven’t gotten around to knitting it yet! Now is the time! So here is the schedule and my thoughts and mad-capped plans so far:

September 2008 – “Orange Socks or Cookie A or Mystery Sock”
Apparently every other month they will have a “Mystery Sock”. I’m not sure how this will work. Will it be like the Sock Knitter’s Pentathlon where they just surprise you with a pattern, or will it be more like a Mystery Shawl where you get clues once a week. We shall see. This is a tricky month. September is when the Sock 4 for the Sock Knitters Pentathlon (SKP not to be confused with SKA) is released. The requirement for Sock 4 is two colors for some stranded color work. Now, I could easily knit two pairs of socks this month, one for the Pentathalon, one for the Sockdown, but I do have other things in my life I’d like to do (like SPIN! Like DYE! Like DO MY DISHES!), so I decided to kill two birds with one stone (Note: No actual birds were harmed in the production of my socks). So that left me with a problem – Orange. Since I have to do the SKP sock pattern, the only way I can make this work for SKAis to knit the SKP sock in orange (ahh acronym-y goodness) . Ok, sure, orange is not my most favoritest color, but I can live with it. However, finding nice orange sock yarn is a challenge. What to do! What to do! DYE MY OWN! And hence “Molten” and “Pele” were born. More on that later.

October 2008 – “Holiday Stocking or Steffi Linden”
I’m not excited about the “Holiday Stocking” idea. Sorry, but my Christmas Crafting does not express itself in stockings. So a Steffi Linden pattern it is! I found Lizzy that looks delightful! Yarn choice will be a bit of an issue. I have decided not to buy any more yarn until Rhinebeck so I will either have to do this in Knit Picks Woodland Sage (loved the color online but now, meh), or dye some more (YAY! Are you sensing a theme here?)

November 2008 - “Slip Stitch/Mosaic Knitting or Wendy Johnson or Mystery Sock”

November will be tricky with a double whammy of the Pentathlon. Unless there’s a nice cross over with the two like there was in September, it looks like I’ll be doing two socks. This “Mosaic Knitting” is intriguing, must do research – To the Google we go! Hm, I wonder if “Bellatrix” counts as “slip stitch”??

December 2008 – “Socks made with leftovers or Almost Socks or Yarnissima”
A’hem. I do not have leftovers for socks. My leftovers are already dedicated to another insanity project. I have no idea what “Almost Socks” are but unless they are more kick ass (er, butt. Kick Butt. This is a family friendly blog, sort of) than Firestarter by Yarnissima, Firestarter will be my project of choice!

January 2009 – “Beaded Socks or Socks form a pattern from an online magazine or Mystery Socks”
Hmmmmmm What to do what to do. Online socks are not really novel as most of the stuff I knit is from an online magazine of one sort or another (we love you Knitty and Twist Collective!). Beaded might be an option for some super fancy socks like knit out of silk maybe? Cashmere? Or we might have figured out this Mystery Sock concept and give what a whirl.

February 2009 – “Socks for a Cause or Gigi Silva or Entrelac”
Entrelac Entrelac ENTRELAC! I love love love Entrelac!!! I started an Entrelac sock in the Springz colorway from Brooklyn Handspun and LOVED LOVED LOVED knitting it. Unfortunately it met the frog pond because I was a bad knitter and a) did not swatch and b) did not read the ball band and discovered late in the game that Springz was DK weight and not fingering. Well, February will be the perfect time for a do-over!

March 2009 – “Lace Socks or Cat Bordhi or Mystery Socks”
Again, another tough choice. It’s my birthday month so I’d like to do something nice and fancy for myself. Cat Bordhi might be a good choice. We do have some time to do a little research. Duh.

April 2009 – “Knee Socks or Under-appreciated patterns”
I’m not sure what qualifies as under-appreciated. Don’t know if I’m really into knee socks. Knee socks for the Nieces? Hmmmmm I’ll have to think on this one.

May 2009 – “Cables/Twisted Stitches or Anne Hanson or Mystery Socks”
I can’t say that I know of any Anne Hanson patterns and I’m not too sure if the Rivendale socks will qualify for “twisted stitches” but Rivendale would be my first choice here.

