First, I am absolutely adoring the October Rockin’ Sock Club pattern, Lenore. Just take a look at this completely inadequate photo:
The lace is unblocked, and the colors are very difficult to capture with a photograph (especially with a cheap camera and a very very makeshift “studio”), but I have not loved a sock pattern this much…ever.
Casting on for this was my reward for finishing the unending Grasshopper socks, and it was worth it. The lace at the top of the sock was fun and not difficult at all, even when a YO fell at the end of the DPN, even though the author (Stephanie Pearl McPhee, the Yarn Harlot!) notes that it may be. The colors of the yarn are gorgeous and subtly shift from black to red with occasional ventures into plum. There will definitely be more of the Raven line in my future.
Second, a podcast I’ve had in iTunes forever but have just started listening to: Escape Pod. Excellent science fiction delivered to your podcatcher of choice weekly.
I may not mention it often, but I really love podcast novels. I grew up reading voraciously, but physical books don’t mesh well with knitting (unless it’s textbook sized, or I figure out a really clever way to keep it open) or housework, or a great many other things. In the next few days (I hope), look for a sidebar list of some of the ‘casts I’ve really enjoyed.
I’ve been meaning to post for a week or so, but unexpected bad news had me down for quite awhile.
Springwater Fiber Workshop, in Alexandria, is closing, unless they can gather enough in pledges to stay open. This breaks my heart, as it’s an organization that’s grown important to me over my short acquaintance with them. I learned to spin there, and I’ve been working on my agoraphobia, going to some of the knitting and spinning group meetings there. I really hope they manage to find a way to stay around.
In actual Tina-knitting activity, there are two projects that have been finished for a great deal of time that need blogged, and one I just finished. First, my favorite:
The Imperial knit hat for TD-0013. This was a fun project, and I got some practice in knitting in the English fashion – I’m usually a continental knitter. I wasn’t completely happy with the finished product, however. It’s too tall, and I’m thinking of reknitting it in a fingering weight on smaller needles. It would change the charts, but I could compensate for that, and I think it would look better overall.
I also wish I had a better photo, but I mailed this out in October (yeah, I’m a bad blogger), so all I have is a blocking shot. I need to work out a better way to block hats, but I so rarely knit them. I seem to be a sock girl, through and through.
Next we have a pair of socks I finished last month, the Summer of Love 
Lace socks from Blue Moon Fiber Art’s Rockin’ Sock club. I accidentally “modified” the first sock and left out the inch of plain stockinette after the ribbing, so I matched it on the second sock, so I didn’t have to rip out the first sock.
Incidentally enough, the third (and just finished) project is the April sock from the club, Knee High to a Grasshopper.
This was not my favorite knitting. I will admit it now. It was at times tedious and frustrating, and only stubbornness got me through the first sock. After that…well, one sock isn’t very useful, so more stubbornness got me through the second. I’m not a fan of toe-up socks, and learned with this one that I’m also not a fan of socks knitted on two circulars. But trying new things is why I joined the club in the first place, so I have another pair of socks that I wouldn’t normally have chosen to knit. I can’t love them all.
So…now I can start on the October sock. I’m actually…*gasp*…more or less caught up with the club. I know, we’re all amazed.
Sometime this week the next shipment from the Rockin’ Sock Club came! So, to avoid being spoileriffic, go to the cut to see more.
Pattern: Rockin’ Sock Club’s Solstice Slip by JC Briar
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight, colorway Firebird
Needles: US Size 1 (2.25 mm)
The only thing I’d do differently with these next time? Okay, two things. First, I’d make the legs longer. Secondly, I’d do without using toothpicks as cable needles.
I’ve put Adamas on hold for a bit so I can finish up socks. I’d like to actually catch up with the Rockin’ Sock Club, and this puts me a good deal closer.
Okay, I attempted to play with CSS today. I don’t think I succeeded.
Darth Spindle! A custom order from Spinsanity, and I adore it! She also included the most adorable spindle keychain. Now I’ll have no excuse for losing my keys.
Very, very happy pink singles here. I’m loving spinning this up, when it’s not hot enough to make me melt at the thought of touching fiber. It’s a Corriedale, Merino, Silk, Firestar blend from Copperpot Woolies. The fiber they sell apparently has some sort of addictive chemical in it, as I can’t seem to stop buying it.
I finished the Carousel singles from an earlier post and plied them. Not perfect, but I’m happy with the resulting yarn!
The first finished Solstice Slip Sock. Of course, now that I’m done, I wish I’d made the cuff a bit longer. Oh, well.
No knitting or spinning pictures tonight. I finished the first Solstice Slip sock, but the second is, for some reason, smaller than the first. There will be ripping.
However, now I have the pleasure of finding out that the dryer is broken. You press the button and…nothing happens. I’ve checked the breaker, the plug, the door latch. I’ve kicked, and I’ve held down the button as the Whirlpool site suggested. The button thing, not the kicking.
It started up for a few seconds when I started hitting the button in frustration, but soon petered out. I have a feeling that I’m going to be getting some knitting time in at a laundromat soon. If I can figure out where one is…
Next post, there will be a picture of the best spindle ever. It’s the only thing keeping today from being a complete wash.
I do get small bits of knitting done, here and there. Here’s some proof:
It’s a fun pattern, but I dropped a stitch, so I think I’m going to have to tink back a bit, as I know if I frog I’ll lose it all. And I’m too OCD to just pick the stitch up wherever I can and go with it. *sigh*
Okay, so…
I was going to start the April sock kit. However, the yarn is currently drying after an unfortuntate incident with a can of Coke.
Luckily, the June kit arrived yesterday, and so I’ll start with that. It’s appropriate. Find out why after the jump.
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!
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 PurlNew 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.
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.
But I’ve done some knititng! Who wants to see pictures?
Socks for Becky’s birthday. Which was in January. I still have to mail them out…
Regia Silk, size 0 needles, K3p1 ribbing. Not my favorite yarn to work with - it’s rather splitty to me.
Wicked in its finished state, allegedly. I’m seriously considering frogging it and knitting one size smaller.
Inside-Out Socks from the Rockin’ Sock Club. Yes, this was the February kit. At least I’m almost finished, and can start the April kit.Probably right as the June kit arrives.
More soon. Ravelry and new medication has me interesting again!