Knitting socks in the teeth of boredom

Thank heaven for knitting during phone calls. I’ve had a few awkward phone calls that I had to sit through recently. Knitting on my socks is going well… and I managed to bite my tongue many times. For those of you without Ravelry access: they’re the Lichen ribbed socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. I started them in July of last year, and they’re my go to “knitting when distracted” project. The pottery projects have taken the upper hand in my project queue, but I’m still knitting. Pictures when there’s more of the second sock beyond half a leg.

 

In which gauge kicks me in the shins

I’ve been knitting then tinking, then knitting then tinking… all on the same sock: Lichen Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks, by Nancy Bush. The yarn is lovely (Mountain Color Bearfoot); the resulting sock looks lovely, although I’m quite tired of 3 inches of sock that has been done and then undone. Whether or not the sock will fit the recipient is up to the fickleness of Gauge.

So far: one favorite set of wooden needles shattered. I substituted size 1 metal needles, and apparently my gauge gets much tighter when using aluminum needles instead of wood. I now have some red stained wood needles and have sized up to US size 2 (2.75 mm).

The result feels looser on my foot than the version of the sock before it was tinked, so I’m hopeful. However, the Gardener has sturdier, longer feet, so we’ll see how this goes. And Gauge is quite fickle.

A few short words for spare, stylish prose

Henning Mankell’s The Pyramid offers mysteries without overly describing the sensational aspects of the crime scene. They’re a wonderful sharp sorbet, cleansing the brain after reading too much fluff.

There is a series that PBS was showing that is exquisitely acted, but too emotional when compared to the matter of fact tones of the books. I think I’d prefer to read the books first, and then see if I can catch up and see the series later, so that I can enjoy the stories and put the emotional tones in myself.

Unfortunately, I have received a notice that it is due at the library, so I have to finish the last short story. [Shh -- don't tell me how it ends!]

I think I’ll read something else that is different, next. Maybe a Jane Austen or Dickens that I have in the house already. In depressing news — the second sock that I was working on is a different gauge than the first one.  They’re supposed to be mismatched mates, but I can’t hope that the recipient has two different sized calves, now, can I? Gearing up for a frog festival and search for a set of needles one size larger.

Second sock syndrome

Forget second sock syndrome — first sock syndrome has had me in its grip. I’ve got one Hiiumaa mates sock done (except finishing the toe). I’ve been working on this sock off and on since October of 2008. I’ve started the next one, and hope that there are fewer momentous emotional icebergs in the water ahead. This last pair has .not.been.fast.at.all. The socks are well traveled — they’ve been to Europe, New York City, Dallas (and heavens knows where else when they’ve been in the belly of a plane), and I’ve used this particular yarn to death. It’s the third project using these 2 sock yarns, and I’m yawning when I look at it. In fact, I’m wearing a pair of short anklets I knit with it right now.

So, does anyone else have any dirt simple projects that just aren’t flying along naturally? I’ve felt stalled for a good long time, partly by lack of time, and many of my projects are languishing because I’m just too tired from commuting to think of anything other than watching t.v. or reading a novel.

Future projects

Binoculars and mug

Originally uploaded by rjknits

Projects I want to work on:
1. Finish the Hiiummas Stashbusting socks.
2. Finish the arches scarf (which is looking more like pillars, but never mind).
3. Finally get gauge for Rusted Root, and make some progress.
4. I have 2 vests’ worth of lovely yarn, gifted to me in 2008. And, since I’m pretty spectacularly cold at the office, it would be great to use up this largesse.
5. Attempt to do more photography of my knitting. I mean, I’m able to take pictures of mugs and binoculars that look great… why not woolly things?

So, any challenges that you’re looking forward to?

Heels and Toes

The Amazonian socks are finished. Heels and toes are done, as well as the weaving in of ends, mentioned earlier. Shh: they’re now bathing in their wool wash, although rumor has it that while I was away, the Gardener wore them pre-washing without dying toes.

I’m impressed with the color-fastness of the yarn, from Araucania. I’ve looked at their website, and I don’t see the Ranco Multi that I used. It’s probably still out there, just check the shelves at your local LYS.

Even though it isn’t as thrilling as knitting lace or cabled socks, I think the Yarrow Ribbed Sock pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks has the potential to be a default pattern, depending on how the heels hold up. The heel pick up is definitely elegant, and I’m trying to figure out if I could incorporate a different heel flap into it. If you want to see socks that were knit better and have better photographs, go to irisines stricksalon. If you want to see them knit in pink screaming yarn, check out Fuzzy Noodle Knits (she used Flat Feet Sock yarn, where you get a flat pack of yarn machine knit and dyed, your unravel it, and knit it up again). [To non-knitters: yes it sounds like a cult of wacky. No, it isn't.]

