FO: Embossed Leaves Socks

Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt; Interweave Knits Winter 2005
Yarn: Regia Silk in Loden (#70); 2 skeins
Needles: US2/2.75mm Clover bamboo DPNs
Time: 1 month
Mods: Did not break yarn after turning the heel; Worked leaf chart 7 times total instead of 7.5; Grafted toes.

Notes:

I had quite a bit of fun with this. The leaf pattern kept me interested, I really liked the way the heel was worked (although I did modify that part a teeny bit), and I love the toe. I'm not sure I would use the 1x1 rib method for casting on again as this came out rather tight. But since it still fit, I didn't bother to go back and fix it. I also reinforced the heel and toes with some nylon thread since I plan on wearing these around the house all the time.

I'm not a fan of breaking the yarn and rejoining on socks. It's something I try to avoid doing when possible, and on this pattern there really wasn't any reason to do that. I just simply knit across the heel stitches, picked up stitches down the left side of the heel flap, worked across the instep, picked up stitches up the right side of the heel flap, and knit the first half of the heel stitches onto the last needle. Just like any other basic sock.

I ended up leaving the last half repeat of the lace chart because it would have made the socks too long for me. I'm not sure if this is because my row gauge was off, but I know that it was spot on for the leg. Who knows?

Overall, this was a great pattern. I can see why so many people have made these socks. The yarn is also really nice, especially since it doesn't irritate my skin.

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The rational side of me says I should get going on the sleeves for Brilliant Retro. Unfortunately, having my size 2 DPNs freed up meant the rational side lost...


First of the Wine and Roses Mitts

On the bright side, these are going really fast AND I'm using up some leftover yarn that's been sitting in the stash for a year.

No second sock syndrome for me...

I generally have a lot of trouble completing the first sock, but I make up for it in how much I like pairs. I just see the first lone, sock and immediately cast on for the second. It's gone pretty quickly now. I have the leg finished in just one day--I worked on it more since this photo was taken.



Besides, the wool I used for Hedera irritates my skin, so I ended up giving them to my mom who doesn't find them itchy at all. Now I don't have a cozy pair of wool socks to keep me warm this winter (the Norwegian and Argyle stockings are too thick and tall for wearing around the house).

Of course, where I gain motivation for second socks I completely lose it for sleeves.



I finished the back and fronts of Brilliant Retro a while ago. I've just been slow with the sleeves. I'm working both at the same time to prevent any "second sleeve syndrome" but am only halfway through with the cuffs. Yeah, slow. I'm hoping the cold weather will motivate me more into finishing the cardi up.

Colchique is pushed back even further now. I figured out a different project for the Felted Tweed in my stash and am working on the sketches and math for it. I've also been distracted with a few new magazines in my possession:



Three Phildar magazines (Twenty No.458, Automne 1 No.453, and Automne 2 No. 456) and the latest Interweave. My favorites are the motorcycle jacket from Twenty, the split neck sweater from Automne 1, and the swing jacket and asymmetrical cardigan from Automne 2. There are also several I'd really like to make from Interweave, but I think I'll put them off until next year. Well...with the exception of the Wine and Roses Mitts, which will also be a destash project.

Yeesh. It's gonna be a busy winter.

Progress thwarted...

I had made some good progress on the ribbed section for the back of Colchique. Then realized that I knit where I was supposed to purl and purled where I was supposed to knit. In other words, despite having translated the pattern correctly, I still read the chart wrong while doing the actual knitting. The piece has been frogged, the yarn re-wound, and the project put away for a later date.

In the sidebar you'll see that while Colchique is back to 0%, a new project has moved up to the top of the list: Brilliant Retro by Teva Durham from the Winter 2005 Interweave. I found a bunch of Patons Brilliant on clearance at the LYS recently and thought, what the heck? I do need another cardigan. There were two colors left, "Crystal Cream" and "Radiant Red." I really liked the red but opted for the cream instead because it is more wearable on an everyday basis.

I also got a bit of sock knitting done on a recent trip to the Bay Area. I'm trying get around to finishing them at home but it's been a little difficult. Sock knitting is usually travel/commute/transport knitting for me, but I won't be getting any of that for a while. Besides, the shininess of the Brilliant is hard to say "no" to.