Beyond KoolAid

Yesterday I took part in a workshop put on by the Downtown Knit Collective as part of their Knitter's Frolic weekend events - Beyond KoolAid. Our instructor, Denise Powell (aka Doctor Knit) provided us with some undyed mini-skeins, roving and fleece and put us to work with food dyes, water, vinegar and a microwave.

My wool/silk mini was immersion dyed using a food colouring gel, and although the colour was named "Burgundy" my result was a bright tulip pink. For my Cascade 220 mini, I decided to experiment with mixing colours so I picked a liquid green food colouring that gave others a light minty green result and added some brown gel to darken it up. My result? A very bright leaf green. Maybe too bright. It's still drying upstairs.

Then I decided it was time to try hand-painting that mini skein of sock yarn. I used three colours - a dark brown-red mixed by the participant two seats north of me, a purple-blue mixed by the participant to my left and that tulip pink I had made up earlier. I arranged the dampened skein on a plastic bag in front of me and dabbed small sections of each colour until the yarn was entirely coloured. Piled damply in front of me it didn't look like much. But after drying it at home and knitting it up on sock needles, it's not a bad effort. I'm calling my colourway "Hydrangea".

If you had asked me yesterday I'd have told you that I had no plans to dye yarn for myself again. It was fun to try it, but it's really not for me. The process was very messy (at least for me) and the results were extremely unpredictable. There was lots of talk of "unexpected results" and "happy accidents" in the room yesterday - which is way outside my control-freak comfort zone. Not to mention that the pervasive smell of warm, damp wool is not something I want in my kitchen. But this morning it occurred to me that in the next few weeks I'm going to need about 25 grams of flesh-coloured sock yarn. It'd be cheaper and easier to dye some natural colour scraps I have, wouldn't it? Because I pretty confident about immersion dyeing a mini-skein but I think I'll keep buying full skeins from all those talented indy dyers out there. Let them experiment and I'll enjoy the spoils of their labour!

Year of Projects 2: Winter Socks 02

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

Knitting Vintage Socks: Gentleman's Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern (1887) • Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch (1889) • Gentleman's Socks with Lozenge Pattern (1895) • Bed Sock in Lemon Pattern Fancy Knit Stripe (1896) • Cycling or Golf Stockings with Fancy Cuff in Trellis Pattern (1897) • Heelless Sleeping Socks (1897) • Child's French Sock in Citron Pattern and Diaper Knitting (1898) • Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Sock for Evening Wear (1900) • Evening Stockings for a Young Lady (1900) • Fancy Silk Sock for a Child of 5 or 6 Years (1900) • Gentleman's Fancy Sock (1901) • Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock with Dutch Heel (1901) • Child's Sock in Miranda Pattern (1904) • Baby's Bootikin (1905)  •  Little Child's Sock (1907) • Infant's Fancy Silk Sock (1909) • Ladies Useful Stockings (1913)  •  Ladies Silk Stockings with Clocks (1914)

While I rewound that skein of Classic Merino Lace from my stash I read the care instructions on the label - handwash and lay flat to dry. That puts paid to any plan to hold it double and knit it into a sock. A handwash-only sock would be worn once around these parts only to spend weeks or even months languishing in the laundry room. Back to the stash to find more machine-washable scraps to knit into this Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock!

The scale says I have plenty of yarn to knit these socks, but after alternating the Kroy sock yarn every other round with scrap yarn down the leg, and after knitting the entirety of the first heel with Kroy I'm nervous about running out of that particular yarn. If you've knit with Kroy before you'll know it's very hard-wearing  - the perfect choice for the heel. If need be, more of the foot and toe can be knit from other sock yarn scraps. That's why I put sock one on waste yarn immediately after picking up the gusset stitches to knit sock two to the same point. May as well know exactly how much of each yarn is left and make them match. Thank goodness for the kitchen scale.

Things are zooming along with these socks now. Although ... with this particular colour scheme, calling them "plain" seems wildly inappropriate. They're pretty loud! Now, I'd better get a few of the chores done ahead of spending the afternoon at workshop called "Beyond KoolAid" where we'll learn to dye yarn with food dyes. It's going to be so fun!

Finished Object Friday

Pattern:  Ensnared

Yarn: Alley Cat BFL by Wandering Cat Yarns in a colourway called "Anne Boleyn"

Needles: size 1 (2.25mm) and size 2 (2.5 mm)

Modifications: none

Comments: It was the unusual gusset construction that first drew me to this sock pattern. My fears that the pattern would be too complicated were entirely unfounded. If anything the pattern is over-explained. Rather than decreasing from the ankle down the side of the foot, in this pattern the decreases are arranged symmetrically on either side of the top of the instep ... and it seems to work just fine.

I was hopeful that knitting all that rib in needles that are larger than my usual sock needles would result in a well-fitted sock. But the finished socks are very small. They fit my friend's size 5 feet, but not my size 11s. Now that I've knit the pattern through once in its entirety, I think the answer would be to add sixteen stitches to the primary stitch count and shift down a needle size. Don't you find ribbing more attractive when it's not stretched too far open?

One more little gripe? Maybe it's the ribbing or maybe the unusual gusset construction, but there's a lumpy part at the front of the ankle just before the decreases start. Any ideas what to do about that?

They're still gorgeous socks though, aren't they?And knitting BFL sock yarn again reminds me of why I love it. This Alley Cat BFL is such a pleasure to knit and it wears beautifully. Pattern designer Hunter Hammersen says the pattern was inspired by the clothing of the Tudor women, so dyers Rhonda and Valerie at Wandering Cat Yarns custom dyed this "Anne Boleyn" colourway especially for the pattern. How fabulous is that!?!

