Socks I have Known...

My final Socktoberfest entry...was planning to have it done yesterday but my modem and Blogger were conspiring against me so here it is today:

The socks I have made...

Bernat Sox & Patons Kroy

Hedera

Birch Leaf Lace socks (from A Gathering of Lace)

Pomatomus

Baudelaire - (one down)

RPM - (one down)

Ein Prosit zum Socktoberfest

My sock yarn stash:

(Caveat - The six balls of cotton in the front are not really sock yarn but cotton blends I thought would be fun to make socks with at some point. I suspect that if they don't become socks soon, or if they don't work nicely as socks they will become superfluous stash, perhaps destined to become washcloths or maybe donated to our local thrift shop.)

Five pair of socks in various stages of development that I've been commissioned to finish for my mom's friend. I foresee frogging by the mile!

Not sock yarn stash, but mitten/glove yarn stash. I suspect this will become another obsession! Oh how the extremeties inspire me.

A Tale of Three Evenings

I found this nameless lilac & fuschia bumpy yarn at Knit Knackers a few months back, figured it would end up as a scarf but had no real plan for it. I needed an instant gratification project and with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month I thought it would be appropriate to make a scarf with this yarn. After one ball it was only about a foot long - I didn't have enough to make the scarf I was hoping for so I went stash-diving and came up with nothing that matched but three different yarns that create an interesting contrast when knit together.

I love how it turned out! I want to wear it all the time. I might even go back to those three balls of yarn again to make a matching hat or headband!

(oh - and I decided to be responsible with my time and not partake in the wisdom of Bliss. The lovely Twiss will be there and I'm sure she will share any secrets I need to know!)

Oscillating Wildly

As promised - photos of my first RPM sock:

Details, details - see the twisted ridge?

I decided to make a fun scarf to give my hands a break from 2.25 needles, also just to do some brainless, instant gratification knitting. I started it Tuesday and expect to have it done by tomorrow. I haven't taken pictures yet, but I will when it's finished.

After that it's back to the companion RPM, then the companion Phentex slipper, then probably something fun & quick again and then back to work on the pattern for my boyfriend's socks.

Oh - and I'm considering going to see Debbie Bliss speak at Wool N' Things this Monday. I'm not all that interested in the trunk show aspect of the event, but she will be speaking about fashion predictions and developing design ideas. [It is tempting to go to Wool N' Things just to check out their first shipment of Koigu!] $30 gets me in and fed...should I go?

Stay tuned!

for pics of my most recently finished sock - RPM!

This was truly the funnest, fastest sock I've ever made. I used five dpns instead of the recommended two circular needles but it didn't make much difference. I think I have decided, though, that my next pair of socks will be done on circulars.

I also recently received an issue of Knitter's Magazine I backordered only to have the pattern for these socks I saw on Kristi's blog. I even already have the yarn coming for these socks. I liked working with Knit Picks Dancing so much on the RPM that I've already ordered enough for three more pairs of socks! (I think it's being discontinued so I decided to get it while I can!)

My impressions were probably influenced by the fact that the most recent yarn I had knit with was Phentex. Yes. That stuff that slippers were made of in the seventies. It's back, or it's come out of hiding. I should have gone with my gut and used wool, but it was a request and I love the requester so I thought I'd try it. The colours are fun and vibrant and it looks good in the end I must admit, but it splits like crazy and the texture is terrible and it leaves a nasty taste on my fingers (discovered when I took a chocolate break and started to lick my fingers so I could get back to knitting - yuck!) The slipper, however, looks fabulous and was fast to make and I guess I need to learn to keep my fingers out of my mouth while knitting anyway.

Oh! and had a lovely lunch & knitting chat with Miss Twiss yesterday too. What fun!

Better late than never!

Halfway through the month and I've just signed up for Socktoberfest 2006. I had heard rumblings of it throughout the knitting blogland, but I only just explored it and found that it is "a month-long celebration of socks". Well I have three pairs of socks currently on needles, plans for at least two more, plus I have a bag of five half-finished socks to finish/re-knit for my mother's friend! My life is already a celebration of socks, so I'm in. Can you believe that 1880 people have already signed up?? I guess sock knitting is the new black!

And check out this great image! Considering my propensity for knitting at the Carleton Tavern with beer close at hand...how could I resist?

one down...

What's this?

not one, but two pomatomus socks?

a pair? No. It must be some trick!

Check out the detail on these babies!

Pattern: Cookie A's Pomatomus Socks in Knitty Winter 2005/6

Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino 2/6

My boyfriend thought I should reverse the lace pattern for one sock so that they were a truer match.

Maybe next time.

Knit-It September 21, 2006

Knit It - an artpiece about caring and compassion: Ottawa edition attracted about 18 well-dressed knitters on the cool September day. We gathered under 'Maman' at the National Gallery of Canada and generated a lot of interest from passers-by.

After a half hour the Gallery officials took pity on us and invited us indoors.

The marvelous Tania organized and photographed the Ottawa event.

Here I am (with Miss Twiss).

[My eyes always look closed in knitting action shots - I guess it proves I'm really knitting!]