Meditations on a Sock Project/Bendiness

Why is 3x1 ribbing less tedious than 1x1?

And knitting with drinking straws isn't nearly as much fun as you think it might be. I tried those new Pony plastic dpns - they're yellow with red stripes. (That's weird, I can't find any reference to them online to link to them... Hmmm... .)

Very cute, but too damn flexible. Way too bendy. They may be more manageable in a different size -- I was using 2.5mm. They feel nice, and they have the right level of slight slipperiness for knitting cotton. But I found the bendiness slowed me down significantly.

Look at the picture. I mean, really! I'm hardly putting any pressure on them. Knitting needles should not bend this much.

Four Senses

I've always known knitting is a sensual experience.

It's the feel the of the yarn -- rough, silky, smooth, bumpy.

There's the look of the piece as it grows in your hands.

Consider the sound of the needles, clicking endlessly.

But scent.... Scent is rarely discusssed. I was helping some students in my class choose their projects. L eventually settled on a Handmaiden kit for a wrap, in silk. Mmm... silk... The scent of silk is distinctive and fairly strong.

Denny and I were talking about it. She suggested some washes to get rid of it, but I like it. I clearly remember a purple raw silk top I owned 15 or so years ago, and its constant, faint aroma.

So now I'm obssessing about what I'm going to knit in silk.

All about accessories at the moment

I don't know whether it's the in-between weather (14 degrees) or just me, but I can't seem to wrap my head around any actual garments at the moment.

I'm thinking scarves and socks and little capelets, but nothing with sleeves.

Flotsam Optimist

As pattern below, 11 sts. Creates a nice scarf, about 10cm wide and 150cm long.

Flotsam

Am swatching up an interesting new novelty yarn from Louisa Harding, called Flotsam. (At least it's not named after an Abba song.)

40% cotton, 35% polyamide, 15% acrylic, 10% viscose. It feels a bit like paper. Trying it out for my Optimist Scarf. It's the sort of yarn that doesn't really lend itself to a solid fabric (despite some of the supplied patterns), but makes really great low-effort, high impact accessories. A one-ball wonder. The colourways are interesting, too.

The Optimist Scarf - for Days When You're Going to Wear a Light Jacket Anyway, Mercury Be Damned

The Optimist Scarf
Two versions - a single yarn narrow version, and a wider version created with two yarns held together.

Version One: Cool Blue
Materials:
1 x 50gm Rowan Cotton Tape
1 pair 8-12 mm needles – whatever you have on hand; the sample was made with 10 mm needles

Tension:
Doesn’t matter!

Finished Measurements:
8 cm wide x 60 cm long, approximately

Version Two: Cotton Candy
Materials:
2 x 50gm Lang Opal
1 x 50gm Rowan Calmer
1 pair 8-12 mm needles – whatever you have on hand; the sample was made with 10 mm needles

Tension:
Doesn’t matter!

Finished Measurements:
20 cm wide x 60 cm long, approximately

Method:
For Version One, cast on 11 stitches.
For Version Two, using a strand each of the Calmer and the Opal held together, cast on 21 stitches.

First row (WS): knit all stitches.

RS: K1, *yfwd k2tog; repeat from * to end.
WS: Knit all stitches.
RS: K2, *yfwd, k2tog; repeat from * to last stitch, k last stitch.
WS: Knit all stitches.

Repeat the last 4 rows until you’ve just about run out of yarn. Finish with a WS row, and then cast off.

Knitting for Summer?

Am working on some designs for summer.

Knitting for summer? Does that even make sense? I used to think that summer knitting was only about the odd shawl or cardigan to drape around your shoulders in an agressively air-conditioned office.

It was actually a sock design commission that made me think differently about summer knitting. I worked on them last April, designing open-toe and flip-flop socks. It made me realize that knitting is an ideal solution for those early spring days when you really do want to wear your summer clothes (and shoes) but it's not really warm enough for them. Want to wear your flip flops? Flip flop or open-toed socks keep you warm. Want to wear a light summer dress? A shawl or cardigan or capelet will insultate you from drafts. A short-sleeve top in long-sleeve weather? How about wristwarmers? A light jacket? How about a light scarf to go with it?

There’s a wealth of patterns for these kinds of early summer projects, and some truly wonderful yarns that provide a nice compromise between warmth and weight and a summery look. Am really enjoying working with Rowan Cotton Rope – it's heavy enough to provide an actual layer of clothing insulation if you need one, and comes in light shades that conjure thoughts of flowers and seaside and ice cream treats.

