As promised

Wham! Yarn! Porn!



Don't you just lurve it? Maia made this for me after I won a contest on her blog. She offered hand-dyed sock yarn, so I asked her to make some up inspired by Socks That Rock in the Monsoon colorway. I don't know how close it is, but I don't care. Maia is starting up a fiber business called Tactile Fiber Arts. She's not up and running online yet, but as soon as she is, I'm sure she'll be flooded with orders. Or at least she should be.



This is freaking awesome sock yarn. By far, the best sock yarn I've ever owned. I named it Typhoon. Usually people know exactly what they're going to make when they get yarn of such awesomeness, but I don't know yet. I need to clear my mind and let the yarn speak to me.



Hello there...what are you trying to say?

Too Much

I think I'm going to give up the SAMKAL4. I might finish my October Garter-rib socks (I'd hate to get close but not make it), but I just don't see myself getting a pair done for November and December, what with the holidays and such. It takes me the whole month to finish a pair (I honestly don't know how people finish a pair of socks in two weeks that aren't DK weight) and I don't like being under the pressure to finish before the end of the month. I find myself glancing at the calendar constantly thinking, ok if I finish the first sock today, I'll have an extra day to work on the second one, etc. Speaking of the garter-rib socks, I am done with the first sock and started the toe on the second.

Also wanted to point out the ad on the right there for Vickie Howell's new podcast. She's giving away free yarn ... catch your breath ... that's right free yarn to anyone who posts the ad on their blog. I'm really excited about her third episode, she interviews Will Forte from SNL. I loved him in Beerfest and it's so cool that he knits. Way to represent the guys Will! Anyways, it's a grass-roots effort to promote the podcast, so do what you feel like to spread the word. Check out her blog for more info.

P.S. - I got some awesome yarn in the mail yesterday, just need to photograph it and I can tell you all about it. It's so cool!

Kauni Lust

I decided to do some research on this whole Kauni business. I know the Yarn Harlot made one, but after reading this post by Sally Rainey, and seeing the original sweater, I realized there were options and was truly inspired. I like going away from the lines and blocks of the original Kauni pattern because it opens up the sweater and you can really see the color changes happening in one connected flow. So far though, I've only seen the sweaters knit in the rainbow colorway which, let's face it, would not look good on me. It wasn't until I saw the different colorways available here that I decided - this is something I can do. (Is it really that cheap? What's 7.50 Euros, like $10? How many skeins does it take to make one sweater? I hear tell they're huge skeins...) I like the EB and EV the best, but I'm still searching for examples knit up since it's a little hard to tell just from the skeins.

Then this morning, I had an epiphany. Again, Sally hit me when she blogged about the pattern she's using and mentioned charting the pattern yourself from a photo since it's really hard to find. I had thought about using an M.C. Escher tessellation, but thought that might be too busy (and nerdy) for a sweater, although I'll keep it in mind for a scarf. The thing that really got my juices going was the thought of using an ambigram; I'm familiar with them from Dan Brown's Angels & Demons. Now I just need to do enough research to find the perfect design. This may prove to be too busy (nerdy) for a sweater as well, but I suppose that depends on the design. Ooh maybe I'll have one designed.....

In other news
The garter rib socks continue apace. I've turned the heel, worked the gusset and started the leg. I did realize something though...when I start a pair of socks, the foot always goes really quickly and the knitting is stress free. Stitches don't ladder (too badly) and it's really easy going from one DPN to the next. However, after I pick up the gusset stitches, the sock really puts up a fight.

I never could figure out why until I realized that it's probably the extra weight combined with the odd shaping of a heel sticking out instead of just a tube of knitting. Even once I'm back to knitting a tube up the leg, it's not as easy/enjoyable as knitting just the foot. Maybe I'll start the second sock after I've knitted the gusset on the first, that way I can alternate between fun, easy knitting and a weighed down struggle. Another thing I noticed: my DPNs are bent. :-(

Another future project
I was watching Accepted for the 500th time last night and decided that I need to make socks that match the argyle sweater Jonah Hill (Sherman Schrader: "Ask me about my wiener!") is wearing in the courtroom scene at the end of the movie. Unfortunately I can't find a freaking screenshot, so you'll just have to watch the movie. Alright, if you simply must know, they would be black socks with a bright orange and blue argyle. Totally crazy. Sounds like another Knit Picks order to me. But not for awhile, I'm knitting strictly from stash until after that December holiday that shall not be named.

New projects and Ravelry

Started these Wednesday night and I love them. The yarn, Knit Picks Felici in Pebble, is nice and soft and the color changes make the knitting very interesting. The pattern is Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks, and it's also interesting yet simple enough for TV knitting. These will be my October socks for the SAMKAL4.

I'm also nearing completion of the Skull Bag.



This is for my wife. She requested it a few months ago, so I figured I would throw it in as a mix-up to all the sock knitting I've been doing lately. The design is my own, I created a chart based on a graphic I found online. It's worked with Knit Picks' Palette. This will get felted and then I'll need to install a zipper to finish it.

Finally, I got my invite to Ravelry on Monday, so that's why I've been absent from here. I'm JGM over there since knitswithballs was already taken. I'm a little irritated since it looks like he's been in for a month, but not added anything. Oh well, I'm over it.