Year of Projects 8 - Week 05

My Afshari socks are done and they knit up exactly as I'd hoped. So pretty! This pattern has been in my favourites forever, which is a bit surprising considering that it's a lacy cuff pattern which isn't really my thing, not to mention that it's modelled as an ankle sock, which isn't my thing either. But just because the model is ankle height doesn't mean I can't add rounds to lengthen the leg! Isn't that the great thing about making things? You can alter them to suit yourself!

I'm really pleased at how well they fit in Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo. The stretchiness of the yarn really comes to the rescue of the not-very-stretchy cuff patterning. The "Tropical Sunrise" colourway is a very pretty pink/orange/yellow and has a very summery look. And the bamboo fibre makes it a very cool sock to wear. Really, I couldn't be any happier with the result!

The pattern is included in the book Silk Road Socks which I was thrilled to receive as a birthday present from my birthday twin Frieda at RestlessNeedles. The book includes are sixteen sock patterns  of which I hope to knit several through this Year of Projects. It's beautifully photographed with interesting background information about the inspiration for each pattern so it's lovely to just flip through as well.

With everything else off the needles, I spent the remainder of last week working monogamously on my July Paper Bag Project: Gladys in Painted Fleece Merino/Silk/Cashmere. I finished up sock one this morning. It's lovely but wow, is this pattern ever yarn hungry! Sock number one weighs 61 grams! I've got about 58 grams left for sock two, but I've pulled out a 15 gram leftover bit of sock yarn from stash that's a very similar variegated green so I'm confident I can make this work without a glaring yarn substitution. With any luck I'll have another finished pair of socks by the end of the coming week.

So the plan is to finish Gladys this week. Wednesday brings the start of a new month so I'll have another Paper Bag to open and another sock project to start. Geez! August already?! Where did the summer go?!?! Beyond that I've got about 145 grams of Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo left in several different shades that are destined to be knit up as scrappy socks... one really long pair? or two smaller pairs? Decisions, decisions! Whatever I decide they'll definitely be toe-up socks so that every last yard is used up. No point in small amounts leftover as the yarn would not really play well with typical merino-nylon sock yarn.


2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Diamondback Socks - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
      Gladys - using Painted Fleece in Fundip #1 Greens

Full Skeins from stash

      Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
      Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
      Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
      Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
      Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash

      Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
      Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
      Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Bill Huggins - in various scraps
      Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
      Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
      Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
      Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps

Year of Projects 8 - Week 4

For the last few days I've been working monogamously on my July Paper Bag Project: Gladys in Painted Fleece Merino/Silk/Cashmere in beautiful tonal greens. The yarn is knitting up beautifully - no pooling  just lots of interesting variegations and subtle contrasts. The pattern is beautiful too but goodness, that's a lot of seed stitch!

My Afshari socks haven't been ignored. I have knit the cuff of the second sock and started on the plain knitting of the leg. Well I had to, didn't I? Those 2.25mm HiyaHiya sharps were the needles I wanted for the Gladys socks. The rest of Afshari is plain vanilla so it'll be just the thing to knit for the next couple of evenings.

I learned a new trick this week! I discovered that I could take a photo of the charts for Afshari from the pattern book on my iPad - Silk Road Socks - and then share into iBooks as a PDF in order to import from there into KnitCompanion. I'm the first to admit that KnitCompanion has entirely spoiled me for knitting from books or printed patterns; it's just so much easier to keep my place in charts on my iPad. Being able to bring the charts in without needing to fire up the desktop computer, scan the pages and so on? Game changer!!

This week might be quite a productive week knitting-wise. We are finally getting rain which is a relief. We've had several weeks without and things have been dry as a bone. We ran out of water in our rain barrels ages ago so we've been hauling buckets of water from the Lake to water my raised planting beds. The cilantro has bolted, the radishes have bolted, the beans are looking leathery, the tomatoes have withered and none of the seeds I planted have germinated. Too hot. Too dry. Northern Ontario has a number of ongoing wildfires and we've been under complete fire bans in Haldimand County and all the neighbouring counties. The forecast is for rain on and on off for the next few days so hurray for that. I hope Northern Ontario gets some relief soon too!