And who says that scarves aren’t appropriate for summer? I have a white jean jacket that looks terrific with a colourful scarf draped over it.

And a Hat to Go With the Wristwarmers

This used up the leftovers from the 100gm ball of chunky weight yarn I used for the wristwarmers

Simple Hat
One Size Fits All

Materials:
1 100gm ball chunky weight yarn
(approx. 100m)
1 pair 6mm needles

Tension:
20 sts and 20 rows over 10cm/4” square in K2 P2 rib (unstretched) using 6mm needles.

Finished Measurements:
50cm/20” around, approximately
20cm/8” long

Method:
Cast on 70 stitches.

Row 1 (Right Side): *K2, P2; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, K2.
Row 2 (Wrong Side): *P2, K2; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, P2.

These two rows establish K2 P2 rib pattern. Repeat Row 1 and 2 until hat measures 18cm/7”, ending with a Wrong Side row.

Complete final 6 rows of hat as follows:
Row 1: *K2, P2tog; repeat to last 2 stitches, K2. 53 stitches.
Row 2: *P2, K1; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, P2.
Row 3: *K2tog, P1; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, K2tog. 35 stitches.
Row 4: *P1, K1; repeat from * to last stitch, P1.
Row 5: *K2tog; repeat from * across row. 18 stitches.
Row 6: *P2tog; repeat from * across row. 9 stitches.

Cut yarn, leaving a 30cm/12” tail. Draw yarn through final stitches and pull to tighten. Use the yarn tail to seam up the hat.

The Moebius: Indeed A Mind-Melter

Another one to file under "because I had to". I picked up a kit for Cat Bordhi's Moebius capelet on the weekend, and had it finished by Monday evening.

Denny, who has a nice sideline as Moebius cast-on consultant, got me started. She even let me steal a circular needle from her current WIP. Now that's friendship!

Being a mathematician, I do understand what happens... and it's very, very cool. But I'll be damned if I can figure out how Cat worked it out. I'm in awe of her spatial skills.

Another UFO

I was in the shop today. A woman came in carrying a bag that was clearly identifiable as a UFO. She admitted it was probably 20 years old, and had been abandoned for the last 15. She had picked it up again recently and needed some help getting going again.

We've all been there, as I've discussed before.

She took us through the project. It was mostly done. The back was complete, as were the sleeves. Here's where it got a little silly, though... "Well, I didn't like the stripes so I bought all one colour yarn."

Ok, no issue there.

"And I only want two buttons."

Uh-huh.

"And I don't like the fact that the placket is done in a different yarn."

"And I don't like the neckline or collar."

Errr...

Again, I've been there, wanting to make changes to a design. I've used a commercial pattern as the basis or inspiration for a garment many times.

Here's the kicker.

"But I'm not a very good knitter."

I thought Erin was going to run out of the store screaming. I enjoy a challenge, so I had no problems taking it on as a paid design job.

But who on earth sold this poor woman a pattern she dislikes so much??? No wonder she abandoned it.

Free Pattern: Wristwarmers (What I did while waiting for the Olympics to start)

Size:
Small (Teen), Large (Adult)

Materials:
100m chunky weight yarn
1 pair 6mm needles

Tension:
Approximately 20 sts and 20 rows over 10cm/4” square in K2 P2 rib (unstretched) using 6mm needles.

Finished Measurements:
15cm/6” around, approximately
20cm/8” long

Method:
Where two numbers appear, the first is for the Small size, the second for Large. When only one number appears, it applies to both sizes.

Cast on 26 (30) stitches.

Row 1 (Right Side): *K2, P2; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, K2.
Row 2 (Wrong Side): *P2, K2; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, P2.

These two rows establish K2 P2 rib pattern. Repeat Row 1 and 2 until gauntlet measures 4cm/1.5”, ending with a Wrong Side row.

Right gauntlet thumbhole:
Next row (RS): Work 8 (9) stitches in pattern, cast off 3 (4) stitches, work in pattern to end.
Following row (WS): Work 15 (17) stitches in pattern, cast on 3 (4) over gap created by cast-off in previous row, work in pattern to end.

Left gauntlet thumbhole:
Next row (RS): Work 15 (17) stitches in pattern, cast off 3 (4) stitches, work in pattern to end.
Following row (WS): Work 8 (9) stitches in pattern, cast on 3 (4) over gap created by cast-off in previous row, work in pattern to end.

Continue from here in K2 P2 pattern, until gauntlet measures 20cm/8”.

Cast off loosely in pattern.

Seam.