Parallelogram With Equal Sides

My Rhombus socks are done!  I actually finished them on May 22nd (four days ago), but was waiting for a non-rainy day to take a good picture of them.  I did take pictures then with the socks on my feet so I could post my cast-off posts on the relevant KALs.  Here's the best of those shots, but it doesn't do the socks justice.  The color and look of them are so much prettier in real life!  (I'm posting a big picture so you can see the details better.)

Completed Rhombus Socks

Today is actually a sunny day - hallelujah!  But it's also warm so now my feet are sweaty, and I don't want to put them into my pretty new socks.  I did lay them out for a flat picture, but it also didn't turn out so great.  Oh well, here you go anyway:

Another view of Rhombus

I had finished these on Sunday, just in time for the next clue on my Artichoke mystery socks.  Unlike many occasions when the clue is released at midnight, this one didn't come out until late afternoon on Sunday (much to the chagrin of many Ravelry knitters who apparently put their entire lives on hold while they sat at the computer with knitting needles poised at the ready). 

Unfortunately, there seems to be an issue or two with the latest clue where the stitch counts are off.  First, I had to pick up two more stitches than called for down the heel flaps to form the gusset.  And then I had to adjust to get an even number of stitches across the heel (not sure why I had an odd number, hopefully it doesn't come back to bite me in the butt later).  The weird part is that since the pattern stitch numbers were off by two, my having the extra gusset pick-ups actually meant that I ended up being able to follow the pattern as written.  At least on the first sock.

I just finished all of the gusset decreases, so I'll be starting the second sock later.  Let's see if it has the same issues-that-magically-worked-out as the first one. 

Fingers crossed!

Caught Up

Seriously?  It's May 19th and I'm wearing a sweater.  A frickin' sweater!  Where is spring?  Where is early summer?  Where is the darn SUN???  It's been an entire week of rain and is supposed to continue until Sunday.  Three more days.  Hopefully I don't hang myself in a fit of damp depression before then.  But at least it's good knitting weather, right?

On that note, I am happy to report that my second Rhombus sock is now caught up to my first sock, thus allowing me to work them at the same time and avoid the dreaded second sock syndrome.  Dun dun duuuun!  Feet and toes left.  Head, shoulders, feet and toes, feet and toes.

Both Rhombus socks past the heel!

11 days left to finish these socks by the end of the month.  Officially they don't have to be finished until the end of June to qualify for the KAL prizes, but I give myself a 1-month self-imposed deadlines because I want to start new socks June 1st.  

I still have to take a picture of my artichoke MOCKs since I finished clue 3, but give me a couple of days.  Photos turn out so much better when there is some sun.  I.  Need.  Sun.

Yesterday was Wednesday which means it was my knitting day with Michele and Leigh.  We went on our second field trip to a LYS (local yarn store).  It's called "The Yarn Shop" and is in Uxbridge, MA.  It's a nice size for a LYS (bigger than the Sheep Shack in Holden, but not as cute).  They have a nice section of sock yarn in different brands - Cascade Heritage, Berroco, Plymouth Yarn Co (so squishy!), a new one that I can't remember, and a couple of non-wool options like bamboo or silk blend.  Michele and Leigh both got 100g skeins of a yarn that has shrimp and crab shells in it.  They are supposedly antibacterial.  I'm interested to see how the yarn is to knit with.  Leigh was disappointed that there were no cotton options in sock yarn, and I had been hoping for some new, bright colors for spring, specifically a sunny yellow.  There were many beautiful colors, but the majority of them were dark.  No yellow for me.  (Have I mentioned that I could really use some sun?)

I did get a nice olive green in the Plymouth Yarn Co. Happy Feet yarn.  It's so nice to squeeze!  It's also a good guy color.

And because I needed something relatively bright and cheerful - and since I didn't have any colors like it in my ever-growing sock yarn  stash already, I also picked up my first hank of Cascade Heritage sock yarn.  It's a pretty blue, just on this side of turquoise.  Not a good guy color for socks.  :)

I've also started thinking about next month's sock-knitting KALs.  In the Knit Sock Love group, the next pattern we are knitting from the book is called "Stricken."  If you remember my blog posts about Thelonious, you should note that Stricken is from the same section of the book and is the pattern after Thelonious.  The author, Cookie A, states in the book's intro that each of the three sections of the book start with the easiest pattern and they get successively harder.  Ha!  So June may be an interesting month for sock knitting. 

