It didn’t take long to complete the pair of socks cast on in Video #1. The only time I ever really have issues is when someone decides I need to try colour work. I’ll stick to mittens for those, thanks. Colourworked socks are not my cup of tea.
The video glosses over the hows and how-to’s of knitting socks. I didn’t want to turn it into a tutorial, more a slice-of-life. Socks were knit. Yay!
Waxing Poetic about Socks
I find that the humble sock is a perfect project. It’s small enough to be portable, and it’s not so large as to overheat a knitter in summer. They’re suitable for chatting over a cup of tea, or an evening glass of wine. You can knit them by the fireplace, or in front of the campfire. Best of all, they’re as complicated as you want them to be. You can knit them plain, use cables, fancy them up with lace, or add new colours.
They are one of the most perfect projects ever.
Well…unless you live in a place where socks aren’t necessary. I can see them being a bit inappropriate on the beach. Still, very handy when the weather turns chill, and you need something besides flip flops to keep your toeses cozy.
Moving On: Socks and More
I’ve cast on another pair of socks already — I thought I knew who they would belong to, but I’m pretty sure they’re for someone else entirely. Someone who I didn’t even have on my radar at this point in time.
Otherwise, I’m trying to figure out the next project. Will it be a lacy Victorian shawl? I broke out my copy of Jane Sowerby’s Victorian Lace Today, and am wondering if that’s something I should look into now, or perhaps later, when it’s too warm for anything more than lace weight?
Perhaps a vintage-inspired sweater is the ticket. One of the perks of sheltering in place is that there are less dietary pitfalls to keep us from our usual poor eating habits, and the weight is slowly coming back down. I have at least one 50’s style dress, and a couple of “skater” style dresses that would look lovely in a 40’s/50’s crossover sweater.
The truth is, really nice sweaters haven’t changed much in the past 70 years. Going through the Mary Maxim back catalogue has reminded me that we are constantly recycling styles, and there are plenty of similar knits on Ravelry. Mostly, it’s a matter of deciding whether you want a cropped sweater to show off your full skirts, or a longer cardigan to flaunt your ability to afford yarn. After all, the boys are home from the war and you no longer have to unravel and re-knit your sweaters to be stylish (or make wartime supplies for the troops).
I’ve been looking over the designs of Andi Satterlund, and I’m liking what I’m seeing. I’m thinking of applying her Plain Jane pattern/workbook to some of the styles I’m seeing in the Mary Maxim back catalogue.
I Have…Opinions.
One of the things that came up in this week’s video is my opinion on “Jacquard” patterns in sock yarn. Dear friends, I dislike it immensely.
Hear me out: When I go to Knitpicks, I usually wind up gawking at their Felici self-striping sock yarn. Currently, they have colour ways that feature black, white, aqua blue, candy pink and yellow (Test Pattern) or navy, periwinkle, coral, apricot, and orange (Thunderstruck). Maybe three different shades of red is more up your alley (Rose Garden)?
None of those colour ways sounds boring. None of them involve muddying up one of the stripes with splatters of another colour entirely.
I know the “idea” behind the splatters is to make it look like you’ve done some intricate jacquard needlework on the area, but it never looks like that. Real jacquard is intentional. This pattern is…random at best.
Obviously, that’s just my opinion, but I suspect I’m not alone in it. I’ve noticed commercial yarn being wound to “hide” the splattered segments, and…I’m not happy with it. Nope. Not at all.
That said, it’s fodder for yet another video, likely coming soon, on Colour, Crafting, and the Joys of the Monochrome.
Stay safe, folks. Grab a good audiobook or turn on your Netflix (I’m not going to suggest Prime due to their “themed” packages) and pull up some yarn. Pour some tea, coffee, or wine, and let’s just knit another pair of socks.
Maybe two. 😉
What are you doing while we’re all sheltering in place? Inquiring minds want to know!
Mentioned in this week’s video (no affiliate links):
Box Bag by Stitched by Jessalu
Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol J. Sulcoski
Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd
Picking Up Heel Flap Stitches by brintusfirmus
Kitchener Stitch article by Theresa Vinson Stenersen for Knitty.com
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