Finished Baudelaire Socks in Dharmafey Bamboo Dexter

Cast On:

January 26 2008

Finished:

February 14 2008

Pattern:

Baudelaire by Cookie A.

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTbaudelaire.html

Made for:

Me - Size 9 shoe, 9" at ball, 9 1/4" long

Yarn:

Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock in Dexter Colorway

http://dharmafey.etsy.com

60% superwash merino/30% bamboo/ 10% nylon

1 skeins = 385.0 yards

Needles:

US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm

Knitpicks Options and Harmony

2 socks on 2 circs method

I wanted to do something interesting with the Dexter yarn I got. The batch I got is mostly grey with some flecks of red. I had been looking at the Cookie A. patterns for the Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL for January. So when I went to my ravelry queue, I spotted the Baudelaire pattern. It is a beautiful pattern.

I wasn't sure if the flecks would obscure the pattern. But I don't think the flecks detract. I think the yarn works pretty well with the pattern.

I *love* the Bamboo Sock yarn. It is very soft yet nice and smooshy. I liked it so much I ordered a couple blank skeins to dye myself. They just arrived today, so I think it might be a weekend for yarn dyeing... Mmmmm....

I really like the Baudelaire pattern. It was definitely a good pattern and a pleasure to knit. The only part I loathed was the Front Cable Increase & Back Cable Increase for the larger size. You have to create 4 stitches while simultaneously doing a cable. I think it should have just had the increase without trying to twist them at that same time. There was a ton of swearing involved. But it only happens once in the pattern. So two sets of each and then no more. If I had to do it more than that, I wouldn't knit the pattern ever again. *laugh*

Overall, I like the socks. They are very pretty, yet the coloring of the yarn doesn't make them super girly which I like. *grin* Though Paul keeps saying the color is pink not red. *growls* I do not do pink! It is red. *chuckle*

Monkey Socks in Lisa Souza Sock Yarn

Cast On:

Saturday, January 5th.

Finished:

Tuesday, January, 22nd

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Pattern:

Monkey by Cookie A.

http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html

Yarn:

Lisa Souza Sock!

75% Superwash Wool/25% Nylon

http://www.lisaknit.com/yarn/animalfibers/sock.html

Needles:

US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm - one Knitpicks Options & one KP Harmony

Done 2 socks on 2 circs

I decided to do a Cookie pattern for the Ravelry Socks Knitters Anonymous January KAL. I think it was a good match with the yarn.

I was worried however about the size. I had read in someone else's comments that they did this pattern for a size 9 foot and it worked fine. I did not find that to be the case.

The leg of the sock is pretty tight over my foot when I pull them on. So I was kinda worried. But my gauge was dead on according to my swatch.

I ended up tweaking them as I went along.

I turned the heel, but instead of reducing to 32 stitches for the bottom of the foot, I decreased to 40 stitches. Then around midfoot, I decreased again, and so on every 1/2" or so til I got down to 32.

I found they fit the foot well that way. They are snug enough, but not super tight. They are still challenging to pull the leg over my heel. However, they are nowhere near as bad as my Jaywalkers in that regard. I am beginning to think I just have a massive heel. laugh

I definitely like the pattern a lot. I am tempted to make another pair but do a different increase so there isn't a hole from the YO.

Pattern Thoughts and Suggestions

I am trying to figure out what to do with the Lisa Souza hand dyed superwash wool I have. I have knit a swatch but can't seem to determine what pattern to do. I am leaning towards the doing something with the Wild Things color way first:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=wild%20things&w=11372712%40N04

It is some really pretty dark colors. Purples, blues and some lighter greens. All very pretty.

I also have the Mars Quakes colorwar:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=11372712%40N04&q=mars+quake&m=text

I like both a great deal. They are beautiful yarns. But I realized that I have already knit two pairs with reds and blacks. So I figure it is time for another color. *chuckle* (Mind you, I wear the ones I have all the time. I have my Ravishing socks on today that are the cotton/lycra self-patterning yarn I dyed.)

I am having a hard time finding sock patterns that don't have lacey bits!

There is a knit along this month in one of the Ravelry groups for Cookie A. patterns - http://www.cookiea.com . I am really thinking about trying one of her patterns. She has some amazing ones.

I keep looking at the Monkey pattern from Knitty:

http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html

Have anyone tried this one?

I also like her Pomatomus pattern:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTpomatomus.html

I think that would be next to impossible with the 2 socks on 2 circs method I love so much. And I fear second sock syndrome a lot.

I am seriously tempted by her Twinkle Toes pattern that is from a Knitty Gritty episode:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_5419748,00.html

The beauty of that one is that it is toe up so I can use all the yarn and not have a lot left over. I am still *terrible* about judging when I need to start the foot when I am doing top down. With Jennifer's top down Xmas socks, I had 1/3rd of the yarn left because I started the heel too soon.

I admit, I am also still sorely tempted to do a Cat Bordhi pattern from the New Pathways book. there are some great patterns. There just aren't any I can clearly see in the yarn I have. Or the gauge I am getting. So it is hard. Suppose I should go home and knit yet more swatch. I was knitting on 2s, but it seems that it might be better on 1s. Not sure.

Though I was confused to discover that my 1s and 2s are actually 1 1/2s and 2 1/2s according to what I read. I thought I was getting 1s & 2s. But Knitpicks list 2 of each size. So I picked up the 2s to match the bamboo needles I got for Paul's socks before switching over to 2 socks on 2 circs for his socks. They are labeled size 2 - 2.75 mm. So that is what I got. *shrug*

Decisions decisions. So many patterns. So little time. *grin*

Either way, time to get home. Paul is probably beginning to wonder where I am and I haven't even left the office yet. It has been one of those days. Way too long!