SOCKTOPUS: Totally Vanilla • Kandahar • V Junkie • Kwalla • Farmer McGregor • Shur'tugal • 2luvcrew • Vorticity • Rumpled! • Crowley • Om Shanti • Mince Pie Mayhem • Hundred Acre Wood • De Stijl • Fiori di Zucca • Caretta Caretta • Spring Shoots
My Kandahar socks are done! And a lot of the credit for that has to go to the Knit Companion app on my iPad; I wouldn't have nearly as comfortable picking up and putting down the needles at any point in the 16 round repeat without the app keeping track of where I was at all times.
In last week's post I shared my frustrations about the pattern. It's a lovely pattern - as long as the width of your feet are about average for the length of your feet. I couldn't find a way to make them fit my long, narrow feet at all.
For this week's post I want to talk about the yarn for a minute. I purchased Elann A-Series yarn sight unseen online because it was so reasonably priced and so well reviewed. So much truth to that old adage "You get what you pay for".
The yarn is labelled as "sport weight" but to my way of thinking it's more like a heavy fingering; on the needles it reminds me of Kroy sock yarn. And it's not soft ... not at all. In fact it seem kind of rustic and scratchy like Noro or Briggs & Little. Now I'm no expert on dying but it seems to me there ought not be noticeable stripes of grey and pink with occasional red slubs in a solid colourway either.
After knitting a pair of socks I've concluded that the yarn is a good bargain for utilitarian hiking or boot socks, but not soft enough or nice enough for much else. Nancy said she'd want them, so I'll be handing these socks over to her. As knit, they're too big for her but they might fit her after a first wash. Despite being labelled "superwash", the yarn is very hairy and sheep-y smelling - I'm skeptical about the superwash claim as well. Once through the wash the socks might be a couple sizes smaller. And maybe a bit softer too!
Next on my Year of Projects list and in my Socktopus KAL is the pattern V Junkie. This is another one of the patterns in the Socktopus book that holds little appeal for me, so despite all my b#tching about the yarn I plan to use it again for this next pair of socks, but this time in blue. We'll see ... maybe I'll like the pattern more once I start knitting it :)
In last week's post I shared my frustrations about the pattern. It's a lovely pattern - as long as the width of your feet are about average for the length of your feet. I couldn't find a way to make them fit my long, narrow feet at all.
For this week's post I want to talk about the yarn for a minute. I purchased Elann A-Series yarn sight unseen online because it was so reasonably priced and so well reviewed. So much truth to that old adage "You get what you pay for".
The yarn is labelled as "sport weight" but to my way of thinking it's more like a heavy fingering; on the needles it reminds me of Kroy sock yarn. And it's not soft ... not at all. In fact it seem kind of rustic and scratchy like Noro or Briggs & Little. Now I'm no expert on dying but it seems to me there ought not be noticeable stripes of grey and pink with occasional red slubs in a solid colourway either.
After knitting a pair of socks I've concluded that the yarn is a good bargain for utilitarian hiking or boot socks, but not soft enough or nice enough for much else. Nancy said she'd want them, so I'll be handing these socks over to her. As knit, they're too big for her but they might fit her after a first wash. Despite being labelled "superwash", the yarn is very hairy and sheep-y smelling - I'm skeptical about the superwash claim as well. Once through the wash the socks might be a couple sizes smaller. And maybe a bit softer too!
Next on my Year of Projects list and in my Socktopus KAL is the pattern V Junkie. This is another one of the patterns in the Socktopus book that holds little appeal for me, so despite all my b#tching about the yarn I plan to use it again for this next pair of socks, but this time in blue. We'll see ... maybe I'll like the pattern more once I start knitting it :)
11 comments:
You always have beautiful socks, even when you're unhappy with the elements that go into them, so that's something to take comfort from I suppose... but honestly, isn't life too short to knit with yarn you despise?
Great looking socks what a pity though they couldn't be adjusted to fit you, I hope they'll be happy in their new home and shrink and become softer on washing. Looking forward to seeing if you end up liking either the yarn or pattern of the next pair more and I really really can't wait to see what's going to be on next years list.
The socks look gorgeous and you can't see the oddities in it's colour (not on my screen anyway!) At least you can tick them off and can be gifted!
They look great - too bad they were such a frustrating knit. I bet they wash up super soft though!
They LOOK great. It is hard to knit with sock yarn you don't love, though. Ask me how I know that??? LOL
They look wonderful from here but if you can't wear them that's a bummer. Thank you for the heads up about the yarn(s) too.
I loved the story you told about your sister over on Ruth's blog. Too funny!
I hope you have better luck with the next pair.
lovely socks, I have that book, I must try out some of the patterns, instead of just looking!
Somehow, you manage to make every pattern and yarn you pick up turn into gorgeous socks.
I have mixed feelings about soft sock yarn. It feels good, but I find it often doesn't hold up.
Sorry that the yarn turned out to be not what you'd hoped , but gotta say those socks are awesome . Perfect colour for the pattern . Nice !!
These really look good. The stitch pattern is eure candy. Sorry you couldn't get them to for you but glad you found a suitable home for them.
I agree with cleancup! There are too many great sock yarns and too many great sock patterns to knit either that you don't love.
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