I should be knitting SES and CFA hats, but for the last few nights I’ve been engrossed in something else. I fell in love with this pattern last year:
Alex, by Debbie Bliss. I don’t often buy patterns because there are so many in magazines and books that I want to make. This one was different. I had to have it. But once it arrived I kept putting off starting it. There were other projects to finish. Then other ones that caught my attention.
But this year I’m determined to knock some of the larger garments off my list. So the other day I knit up a swatch, washed it and found the yarn I’d chosen (Millspun possum merino – trust me to follow up knitting a 12ply coat in summer with an extremely warm possum blend yarn in autumn) knit up at almost perfect gauge.
Three nights after casting on I’ve nearly finished the back. The pattern is just so darn easy (compared to Sylvi) and the yarn, while a bit splitty, is a delight to knit with. And all that stocking stitch is great for reading or watching tv at the same time.
And it’s been cold, so having a warm, fuzzy knit to work on is nice. In fact, it’s been cold enough that I wore Sylvi on Sunday morning, and handknits every day since. And handknit socks. But yesterday I discovered something that annoyed me. Remember these?
The ‘Coriolis Socks’ from New Pathways For Sock Knitters. The pattern, with the diagonal stitches, isn’t as stretchy as plain socks. Now it seems the yarn, Fleece Artist Sea Wool, has been shrinking with each wash, and I can no longer get them to go over my heels. I’m considering ripping them down to the ankles and reknitting them in plain stocking stitch.
I’ve been thinking lately how I keep getting to a point with socks where I’m tired of a certain form of them. First I got sick of fake fair isle, then varigated yarn and all the flashing. Then I was so over busy yarn with busy patterns, and wanted plain or nearly solid colours, with a nice stitch pattern. Now I’m really bored with overly complicated, cabled, ktbl ribbed, whacky ways of shaping, kinds of socks.
And I am SO over socks that shrink.
(And no, I still refuse to handwash them. Machine washable should mean machine washable.)
Amen to the ‘machine washable’ that makes me nuts too. I don’t ever put anything in the dryer though. I knitted this really cool sweater a year ago last fall, it was wool and the cable in it caused it to hang a little heavy and stretch. So I decided to toss it into the dryer on low heat one day when it was almost dry. It’s now a felted hand bag.
love the socks
Trudi, I share your frustration. I love to handspin, hand knit socks, but have discovered they have a very short life as the act of wearing handspun on one’s feet will cause it to felt, and shrink!!!!! I get about 12 months tops (on high rotation) before they are unwearable and I begin to consider if they can become felted pot holders……..