what i am knitting now

for january's challenge on SKA, one of the options is to use the technique of slip stitches or mosaic knitting. i chose the slip stitches, as i've been admiring this pattern "cranberry biscotti" for awhile. though my colors are not very bright, i am liking the combination very much.


i'm using some stash yarns, some as far back as 2005. when knitpicks first introduced the palette line, they offered to sell ALL the colors in a box as a sampler. back then, that was all 30 colors.

i did get the box, and i used it here and there for little projects, like bugs.


and i liked the yarn very much. over the years, they have expanded the yarn, and it now comes in 100 colors, including heathered shades.

the white and green here are from my original purchase in 2005, and the gray is one of the heathered shades introduced later. i had purchased a few balls of the gray to knit a shawl for a friend.



(that's a close up of swallowtail with beading)

and i do have enough colors that maybe this will be the year to knit a vest in fairisle?

but, back to the socks.


the technique allows to only knit with one color at a time, but it's a bit slower on this pattern because when you're slipping the stitch, you're slipping it with the yarn infront (so, for me, it's about as slow as knitting 1x1 ribbing).

i'm thinking this pair will also be my "test" to see if i want to ever knit socks in this yarn again. it's 100% wool, a simple 2 ply, and doesn't have a very tight twist. i know they will be handwash, but i'll be curious to see how well they hold up in general. i'll try to keep a "sock diary" in my project page over on ravelry, each time i wear them once finished.

bright and cheerful!

today is a rather bleak day, much like the day i bought this yarn to knit a pair of mindless socks.

i'm a big fan of Kroy sock yarn. i like that i can find it in most craft stores, i can usually purchase it with a coupon if it's not already discounted, it's bit thicker than other fingering weight yarns, so i don't have to cast on as many stitches, and it's very hard wearing. and, it comes in this fabulous striping sequence called "sailor stripes"!

for mindless socks, i just do a 2x2 ribbing, stockinette sock with a heelflap, very a la nancy bush from _folk socks_. because the yarn is thicker, i knitted 56 stitches on a 2.75mm needle (magic loop).

and, because the yarn IS thicker, the yardage is shorter ... so i ended up using 84% of my yarn. the leftovers go into a ziplock with other sock leftovers. and i do have quite a bit of leftovers from kroy, as i've probably knitted 7 pairs of socks with kroy by now.

ps. if you notice the striping sequence is different, one sock was knitted with the yarn pulled from the outside, and the mate knitted with the yarn pulled from the center.

happy new year!

i haven't even started thinking about my knitting resolutions for the new year. i'd like to say i could go a whole year without buying yarn. but, i cannot. i have enough yarn that i don't need to buy more, but, that's not the point.

instead, i'm doing pretty good at using my leftovers .....


this sock is part of the december challenge of SKA on ravelry. there was an option to knit socks using the technique of the month, and the technique is to use leftovers (which, does not mean, use up little bits of fresh balls of yarn).

my leftovers include bits of regia, brown sheep wildfoote, opal, and the lionbrand sock yarn.


(and looking at the picture now, there are some yarns not pictured, as i made some changes along the way).

but, you get the idea. i finished the first sock last night, and cast on the second. for the second, i'm going to do something different. instead of using the blender pattern, i'm going for the stashbuster spirals 'technique'. i want to see what happens with the colors as they layer in a spiral. it's fun. and, i get to use up leftovers (which i have a ton of). and, putting these yarns together is the closest transition i'll get w/o making my own handspun.

merry christmas from the SOUTH

and again ....

so, between the knitting, christmas shopping, and movie watching, i also baked my cake. and, i'm now too tired and stuffed (from snacking on the trimmed parts) to even have a slice.

it's my birthday, and i'll whine if i want to, whine if i want to .....

one of my favorites

there are A LOT of sock yarns out there. regia is my favorite commercial sock yarn, and my favorite indie-dyer is emily parson of Sophie's Toes. and, my favorite sock yarn i can find in many craft store chains is good old patons Kroy.

which, this is .... patons kroy socks stripes. i had to have this colorway when i saw it. it's so cheerful! it's called sailor stripes.


i finished the first sock this morning, and am already part way down the leg of the second sock.

never enough time!

i finished a pair! and i really like them! i wanted a mindless project to work on, one without deadlines (self imposed) or rules. and, i really wanted to knit this yarn in stash (which, i had bought at SAFF in october). AND, i really wanted to knit another pair from _sock innovation_.

nancy bush's _folk socks_ will always be my favorite sock book, but i have knit the most projects from _sock innovation_.

this sock pattern is called Lindsay. i often find things to change about a design, but loved the aesthetic so much, i did not modify the pattern. i actually knitted a garter stitch short row heel and toe. and grafted the full width of the toe to the foot.

and after making such a pretty and intricate sock, i had to slum it with some patons kroy stripes and go for a basic stockinette pair.


now ... this IS a mindless project !

i've been knitting up a storm!

you know how when you ask someone for their phone number (especially if they have have a cell phone) and they cannot tell you their number, but have to look it up? that's kinda how my blog gets behind, because i don't stalk my own blog!

there has been A LOT of knitting. some of the pairs i've finished are just trying to knit mates for the most recent orphans.

the latest pair i finished is this, which i had started at the beach this past summer.


the yarn is wisdom yarns poems sock. mom picked it out because of the colors. and the colors are really that nice. but, the knitting wasn't "nice". the yarn is a single ply, and kinda "hairy". not like a mohair halo, but more like a burlap sack. and i used my new signature dpns for this project, and those needles were just too pointy for the hairy bits. but, they are done, and blocked, and pretty, and i'll never knit with that yarn again.

i also finised a pair of jaywalkers i had started last july, with paca peds yarn.


jaywalkers is one of my "go to" patterns. i have mastered the jaywalker! i always knit the smallest size on 2.5mm needles, cast on 60 sts. and then increase to the stitch count for the smallest size (76 sts i think). and after i finish my gusset decreases, i do one more set of decreases only on the next plain round, to make the foot a bit more snug. and that is the secret of the great fitting jaywalker! (well, at least for my fit)


this pair was also for a bit of "mindless knitting". sort of. i did have to pay attention to the rows and the chart, a bit. the pattern is paraphernalia, and the yarn is joann sensations bamboo & ewe. i've used the yarn before, and i like it enough for a craft store yarn.

and then, lastly, i cast on a pair for december (though, i'm not knitting these for any kal ... i need a break).


this is lindsay from cookie's _sock innovation_. i have knitted a good number of the patterns from that book, and i'm certain i will eventually have them ALL knitted. and, i really love the yarn. i don't know what inspired me to pick up this pink, other than i was trying to branch out, colorwise. the yarn is miss babs bamboo baby. i got it at SAFF in october, and wound the hank into a ball on the way home.