Year of Projects 4: Wedge 01

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

Were you expecting more woeful news about Stalagmite socks? Nope, not today. They're done and got their own post here. So I'm moving onto Wedge socks.

As soon as it appeared in the pattern database I favourited this pattern, and I've been really, really, really looking forward to knitting it. For a while I thought I'd pick a solid colour yarn, or a subtle tonal, but then I looked through the project photos and saw this, and this, and this. Hmm, I think I want to go bold here. And then I got a couple of balls of Waikiwi Natural Prints from a fellow Raveler and my plan came together! They're gonna be awesome! (I hope) The plan is to cast on the first sock today or tomorrow.

In the meantime I did cast on and knit the first Chalcot Sock. It's a beautiful pattern - a bit fiddly with lots of twisted stitches - but the pattern eats yarn. I knit the large size for the leg, knitted it a bit longer as usual, lengthened the heel flap as usual, added gusset increases to narrow the foot and then knit to fit my size 11s as usual. The first sock weighs 52 grams, leaving 50 grams for the second sock. Uh oh. My current plan for the second sock is to shorten the leg slightly, shorten the heel flap slightly, and then if necessary I'll rip back the toe of both socks to squeak out a pair from the yarn that remains.

The No-Purl Ribbed Scarf is getting longer and longer. I haven't managed six inches a day (maybe half that on average) but it'll still be done and off the needles by this time next week.

This morning I decided to wind all the skeins of sock yarn in my stash. A couple of years ago I received a Boyes Electric Ball Winder as a birthday gift. In January I bought myself an umbrella swift. And more recently Gavin switched the power supply for the winder since I complained to him that it was a bit underpowered. Now winding cakes is awesome! In fact with the new power supply I need to wind at about half the maximum speed or it'll take my arm off.

Turns out I have ten full skeins in addition to the shoebox full of sock yarn scraps and the yarn for projects already on needles.

That variegated skein in the bottom left is from Studio June Yarn  - a colourway called "True North" - that I think will be destined to become Monkey Socks which are still on my YoP list.

The orange-y red skein in the middle was specifically purchased with the Delias Eucharist Sock pattern that I received as a gift last month - the finished socks might end up as a birthday gift for a certain someone!

The brown "Truffle" coloured yarn that's second from the left in the bottom row might end up as BFF socks - a masculine pattern in a masculine colour suitable for another birthday gift on my list, and another pattern on the Yop list.

The turquoise skein near the top is destined to be knit as a Rachel Coopey pattern for the March/April Sock Sampler KAL on Ravelry. Which pattern though? I can't quite choose between Crenate, Thornfield and Arkin. Nancy's Mom has asked for ankle-to-lower-calf socks so these three seemed like good choices. But which one? Opinions welcome!

Looking at the "Clay" colourway from the Black Lamb on the right side of the second row from the top, it's being considered for Sake. I think that yarn with that pattern might also be masculine enough for another birthday gift. And yes, it's another pattern from the YoP list.

The rest of the yarn is not yet allocated, but early in April I expect the second shipment from the Cookie A sock club. Chances are I'll knit one of the two patterns in the Club yarn, and then look to the remaining stash for the second pattern.

Decisions, decisions!