Chevvy Sock is Done!

I only had a little bit to go this morning but it was slow at the end. Torture, in fact. I kept being interupted with other things going on around me and couldn't get it together for awhile. As I said before, this looks easier than it is. There is alot of moving the sts back and forth and if you screw up (or drop a stitch 800 rows, like I did...twice...) it's hard to find your place. I got new glasses today and can actually see what I'm doing. Let's break out the size 0 needles, yeah!

Sally and I came to an agreement at the end and here she is in her radiant beauty.

A nice close up of all the pretty colors. I love this yarn. The colorway is simple gorgeous and may be one of my favorites for STR. (I like Rose Quartz alot, too).

I love this pattern and will make it again.

I love red socks.

I love green socks more but I do love red socks.

Angels and Devils

Being I'm knitting and spinning so much, I can always use a nice stash enhancement, can't I? My stash has actually dwindled a bit. I haven't bought anything since Rhinebeck and I saved up for Rhinebeck and I will save up for Rhinebeck 2009...so I don't really have ALL that much...., right?


Elizzabetty becomes very dangerous when driving by Webs and I become very dangerous when she's driving by Webs and has her cell phone and I'm in the middle of wanting some yarn. I get the call,


"Hi, It's me. I'm in Webs." Go ahead, dangle the carrot, she's supposed to be my friend.


Having caught me home in a rare moment when the kids were both occupied and I could actually think, I was able to chat with her. I tried to resist but the brain and the lips weren't working together. The little angel on one shoulder said, "You will be stunned when you get that credit card bill from Christmas". And the little devil on the other should said, "Don't listen to her! What does she know? You only live once". I shouldn't get anything. However, I moved my lips and out came....


"Oh good, I need yarn".


Now, there is only one thing that makes her more happy than buying yarn for herself. It isn't only the yarn she likes. It's the chase, the hunt, stalking, waiting in the woods like a hunter with her orange vest on... "I'm in the warehouse, I have some Kangaroo Dyer right in front of me". "I want Midnight". (I hear footsteps, slow at first and then a prance as she lept onto the bins). "I have it in my hand". (POUNCE.....The Capture!) I hope she didn't knock anyone over.

"You know what I really want? I want to try that Shibui stuff. It looks alot like my beloved Cherry Tree Hill and it comes in two small balls so I could wind two and make two socks at once".

That one took a longer time to stalk. Can you believe that she couldn't find it and had to ask the salesperson for help? Doesn't she know where every single item is in that place yet? Naturally, I chose green for that. (It's gorgeous.)


Then, the Berocco aisle. I want to try new sock yarn just to convince myself about how much I love Cherry Tree Hill, the Kangaroo Dyer, and even Socks that Rock and maybe even Shibui but let's not jump the gun...


I chose a red one for that. It looks like ... azaleas.


Then, being I can't buy any more yarn until I pass GO and collect $200 with this year's first paycheck, I tell her 'That's it'. The little devil on my shoulder said, "Ok, we'll be on http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/ later today anyway" and the little angel fell off with heart failure.


She bought a few small trinkets for herself and went to the register to pay only to be checked out by the Kangaroo Dyer herself. Wow. I wish I could be there and meet The Kangaroo Dyer. I love that yarn.


The next night, my yarn was en route to the Homeland, Long Island...in the back of her Subaru all nice and comfy. She arrived at 8PM or so and we had tea and petted the new yarn.

Left to right, Shibui, Berocco and Kangaroo Dyer's Midnight which may be in the bullpen for socks for Ricky after I finish up Chevvy. The leg is done and it's onto the heel which is almost all of the foot anyway. Maybe I can finish this tonight if I stay up late.I like them very much. I was thinking that they're somewhat shapeless and it'd be nice to add a tiny bit of shaping at the back of the leg, at the bottom of the calf would be good. Just a slight taper so reduce the bagginess that may happen at the ankle. If I make these again, I will either go down a needle size or use less stitches. This is just a wee bit big. I am very excited over these.