Stock pattern for Stricken

I'm thinking red or a light/medium blue, but I haven't decided yet.  Maybe my Grant Creek Yarn Ethereal Blue?

The color for the Solid Socks group for June is orange.  I do have a great hank of Grant Creek Yarn in Apricot.  If I use it, I can double-dip in both KALs.

I'm not sure it's right for Stricken, though.  What do you think?  Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.  You can also check out other people's Stricken projects to see what color(s) you think looks best.  Or check out my stash to choose from what I have available.  I need help choosing!

June will be here before we know it.  Hopefully the sun will be, too.

Yarn Swift

I have a lot of sock yarn.  Many, many hanks.  Not skeins.  Hanks.  Which means they have to be wound before I use them.  Draping the big loops across the back of a chair, across my knees, or over my hands is not only ideal, but I've already encountered a bit of tangling trying to wind them.  (That's an understatement - one hank almost made me cry.)  Chris got me a yarn winder for Mother's Day, which is awesome except I still can't use it on my own.  Instead, he winds while I hold the yarn across my hands and attempt to feed it out at a consistent rate so he can create a perfect little cake of yarn.  If you've ever done this, you know how fun it is.  (Is my sarcasm coming through?)

The answer - a yarn swift.  Yes, Mom, I know you have always made due without one.  Yes, I know that hand winding the yarn is relaxing and the way you always did it.  And yes, all this "equipment" is silly and unnecessary.  And yes, you walked to school uphill in the snow.  Both ways.  In bare feet.  Carrying all four siblings on your back.  But that doesn't mean I don't want one.

There are two types of swift.  An umbrella swift, which looks like it sounds.  It clamps to a table top, opens like an umbrella (but looks more like a wood "skeleton" of an umbrella), adjusts at the width necessary for the size of the particular hank you want to wind, and spins horizontally.

The other kind is an Amish swift.  It sits on a table and if you're looking down on it, looks like a plus sign (+), or cross.  Pegs stick up on each arm (they can be placed in different holes on the arms to change the size), the yarn sits around them, and it also spins horizontally as the yarn unwinds.

So check this out - a genius woman came up with a cheap way to create your own homemade umbrella-style swift from plastic hangers, clothes pins, and a few other cheap supplies.
http://webeccasays.blogspot.com/2008/05/tilta-swift.html

If you make it, send me pictures!  In the meantime, I of course ordered an Amish-style swift for $22 on etsy about, oh.... six hours before discovering the site above.  I'm just lucky that way, I guess.  But I'm excited to get it.  It should be here in time for me to wind yarn for the June KALs.

More sock knitting updates and pictures coming soon - hopefully tomorrow.  Patience, young Jedi.

Clue 3

Did you hear?  Clue 3 of the Mystery Sock came out today!  I printed it, set it on the coffee table to work on, and promptly forgot about it.  This afternoon when I had some time to knit, I picked up my Rhombus socks to work on.  Duh.  I remembered the MOCKs while we were out at Qdoba at dinner, so I started working on them after the kids went to bed.

It's definitely a bit disconcerting working on a sock without knowing what it is supposed to look like.  I purposely didn't look at the Ravelry forum because I didn't want to see the finished clue.  Clue #3 is for the heel flap, which is worked back and forth rather than in the round.  However, the chart for the flap is written like the ones I've used for working in the round.  That means that even rows, or right side (RS) rows, are worked like a regular chart - right to left, boxes marked as knits are knit, those are marked as purls are purled.  However, on the wrong side (WS), the chart is worked left to right, where you purl the boxes marked knit and knit the boxes marked purl.  Actually, for this pattern, RS rows have ktbl and purls, and the WS then becomes ptbl and knits.  However, what was very nice about this pattern is that the chart only changed every two rows.  So you work the RS row, then the WS row is a carbon copy so you don't need the chart.  Instead you can just follow the stitches in the previous row - nothing changes.  Easy-peasy.

Clue #3 also includes the heel turn, setting up clue 4 to do gussets, decreases for the foot, the entire foot, and the toe.  That's a lot for the final clue and only a week in which to knit it.  I'd better clear my calendar starting next Sunday for some intensive MOCK knitting!

I'll post pics of the finished clue once I do the second sock.  Probably tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Leather Leg

So apparently the photo I took of my mystery sock on one of my patterned glasses looks a lot like it's on someone's grossly tanned leg which is also covered in freaky bright tattoos.  Chris and the kids commented on it, plus a couple of people on the KAL forum had the same initial reaction until they realized that thank-goodness-it's-not-a-freaky-leg-just-a-colored-glass.

