Karen's Retro Rib Sock Cuffs

Last week I was on steroids for my jaw ache and as soon as I tapered off the pain came back worse than it was. My jaw is not healing from the surgery I had last spring, so I'm going to have additional surgery on Friday.

Do I need a new blog post label "Dental agony"?

Working on a pair of socks for Karen to send off with brother Dave's huge red wonders. I would like to get these mailed out before Dave and Karen's Oregon winter is over.







Pattern: Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn Clark in Winter 2004 Interweave Knits.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Woodgrain.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

The Apicoectomy Excuse and Start of Metro

Brandywine is done. To be more specific, the knitting is done. I only need to sew up the side seams, weave in the ends, and block it. Last week I told myself I would do that before casing on Metro.

But I have a jaw ache. Not just a little jaw ache. It's the kind of jaw ache where you occasionally need to remind yourself it's not a good idea to blow your head off. It's the kind of jaw ache that requires simple, soothing, knitting for the moments you can stand to knit.

So, I cast on Metro. It's wonderful, mindless knitting at this point and I have about six inches done.



Tomorrow morning I'm scheduled for an apicoectomy at the endodontist.

If you don't know what an apicoectomy is, consider yourself fortunate. I didn't know either until yesterday morning.

If you do know what an apicoectomy is and have horror stories about you or someone you know who had one, please keep your stories to yourself. I'd love to hear about successes, though.

I do know I've been told to have multiple ice packs on hand and I've been promised post-operative pain, facial swelling, and possibly bruising. And I may not want to talk for a few days.

I'm looking forward to this. Really. My jaw hurts so much now that the promise of improvement is worth the ordeal of getting there. It's very possible the post-operative pain may be less than the pre-operative pain, and if I look swollen and awful I may get extra sympathy and maybe even ice cream.

Brandywine Back

I debated. Knit it in one piece and have easy finishing? Or, knit it in pieces and have easy knitting? I felt like knitting the pieces one by one, so that's the way I'm doing it. Since I'm never happy with the look of sewn in sleeves, I may sew the fronts and back together and knit the sleeves top down in the round.


The back is unblocked, but I have a blocked swatch to give me confidence the sweater is going to look nice when it's done. And, hopefully fit.

Pattern: Brandywine

Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss DK, 70% Merino wool 30% silk.

Color: Woodland Sage.

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 31 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette.

What's Wrong With Your Head, Girl?

I've been feeling totally blah for the past three weeks, so last week I decided to rest and see if I could heal myself. Instead of feeling better, I got splitting headaches every afternoon.

I kept thinking I would feel better soon, but it didn't happen. Yesterday morning the headache didn't wait until afternoon, and the only decision I needed to make was whether to call the doctor or the dentist.

Knowing I had an appointment in two weeks to have a crown replaced because of underlying decay, I decided to try the dentist. Good choice. To make a long story short, I ended up having a root canal yesterday. Even though my jaw is still a little sore, I feel much better.


While suffering and recovering, I started a pair of Zauberball socks for Mom.

The long color blocks gradually merge one to the next. I knew I could never get the socks to match exactly, especially not while my head was throbbing, so I just split the skein in half and started knitting.

This is the wildest pair of mismatched socks I've ever knit. Looking at the balls you can see that the cuff colors of one sock match what's going to be the foot colors of the the other sock.

Mom asked for socks out of this yarn, but I'm not sure she expected this. If she never wears them out of her apartment, I'll understand.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 64 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: Zauberball.

Color: 1155.

Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Vest Knitting Update

There hasn't been much time for knitting the past several weeks. I do manage to get in a few hours each evening and more on the weekends, so the two vests I'm working on are making good progress.


The silver lace vest is ready to have the shoulders joined with a three needle bind off. Then the ribbing around the neck and sleeves will finish it up.

Pattern: Oversize Lace Top by Deborah Newton, published in Spring/Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting.

Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss. 70% Merino wool, 30% silk. DK weight.

Color: Robot. (Silver gray)

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 5.5 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch in pattern.



When I'm tired and don't feel like reading lace charts for the silver vest, I pick up this vest and knit round and round. The stitch patterns are easy to follow without looking at a chart and the yarn slides smoothly on and off the needles until I fall asleep.

I've been tired a lot lately, so I'm only an inch and a half from the front-back split. Then I'll have to decide what kind of arm opening and what kind of neckline I want and I'll have to stay awake while I shape them.

