Sunday, March 25, 2018

Year of Projects 7: Week 39

  • Merripog Socks - 5% complete, using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Turquoise & Life in the Long Grass Sock in Storm.


With sock one off the needles I was keen to finish up sock two for my Gschnitztal Socks, in no small part because the pattern was hard work and Second Sock Syndrome was threatening. Better get 'em done before I succumbed to temptation and cast on something else.

Hard work, yes, but the pattern was very much worth it. I absolutely love them! The twisted stitches are fiddly, but bright pointy needles and non-splitty yarn in a lighter colour made it much easier.

Hey, did you notice how my legs look oddly different colours in that first picture?! Now that's an interesting trick of the light! I can only wish that my legs were as warmly coloured as the one on the right - horrifying winter white is sadly more accurate.

I updated my Ravelry page with the finished project and almost immediately the designer sent a request to feature my photo on her pattern page. That's quite a compliment I think! I also posted to Instagram and tagged her, as well as posting in a private Facebook group "Addicted to Sock Knitting". If Cambridge Analytica or their ilk are mining my online profile info they're going to be bored to death by salad and yarn photos. Let's see what they make of that!

While on Instagram I noticed that the indie dyer behind Songbird Fibres has cast on Leyburn Socks for herself, perhaps inspired by the pair I completed a couple of weeks ago. That's quite a compliment too!

So despite the dangers I think I'm going to carry on with my social media for the moment. Going forward I will put more thought into:
 • not tagging locations unless it adds to the post
 • not clicking through on posted links
 • not participating in any online polls, quizzes or games, not that I ever did
 • not authorizing third party access to my online info and/or using Facebook to log into anything else
 • getting my news from reputable journalistic sources rather than Facebook
 • exercising healthy skepticism about what I see posted online

It probably comes as no surprise that I decided on a mostly vanilla sock for my next project. I love those little bits of colourwork in Merripog socks, but other than a three rounds of colourwork towards the toe and a colourwork cuff these are essentially vanilla socks. The pattern is written with an afterthought heel in the contrast colour but I don't think it adds anything so I'm omitting it and planning an FLK heel in the main colour instead. Full disclosure: I'm reverse-engineering these. Normally I don't mind purchasing a pattern, but to my way of thinking it's just too simple a pattern to fork over $8 CDN. So I'm adding stitches to the chart to increase the stitch count too. Both yarns I've selected are light fingering weight yarns, so it'll be 2.0mm needles and 72 sts. Finally, the pattern is written cuff-down but I'm going to knit it toe-up so that I can make the leg longer without fear of yarn chicken.

If you were wondering about my MKAL socks, they're still in time out. Clue 3 has been released but I'm staying on the sidelines awaiting spoiler photos from other knitters in order to decide my way forward. So far I'm leaning towards frogging both socks and abandoning ship. Heel option 1 is german short row garter heel which I dislike almost as much as the garter toe. The heel cup looks quite shallow and has a kind of weird puffiness at the decreases in the spoiler photos I've seen so far. No spoiler photos of Heel option 2 yet, but it's also german short rows as far as I know. Ugh... I'd better leave those socks in a bag out of sight for now.

It was -14 with the windchill this morning, but there were Robins hopping around in the yard, so that's a hopeful sign. I CANNOT WAIT for Spring, but wait is what I must do. Around these parts frost risk continues through to the end of May so I'll have to control all my gardening urges for a while yet. At least the days are getting longer and the sun is feeling warmer!


9 comments:

Gracey is not my name.... said...

They are lovely! The only social media, besides blogging and Ravelry that I'm really on is Facebook and Instagram. I do have them linked, but they are also owned by the same company.

I have taken a few quizzes, but never any that told me I had to log in with my Facebook account. It was always too much of an effort, because I have several passwords and could never remember my Facebook one.... I won't take any now....

I'd delete Facebook, but it is the only way I am in touch with several extended family members...and I'd hate to lose that...

Have a great week.

Lucy Bowen said...

They are splendid, in perfect colours. I love the way the light make things look.

Leftycrafter said...

How exciting for your socks to have so much recognition. If the designer wants to feature them on her page, than you did fantastic by her.

I can understand why you would want a more vanilla sock after those. There was quite a bit of 'fancy' work on those. Looking forward to seeing them next week.

Stefanie said...

These socks are amazing! The stitch pattern is like intricate ironwork. Congrats on asking to be featured. That is always a fun thrill.

Anonymous said...

Your socks are simply gorgeous!!!!

Steve and I were laughing about white skin the other day. We have lost our Florida tans completely and now we may just be the whitest people in Pennsylvania. LOL

Spring? We had SNOW this morning!!! It didn't amount to much, but it WAS snow!

Becki said...

That is a great compliment to be asked by the designer to feature your Gschnitztal Socks. They are beautifully done, and the color is stunning.

Sam I Am...... said...

What an accomplishment and they are gorgeous. I love cables of all kinds. You did a beautiful job with them. I didn't know you were on IG. I am but I can't post pictures because I don't have a cell phone of any kind....I know...how do I exist without one? I'm going to try something called Grumble that allows you to post pictures from your pc without a phone. Are you Minding Your Own Stitches on IG too? Have a great week and yes, Spring is coming. When I lived up North we never planted before Memorial Day except for potatoes which went in on Good Friday. Stay warm and cozy!

Stefanie said...

Thank you for sharing the great flavorings you use for your oven roasted veggies. I have to stop by TJ's today to pick some more up before I get the kids.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

The Gschnitztal Socks are a work of art!