As promised last time, I have a finished project to show you. Here are the mismatched, not-quite identical Amaranth socks.
If they look a little dilapidated, it’s because I couldn’t wait to wear them before I took photos!
Project Details:
Pattern: My own generic sock pattern. I started these with 64 stitches around, which was too small, then ripped and started over with 72 on the second go around, for some reason that escapes me. I had knit to the heel before I decided that they were too big. I was not about to rip them out again, so just decreased a bit extra in the gussets and ended up with 68 stitches for the foot. For the record, 68 stitches with this yarn is perfect.
Yarn: Madeline Tosh sock yarn, in Amaranth. This is just lovely yarn, in lovely colors. It’s 100% superwash merino wool. It has a very nice “hand” once it’s made up.
Needles: Size 2.25 mm Pony Pearls. Yes, I’m still old-fashioned and use dpns for socks. I could have gone down a needle size with this yarn and still had an acceptable fabric, but this was OK.
Started: November 2007. Really. I’m not that slow of a sock knitter, I just keep getting sidetracked.
Finished: Last week.
For: Me
Modifications: I’ll ask it again, how do you define “modify” when it’s your own jerry-rigged pattern? This one has 2 by 2 ribbing, and a standard heel flap and gusset. Nothing fancy.
What I learned: I’m still a plain-sock girl. And yarn can do weird things when you’re not looking. This yarn came in a single hank, and I don’t think there were any knots. The two socks are knit the same, with the same needles, and the gauge is the same. But look at them. They are just doing that not-matching thing to try to bug me.
And I’m already a good ways into the next sock. Remember that Three Irish Girls yarn I talked about several posts back? Some of the stuff I broke the yarn fast for? It came, I wound, I knitted. It is just indescribably lovely. I want this in every color.
This is their Adorn Sock Yarn, the color is Eire, and I’m knitting them on my latest needle purchase, the Knit Picks Harmony dpns. These are very nice, and much less expensive than comparable wooden double points. I have a set of Lantern Moons, but I’m mostly afraid to use them for fear of breakage. This yarn is just so squooshy soft and wonderful that it almost knits itself!
I also have another gadget that I got a while ago, but haven’t posted a photo. This is a handmade tin needle protector, which might make me a little less fearful of using those nice needles. Just slip it over your needles with the sock in progress, put the cap on, and toss it in your bag!
Here’s where I got mine, though the home page of the online order site says it’s not working. There’s a contact email on that page, just email Jen and she’ll set you up.
And just to prove that I’m still working on that alpaca silk lace shawl, here’s a photo.
Even though it might not look much different than before, here’s a photo that proves it is indeed bigger.
That used to be 100 grams of yarn, I’m down to 61.6 grams. And I now have around 300 stitches on the needle.
I really need to call this one something better than “that alpaca silk lace shawl”. It’s getting made up using Evelyn Clark’s Knitting Lace Triangles book. I’m going to do a few more repeats of the vaguely flower-like motif, then add a ripple border, then a pointy edging. I know, it all sounds quite technical, doesn’t it? Any ideas for a clever shawl name?