Knitting Log for June 9

Boy, was I wrong on this one.

The Tropicana sock pattern in the June Magknits was not perfect for my Opal Rose Hips.

Yes, the stitch pattern shows off the short color repeats. Yes, the cast on was 55 stitches. But three of the four pattern rows are knit on 85 stitches. As you can see in the picture, the top of the cuff is so big it doesn't even fit snug on the fattest part of the sock blocker. I knit this on #1s, the pattern calls for #2s which would be even bigger.

There is no stretch to the stitch pattern and no ribbing on the top of the sock. See me holding the top flat because it curls?

I'm never happy wearing a rigid stitch sock. They don't stay up. If they're snug enough to fit my leg, it's hard to put them on over my instep. This sock is getting the gong.


I cast on a second sock in Rose Hips using the Basketweave Ribbing pattern over 56 stitches.

I've used this pattern twice before with Opal Handpainted yarn and it works well with the short color repeats. Some of the colors in Rose Hips are only a half inch long.

This stitch pattern is a go. I'm going to frog the Tropicana, cast on a second Basketweave ribbing, do a little on each cuff, and pack them to take to Idaho next Friday.


Pattern: Grasshopper. Making it up as I go along. Original inspiration was the Larkspur Lace Pullover in the Spring 2005 Cast On, but no part of Grasshopper is exactly the same as Larkspur.

Yarn: Knitpicks Andean Treasure, 100% baby alpaca

Color: Lagoon

Needles: Addi Turbo #3

Gauge: 6.25 stitches/inch, 8.5 rows/inch

Once I get my trip socks started and packed away, I'll go back to knitting on my soothing alpaca sweater. Sure hope I like wearing the Andean Treasure, because I love love love knitting with it.

This sweater needed a name. I've started calling it Grasshopper because it's green and it jumped into my knitting lineup when it wasn't expected.

When designing my own pattern, I like to knit several pieces simultaneously to avoid ugly surprises at assembly time.

The sleeves (not shown here, click on link to see) are knit to the underarm. Actually, one sleeve is completely finished, but I think it's too long and will need to be frogged back to several inches before the current armhole shaping.

In this picture, the short piece is the back and the longer piece is the front. I decided not to put the eyelets in the lower ribbing. Eyelets up toward the neckline are a possibility. As I said, I'm making it up as I go along.


FLAK Status
The FLAK Aran is still sitting in a knitting basket waiting to be finished.

I can justify this by saying that Janet hasn't published the final installment for neckline ribbing and finishing yet and I'm almost ready for it. Also, this is just not the season to be wearing a tightly knit wool Aran sweater.

If you are kind, you won't tell me it's also not the season to be wearing a 100% alpaca long sleeved sweater.