I’ve been a slack knitter this holiday, partly because I decided to not do any christmas knitting this year. I love not having to knit anything, the only problem is that as a result I almost didn’t.

Except: A sweater, in the pattern Ester. Unfortunately I’m not really finished with it yet, it needs a few more inches around. And I forgot to take a picture of it in the hour of daylight we had today… oops.

During my reading for my second exam a couple of weeks ago I cast on some socks (the new knitty had just come out) and I needed some knitting breaks from the world. They are beautiful, but I don’t knit on them constantly, they are a bit too involved for that. It’s the Azure pattern. At first I tried to make them in some Opal Bamboo. a variegated green colour, but seeing as this is textured pattern made up out of increases and decreases (but not lace, genius!) it ate it up too such an extent that I frogged it and restarted in a single colored yarn.

The sock yarn I chose is Fabel, by Garnstudio. It’s a pretty good yarn, wool/nylon blend, much the same as Regia or Opal, but a little bit fatter and a lot cheaper here in Norway, as it’s not import.

The other thing I’m making is Quant. From the newest knitty as well. My first attempt at enterlac, a technique I haven’t really had the need to try. At first glance the pattern didn’t seem to appealing to me, but a knitting a friend made three(?) for christmas gifts, and said the pattern was pretty cool. So I gave it a try.

So far, so good. I had to go down one needle size to get gauge. Not that I really swatched, I just made the beginning and frogged back when it turned out an inche too big, without doing the I-cord again.
I’m a bit disappointed with the yarn though, Noro Kureyon has been raved about so much that I thought it would be… better? None has mentioned as I have seen that it’s not uniform, in the spinning department, it’s almost thick/thin, but not quite. More like the yarn I’m producing as a pretty novice spinner, than what I expected out of Noro.

PS. The fact that I pulled all this yarn out of my stash kinda worries me. 2007 apparently was the year of stashbuilding for me

Tags: christmas, norway, opal, socks, toe-up sock, 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

I’m going to a class with Amy Singer the 19th october. If you are in the area around oslo, or can be, you can too. Just go here and see.
Actually, the info on the page isn’t that good, but still, it’s a knitting festival! In this part of the world!!!

Oh, and Opal has came out with a new rainforest collection. One of the colors are called the same as my sweetie, so I’ll pick that up soon. Probably.

Why probably?
Because I’m having some issues, not with opal. I love Opal yarn, it’s not the softest yarn to knit with, but the socks lasts a lot longer than the softer nicer yarn.
No, because I’m thinking about going vegan.

Yup, vegan. The crazy people that don’t drink milk or knit with wool or silk.
It’s possible to still be a knitter as vegan. I can even get great boots as a vegan.

I’m thinking about it. There are lots of good reasons for it, but right now it’s too much for me to think about to talk properly about it right now. More on that later.

Tags: amy singer, milk, opal, vegan, yarn