It’s the last day of january today, it seems like a good time to make this years resolutions regarding knitting, and especially one aspect of it has been on my mind the last couple of days.
Stash… (long pause)

In 2006 I had no money, bought next to no new yarn except on a couple of occasions and was really modest about taking in new stuff just because I had no choice.

In 2007 I got my economy somewhat on my feet, and vowed to build myself a stash, just so that I would have a backup plan if I was back in the position from the previous year. I also went vegan in october, and stopped buying animal fibers.

And now it’s 2008. I got my stash, some of it is pretty, some of it isn’t, and most of it isn’t vegan. It might be a little late to have resolutions for the new year now, but I do.

• I will continue to not buy animal fibers, and knit down a lot of what I have
• I will try to use more from the stash than I put into it
• I will learn to knit socks without wool that I can love as much as the ones with wool
• I will make at least one hoodie, that I will wear regularly
• I have joined a stash-turnover group at Ravelry and I will follow it’s lead. By adding new gorgeus yarn to it, and use up the old

Tags: knit, ravelry, socks, stash, vegan, yarn

Exams are coming up in a few weeks and I’m getting really stressed out about that. I don’t have the energy to write a proper post today. Instead you get to everything about how I like to make my socks. Exciting huh?

I stole this from Jaimie that had taken it from someone else as well (I like tracking memes like that).

1. What’s your favorite sock yarn? (please note that the word ‘yarn’ is singular. Just pick one. I know it’s hard.)

I think it’s Opal. I love how it softens with wear but still isn’t worn trough by active use for four years. The only bad thing with it for me is that it contains wool. I’m not buying that anymore. And I will miss it when I’ve knit up my stash. But that will take some time, I’ve been hording it for years now.

2. What’s your favorite type and brand of sock needle?

Short (6 inch) bamboo needles made by a german company (of which name escapes me). I love them, and use them all the time.

3. Do you knit your socks toe up, cuff down, or sideways?

About half toe-up and half cuff-down. Most of my toe-up has been based around the widdershins pattern.

4. Do you knit both socks at once or just one at a time?

One at a time. I don’t want to have an extra ball of yarn or potential tangling when I stuff it down in my bag.

5. What’s your favorite toe and why?

The magic cast-on toe. My favorite technique as well.

6. Favorite heel?

Heel flap, with peacock or regular sl1 K1. On toe-up and cuff-down alike.

7. Do you prefer plain or patterned socks?

I do a lot of textured patterns, and a few lace socks as well. (I’ve done three pairs of pomatomus)

8. Who do you knit the most socks for?

Me. I’m selfish like that. But I recently started giving some away, how many pairs of socks are you supposed to have for yourself without feeling guilty? 20? 40? 60?

9. Do you darn your socks? If not, what do you do with them?

I’ve darned a few pairs, and I will have to have a darning day after I’ve taken my exams.

10. Do you only wear handknit socks?

I usually have on a pair of handknit socks, but for the thick socks I wear a pair of thin cotton ones inside. Most of my storebought socks are falling apart, and I’m replacing them with hand knit ones.

Bonus question: What pattern, if any, is your basic “I-just-need-a-pair-of-socks” sock pattern based on? Do you keep it written down or memorized?

2.5mm needles. 14 m pr needle, over 4 needles = 56 stiches
K2, p2 2 inches.
Knit 15 cm

Heel 14 x 2 sl 1 k1 rounds (14 long stitches is illustrated with a small drawing).
K 1 past the middle, ssk k1 turn
Sl 1 purl to 12th stitch p2tog, p1
Repeat until no stitches left on each side.

Gusset:
Ndl. 1: k to 3 last, ktog k1
Ndl 2 – 3: in pattern
Ndl 4: k1 ssk. K rest
Next round knit ndl. 1-4. Ndl 2-3 in pattern
Repeat until 14 st. pr ndl.

13.5cm from picked up stitches to toe.
Decrease until 5 st. pr. p. = st.

That’s from my very small knitting notebook. Translated from Norwegian, but it takes more place written in English. It’s written over 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches. It’s based on a yarnharlot recipe and every norwegian læste recipe I’ve seen, and I’ve both seen and done lots of those.

Tags: knit, lace, opal, socks, toe-up sock

As I talked about a couple of days ago I’m knitting Fetchings on the train, they have replaced the socks I’m usually making, I still feel a bit socked-out after this summer.

A few notes on the pair I’m making.

• 3.5mm needles,
• Bamboo by Idéna.
• I’m twisting the cables in the same direction on both, since I’m lazy like that.
• On the finished one I messed up the distance between two cable rows, oops.
• Lengthened the part after the tumb to 8 rows instead of 4 before cable twist
• The yarn is splitty, and has a gazillion plies.

I love them, even though they’re not going to be the warmest fetchings ever (in that respect, bamboo is a bad choice).

Tags: cables, knit, knitting in public, yarn

I recently bought this yarn, and I’m now trying to make some fetchings out of it.

I know it’s not the warmest yarn (bamboo) but I wanted to make something small at first just to test run it… So far, after casting on and just having made a couple of rounds, it feels like velvet. I love it!

One of the reasons I started it was a realization I had, that I hadn’t knit in public (KIP) in weeks! It’s amazing how much more complete I feel with a small project in my bag…

Tags: knit, knitting in public, yarn

Two books I’m reading right now

No Sheep for You is a great book all about knitting with non-animal products. It does include silk, so the book isn’t completely vegan. But it does contain a lot of information on how and why different yarns behave like they do. And when a pattern calls for wool, this book gives you a lot of help picking the best alternative. Be it soy, cotton, hemp or synthetics.

The book even takes it a step longer, and not only tells you, but gives you an example. The editor of the book (Amy Singer) has said that she tried to show that everything you do with animal fibers, you can do without them as well, except felting…

For me right now, the only problem with the book is that it makes me want to spend lots of money on yarn, so that I can knit some of the projects. I am knitting the tuscany shawl out if it already…

Vegan Freak: being vegan in a non-vegan world is basically a book about how you can be vegan without losing your marbles. It talks very briefly about why you need to be vegan, and the rest is tips about how to interact with friends and family, the world, shopping and some other stuff.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but so far I really like it. The things I’ve learned so far are mostly stuff the people around me are going to benefit from, not me though. Because it forced me think about not being to preachy. I know I have preached a little about veganism on my blog lately, but that’s why I have a blog, here I talk about stuff to get them out of my system

The podcast the authors of this book produces is great as well, and I recommend it highly. It’s what made me seriously consider cutting out the crap and go vegan instead of vegetarian.

Tags: Books, knit, podcast, vegan, vegetarian