It's another Finished Object Friday over at Tami's Amis. If you've got some time, go have a look. So much to see!

FO: Sarcelle Scarf

Pattern: Sarcelle, finished size: 60" x 14"

Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Lace Ball

Needles: size 2 (2.75 mm)

Modifications: Shortened even section by two repeats to squeak through with one ball.

Comments: Love, LOVE, love the pattern - so pretty and so easy! It's really well written, with increase and decrease sections entirely explained and stitch counts provided for easy double-checking. I think it'd be incredibly pretty in fingering weight too. What attracted me primarily to the pattern is that it's knit on the bias; I wanted to see the colour transitions of this yarn on the diagonal rather than in stripes.

The point of this project was to knit this particular ball of lace yarn in my stash - after binding off the last stitch I have less than a gram left. Why yes, I did play chicken with the yarn all the way to the end, thank you for asking. The finished project is striking but I'm hoping to never knit this kind of yarn again. Why? Knots, breaks, endless sections of thick and thin ... it really was one of the most frustrating balls of yarn I've ever encountered. And it's not particularly soft either, although it's improved after a Eucalan bath.

All's well that ends well though. Linda loves her new scarf, and I like it better than I thought I would. And fortunately Linda's petiteness means that the shortened version is still ample for her.

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

In my spare time at work I've been knitting away at my Sarcelle scarf. Slowly but surely it's coming along but I'm beginning to think that my goal to finish by the end of April was optimistic. Of course, with work as busy as it's been I'm only finding time to knit about six rows a day. Still, in this economy it's better to be busy at work than not.

Last night I hoped to make good progress on my second Ensnared sock while Gavin and I watched an action film on DVD. Turns out I can't knit that lattice band correctly while distracted, and as a result, after knitting and ripping back twice I ended up not much further ahead than I started. The pattern is lovely and it's an interesting effect to have the gusset decreases arranged on either side of the top of the instep, but it's working up small. After determining to rip out one pair of socks this week I haven't got the heart to rip out another. The finished pair will fit my friend with size 5 feet beautifully. My size 11s? Not so much. I've been thinking that I could knit a pair for myself by adding 16 stitches and then switching down needle sizes. I'm definitely considering it.

My African Flower Hexagons are hibernating. The ends are woven in. Now the hexagons are awaiting yarn to add borders and join them. I'm vaguely optimistic that I might find that yarn on discount at the DKC Knitter's Frolic a couple of weeks from now so I've set them aside until then. What colour the joins and borders will be is still entirely up in the air, although I seem to be leaning towards a denim-y blue in my head.

As usual, I'm linking up with the gang at Tami's Amis for Work-in-Progress Wednesday. Well worth the time to visit the posted links and have a look at all the amazing work being done!

Year of Projects 2: Plain Winter Sock

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

Knitting Vintage Socks: Gentleman's Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern (1887) • Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch (1889) • Gentleman's Socks with Lozenge Pattern (1895) • Bed Sock in Lemon Pattern Fancy Knit Stripe (1896) • Cycling or Golf Stockings with Fancy Cuff in Trellis Pattern (1897) • Heelless Sleeping Socks (1897) • Child's French Sock in Citron Pattern and Diaper Knitting (1898) • Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern (1899) • Gentleman's Sock for Evening Wear (1900) • Evening Stockings for a Young Lady (1900) • Fancy Silk Sock for a Child of 5 or 6 Years (1900) • Gentleman's Fancy Sock (1901) • Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock with Dutch Heel (1901) • Child's Sock in Miranda Pattern (1904) • Baby's Bootikin (1905)  •  Little Child's Sock (1907) • Infant's Fancy Silk Sock (1909) • Ladies Useful Stockings (1913)  •  Ladies Silk Stockings with Clocks (1914)

Last week I finished the socks I had been working on - Gentleman's Sock for Evening Wear. My blog post is here, but the gist is that I didn't like the finished socks and will likely be ripping them out to salvage the yarn for a pattern that might better suit.

Since then I've been trying to work through some of my other WIPs. I've got a pair of Ensnared socks on the needles that will likely be complete in the next few days, and a Sarcelle lace scarf on the needles that I'm hoping to finish by the end of the month. If you've fallen off your chair in shock, reading that I am knitting something other than socks, then the full disclosure is that I'm trying to knit through the last two skeins of lace yarn in my stash as part of my challenge to Surmount the Stash 2013.

In that vein I've been giving a lot of thought about what to do with a skein of Classic Merino Lace from Knitting Notions in a colourway called Pumpkin Spice. The skein is less than 400 yards so it wouldn't make a full size shawl or scarf. But ... I could hold it double and match it up with sock yarn scraps in my stash to make a striped vanilla sock, couldn't I? And socks don't get much more vanilla than this Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock. Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Now I just need to find time to cast on!

Finished Object Friday

Pattern: Gentleman's Sock for Evening Wear

Yarn: Sock Luck from Studio June Yarn

Needles: size 1 (2.25 mm)

Modifications: Shortened ribbing of cuff, shortened stockinette section below cuff, skipped one repeat on leg to squeak through with one skein.

Comments: I want to like these socks but I just don't. I love the yarn but I think it's too thin for this pattern and the resulting fabric is too lightweight. This yarn would suit size 0 (2mm) much better I think. And the pattern? Meh. It's mostly a vanilla sock and the lace pattern down the front of the sock is not very attractive. Big wavy purl ridges that aren't really my thing. The socks are in time out until I decide what to do. Mostly I think I'm going to rip them out and salvage the yarn for a different pattern. I'm just working up the nerve to start ripping.

It's a blustery, stormy, rainy Friday. I'm linking up with the gang at Tami's Amis. Take a minute, grab a hot cup of coffee and go have a look at the parade of finished objects there!