So you can judge for yourself, here is the original picture:

Freaky tanned & tattooed leg shot

What do you think?  Innocuous sock-on-a-glass picture or what-the-heck-is-wrong-with-that-leg???  I admit, now that it's been mentioned, I can see a grimace-inducing bad-spray-tan flowered-tattoo leg.  Or maybe I should say "stump" since there's obviously no foot attached.  That makes perfect sense.  After all, what is there better for a freaky-stump-legged person to do than sit around knitting socks?  Heck, I wouldn't even have to bother turning a heel.  Bonus!

But to avoid having people send random donations to the Freaky Leg Fund for Bad Tans & Tattoos, I've replaced the photo with a better one which also shows clue 2 finished on both socks.

Mystery Socks - Clue 2 Finished

Better?  :)

Once I finished clue 2 on my MOCKs, I went back to working on my first Rhombus sock.  I finished the gusset decreases after the heel turn, so now I just work the sock until it's long enough to start the toe.

Rhombus sock after heel turn and gusset decreases

The original plan was to knit both socks at the same time on two separate needles (as opposed to 2AAT on the same circular needle), but since I only had one size 1 circular, I could only start the first one.  I do have another needle in the right size coming in an order from Knit Picks today, but I'm so far on the first sock that I need to decide if I:

   a)  Just finish the first sock and then start on the second, or

   b)  Start the second sock, catch up to the first, then knit them in tandem until they're both done.

I'm thinking I really should go with option b in order to avoid second sock syndrome.  Even though I'm getting so close on the first sock, I know it will be hard to start the second one if I wait until the first one is finished.  So I think I'm going to suck it up and start the second one later today after the mail comes.  Then by the time I catch up, I'll be on the home stretch with both!  Yeah, that's the ticket!

Where is that mailman????

Artichokes Part 2

oday is May 8th - Mother's Day!  Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing moms out there, from my mom to my mother-in-law, to my friends who have children, and to those of you whom I haven't even met.  Moms have the most important job on the planet, so we deserve a special day.  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and Mother's Day!

May 8th... May 8th...  What else happens today?  Hmm.... let me think...  Oh, I know!

MOCK clue 2!

If you've read my earlier blog posts, you'll know that I'm working on my first mystery sock, or MOCK, for a knit-a-long on one of the Ravely.com forums.  The first part of the pattern (aka clue 1) was release on May 1st, and today we got the second part of the pattern.  The first section of both socks has been sitting on my coffee table gathering dust for the past five days just waiting for the next clue.  So I put down my Rhombus sock for the day, printed out clue 2, and continued working on my MOCKs.

I finished clue 2 on one of the socks a little while ago.  I took a picture but because it was 10 PM, the lighting wasn't very good.  But I couldn't wait for morning!

Clues 1 & 2 completed on my Mystery Sock

Yes, I put the sock on a glass to take the picture.  It's like a happy little artichoke cozy.  Oh yeah, the code name for the sock is no longer a secret.  The pattern is called Artichoke.  (How much does it rock that I just happened to choose a green yarn for this pattern and it's called Artichoke?  I'm so totally psychic.)  I'll try to get a better photo tomorrow after I catch up with the second sock.


Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll knit the second sock tomorrow, on my mystery MOCKs.  Goodnight boys and girls!

Rhombus

What am I working on this month, you're wondering?  Well, I'm participating in four knit-a-longs for May with two pairs of socks - the beaded socks are for the Sock Knitters Anonymous Mystery Sock (MOCK) KAL, plus my "Rhombus" socks will triple-dip in two different Knit Sock Love KALs as well as the Solid Socks KAL.  Triple duty, baby, oh yeah.

Since I finished clue 1 for both socks for the MOCKs, it was time to cast-on for Rhombus.  I started them on May 3rd, so I'm two days in.  I'm knitting them one at a time because the pattern has a 2-3 rows that cross cables when doing the magic loop method and I didn't want to fiddle with taking the first sock on and off the needle to rearrange stitches.  I do have another size 1 needle on order from KnitPicks.com so I can start the second one and catch up to where I am so far on the first . If I knit them in tandem - say 10 rows on one sock, 10 on the other, heel on the first, heel on the second, etc. - then I can finish them almost at the same time and not have to deal with second sock syndrome.  The problem is the new needle won't be here until the middle of next week, so I could be pretty far with the first sock.  Although.... I just remembered that as of May 8th, there will be another clue for the MOCK, so I'll put Rhombus aside temporarily until I finish clue 2 on both MOCKs.  Ah yes... that makes things better!

