Socks and cats
100 degree temps (plus humidity, of course) are not terribly conducive to knitting. All I can manage to deal with right now is socks. And cats.
Putting the Mad Color in Mad Color Weave. This is Nate’s Koigu, which looks about 87% better in the skein. This photo is flattering, in real life looks quite barfy. And it’s pooling, so it’s more colorful barf on one side, and more pinky-peachy on the other. I’ve already frogged this, twice - first it was too loose on US2 needles, then I mistakenly reknit it on US1. US1.5 will be perfect, really.
The Yarn Pirate socks! Started in February and abandoned because stockinette tubes are boring. Also, the stitches were all stretched around the ankle area, so I increased before the heel and decreased afterwards, which fits perfectly. You can see the stretching in the right sock above, which has already been frogged back to the heel. This is the first of my lagging UFO list, which I’ll be posting here over the next week to guilt myself to actually finish lingering projects. Once the heat dissipates.
And yeah, that cat isn’t Joe. That’s a stray that we’re maybe sort of feeding, mostly because he’s the boyfriend cat of the stray cat that we’re really feeding. Yes, we’re going to rent a trap and get both of them fixed, even though I’ve been musing about what cute kittens they’d have. We’re calling them Blackie #2 and Blackie #3. Not that we’ve named them or anything.
I’ve also solved all of my short-row heel problems by picking up the wraps a different way. Above right: bad, gappy heels. Yuck. Above left: pick up the wraps the wrong way - it’s mentioned briefly in the misocrafty tutorial, but you pick up the wraps from right-to-left, which essentially twists them as you pass them over the knitted stitch. The twisty wraps create the diagonal seam lines, which I’m learning to love. Twisted wraps also means no holes, and this is my go-to heel method from now on.
One other reason for all the socks? I want to buy some Wollmeise sock yarn, now. My original knit-from-stash decree says I can’t buy yarn until I knit three pairs, and I’m being a good girl by following my own advice. The Ironwork Socks count as #1, and I hope to have these two pairs done by the end of the month.
Ooh, also, I rock! I’ve been nominated as a
by Sew-Mad, Soknitpicky, and Emilee. Yay! I’m not going to nominate 5 people, because you all? You rock. Even the boys.
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I don’t think that sock looks barfy! It looks a great pattern. Well done on your award!
I can’t even tell that that color looks barfy. hahahaha. That pattern is fabulous!
You’ll have to post more pics of that Koigu because I don’t think it looks barfy at all! And I love the heel striping on your socks!!! Picking up the wraps the right way is the key. It’s so hard for me to do with anything but lace needles. I find I need a super sharp needle to pick up the wraps and then k3tog.
Love those stockinette tubes, but I know how tedious they can be. And I agree with the other posters about the socks not looking barfy, but Koigu is truly either gorgeous or hideous inho…
I kind of like the barfy socks… :) but then again, you didn’t show both sides….
Good for you for fixing the strays - the world doesn’t need more kittens! (even though they would probably be super cute!)
you go on your socks. I so want to order some Wollmeise also, but I’m trying to resist.
I like the barfy socks too! I also really like the way you do your short-row heel. I’ll have to give that a try.
Thanks for the tip on the heel! I can never do a short row heel without holes.
Great idea to get some old socks finished up. The Wollmeise will be a very nice reward :)
I feel your pain on the pooling Koigu, but they look pretty good in the picture. And I’m loving those heels–yours are the second I’ve seen, and they’re just divine!
Nice heels! Too bad about the Koigu, hope something else works better.
Haha, I saw that first picture, and was like, “sweet beer cozy!” I guess I just have a one track mind when I see a nice amber bottle like that ;) And bummer you’re not loving the Koigu, it seems like their stuff can be hit or miss a lot of the time. The problem is that it’s just so enticing in the skein, you can’t help but buy it!
I kind of like the idea of a Koigu beer cozy hmmmm. And good for you on the trap/neuter/release thing. We’re in the process of doing that right now with some kitties near my friend’s office. But that kitty doesn’t look feral–he looks cuddly and like he needs a better name than Blackie :)
Aww, hi Joe’s twin!
Thanks for the link to the no-holes short row tutorial. Very good to know!
hmmm…barfy koigu colorway? i’m not so sure about that…
but i do know that the stitch pattern you chose is really great! Blackie looks really cozy in that felted bed in the background! :o)
and the yarn pirate socks have really nice stripey heels! and i’m definitely going to try misocrafty’s non-holey tutorial. i tried someone else’s non-holey short row tutorial and i didn’t like it so much. your heels look really nice though so i’ll give them a try! :o)
yummmy…..wollmeise!!!
and those yarn pirate socks stripe really nicely in general, all over the sock! i’m impressed! but i really like the heel stripeyness. :o)
good luck with the stray kitty situation. blackie #2 and #3 sounds like a good start though! how does silver feel about all this? and Blackie #1?
Yes!! Buy Wollmeise!!!!
And I need to try picking the wraps on my short-rows differently next time I’m doing one. :-) Thanks for the tip!
i second elem with the wollmeise. it rocks! ;)
too bad the koigu isn’t working well… the colorway looks lovely.
I don’t know if it will help if your heart is already set against the yarn, but I really fell in love with it when you posted your Leyburn swatch. So much so that I knit three pairs of wristwarmers using the (adapted) pattern, and bought up six more skeins for future projects. And I don’t even like pink! But even if you never reconcile, they’ll be great for a swap someday, right?
NOt barfy at all!