Year of Project 8 - Week 3

I did finally finish my June Paper Bag Project - a very simple ribbed vanilla sock loosely based on the pattern Vanilla is the New Black in Nordlys by Viking Yarn in a blue gradient. They are lovely finished socks but oh man, knitting that yarn was painful. I'm very happy they're done. I also very happy to have finished these with a scant three yards remaining so I don't need to be bothered about finding a use for leftovers.

A few days ago I selected another random paper bag for my July Paper Bag Project, and opened it to find a skein of Painted Fleece Merino/Silk/Cashmere in beautiful tonal greens. For a couple of days I played with a design of my own, but it's not knitting up the way I hoped, so now I'm considering ripping out and knitting Gladys instead. As I'm behind in this group, selecting an existing and thoroughly tested design strikes me as a wise plan.

While I pondered all that - and wasted much time mooning over patterns - I've continued working on Afshari using Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock. This really is the perfect yarn for high humidity heat wave knitting! I added 35 rounds of plain knit to lengthen the leg, as the pattern is shown as an ankle sock but I prefer my socks longer. The stretch bamboo yarn is ideal for this pattern as the cuff might otherwise be somewhat inflexible. Even so I knit the cuff on larger needles then switched down to smaller needles as soon as the last purl row of the chart was complete. I've knit the heel flap as written; it features a charming slip-stitch pattern with 2 plain stockinette stitches between each column of slipped stitches.

For the coming week my plan is to finish the first of my Afshari socks and knit at least the cuff of the second sock. I'm wrestling with the notion that I ought to cast on that July project, but I'd much rather knit the bamboo yarn, at least while the heat and humidity stretches on. The forecast is for a break in the weather on Tuesday, so we'll see what happens.


2018 Paper Bag Project - July, August, September, October, November and December

      Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
      Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
      Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Pattern TBD - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
      Gladys - using Painted Fleece in Fundip #1 Greens

Full Skeins from stash

      Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
      Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
      Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
      Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
      Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn

Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash

      Afshari - Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn in Peach
      Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
      Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
      Squircle Socks  -  in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
      Bill Huggins - in various scraps
      Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
      Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
      Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
      Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps