And Something We Don't Make!

For the last couple of weeks, I told you about some other things I like to make. But this week I want to tell you about some things I discovered I don't like to make. I'm talking about knitting socks.

Have you ever tried knitting a pair of socks? Many of the women at our Knit Night knit sock: lacy socks, striped socks, cabled socks. They are amazing--both the knitters and the socks, that is!

No heel. No toe. Button added to tell top from bottom.

So Margaret and I decided to give sock knitting a try. We figured the most difficult part of the sock would be turning the heel followed by creating a nice--and comfy!--toe. So we started with yoga socks because they don't require either a toe or a heel. I know, I know: that's the easy way out.

We used DPNs (double pointed needles) because we haven't learned how to use the "magic loop" method. Neither of us mind working with DPNs, but Margaret really doesn't like working with needles smaller than 4mm / US 6. And socks use sock yarn, which is usually 3.25 mm / US 3.

We made them! Check out Margaret's take after finishing them. You can read about it here, but she found it too fiddly. And for such small pieces they seemed to take forever--which is the source of her animosity toward small needles. Plus, when you finally get one sock done, there's one more!

However, we decided to give sock-making another try. This time it was pedicure socks: still no toe, but the chance to create a heel. We followed the Mary Maxim pattern, each of us with the correct yarn: mine in pink and Margaret's in blue. I even took mine on a family vacation to Florida. I managed to get my first sock done before Margaret, so we Skyped and I talked her through turning the heel.

Margaret modelling her pedi socks with matching polish. Note heels not showing!

Neither of us were happy with how our heels turned out. And using DPNs showed a little "laddering" effect in the body of the sock. We have heard this will be reduced in the wash. I guess we'll find out for sure because we decided to keep these socks for ourselves.

What's really great is the Knit Night ladies have different options for heels! Who knew there were choices!?!

But, the combination of time, small needles, DPN "laddering" and multiple heel options has meant we probably won't be making socks any time soon.

What are we missing? Do you think learning Magic Loop would help? We'll have to think about learning it! Maybe that will make a difference!

FO Friday - Yoga Socks are Done!

You might recall that I started another pair of yoga socks a while back. I was inspired by my friend Wendy, who was beginning her first pair of yoga socks back in April. She told me about the Karma Socks initiative for The Hospital for Sick Children (aka Sick Kids). This initiative is to bring yoga to teens going through cancer treatments. And I also heard from our local yarn store about this Karma Project: knit and donate a pair (or two) of yoga socks for the teens.

What a brilliant idea! As an emerging yoga teacher (as is Wendy) and avid knitter, this seemed like the perfect meshing of my two loves . . . and to support young people going through cancer treatments, well, I'm there.

Although I used some stash sock yarn and not the yarn suggested, I did use the pattern . . . and I modified it. So, now I'm done and gave the socks to Shelagh to bring to Knit Night for the store to send along to the hospital.

My wish is for the wearer to accomplish Vrsksasana or Tree Pose. I love this pose because I feel simultaneously rooted and ready to take flight. I send my heartfelt wish for health and happiness and love and joy for the wearer. Above, I'm demonstrating a version of Tree Pose that shows off these fun socks knit with love.

WIP Wednesday - More Yoga Socks

You're probably wondering why I've posted a photo of pretty autumn flowers when we are still looking forward to any sign of Spring here in southern Ontario. Well here's the story. My new friend Wendy has inspired me to take on another pair of yoga socks. She has begun working on a pair for charity and asked me to help guide her through the beginning stages. Just getting that yarn on the needle reminded me of all the sock yarn I have in my stash: sparkly wool, calm blue bamboo, stretchy pink. Although I don't love making socks, I am itching to use up this yarn. And I seem to get a positive response on the yoga socks. So, hey, why not give them another go.

So, Saturday night I cast on my Berroco Sox Metallic. It's superwash wool and nylon--Warm! Strong!--with a metallic thread running through it--Oooh! Shiny!

Once I had been working with the yarn over the course of Sunday, I was reminded of a photo I took back in September 2012. Wow! Another inspiration! Now I am really enjoying working on these yoga socks. 

Highlighter of my Life

Here's a close up of the Super Eyelet Shawl design by The Woolly Brew.

One of the ladies at my local "knit night" is an indie dyer known as "Yarn Enabler." You might have seen her yarns on her Etsy shop; she is known for her Fruity Feet and No. 2 Pencil sock yarn.

A couple of months ago, she posted about one of her yarns. I loved the colourway. It made me smile as it is so bright and cheery. She named it "Highlighter of My Life." I looked at it for several days then messaged her to see if it had been sold; it hadn't, so I told her I would buy it. She was happy. I was happy. And when she brought it with her to Knit Night, I fell in love all over again! It is 462yds of soft, fingering weight heaven! And because it's 75% superwash merino and 25% nylon, you can put it in the gentle cycle of the washer and dryer too. Bonus!

I brought it home and began going through patterns. Being a fingering weight, I had many patterns to choose from: socks, scarf, cowl, or shawl. I don't knit socks, so that wasn't happening. But I knew that whatever I made, it would be  a statement piece! The colours are so bright--like a hand full of highlighters. A scarf, cowl, or shawl would look great with a dark winter coat. Whatever I made would cheer up any day and brighten any outfit.

When I came across a pattern for a scarf called "Red Skies at Night," I knew it would make this yarn pop. So I started on it but just couldn't get going on it: too many other projects on the go. (You know what that's like! So I ripped it out and waited until I could really concentrate on it.

Then a FB post from Nova Scotia yarn store Baadeck Yarns linked to a pattern on Ravelry called Super Eyelet Shawl designed by The Woolly Brew. When I saw the picture, I knew it was the right shawl for this yarn.

I made a couple of attempts, ripping it out each time. Then I took a deep breath and read the pattern closely instead of skimming over it--a very bad habit I have!

Once I got into it, I got really excited about it: it worked up so beautifully. I could tell that it work well as the weather warms up and for the cooler evenings because it is so light weight.

It knit up rather quickly which made me really happy after the earlier frogging I did! It turned a little smaller because I used a sock weight and not a DK weight the pattern called for. It is more of a shawlette-type scarf. This suits me fine as I am keeping this one for myself!

And I still have about 46 gm left, so I may make another small shawl or a scarf.