1 July 2011 · 1 Comment
Look at me, all alive and more or less lucid. The giant project is still giant, but it has been divided into (ever so slightly more) reasonable pieces, and I have a plan. Having a plan is key. It helps you explain what went wrong when you find yourself in a back alley in Ecuador with a live chicken under one arm, a book of Greek philosophy under the other, and a dead flashlight clutched between your teeth. If you hadn’t had a plan that would just be confusing. If you’d had a plan at one point, you’ve at least got somewhere to start when the policeman asks what you’re doing.
So. Yarn. You’re here for the yarn.
On the left is Sundara Yarns DK Silky Cashmere in the color Black Cherry. This is a really marvelous 55/45 silk cashmere blend. It is, also, tragically discontinued. There was no hint of this when I was picking yarns for the book. It’s one of the risks of choosing yarns for any pattern, and it’s especially problematic when doing something like a book that has longer lead times between the yarn picking stage and the final product. But the good news is that Sundara has found another yarn that is very similar (a tiny bit more cashmere, what a hardship) and will be a splendid substitute.
On the right is Sundara Yarns Sock in the color Dahlia. It’s a nice sturdy merino sock with a good feel and a pleasantly round profile. One of the best things about Sundara Yarns are the colors. Each month there are a few new colors and a little story about their inspiration. Sometimes they make it into the permanent rotation, sometimes not. Either way, they are always splendid. This was one of those special colors. Only time will tell if it makes it onto the permanent roster, but it was too perfect not to include. I’m fairly picky about pink, and this one is just lovely. I couldn’t pass it by.
Back on Tuesday with a shiny new pattern.
29 June 2011 · 6 Comments
Perhaps not surprisingly, we somehow managed to slip into a few yarn stores on our trip this past weekend. Imagine that. Shocking I know.
Our first stop was the Cultured Purl in Erie, PA (what, it was on the way…more or less). It was the first time I had seen Sweet Georgia yarns in a store. Luckily, I have quite a bit of SG sitting around here, so I was able to grab something new. I picked up two skeins of Filigran by Zitron in what seems to be collor 1603 (such an evocative name). This is a single ply laceweight. I haven’t the slightest idea what I’m going to do with it, so (just to be safe) I got two. I’m calling it the next step on my quest to explore non-sock options.
Next was Wooly Minded in Corning, NY. Somehow, through great self restraint, I managed not to buy any yarn. Don’t worry, I bought needles instead. I am always on the lookout for new needles. I like my needles light weight, pointy, and stiff. Plastic and wooden needles don’t work for me. I had a bunch of KP needles, but they are a bit heavy and they tarnish badly when I use them. My favorites are my Sig Arts, but they are a bit expensive (totally worth it, just hard to get as many sets as I like to have on hand). Kollage square needles are a good alternative, though I find they sometimes start feeling a bit sharp on my fingers if I’ve been knitting a long time. At Wooly Minded, I saw something new, stainless steel needles by Chiao Goo. So far I know that they are light, fairly pointy, and pleasantly rigid. I haven’t used them yet, but I’m planning on it and will report back when I do.
The final stop was Finger Lakes Fiber in Watkins Glen, NY. I’d actually been here before, but they’ve moved since we were last in town. The new space is lovely and very comfortable. The selection was great. I picked up two old favorites, Casbah by Handmaiden in what I think is the color Nova Scotia, and Nichole by Schaefer in the color Dian Fossey. These are two of my go to sock yarns and I’m always happy to work with them again.
Not a bad little haul for a weekend trip!
29 May 2011 · 2 Comments
Alrighty, as promised, a list of a few of my favorite fat sock yarns. Now it’s important to note, these are not the only good fat sock yarns out there. I’m sure there are others, and I’m always looking for more. So, with no further ado, and in no particular order, some of my favorites.
Nichole by Schaefer: I love this yarn with an unreasonable passion. It’s thick and smooshy, but still fits in shoes (at least my shoes, your shoes may vary). It has a bit of nylon so it lasts forever. I’ve had some socks in this for years and they’re still going strong. And, in case that wasn’t enough, the yardage is super generous (5 oz, 405 yards) so you can make a nice tall pair of socks, even for big feet, out of just one skein.
Everlasting 8 Ply by Dream in Color: This is a new(ish) yarn, and one well worth seeking out. Eight tiny plies give it fabulous stitch definition. There’s a 12 ply version too (I’m making socks with that right now, and they’re ridiculously thick and smooshy), but the 8 ply version is much closer to a traditional sock weight, though still substantial. This is another one with generous yardage (420 yards). The colors are fabulous too (with lots of rich dark shades that might appeal to guys).
Socks that Rock Mediumweight by Blue Moon Fiber Arts: This is another old favorite. The yarn itself is really tightly plied giving a a nice dense yarn with good stitch definition. Blue Moon has a massive and ever changing range of colors (you could go a bit crazy trying to collect them all if you have that sort of inclination) and absolutely fabulous customer service. I have worn holes in some of my older Blue Moon socks, but since I started adding reinforcing thread in the heels, they’ve held up much better.
DK Lively by Hazelknits: This one’s new to me (I found it when picking yarns for Book the Second), but I’m completely taken with it. It has the sort of tight dense structure that I look for in a fat sock yarn, plus a bit of nylon for durability. The colors are delicious, and Wendee is amazingly helpful. Keep an eye on the yardage (275 yards). You may be able to get a pair out of one skein, but you may need two.
