Year of Projects 4: Hedera 01

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

As I told you last week, this is not first go around with the Hedera pattern. I cast on a pair a couple of years ago from the pattern on Knitty, but I didn't like how lacy they were knitting up and ripped them out.

Fast forward a couple of years ... just as I'm considering casting on Hedera again I stumble across a forum post on Ravelry where a knitter asks for advice about closing up the YO holes on either side of the spine on a triangular shawl. And when another knitter suggested working the YOs through the back loop on the next row I knew I had my answer. I just can't believe how well this little trick has worked! I love these Hederas now!!

It's a very easy and easily memorized four row pattern, but very effective! I worked the leg up to the heel flap on 2.25 mm needles and then switched down to smaller needles for the rest of the heel and the foot.

My socks are posed in my front garden where you can see the first new growth of my daylilies. If the weather continues warm and sunny things will green up in the garden pretty quickly. Can't wait for t-shirt weather and leaves on the trees!

Year of Projects 4: Wedge 04

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

It's crazy how much I love my Wedge socks! Admittedly it was the pattern I first favourited out of the entire book, but really it's nothing more than a pair of vanilla socks with a bunch of garter stitch short rows wedges. And I'm not normally that keen on the homespun simplicity of garter stitch. Can't explain it!

I suppose how perfectly the variegated print of the yarn plays with the pattern might have a lot to do with it.  I've had my troubles with variegated yarn, and mostly avoid it as being more trouble than it's worth, but this pattern really comes to life with the variegation. Besides, they are lime green, kelly green, forest green and a lot of other fabulous greens. Did I mention that green is my favourite colour?

Caffeine Girl Creates mentioned that she struggled to translate the appearance of the yarn in the skein or ball to how it knits up in her post here and I can totally relate. That's where I find Ravelry such a help. Before casting on Wedge, I skimmed through the project photos to determine what yarn choice might work best. And I scanned the project photos for this yarn to get a sense of what I might expect. The homework paid off huge in this instance. The main pattern photo is a solid coloured yarn - and I probably would have played it safe with something similar before seeing all the glorious pairs of variegated Wedge socks!

Back to the pattern: it's super simple. Knit these and you'll be able to W&T in your sleep. And thanks to the short rows there's very little purling. No need to pick up those wraps either as the garter stitch and the busy yarn fill in any little holes. I knit the medium size throughout, although I snuck down a needle size after completing the heels to snug up the foot. They fit perfectly!

I've already cast on Hedera Socks and will have something to show you on that next week. Truth be told I started a pair of Hedera socks a few years ago but ripped them out because I didn't like how holey/lacy they were knitting up. Once again, Ravelry to the rescue! Just the other day I was breezing through the forums when I saw an idea that might just do the trick for me. But more on that next week.

It's finally FINALLY spring! I rolled down the car windows. I turned off the furnace and opened the doors to let in some fresh air. And now I'm headed outside to tidy the garden. Have a great day!

Year of Projects 4: Wedge 03

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

The first of my Wedge socks is finished and the second is well on its way but not quite done. I seemed to have lost a few weekdays into a black hole after three hours in the dentist's office on Tuesday. About a week and a half to go of munching on not-sticky, not-crunchy, not-chewy, not-hot, not cold food before I get my permanent crown. Can't wait!! But never mind that, why don't we agree that I show you my finished Wedge socks next week?

The entire week wasn't a write-off though. I did finish the No-Purl Ribbed scarf and my Chalcot socks. The last half of the scarf was extremely tedious - perhaps that's true of all scarves? - so it was a relief to get it off the needles. I hunkered down and knit the full 72 inches before casting off.

Chalcot Socks on the other hand, were a very engrossing knit. Lots going on, lots of charts, lots of counting and lots of twisted stitches. And yes, some very bent metal needles after all those K3togs! I love the finished socks though! After weighing the first sock I realized I was going to be short on yarn for the second, so I shortened the leg by four rounds and shortened the heel flap by 4 rows. That did the trick; I finished sock two with a couple of yards of yarn to spare. And you'd have to really look to see the difference!

Once I finish my Wedge Socks, I'm planning to cast on Hedera. The decision came down to the fact that I just can't face another pattern with tons of cables, charts or twisted stitches right now. Hedera looks like a quick mindless knit, and that's just what I'm in the mood for at the moment. Besides, I'm so far behind on my Year of Projects that knocking a few quickies off the list would go along way to boosting morale. I'd really like to knit Rhombus too, but I'm picturing them in a royal purple or navy blue so they might wait until after the Knitter's Frolic and a bit of yarn shopping.