June 2009 – “Design Your Own Socks or Nancy Bush”
I feel a secret project coming on!!! (said in singsong)

July 2008 – “Fair isle/colorwork/Intarsia or Homegrown Designers (including DYO) or Mystery Sock”
See above

Yeah, I know what you’re saying “OMG Amy is this bizarre obsessive compulsive nut who plans out a year of knitting in advance??? Back away slowly!” No, I’m not a nut (keep your comments to yourself Little Sister!). Here’s the brilliant intention behind this planning spree… RHIENBECK. The New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck is coming up in October and frankly, I need a shopping list. I’m going to one of the Northeast’s biggest fiber festivals so I’m hoping I’ll find good deals, and great yarn and I can stock up for up coming projects. More on Rhinebeck later!

Frogged!

Alas, we are gathered here today to wish farewell to a sock. I’m deeply saddened to inform you that the Spring Mix Handspun Rainy Day Sock has retired to the Frog Pond.

I became increasing un-fond of the color changes on the sock. I love the sock pattern, and I love the yarn. But they were just not working together. I’m totally digging lacey stuff right now after successfully completing the Berlin Sock. I’m going to stick this pattern back into my queue and do it another (rainy) day. Here’s the other problem that contributed to the frogging… It didn’t use enough yarn. I have a yarn meter (thanks to the mamajama!) and all the stuff I spun up for the Spring mix totaled about 355 yards. The sock require close to 400 I think. I had finished the sock and didn’t even get a third of the way thru the ball. I hate having leftover yarn! Yes yes, I know, too much is better than not enough. But what the heck was I going to do with 100 yards of handspun. This is HANDSPUN! Meaning I spun it BY HAND! That’s too precious to just sit in a ball somewhere so I can look back and fondly remember spinning.

So to the frog pond it goes!

I balled it back up and divided it (hopefully mostly evenly) into two sections using that handy-dandy meter again. And I found the Sisters pattern for a lacey scarf. The pattern is a little strange in that you knit the scarf in two pieces and then graft them together (oh how I despise the Kitchner’s Stitch! I will get over it however). So I’m knitting the two parts at the same time. Much confusion is already ensuing. But I figure if I knit the two halves at the same time, I can just stop if I run out of yarn. This will give me better yardage usage and hopefully I’ll get more out of the yarn.

More on this later!

Spring Mix done!

I finished the Spring Mix Roving. I didn't really have a plan when I spun it. I just ripped it into thin pencils and did three bobbins worth to ply. The color is a bit more muted than I had hoped for. The blue sections are not as wide as I had hoped but its passable. I'm pretty impressed with the evenness of the yarn. Its not bad. I started knitting it in the Rainy day sock pattern. It starts off with an picot edge. I really like it, but its a bit thicker then I realized it would have been. I'm in a ravely group to knit a pair of socks a month. I've finshed a pair for May so I might have to finish them in June, just so it counts! But i need something to take to my Knitting group tomorrow!

Pentathlon Problem

Everyone I’ve talked to so far has only done 6 pattern repeats for the SKP2008 Sock 2. Now, either I have massively huge feet or I’ve done something terrible wrong. I just finished the 7th repeat and I still need about an inch of fabric before I can start the toe. OK, an inch might be too much. But I can’t start the toe now or I will have no toe wiggle room! So I’m not sure what to do. I think the best course is to throw in a lifeline and knit half the pattern and then see what it looks like. Oh the decisions!

Sock Knitters' Pentathlon - Sock 2

Start your engines!! Sock 2 of the Sock Knitters' Pentathlon is announced tonight. All we were told about the sock was that it would be more girlie and would work best in a lighter solid color. While I LOVED the yarn I chose for Sock 1, I took the recommendations to heart and I bought a skein of Cherry Tree Hill in Island Red from the Loopy Ewe. It's pretty. Not a ME color (since its not purple) but I'm hoping it will suit the sock well, whatever it is... OMG I have just 40 minutes!!!! AAAAAAH AND ITS LOST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sock Knitters Pentathlon - Sock 1 DONE

Sock Knitters Pentathalon 1DONE
Originally uploaded by amynowacoski

I'm DONE! I finished the first sock in the Sock Knitters Pentathlon. It was an OK pattern. I think the pattern would have shown up nicer if I picked a more solid yarn color. I like them, and the feel sooo good on my feets! Hopefully, they won't felt as much as my other hand knit socks (Not that I really mind the felting, but still). I learned a bunch of new things doing these socks: It was my first pair of Toe-Up socks. I used the Magic Loop Cast on. AND I DID TWO SOCKS AT THE SAME TIME! I gots mad skilz.

Decision Time

Some one finished the first pair in the Sock Pentahlon in 9 hours! I'm chugging away and after 30 hours since it started, I'm on row 9 of the 5th pattern repeat of the first sock. I'm still sticking with my goal of finishing before the next challenge is published.