Cashbah by Hand Maiden: I reach for my Casbah socks more than any of my others. They strike the perfect balance between soft and sturdy. They’ve developed just a bit of a fuzzy halo (after many many wears and washes), but they have held up marvelously. The colors absolutely glow, and the cashmere makes them exceptionally warm. I’ve got more in my stash and can’t wait to use it again.
13 January 2011 · 3 Comments
I think the sock gods are angry at me for my recent hat dalliance. I keep overhearing murmurs that sound like ‘three good years of faithful friendship’ and ‘ungrateful upstart’ and ‘feckless dilettante.’ All of which is my way of saying that take two from yesterday may also be a bit too variegated. It’s been set aside while I ponder its fate. The secret sock is going well (smashingly well really), so I do have some hope that the sock gods haven’t completely cast me out for my inconstant ways. It could just be an attempt to torment me though by making me have pretty knitting I can’t show you.
To console myself, I cast on a hat. My mom has recklessly valiantly offered up her head for hatting. Boy hats are fairly easy. Boys tend to give one word answers to questions about color (blue, gray, brown), and as a rule, they’re less concerned about hair issues than are girls. Girls tend to have much stronger feelings about hat color (a darkish red with brown undertones and no hint of orange) and to have hairstyles that require more consideration. After a bit of consultation, we decided on this purple.
It’s the new Everlasting 12 ply from Dream in Color in Amethyst. (There doesn’t seem to be any information about Everlasting on the DiC site, so I linked to the Webs page for it. It’s not part of an evil plot to make you shop there, it’s just where I bought mine, and there’s not much in the way of non-store info out there about it just yet.) I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this since I heard about it a few months ago, and I’m thrilled with it so far. I tend to love the yarns with a bunch of tiny plies. They seem to have fabulous stitch definition, and they don’t go fuzzy after washing. This yarn is no exception. I have a feeling I will need to pick up a few more skeins (just to confirm that I like them too…in the interest of science you understand…especially that Rain Cloud color…that one needs further investigation immediately). There is also an 8 ply sock yarn version of this that I’m now coveting. You’ll note this purple is also a lovely semi solid (variegated yarns and I are not really on speaking terms at the moment) and so in no danger of being ripped out in a fit of pique.
24 November 2010 · 12 Comments
Apparently the action shot didn’t quite cut it and folks want to see the top of The Boy’s hat too. I’m happy to oblige. One hat, all tidy and finished! I think the next hat will be for me (having gotten some of my mistakes out of the way on my early victims friends and family). I think it’s time to explore the realms of the slightly poufy hat. I’ve decided the watch cap style doesn’t suit my face and the poufy hat has the potential to look reasonably non-dorky on me.
Now this is actually where you guys come in. You are an awfully clever bunch, and I’m going to shamelessly take advantage of it. I have a pretty good grasp of sock yarns. I’ve made erm…dozens of pairs of socks. I have many more skeins of sock yarn frolicking in the depths of my stash. I’m fairly familiar with a good chunk of the currently available sock yarns. That knowledge took a while to accumulate, and getting it has been a huge part of making successful socks.
Now that I’m starting to do projects with thicker yarn, I realize I don’t know nearly as much about them as I do about sock yarns. I’m just not as familiar with what’s out there. So this is where you come in. If you have a favorite thicker yarn (or two, or three), could you leave me a comment with the name? Obviously a list isn’t a substitute for getting to know the various yarns, but it is a good place to start.
16 October 2010 · No Comments
I got myself a present.
I’ve wanted to make socks with handspun for ages. Alas, my spinning isn’t anywhere near up to that standard. Luckily, other people do have this talent, and some of them will even allow me to buy the lovely things they make.
This is from Bockstark Knits. It’s just unimaginably fabulous. I love it.
She’s got other yarn on her etsy site, and it’s all drop dead gorgeous. I almost didn’t want to tell you about it lest you buy all of her goodies and don’t leave any for me. But it looks like she’s going to keep doing more, so I think it’s safe to let you know. Except for that 3 ply sport weight silk/merino mix out of hedgehog fibers…that one I had to buy before I shared them with you. And I’m not sorry at all.
21 September 2010 · 2 Comments
The plan was to just get whatever I wanted. I really don’t buy much yarn, I use what I buy (and the accountant swears it’s a business expense), and yarn is a better souvenir than a postcard. I intended to indulge. Apparently giving yourself permission to buy it all ahead of time is some sort of counter-intuitive way to insure self restraint.
We only visited two yarn stores. The first was Have A Yarn in Mahone Bay. There I got the Hand Maiden Casbah (over there on the far left). I’ve been a fan of Casbah for a long time. It’s what I used in Slant and Graupel, and I’m using a close cousin of it in the book. Alas, this one didn’t have a color name. I also got the Tanis Fiber Arts yarn in Stormy (in the middle). I’ve not seen their yarn before, but it looks lovely and I’m looking forward to using it.
Next up was Baddeck Yarns in (not surprisingly) Baddeck. There I found another old favorite, Fleece Artist Trail Socks in Marble Mountain (at the back). It’s apparently a custom colorway available only in that area. It’s a bit more multi-colored than I usually go for, but I was smitten. The final one (at the front) was another new find. It’s Blue Heron Yarns Silk and Silver in Marsh Grass. I’ve never used sparkly yarn before and have always wanted to try it.
I might have dragged home a bit more, save that one yarn store was closed for the hurricane and two others were closed for the holiday. As soon as the various book projects are finished up (Heather’s WWMDfK sock is almost done) one of these will be the next on the needles. Now to decide which one…
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