Swatchless

These socks, knit by my aunt, were a work in progress since the summer.  They are knit in a very fine fingering weight wool, with corrugated ribbing at the top.  She brought them out for me to see….and ask for advice about what to do.

You see, one sock is considerably longer than the other.  They are impeccably finished, toes grafted and ends woven in….but one foot is still about an inch shorter than the other.

How could this happen??  Let’s think a minute….

Have you ever stretched a sock out to measure it?  Do you ever knit while watching TV, movies, or reading a book?  Do you ever ignore a mistake that you’re making, hoping that it will all be fine if you just keep going?  Do you ever knit one sock, then knit the other a month later after you forget how long you made the first sock?

I’m not sure how she ended up with socks like this, but she was asking me how to remedy the situation.

My gut instinct was to try on both socks, decide which one fits, and rip back the other sock to the start of the toe decreases, and re knit the toe.

She is more gutsy than me….her plan was to cut the toe off the shorter sock, and pick up the stitches, knit an extra inch and a toe.

What would you do?  Are you brave enough to cut your knitting?

No….I didn’t get death socks in the mail (thank goodness!)

Good Luck to the Mighty Flying Penguins!

Today I was thrilled to receive an envelope from the USA, with a cash donation for the Penguins Can Fly Swim Team.  Thanks to Raveller Oonagh who contacted me earlier this month with the following message:

“I found the money in a pair of pants at the Salvation Army where I work. So, it is only fair that I put the money to good use and send it back to the Mother Land ”

Thanks so much!!  This brings the red mitten cash total to…. $635

I also received confirmation today that the red mittens arrival in Kandahar!  I’m sure they will be waving with the rest of us over here during the Olympics.

The “Small Fox Socks” have also made their way to Ossama in Jordan, thanks in part to Jane.  Ossama let me know that he is wearing them in his hiking boots as he shows tourists all the beautiful sights in Jordan.

Whats on my needles now?  Here’s a hint…..

What do you think it is???

This weekend is pretty much summed up by these socks.

Pattern: Don’t Box Me In (for Sockwars V)

Yarn: unknown sock yarn from thrift store

Time:  48 hours start to finish

These socks will be in the mail tomorrow on their way to “kill” my target in St. Petersburg Florida. This game is so much fun!  I’ll be eagerly checking my mail in the next week to see if I’m still in the competition. I’ll keep you all posted.

Saturday 10AM.  Gusset done.  Now on the homestretch for sock #1.

Pattern: “Don’t Box Me In” for Sockwars V

Goal:  Finish sock #1 before bed tonight.

At 8pm this evening, I gathered up my sock needles and some lovely green yarn and prepared to start knitting a pair of death socks.  It’s not as morbid as it sounds.  What I’m knitting is actually a weapon of sorts.  When these socks reach their target (a knitter in Florida) that knitter will be “dead”–eliminated from the bloody competition that is Sock Wars.  They will then mail me their socks-in-progress and their dossier outlining their target.  I’ll work hard to finish those socks and mail them out before I receive a pair of death socks in the mail.

It’s going to be lots of fun I hope.  This is DEFINITELY a cure for knitting withdrawl!

My death socks are following the pattern “Dont Box Me In”.  I chose it because it is worked on 64 sts rather than 80 sts, and the leg length is 7 in rather than 8-10 in.  My sock will take less stitches, and therefore be completed earlier…that’s the plan at least!

So here I sit, and knit.  I’m well hydrated, fully caffeinated, and I had a good dinner.  My goal is to turn the heel before I sleep.  This might will be a long night.

Are you knitting death socks too?

Sock Wars V is starting soon, and I’m in.

“What’s Sock Wars?” you may ask.  Don’t feel bad–I didn’t know about it until one of the Knitter’s Anonymous sent me to the website, but I wish I had heard earlier!  It sounds awesome. I feel safe telling everyone about it now, since you can no longer sign up and become my competition.

A dossier will be emailed to me soon.  It will contain the official sock wars pattern, and my target’s information. I will then knit them a pair of socks, and mail it to them to “kill” them.  Someone will also be knitting me a pair of socks to try to “kill” me before I get my “killing” done.

When you are “killed” (by receiving a pair of knit socks in the mail) you are out, and you have to send your socks-in-progress and your dossier to the knitter that “killed” you.  That knitter will then try to finish those socks before getting “killed” themself.  The process continues until there is one knitter still standing!

