A Video by a New Master Knitter

Swatches, sweaters, and kitties — check it out!  (Fun, lipizzanknitter Leslie — thanks!)

Sock Mistake Caught and Fixed

I’ve finished with all the calf-increases on piper Robert’s second sock — hurray!! Just the “work even” few inches and garter left to go.

Then the cuffs.

Or perhaps we’ll have the try-on first, then any alterations, and then the cuffs last of all.  Partly depends on *when* I finish the socks-proper, as I’m expecting Robert and all the other bagpipe instructors to arrive in town on Sunday, 12th July.  The following week, with all the lectures and concerts (I listen but don’t play, so I don’t take part in the classes), will be busy and exciting!

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The “mistake” of the title, you ask?

Examine the following close-up images:

You see the wide central V in the left photo?

Something’s missing.  What happened to the wide-narrow-wide rhythm?

I had forgotten to make a certain few of those new (increased) stitches purls instead of knits.  No wonder the central rib got so wide so soon — I knew something was amiss and finally realized what it was.  Boy, am I glad I caught it!

I dropped down just the offending 4, and corrected them.

Can you see the “extra” V now, that wasn’t there before?  And the 2 narrow ribs flanking it?

Phew!

Now, as for the cuffs. . .

My sampler is progressing. Different yarns, different stitch patterns, even some beading experiments along the way.  (This is for now and for later.)

I didn’t enjoy the first (purple) one, worked side-to-side.  Don’t know quite why. . . .

The top 2 are possibilities for the current pair:  “ploughed field” (yellow) and an arrowhead pattern of slanting ribs (olive).  Plus a few more I want to see before I make up my mind.

See how the stitch patterns affect the gauge:  all 3 top bands are worked over 60 stitches in different colors of same yarn on same needles, but the white lace bulges out while the yellow slip-stitch-psso section pulls in.  Ribs are in-between.

Boku Cap done.

About halfway up the leg of Robert’s second sock, but (by knitting all through my son’s play, “Fame 2.0″) I finished the cap in Boku yarn.  One 50 gram ball had 2 1/2 repeats of the colors and made one hat.  It stretches to fit children . . . . . . and adult.  I made it using my really easy Square-Top One-Skein Cap pattern (ravelry link).

Noro Silk Garden Lite is next!  (Gotta keep at those kilt hose though!)

Some Yarn Observations

While I’m progressing on Robert’s kilt hose, I thought I might write a few words about some different variegated yarns I’ve been trying out lately.  All are slow-color-change varieties, by several companies.

First I’ll mention Geode by Berroco.  -  -  -  -

A 50% wool/50% acrylic single.

Delightful colors.  Only began to repeat color-sequence near the end of the ball.

Nice feel — perhaps a little “squeaky” on the plastic Bryspun needle I used with it some of the time.

I don’t think it will resist pilling very well over time, because it’s so loosely spun and soft.

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And then there’s Matsuri by Noro.  -  -  -  -

Matsuri is an 87% cotton/13% wool braided 3(?)-ply.

Interesting feel to this.  Not very elastic — that’s the cotton.  But I like it.

I discovered, as the colors moved from green to maroon to orange etc., that the cotton underpinning remained constant; it’s the fluffy wool bits braided into it that change.

Here’s a close-up of 2 “Color 5″ balls.  Four different over-colors, all atop a yellow-orange base.  (Other colorways have green or lilac base-braids).

I have also tried Poems by Wisdom Yarns.  -  -  -  -

A 100% wool single.

Very soft and lofty; very not-durable.

After knitting a few rows, I didn’t think this one would hold up at all well to any abrasion, so I decided on a felted project.  The yarn fulls nicely, but the red and/or purple dyes bleed (alot!) in the hot water.

It feels nice while working, but I don’t think I’ll be using it again.

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Just this past week, I pulled out a ball of Boku by Plymouth Yarns to try.  -  -  -  -

An 95% wool/5% silk blend single.  Colors more muted.

This yarn is much more coarse (and sturdy) than either Poems or Geode.  It’ll definitely be more durable than either of those two yarns, but would probably be better as outerwear or accessory than as an against-the-skin garment.  After washing, it may soften up — we’ll see.

Would you believe:  I have yet to try Noro Kureyon or Silk Garden.  I have a ball of the latter; also 2 skeins of Silver Thaw.  More fun ahead!

An FO! And a Turned Heel

I finished the scarf in Twisted Fiber Art “Duchess” DK-weight yarn, colorway “Rodney”, and gave it to Julie (the woman who taught me to knit) for her church Craft Sale.

