Survey!

Just a little survey, for everyone's benefit, I hope!

What is your favorite(s) sock yarn of all time?

If it is a very expensive one (>20$US), what is your affordable favorite one too?

Dyeing fun!

Apple to Apple yarn - The mixture
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

Last November, I felt like experimenting further at dyeing with Kool-Aid. It was a fun Sunday afternoon!!!

My lovely assistant helped me to design this stripy yarn. I had a certain width in mind and I gotta say, I am pretty close to it in the end! He also helped to achieve the colours I had desired.

Apple to Apple yarn - Ongoing dyeing
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

In order to do the red, we mixed some grocery brand cherry-flavored beverage powder with fruit punch or whatever darkish red flavours I had in the kitchen.

For the green, since it was not possible to find green powder, we had to be creative. I used Crystal Light Lemondade, with Gatorade Frost and Tang, because I ran out of source of yellow.

Apple to Apple yarn - Drying
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

I always keep a bit of grape Kool-Aid, in case I need to darken a colour.


I wanted bright colours, so I saturated and saturated the mixes. It was so sweet and sticky!


I heated and heated until no pigments wanted to soak in the fiber and washed. Happy yarn was born!

Festive finished Apple to Apple sock!
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

For the sock, just a basic pattern and stockinette stitch were executed.



As I was knitting them, I found they were more and more looking like Christmas socks. So I finished them on time for the event!

I should be called "Small Foot"!

I should be called "SmallFoot", as opposed to BigFoot. I am frustrated that (almost) all sock patterns are for bigger feet than mine. I am a woman size 7 and I feel that the rest of the planet is size 8!!! Most (non-cable) patterns call for 64 sts and my personal number seems to be 56. Yes, even with fingering weight yarn and 2.5mm needles. And, even if I am a thight knitter.

So, that means that a significant part of my knitting a sock involves adapting patterns to a 56 sts, which is not always possible without altering the pattern itself (sometimes majorly) and knit/rip apart/start over again and again, which is frustrating and not as productive as I want. (sigh)

Any small feet knitters in this room with a word on this? <:-)

New!

I know. Long time no post. It is certainly not because I have not knitted or have nothing to say! No, see, it is more due to the scary long lists of projects (socks, scarf, skirt and an emergency shawl!) and traveling to Lake Louise (during which, yes, I did knit!). Since I have 4 ongoing projects at the moment, I found the energy to focus on finishing some of them. The first one is a quick one: a pair of socks!

Yarn

Sea Wool
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

Fleece Artist's Sea Wool
(70% Merino, 30% Seacell)
Colorway: mermaid (hand dyed)

Pattern

The pattern is from the Knitting up a Storm blog and adapted by me (with the help of my sweetie at times) for a women size 7 foot.

Joe's Office sock
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

The verdict

They are so comfy! The pattern makes them stretchy, for a better fit (I hate stiff socks). And I enjoy the nice diamond-shaped pattern!

On the road to yarn/pattern experimentation...

Watching ejchang's blog and photos, I couldn't help to notice some really gorgeous yarn she was knitting with. After inquiring with her, I finally discovered Fleece Artist's yarn. "Not too late!", you might say, but I was completely unaware of their existence and I instantly fell in love with their yarn.

Sea Wool
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

I had my first physical, sensorial, actual encounter with Fleece Artist's products when I had my first visit at Effiloché (mandatory visit for any serious knitter in Montreal, in my opinion!). I caved for a skein of Sea Wool (70% Merino, 30% Seacell) and of Merino yarn.

I started playing with the Sea Wool yarn, using the Bordello Sock pattern. However, after a few inches, I started to realize that this pattern has a basic flaw for socks that bothers me a lot: they are not stretchy (mind you, I knit on the tight end).

I ended up ripping it off (hence the lack of photo of my own), and started again with a different pattern (another post!)

For obvious reasons, I cannot divulge the pattern online. However, I am inclined to give it to anyone who asks for it! Any takers?

post-Toronto knitting vigor

Sock yarn heaven
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

Last June, while I was in Toronto, I visited what I heard afterwards to be the biggest yarn store in North America. Really cool store. It is called Romni and while I was there, I started a really strong yarn envy. I always wanted to try cotton and since it was in the middle of Summer, I felt that knitting cotton made sense, so I went a little crazy and bought a big bunch of cotton skeins.

Spiral sock
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

While I visited Toronto, we were staying at a friend's parents' house. One of our generous hosts was a knitter too and she gave me a copy of an easy sock pattern. I felt that there couldn't any better usage of one of my cotton skeins!

The pattern is taken from a knitting book from the 50's. Very easy to do, no heel to execute, but entertaining and interesting spiral. It has no name, so I'll call it "Spirally"!

Spirally

Gauge: 12 rounds = 1 inch.

Cuff: Cast on 56 sts loosely; divide on 3 3mm needles; join. Work K2, P2 ribbing for 1 1/2 inch (or less, like I did).

Leg:
Round 1 *K4, P4; repeat from * to end; mark end of round. Repeat last round 3 times.
^At beginning of next round K5, *P4, K4; repeat from *, end round P3;
P1 st from next round and mark for end of round; then K4, P4 for 3 more rounds.
Repeat from ^ shifting end of round pattern, 1 st to the left every 4th round until desired length. At this point, try sock on to determine exact length require before toe.

Toe:
K1 round plain.
1st dec. round: *K6; k2tog; repeat from * to end of round; 49 sts. K3 rounds even.
2nd dec. round: *K5, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round; 42 sts. K3 rounds even.
3rd dec. round: *K4, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round; 35 sts. K3 rounds even.
4th dec. round: *K3, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round; 28 sts. K3 rounds even.
5th dec. round: K2tog 14 times; 14 sts. K1 round.

Break off, leaving an end. Draw end through all sts twice, tighten and darn in end.

The Sock is Done
Originally uploaded by dcoombs.

The yarn is Mandarin Petit (color 5200), a Norwegian cotton yarn. Very soft! I like it!

I realized with wonder and happiness as I was knitting it that the yarn I chose was equally spiraling, but in opposite direction than the stitch spiral. Very interesting!

I have instructions for children and men size as well, if anyone is interested. Feel free to ask any questions!

My second (completed) pair of socks!