princessdeia

January 22nd 2010
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009, Stash Enhancement

Whilst I sit here still hoping the postman is going to deliver my Knit Love Sock club parcel, I thought it was the perfect time to post the details about the final package from last years Sock club.

The parcel actually arrived before Christmas (hence the pattern name), but I didn’t get a chance to cast them on until this year. The yarn is my favourite to date – a special cashmere blend from Nimu in the most amazing purple/blue colour! The pattern – Mince Pie Mayhem was designed by Alice, and the “extras” were some Soak and amazing labels to attch to your handmade goodies.

I was hoping to have these socks finished by today, but have only made it to the toe on the first sock. It seems a little silly knitting Mince Pie socks well after Christmas, so I have renamed they the blueberry pie socks as the yarn reminds me more of this!

October 23rd 2009
Filed under General

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.

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.

October 21st 2009
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009

Recently 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!

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!

October 13th 2009
Filed under General, Socks, 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!

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.

September 17th 2009
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009, Stash Enhancement

Before going away on holiday I popped into Socktopus to see a few of my favourite knitters. It was also the day Alice was getting the sock club parcels ready so it gave me a chance to pick up my yarn and goodies (there were two lots of bells and whistles to make up for last months parcel).

Your eye’s do not deceive you that is some lovely skein of Wollmeise, on an exclusive colourway. Now I have to be honest I hadn’t yet cottoned on to the whole wollmeise craze, I seem to always miss the shop updates, I have not yet had a chance to fondle this yarn or seen it knitted up… so this was a real treat for me. After a bit of knitting I have to say I get it, smell and all!

Also included was an amazing Zigzag Stitches knitting bag, this is a tiny version perfect for carrying around sock knitting. I adore her stuff, I have added a few bags and a sock and go needle case to my birthday wish list. Finally, there are the lovely mini Russian doll stitch markers by Atomic Knitting.

Whilst I was there Kat was knitting an amazing cardigan in lace-weight so when I was fondeling the yarn I saw this cashmere yarn, I knew it was screaming to be turned into a lovely cardigan.

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July 16th 2009
Filed under Finished Projects 2009, General, Socks, socktopus club 2009

So a few weeks ago we all awaited the arrival of our shiny silver parcels aka the Sock(topus) Sock Club! Inside was the most amazing yarn dyed by Theyarnyard I have to admit I am not a big fan of red – but I love this colour,  it reminds me of poppies (the photos don’t do it justice). Also a simple yet unusual pattern by Ysolda (I am a big fan for her beret pattern so was looking forward to this months instalment).

It took me a while to understand how this pattern was going to work as it omitted the short row for the heel, rather than ponder too much about the construction, I got out my needles and knit and knit and knit! With in no time I’d completed the sole and the heel magically appeared.

In no time I was wearing my socks! .
More photos here.

June 8th 2009
Filed under Finished Projects 2009, Socks, socktopus club 2009

Finally, I have finished, my sock club socks! The actual socks took no time to knit, it just took me ages to sew all the vines, pods and flowers onto the sock.

My only concern with the pattern was the lacy parts in toe – I was worried this area might stretch or become weak after washing and wearing, so I extended the vine down over the lacy part for extra support. I am thinking of doing the same thing on the heel as this can be a stress point on some socks I have knitted in the past.

More photos here.

May 3rd 2009
Filed under General, Socks, socktopus club 2009

I guess it is always I bit of a gamble when signing up to a sock club (in fact any related knitting club), that the yarn will be to your taste. However, I figure I have enough people around me that I could “gift” the socks I didn’t like colours of to.

Of course the other side of this gamble is that you end up with a parcel that is to your exact taste! That everything included is very you. That is what happened to me with the second instalment of the Sock(topus) Club.

First off this amazing yarn – which is in “my colours,” the yarn is amazingly soft and a dream to knit with (in fact I am hoping to score some more of this yarn to make a larger garment).

Next the pattern, at the moment I seem to be into extremely lacy socks, I think it is getting ready for the summer or something. I have enjoyed reading Loumms’ blog for a while and love the ideas of the Year of Socks however, I hadn’t had the chance to knit one of their designs yet.

Finally, the bells and whistles. As I mentioned I love reading Loumms blog, and I was intrigued by their idea of “Grow Your Own Soup.” I only started gardening last year but loved my chilli plants from last summer, I wanted to try growing something else on my little windowsill.

February 26th 2009
Filed under General, Socks, socktopus club 2009

I finished the first installment of the Socktopus Sock Club, my Om Shanti (or Bagpuss) Socks, I am so unbelievable happy I managed to get the yarn to swirl, it actually looks like a candy cane.

One of the reason I was keen to join the Sock club (apart from all the yummy yarn) was to learn new techniques and even challenge my knitting self. On the surface this sock looked pretty simple not challenging at all, and it was until I got to the rib… The pattern called for a corrugated rib (worked with two yarn) and I seemed to get in a complete mess – in fact I ripped the rib three times on the first sock and only once on the second!

I made one alteration to this sock, adding several repeats to the leg to make the sock longer. I followed Alice’s instructions for a wider leg on the extra repeats to insure the sock fitted on the calf.

January 28th 2009
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009

Last Friday I met up with Alice, Trisha and  Arianna for a trip to the Houses of Parliament and girly lunch. It was a  chance for us all the have a mini London meeting of the Leyburn KAL. Arianna took this amazing photo to see all the different variations of the one pattern – I love the fact two are knitted toe-up and two cuff-down. Even though I had only completed the toe by this stage, you can clearly see range of colours.

I had also arranged with Alice to receive my first Sock(topus) Club parcel (yes my first silver shiny packet). The pattern is the Om Shanti Sock designed by Alice herself! The yarn is Evolution in an exclusive colour (Peppermint Cheer), and the extras are a mini pedicure kit from the Rocky Mountain Soap Company (Canadian just like Alice).