FO: Baltic Knee Socks

Ravelry project link here.

Pattern: Clementine's Baltic Socks [free PDF], by Diana Jones.

Yarn: Less than one skein of Fearless Fibers (blog here) Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in Brick House.

Needles: Size 1 bamboo DPNs.

Size: To fit a size 6.5 foot.

Mods: To make the socks knee-high, I added shaping in the handy stockinette side panels, and made the ribbing at the top longer.

For: Me!

Time: Casted on July 2007; finished February 2008. They kept me company during two moves and a job hunt. We've bonded.

Thoughts: A great pattern. The pattern repeat was easy to memorize, and those stockinette panels made my first time calf-shaping attempt. They're my best-fitting pair of socks yet, although they'll need some elastic woven in to actually stay up. The Fearless Fibers yarn -- which I was lucky enough to have picked up back when it sold for $14.50/550 yards (still a steal at $19) -- was a wonder. It just going on and on and on -- there's still a good chunk of it left. It was also still my first short-row heel. Overall -- I love them!

Most recent podcast: Cast On.
What I'm reading: Mozart's Women, by Jane Glover.

The Duck has landed.

I have landed! Battle Ground, Washington, about 2o miles northeast of Portland, is my home for the time being. TreeHugger boyfriend and I are crashing with some great friends here. The Duck and I were greeted with a welcoming feast of cheese, fresh-picked raspberries, and Scotch. Lovely!


The trip was more enjoyable than it probably should have been, given I was driving 8-10 hours a day, alone, but I can entertain myself endlessly. I saw friends and family, caught up on my podcasts, and got excited at the first sight of mountains, canyons, trees, the Columbia River, Safeway, and windmills. I saw a license plate from every state but Hawaii (I once got all 50, plus the District of Columbia). This is my eighth cross-country drive: back and forth with friends once; four times by myself; twice with TreeHugger boyfriend; five times west, three times east. I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed that I probably won't get to do it again any time soon.

All of that stopping in between the driving allowed for a lot of knitting time. Knitting served particularly well as a way to release some of the energy stored up while sitting in a car for an entire day. I focused mostly on the Baltic Knee Socks, with excellent progress to show for it (excuse the pale legs):
Including my first short-row heel:

Not perfect, but not bad. I won't show you that the other side has a hole an eyelet in the corner. I enjoyed making a different heel, and I'm looking forward to perfecting my technique on the second sock. I'm loving the Fearless Fibers superwash merino in Brick House (the color is more accurate on my screen in the second picture). The yarn just goes on and on and on, and I've never received so many compliments on any other colorway. And besides, I think the yarn is just glad to be home!

More to come. I've got to spread out the blog lovin' (blovin'!), particularly since I'm unemployed and don't have much else to do (and I'm loving it!).

Most recent podcast: NPR's Story of the Day.
Currently listening to: a humming refrigerator.
What I should be doing: Responding to email.

FO: Monkey Socks

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A., at Knitty.
Yarn: Three Waters Farm 50/50 Merino Tencel.
Needles: Size 2 metal, inherited from somewhere.
Mods: None.
Time: About one month.

Thoughts: I understand why these are the socks of the moment. The pattern repeats were simple to memorize, and resulted in a unique design that played well with the variegated yarn. I loved working with the merino-tencel blend. I loved the luster -- it makes the socks look iridescent -- the weight, and the feel of the yarn.

My one frustration is that these socks are a little too big. If I make them again -- and I probably will -- I imagine I'll shorten the heel and use one less pattern repeat. I was afraid that using nine repeats instead of ten would make them too short, but they're just a little too big with ten.

And I have to say, I feel a little bit like that kid everyone hated in class. You know, the one who always messed up the curve and was teacher's pet (I should probably admit that this was actually me. Hermione Granger speaks to me.)? I have just finished my second pair of socks. I finished one pair, then moved on to the next pair. I'm the girl who finishes two matching socks before casting on for another? In my defense, this is very unlike me -- I can't imagine it will last long!

Most recent podcast: Knitpicks.
Currently listening to: my parents' ticking clock.
What I should be doing: Cleaning. Packing. Deciding (more on that later).

The socks will save you

The ennui brought on by a crazy school week and frustrating projects has been erased by sock knitting. Behold, my first Jaywalker sock! (And behold, my first sock-weight yarn sock!)


This past week was so very nonstop -- I was presenting my Master's Project -- that the knitting fixes that needed doing were just turning me off to knitting. I didn't want to have to deal with the thought of frogging five of six capecho pentagons, or the planning required to pick up a collar for the first time. But my fingers itched, and I picked at everything: bottle labels, my cuticles, you name it. So I picked up the Jaywalker (I was just past the heel) and returned to knitting for peace of mind. Simple knitting. Wool-on-wood-dpn's, tactile knitting. It was rejuvenating, and I got my mojo back.

The yarn is Ruby Sapphire Yarns' Ruby Superwash Sock Yarn in the Nina colorway. The colorway is lovely, particularly the deep, dark brown and the absolutely vivid turquoise blue. I don't think the Jaywalker pattern did it much justice (there's quite a bit of pooling) but I love them.

And -- at least for now -- I've avoided second sock syndrome. I think this stems from the same frustrations: my mind is just not open enough for the many new projects I have lined up. So it's been comforting to cast-on 84 stitches again. Rib for 12 rows. Again. Start the increases and decreases -- again. I can't imagine this is something I'll enjoy for most pairs of socks, but for right now it's just... perfect. I can't handle much else, and that's fine by me.

Of course, that didn't stop me from picking up another skein from Ruby Sapphire (on sale, no less. Sign up for their newsletter for the inside scoop and some sweet benefits). Ruby Sapphire's Tenderfoot yarn, a thin sport weight, in Emerald. Super-soft and petable. I think the color is quite appropriate for an upcoming week-long class trip to western Washington. We'll be in vans quite a bit, and I'm currently deciding on what sock project to bring with. This yarn is up there on the list; now for a pattern...

Most recent podcast: KEXP's Live Performances Podcast: Beirut at SXSW.
Currently listening to: Same.
What I should be doing: My Forest Vegetation Sampling Lab.