manly man socks

Work on the big grey man socks continues apace. These are for the man with a 10 1/2 wide foot. Not gigantic, but significantly larger than my own women's 8 1/2 kinda narrow.

One sock has a heel, while one does not yet. I tried a new short row heel for these, the Priscilla Gibson-Roberts short row heel. I used the directions in the Simple Socks book. I had to think about these directions as I knit, as with any new technique, but I liked the result! There was no gap between the heel and the rest of the sock as I sometimes get with my wrapped stitch short row heels.

But, I still don't "get" this technique. As in, how does it work? Hopefully, I'll figure it out on sock #2!

Note to husband, when trying on handknit socks: The appropriate answer to "how does it fit" is not "fine". "Fine" implies not great, but acceptable. "Fine" means something isn't quite right, but you can live with it. "Fine" means I need to consider frogging. If you like how they fit -- and you said that you do! -- then "good", "great", "perfect", and "these are some bitchin' socks, babe" would all be acceptable.

(Sorry for the washed out photo. The choice was direct sunlight -- as seen above -- or fluorescent lighting in the office. I went outdoors.)

Bag O' Snails

Earlier this week, the Mafia mentioned that she wished she had a project bag for her current WIP. Since she has been mad busy recently, yet still finds the time to listen to me whine -- with sympathy when appropriate and a swift kick in the pants when needed -- I though she could use a wee giftie.

I present ... Bag O' Snails.




Stash-diving at its best! The ribbon came off the wrapping of a present from Susan. The snail fabric was left-over from making boxer shorts for Thom. The brown and beige swirly print was left-over from making couch pillows this summer.

Fun, and quick -- less than 20 minutes! I didn't measure or iron a thing, and didn't obsess about details. And, I think it came out pretty damn cute!

boring grey man socks

Thom usually gets the short end of the stick when it comes to gift knitting. His father has as many of my handknits as Thom does.

I've tried to rectify this situation, but Thom insists that he doesn't want a sweater right now. I already knit him a hat and mittens, and he says that one set is plenty. Although he would like me to line his mittens with polarfleece. Somehow, Lopi Lite knit at 21 sts/4 in (much tighter than the recommended 17 sts/4 in) still lets the wind through.

He has one pair of thick socks that he wears with boots and clogs. He thought he might like another pair, a lighter weight pair that he can wear to work. So, we went sock yarn shopping at Webs. (Reluctantly, I might add!)

This is what he picked ... a tweedy charcoal grey Regia. Here is the label -- I think this means "4-ply tweed".


I also bought 2 cards of a grey reinforcing thread to knit into the toes and heels. The one toe that I knit so far seems to be really sturdy -- I hope still comfortable, though!

Also shown are my new Stitch Keepers -- a birthday gift to myself. I love them! They slip over the ends of the needle and perform three important functions --
1) keeping the stitches from sliding off the needle when you put the WIP down, especially when in a bag
2) keeping the set of needles together, including the one "working" needle that often escapes when you put a project down
3) preventing the "porcupine effect" -- when your WIP has needles poking out everywhere, and poking holes in your bag!

I've started the second sock too, so that I can knit both together. However, I keep messing it up. The first one was too small. The second one, I wasn't paying attention and cast on too many stitches. The third time, I missed a wrapped stitch on the short rows and was off by one stitch. Hopefully, the 4th time I will pay more attention!

2 fuzzy photos

The clogs of the last post were indeed felted.
I felted them with some towels for agitation. The white fuzz on the clogs is from the towels. I'll remove it eventually.


See how the right one is a little bigger? I felted it some more so they are now the same size.

They are warm and cozy, especially on the wood floors of our new house. I might need to attach leather soles, though, as they are a bit slippery.

things about which I have not spoken, part A

I did not mean to disappear from the blog for so long. Really, I didn't. Life just got the better of me. I have still been knitting a bit, and there are several projects for which I need to provide updates.

However, that would require photos which in turn would require daylight. Not seeing much of that recently, the photos are on hold for a bit.

But, I did manage to find some unblogged photos on my computer.

Back in December, my SnB did a Yankee Stash Swap for the holidays. Everyone brought something small from their stash and gifts were exchanged...

I got this skein of Cascade Quattro (like 220, but with each of the 4 plies in a different color), and project bag.

It didn't stay in my stash very long, though! It grew up to become this ...


It's the ubiquitous felted clog pattern by Fiber Trends. Obviously still unfelted here, though!
(And look, handknit socks in action! And I'm wearing the same socks again today!)

This was a nice stashbuster -- the pattern calls for 3 skeins of feltable wool.

1) I used the gift yarn for the uppers (and got rid of a skein of something else in the gift exchange).

2) Then, I had a skein of navy blue left over from a hat/scarf/mitts set for my FIL.

3) I needed a second skein of navy blue, so I went to a local LYS and exchanged a skein of yarn that I bought for a gift project, yet never needed. I made the gift (socks in Baby Cashmerino) but had purchased an extra skein. So, I exchanged it for another skein of navy Cascade 220.

Net stash reduction -- 3 balls. Let's not talk about what's left to be busted still.

The slippers have been felted and the photos will be posted soon. Perhaps even tomorrow.

happy birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!

(Me, some 27 or 28 years ago)

(I come from a long line of crafty women ... my mom made that dress for me.)

I treated myself to a birthday gift ... I ordered several sets of stitch keepers for my DPNs. I've been knitting socks on DPNs again, and I'm getting annoyed by the "porcupine effect".

Hopefully, these will help contain the pokey ends. (Thanks Beth S. for sending me the link to these!) I'll let you know what I think once they arrive.

Koigu rainbow baby socks

Thank you for all my birthday wishes! For some reason, now that I have upgraded to the new blogger, comments come into my email box in a way that I cannot reply directly to them. I'll need to look into that. (I have no idea when, though, since I am about to go spend the weekend working on the new house...)

Thanks to those of you who let me know that the socks will fit a baby, if not at birth, then soon.

Wear them down...

Or wear them up ...
I've started a hat to match, too.