Strange looking socks

I have been working on a vest for the last few days, but got stuck with making the armbands. I asked for some help on Knitty forums and while I was waiting, I took a look through my sock yarn and discovered this ball of Berroco Comfort Sock. I had forgotten I'd bought it, but I must have picked it up on one of my touchy feely browsing days. It is very soft. I decided to try another pair of the socks I made up from a few different patterns and this is the result...

Rather a funny looking sock if I do say so myself, but as my mom said, once it is blocked it will look fine. Although in my case blocking means putting in on my foot. It's working up really nicely and the colours are very pretty. It will be a nice every day sock. I think I'm just going to keep knitting to see how long I can make it. There are about 450 yds in the 100 g ball. Besides I never know what to do with all my bits and pieces left over from socks. They just seem to end up in little balls in a bag. Waiting for who know what.

The vest is almost done. I got the help I was looking for and it's ready for the seams to be sewn up. Hopefully I'll get it done tonight and get some pictures taken in the next few days.

The Year of the Sock

It occurred to me as I was going through the pictures of the projects I've completed over the past several months, that although I have purchased yarns to make afghans, sweaters, scarves and hats, I also have accumulated a lot of sock yarn. And the only completed projects, other than a sleeveless top for this coming summer are socks. I only discovered socks last fall. Not that I never knew there were patterns for them, because my mom made many pairs of socks for 'the menfolk' in her day. Yet I always considered them as fussy and time consuming and never thought I'd ever make any.

I began browsing the internet for sock patterns and the more I looked the more socks I found. There are some absolutely beautiful patterns and those who have designed the socks are very talented indeed. It takes more than just technical know how, it takes a great eye for pattern. Not all patterns can translate to a nice looking sock. My sock making is rather basic right now, as I purchased sock yarn that wasn't overly expensive. In my quest for patterns I came across several websites devoted to beautiful sock yarns of all types and most importantly all colours. The hand painted ones are my favourite. Alas, they are also the most expensive. But I have promised myself that once I have mastered the sock (which means making a sock without little holes in places they shouldn't be), then I will splurge and order myself a few skeins of absolutely scrumptous hand painted, hand spun sock yarn.

In the meantime here are a few of the socks I've completed:

This is my first real pair of socks made from DGB Confetti - 75% wool 25% nylon. I got the pattern from the internet, but I see it has disappeared.

This pair is made from Paton's Kroy - 75% wool 25% cotton. The colour is called Krazy Stripes and the pattern is a free Paton's sheet at most local yarn shops or downloadable from the net.

This also is Paton's Kroy - Tutti Frutti. It is the free Paton's sock pattern made into an ankle sock.

The last sock and my favourite pair so far is made from DGB Confetti and a pattern I made up myself. I wanted to try a pair of toe up socks so I combined a figure 8 toe with a wrap and turn heel. For plain socks I will be using this pattern over and over and as soon as I write up my chicken scratch notes I'll post the pattern here.

So as you can see this is indeed the year of the sock. I have started another pair with SWTC Tofutsies in a beautiful pattern created by Chrissy Gardiner named Kaibashira. This sock yarn is a delight to work with and I have another ball which I am going to use to make a the Monkey sock by Cookie A.

Spring Has Sprung

As I sit here typing this the sun has finally decided to push through the clouds and the rain will hopefully hold off until tomorrow. It even feels warmer outside, although that might just be wishful thinking on my part. The windows are wide open and my apartment is airing out with the crisp early spring breeze. Outside, the wee crocuses and some daffodils have pushed up through the ground and some are bravely blooming. I have noticed the last few weeks that the grocery stores are carrying primroses and pansies and potted bulbs, and so I was tempted to go out to my local nursery and see what types of plants they had on offer. I found beautiful 'Danova' primroses and pansies and violas. Plus they had a table full of ranunculas. I caved in and bought enough to fill about five pots. They look so perky and happy out there I had to take their pictures. *smile*

I even spent a little time cleaning up the mess that winter and my resident squirrel left behind. And wouldn't you know, I had no sooner turned my back and the little rodent was perched out on the cement wall peering up at my pots. I had better not find any uprooted plants out there in the near future or he will be scampering about without a tail. That is if I can catch him.

Now that I have a little bit of spring happening out on my patio I have got the bug and I have begun making a list of those things I would like to plant for the rest of the season and on through the summer to add to my two hostas and peony which have started to sprout. Yes...spring has definitely sprung.