Mustang Sally is so beautiful. Speaking of STR...you know I got some of that, too. SHH!! It's a secret. I have to smuggle that into the house and hide it from hubby. Stay tuned and I'll show you a picture when it comes! Can't ever tell, sometimes it comes right away and sometimes it takes weeks.

As for Elizzabetty...it won't be long now. I am working on getting her to buy a nice wheel so we can spin and drink tea. She won't be able to resist much longer. I will send her a devil and an angel.

Ride, Sally, Ride!

Busy knitting...here's a sneak peak.There's a teeny weeny hole near the cuff there...I may've missed picking up the wrapped stitch. The markers tell me where to do things on the second sock, which should be started tonight.

This pattern is NOT easy but can be done if you're paying attention. The sts used are cake, the construction is just so different than the norm! Parts of the sock are worked back and forth in rows. The chevrons are set up with short rows, the heel and then the gusset shaping is odd. I wasn't sure that I had that right initially but it worked out just fine. The toe decreases are kind of a pain and time consuming if you're magic looping. Throughout the sock, you rearrange the stitches. My "foot" portion was only a few rows. If you're working on this and saying, "Hmmn...I'm supposed to start the toe now? So soon? The whole ball of my foot is hanging out". Well, that's the way it is. The toe is like 40 rows. Mine started at the purple bow! I think that I might've been able to go down a needle size to a 1.25 size 1 although the fit is very good with the 1.5.

I love the color. I love the pattern and I can't wait to make another pair in a wild multi! Maybe Hard Rock!

I'm Making Chevvy Socks!

I casted on yesterday for two knitalongs on Ravelry. I had to use red yarn and if it was somewhat solid, I could count it towards another group. For the longest time I had the lovely Mustang Sally sitting in my stash. Just couldn't think of the best pattern for her. She was just there, every once in awhile, I'd take her out to play with her and then carefully set her back down. I was saving her for the perfect pattern.

Not sure if she was the BEST choice but definitely an interesting choice. I just received the book, Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn from Amazon. I love this book. The lessons on color and handpainted yarn are enough reason to buy this. You'll learn alot about why you shouldn't use some multis in some patterns. (Remember my 'lost leaves'?)

Anyway, the cover photo is Chevvy. These socks are gorgeous but they don't follow basic sock construction. I'd label this a good intermediate or more likely, advanced project. This is not something for the beginner. The socks are knit on 2 circulars (or magic loop, if you prefer, as I do). You need to do short rows in the leg, use a stitch holder for the heel, rearrange the stitches from time to time and knit the toe first one side then the other. Cannot be knit two at a time because of the short rows so I have to count the rows manually. Very, very different and clever pattern. The book suggests handpainted yarn, not a nearly solid / muted multi as I chose. However, that doesn't mean it won't work. Many Jaywalkers are done in nearly solid and they look spiffy so why not try this in the lovely Mustang Sally? I knit the leg last night.

I would've been further along; however, I had to fool with the gauge. The cuff uses 64 sts and I started with a size 2 needle, against my better judgement. My Jaywalkers are a bit big and I usually make lace or ribbed socks. Other than the Jays, no stockinette stitch socks for me. I wanted to be sure I'd have enough room. I had to go down to a 1.5 and I bet that I could go even smaller and be ok with it. Watch your gauge if you decide to make this pattern. The pattern is sized for two sizes and I'm making the smaller one, on smaller needles (It calls for a 3 and Fiesta Yarns Babyboom which maybe a little thicker than STR Lightweight). 64 sts in the cuff and each round of Chevvies is 78 stitches. It takes awhile to go all! (Luckily I knit continental and can do this pretty quickly.)

It is a dark winter's day here but I will certainly photograph these much better when they're done! I'll go outside to do it. I like them so much, maybe I'll hire a model. ;)

I am so excited over these socks. Sadly, the house is a mess and I'll not be working on them too much today but I hope to have a picture with today's progress by tonight.

Maybe I'll make them in Hard Rock, too! They're so cool, aren't they?