The Wool Palace

I'll be there for you

It seems appropriate that I am considering socks at the beginning of October.  Or maybe it's not - is there a Socktoberfest this year?  I am shamefully behind in blogosphere happenings.

Anyway.  I have seriously fallen off the sock wagon, so I thought I should do a little round up of what is on the go.

Things didn't start well. 

I had completely forgotten about this one.  I only found it because I was looking for another sock in my knitting basket.  I started these for Sam, so long ago that his feet are a full size bigger now.  Did I tell you that Sam's feet are now bigger than mine? And only two sizes smaller than his father?  And that he's still only 10?  And that I've had to buy no fewer than three new pairs of shoes for him this week?  Trainers, football boots and walking boots, all in one week - my bank account is feeling rather fragile now.

Back to the socks.  I suppose I can unpick the toe and make it longer.  Or I could just stuff it back in the knitting basket for a bit.

This was sitting on top one of the speakers in the living room.  This yarn started off as a Pomotamus but I wasn't feeling the love, so it got frogged.  This pattern is Broad Spiral Ribbing from More Sensational Knitted Socks.  Like the pattern, but I'm still not sure about the yarn.  I remember stuffing them on top of the speaker so I could start these ones

which are the ubiquitous Monkeys.  Done in Cherry Tree Hill, Old Rose colourway.  I started these on 2.25mm needles but realised they would be too tight so ripped back and started again on 2.5mm.  I knew I had these somewhere but had to search the whole house for them.  Eventually they turned up on top of the chest of drawers in my bedroom.  I abandoned them because I was getting tired of having to refer to the instructions to remember where I was up to.

I was craving some simple knitting, so I started these.

Plain old stocking stitch socks, destined for Toby.  Once I started these, I realised that really, I'm happiest knitting plain socks.  I like to just be able to pick them up, knit away without having to look at instructions and let the yarn do its thing.  Even though these are 72 stitches, knit on 2.25mm needles, I know I'm going to finish these before either of the other two - which is entirely about me, rather than the patterns, I hasten to add.

And once I've finished them, I plan to cast on for some more lovely plain socks with some of this

and I can't wait.

In triplicate

The deadline for Sockapalooza 4 sort of crept up on me.  August sounded so far away when we started.

Then of course, there was the whole 'knitting three socks' due to my monumental stupidity.

Thankfully, they are all done and I have indulged in the usual cavorting and contorting that is required to take photos of one's own feet.

Pattern:  Diagonal Rib Socks by Ann Budd.  It was in Interweave a while back, but you can get it as a download from Knitting Daily.

Started:  4th June 2007

Finished:  3rd August 2007 - remember that's for 3 socks people!

Yarn:  Lovely Koigu, bought from Stash a good while back.  I can't remember the number, but if I find the ball band I'll add it in.

Needles:  2.75mm Clover bamboos

Such a nice pattern - very easy to remember the repeat.  Not having a cuff was a little surprising; it would be interesting to see what a pair would look like with some sort of ribbing at the top.  I knitted the pattern pretty much as is, although I made the legs a smidge shorter as I was worried about running out of yarn.  They fit very well and I would definitely do another pair at some stage.

Now the socks are off for a bath and I am off to find a suitably cheesey postcard of Somerset and some other goodies to include in my pal's package.

Unfinished business

I don't know about you, but I find if I have a project lying around that I know I need to finish, it messes up all my other knitting plans and I just end up doing nothing.

My second attempt at the Diagonal Rib sock has been about an inch shy of the toe for far too long.  Every time I thought about knitting something else, my mind would slip guiltily back to the unfinished sock and I couldn't bring myself to pick up my needles.

After days of non-knitting I finally realised I just needed to finish the sock, so I did.  Now I'm sticking with that feeling and getting straight on with sock number two of the pair.

A compelling sense of familiarity

Guess what?  There is enough in a skein of Koigu to finish one Diagonal Rib sock.