I went back and forth a little on my yarn choice for Rhombus.  Originally I planned on using a solid gray from Plymouth Yarn Company in their Happy Feet sock yarn.

Plymouth Yarn Company Happy Feet sock yarn

The finished sock for Rhombus in the Knit Sock Love book is in a beautiful periwinkle gray - a completely solid color - and is beautiful.   The solid color really showed the pattern and stitch definition.  Plus I knew I wanted to enter the sock in the Solid Socks KAL as well.  However, then I got a skein of Ethereal Blue from Grant Creek Yarns for Easter from Chris and decided to use it instead.  Not only is it beautiful, but because I'd be using a KAL sponsor's yarn, I'd get an extra entry into the prize drawing.

Grant Creek Yarn in Ethereal Blue

But when it came time to wind the yarn, I found myself torn!  I love the Ethereal Blue and can't wait to use it, but it's a semi-solid which means some variation in the color.  Sure, it would still most likely be solid enough for the Solid Socks KAL and it was a sponsor yarn, but I still had this strong feeling that I really wanted a completely solid yarn for these socks.  So I flip-flopped back to the Happy Feet gray yarn.  I got Chris to help me wind the hanks before I could change my mind again, and cast on the same night.  Now I just have to say...

I love it!  The yarn is very nice to work with - I'm really enjoying it.  And the socks are turning out great so far.  I think the straight solid yarn gives them a simple, clean look and really lets the pattern pop.  Judge for yourself....

My Rhombus Sock

I'm just over one repeat through the pattern chart, so I have almost one and a half chart repeats to go before the heel.  There are at least a couple of people in the KAL who are only doing 1.5 repeats instead of the 2.5 that the pattern calls for, but I'm planning to stick with the pattern so the leg is longer.  I just hope I don't run out of yarn - how much would that suck?  Most of the Rhombus projects on Ravelry.com are in progress, so I don't have many finished projects to check to see how much yarn their socks ended up using.  I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that since I'm knitting the small size and not the large that there will be enough.  Please, please let there be enough.  Oh pleeeeeease....

I have to stay off my feet for the next 48 hours since I got a cortisone shot in my foot this afternoon, so hopefully I also get a lot of knitting done.  We will see.

A=5

Just a quick one...
The name of the MOCK pattern is 5-22-24-13-7-12-19-15-9.  I just decoded it.  Can you?  Post in my comments if you figure it out!  (And don't peek at other answers first.  Cheaters cheaters!  :)

Also, don't forget to "follow" my blog if you enjoy it.  There's a link in the lower right of the screen somewhere.  Thanks!

MOCK

I'm sure you've all been sitting around hitting refresh on your screens waiting for my latest blog post so you can see what wonderments I have cooked up for May.  But first, let me take care of some unfinished business.

Straight-Up Socks for Francesca

I finished Francesca's socks on April 27 with two days to spare before the end of the Learn to Knit Socks KAL, which I hadn't planned on participating in.  However, Michele is knitting the pattern as her first sock ever!  Other than a hat and washcloths, she hasn't knit any other "real" projects.  So exciting that she took the leap to socks!  Leigh is also working on a pair as a gift, and Francesca has been asking for more socks, so there you go.  Socks for her that were eligible for the KAL.  (Which I didn't win, but that's okay.)  

She wore them on Friday and was so excited about it.  Of course, with the big boot on her left foot for the broken toe and a sneaker on the other foot, only she and I knew she had them on but we were both happy about it.  Until she got home from school and I realized that her sneaker had blown a hole in the toe so the tip of her brand new,  hand-knit, blood-sweat-and-knitting sock was dirty and fuzzy.

Add that to the list of "Reasons Why I Should Only Knit Socks for Myself."

I did get some nice new yarn in the mail this past Wednesday.  I had ordered it from Grant Creek Yarns on etsy.com.  The yarn is dyed by a very nice woman named Heidi, and it's in high demand.  When she posts a day or time that her shop is going to be updated, you'd better be sitting there refreshing until something shows up, toss it in your cart and check out as quick as possible.  Don't go back for a second skein!  Don't be tempted!  By the time you get it into your cart, the first one will be gone - sold to someone who unknowingly "cartjacked" you!  

