Forward & Back

Only one FO for May, but it's a lovely one, and (for a change) these socks fit me perfectly.



Pattern: Forward & Back socks (Ravelry link)
Designer: Ruth Greenwald, The Yarnarian.
Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Cami Chic
Needles: 2.0 mm (US 0) 6" aluminum Inox DPN
Gauge: 7.5 st/inch and 11 rows/inch in stocking stitch
Pattern notes: 56 stitch cast on; substituted a round toe
Ravelry project link

The photo above was taken outdoors in natural light. The following one was taken indoors on a cloudy day, and shows the beautiful flow of colors on the heel and sole of the socks.

Black Sheep, Black Sheep

Black Sheep Gathering: more wool in more formats than I have ever seen in one place before. I was positively giddy from the wool fumes. Wool on the hoof, fleece, batts, roving, and yarn, yarn and more yarn. Also, the tools to make yarn, and to turn yarn into fabric: carding machines, spindles, wheels, looms, needles. Spinners and weavers everywhere. You will be amazed to hear that I left with only four skeins of yarn:



These are (left to right) Blue Moon Socks that Rock lightweight "Grimm's Willow Wren" and "Puck's Mischief" and Chameleon Colorworks Twinkle Toes (beautiful glossy smooth merino/tencel) in "Peacock" and "Stonewashed."

I took some photos, but there are better ones on Marnie's blog. Be sure to scroll down and watch, and especially listen to, the video she recorded in the sheep/goat barn. Be happy they have not yet invented Smellavision.

Twelve Things

Wendee tagged me with this meme: twelve things about yourself, interpreted through the compound lens of Flickr. Here is how the meme flows, if you want to play along:

Go to the mosaic maker page, and create a 3 column by 4 row mosaic. You'll get a page with twelve fields in which you can paste photo URLs.

For each question below, key your answer into the Flickr search box.

Choose an image from the first page of hits.

Copy (right click and Copy Image Location) the photo link into the corresponding box in the mosaic maker.

These are the questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Shorn

Today we walked up to Weaving Works, where Al and Lin Schwider from The Pines Farm demonstrated the noble art of sheep shearing. This sheep is a pet of the family, chosen for the demo because of her mild temperament.



She maintained a fairly resigned demeanor through the whole ordeal, with only a few plaintive bleats.



Note the nicely crimped fleece - she is a natural coloured Romney.



Ah! Done at last! We were allowed to pet her after the shearing. Her stubbly hide was very soft, warm and full of lanolin.

Birthday Socks

Oak Ribbed Socks by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks, knit for gnr's birthday and finished four days early, even though I've been distracted lately by lacy socks and baby boots and chasing around town hunting down exclusive yarn (Wendee, I'm looking at you).

Stats:

Regia Stretch (70% wool, 30% poly) Color 111, most of 2 skeins
2.25 mm bamboo DPN
15 st / 24 rows per 5 cm (2 inches)
Ravelry project link

Notes:

Knit exactly per the pattern except that I omitted the heel "seam" stitch. The ribbing lets the socks stretch to fit size US 10 men's feet. I love the Regia wool blend as a workhorse practical yarn that can take hard wear and lots of laundering.

Next: something possibly less practical, but definitely more beautiful.

Selvedge Swatch

Garter stitch swatch knit to compare methods of creating a selvedge. Knit using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (colour 300102) on 5 mm (US 8) Crystal Palace bamboo DPNs.



1. Slip last stitch purlwise with yarn in front AND knit first stitch through the back loop. This creates a distinctive chain edge with each chain quite open.

2. Slip first stitch purlwise with yarn in front. This also creates a chain along the edge, but the chain is more compact than #1 and the edge is less prominent.



3. Knit last stitch through the back loop AND slip first stitch purlwise without moving the yarn to the front. Makes a clear series of slanted loops around the edge of the fabric.

4. Slip first stitch purlwise without moving the yarn to the front. Looks very much like #3 except the selvedge is flatter (meaning, less bulky).



5. Slip first stitch knitwise. Gives a wrapped edge stitch similar to #4, except the wrap is more horizontal.

6. Just knit. The classic knot-like plain garter selvedge.

Bootees Flat and Round

These bootees, designed by Saartje, are wildly popular on Ravelry (over 2,000 projects) and it's easy to see why. Adorable, quick to knit, and perfect for a baby shower gift. I knit the first of the pair per the pattern, which is written to knit flat.



There were two seams to sew up, and eight ends to weave. Lazy knitter efficiency expert that I am, I decided to try knitting the second one in the round. I also made the straps using a cable cast-on with the existing yarn, rather than adding new yarn for each strap as the pattern stated. In the round, you get one short seam, and four ends.

If you would rather eat a bug than purl, you won't care for the round version, but even with writing the pattern as I knitted, it was faster in the round.



Bootees in the Round

I added one stitch to the original pattern to make it easier to work on 2 or 4 needles. The bootee is knit inside out (i.e. wrong side facing outwards).

Cast on 32, divide over 2 circs or 4 dpn
row 1 P32
row 2 KFB, K14, M1, K2, M1, K14, KFB
row 3 P36
row 4 KFB, K15, M1, K4, M1, K15, KFB
row 5 P40
row 6 KFB, K16, M1, K1, M1, K4, M1, K1, M1, K16, KFB
row 7 P46
row 8 KFB, K18, M1, K1, M1, K6, M1, K1, M1, K18, KFB
row 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 P52
row 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 K52
row 19 change to contrast color and P52
row 20 K15, (SSK) 5 times, K2, (K2TOG) 5 times, K15
row 21 P42
row 22 K42
row 23 P42
row 24 K10, BO 22, K10
row 25 K10, turn the work and cast on 10 using cable cast-on
row 26 K30, turn the work and cast on 10 using cable cast-on
row 27 K40
row 28 BO 20, K20
row 29 BO 20

The bootees above were knit with Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Beachglass and Natural, on 2.25 mm needles.