October 09, 2006
Miscellania
Today is one of my two stealth holidays that I get every fall. Emmy has gone off to school and I have the day to catch up on chores and so on - so this will not be a long entry! Too much to do!
I finally sat down and made a scarf out of my handspun angora leftovers. I used size 8 needles and blocked the bejeezus out of it and this is what I got.
The pattern is Diamond Mesh (Barbara Walker book 1), one chart repeat across, and the little 6-inch strand you see at the right is all the yarn that was left.
It blocked to 24 inches by 5 inches, I am sure that the length has sprung back a whole bunch but it's a cute little ornamental thing that I don't know exactly what to do with. Drape it over something strategic, maybe.
I finished the back of Venus and am halfway up the front, but a white-on-white pattern is hard to photograph, so the picture I took is worthless. Maybe next time.
I also spun one ounce of lilac silk and reluctantly broke off and started a new bobbin. I just hate this approach because of the potential waste (I am SURE I am not going to be consistent enough to get matching yardage), but I suppose the potential waste would be more if I tried any other plying method.
The bobbin in the back is another batch of the handdyed rambouillet that I've been combing and spinning, that will get plyed next time the big wheel is set up for plying.
I finished one Cable and Rib sock and started the other.
I needn't have worried about the fit, it is perfect. I could have used another half inch in the foot, but my other Bearfoot socks stretch a little during a day of wear and I think these will be fine.
I used a standard grafted toe instead of the toe in the pattern, and I made up my own compromise on the heel. In the pattern, Nancy Bush does not use a heel stitch on the heel flap, she inserts a seam stitch in the center of the flap and carries the pattern all the way down. While this definitely appeals to me as a clog wearer, I was worried about durability, so I compromised. I carried the cable down both sides of the heel, but I put heel flap stitch on the 16 stitches in the center of the flap. I'm really happy with how it turned out.
More socks!!
Posted by Prudence at October 9, 2006 07:06 AMOooh, I like what you did with the heel of that sock!
Posted by: whitney on October 9, 2006 08:10 AMThe liac silk looks really yummy. I'm with you on the sock heels - I'll take durability over looks, and I wear clogs year round here in the PNWet. A good wool sock can keep a cold day from turning into a miserable cold day.
Posted by: Melanie on October 9, 2006 01:10 PMWhat a sweet little scarf. It will be very classy on you. Smart move on the silk, and what a lovely color too. I really like your improvement on the bearfoot pattern. It's pretty and practical.
Posted by: Jan on October 9, 2006 07:40 PMLooks like you've been very productive. Hope your little holiday was peaceful.
That scarf is so pretty! If you don't find the perfect way to wear it, it might make a great runner for the top of a small table or shelf. The rambouillet hand-dye is also nice--I'm looking forward to seeing that plied!
Love it all! The rambo and the silk look so nice together - have you thought of plying them together?
Posted by: Kerry on October 11, 2006 06:32 PMcool sock heel!
Posted by: vanessa on October 13, 2006 06:28 AMYarn meter. Wind the bobbin onto a storage bobbin through the yarn meter, and rewind half onto another storage bobbin. My waste has been less than a few feet.
Posted by: Laurie on October 13, 2006 08:20 AM