In non-knitting news, yes, there was fine china for our dinner, good wine to drink, and classical music on the radio yesterday. It was a good day to pause and be grateful. Now, I’m back to work.

Sock Market II

I’m well past the leg and heel turn on the second Amazonian sock. If I’m lucky, I’ll get the whole sock done tomorrow and there will be sun for photos. No info on actual stocks or politics here, so if you’re looking for that, you should move along.

We’re all about the frivolous here at WordTapestry. And unless you step on a needle or use a metal one as self-defense on the el, sock knitting isn’t exactly a blood sport. If I can coerce the camera to behave when I get the toes kitchenered up, I’ll put up pictures of the finished pair.

Gone Loopy

Well, feh. The Amazonian sock-in-progress did not like all the air travel back and forth to Kentucky. Loops have fallen off the needle(s!) like leaves from an autumn tree. Lets look at this a little closer.*

Look to the right. See those loopy things that look like part of a noose? (Hey, it was just Halloween… I’m still on ghoulish overload.) Each of those little loops were supposed to be traveling along, happily, on the needle while in transit in my little knitting sack within my backpack. (No knitting happened on either part of the airplane ride, because I was sandwiched like a sardine in the middle seat, and didn’t want to run the risk of poking anyone with an elbow.)

This was the dispiriting sight I saw in the early hours of Wednesday morning (I was hoping to work on the sock at lunchtime). That said, the cold weather is really motivating me to finish this sock. I did get the little loops back on the needles, and I only had a few moments of stress when I had to take two of the loops back off the needles and switch them (they’d gotten twisted out of order).

So, if anyone out there has any hobbies they’d like to share… what are the setbacks you’ve met while “enjoying” your hobby? I’ve done evil things with decopage (one headless cupid applied to a box), ripped an edge on a stencil when I was halfway through with stenciling a repeat around the top of a room, sewn my finger with a sewing machine in Home-ec (still have the gingham apron they made me make), and split a  woodblock in printing class. How about you?

*I figure there has to be something that isn’t focused on the USA election out on the Web (besides all the wonderful ex-US blogs that talk about everyday life and their regional politics). In the case of this blog, it’s dropped stitches.

PS3 Fire and Earth Revisited

Rose from a golf course in New Orleans

Butterfly earrings

The first element in Project Spectrum was Fire — orange, red, and pink. February and March, I was knitting on the Sampler Socks (Little Child’s Socks from Nancy Bush, Knitting Vintage Socks). Finished those finally and managed to post about them here on WordTapestry.

I branched out and made some butterfly earrings. The findings were found in a fabric store. Each earring had 1 earhook, 3 headpins, 16 burgundy red seed beads, 6 orange Swarosvki (R) bicones, and 1 fuchsia colored butterfly. Two pairs of needle nose pliers, and I was ready to start making the loops to keep the headpins on the earhook loop. Much chasing of beads in the kitchen later, I had two good tries at earrings. Of course, these earrings aren’t meant to be worn with openwork shawls or beloved sweaters. They catch too much on threads in shirts and necklaces.

I also played with crochet, but the results may end up being someone’s holiday present, so for now, I won’t show you that one. Instead, here’s a rose from a New Orleans golf course, taken in April but definitely part of the element of fire.

The rose also fits in with the second element in Project Spectrum –

Earth. Note: the project I worked on for PS3 were the Amazonian socks and not much else during April and May. I did take photos of lots of flowers and gardens on trips and in the home garden, some of which made it to my flickr account.

Dabbling in Fair Isle

Tidal sock, showing off on a beach towel

The Tidal Socks continue, and I’m getting close to the first sock’s finish. This is a pretty satisfying water sock for Project Spectrum. Next to do: the second sock.

I may need to continue on the Amazonian socks I started a while ago instead. The Tidal Socks are sort of an experiment project, but the Amazonian socks actually may be needed pretty soon. There’s been a chill in the air for the past few nights, and the Gardener wishes to have a new, warm pair of socks for Autumn.

Amazonian Sock Draped on a Radiator

Amazonian Sock stats:

• Auracania Ranco Multi, bought at Vulcan’s Rest in Chesapeake City, MD
• Pattern: Yarrow Ribbed Sock from Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks
• Started: April 4, 2008
• Ripped back near the start of summer, and just lost interest in re-knitting in the heat

Sorry for the kind of poor photos of both socks. The Fair Isle ones blurred out when I didn’t use flash, so I selected the more washed out version.

So, what’s on your to do list for the fall? I find this season to be just filled with hopefulness, mystery, and new energy. Maybe I’ll have another attack of finishitis and haul out a whole lot of languishing projects and either finish or frog them.