Thus I sat next to the computer on Holy Saturday, while Chris, my parents, and my brother watched a movie, hitting F5 every 60 seconds until I got lucky.  There was a particular colorway I wanted, and I got it!  May I present....

Grant Creek Yarns "Spring Bouquet"

The yarn is actually a new base made up of 80% BFL and 20% nylon.  What's BFL?  Funny you should ask, and funny that I have to go look it up yet again because it has not stuck in my head from the first 17 times I've read the description.

BFL: Blue Face Leicester is a longwool breed of sheep that originated in Britain. 

I've read that yarn spun from it is stronger because of the longer fibers, plus the addition of nylon gives it even more strength.  I'm hoping to make a pair of socks in a pattern called "Scylla" using the Spring Bouquet sometime.... well, sometime this year.

Back to socks in progress....

After finishing Francesca's socks, I cast on a pair in a pattern and yarn I've been wanting to do for a couple of months now.  

"Monkey" pattern by Cookie A.

Grant Creek Yarns "Leaves"

The photo doesn't do the yarn justice - it's so pretty and the colors are much more vibrant.  Actually, I have a photo from when I had first cast on so there isn't much sock, but you can see the depth of the colors in the yarn cakes better.

"Monkey" cast-on

So far, "Monkey" is a pretty straightforward pattern.  It follows a small chart (not too many different rows and has multiple horizontal repetitions) and is a good carrying-around project.  I can toss it in my project bag with a copy of the chart and have something to do at gymnastics.

But what to do at home when I can get a little more complicated...?

A MOCK! 

What is a MOCK, you ask?  Not long ago, I had the same question.  I've since realized (at least I hope I'm correct in my assumption) that it's short for "Mystery Sock."  Yes, my friends, a mystery sock.  And what, pray tell, is a mystery sock?  Oh, you are going to love this!  A mystery sock is one that you knit not knowing what the final sock will look like.  No pictures.  And you get the pattern in parts, or clues.  A mystery sock knitted over a month's time may release the first clue on the 1st of the month, second on the 8th, third on the 15th, and fourth on the 22nd, giving you the last week to finish it.  Or maybe there are only three clues.  Or five that you get more often.  You get the latest pattern release, knit it, and voila!  Sock surprise!  

One of the Ravelry groups to which I belong (Sock Knitters Anonymous) is doing a MOCK this month.  And it incorporates BEADS.  (No, that's not an acronym or short version of anything, I just wanted to shout it out.  BEADS!!!)

Now, if you know me, you know that I'm a teensy weensy bit Type A.  Just a little.  A smidge OCD.  A tad of the anal planner type.  So the thought of investing time and yarn - especially good yarn - into a project that I don't know if I'll even like... well, it makes me twitch.  And feel a little nauseous.  The whole concept of a MOCK, while sounding fun and exciting, goes against my grain.  Think nails on a chalkboard.  

There is a group of people who will wait out a MOCK through the first clue or two.  They'll let other people cast on and start knitting, who then post photos on the Ravelry group so that the waiters can determine if they like the pattern and want to cast on themselves.  A viable option, yes, but it's also cheating!  Cheaters, cheaters!  Taking the mystery out of mystery sock - I'd have guilt.  (And yes, I'm a little bit mental, if you haven't figured that out already.)  See, if I am going to do a mystery sock, then darn it, I want to suck it up and have it be a mystery!  

So I did it.  I pulled out a lovely, soft, squishy cake of yarn that I bought at The Sheep Shack when Michele, Leigh, and I had our first yarn field trip.  Then I went to Michael's and got breads to match.  Okay, that's not entirely true.  I bought the beads first hoping they'd match with something in my stash and then determined that my Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Yarn was a good fit. 

Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Yarn (and beads)

Colorway:  Go Go Grassy

My good yarn....  *whimper*  I hope I'm not wasting it on a MOCK.  I guess I could always frog it if I don't like it, but I can't stand those amphibian bastards around my knitting.

The pattern calls for size 1 needles.  I have three sets of size 1 circulars.  One is tied up with my Monkey socks.  The second I need for the Knit Sock Love KAL this month.  The third are Clover Bamboo needles and I despise them.  So I decided to use double-pointed needles (dpns) and work the socks in tandem.  I just finished clue 1 of the first sock (cuff-down with BEADS!), so now I'll pull out more dpns and knit to the end of the clue for the second sock. 

May 2011 Beaded Mystery Sock - Clue 1

Then we wait for clue #2.