On Wednesday we'll be home all day without power while we have a whole-home generator installed.   The hydro around here is all delivered by overhead power lines and we are very vulnerable to power failures due to downed trees and branches from storms. Given that our community is sooo small, we aren't a priority for the utility company when they are addressing outages... the crews are sent to larger centres with larger numbers of subscribers first. So natural gas generators are commonplace around here; better safe than sorry. No doubt the weather is likely to be more extreme with climate change de-stabilising the jet stream.

So the plan for this week is to finish Afshari then work on Gladys. I'm resisting the urge to cast on scrappy socks until these two projects are done. Besides, August is coming fast and I'll have another Paper Bag to open and another sock project to start. Time to get some projects on the list done!


2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Diamondback Socks - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
      Gladys - using Painted Fleece in Fundip #1 Greens

Full Skeins from stash

      Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
      Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
      Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
      Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
      Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash

      Afshari - Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn in Peach
      Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
      Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
      Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Bill Huggins - in various scraps
      Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
      Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
      Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
      Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps

Year of Project 8 - Week 3

I did finally finish my June Paper Bag Project - a very simple ribbed vanilla sock loosely based on the pattern Vanilla is the New Black in Nordlys by Viking Yarn in a blue gradient. They are lovely finished socks but oh man, knitting that yarn was painful. I'm very happy they're done. I also very happy to have finished these with a scant three yards remaining so I don't need to be bothered about finding a use for leftovers.

A few days ago I selected another random paper bag for my July Paper Bag Project, and opened it to find a skein of Painted Fleece Merino/Silk/Cashmere in beautiful tonal greens. For a couple of days I played with a design of my own, but it's not knitting up the way I hoped, so now I'm considering ripping out and knitting Gladys instead. As I'm behind in this group, selecting an existing and thoroughly tested design strikes me as a wise plan.

While I pondered all that - and wasted much time mooning over patterns - I've continued working on Afshari using Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock. This really is the perfect yarn for high humidity heat wave knitting! I added 35 rounds of plain knit to lengthen the leg, as the pattern is shown as an ankle sock but I prefer my socks longer. The stretch bamboo yarn is ideal for this pattern as the cuff might otherwise be somewhat inflexible. Even so I knit the cuff on larger needles then switched down to smaller needles as soon as the last purl row of the chart was complete. I've knit the heel flap as written; it features a charming slip-stitch pattern with 2 plain stockinette stitches between each column of slipped stitches.

For the coming week my plan is to finish the first of my Afshari socks and knit at least the cuff of the second sock. I'm wrestling with the notion that I ought to cast on that July project, but I'd much rather knit the bamboo yarn, at least while the heat and humidity stretches on. The forecast is for a break in the weather on Tuesday, so we'll see what happens.


2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Pattern TBD - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
      Gladys - using Painted Fleece in Fundip #1 Greens

Full Skeins from stash

      Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
      Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
      Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
      Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
      Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash

      Afshari - Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn in Peach
      Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
      Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
      Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Bill Huggins - in various scraps
      Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
      Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
      Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
      Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps

Year of Projects 8 - Week 2

Vanilla Ribbed Socks in Nordlys yarn

A couple of people enquired in comments last week about the 2018 Paper Bag Project mentioned in my list for Year 8, so let me explain: it's a challenge within a Ravelry Group called "Canada Let's Swap!" At the beginning of the year participants created 12 paper bags containing projects - new or unfinished - and each month we select one bag at random to complete. I fell behind so I'm still finishing up my June project and have yet to select a project for July.

My June Paper Bag contained a skein of Nordlys by Viking Yarn in a blue gradient. It's a bit of a difficult yarn to work with - single ply, lots of halo, pills easily, thick and thin in sections, very splitty, sticky, impossible to frog and easily torn - so I opted for a very simple ribbed vanilla sock loosely based on the pattern Vanilla is the New Black.

When I started these socks I planned to make them matching however I've abandoned that now. The first sock took 48 grams of 101 grams available so I really don't have any additional yardage to make that work. Besides there was a knot in the yarn resulting in a hard break in the gradation about an inch from the toe of the first sock. Matched socks are not to be! I'm at the heel of the second sock and hope to finish these by the end of the week.

Although I don't generally like to have multiple WIPs, last week's extreme heat made knitting that Nordlys yarn with sweaty fingers extra unpleasant. As an alternative I cast on Afshari using Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock ... a very smooth shiny yarn that was much nicer to knit as the temperature and humidity soared. This "Tropical Sunrise" colourway is very summery and fun! The patterned section at the top of the leg of the first sock is done and now I'm trying to decide how much plain stockinette I want before starting the heel. Fingers crossed that the stretch in the yarn helps that top section stay up!

