Possessed to Knit

Wayward Sock

Here is my completed right sock from the February installment of the Cookie A sock club.  The yarn is Richness of Martens fingering (75% fine superwash merino/15% cashmere) by Alisha Goes Around in the Genevieve colorway.  This yarn is absolutely divine as is the pattern. I am using my 2.5 mm Addi Lace Turbo needles and though the leg fits fine, the foot feels a little big.  I should have used a smaller needle for the sole, but that really breaks up the knitting for me. 

I inadvertently did not check the updated version of the pattern and ended up unknitting 30 rounds so I could decrease 4 more sts after the heel (I should have checked on the number of sts for the toe before I reached the toe) which did improve the fit.  The toe is a bit square even after I moved one stitch from each edge over the corner stitches and I grafted the toe in the ribbing pattern.  It does look much nicer on and it is a lot of fun to knit.  We have already received our April yarn and patterns which is inspiring me to complete this lovely pair.

Cookie kindly includes two of her wonderful patterns to choose from, one more simple and the other more challenging.  Of course, I go for the more challenging patterns.  One modification I did make was to do an eye of partridge stitch heel instead of the ribbed heel as I prefer the look of the eye of partridge stitch.

Wullenstudio Winter Sock Club

Here is my first sock of Wullenstudio's Winter Sock Club kit.  Patrick designed the pattern and Sheila dyed the yarn, both are called Ice, Ice Baby.  The yarn is soft and wonderful to knit with, a delicate mix of blues and grays.  Patrick's toe-up design starts with knitting a small strip and then picking up the stitches, creating a gently shaped toe that fits very nicely.  His gusset and turned heel are unlike any I have ever knitted and no heel flap!  I am not a fan of flap heels.  He also adds the "eye of partridge" stitch after the turning of the heel.  This gives a durable texture and looks much prettier than the usual slip 1, knit 1 heel.  The icicle design is clever and fun to knit.  I set up my 40" Addi Lace 2.25 mm circular needle so that I begin with a knit stitch and end with a purl stitch, to minimize the ladders between the needles.  Thank you to Patrick & Sheila for a delightful winter sock kit.    

Sock Club Exchange

Ann in Australia is now learning to spin.  I gladly traded her some drop spindles for one of her Knitting Inspiration Sock Club packages.  The beautiful yarn is Handmaiden Casbah (81% merino/9% cashmere/10% nylon) in the Berry colorway.   She also included her clever fimo row counter and a gorgeous knitting bag (with stitch markers on the ribbon) from her recent knitting retreat.  The Tim Tam cookies were a delicious surprise, too.   Thank you to Ann for all of her lovely gifts.  I have the yarn wound and ready to go.  This yarn is so soft, I can't wait to see how it knits up.  

Caitlin & Colin were still long enough for me to snap this photo.  They do a lot of cute things, but by the time we get the camera ready, they are off doing something else.  They do their share of playing & fighting.  It is nice to see them settle down together like this.

Yarn & Chocolate

Valentine's Day doesn't get much better than this, new sock yarn, markers, and chocolates in an edible box from Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Crystal City.  The Girl from Ipanema sock yarn is the first installment of the Wullenstudio Sock Club.  Sheila included 4 beautiful moonstone and silver stitch markers and a pretty pattern with this delightful sock yarn.  I joined this seasonal sock club when I learned that Patrick was designing one of the patterns, and I am glad I did.  This brightly colored yarn reminds me that spring is just around the corner, the perfect touch to my Valentine's Day.

Sock Yarnista Club

I received my first Sock Yarnista Club shipment today.  The yarn is Beckon Stretch Merino (3.5 oz and 350 yards) dyed in the Auspicious colorway.  As Sock Yarnista Club members, we get to choose between two colorways (one handpainted and one semi-solid) for our yarn.  I am delighted with Auspicious as it is even prettier in person.  I received a link to download the lovely Cairdeas (the Celtic word for friendship) pattern, and this bag of teas and caramels (from Have It Confections) was included with my yarn.  Sharon, the proprietor of Three Irish Girls/Sock Yarnista Club, is very attentive to her customers and provides excellent customer service.  What can I say?  I just love getting sock yarn in the mail and until they do an episode of Intervention for sock yarn addiction, I will keep a pair of socks in progress in my knitting bag.