Violently Domestic

Housekeeping

8 February 2010 · No Comments

After my shameless whinging about sock blow outs, someone asked how I wash my socks.  It’s a totally valid question.  There is a special washing regimen for fancy socks at Chez Violence.  (Fancy socks are both the hand knit ones and the cashmere/alpaca/angora/generally spiffy ones from the store that I buy The Boy to make up for my inability or unwillingness to knit him work socks in the quantity he needs.  The first hand-knit socks got him addicted to awesome socks, and this is a quicker way to feed the addiction than actually knitting a whole sock wardrobe.  Yes they’re a bit expensive and require special washing.  On the other hand, they don’t cost any more than the knit ones, and I’m doing special sock washing anyways.  It’s a good compromise for us at the moment.)  They all go in the washer together, and nothing else goes in with them.  The washer is set to use cold water and run the gentle cycle.  Then, and this is the bit that makes me think this is basically the same as washing by hand, I leave the washer’s lid open.  On my washer, this prevents it from agitating.  So basically the washer fills and sits there for a while.  Then I drain it, it fills again, and I drain it again.  If something was extra filthy I may do it once more.  Then the socks get strewn all over the basement to dry. I’m fairly convinced that this is just a larger and more convenient version of washing them totally by hand in the bathroom sink.

I know that nylon is the secret to longevity, and I’m trying to buy only nylon-fortified sock yarn.  Alas, sometimes I’m overcome by the pretty and succumb to temptation.  I also have a fair amount of nylon-free yarn that I purchased before the realization of nylon’s importance had properly sunk in.  I can’t quite bring myself to toss it.  I have procured great quantities of wooly nylon (I am still overly entertained by the name and take unreasonable joy in saying it aloud at every opportunity), and am using it for socks knit from nylon-free yarn.  It’s easy to work with and doesn’t really show, so I’m pleased so far.  I’ll report back on its success once I’ve worn the socks using it enough to know how it holds up.

Three Strikes

5 February 2010 · 3 Comments

I love Socks That Rock.  I really do.  The colors are fall down gorgeous, the mediumweight yarn is exactly the thickness I like best, it’s a nice tightly spun yarn, and the customer service is superb.  Alas, it seems the yarn doesn’t like me.  I’ve had five socks blow out in the last few weeks.  Three of them were made in Socks That Rock.  This seems like more than a coincidence.

Now socks are temporary objects.  They get used up.  However, the speed with which these particular socks are wearing out is a bit alarming.  Lets do some math.  The most recent blow out was finished ten months ago.  The last ten months included that dreadful period known as summer.  I just flat out don’t wear socks in June, July, or August.  So that leaves seven sock wearing months.  I probably wear hand knit socks about two thirds of the time, and I have at least twenty pairs in circulation at any given time.  That gives 7 sock wearing months x 30 days per month x 2/3 = 140 hand knit sock wearing days in the last 10 months.  Divide that by 20 (the number of pairs of socks in circulation) to get 7.

Seven.

I don’t want my socks to wear out after seven wearings.  I think this may be the end.  I’ll miss you, Socks that Rock.

The People Have Spoken!

4 February 2010 · No Comments

You want Graupel, Graupel you shall have.  I will release it later this month and then release Caprice in March.  A few people have mentioned that they’d like to have the pattern for some of the various Olympic themed knitting events they’re participating in.  The pattern is done, so I can totally do that.  I’ll plan to put it up Thursday the eleventh.  Of course this does mean I absolutely positively must get pictures taken this weekend.  If you see the sun, send it this way.

For any of you dedicated athletes out there who want to start training (ie swatching) now, I should offer a note about size and gauge.  This sock is stretchy – astonishingly stretchy.  It’s also written in 2 sizes.  There are also a whole lot of sock yarn thicknesses floating around out there.  Stretchy design + 2 sizes + variety of sock yarns means you can likely get these to fit just about anyone.  In general, I suggest that you aim for a gauge of about 8.5 stitches per inch in thin sock yarn and about 7.5 stitches per inch in thick sock yarn.  At those gauges, the small size in a thin sock yarn will fit a small woman’s foot, the small size in a thick sock yarn will fit a medium/large woman’s foot, the large size in a thin sock yarn will fit a large/extra large woman’s or medium man’s foot, and the large size in a thick sock yarn will fit a large/extra large man’s foot.  I’m pretty darn confident you can make this fit.

Now go find a fetching track suit and don’t forget to stretch.

Such a Tease

2 February 2010 · 4 Comments

I warned you this was coming.

I really did.

There is a new sock.

It’s soft and warm and lovely.  I admit I’m biased, but I am fairly hopelessly smitten with it.  It’s all done…but you can’t have it quite yet.  It’s exclusive to Gaia’s Colours Sacred Sabbats Yarn Club members for the next three months.

I probably shouldn’t say anything.  It’s probably just mean to show you the pretty sock when I can’t give it to you just yet.  But today is the release date, and I’ve been keeping quiet for weeks and weeks.  Such silence is quite against my character.  I simply can’t suppress my natural tendencies any longer.  I have to show them off.

I’ll content myself with just one more picture for now, though I’ll likely come back and prattle about them more when they become available to everyone.

Choose Your Own

31 January 2010 · 8 Comments

I am a child of the 80s.  As such, “Choose Your Own Adventure” books play an alarming role my memories of my distant youth.  The writing was contrived, the illustrations dreadful, and yet they still filled me with an unreasonable fascination.  In honor of their (doubtless unsavory) influence, I’m letting you choose your next knitting adventure.

I have two patterns ready to go, Graupel (on the left) and Caprice (on the right).  Click on either to see gigantic versions if you’re so inclined.  One will be released in February and the other in March.  You pick.  I will take it as a given that they are both lovely and eagerly anticipated.  I promise I won’t feel slighted on behalf of the one that doesn’t win.  Leave a comment saying which you prefer, and the one with the most votes by Friday or so will be the next pattern I release.