Sunday, August 26, 2018

Year of Projects 8 - Week 09

After ripping back and restarting the heel of the second Venetian Blinds sock, I got on a roll and finished the pair. I was able to squeak out an opposite but matching sock two with a scant few yards remaining. Although my plan involved knitting toe up so that I could weigh my starting yarn and calculate exactly where to bind off in order to maximize efficiency, that plan was derailed when I forgot to weigh the yarn at the very beginning. Luck was with me though; i wouldn't have done much better by calculation!

They are lovely finished socks, despite all those ends to weave in! A fellow Raveller remarked about the colour combo looking "beach" which I can totally see. Both are muted shades but there's still enough contrast for the graduated stripes to pop out. The Shelridge 80/20 Merino yarn is quite smooth and nicely twisted so the stitch definition is very good.

So that's my Paper Bag Project for August complete. And that's me caught up in that group too. By this time next week I'll have selected my September bag and made a plan for that. I'm tempted to cheat and make sure it's that unknown red yarn as that would suit a test knit I've signed up for. I wouldn't even have to look since the remaining bags are so differently shaped that it's not too hard to guess what's inside. The fullest bag has 4 balls of Lang Jawoll Superwash. The emptiest bag has 2 balls of CoBaSi. The flattest bag has an uncaked skein of Songbird Fibers. Yeah, I think I'm gonna select the red yarn... and now it seems almost silly to wait until August 31st but rules are rules.

With nothing left on my needles, I went ahead and cast on Nain. The plan here is to use 90-95 grams of the remaining 160 grams of Dye-Version Stretch Bamboo Sock yarn from my stash, leaving myself enough scraps to knit some very colourful ankle socks to finish it all up. I've cast on the medium size (72 sts) and am working the leg on 2.5 mm needles. Based on the suggestions in the pattern and after reviewing other projects on Ravelry, I opted for a larger needle size than my usual for the leg. This pattern definitely bunches up and the fabric is somewhat contorted, so I think the larger needles are needed for ease. Even so, the leg looks quite small and the pattern is proving to be very yarn-hungry. That's okay - these are intended for a thin-legged, tiny-footed friend. Maybe by next week I'll have a completed sock for her to try?

2018 Paper Bag Project - 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
      Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
      Diamondback Socks - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird

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
          Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
          Nain - using large scraps of Stretch Bamboo in light blue
          Jelly Rolls - using all the leftover Stretch Bamboo in various colours




    9 comments:

    Wanderingcatstudio said...

    Love the Venetian Blind socks!

    Ruth (the-habitual-creative) said...

    I love how the Venetian Blind socks turned out Lynn! Very beach like but yet still enough contrast to see the stripes. Nain are looking good but I can definitely see how yarn hungry that pattern would be!

    Anonymous said...

    Congrats on the beautiful finish. I love when you can use your yarn down to the very end, although it can be a little nerve wracking.

    Becki said...

    Those Venetian Blind socks are terrific! I love that they are opposites. They turned out beautifully! And you've given me an idea with your grab bag socks projects. I've thought it a fun thing for you to do, but couldn't imagine myself sticking with something like that. I'm still not sure I have the stick-to-it-iv-ness, but I may just give it a go with another theme. I'll see if I can get it together and write about it next week. And, if so, I'll give you credit. :) Even if I bomb, you still get the credit.

    Stefanie said...

    OMGosh, I love your socks! They are so neat and I like the fraternal twin look. Did you carry the yarn up so you didn't have so many ends to weave in? I like the looks of your next pair. You are the sock queen. I've been wanting to try toe up again because I feel knitting the foot takes longer than the leg.

    Leftycrafter said...

    Your Venetial socks turned out great. I loke the pattern on the new ones you jave started. Red socks! I dont think I have ever seen red socks on ANY blog. How fun. DO IT!

    JustMagicMaria said...

    Oh my! Your Venetian Blind socks are perfect. (Totally my colors.) And your new cast on is such a stunning pattern. It's really amazing how there can be such a variety in character in socks. Your small-footed friend is lucky!

    Kat @ felinity knits said...

    I've been enjoying watching your progress on these - I love the colours you chose and think they work beautifully. Congrats!

    Sam I Am...... said...

    Those socks are the greatest! I can definitely see the ocean and the sand colors...no doubt about it! I like the name too...very fitting. The next ones are pretty too and the design looks interesting...love those colors.