Pattern: Basic V neck (probably, unless I change my mind when I get there) vest. Making it up as I go along.

Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll. 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon. Sport weight.

Color: Cocoa.

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch in pattern.

Black Monday

Moving on to the next family birthday and pair of birthday socks. Little Sister Carrie asked for Vegan acceptable socks in black or navy. I bought some of each color and am tackling the black ones first.

Notice I didn't pick out an intricate stitch pattern.

The cuffs were pretty easy. I knit slow because the yarn is splitty and the splits aren't easy to spot in the black. Now it's time for the heels. The gusset pickups are going to require some intense lighting, but then it should get easier again.

Dear Carrie, When you read this, take it with a smile. The fun part of knitting black socks is complaining about it. Love you. :-)

I want to knit these socks or I'd take the "out" you so kindly offered when you remembered I said I was never going to knit black socks again.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 56 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: Panda Soy. 49% Bamboo, 33% Soy, 18% Elastic Nylon.

Color: 3202, Jet Black.

Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch


Just because this post needs some color.

Silver Lace Top Progress

I'm having fun knitting this vest just knowing that there aren't going to be any sleeves. Changing stitch patterns seem to make the knitting go faster. Just as I start to get bored, it's time to do something else.

This is the front. Everything below the armhole was knit in the round (deviation from the pattern), so the back is almost as long as the front. It will be done soon. After I take a break to finish John's birthday socks.

Since I overbought yarn yardage, I was thinking of making it a sweater. The final decision has been made. This will be a vest following the pattern as written except for knitting things in the round whenever possible.

Pattern: Oversize Lace Top by Deborah Newton, published in Spring/Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting.

Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss. 70% Merino wool, 30% silk. DK weight.

Color: Robot. (Silver gray)

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 5.5 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch in pattern.


Do you get the impression the neckline of this cover sweater may have a few problems that couldn't be fixed long enough for a picture to be taken?

Or is the model doing a breast self-exam on the cover of Vogue Knitting?

Silver Lace Vest Started

I've been enjoying the changing patterns in this sleeveless top, and it's been getting most of my knitting attention for the past few days. That's going to end Saturday when John's birthday socks get top priority so they aren't late.

One of the reasons I picked this project is because I wanted a break from knitting sleeves. Now I'm starting to think there might be enough yarn for some sleeves. Right now I'm knitting the body in the round. I'll evaluate and make the sleeve decision when I get to the underarm split.

If I don't use up this yarn a few skeins will sit in my stash for years with no project in mind.

So far I haven't deviated from the pattern except to knit the body in the round with faux side seams.

Pattern: Oversize Lace Top by Deborah Newton, published in Spring/Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting.

Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss. 70% Merino wool, 30% silk. DK weight.

Color: Robot. (Silver gray)

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 5.5 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch in pattern.

My Yarn Talks to Me - Part 1

This Oversize Lace Top by Deborah Newton, published in Spring/Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting, was on the top of my what-to-cast-on-next list. Because of my age I plan to wear it over a cotton knit top.

It just happens I have a bright orange turtleneck that I love but needs something to tone it down - like covering up 70% of it with a more subdued color.


I love rich browns. Now that my hair is mostly white, brown is not a good color for me. I miss brown in my wardrobe and reasoned that I could wear brown over bright orange.

Next thing I knew there were eleven skeins of rich brown Knitpicks sport weight Stroll in my mailbox and I was ready to swatch.


The results were ugly.

The yarn spoke to me:

"I am a substantial yarn in a tough color. I do not want to be an oversized lace top that needs to be knit in a lighter yarn in a pastel color.

I'll give you washability, good stitch definition, and warmth. Now you find a suitable pattern to make a vest that suits my personality."

Who am I to argue with eleven skeins of yarn?

Note to the curious.
Sport weight Stroll is 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon. This color is a very rich, warm brown called Cocoa.

Stroll Sport would make great washable children's wear. While it didn't like being lace on #5 needles because the gauge was too firm for good drape, I think it would make lace on #7 or larger needles.

Working on the Red X Gansey

While my mind is whirling about what projects I want to knit next, my hands are working on finishing up projects that have been sitting around for a while.

This Red X Gansey has been waiting many months for some sleeves. Now the first sleeve is done and the second sleeve started.

