Wednesday 2 March 2011

A March mystery - WIP Wednesday

I am rather a fan of the concept of a mystery sock pattern. You get a clue a week and at the end of clues you have a finished sock, it’s fun. It’s particularly good because in theory you can complete each clue as it comes out and then have the rest of the week to knit other things before another clue is published. My last two mystery socks I’ve not been so diligent about finishing clues as soon as they’re published but with the March Mock on Sock Knitters Anonymous I am hopeful that I will stick to the knitting schedule.

Knowing this was a lace sock and feeling a need for more lace socks in my collection (intentional holes in socks may seem a bit silly but I think they look so pretty that I overlook the madness) I prepared ahead. At the weekend I went stash diving and came out with what I decided was the perfect yarn.

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To the sensible eye this may not look the perfect yarn for a lace pattern, the colours may obscure the pattern somewhat so why did I think it was perfect? The colourway is called “Spring Fling”. What could be more perfect for spring mystery socks? Such a perfect name for such a delightful colourway. It makes me think of the park I frequented as a little girl which bursts into colour every spring with purple crocuses, for me this yarn is the purple of those crocuses against the green grass, just wonderful. Of course I’ve made it clear in the past I have a great fondness for green but purple comes pretty high up my list as well, particularly combined with green. I had a poke through my stash and I have quite a few yarns which combine these colours and that makes me feel terribly excited.

I love, love, love Laughing Yaffle yarn by the way, the colours are always fabulous and the pair of socks I’ve knit from it (the rest lurks in my stash filled with beautiful, colourful potential) have worn really well. If you haven’t before you should totally click the link and check out her shop.

I weighed my skein before winding so I knew when to stop winding my first ball and start a second. I know it should be 100g but I do like to double check so my two balls are exactly the same weight and therefore length.

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I then set about winding it. Oh how I long for a ball winder and swift to speed this process up, even just a swift would do so I don’t have to rest it over my knees or enlist the help of Mr NM or my mother.

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When I was done I had two balls of yarn ready so I’d be able to knit both socks at the same time and hopefully avoid the dreaded second sock syndrome. I don’t even bother attempting centre pull balls, I’ve tried in the past and ended in a dreadful tangle so go for the traditional ball which is fine for me, I don’t mind it bobbing around when I’m knitting as I don’t have any pets or small children who might decide it’s a play thing.

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This morning I had this, yes, this morning! I took a photo before work and it was almost fully light outside if a little overcast. I will admit I attempted to brighten up the picture with some picture editing software (and have put the contrast up a bit too much, oh dear) but still, it was light in the morning so I am a happy monkey.

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The ribbing is a little wonky but never mind, that will even out when it has had a wash. I’m already loving the pattern and there are some pretty examples in the group of people who have completed the first clue so I’m excited about what this sock could become.

If you read Mimi’s blog (and you should) she has put up details about the second annual knitting and crochet blog week. I read some blogs that were participating last year but didn’t join in myself. I am going to have a go this year and am all ready thinking about things to write and looking forward to it. I hope lots of people join in and have fun with this, particularly with day 5.

blogweek


Just for your information I may or may not be suffering from a case of not just startitis but a particularly aggressive strain of sock-startitis. I have the overwhelming urge to cast on ALL THE SOCKS with no clear sign of when or if this will pass. Symptoms have included obsessively going through my sock yarn stash, considering buying more dpns to allow for an increased number of SIPs and bookmarking just about every page in Knit.Sock.Love. Protect yourself for I fear it’s highly contagious and an be contracted by looking through beautiful sock projects on Ravelry, sock yarn fumes and indeed ownership of Knit.Sock.Love. Membership of the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry doesn't help. You have been warned.

18 comments:

  1. I am with you. Sometimes a yarn just has to be worked, and it has to work with the project you need to do at the moment. So, there! This IS spring-like yarn, and we all need spring right now.

    I am so sad that I'll be missing KniCroBlo week this year. I participated last year, but will be away from the computer that week. So sad. I'll just have to read everyone else's posts!

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  2. wow that yarn is gorgeous; and i can't wait to see the finished socks!!!

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  3. I love the colours in the yarn. I can see I'm going to have to visit Laughing Yaffle.

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  4. Haven't gotten into socks, but ohhhhhhhhhhh what yummy yarn you've got, the colors are wonderful. Had to laugh when I thought of myself trying to wind the yarn in the position in your picture, lol...this old body wouldn't be able to move probably after that...and or, I'd get all tangled up in it, stand up and fall.
    Popped in from WIPW

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  5. Oh my, that yarn is just gorgeous! Purple and green are my two favourite colours. I am exercising every bit of willpower I own so I don't click on the Laughing Yaffle link! I shall certainly look forward to the progress of your socks. :)

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  6. Another Laughing Yaffle fan here! Thanks for the info on the blogging week - I'll do my best to join in!

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  7. Beautiful yarn! I love the color combo. Thanks for telling us about KniCroBlo! I'll have to try and join along. :)

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  8. I'll be participating in the Blog Month too! Can't wait!

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  9. I'm a sucker for mysteries aswell and am also doing the SKA mystery sock. I haven't blogged that one this week though. I'm using some yarn I dyed with Kool Aid. It is a boring solid though and I love yours. The colours are gorgeous.

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  10. That yarn is gorgeous! My favourite colour combination. :)

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  11. I have never heard of Laughing Yaffle yarn, but now I definitely will go look them up! Those colors are even prettier knit up than they are in the skein.

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  12. Certain colors or combinations of colors just bring back great memories. I love reading about yours. That color is going to be so lovely knitted into lacy, springtime socks. I've never knitted a mystery project, but it sounds like great fun.

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  13. I am sure your socks will become beautiful! I am winding my yarn the same way you do. :-) Not always a pleasure but I like to get to know my yarn before I knit it.
    Yours, Julia

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  14. Oh, those colors are looking great in a sock! Awesome reassignment. ;)

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  15. So fun to knit up a ball of Spring! Those socks are going to be really fun -- can't wait to see how the lace pattern works up. I'm in sock bliss right now, too -- but resisting! So far. :)

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  16. I love my kitchen scale too! It is such a handy knitting tool. And that is a very pretty combination of green and purple!

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  17. Oh you're so making me want to do socks despite my horrible issues with knitting circles. *sigh* SO pretty though. I'm also playing in that Blog Week and was SO intrigued by Day Five. What to do what to do what to do!?

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