'But Mary', I hear you ask, 'How can you know this when you've only knitted another centimetre or so since the last photo?'.  Ah, well, you see, I actually knitted the whole sock, even grafted the toe.  I was very happy but then I started to think that seeing as I had quite a bit of yarn left over, I should unpick the cast on edge and add another ½ inch to the leg.  Can you see where this is going?

Yep, I completely messed it up and after an hour or so of poking and prodding and dropping stitches and swearing, I realised that I was going to have to rip out the whole sock and start again.  So I did.

At least I know I have enough yarn for the whole sock, when I get it done.

Can't wait to start on the second one.

Measuring the marigolds

Thank you so much for the good wishes about my driving test.  What a difference a week makes!  What I didn't tell you is that the day after my driving test I started a new job.  So I've gone from working from home, not driving, to driving myself into Taunton each day to work in an office.  It's all a bit strange, given that I haven't worked in an office for almost a year and even before that I worked from home two or three days a week.  Strange, but in a good way.

So, given that we live 8 miles outside of Taunton, plenty of driving is being done each day.  Public transport isn't an option from here; the bus from the village leaves at 9.30am, when I'm already at work, and comes back at 12.30, which is a bit early really, so car it has to be. 

The new job is part time but I'm still doing some work from home for my other job, so together they make up virtually full time hours, which is taking a bit of getting used to.  I have done a bit of knitting on the Diagonal Rib socks.

They are coming along well, the Koigu makes a very nice fabric.

As you can see, I have turned the heel and am past the gusset.  My Sockapalooza pal's feet are 9½ inches long and I have just under 20g of yarn left.  Do you think I'm going to make it?

Swing dancing

I've been playing around with Sockapalooza options again.  I bought some Colinette Jitterbug on Saturday, so of course now I've gone back to the lilac/pink Koigu.

I was going to try this pattern with the pink Lorna's Laces that I wound up the other week but somehow I seem to have managed to LOSE a wound up ball of sock yarn, together with my Go-Knit purse.  My suspicions are that it has something to do with Toby tidying the house the other day while I was ill in bed, but I don't want to seem ungrateful, so I'm keeping quiet about it for now.

However, it's not all bad, as I think the Koigu and the pattern go pretty well together.

The pattern is the Diagonal Rib Socks which I have saved as a PDF but I think is available again on the Interweave Knits site if you subscribe to the Knitting Daily thing they've got going on.

Easy pattern to memorise, only 4 rows to a repeat and 2 of them are the same.  I knitted the bit above on the bus into town today.  I really hope I find that Lorna's Laces as I was hoping to have that in reserve to do heels and toes so I can stretch out that rather measly Koigu yardage.

I'm beavering away on my black stocking stitch project, which is nearing completion.  I'm not holding out on you by not showing any photos, it's just that photos of it do not look good.  I'm hoping to finish it this evening so will be able to share it with you when it's done.

I have been very remiss about replying to emails and comments recently.  With half term and family visiting, my time on the computer has been snatched.  If you've emailed me in the last 2 or 3 weeks and haven't heard anything, I'm not ignoring you and hopefully you should hear from me soon.

Fits and starts

It's another rainy day here at The Wool Palace.  I was working until gone 11.30 last night so I figured I could take it easy today and do a bit of knitting.

Now, you all know that I would never do anything as foolhardy as cast on another pair of socks when I already have two pairs on the go, don't you?  The following was done for research purposes only, I swear.

I decided on the pink/lilac Koigu for my Sockapalooza socks, wound up one skein and got researching.

First up, Spey Valley.  Now, it's all very nice, with its Vikkel braids and everything, but when you come down to it, it's basically a ribbed sock with a little bit of fancy stuff happening on the cuff.  I felt that I wanted to do something a bit more special for my pal, so it was back to the pattern books.

I found this lurking in my computer and decided to give it a go.  I've got it saved as a PDf but I think it was in one of the old IK magazines as well.

At first I was excited, but then I was doubtful.  Then I started comparing it to the photo and thinking they didn't look very alike.  Then I stopped and actually read the instructions for the cable all the way through and realised I had messed it up.  I think the clue is in the name - Broken Cable Rib Socks.  If it's called broken cable, chances are it won't just be a normal, unbroken cable, like the one I had done.