No stopping now until it's finished it I want the sleeves to match. I took good notes on the first sleeve but my knitting notes tend to lose their meaning when left sitting around too long.


Here's an underarm view of the faux seam and the little gusset.

Pattern: Basic gansey template. Picking stitch patterns selected from various stitch collections.

Yarn: Knitpicks Cotlin. 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen. DK weight.

Color: Moroccan Red.

Needles: Options #3.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 8.5 rows/inch in pattern.

Simple Socks

Sydney's socks got mailed to Idaho over a week ago.

Pattern: Basic cuff-down sock on 48 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: JojoLand Melody superwash wool, fingering weight. Selected by Sydney.

Color: MS28, purple

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.


After Sydney's socks were gone, I needed something easy to knit when tired and/or braindead so I started a pair of BFF socks with the Knitpicks Stroll I bought to fill out an order.

This is the first time I've used Stroll. I'm testing it out for sock suitability so the socks are for me.

The socks have three tests to pass:

1. Is the yarn nicely spun and pleasant to knit? Yes.
   
2. Does the yarn feel good on my feet and wear well? To be determined.
   
3. Do the socks machine wash and dry and still look decent? To be determined.

I've mentioned before how much I like Cookie A's BFF pattern for utility socks. Now that it's winter, I have another kudo for BFF - the cables make the socks thicker and warmer.

Pattern: BFF by Cookie A. 56 stitch size.

Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll, handpainted sock yarn.

Color: Kindling Tonal.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

Pointelle Cuffs Done

This is the picture (above)of the sock pattern Pointelle in the book Knit.Sock.Love by Cookie A.

I'm showing the book picture because my pair in progress don't look all that pretty yet.


Here are my Pointelle cuffs viewed from the front.

Like most lace, they're going to need a little blocking before they're at their most beautiful. I always try to knit my socks with a little negative ease so blocking involves stretching them out by putting them on my feet.


This is the back. There's a right sock and a left sock, mirror images of each other. The stitch markers designate the left sock.

Pattern: Pointelle from Knit.Sock.Love by by Cookie A. Size small.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Old Rose.

Needles: Options 2.25mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

Sydney's Semi-Purple Yarn

For the past few years there has been an extra gift bag in the Christmas box from Idaho labeled "Mom birthday". Son John, DIL Anne, and granddaughter Sydney go to a yarn store and all pick out some yarn for a pair of socks for themselves and Sydney picks out yarn for a pair for me. (This year my yarn is Clifford Red.)

Anne's birthday is January 10, and some years I actually get her socks knit and in the mail by then. This year there were complications. The yarn she selected wasn't suitable for socks, she decided she would like a scarf instead, and I needed to find and order two more skeins in order to make the scarf long enough.

Figuring the dye lots were going to be different (they are), I didn't want to start the scarf without all four skeins. So, I decided to start Sydney's socks.


Sydney picked out her favorite color, purple. A very pretty skein indeed. Someone told them one skein would be enough for a five year old, but Sydney is four feet tall, needs her socks 48 stitches around, and wears a size 1 shoe. I didn't think one skein was going to make it.


So, I ordered more yarn. Four skeins of more yarn figuring there might be a dye lot problem with the Idaho skein and I may want to knit the socks from two of the new dye lot skeins. Then I planned to knit Sydney a matching scarf with the Idaho yarn plus a two more skeins of new yarn managing dye lot challenges by knitting double stranded.

Surprise! The new four skeins arrived and there was pink and blue showing!

For a second I thought they sent the wrong color. But no, the label color was the same as the Idaho yarn. Then I dug down into the Idaho skein and found pink and blue under the visible purple.


The color bands are very long. I'm knitting Sydney's scarf first to get a feel for how they go.

I want to get everything done and in the mail ASAP so socks and scarves can be worn before Idaho winter is over, so Idaho knitting is top priority.

I'm going to go do some of it now.

Pattern: One-Row Scarf by the Yarn Harlot.

Yarn: JojoLand Melody superwash wool, fingering weight. Using two strands held together.

Color: MS28, purple

Needles: US #7.

Snow, Squirrel, Socks, and Snow

It finally happened. The nice weather ended and the excessive Lake Effect Snow we've been promised has begun.

Lake Michigan is warmer than usual this year and that has supersized the Lake Effect Snow we're getting.