I'm loving toe-up! It wasn't that hard once I started to concentrate and READ the instructions instead of thinking I knew "better". My sock fits well and is very comfy.

BUT - I'm not sure about my yarn choice. I ordered it from an Etsy shop - Enchanted Knoll Farm - a superwash merino with some nylon in a blue/green colorway they call "Lady of The Lake". I liked it so much the I ordered 2 more colors right away to be ready for the Penthalon.
It is beautiful but next time I will pay more attention to the suggestions. The pattern kind of hides in the color varigation. I'm willing to start over but my stash is bare. It's Sunday and I'm not willing to trade the local Ravelry meet-up for yarn store stop - the choice I probably have from Ron. I could over to the JoAnn's in the same shopping center as the Paneras where we meet - but since the possibility of finding something to compare to this luscious hand dye is nil, I guess my decision has been made.

Speaking of hand dyes - the mailman brought something I forgot I ordered - the sock club from Brooklyn Handspun. It's a bright varigated called Smooch - shades of red and pink. hmmm - not exctly ME. That's OK - it can make friends in the stash while I finish up the 3 other pairs OTN.

So this is probably the time I need to review my priority list. I not only have the Pentahalon and the Brooklyn sock club but I'm waiting for the start of the Tsock Tsarina's group. I also want to join Chamois sweater KAL on Ravelry - and I promised baby stuff in another group along with something for the troops. I won't include the sewing stuf I have lined up (I'll get to your pillows, Claire).Yup, that was the voice of Great Aunt Etta from The Great Beyond reminding me that I have "eyes bigger than your stomach".

Blue Snowflake Sock

Blue Snowflake Sock
Originally uploaded by amynowacoski

I saw this pattern on Ravelry (of course, what on earth did we do before that site??) and instantly fell in love with it... Only problem was the pattern was only avaliable in an old issue of Interweave Knits. NOOOOOO Oh the Humanity! Not a free downloadable pattern! Woe is me!

I lamented!
I cried!
I beat my breast!

OK I'm a drama queen.

I mentioned to Mom that I LOVED this pattern and in her email back to me, she told me it would be in the mail.

What would we do without good mommies???

Once it arrived, I was out the door to Michael's to buy yarn.

>Insert Happy Crafting Dance here<

But sadly, this is where our tale turns into a Greek tragedy. Why oh why does Michael's suck? OK. Fine, They don't suck. They carry the basics. The generics. The oatmeal of the fiber world. But alas, I did not want the oatmeal! I wanted Eggs Benedict! I wanted the fancy stuffy! The fiber to make other Ravelry-ers go oooo and ahhh and burst into flames over my well selected yarn porn.

Now, a "sane" person would have waited, ordered something online, but nooooo I had to have yarn RIGHT THAT VERY SECOND to start this masterpiece!

So I got some sport weight acryllic. I wasn't excited about it, obviously, but I had to knit this thing immediately.

Oh and I needed needles too! The pattern called for size 2's.

BLAST YOU MICHAELS!!!!!! Why, am I tortured such!

Apparently Michael's doesn't carry dpns or circulars below size 3. Bastards! I figured, what difference could one needle size make really????

I raced home and started knitting.

This pattern is so much fun! So much so I finished the first sock in a single weekend. What you can't see in the picture is that the foot of the sock is striped. STRIPED!! How cool is that.

Overall, the socks came out ok, but they are on the large size. I think the size 2's would have done the best job.

Sharp Socks?

So I got the first footie bootie from "One Skein" done and boy are the toes pointed! you could like do neurosurgery with them! Seriously, you could poke your eye out with them. Sis can tell you I have issues with pointy things on the feets. And the cuff is a bit looser than I'd like. They do look ok on the feets tho, so i'm not totally discouraged, I am however happy I did not make them out of my pretty yarn.

that itchy feeling

I had now sooner put the new socks on my feets when I got that itchy i-must-knit-something feeling. I have 3 skeins of this beautiful silk/wool blend that I got at PurlSoho and I've been dying to knit it up. I can't find a pattern I like tho. I thought it was worsted weight and was going to make booties from OneSkein, but its DK weight and i'm not sure I can do the math to make them work. I had some craftstore cheapie red yarn left over from another project so I casted on the booties. I'm not sure how they'll turn out, they may be a bit too big in the cuff. Cables tend to expand, but we'll see how it goes. Anything to get the itch outta the fingers!!!

Yatta!

I'm done! The Jitterbug socks are done and feel so good on my feets! And yes, I am ignoring the aforementioned mistake.