I think that going to the mail box will become a lot more exciting!  I don’t remember getting hand knit socks that I didn’t make myself.  Even if/when I “die” I’ll at least get a pair of new socks out of the deal!  If I live until the end, I get a LOT of sock yarn….hmmm….stash enhancement….my resolution is that I’m not going to buy more yarn–I didn’t say ANYTHING about not winning it…

The “killing” begins on January 15th.  Stay tuned for more updates.

In the mean time, I’ll be heading to the stash to find a suitable sock yarn.  There’s gotta be something good in there somewhere!!

This looks like a very cool stash-busting craft to make. Explanations are on the Sheepy Hollow Farm Journal website

Sheepy Note Cards. Image from Sheepy Hollow Farm Journal

I’ve got lots of fleece. I may try making some of these in the new year. They look SO cute.

Here’s another cute idea from the knitted blog. Knit a square, add buttons, make a card! So many possibilities!

card idea from the knitted blog

Ohhh…these are cute too! Mini sweater and stocking Christmas Cards. Pattern located on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Image from Better Homes and Gardens

These would be my top three choices for best stationery, if I had time to make them!

I do write letters, but usually I use coloured paper that I decorate with doodles as I write.

Did you get socks for Christmas?  If you are lucky, someone knit them for you.  Knitting socks takes a great deal of time and effort, so it is important to care for them properly so they will last a long time.

After you wear your hand knit socks several times, you’ll probably want to wash them.  There are a few things to consider before you do this.

Ask the following questions to the sock knitter.  They will be impressed you are taking so much interest!

MATERIAL

Are the socks made from wool? Wool is a fiber that has an amazing ability to felt.  If wool is agitated in hot water, the fibers grip to each other and mat together.  (more information and pictures here)

Is the wool “superwash”? Superwash wool has been treated to keep the fibers from gripping to each other if agitated in hot water.

• You should handwash all knit socks to keep them in good condition, and prolong their life.
• You MUST handwash all non-superwash wool socks, or else you might not be able to wear them again!

Felting can be done intentionally, like I did with my elf slippers

Before Felting

After Felting

COLOUR

Some dyes are not colour-fast.  This means that the first few times you wash the socks, the colour may leave the socks, and could stain anything else washed with the socks.

• Washing socks in a sink/basin one pair at a time in cool water (with salt added) will help with colourfastness.

SOAP

You can use a small amount of detergent to wash your woolens, which will require a separate rinse phase but there are other options too.

Eucalan is a no rinse washing liquid

Soakwash is another option (lots of great info on their site)

I don’t have experience with either of these liquids.  I use a gentle laundry detergent.

How I wash my socks

1. Fill up the sink with lukewarm water.
2. Add a small amount of gentle liquid detergent.
3. Agitate the water to make suds before placing the socks in it.
4. Add the pair of socks
5. Let them soak for 10-15 minutes
6. Squish the socks gently with hands from time to time (no rubbing)
7. Drain the sink
8. Rinse in cool water
9. Squeeze out the water (no ringing)
10. Dry on a drying rack or a sock blocker (hang them from a clothesline if you don’t mind them stretching)

Argyle socks drying on sock blockers from www.Knitpicks.com

new and old sock blockers my Christmas present

Last year at this time I was madly knitting. This was the WORST case of second sock syndrome that I had ever experienced. The pattern is Rhiannon Socks [Ravelink] by Cookie A. They are wonderfully intricate knee high cabled socks with fold over cuffs. As soon as I saw them I thought they’d be perfect for kilt socks! Who would want to cover up these beauties?!

This entire project was also my first real experience in stealth knitting. Although I saw the recipient weekly, I didn’t know them well enough to know their shoe size. It’s also a little awkward to casually work in calf circumference in day to day conversation. I tried to give the measurement mission to their family, but that was unsuccessful. I tried several times to line up my feet with theirs during a quick conversation to gauge how my foot would compare. In the end, without proper measurements, I was left to
pass the sock in progress around to all my male relatives for them to try on guess.

thanks mysterious sock model #1

The first sock was completed in the summer. I thought that I’d have plenty of time to finish the other one in the fall, but….somehow miles and miles of knitting cables on tiny needles just didn’t seem all that appealing. November came and went (why does October always disappear so fast?). Suddenly it was December, I had only one sock and a cuff of another. I was determined to finish that second sock to present to the recipient on Christmas day. This may have involved an all-nighter or three, and I may still have been finishing knitting them while opening my stocking on Christmas morning, but these socks were ready to be presented that afternoon!

