Archive for October, 2009

Oct 23 2009

Scadenza

Posted by Dee under General

Socktopus Sock Club 4

After all the grief with the drunken wave on the first sock, it took only a few days to knit it’s partner. Finally, I was able to join the masses and have a pair of wollmeise socks.

Socktopus Sock Club 4
I have also been knitting away on a pair of socks that are a secret present – as part of the SoSeSaSwa. I realised I haven’t done any swaps this year so to make up for it I have signed up for three Christmas swaps, a sock kit, knitting a sock and a mini tree decoration.

Oct 21 2009

Best Sock Club Eva

Posted by Dee under socktopus club 2009

sockspoilerRecently Alice announced that Socktopus was moving into Stash in Putney, I thought this would have little difference to my purchases it is after just a few more stops on the tube, in fact it is even a shorter walk from the station so the journey time has not really been affected, in fact my sister works across the road so I could combine yarn buying trips with having lunch with her.

Then on the opening night last week, Alice mentioned the sock club parcels would be available to pick up instore. I had already made plans to cook dinner for my sister on that night so couldn’t stop by… but one quick phonecall to my sister and she was able to intrude on knitting night and pick up my parcel and bring it with her!

Socktopus Sock Club 5

I thought the last parcel was the pinnacle of this sock club – I mean it is pretty hard to top woolmeise, but then this lovely green yarn arrived! Closer look at the pattern (note the little biscuit instead of a second O), and I realised it was designed by Cookie A.

I jumped around the house a little then had to post on Ravelry, but what could I say without spoiling what the content of the parcel was – I turned to the youth of the Internet to help my express my joy and just posted… OMG – Best sock club eva!

Oct 15 2009

Pennies

Posted by Dee under Socks

At least once a year I try and do Yarnharlot’s Knitters without Borders pledge, for one week, I forgo my cappuccinos, lunches out or that extra pint in the pub, just because giving up these little luxuries for week makes no differences to me can make an amazing difference for some one else. I still get amazed when I realise how much has been raised by this concept. (At the time of writing this is is over $600, 000).

I while ago I read about the idea of of paying for patterns by pennies per hour of pleasure (or p/hop), which is an extension of this concept. The idea is simple you knit one of the patterns from the site and then donate based on how much pleasure you got from making the project.

p/hop

Over the last few month, in-between making my club socks I have been working on Joy‘s Hopsox pattern, I have been keeping a record of how many hours I have been working on this project, so far I think I am about 14 hours into the pattern. I have never really “timed” myself whilst knitting so it has been quiet enlightening for me.

Oct 13 2009

Rogue Wave

Posted by Dee under General, socktopus club 2009

Sock knitters all know October means Socktoberfest! This year is no different, my aim this year is to try and finish all the socks I have on the needles and take part in the TTL Mystery Sock. Not too big a task, I was working on August’s Sock Club, and just had to make a partner for my p/hop sock. However, I forgot that the next instalment of the Sock Club was due (I will post about that soon – it is truly an amazing package), so of course I had to cast that on!

Then I hit a snag with the Scadenza, one of the joys of this pattern is the continuity of the pattern, the waves are carried from the toe to cuff, then new waves are started on the base of the foot carried over the heel and onto the leg. When I joined the back and front instead of pretty waves, I ended up with some lovely waves and one rough. Jason actually named it the drunk wave!

Error

So I frogged the pattern, started again, then I notice I have dropped a stitch whilst frogging, so had to rip it back again. Third attempt, the drunk line once again appeared!

So this time I sat down with a pen and paper and drew the pattern as I saw it should be, realising I had no idea what I was doing, I scanned the chart and got to work in Photoshop linking the charts from the front and back. After about a week of this I discovered the pattern was meant to look like this, with the drunk wave.

Of course I was not content with this idea, when back to photoshop and eventually re-drew the chart on graph paper to insure I had all sober waves. So my sixth attempt at the pattern with the help of photoshop, pen and paper and had one completely lovely sock.

Sober Waves