Spring Clean and odd socks

Did you ever just decide to Spring Clean and declutter? Well that is why the change to the blog. A change is needed, a decluttering or shedding of the old and fresh start for the new Spring. And I didn't save the old one so I wouldn't be tempted to change back.

My knitting has been eclectic and odd lately, lots of new starts and little actual finishing. Sock Innovation is an interesting book with fabulous patterns. Kai-Mei was the first of many I will be knitting. My first sock of these has a few minor mistakes which I am not going back to correct. I will strive to do better on the next and appreciate all the new architecture of socks that it brought to me while knitting it.

The yarn is Mama Blue Troika Sock in Nickel

And talking of Eclectic I also knit the first of an old Eclectic Sole favourite: Rivendell.

This sock is knitted in Macyarns Iona Sport Sock yarn in Jasmine

Both the yarns are a Merino/Cashmere/Nylon base which I love knitting with, and wearing.

YPF...................Orange Blossoms

This weeks skein is Orange Blossoms: a 4ply Merino Cashmere Sock yarn (new) by The Knittery. The Knittery has closed up shop in Australia and has moved to the US. The shop is closed until further notice so I snapped up this skein before Socktopus runs out of it altogether. The yarn is gorgeous to handle and makes lovely socks and shawls.

I love the rich fruity colours in this skein.

Don't you?

I feel like its a bowl of fruit salad like the chews of my childhood.

It looks so soft!!

And it is!!

I only wish I had the time to knit all the lovely patterns that would be perfect with this yarn. Here's one I fancy. What would be your first choice if it was your skein? :D

YPF........................glaucon

I love the dyed yarn that The Sanguine Gryphon produces. This weeks yarn is Eidos, a merino sock yarn. This colourway is Glaucon and I bought it at The Woolly Workshop. I think this was the last skein she had of SG yarns.

I love the intense colour changes in this skein.

I'm wondering how it will knit up

Something out of the new Sock Innovation by CookieA perhaps. Awesome book...........

Heel Flaps........................

Heel flaps are the weekend's knitting. I am only making small progress with my knitting projects at present. These are another pair of Rivendell Socks, I showed you the start of them in February. The Merino/Cashmere/nylon mixture is wonderful for socks and sportweight is perfect for this pattern as I tend to knit tight.
Here they are stretched a little. I love the twisted ribbing/lace and wraps on this pattern.

Off to do some housework and some Flaps. :) Have I said I prefer flaps, well I do :D

YPF..............................More Pie!!

Skein Queen's Spring Pudding Club yarn: Plushness in Blueberry Pie.

The intense depths of the blues

Soft fluffy layers of sweet Blueberries with folds of sweet Chantilly cream!

Makes my mouth water................ :)

Nova Scotian Slants

First one done, Slants knitted in Casbah: Nova Scotia. I love twisted knit stitches on socks.
One more to go!!.............

YPF.......................Orient

As promised, the second skein of the Wollmeise sock club. The pattern that they both are intended to create can be seen here. A daunting pattern but fabulous :)

The tones in this skein are amazing.

It is hard to catch all the variations in a few photographs.

Another fabulous Wollmeise masterpiece!! I haven't seen Claudia dye anything I don't love.

Monkeys See............

All finished!! Another one off the WIP list :)

A close up of the colours. I like!!

Now to tackle more unfinished knits!!

YPF.........................sock club yarn

This week's Pron is one of two skeins from the Wollmeise Sock Club. 100% Merino fingering weight yarn.

Colourway: Okzident

I love the greens/blues/teals in this skein.

This is for a sock design that has 2 colours in it, this and another colour.

I will post the other skein next week, they are both fabulous examples of Claudia's skill at dyeing yarn! I'm not sure that my skills are up to 2 colour work though, I seem to make a hash of it.........

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!!

A progress update on my Monkey Man!!! :)

Fanfiction Monkeys...........................

As promised progress pictures of yesterday's YPF yarn Monkeys.



Another side view.


I love how the colours work with this pattern. :)

YPF....................... Twilight Fanfiction Colours

Having read all 4 of the Twilight Series and the first 12 chapters of Midnight Sun I am engrossed in some Twilight fanfictions. In the course of reading online I came across this yarn and colourway. The colours are based on fanart for a fanfiction called WideAwake. It has rave reviews in the fanfiction world. I adore the combination of colours and the merino/cashmere/nylon blend in this skein and had it custom made for me. This is a sportweight and it is already on the needles becoming my 18th pair of Monkeys.

The Hand-dyed yarn is from Fresh from the Cauldron.

I love the way the colours work together!! It is so so soft.

Pictures will be up at the weekend of at least a half knitted Monkey sock in this, it looks well from my perspective. :)

Saturdays.....................

What do you do on a Saturday? I sometimes do housework, play with the kids, do some more housework, catch up on the internet, take pictures of yarn and knitting progress and sometimes manage to update my blog. Today is a Saturday I get to do just that.

I recently started the Gilmore Vest. It seems to be a quick knit, so far I have completed 1/3rd of the back. The yarn is an unusual choice for me, I don't usually chose yarn with a lot of non- natural fibres . I saw this in a wool shop in Newtownards and fell for it, despite its acrylic content. I seem to be in a Vest phase at the moment, I am definitely not knitting the same number of socks as before.

The colourway is 3406, a deep purple with little coloured flecks

Riana is a flecked 50% Wool 45% Acrylic 5% Viscose Yarn

This picture shows the stitch definition better but there is a loss of colour

A parcel arrived this morning. A lovely Raveller swapped some of my sock stash to send me 4 skeins of Apple Crumble. I now have 6 and am sure it will be enough for another vest.

Would this vest look good in it? I think so......

YPF....................... Bluebells

This week's yarn pron is another sock yarn from the Sundara Seasons Club. I chose Spring if you remember and this is Bluebells.





I love it!!

Stops, finishes and starts.

I started this a while back and have stopped it for a while. The pattern is Hawaii Vest by Artesano Ltd: designer Marita Rolin and knitted in Manos Silk Blend. It should end up looking like this!

It has been slow so far but there was something new for me in knitting this. Making a pleat while knitting. It was easier than it looked/sounded.

The colourway is 6460 and I bought the yarn at This Is Knit in Blackrock Dublin. It is gorgeous to knit with!! And yes the needles are Knitpicks Harmony Straights, lovely to work with too :)

It will need blocked before wearing.

A finished knit, I am being stern with myself. I must finish something before casting on ANYTHING new. These are another pair of Ribbed Socks in Evolution.

The colourway is September and I got it at Socktopus.

Here is the something new that I started. It is Flower Scarf by Robyn Dilberto. I am knitting it in a lone skein of Posh Eva 4ply.

I also learnt something new with knitting this: Brioche stitch or Fisherman's Rib.

Have you learnt something new today? Let me know.................... :)