Saucy socks are mine!

I received my socks and some extra stuff from my pal, Danielle at Aswim in Knits. The pattern is Saucy Socks, a lovely free sock pattern I'd not yet come across. They're extra saucy because the yarn color is zinfandel. The yarn is Nature's Palette Plant-Dyed Yarns, so I guess it wasn't dyed by dropping it in a big barrel of red wine. I love the subtle variations in color and the pattern. I mentioned that I knit eye of partridge heels for the first time for my sock pal and that I liked them, and these socks have them too. They are my new favorite pair of socks. Thanks so much, Danielle! She also included some lavender soap and citrus candy, which I sent to my pal as well. If this was a coincidence, that's pretty funny. I also got some Toblerone, a Burt's Bees sampler, and a sock bag. Wow! I'm going to be enjoying the contents of my package for quite some time. Now for the photos.


I can't wait until it's cool enough to wear them.

Something weird happened with this post. It showed up two days late in my feed and was missing a picture, so I added it.

My socks made it to their destination!

The socks I made fit my pal and she likes them! Go check it out.

My camera's batteries have died so I'll have to wait to show off my beautiful socks.

Purple

I tried to post this several days ago but Blogger would repeatedly ask me to log in, which is always a fun experience. The wisteria is pretty but wants to take over the world. It's growing like crazy.

I am still knitting the Sockapalooza exchange socks. They are supposed to be mailed anywhere between August 2 and August 7, and I should be able to swing that.

One month to go

I have a month left to make my pal's socks. This is the yarn. I admit I am not sure how well this two-color idea will work.

New socks are coming

I ordered yarn for my sock pal's socks so there will soon be some new knitting content. I feel a little like I've lost my sock mojo so I'm nervous about having to make socks for someone who can't try them on while I'm making them. But I'm excited about making them.

Swatching

I have been trying to figure out the best way to bind off toe-up socks. I tried several methods.
I decided to go with Grumperina's method because if it's good enough for her.... I also tried Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind off, the Russian bind off, and the regular bind off (definitely too tight).

I tested out the stitch pattern I'll probably use for my pal's socks. Think it looks reptilian?

Bind off links
1 2

Some socks (and sock yarn) of mine

With sock pals checking out other participants' blogs, I feel the need to post something. Unfortunately I think all these socks and yarns have already appeared on the blog, so there's nothing really new here. My most recent load of laundry was blues and greens. I'm not sure how that brown one ended up with these others.

When my husband sees this photo he'll probably start shaking his head at all.that.yarn. Remember, my mom and Melissa gave me some of it! And most people have way more. I can show you pictures. Scary pictures. Anyway, I've stalled on working with the STR cake in the bottom right. I'm thinking of giving Monkey a go. It's in Broadripple right now and it's OK. If Monkey's no good I'll probably go back to that. The Regia Silk may someday be Bayerische. The tanzanite STR on the left may become Leyburn socks. I'd also like to make Anastasia socks, Embossed Leaves, Retro Ribs, and I'm sure some others I've forgotten about. So, I hope that helps my sock pal out some.

I have a pattern idea for my sockapalooza match: the scales skin socks, aka snake skin socks (photo 1, photo2). I like that this pattern isn't too popular out in blogland, and I can find no evidence on my pal's blog that she's made it or even heard of it. I can see she has read Harry Potter, so I think it would be cute to make these and rename them for one of the dragons. Sound like a decent idea? I just don't know how they'll knit up--stretchy? always falling down?--so I may do some swatching before I decide.

Sockapalooza matches

I found out who I will be knitting socks for today and figured I should put something up on the ol' blog for whoever is knitting socks for me.I've had some good mail recently. I got the two magazines free from two separate knitters. I wanted knitscene for the Central Park Hoodie. The Vogue was just something up for grabs, so I grabbed it. There's one interesting-looking pattern in it, but I may pass it on to someone else. I had an extra copy of an old Interweave Knits and sent it off to a knitter in Australia. In exchange for the postage ($9.50), I got a $10 gift certificate to WEBS. Woohoo! That's it for the free stuff. I did pay for the Greenwood Fiberworks yarn, but only $12 (including shipping)--much cheaper than buying it new!

I got nothin'

Not much knitting going on. Here's a pair of socks I was working on last year around this time, to give away in a sock exchange. (There's a dragonfly on the left sock.)