Of Heads, Horns, and Half-Done Socks
As I said on Friday, “Expect a finished, modeled picture on Monday, and perhaps even a photo of Socks for Folkcat, Pair Two, Sock One (SF/P2S1) in progress!“
I do try to keep my promises. 🙂
FO: Socks for Folkcat – Pair One (SF/P1)
WIP: Socks for Folkcat, Pair Two, Sock One (SF/P2S1)
I seem to have finally gotten my sock knitting mojo in good order. I guess I’ve knit just enough of what I originally termed “Sock Experiments” that something finally clicked. There were two crucial turning points: working toe-up socks for Gryphon, and discovering the No Wraps short-row toe and heel method at Oz Yarns (link opens a PDF file).
I now have the confidence in my sock knitting to calculate my gauge, and, knowing my measurements, just start knitting without reference to a book or pattern. So far, I’ve only used a basic 2×2 ribbing for texture – that’s what I consider my “plain vanilla” sock. I have plans, though, to start lifting stitch patterns out of other sources, including existing sock patterns that are written for smaller feet than mine, and inserting those patterns into my own toe-up socks.
As for the details about these socks:
SF/P1:
Yarn: Regia Patch Antik Colors #5758.
Needle: Brittany Birch 5″ DPN, US 1.5
Pattern: homebrew, my own assemblage of toe-up with short row toes and heels
Notes: These socks fit well. I worked the foot with a 1/4 inch negative ease (mostly for simplicity of calculations – my foot is 10.25 inches, it’s easier to multiply by 10). Since my ankle is an inch larger than my foot, after I finished the short row heel I increased a stitch on either side of the ankle on the next round, worked a round without increases, then repeated the increases. This added four stitches, just about a half inch, to the circumference of the leg, leaving about a half inch of negative ease. I then worked the legs only 4 inches from the ankle before binding off, using a sewn bind-off that I can’t remember where I got it from.
As I sit here with the Regia socks on my feet, they do feel a bit on the itchy side. I don’t know if that’s just because they haven’t had a first washing yet, or because it’s the nature of the yarn. Time and use will tell.
SF/P2S1:
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, Spanish Moss color
Needle & Pattern: Same as above.
Notes: I finished the blue pair sometime Saturday, then started in on SF/P2S1. At this moment, I’ve just reached the heel, and expect to finish that and most of the leg tonight.
I’m loving the Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn. It’s colorful (although this colorway is a bit on the somber side for me), and soft. Given my sensitive feet, I may find that I shy away from yarns like Regia in the future, and favor yarns like Cherry Tree Hill. Of course, that means my socks get more expensive. But if I can actually knit socks that are comfortable for my feet, it’ll be worth it. And they’ll last forever if I take care of them right!
Yard Saling!
I don’t know that Gryphon and I will do much of this over the summer, what with his two jobs and all. But we couldn’t pass up a community-wide yard sale happening only 3 blocks from our house this weekend.
At the front, several bundles of horn heishe beads, totalling 88 strands. At least, they did before Gryphon claimed a small bundle of 13 strands for himself. Still, I’m left with 75 strands. What will I do with that many horn heishe beads? Not a clue. But when you get that entire pile for less than 5 cents per strand, you leave no bead behind.
The sad-looking little cat on the right was a whole 50 cents. I can’t believe I actually waffled over whether to spend 50 cents on “yet another cat for the Folkcat collection”. Maybe it was the heat – it was sunny and humid on Saturday. At the end, though, I went back to her table and picked her up, figuring that even on our budget, 50 cents wasn’t worth fussing over. And I’m glad I brought her home.
The real find of the day for me is the glass head to the left of the cat. I’ve been wanting some sort of model for hats and other head accessories for some time. I’m sure I could have turned up a foam wig stand somewhere, but those are boring and white, white, white.
I was delighted when I spotted this glass head sitting on a table at the sale. At $10, she’s a bargain compared to finding one online and having to have it shipped. Gryphon agreed it was a worthy purchase, and so she came home with us.
I thought about having a blog contest to name her, but no sooner did that pass through my brain than I knew what her name had to be. It is, therefore, with great pleasure (and some anticipation of ducking rotten tomatoes!) that I present Heady LaVerre.* She doesn’t have much to say, but you’ll likely see her back whenever I knit another hat or hairband.
*For those who didn’t take French, and aren’t old movie fans. There was a famous actress named Hedy Lamarr. And “LaVerre” is bad French for “glass”. (To be grammatically correct, it should be “LeVerre”, because “glass” is considered a masculine noun.)