First up, probably the most frustrating socks I’ve ever knitted:

You can see them both ways. I like the version on the right better. I think the frustration was mostly me. Stress + tight cables = lots of snapped size 1 needles. Some sort of memorial service may be in order.

Pattern: Inside-Out Socks from Blue Mountain Fiber Arts Rockin’ Sock Club.

Needles: Foot knit on size 0 Inox metal needles. Not fond of these - I’m used to the length of the Brittany Birch needles, and metal doesn’t feel as good as wood, to me.

Leg knit on Brittany Birch size 1 needles. Lots of them. (Again, pretty sure this is my fault.)
Yarn: Blue Mountain Fiber Arts Socks that Rock, sock club colorway Monsoon

New techniques for me: Toe-Up socks, and short row toe and heel. Also used a sewn bind-off for the first time. I’m used to grafting toes, not binding off cuffs!

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Next, a pair of socks that you may have seen in various incarnations. It took me almost a year to knit, due to depression and just being plain unhappy with them at any given time.Pattern: My default sock pattern, the Universal Sock PatternNeedles: Size 0 Inox metal needles.Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Black Purl
New techniques for me: None on the actual finished sock, but there was, at one point, a picot edge, so this sock is where I figured out how to do that, and a provisional cast-on.

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And now the “And more!” part:I’ve spent part of this past week taking a class I’ve been thinking about for a long time. Springwater Fiber Workshop’s Introduction to the Spinning Wheel. And I’m in love.

Of course, my first skein of yarn is nothing to be proud of:

Second one is better, somewhat:

Coiled

Uncoiled

The orange bits in the second skein are from some wool that we learned to hand-card on. And as you may be able to see, the second skein is more consistent, but also filled with knots. There were quite a few points where I was underspinning thicker parts, and it caused breaks.

Also, the first skein has been washed and whuzzed, the second skein hasn’t. We did the first in class, and the second I’m waiting for the right time to freak out the neighbors. Something about swinging around a bunch of wet fiber is good for the soul.