a touch of sunshine

Its been good and cloudy here in Western PA for the past couple of weeks, November can be such a sucky month when it comes to weather. Sometimes we’ve had a bit of rain, others some snow. Overall though the sun hasn’t shown itself very much, and gosh I miss it! Every once in awhile the sun will peak out from behind the cloud and I’m fighting the cats for the sliver of sunshine! Not only am I thankful that our next week forecast is calling for more sunshine (and a bit more warmth) but I finished these fantastically orange socks a few days ago and I’m loving them because they are like a burst of bright orange sunshine!

pattern: Marigold Socks by pamela wynne
size: 54sts
yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock – Mediumweight colorway: sunstone (birthday gift from Mike 2 years ago)
needles: US1.5 (2.5mm)
started: June 9, 2008, they sat for awhile while my newly reclaimed sock mojo waned
finished: November 17, 2008
raveled: here

mods: because I just can’t make things easy for myself I knit these top down and reversed the chart. Because, well, the pattern was written for toe up socks and I was knitting them the opposite the way! I thought that by reversing the chart they would match the designers socks. Its way too hard to describe on such little sleep right now. I’m sorry, but basically the decreases are upside down then if I where to knit them toe up. (I think. sooo sleepy!) I used a short row heel, and changed the pattern on the foot.

Its darn cold where I live, and socks that have lacy bits on the foot are chilly when I wear them with my favorite shoes. I knit 7 rows then knit a purl row on the foot. I’m not exactly sure how I like it or not.
However. I do like how these socks turned out! Everyone should have a pair of orange socks, really everyone. They are so cheery, like a touch of warm, bright sunshine!

Stitches was lovely, it’s always nice to catch up with old blogging friends. I didn’t get much time at the market, but was still able to pick up a few lovely’s before I made my mad dash to the car. See most of it on flickr. Overall it was a great trip and it was nice to spend some time with Mike sans kids.

Advertisement

hello, mojo….

sock mojo that is. For so long my sock mojo was fazzizalled, cuput, nada, zip. It was hibernating, and I’m so thankful it wasn’t dead. Back in December I started these socks for my sister-in-law Kelly. Just a vanilla sock, with a short cuff. Nothing big. She wanted something that would match her work clothes tan and blue. I saw Sheepaints at the Sweetsheep and got a hank in the surf colorway. I wound it up into one big ball and then split it into two smaller ones….

raveled here
I CO 64sts using a US 1 (2.25mm) and knit 2×2 ribbing for 3.5″ before working the heel and then knit for a bit before working the toe. (I took really good notes, huh?) I knit the sock on the left first, which I will now refer to as “bad sock”. You know sometimes with handpainted yarns you get the funky pooling or flashing. *grumble* All the tan seemed to be on the top and all the blue was on the sole of the bad sock. But the other sock, it was so good and it striped beautifully. And my sock mojo left halfway through the 2nd sock. It languished forever. Before I forced myself to finish it. And I did, sometime in April I think. You know just in time for the nice warm weather… Kelly still was grateful for her socks. She’s so cute. She wants another pair.

My sock mojo came back with abandon in June. I started casting on with abandon. First my inverted Marigold socks

pattern: Marigold Socks
yarn: socks that rock in medium weight Sunstone colorway
needles: US 1.4 (2.5mm)
notes: I CO 54s, and am working the sock top down. I’ve reversed the chart so my row 1 is row 7 on the chart.
raveled here.

and then for more socks on the go, just in time for GS camp. When I arrived I had only knit about 1/2″ surprisingly there was a fair amount of downtime that I got to knit. Several of the girls watched me for a bit and so did the adults.

pattern, its really more like a recipe. I CO 64sts using US 1 (2.25m) needles knit k2, p2 for 15 rows knit straight until the heel. Either I’ll work a slip stitch heel or a short row. Then knit until I’ve reached about halfway to my pinky toe, then work a standard toe until 16sts remain and graft shut.
yarn: yarntini variegated sock in cosmopolitan that Mike got me from yarn4socks
notes: this sock lives in the car, so it doesn’t see much action.
raveled here.

Even though I have 3 sock WIPs right now I want to cast on for a cowl. But I must finish my secret knitting. Mike and I will be in the car for a while tomorrow as we travel down to Richmond, VA (again.) Hopefully then I can caston for a new project finish my secret knitting…