Mad-Tini Socks

Why is it so hard to finish the Second Sock?


DONE! Fini! Buh-bye!

What I didn’t tell you before is that I promised and pinky swore to myself that I could not, would not start another sock until I finished this one. Despite my well documented Startitis, I have been good. And I’ve been trying to figure out what it is about this sock that made me avoid it. So, ideally, I can avoid whatever that is in the future.

It’s NOT the pattern. Mad-Tini is now available for download from the designer’s website (or see it on Ravelry). The Oblique Rib to start the cuff and Oblique Spiral for the leg and foot have a nice texture, work well with a variegated yarn (since the slip stitches break up pooling a bit), and the repeat is easy peasy and knits up quickly. I did modify the pattern to knit in sock weight rather than sport weight, by simply adding a multiple of 8 stitches.


Portrait of socks off the needles

Now, we’re getting closer to the problem, um opportunity. No, problem. It’s the yarn. I do not enjoy knitting with Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock. Not in a boat, not with a goat, I do not like it Sam I Am. This is purely my preference. It’s a lovely yarn, many knitters love it, it comes in lots of colors. I just, find it, well, stringy. I remember now I thought the same thing knitting those Jaywalkers last Spring.

Anyway, I’m glad they are done! They will be sent off to my sister in Seattle and I hope she’ll like the colors, I know I do. All in all, I’d knit these again, with the sportweight called for in the pattern.


Details:

Pattern: MadTini Socks, Pattern from Sock Madness 2007, by Karin Bole

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, in Spruce

Needles: US 0 / 2.0mm Addi Turbo circs

Gauge: 8.5spi

Started: 3/27/2007

Completed: 1/25/2008

Finished Size: Womens US 10

Main Blog post HERE.

Dancing Crayons Poncho

But, here’s my confession of Boneheaded Knitting Maneuver #1.

This project was on hold for a Loooooong time. All the various yarns and the pattern and the needles in their package were in a large tote bag. Taunting me from under the work table that I couldn’t just Waiting patiently for me to decide to add another square or just sew the buttons on and be done.

So, when I went back to work on this project a couple of weeks ago, I pulled out the needles from their package labeled US9 and picked up/cast on the last square and knit away (you know where this is going, right?) for thirty rows or so. Then I thought, Man, I sure seem to be knitting a lot tighter than I used to, and Gee this square seems to be pulling in a little more than the others. Because the needles in the package were US7. Argh.

My shame, here on the blog for all to see

I’m ordinarily a Do It Right sort of knitter. But ripping and re-knitting those 2500 stitches was not on my agenda. So, I wet the offending stitches and blocked them hard overnight to see if I could get away with my laziness. Score: Laziness 1 – Offending Stitches 0. No one will ever know. You won’t tell will you?

Yes, in fact, the Xmas lites ARE still up on the deck

What have I learned? Check the needle size when you pull out an old UFO. Better yet, check the stupid needle size before you put it away in “its” package!

I’ve got some ends to weave in at SnB tonight to really and truly be Done. But, I’m wearing it now, it’s very warm and cozy, and perfect for our chilly house.

Unwoven ends, flapping in the breeze

Details:

Pattern: Dancing Crayons Poncho, by Chris Bylsma

Yarn: The base yarn is Classic Elite Montera, with many and various accent yarns

Needles: US9, except when the Us7's jumped into the bag

Gauge: n/a

Started: I think sometime in 2005

Completed: 1/15/2008

Finished Size: Large

Handspun Husband Mitts

No, I didn't spin the Husband.

This was my last knitting FO for 2007. Better photos will have to wait for said Husband to come home and model these for us though.

Mitts look funny without a hand in them, don't they?

This project was fun from start to finish. The moment I saw Anne’s lovely hand-dyed BFL from Wooly Wonka Fibers, I knew it would become mitts for the Husband. His radio room gets cold, but he needs nimble fingers for the morse code contests (I know, how big a geek does he sound like right now, but remember, some of the contests he operates from the Caribbean, so we think this is a very cool and manly hobby, ‘kay). The BFL spun up very nicely into a 2-ply heavy fingering/sport weight (290yds to 3.2oz). The finished yarn knits up to have subtle stripes, although no attempt was made to preserve color blocks in the spinning.

Faux cable detail

Details:

Pattern: Improvised and modified from AnnyPurls’ adaptation of Hello Yarn’s Cable Twist sock, using 64 stitches and a 6 stitch faux-cable

Yarn: My handspun Blue-Faced Leicester, from Wooly Wonka Fibers, colorway Willows, heavy fingering wt

Needles: Addi Turbo circs, US0 and US1

Gauge: 8-9 st/inch

Started: 11/21/2007

Completed: 12/30/2007

Finished Size: Man’s Large

Post on main blog HERE.