Sock it to me!

First, thanks for all of your sweet comments the past few days! I really appreciate them! To those who commented on the pattern, let me say that some of those back issues of Interweave contain some real gems. I've got a few issues that have one or no patterns I'd like to make, and some, like the Fall 02 and Winter 03 that have several I love.

The yarn is this that The Husband and The Girl gave to me for xmas. I did have to pick up two extra balls for this pattern. I've been looking for a pattern for this yarn since then, and when I saw this, I knew this was it, especially as I had just bought a sweater similar to this for The Girl and was thinking how much I'd like one for myself!

I did have a few gauge issues - the yarn is marked as bulky, but doesn't seem much heavier than worsted. On size 10.5 needles (what the pattern calls for) the ribbing seemed much too loose. So I went down to 10s, and I'm liking it. Of course, this made my gauge 16 spi, and the pattern calls for 14. After many minutes of the maths, I figured out that I could cast on for one of the larger sizes to get the size I needed with the smaller gauge. Fingers crossed that it works!

Even though this is 1x1 rib, I'm really enjoying it. It works up quickly and the combination of this yarn and my clover bamboo needles is perfect.

The yarn is very interesting. It's almost like a thin unspun, but doesn't feel like one. I'm not sure how to describe it beyond that. I have to say though that it is sooooooo soft! And I'm hoping that even though it's a bit bulky, because it's a wool/cotton blend it won't be too hot.

Speaking of the JoAnn's yarns, I was there a few days ago and they have some new lines out. They seem the cottony/summery type. I may have to try another since I'm enjoying this one!

I also saw today that Knitpicks has some new lines up. Of course, right after I ordered stuff from there this week! (Not that I need to spend any money right now anyway!)

I had to get one more ball of the brown yarn for Ribby since I lengthened her sleeves so much. And I decided that I needed to make socks for someone I love dearly and don't see enough. And then I saw some in the colors my sockpal likes. It all jumped in the basket.


For me to knit for loved one.


For sockpal gift.

I have to say that I love their colors. They are even more vibrant in real life than the website can show. And sooooo soft. I'm excited because I finally cast on for socks for me from the Knitpicks yarn I bought last March right after I learned to knit socks.


I am loving this! Yum to the colors, yum to the softness, yum yum yum! I do hope it holds up well and can see that I will be ordering more of this when we've got more of a disposable income! One thing that stands out about it is how tightly it's spun. Some of the knitpicks yarn (Wool of the Andes in particular) is very prone to splitting. However, I am happy to note that this is much more tightly spun, and has survived swatching on three needle sizes and ripping and reknitting the cuff two and a half times. That's the mark of a winner for me!

Oh, and this is the pattern I'm using. It's Meredith's Little Lace Sock from A Gathering of Lace. I think that the lace pattern will still look nice even though the yarn is varigated because it is simple but lovely. I hope to have a picture of how it looks more than a few rows in soon.

More socky goodness tomorrow!