Spring Socks

I have a new pattern available for download. It's only $.99!

"I Am Not Infallible" Socks

So, these socks have definitely proven my lack of infallibility! Really, my only problem was a measuring mishap. I'm still not exactly sure how it happened. One row I still had 2.5 inches left to knit (so, half an inch 'til I needed to start decreasing for the toe), next row I had an inch left; and as I am not one for undoing knitting, a.k.a. frogging, I just decided to do custom fitted toes for the "right" and "left" socks, as pictured here:

Also, the pattern has a written mistake for which row to end on for the different sizes before starting the top foot chart. You should end on row 8 for the small sock, row 4 for the medium, and row 8 for the large. This mistake led to a late start on the top foot chart, and it is one of the reasons the last point is all the way at the toes. Oh well...

I'm not ecstatically (for some reason I always pictured that word as spelled with an "x", well it's not, according to spell-check!) pleased with how these socks turned out, but I still really like them. And, despite the color saturation difference between the beginning and end of the skein, I am still really pleased with the yarn. I still have at least a quarter of the skein left over. This yarn is worth it for the money you spend.

Here is the finished product:


And here is what I did with changing out needle sizes.
CO with US 1 1/2. Knit ribbing and one repeat.
Switched to US1 for 2 repeats.
Switched to US0 for 4 repeats.
Switched to US1 for 1 1/2 repeats, heel turn and gusset.
Switched to US0 with 41 sts on the bottom of foot, completed gusset decreases, and knit 5 repeats (starting with row 5 of the pattern) 'til starting foot chart. Obviously I should have done a few less.

"I Am Not Infallible" Socks

So, Erin always tells me I pick out the best patterns for my yarn or vice versa. That was mostly true, til I hit this pair of socks. These were to be my project for my knitting night get together and started off as the Twinkleberry socks, but the pretty pattern was completely lost in the colorway (as shown below).
Betcha you can't tell WHAT that pattern's supposed to look like!

The yarn is from Creatively Dyed Yarns and is the colorway Big Figure.
I love, love, love this colorway. It has spots of hot pink, white, and purple red so deep it looks black, on a backdrop of a dark pink. I love how girly it is!

I was so excited about that pattern. It was really easy to remember, having a short pattern repeat, and it produced a lovely look. However, the colors of the yarn just weren't working for it. So, I checked out my favorites on Ravelry and came up with NOTHING that looked like it would go with this colorway. Seventy something faved sock patterns, and not-a-one that screamed "Pick me! Pick me!". Onto another search for sock patterns I went (the tally is now 85 faves), looking for something feminine but not lacey. I found this pattern and knew it was the one!

This pattern is not on any website other than Ravelry, so if you like it you'll have to have an account (it's free) with Ravelry. In my opinion, the selected colorway for the pattern's featured photo does an injustice to this pattern; I almost passed it by. However, at the last minute I decided to check it out anyhow.

I printed out the pattern, did a gauge swatch, got started and have had a hard time putting them down ever since! I am really digging this pattern. It's another pattern that has short pattern repeats and is super easy to remember! And, I think you could pull off making this as a man's sock, if you have the right colorway.

There is one thing, however, that has rained on my parade, and it should be pretty obvious from the above photo. The yarn on the inside of my caked yarn (sock on left) is a lot less saturated in color than the outside of my cake (sock on the right). Bummer....

Onto the knitting technicalities!

I am in between the small and medium size for this sock. So, instead of knocking off some stitches, I decided to just use a smaller needle size in some places. I got gauge with US 1. I cast-on using US 1.5 to get me a bit more give at the top and knitted one pattern repeat with the 1.5's. I then switched to the 1's and knit two pattern repeats, then to 0's for four pattern repeats. Now I am back up to the 1's, completed one and a half repeats for the right sock and am ready for the heel flap. I plan on returning to the 0's after I have completed the gusset.

Mother's Catkin

So, my A-Froggin' We Shall Go cardi has been put on hold yet again. (And, quite frankly, I don't mind this time as I have had a big set back with it.) Now I am working on my gift to my mother for Mother's Day. I told her I would make the Catkin Shawl for her. I then left the choice of color and yarn options up to her and soon found myself hard-pressed to find what she wanted.

My mother wanted two shades of turquoise or teal, plus I had to be careful with the fiber content as she didn't like the wool piece she recently nicked from my sister. Hee hee. At first I regretted my decision of offering to knit this for her; I could not find anything at all that had two shades of the same color let alone that was more plant fiber than animal. I was ready to pull out my hair. Then, just as I had given up, a complete and total fluke led me to Knit Picks' Comfy fingering yarn, and I was saved! Really, who would have thought....

Anyhow, here's how far I've gotten:

Not so far, considering I've actually spent at least four hours on this thing. I have been doing a lot of tinking, and this is cotton yarn. All I have to say!

AFrogging We Shall Go! - Right Front

Here's the finished front right side of the cardigan. I am going to do the three needle bind-off now (for the first time) then start on the front left side. One more piece down!

AFrogging We Shall Go! - Sleeves

Here are my finished sleeves. It's not the best picture, but I figure I will have more opportunities later to show them at their best. They are blocked and ready to be sewn up!

I've now moved onto the right front piece and am really close to starting the decreases for the neckline!

Purple Points Cardigan

Here is the final picture!