Next up :

Yes.  Research over for today.  See, I told you I wouldn't start another pair of socks.

Fancy feet

Yes, it's Sockapalooza time again.  I got my pal's details at the weekend and preparations are being made.

I'm thinking texture this time round, but have to settle on the yarn as well.  I'm on a bit of an economy drive at the moment due to my London job finishing - which wasn't unexpected, but as yet I haven't been able to get anything locally to replace it.  Isn't writing job applications boring?  Especially when you don't get the job. 

Anyway, one of the benefits of a healthy stash is that one doesn't always have to spend to find something good.  I've had a little excavation this morning and pulled out a few contenders.

I think either of these would look good in the Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks.

Going down the variegated route.  I think the Fleece Artist would suit the Friday Harbour pattern from Knitting on the Road.  The Koigu, I'm not sure, maybe one of Anna's patterns?

More Koigu, this one is subtle shades of pink and lilac.  Spey Valley appeals, as does Small Capitals from Sensational Knitted Socks.  Small Capitals has the benefit of being knitted toe up, which would be good given the relatively short yardage of KPM.  On a different note, have you seen there is a sequel to Sensational Knitted Socks, appropriately titled, 'More Sensational Knitted Socks'.  Anyone seen a copy?

Of course, before I can start, I need to clear those sock needles.  Pomatomus is proving to be a reasonably quick knit (but pretty hard to photograph well).

One down, one to go...

Free party soundsystem

One sock is done.

I'm sticking to this pair now and am going straight on to the second.

However, that doesn't stop me thinking about what's next.  I have so many leftovers that I think it will have to be some more Stashbuster Spirals.

I had a play around and came up with a couple of combinations.

Reds and blues.

Browns and cream.

I fancy doing the blue/red combo first, but there's just one problem.

Yes, only 80g of yarn in total.  Now, I know I always have leftovers (or almost always) from a 100g ball of yarn, so I thought I'd weigh my most recent sock.

Hmmm, by my calculations that gives me 4g to play with, which isn't a lot.  However, they will be toe-up and I have a feeling that a short row heel uses less yarn than a heel flap and gusset.  What do you think - am I setting myself up for disappointment?

I could while away the hours

Alert the media - I've finished something.

Last week was pretty much a write off as far as knitting was concerned.  After a lovely weekend in London, Toby and I were struck down by a pretty grim bout of food poisoning that had us laid low Monday and Tuesday.  I was especially peeved as I was due to sit my driving test on Monday but wasn't in any fit state to do so.  To make matters even worse, I couldn't get another appointment until the beginning of April.  Cue much sulking by me for the rest of the week and many sentences beginning with, 'If I could drive...'.  Plus, I have to buy some more L-plates as the last ones have given up the ghost after being left on the car in the rain for too long.

After the food poisoning I picked up some other bug that had me coughing and spluttering for the rest of the week.  My usual knitting time in the evening was spent lying in bed alternately sulking about not being able to drive (because it would have made such a difference to being ill, wouldn't it?) and coughing and wheezing.

Then Toby had to work all weekend because of the food poisoning and because he'd taken an extra day off to go climbing (I sulked a bit about that too, seeing as I was on a roll).  At least the sun shone and the children were able to get outside and I got enough time to finish off these.

60 stitch socks, knit from the top down, with a 2x2 ribbing cuff.  My default sock pattern, basic stocking stitch with a slipped stitch heel flap and basic heel.  I always make my gusset a bit longer than recommended, to accomodate my relatively high arches.

Yarn:  Regia Canadian Colour, Shade 4731.  I bought this on Ebay a good while ago.  The colours remind me of spring flowers, coming up against bare earth.  There's almost 30g left after finishing this pair of socks.

Needles:  2.5mm Clover bamboos in the 16cm length.  Have you seen the new Clover sizes at Get Knitted?  I'm definitely getting some 2.25 and 2.75mm ones.

Started:  4th February 2007

Finished:  10th March 2007

Hopefully this week will see an increase in health levels and a decrease in sulking and maybe some more productive knitting time.