Friday, December 30, 2011

Heinz 57 socks

uh oh, more snow

I've signed up to Surmount the Stash in 2012, and as I inventory my stash I've come to realize that I have a large volume of sock yarn scraps. More scraps, in fact, than full skeins of sock yarn by weight. Many of these scraps are 50-100 yards - not enough to do anything with on their own. Any plan to surmount my stash has to include some ways to use these scraps ... and so the idea of Heinz 57 socks was born.

I've made a good start on the first pair. The cuff, heels and toes are being worked in a solid dark blue. I bought a few balls in a few solid colours of On Your Toes 4ply merino/nylon blend for just this purpose at a store closing sale last summer. The leg and foot of the sock are worked by alternating several rows in four different blue/grey shade yarns - some Kroy jaquarding yarn, some Kroy self-striping yarn, some Regia Design Line yarn and some Regia Extra Twist Merino. By the end of the second sock at least two of these yarns will be completely used up. I've been using Russian joins at colour changes and letting those colour changes happen where they may - usually within a stitch or two on either side of the beginning of the round. Can't stand the idea of finishing with hundreds of ends to weave in!

And yes, that is an RC Helicopter beside my sock. It's a very fun birthday present - thanks Mark - but so far I totally suck at flying it. Thank goodness it's sturdy, having survived a first day of some pretty terrible landings. That's just one of the things I'll be doing this weekend besides knitting: logging practice flight hours.

5 comments:

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Love the scrappy socks!

Dave has one of those helicopters - with a few hours of practice, you'll be a pro. Dave was, and the cats were NOT amused.

MarkWWNB said...

Mark, Patti and Marlee Marie, of course. Happy landings!

Typstatting said...

Why not make a hexie puff blanket out of your scrap sock yarn you can get the pattern at tinyowlknits.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

They are turning out beautifully. It looks like the yarn was dyed that way.

Happy flying! I once did a simulation flight of the space shuttle where DH works. I landed very well --- except I was upside down.

Guess my career with NASA is doubtful.

Alittlebitsheepish said...

Your sock looks super, from the photo I would not have guessed you were using multiple yarns for the main part of the sock