I didn’t let them out of my sight without a full photo shoot, of the front….

thanks mysterious sock model #2

and the back…

thanks mysterious sock model #2

And this is the first time that the recipient wore them with the kilt. These must be the hottest ankles in town. The wool itself [Knit Picks Bare Fingering Yarn] is not thick, but the cables do add bulk which does tend to trap heat. I really appreciate that the socks were worn on such an important occasion. It means so much when a knitter’s hard work gets displayed!

super stealth sock photo

This was one of the biggest, craziest gifts I’ve ever made. I’m sticking to smaller projects this year!

Every day is a learning opportunity.  I know that I learn so much in the day-to-day interactions with people.  I make it my goal to keep learning new things even though it’s been a while since I was last taking a formal class.

Today, the learning opportunity comes in the form of an experiment. As a good science student, here’s my “pre-lab” writeup.

Experiment:  Felted Elf Slippers

Question:  Is it possible to make a pair of felted Elf Slippers before Christmas?

Hypothesis:  If sleep is ignored and other tasks abandoned it will probably be possible to finish knitting the slippers.  Time until Christmas in this case is the independent variable, and caffeine consumption is another independent variable that will work to decrease the amount of sleepiness.  Large gauge needles will decrease the time taken to complete the socks, but the immensity of the pre-felted slipper will counteract any advantage given by the needle size.  Felting has many variables (washing machine, water temperature, time) and since it is the first experience with felting, results will be unpredicted.

Materials:

• Cascade 220 1 skein dark green
• Cascade 220 1 skein bright green
• 6.5mm DPN

Procedure:

Refer to Flint Knits Felted Elf Slipper pattern

Data:

Image courtesy of Through The Loops

Dec.22.2009  11:00 PM  Inspiration hits. Wool run planned for 23rd

Dec.23.2009  4:00 PM  Wool run  to Wool-Tyme.  Cascade 220 and needles acquired.

Dec.23.2009  7:00PM  Cast-on first slipper

Dec.23.2009  10:00PM  Astounded by size of slipper in progress, caffeine consumed

Dec.24.2009  12:30AM  Overcome by sleep.  Slipper 1 complete

Dec.24.2009  8:30AM  Caffeine consumed, slipper 2 cast on

Dec.24.2009  10:30AM  Second Slipper Syndrome Already?  Break for nourishment/present wrapping/delivery.

Dec.24.2009  1:00PM  Successful Santa mission, and delivered an awesome hat to a cute little boy

Dec.24.2009  2:33PM  Second slipper is growing.  Decision made:  gift could be pre-felted slippers….if time runs out.  Then they could be felted-to-fit….that sounds like a good plan, right?

Dec.24.2009 5:12PM Second slipper is 8 inches from completion.  Must rest fingers and wrap more gifts.

Dec.24.2009 7:30PM Digested dinner and knit 8 inches by the fire.

Dec.24.2009 10:30PM Church break.

Dec.25.2009 1:00AM DONE….ends sewn in and everything.

I had only this much yarn left over!  About 2 meters…..Cutting it close!!!

Since late night early morning felting sounds like an all around disaster a BAD idea, the HUMONGOUS slippers are under the tree, and will be felted to fit tomorrow afternoon between turkey basting sessions.

Dec.25.2009 11:30AM  Slippers unwrapped, and tried on.  Dad confused by size.  They fit like a hat!

Dec.25.2009 12:30PM  Slippers put in a zip up pillow case and washed (no soap) in washing machine.  Settings: low water level, hot temperature.

Dec.25.2009 1:00PM  Felting accomplished!  Slippers stuffed with plastic bags drying on heating register, and in front of the fire.

Dec.26.2009 1:00PM Slippers still slightly damp.  Gave up and put them in dryer for 15 minutes.

Dec.26.2009 1:20PM  Slippers are done and being worn.

Conclusions:  Felting works.  Pre-felted items are HUGE, but shrink down to a very nice size.  It is possible to knit a pair of elf slippers and felt them in a day and a half.  The drying is the unexpected variable.  It took a very long time to dry!

before felting

After Felting