Year of Projects 8 - Week 05

My Afshari socks are done and they knit up exactly as I'd hoped. So pretty! This pattern has been in my favourites forever, which is a bit surprising considering that it's a lacy cuff pattern which isn't really my thing, not to mention that it's modelled as an ankle sock, which isn't my thing either. But just because the model is ankle height doesn't mean I can't add rounds to lengthen the leg! Isn't that the great thing about making things? You can alter them to suit yourself!

I'm really pleased at how well they fit in Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo. The stretchiness of the yarn really comes to the rescue of the not-very-stretchy cuff patterning. The "Tropical Sunrise" colourway is a very pretty pink/orange/yellow and has a very summery look. And the bamboo fibre makes it a very cool sock to wear. Really, I couldn't be any happier with the result!

The pattern is included in the book Silk Road Socks which I was thrilled to receive as a birthday present from my birthday twin Frieda at RestlessNeedles. The book includes are sixteen sock patterns  of which I hope to knit several through this Year of Projects. It's beautifully photographed with interesting background information about the inspiration for each pattern so it's lovely to just flip through as well.

With everything else off the needles, I spent the remainder of last week working monogamously on my July Paper Bag Project: Gladys in Painted Fleece Merino/Silk/Cashmere. I finished up sock one this morning. It's lovely but wow, is this pattern ever yarn hungry! Sock number one weighs 61 grams! I've got about 58 grams left for sock two, but I've pulled out a 15 gram leftover bit of sock yarn from stash that's a very similar variegated green so I'm confident I can make this work without a glaring yarn substitution. With any luck I'll have another finished pair of socks by the end of the coming week.

So the plan is to finish Gladys this week. Wednesday brings the start of a new month so I'll have another Paper Bag to open and another sock project to start. Geez! August already?! Where did the summer go?!?! Beyond that I've got about 145 grams of Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo left in several different shades that are destined to be knit up as scrappy socks... one really long pair? or two smaller pairs? Decisions, decisions! Whatever I decide they'll definitely be toe-up socks so that every last yard is used up. No point in small amounts leftover as the yarn would not really play well with typical merino-nylon sock yarn.


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
      Diamondback Socks - 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

      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