She was delighted!  I always enjoy getting to visit with Julie.  This time we talked about the (apparently dozens of) Ring-necked Doves that moved into our neighborhood this last year; a pair of them come often to my millet feeder and I see them perched atop our streetlamps.  She says they came here from Kuwait by way of Los Angeles, blown in by a storm, and managed to survive the winter.

Yesterday, I turned the heel on Robert’s second sock and resumed in-the-round knitting.

Now, to check which round begins the ribbing. . . .  Gotta match sock #1, and both gotta fit!

More Kilt Hose Bits and Even Some Scarf Action

Robert Watt’s kilt hose are progressing — about midway into second sock’s foot. 

So far, $33 in yarn (2 skeins of *wonderful* Finnish Satakieli from Schoolhouse Press) and almost 30 hours of labor over the course of 4 weeks (for me, that’s full tilt and beyond).  What shall I charge?  At $1/hr + supplies, I’d estimate $95 – $100; at $2/hr, maybe $160 – $175.  Handknitting is not especially lucrative. . . .  Good thing that’s NOT why most of us do it!

One last hole in Aaron’s purpler pair. 

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And the heel of sock #3 has required some extensive rebuilding!  (Errk — all those ends!)

I actually *have* done a little on another project. 

As you may be able to see from the photo, I’ve got almost exactly one color-repeat left (from lt. blue to lt. blue), which is enough for one more triangle plus a bit, but not enough for a triangle and another 1/2-triangle to square-off the end.  So, I’ll be making the next panel the last!!  Whoopee!

(This has been a background project for a long while now. . . .)

Finished Robert’s First Sock

I’ve been knitting doggedly and have gotten all the way to the top of the first of Robert Watt’s socks.

Here, you can see the back-of-leg shaping, the pins marking increments of 2o rounds, and the “garter” at the top.

I’ll put these on hold for now, and begin the second sock.

The cuffs, which will turn down and cover the garter, I plan to add last.

I’m currently swatching some likely candidates:  “ploughed field”, “uneven/broken rib”, “arrowhead”, and maybe cables.

Meanwhile, I ordered my Level III materials today!

Wool Festival

Here are two videos of Churro sheep-shearing at our annual Wool Festival. The first shows Navajos (or could be Hopi, I failed to ask) using non-electric shears; the second shows Brian Owens of Showlow shearing with electric clippers.  Both are over 9 minutes — sit back and enjoy.
Link 1:

Link 2:

Second Sock Repaired

I think I’ve finished the repairs on Aaron’s purpler pair of kilt hose.  You may recall that, on sock #1, I reinforced the heel-back and closed a small hole near the cuff.  Sock #2 required much more extensive work, but now the heel-hole has been closed and I can find no other holes in it.

First I stabilized the hole with sewing thread, pulling the broken strands loose enough to give me ends to tuck in later.

Then I reinforced some of the surrounding rows with purple Woolly Nylon.  Some of these stitches were getting VERY hard to see and isolate due to the friction of wear.

Finally, I used crochet hook and yarn needle to reconstruct the missing stitches in the closest-matching sock yarn I could find in my stash:  brown Silja.

Lots of ends to tuck in, and I didn’t want extra bulk that might rub, so I took care with this part too.  I think I might add some more reinforcing where you can see the yarn has faded — weaker there.

I gave all 4 socks a good wash in Eucalan and they are currently drying.

Next will be the greener pair, socks #3 and #4.

On another note, my blogging-friend Jean is celebrating her first blogiversary by giving away some yarn and needles.  Head on over to her blog to check out the contest:  “Knitting Garden”, June 2 post.

Beginning the Calf Shaping

The quality of fit is perhaps the most significant reason to handknit socks.  And, when a sock must come up to the knee, a good fit requires some shaping to accommodate changes in leg circumference.

Because they march in their work, bagpipers often have quite different calf vs ankle measurements.  This current pair, for instance, needs to fit calves that are 50% larger around than the ankles.  Hence, INCREASES!

At this point, I’ve added girth by 2 different methods:  changing needle size (went from wood 2.5 mm to metal 2.5 mm at 6″, and then to metal 2.75 mm at 6 1/2″ from base of heel) and adding stitches (M1R, k1 tbl, M1L, as suggested for raglan sweaters by Barbara G. Walker in her book, Knitting From the Top Down, starting at 7″ up).  I like the look of this increase line; quite inconspicuous.

You’ll get a better view once I’ve worked another inch or so, but I think you can see the ribs expanding outwards from the center.

The pins mark increments of 20 rounds, to help me make the second sock match the first.