Christmas Socks for Him

My knitting feels a bit out of sorts lately.  I think I feel like I should be casting on for Christmas gifts or something, but I don't really have a list of gifts to make.  So when Hubs (aka my Mr. Wonderful) pointed out that my Lollipop socks looked a bit like Christmas socks, it made me want to make him some Christmas socks too.

So I decided to grab some Socks That Rock Rare Gems Mill Ends with some green and red and join the  Kalajoki socks knit along in the Socks that Rawk!! group on Ravelry.

The yarn didn't really knit up how I expected (based on what it looked like in the skein) and they're turning out more gingerbread than red and green, but Hubs is pretty used to crazy pooling socks by now (e.g. Mr. Wonderful and Blue Jean Gems) and doesn't mind.  Fortunately, this pattern seems to stand up to the pooling well enough.

Now the Christmas Lollipop socks and these Christmas River Socks are definitely Christmas socks in spirit, but I/we have already accepted that I might not be able to finish both pairs in time to wear them for Christmas Day 2010.  Both have much longer legs than I usually work for socks, so if I do succumb to knitting Christmas gifts there's a good chance I won't have time for these.  But I finished the toe of his right sock last night and my first sock is ready for the toe decreases, so we'll both have one sock for sure.  Maybe the single socks will get hung up as stockings this year and they'll get their mates for next year.  They would definitely make for some bright and uniquely mismatched stockings!

Lollipop Socks in Progress

My Scarecrow socks took cuts in line and jumped on the needles first, even though the Lollipop Guild kit arrived first.  But the scarecrow yarn was such a perfect combination of Fall colors that it begged to be knitted right away.  The Lollipop Guild yarn was delightfully bright in the skein, but I was a little worried by the splotchy socks in the photos for the accompanying pattern so it was easy to put them aside for a bit.

I was afraid that the Lollipop socks might not find their way onto the needles for several months or more, but here they are.

Of course, this is the time of year where things get hectic and I have a hard time keeping up with photos, so I'm actually a lot farther along with these now.  And they're really long!  Either I've been consistently misreading some part of the pattern or these would be nearly knee socks.  They don't look like knee socks in the pattern photo and it doesn't seem like a large skein, so there must be some fault on my part. 

The leg was pretty long for me after just one repeat of the 77 pattern rows, but the pattern suggested repeating rows 30-77 again before the heel.  Needless to say, I didn't repeat.  And since it's only 370 yards of fingering weight yarn I'm a little concerned that I might run low on yarn as it is.  So when I reached the start of toe decreases on the first sock last night I set it aside.  I'd like to at least weigh the existing sock and remaining yarn to try to make sure I don't need to switch in some contrasting toes.

In the meantime, my Mr. Wonderful pointed out that these look sort of like a lit Christmas tree -- they have a lot of green with dots of all the usual colors from the strings of lights -- so these have become my Christmas Lollipop socks.  They've been knitting up faster than I would have thought, so if I don't get pulled into too many last-minute gift knits they should even be done in time.  We'll see.

Stuck in a Scarf Loop

I've had some projects lingering on the needles that are nearly finished but oddly daunting to get back to. Realistically, I don't want to haul 8 or more pieces of what will hopefully one day be assembled into a sweater around with me, so I do continue to cast on simpler projects for when complicated knitting/assembly just isn't practical.  Unfortunately, said simpler projects are also immediately compelling and they keep jumping off the needles while the daunting projects sit quietly nearby.

Enter the Dipped Infinity Scarf kit obtained from Stitches Midwest 2010:

It's worked in the round and has a simple stitch pattern that's easy to memorize.

It's made of lighter weight yarn held doubled with colors that transition into each other.

It absorbed almost every knitting moment I had for a week to the exclusion of nearly every other work in progress.

It's been soaked and hung to dry and I look forward to wearing it soon.  It's bright and cheery and I am curious how the concept of the scarf as a loop without ends to flap in the wind will work out.  It's also my first project with Stitches Midwest 2010 yarn.

I also made a teeny, tiny bit of progress on my Brea bag this week, which is mostly stalled due to sewing.  So not all hope is lost for the lingering projects -- I still hear their whimpering!

Finished Scarecrow Socks

I didn't quite make the October goal, but I did finish my Scarecrow socks on November 1st so it was close.

Pattern: 'If I Only Had a Brain' Socks by KellyK
Yarn: The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca-Peds HT - Scarecrow: If I Only Had a Brain
Needles: US 1½ - 2.5 mm
Completed: November 1, 2010

I really fell in love with the colors in these.  They're just so perfect for Fall and they spiraled so nicely.  Even the pooling on the feet after the gussets charmed me.

I did stop working on the first sock before the toe just to make sure I'd have enough contrasting yarn for both socks, and while I didn't have a lot left over I did have plenty for the pair.  And the few modifications I made (detailed on my Ravelry project page) were just to snug up the foot.

Now they're washed and ready to wear.  They're destined to be worn for Thanksgiving this year, although they might jump on my feet a few times before then, too.  I don't think I really want to wait 2 weeks to wear them.

I Became a Test Knitter

When I was invited to test knit a pattern I knew I had to try it and I'm definitely happy that I did!  And after checking with the designer I have permission to display some photos:

It pushed me to try knitting a shawl, which isn't something I had tried yet.

It also gave me a chance to work with Malabrigo sock yarn.  I've knit with Malabrigo worsted before, but I have to admit it wasn't my favorite. 

They Sprouted Heels

Although they were finished already in September, I realized that I forgot to post an updated photo of the almost-socks that became socks.  They started something like this:

and sprouted heels to become these:

Pattern: Let it Be by Cristi H. Brockway
Yarn: Creatively Dyed Yarn Steele - Ixia
Needles: US 1 - 2.25 mm
Completed: September 26, 2010

But, through some mis-measurement on my part or by doing the math for the heel incorrectly, they're a bit short for me.  I suspect the nubbin of the afterthought heel should be more at the back of my heel instead of beneath it.

 

All of which is fine, though, since I have a lot of cheerful, hand-knit socks for myself and they should fit my Mom's feet perfectly.  They were fun and soothing to knit and I enjoyed trying out the different construction.

I also take it as a sign that this was just a skein of yarn that really wanted to make other people happy and wanted to be knit for others.  So it's a good thing it was also a skein that had a lot of yardage to give.

Muddying the Soaking Water

I finished the socks from my Black Cat kit early in October, but didn't actually wear them until this weekend.  The yarn left dark dye stains on my hands when I knit them, so I knew I wanted to give them a good soak before they spent hours turning my feet black.  I took some photos of the soaking progress to compare the pre-soak water with whatever dye might wash out:

Soak water with Kookaburra wash and vinegar added

Spook socks soaking

Water after the socks were removed from their bath

True to the warning that came with the kit, there was a fair amount of dye that washed out. 

The socks themselves are a bit lighter now, too, although I didn't get a photo.  I wore them with black shoes and they definitely looked a bit more brown than black in comparison, although still dark.  But I wore them all evening, and while there might have been a few faint traces left behind my feet looked pretty normal when I took the socks off hours later.

All in all my Spook socks fit well and are soft and comfortable and now that they're safe to wear I'm glad to have them in the hand-knit sock rotation.  Although given their company, maybe it should be referred to as the hand-knit socks arsenal now!  I have a lot of socks and a lot more sock yarn waiting to be knit.  Things could get interesting.