February 22, 2008

Deadlocked on socks

To say that I am going to be "busy" over the next two months would be an understatement. March is the last month before a huge deadline (I cannot tell you what sort of fortitude it took to not put the word huge in capitals and make it another colour or something) I have to prepare for a new tour at the same time (that schedule has me so freaked that I have actually started working out more to increase my odds of survival) and in April itself I am only home for three nights, and they are not even consecutive. Me being me, I have begun to handle this sense of impending doom and crushing workload the way that I always do.

Coffedsart2202

That, and I am thinking about a new sweater (and a hat, oh...and that skirt, and maybe some mittens, and spring will be here in two months and maybe something out of hemp... ) but all I am achieving is socks. Socks, socks, socks. There's something about the progress possible with socks that makes other deadlines and a sense of impending doom rather manageable.

On the plane on the way home from Madrona I started these:

Rivendellnow2202

Rivendell by Janel Laidman, part of a sock of the month club a while ago. (I "procured" it right from Janel last year with a patented technique that I cannot reveal to you here. We can't all have my secret weapons or I would have nothing left but my charm and speed, and those won't take me far.) I love this sock, but sadly, the colourway is "glacier" and that was a poor choice for February, and I have decided to put it aside. I'll be back to this one, as soon as there is grass or flowers to pose it in.

Those were replaced by these:

Rgsotwist2202

Almost plain socks in a STR lightweight rare gem (one of a kind colourway). I love this one. I'm not sure how Tina at Blue Moon makes the rare gems (I suspect that they may be her mistakes and experiments given a charming name) but for once I'm glad it's not a regular colour I could buy.... because I would. The pattern is my plain vanilla sock pattern, with a 1x1 twist embedded in two of the ribs that are carrying on down the leg. I'm at the heel now, and I'll have to make a decision soon about how far (or if) the twists will go down the foot.

Then (I think I might be starting to appear a little fixated) I am beginning another pair of socks.

Ravenyrnks2202

STR (again) in Ravenscroft, sort of a black/blue/olive/green colourway. Very manly. They are destined to become some cabled socks, started as soon as I meet my word count for today and earn the right to go anywhere near my ball winder.

This almost meets my sock needs. I've got one that's good for the bus and while I'm thinking (that's the one with the twists) one that replaces thinking (that's the cabled one coming) and now all I need is a totally plain one to do at the movies or on the phone. I'll figure that out later.

Q&A from yesterday:

Marcia said:

"I have had that pattern for years. So, you're telling me I should actually knit it?"

Yup. This is an awesome pattern, and for those of you who think it's a hard one, it really isn't. Not at all. Seriously. The pattern is intuitive, you'll have it memorized in no time at all. The hardest parts are only establishing the patterns so that you can see where things are going, and you can get through that bit with a cup of coffee and an hour of reasonably distraction free knitting. (If you find it really hard, have someone "read" the first rows out loud while you knit them. Makes it dead simple.) Once that's done, you're on fire and there's no slowdown at all until the sewing up, which isn't even that bad because....well. Sewing up just isn't that bad. (I know some of you don't like it, but your sweater deserves it, and I know you're smart enough.)
The other thing I like about this bad-boy is that it looks really different on everyone. If you cruise the Ravelry files on it, you'll see that it really changes with the colour, the yarn and the knitter.

A whole bunch of you said:

"Stop taunting me with this pattern because it only comes a limited range of sizes."

I know, and I'm sorry. (Not that it's my fault, I didn't write the pattern) but because I feel your pain. I was at Old Navy with Sam yesterday trying to buy pants and you don't even want to know about how pissy I was when I left. I would have had to cut 40 cm off of any pair of pants in the store to make them work. Now, everything can't fit everybody, and I am sorry about Patons shrunken Canadian sizing, but on this blog, down the left hand sidebar, there's a .pdf for upsizing this pattern, should you need to. You'll still need the pattern, but at least now it can come in your size.

A whole bunch of you said:

"You did what to stabilise the neck? What are you talking about? Explain how."

Okay. I'll show you on Monday, since I'll have to take some pictures. Plus, I'll really need a couple of days to get over the irony of me being asked to show how to do a crochet anything.

Even more of you said:

I can't find the pattern!

There were a lot of possible sources listed in the comments here on this entry, and one or two in yesterdays. It's a current booklet from Patons, not at all discontinued or anything. If you go to the Patons website they have a Store Locator here, and you can find stores that carry the line in your area. There's even a list of internet sources here. I swear it's out there, you might need to order it, but it's out there.
(The pattern book also has the Urban Aran in it, which Brooklyn Tweed cardiganized and put on his blog. It might be backordered just for that. What a great sweater. Maybe I should make that next.... )

Posted by Stephanie at February 22, 2008 12:30 PM