Year of Projects 8: Week 15

This past Monday I pulled a paper bag from the diminishing pile to find the yarn for Feny Socks as my October 2018 Paper Bag Project. These socks promise to be interesting - the legs and insteps are worked flat in Mosaic colourwork starting from provisional cast ons, grafted into tubes and then joined with cuffs, heels and toes worked in the round.

I'm eager to get started however I don't have the needles I need! My shorty sock DPNS won't cut it for this. I checked Amazon however I am loathe to pay as much as the needles are worth in shipping. Instead I'm trying to give some thought to when a purchasing opportunity may coincide with my schedule next week. There's a Lens Mill Store in Port Dover - that might be do-able as the KIA needs an oil change at the dealership in Port Dover. Also there's a Wal-Mart in Simcoe that I drive past on my drive to and from the cat rescue, so that's my back-up idea.

After knitting scraps for the last several weeks I'm also excited about casting on this gorgeous Jawoll sock yarn. I just love both these colours and I hope I love them just as much in combination. In general I have to guard against overly conservative matchy-matchy colour choices, so here I've tried to make sure I have lots of contrast.

Inspired by @danaraeknits' Christmas themed Monster Socks in greens and reds, I've pulled red, green and white yarn scraps and cast on. I'm using the pattern Stash Buster Spiral Socks, and WOW is this brilliant for using scraps! You carry three different yarns throughout the leg and instep, but each yarn is knit across a needle (or two) until you meet the next yarn - no stranding, no fuss, no bother. The result is these perfect stripes in three colours. How festive is that! I had been considering buying some Christmas themed sock yarn but these socks have entirely satisfied that urge. Who knew that such a festive pair of socks was hiding amongst my scraps?

I'm using Russian joins to connect one scrap to another so there won't be a dreadful amount of finishing at the end. I expect to squeak out a pair before running short of white and red, so these festive socks won't be repeated. After knitting the section around the heel I decided to eliminate that red yarn from the remainder of these socks... it's somewhat thicker than the other sock yarns and as a result is overwhelming the white and green that its knit with. I'm leaving it as knit - these are, after all, Monster Socks and que sera, sera.

We're headed to my sister's place later today for a Thanksgiving dinner, so I hope to complete the first sock and start the second on the car ride back and forth. I expect to be knitting these monogamously, at least until I find needles for Feny. The KAL continues until October 31st. Just pick your scraps or minis and post with the hashtag #monstersockkal2018. 

Poor Nain! Still ignored!

2018 Paper Bag Project - November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Diamondback Socks - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird

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
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Nain - using large scraps of Stretch Bamboo in light blue
      Jelly Rolls - using all the leftover Stretch Bamboo in various colours