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 • WedgeNow, where were we? Oh yeah, you guessed it, Stalagmite socks were put aside in favour of knitting the February 2015 Cookie A sock club shipment.
My shipment arrived and I excitedly ripped open the package to find the club yarn was Anzula Squishy in a colourway called "Begonia". The two patterns released February 16 2015 were Pai Mei and Peachy Keen. Admittedly, I was dismayed. I didn't like the yarn, nor was I excited about either pattern. Oh dear. Never mind, maybe I had the February blahs ... maybe I'd like it all better as I knit.The good news is that I did like the Pai Mei pattern better once I tried it on. It's a kinda wide travelling rib. After reading that others found the leg inflexible and difficult to pull over their heels, I decided to knit the large size leg on smaller needles than the pattern called for and then added decreases to narrow the heel flap and added gusset decreases to narrow the foot. Across the instep the pattern travels from the outside of the foot to the inside where it terminates leaving the rest of the foot and toe in stockinette.
If you're thinking of knitting this pattern then a word of warning is in order: the instep chart is LONG! I started my toe decreases immediately after finishing the instep chart, and the sock fits my size 11 feet! If, for instance, you have short and wide feet, you may run into trouble!!As for the yarn, I'm not a fan. Initially I thought it was the carnation pink that was putting me off. And it did. But the yarn base feels "spongy" - I guess that's why they call it "squishy" - and it's somewhat lifeless. Oh, and a bit splitty. And don't even get me started about the number of joins in my skein - five? six? Gah!
So a week passes after I complete the Pai Mei socks, and the entire week I think about the pink colour and how much I hate it. Then inspiration strikes! Two bucks at the Bulk Barn to buy Wilton Sky Blue gel food colouring and it's a whole new ball game! I LOVE these socks now!
Next step is to knit pattern number two - Peachy Keen. Enter that yarn that I don't much like - Rowan Fine Art - for the pattern I don't much like. Okay, after knitting most of one sock, I don't hate the pattern. It's a bit tedious, but it's interesting to knit the gusset decreases across the top of the instep. And the yarn reviews on Ravelry suggest that the yarn plumps up after the first wash, so maybe I'll like it better. Why knit it, you may ask? Two reasons really - I've been wrong about patterns before and it qualifies for prizes. I guess we'll see how that works out for me. And if I finish these soon, I can FINALLY get back to Stalagmite... which I'll like better than any of the above!
9 comments:
I'm not a fan of that orangey-pink either - they look much better in blue.
But I LOVE the yarn on that last sock! Gorgeous!
I've not started anything from my Cookie A Sock Club...I have the yarn, I have the patterns, but I'm so frickin' slow with the sock knitting that it'll take me forever and a day as it is. And then if I have to muck about with altering patterns because my feet are smaller or oddly shaped or......well, crap. ::sigh::
The original color way almost reminds me of my Poll de Shawl. I like it. I like the pattern too.
I liked the pink, but like it blue even more. Good save. As for all those joins? UNACCEPTABLE! I would be writing the manufacturer.
Weird isn't it, how choosing a different yarn can completely change your love for a pattern. To be honest I squeeled a bit when I saw the Pai Mei socks, I love that pattern! Maybe because I have a skein of sock yarn in my stash that would be just perfect for it. Oh well, I'm not a member of the sock club so I'll have to await 2016 patiently :)
Funnily enough, I fell in love with the pattern in the pink :) They look great in blue too though, and are probably a lot more useful that way. But I just love the pattern! So gorgeous. Good to know about the sizing though, as I've already added it to my queue and am waiting eagerly for February 2016 where I can get hold of it myself ;)
(Sucks to live in Denmark - simply can't afford the shipping for yarn clubs :-P )
Inspired with the colour - I like the pink but prefer the blue. Again you have knitted them so well and they seem to fit perfectly.
Wow, what a sock transformation! I really like the look of that pattern.
Great pattern on those brownish socks...the toes peeking out has me smiling though. For some reason it looks really funny to me! You make me REALLY want to get on with knitting some SOCKS!
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