Even 20 miles east of us (and 20 miles further inland from Lake Michigan), they're having much less snow and they even had some sunshine today. Not here.

Sunday I drove to church on slippery roads. When I left home, I told DH I would be careful and drive so slow the people behind me would hate me. I did drive slow, but no one hated me. They didn't want to drive any faster either.

On the way home I drove through two different whiteouts and it was so slippery my car would hardly steer. Corners were taken at about 5 mph. At least I had enough sense to stay off the interstate where they had the same problems and less control of their vehicles. Six miles south of home on I-94 was a 25 car pileup and there were several other interstate chain pileups reported.

The weather forecast is for this to go on and on for at least another week and pretty much for the rest of the month and into January until the lake cools off. After that we'll just get "normal" Lake Effect Snow.


I've been shoveling snow and I'm tired and weather stressed, so I've been knitting on simple socks. These are for me to wear in my boots and around the house to keep my feet warm. Plus, I wanted to use up this yarn.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 60 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: Trekking 172.

Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Dave's Socks Done, Gail's Cuffs Done

My Christmas sock knitting is ahead of schedule and under control.



I have no sock blockers for Brother Dave's shoe size 14.

It's important to really really like the yarn I use for his socks, because I'm going to be knitting on it a long long time. It takes almost twice the amount of yarn I use for pair of socks for myself. So, I'm celebrating having these socks done in November.

Pattern: Basic top down socks with a k5p1 ribbing on the cuff and instep.

Yarn: Opal Rainforest 6, Color 4005, Baronesse Bambalina.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.



Last pair of Christmas socks are for doggy school teacher Gail. They may get done by the end of November as well.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 64 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: Regia.

Color: Kaffe Fassett 4255.

Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Red Cotlin Gansey Progress

I had fun browsing through stitch pattern books for the next two patterns in the Red X Gansey.



The trees are a classic gansey stitch pattern. The stars in the top row are from The New Knitting Stitch Library: Over 300 Traditional and Innovative Stitch Patterns Illustrated in Color and Explained with Easy-to-Follow Charts.



I've reached the point where the circular knitting ends.

The back is still on the needle, the front is on a heavy cotton yarn. I can't knit anymore until I figure out what stitch patterns will be on the top front and top back.

The entire sweater is constructed by picking up stitches. No seams except the three needle bind off on the shoulders.



The gussets are half knit. The gusset stitches are on hold until the sleeve stitches are picked up. Then the decrease half of the gusset will be knit as part of the sleeve.

Pattern: Winging it for now. Unofficially naming it the Red X Sweater.

Yarn: Knitpicks Cotlin. 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen. DK weight.

Color: Moroccan Red.

Needles: Options #3.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 8.5 rows/inch in pattern.

BFF Socks Done, Dave's Socks Started

One pair of Christmas socks done. Two pairs to go.

The picture has been lightened up just a little so the cables show.


In a previous post there's a picture of the slick way Cookie increases between two knit stitches in the ribbing and four stitches in the cable.

Here is a picture of decreasing back to two stitches when the cable ends. Those two tricks are one reason why I admire this pattern.

Pattern:BFF by Cookie A. 64 stitch size.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: After Midnight.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.


Knitting socks for Brother Dave is a long term commitment. He is tall and he has long feet.

The cuffs are done and I'm ready to start the three inch heel flap.

Pattern: Basic top down socks with a k5p1 ribbing on the cuff and instep.

Yarn: Opal Rainforest 6, Color 4005, Baronesse Bambalina.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

Sweater Judgement Day

Today, finally, I pulled out three sweaters that have been sitting in time out, considered their potential, and passed judgement.

Sweater #1, the Hedonist Redo Sweater.
Named Hedonist Redo because it is being knit with Hedonist yarn that was frogged from a previous knitting disappointment.



The sweater body was knit in the round. This is the back.

The body is done, the shoulder seams are knit, all that's needed is two sleeves.

I procrastinated knitting the sleeves because it was summertime and sleeves aren't my favorite thing to knit. But knit them I will. This one's a keeper and I'm almost looking forward to finishing it.

Pattern: A basic pullover. The border across the top of the back and front is Pattern #177 from The New Knitting Stitch Library by Leslie Stanfield.

