Mythical 3ply

Handpainted BFL roving by Freckle Face Fibers in the "Mythical" colourway, spun into a 3ply of about fingering weight, perhaps a bit finer. Should be enough yardage in the 40z/114g to knit a pair of socks.

String of Purls

Shelby must have heard me the other day when, in frustration over my lousy self photography results, I threatened to start taking pictures with the finished projects posed with the dog instead.

Tonight when she saw me finish these socks she came running to "help" with the photo shoot. Such a nice fur-girl.

The almost random arrangement of purl stitches was an idea I picked up from an article in the February 2010 issue of Knit 'N Style. It's a fun way to deal with handpainted yarn. You purl only the stitches that come up in your chosen colour. In this case I purled any time I found the turqouise ready to knit the next stitch, and also when a turquoise stitch presented itself on the needle. In this particular yarn it resulted in long strings of raised purl stitches spiralling around the sock. . . . . hence the name, "String of Purls Socks".

Try it! Just plug the idea into any basic sock pattern you like to use and pick any hand painted yarn that features one colour that stands out from the rest.

The yarn was a gift from my daughter and her family. I've lost the ball band now, but I do remember the colourway is "Dragonfly" which she chose because I love dragonflies.

Another Destroyed Cowl

Gaa! Out of eleventeenmillion photos these three were the best I could do. It's time to start posing finished items with the DOG!

This is another "Destroyed Cowl" knit up on the Brother KH-400 Convertible Home Knitter.

Other than grafting the two ends together which requires care, precision, and lots of time, this was a quick and easy project.

It is being submitted for the guild's art show which will be on display March 2 to April 8, 2010 at Chilliwack City Hall, 8550 Young Road. No guarantee it will make it into the show as it has to be accepted by the committee, but I'll be submitting it for their approval.

Destroyed Cowl

In preparation for a demonstration on blocking that I did for the Chilliwack Spinners and Weavers Guild last night, I whipped this up on my Brother KH-400 Convertible Home Knitter.

The pattern, "Destroyed Cowl", by Martha Merzig, is actually written for hand knitting, but it is a simple concept easily translated to machine knitting.

My own little added touch was to put tiny, matching beads in the edging.


The yarn is a merino/silk blend that I handspun on a spindle to a laceweight, and then knit doubled.

The cowl will likely be displayed at the Chilliwack Spinners & Weavers Guild's exhibition and sale, "Hats Off to Chilliwack" running from March 2 to April 8, 2010 at Chilliwack City Hall, 8550 Young Road.

Tiny Dancer

A third pair of socks for Kaylen knit with the sock yarn remnants from my stash. These ones are probably the best fitting.

These are knit from my favourite combination of a wide, toe-up start added to Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer's "Basic Toe-to-Cuff" sock pattern done in stockinette and finished with Jenny Staiman's "Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off".


And a little video clip of the socks in action!

Sunshine Socks

Another pair of socks knit for Kaylen out my sock yarn remnants.

This pair is a bit loose but I think she'll grow into them.

They are a hybrid of my own favourite, wide, toe-up start added to Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer's "Basic Toe-to-Cuff" sock pattern with a lace pattern found in "Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch, and Jenny Staiman's "Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off".

Big and Little

The matching socks fit, and were well received. Success!

Again, Only Smaller

On New Years Day, immediately after finishing my own socks, I cast on again. Same yarn, same sock pattern, same pattern changes, only this time much smaller.

These are little mini-me socks for my granddaughter, Kaylen.

I hope that now, while she is still under three years of age, she will think it's a wonderful thing to be "just like Grandma".

Linking the Years

These socks were worked on in both the old year and the new year. I started them some time in 2009 and worked on them sporadically, usually at meetings or in waiting rooms. I finished them on January 1, 2010.

I don't usually wear a lot of light pink, and I'm not usually a lacy kind of gal either, but these somehow please me more than I thought they would.

They are done toe-up using Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer's "Basic Toe-to-Cuff Sock" pattern except that I did my own favourite wide, rounded toe, and added a lace pattern to the cuff.

The lace is "ridged feather" from page 73 of "Sensational Knitted Socks". The yarn is a nameless, handpainted sock yarn I acquired when my daughter did some destashing. Thanks Kris!

Edited to add: Kris says that it's "Cosmic Fibers" sock yarn in the "Chamber of Secrets" colourway".

It's My Turn

I reached quite a milestone birthday today, it's the Big 5-0. My husband's family has quite a fun and unique way of marking the event. I think I'm the fourth person to get this mug passed on to them on their 50th birthday. It won't be staying with me long, as my brother-in-law's milestone birthday is coming up this March. Watch out Mike, it's coming your way!

My little granddaughter Kaylen had a "sleepover" last night, so I started my big day off right, waking up nose to nose with a smiling toddler.

She and Grandpa baked and decorated a lovely cake for my birthday. Can a day get any better than this?