e c r s in a n n e marching along the elephant trail

e c r s

Ta daaaa! Here they are...Completed ribbed socks in Schaefer Anne. I made my DH try them on...oh they looked great. "Too Girly." Cripes. Well, I think it's amazing that they fit the both of us. And they surely aren't too girly for this old lady.

Two nights in a row now, the temp has gone below 70 degrees F. THAT means, one of these days, I'll be able to actually WEAR a pair of these new socks that I've knit this summer. WHOO HOO!

schaefer anne o t n

elongated corded rib in schaefer anne

Just started. No elongated corded ribs yet...just 2x2 cuff ribbing. However...I'd like to report that this handpainted yarn is marvy. 60% merino wool superwash, 25% mohair, 15% nylon; 560 yds/4 oz. Schaefer Anne is sold in a big fat hank. It's just impossible for me to figure out what a yarn will look like until I make a pull ball and start to knit.

Soooooo, I was a little bit surprised when this yarn showed itself to make a simple striped pattern. The shades of rust and peach and brown, indigo and slate...are so wonderfully subtle, I imagined that the pattern would be a little more freeform. Then again, this seems to have been painted on a small warp board. When I paint a hank, I spread it out over a greater length...still end up with stripes of a fashion, but much less defined.

I'll be using a Sensational Knitted Socks "idear" (thank you Charlene Schurch) - a 4 stitch rib, in this case, the elongated corded rib, an 8 row repeat. The sample I knit featured nice definition, and good openwork when stretched. Cast on was 144 stitches (to equal 72 st after k2 k2 p2 p2 first row - I really like a stretchy cuff) using size 1 dpns.

Handspun Shetland Gansey Sock

I love gansey

This is the current sock pattern for the Six Sox KAL - I Love Gansey. I'm using my handspun singles - Shetland wool (roving) I won in last year's Tour de Fleece.

I love the softnesss and the economy of this yarn. The little ball shown was only 20g, and I'm into the heel! With quite a bit of yarn to spare! I can tell that these are going to be comfort socks. Mmmm.

Pattern: I Love Gansey - Six Sox K A L Aug/Sept 2007
Yarn: Dove's Roost Handspun Shetland Singles - natural silver grey
Needles: susan bates silvalume dpns size 1 (2.25mm)

Embossed Leaves Complete

embossed leaves

Here they are. I just can't get a good picture. Regia bamboo picks up the light, bounces it around, and just doesn't want to be photogenic. In person, you have to trust me, these socks are lovely. And Mona Schmidt's pattern shows. Yummily so.

These were the perfect socks for late night bleary eyed knitting. Easy pattern. Easy to work with fiber. What can I say about the pattern? It seems made for me. I love a 64 stitch pattern. I had my doubts about the toe, but you know, it's neat and easy. I'm a kitchenerer. I admit it. I like grafting. My father taught me to graft when I was about 5. I just don't know why people are intimidated. It's E A S Y. And so is this toe. And this toe fits like a...like a...glove? Nah...like a sock.

Tiger Monkeys

tiger monkeys

Cookie A writes a mean pattern, doesn't she? These socks practically knit themselves. Now, this yarn, ahem...here's the deal. I was shopping for sock yarn, handpainted stuff, handspun stuff, and I ran into a neat site - littleknits. Well, there was a sale goin on...and this yarn, skacel "Trampoline - stretch" was $3.50 a ball. What the heck, right? It's wool/nylon and a little bit of polyester. I looked at it and thought, "O well. I got a deal, that's for sure."

Well, I tell ya, this is some of the most pleasant knitting I've done in awhile. The yarn is totally stretchy and bouncy, but for me...a loose knitter, it's just GREAT. The tiger design of the yarn doesn't make the Monkey pattern pop, but, when stretched over a foot, the design is definitely cool.

Pattern: "Monkey" - by Cookie A (knitty - Winter '06)
Yarn: Skacel "Trampoline - Stretch" in Tiger
Needles: susan bates silvalume "0" (2mm)
Mood: giddy