Year of Projects 04: Marilinda 01

SOCKTOPUS :  Farmer McGregor • Om Shanti

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

Although for KAL timing reasons I probably should have cast on Om Shanti, instead I cast on Marilinda. It just looked like more fun. When I first glanced at the pattern I thought it was a lot of cabling, but it turns out to be mostly travelling stitches. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. I don't mind an occasional cable, but a lot of cabling is... well... tiresome. There are lots of fun charts, with a handful of symbols and corresponding stitch sequences that I have never seen before. That's kinda fun. And the heel flap is patterned; I just love that!

The yarn is Dye-Version stretch bamboo sock which I picked up from a Ravelry destash. I've been wanting to make a pair of socks for my sister, but her skin condition can be exacerbated by wool. I hope the Bamboo/Lycra blend is more soothing. It's interesting to knit. It's soft and a bit slippery with quite a bit of sheen to it. It looks like it wants to worm, but it seems to knit smoothly and the stitch definition is fine. It's not splitty like you'd expect for bamboo, and the lycra gives the bamboo a much needed springiness and stretchiness. So far, so good, other than a stripey-ness that I'm not entirely enamoured with.

I'm not very far along - just the first leg and heel knit - but the pattern actually flies pretty quickly. I just haven't had much time to spend on it. There are couple of reasons...

First, I've got a new computer at work. Thursday I finished the migration from old to new. Friday I spent downloading and updating software. Feels like I entered my Apple ID a thousand times! So far so good though; seems almost everything works exactly as it should. And the new MAC is lightning fast!

Second, I've taken over moderation of a group on Ravelry. It's my first experience with something like this so there's a bit of a learning curve. I've created and uploaded new badges, I've learned how to sticky threads and now I'm trying different things to encourage the participation of the group members. A big thank you to Wandering Cat Yarns for their support in donating a skein of yarn as a prize for our first KAL.

Third, I've been working with my brother to self-publish a series of stories to raise money for the restoration of a historic train station in McAdam, NB. He wrote a Christmas novella which will launch on November 9th ... well, presuming I got the illustrations done and the books printed. Looks like we're on track (lol - a train joke); the files are with the printer and we expect the first samples in the next few days.

Fourth, I've finished the blanket I've been working on since July. The baby is due early to mid December, however as overseas shipping can take 6-8 weeks unless you pay premium rates, my deadline for this was looming. I hope it will arrive to the expectant grandparents in time to gift to the expectant parents at a baby shower in the weeks before delivery. The pattern for the blanket is Sea of Dreams - this is the second time I've knit it and it's just a gorgeous the second time through. The yarn is Baby Cashmerino with I ordered from LoveKnitting.com. My yarn arrived in a sheer organza bag - just the perfect thing in which to wrap the finished blanket. Those adorable little gift tags you see? They're handmade by my friend Jane - her Etsy shop is here.