Chevron for kicks

I took the only two variegated balls I have of Socks That Rock and started knitting them into the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I was not expecting much.It's not bad, though. The yellow and green from the left ball (Scottish Highlands) were hanging out on their respective sides too much, but you can tell they would move around a bit given more length. But I have to rip this out. I was not ever planning on keeping it, so I was very sloppy with the right-hand side where I switch colors every two rows. Maybe I'll do it again someday.

The other color is Lagoon and both are lightweight, not the recommended medium.

Eh

I hadn't really looked at the Broadripple pattern when I thought it would be good for the Socks That Rock. Turns out, the pattern calls for a 56-stitch cast on with size 3 needles (and stretchy cotton Cascade Fixation). That's not really what I was looking for. I was happy with the way the yarn felt on size 1's with a 68-stitch cast on. I tried it, secretly hoping it would pool. The yarn and the needles weren't getting along, the garter ripple cuff looked crappy, and the stripes came out perfectly. It does look a little too big, but I can't be sure yet. I don't know if I want to keep it in this pattern, but I think I don't. There is a 72-stitch cast on version available from the author, apparently, but I'm not sure I want to bother. Plus, I found someone who tried it with my exact yarn and it pooled big time. See the plain column of four knit stitches down the center? That's the part that bugs me in nearly every striped Broadripple I look at. Can't really explain it. It's like I want there to be a point there instead of it being flat. And that makes me think I should consider another pair of Jaywalkers. I wore my one pair the other day and they are fantastic looking, but they just don't stay up as well as other socks because they're so inflexible. All this boils down to a big fat I don't know what to do.

Knitters don't watch Letterman?

Annie Modesitt is the only knitter I've seen comment on Letterman's disbelief that custom-made socks exist. I expected outrage, campaigns to send him handknit socks, but I guess knitters don't watch Letterman.

So there's a disturbing knitting of sexy underthings trend about. This thong (fourth from the bottom) looks downright comfy in comparison to this (crocheted) one. I swear, even the mannequin looks uncomfortable. That thing's gauge is four stitches per inch, y'all.

So, do I make a second sock with this cable or rip it out and try something else, like Broadripple, that might make better use of the color changes?

It's no fun to be woken up by a chainsaw two days in a row. At least this morning it was an hour and a half later than it was yesterday, and a few more feet away from the bedroom, too. Also no fun is forgetting how to do something you've done dozens of times before. I had to redo a heel several times but am finally back on track. One time I sat down to knit and couldn't remember how to cast on, which just made my jaw drop. I can't remember if I needed to look it up or if I remembered on my own.

This is Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR lightweight in Scottish Highlands. It is a very nice yarn. I see why so many people are devotees of the STR. It rarely splits or catches on the needles and is springy, soft, and buttery. It held up pretty well to me having to unknit and reknit the heel mumble times. I have a cable running down each side even though you can't really see it. I didn't want to do a plain sock but the yarn was too busy for much else.

I never posted a picture of the finished Fleece Artist socks, so here they are:I tried one of the Yarn Harlot's tricks on one of these socks. It's supposed to eliminate ladders but I didn't find it effective so I modified it to something that worked better for me. Once I put it on my foot, however, it gapped anyway.So I think the best option for me is to use more needles, which I was already doing.

Sock scam

If you haven't already, go read about a bank's stupid decision that a sock kit club must be a scam.

I have three skeins of BMFA wool sock yarn (all lightweight) purchased at last year's Black Sheep Gathering. Now may be the perfect time to finally try it out.

Not working

I started Mata Hari socks with my Blue Moon Sock Candy yarn, but it's just not working. It looks OK here but looks worse when I put it on my leg. So I guess I'll rip it and do something else with the yarn (plain socks). The yarn (cotton/"elite" and much less elastic than other cotton sock yarns I've used) does not hold up well to reworking.

Yum

My haul

The first three hanks are superwash merino, and the last two are cotton with a bit of elastic (so they say, I can't tell). I haven't knit in days because it's been too hot and I've been busy, but I have something I'd like to get back to now that it's a reasonable temperature.

Black Sheep Gathering

This is the only photo I took yesterday at the Black Sheep Gathering. It shows some, but by no means all, of the sock yarn for sale at the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth. What I bought you will see in a future post.

We saw lots of hot sheep, hot goats, and hot bunnies. 100% of our sample of bunnies (2) did not want their noses touched. Poor things.

My husband was most interested in the wooden items, commenting on the complex, beautiful $600 and $700 spinning wheels and digging through a container of niddy noddies, none of which looked like the ones I'm finding on the web.

It's currently 99 degrees with 24% humidity and a breeze, making it feel like 97. In Williamsburg, Virginia, it is currently 88 degrees with 66% humidity, making it feel like 97. Huh. Of course our temperature is still climbing. The house is about 20 degrees cooler than the outside temp. Tomorrow, more of the same.