By next week I hope to make a start on my July Paper Bag and, if time allows, maybe turn the heel on my first Afshari sock. But if the weather stays as beautiful as it has been for the last couple of days, I might be spending all day outdoors in the lake or in the garden instead of knitting!


2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Pattern TBD - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated green yarn

Full Skeins from stash

      Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
      Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
      Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
      Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
      Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash

      Afshari - Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn in Peach
      Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
      Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
      Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Bill Huggins - in various scraps
      Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
      Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
      Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
      Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps

Once Upon A Sock - July 2018

This morning I'm linking up again "Once Upon A Sock" group...

Once Upon A Sock consists of sock knitters who post the first Thursday of every month about sock work in progress. Check out the link party throughout the day today to see the group members who have posted and linked-up. Feel free to join the fun!

I've got two sock projects on the go at the moment, but the one that's getting the most attention is this one.

The yarn is Viking of Norway Nordly's sock yarn. It's not the nicest yarn to knit. It's single ply which makes it fuzzy, sticky, splitty, prone to pilling, easily torn and entirely unfroggable. I've encountered yarn that feels similar - Katia Darling. I knit a pair of socks from that in 2011 with the same problems, but the resulting socks were amongst my favourites. They turned out super comfy and surprisingly hard wearing. They were my first choice from the sock drawer each week and lasted 5-6 years. On that basis, the pain of knitting them might be worth it.

The pattern is Vanilla is the New Black, although I've been terrible about actually following the pattern. I've substituted the stockinette with a K6 P2 K2 P2 rib throughout. And I just noticed that the pattern instructs for increases on either side of the centre of the heel whereas I've done the increases on the outside edges of the heel section. And I'm carrying more stitches than instructed over the instep to keep the ribbing symmetrical and why not, it's ribbing! So yeah, I pretty much didn't follow the pattern at all.

I'm knitting cuff down as that's how the pattern is written, but I think I might invest in the Vanilla Reversed pattern for future use. Knitting toe-up means I can make best use of the yarn to maximize the leg length. With this sock I lucked out though - sock one is 48 grams and I have 51 grams left for sock two so I should make it with very little to spare. Hurray! This isn't a yarn that I want to have leftovers in stash!

Year of Projects 8 - Week 01

Over the last year I've been an inconsistent knitter and an inconsistent blogger so I had some thinking to do before I signed up for another Year of Projects. After some reflection I decided to commit to the group once more and endeavour to be more consistent in my participation.

When I started in Year 1 (2011)  I knit all the patterns in the book Knitting on the Road. I followed up in Year 2 by working through the books Folk Knitting in Estonia and Knitting Vintage Socks. For Year 3 I knit through most of Socktopus and in Year 4 I knit through most of Knit. Sock. Love. For Year 5 I continued with Knit. Sock. Love. plus I worked through the 12 patterns from the Cookie A sock club. In Year 6 I took a bit of a different path - I committed to one pair of vanilla socks from scraps per month and one pair of fancy socks from a different designer per month with mixed results. This past year - year 7 -  I worked from a list of 20 patterns which I wanted to attempt and for which I had yarn in stash. The specificity of the list worked pretty well for me. Despite being an inconsistent knitter and blogger, I completed 15 of 20 patterns from my list.

Which brings me to the upcoming Year 8 and this year's list. My starting point is the intention to knit entirely from stash. So here goes:

2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks

Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn

Pattern TBD - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated green yarn

Full Skeins from stash

Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set 

Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect 

Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn

Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn

Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large Scraps (more than 50 grams) from stash

Small Scraps (less than 50 grams) from stash

Afshari - Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn in Peach
Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
Bill Huggins - in various scraps
Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps

Even if I manage all those socks, there'll still be leftovers - based on that almost 2800 gram total there's enough for at least two dozen pairs of socks - but if I get even half way through my list it's a good start. A Scrappy Lengthwise Scarf or two are still being considered - they're always popular gifts! The end goal is to knit through most of this before I even consider buying anything else. To that end I have been and will continue to avoid yarn shops and fibre festivals; I'd never be able to control myself! But first things first, I need to finish a pair of socks already on my needles.