More socks

Wow.  Once I get back to it, I finish fast.  Or so it would seem.  I have a research paper due on Friday, so that might be it :)

Anyway, onwards.  Hedera is finished:

I love this pattern.  I love this yarn colour, though I did have a little trouble with splitting.  Not so much as to be concerned.  I think next time I use Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, I'll try knitting from the outside of the ball.  I suspect that might have been the source of the trouble.  How 'bout a close-up?

There is one teeny thing I would do differently.  Next time I knit this pattern (and I suspect there will be a next time), I'll make a point of counting pattern repeats.  I seem to have made one sock about half an inch shorter in the leg than the other.  I will not embarrass myself further by showing a picture of this atrocity, but I also refuse to rip it and knit it over again.  I don't wear socks with anything but long pants or inside of a boot anyway.  So there :P

I will not let it get me down, however.  I've already moved on:

This is Carolina by Momma Monkey.  This is another amazing sock designer.  I understand she passed away recently, clearly she was taken too soon.  This is the first of her designs I've knit, but I've got plenty more lurking in my sock file.  It's very similar in concept to Grumperina's Jaywalkers, a sock I've already knit twice, and so far I'm finding it quite agreeable.  The yarn is Trekking XXL in colour 182.  It's all khaki greens and rich golds with a steely blue-grey and touch of cream thrown in.  I suspect this is going to stall in favour of a certain Japanese samurai who is going to have to become my priority, but based on the speed with which it's come together so far (I started yesterday morning), I expect you'll be seeing it again very soon.

In non-sock news:

I've actually got this mitten on the go lately too, I've merely neglected to blog it before now.  Not really sure how that happened, but here it is now.  How about a shot of the palm?

This is NHM #7 from the book Selbuvotter : biography of a knitting tradition / by Terri Shea.  The yarn is KnitPicks Palette in Sweet Potato and (I think) Tidepool Heather.  This is an enjoyable knit and I hope to be able to get back to it soon.  Meh, samurais await.

I've also picked up the stitches for the button band on my Greenjeans cardigan.  Which hasn't been seen here for a while.  But I've messed up the count, and now have to rip it out and start again.  At least it's only 2 rows, and while it's a couple hundred stitches, it could be worse.  In the meantime.  I've got some new skis to pick up today, then it's work work work.  I wonder if Tom Cruise movies might qualify as research...

Socks!

Yes, folks.  I'm back to knitting socks.  I last posted this sock in August of last year.  Pretty appalling, really.  Well, it's been sitting idle since then (due to no fault of its own, it's gorgeous) and I picked it back up the other day.  When last we saw it, sock number one was just at the end of its heel flap.  Behold:

Owing to the long gap in posting about this sock, I'll remind you what's going on here.  This is the fabulous Cookie A's design Hedera.  It's being knit on 2.5 mm KnitPicks circular needles (which I love, if only the joins would last better) out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Blackberry.  I'm a fan of all socks Cookie A.  I have knit several pairs of her socks in the past, and will knit many more in the future.  Case in point:

Pomatomus, Baudelaire, and Monkey.

This all brings me to this: Sock Summit.  I am so dying to go.  Maybe I'll see some of you there.

Greenjeans

So, as promised, there's new progress and new stash enhancements.

First up: Embossed Leaves sock. I'm not happy with the fit. As you can see the toe is way too long, which was unavoidable because of the way the pattern flows into the toe decreases.

I knit this on 2.75 mm needles as the pattern called for that size. I think that I'll frog it and try again with something in a 2.25 mm needle. I think that'll make a big difference in the fit. Failing that, this pattern isn't for me.

Moving on. I cast on a new sock instead of fixing the Embossed Leaves one.

Hedera by Cookie A. I adore her patterns. I've knit several before, and there will be more. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Blackberry colourway and so far, I'm in love with this sock. The pattern is so incredibly simple, and yet, it creates such a beautiful effect. Love it!

Mystery Stole 4 begins Friday, September 5. I am now prepared. I showed you my beads last week, now here is my yarn:

Knit Picks Shadow in the Hot Rod Heather colour. Red is notoriously hard to photograph accurately, but on my monitor, this picture is pretty good. Friday can't come fast enough :)

So, I found a diversion. In the same shipment from Knit Picks, I got my first set of Options needles. So I cast on for a project that's been waiting for a while now:

This is the beginning of Mr Greenjeans by Amy Swenson. The yarn is Briggs and Little Tuffy in the Blue Jeans colour. I think that's appropriate, Blue Jeans/Greenjeans. It's fate :)

One last thing I got was this:

This is an experiment. I have a gift knit on my horizon that I want to be easily washable, but pretty and soft and natural all mashed together. So I ordered one ball of Knit Picks Swish Worsted superwash wool to test knit and wash before I bought a large project worth of yarn. It's the Clematis Heather colour and is really pretty. I think I'll get more of this colour for something for me... after I recover from my tuition payment.

So there you have it. Lots going on. More to come. Hopefully with some regularity. I'll keep you posted.