Yarn: Hedonist Sock from Slackford Studio, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, 4 Ply Fingering Weight

Color: Cote d'Azur

Needles: US #4, 3.5mm

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 9 rows/inch in stockinette.

---

Sweater #2, the Red X Sweater.
Named Red X sweater because the yarn is red, the stitch pattern has an X in it, and I didn't know what the rest of the sweater was going to look like so I named it after what I knew.





When I started this sweater the plan was to knit a gansey with some intricate stitch patterns on the top part. I selected this knit/purl pattern as the background filler pattern, started knitting, and then did several skeins of swatching to find something for the top that looked nice with the knit/purl pattern and the deep red yarn.

I was unable to find anything that stood out as just the right thing. The knit/purl background pattern is a little to busy to play well with others at this gauge.

At nine inches I tossed the sweater aside for lack of a plan to finish, and it's been sitting in a basket for over a year. Good grief.

I like the yarn, I like the knit/purl pattern, I want to finish the sweater. I'm going to draw up a plan and finish the sweater mostly with the knit/purl background stitch. There may be a few accent places knit in a variation of the knit/purl stitch. I'm looking forward to having it done and wearing it.

Pattern: Winging it for now. Unofficially naming it the Red X Sweater.

Yarn: Knitpicks Cotlin. 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen. DK weight.

Color: Moroccan Red.

Needles: Options #3.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 8.5 rows/inch in pattern.

---

Sweater #3, Vines and Leaves.



Last time I saw this sweater I had knit the sleeves and the sleeves didn't fit in the sweater body. This was my fault, not the pattern. I had modified the arm hole when knitting the body and forgot to alter the sleeves.

As pretty as it is/was, I decided I was never going to enjoy this sweater. I have one other Cotlin sweater with sewn in sleeves, and the seam is very thick and nasty looking. I'm done knitting heavy cotton blend sweaters with set in sleeves.

There are other parts of the pattern that suggest they may not hang nice once the sweater is finished.

The sweater is gone. It has been eliminated from my knitting life with no regrets. Please don't ask what I did with it. Some things I'd rather not confess in writing.

Pattern: Vines and Leaves cardigan from the May issue of Creative Knitting.

Yarn: Knitpicks Cotlin and I'm getting exact stitch gauge and row gauge with US 5 needles.

Color: Planetarium. (Navy)

Needles: Options #5.

BFF Revisited and New Sock Yarn

These socks deserved better than yesterdays inadequate picture taken with the flash. The picture above was taken in daylight and shows the true richness of the yarn color. It's still difficult to see the cables because of the dark color.



This close up picture was lightened so you can see the beautiful way Cookie A. transitions between the cuff ribbing and stitch pattern. A k2 in the ribbing is crossed and double knit to create four stitches for the start of the cable.

The decrease back to two stitches where the cable ends is just as ingenious, but I'm not there yet.

Pattern:BFF by Cookie A. 64 stitch size.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: After Midnight.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.



I bought two skeins of the After Midnight thinking I'd use it for Brother Dave's socks. Then he called a few nights ago and asked for multicolored socks with "violet". That meant I had to buy more sock yarn. Darn.

This is Opal Rainforest 6, Color 4005, Baronesse Bambalina.



Someone always asks where I buy Opal. Simply Socks Yarn Company

Trekking Socks Done, BFF Started

These are for me. I wore them to church on Sunday with gray slacks, a gray turtleneck, and my barn red Hanover Jacket.

Pattern: Basic sock on 60 stitches with a k3p1 ribbing on cuffs and instep.

Yarn: Trekking 176.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.



I'm still adjusting to being off Daylight Savings Time. The late afternoon when I'm in the habit of taking knitting pictures isn't going to work anymore, so I had to use the flash.

I tried to edit the picture, but nothing helped to make it clearer. The picture is almost useless except to prove that I've been knitting some sock cuffs. I promise a better shot when the socks are done.

The BFF pattern is perfect for gift socks because it's based on a ribbing pattern so size doesn't have to be perfect for the socks to fit.

The pattern has three sizes, 56 stitches, 64 stitches, and 72 stitches. I have a pair knit with 56 stitches that fit my narrow feet perfectly. Or maybe it's just the illusion of perfect because of the ribbing.

These socks are for Karen with normal width feet, so I'm using the 64 stitch pattern.

Pattern:BFF by Cookie A.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: After Midnight.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.