The Quick Sock

Pattern: "H" Sock Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Deep Seaflower Needles: KnitPicks size4 40"circ Cast on: July 10 Bind off: July 16 These socks were so quick that the author decided to give it only one letter! Yes, these socks only took me six days, and I wasn't knitting from morning to night. I hold a demanding job, a full family and I managed to knit these socks in the evenings and one weekend away from the construction on the house. I have made many things from Dream in Color and I have yet to be disappointed. I LOVE this yarn. The pattern is a series of knits and purls, easy memorization, and just a plain "quick knit". The pattern is in the book 2-at-a-time SOCKS which I bought for the patterns and not for the technique.

Socks are for Moms birthday later this month. She loves the color because it is so close to the colorings of the Northern Lights. As soon as Inua has more, I will buy a few more skeins. Both in the Deep Seaflower and Happy Forest.

What is a "Kaibashira"?

Pattern: Kaibashira Yarn: Spunky Eclectic Needle: Size2 40"circ cast on: June 24 cast off: July 9 So, what IS a "Kaibashira"? As Chrissy Gardiner, the creator of the Kaibashira says, "Named after the sushi term for the eye of the scallop (i.e. the yummy part), this sock was conceived on a recent trip to Tokyo after I scored a pair of Japanese stitch dictionaries from the yarn section in the large department store Matsuyo. Made from a single ball of SWTC Tofutsies sock yarn, which contains antibacterial chitin (made from ground-up bits of shell from various sea creatures), this is the perfect summer sock - airy, lightweight and guaranteed not to make you sweat.” Okay, well now we know what a Kaibashira is, lets here more about the sock. Designed by Chrissy Gardiner, who is... uhm is... well... is incredibly frickin' amazing and has been published in More Big Girl Knits, Knitscene, Interweave, BMFA, Woolgirl, numberous other sock clubs all while hosting her own pattern store: Gardiner Yarn Works. True to the description given above, the sock is airy, lightweight, but "guaranteed not to make you sweat"? Not in the wool I choose: soft, subtle 5ply Merino/Nylon Sport is heaven for your feet, just not at the height of July! I selected this pattern when looking for a suitable usage for my Spunky Eclectic Super Nova in Chocolate Covered Cherries from my favorite LYS Inua Wool. The pattern was posted by another member of the Sock-A-Month knitalong blog (I haven't contacted the poster, so I won't mention her name without permission). Within five minutes of viewing her sock, I had the pattern printed and was set to cast on. The scallops at the top had me hooked at first glance! The knit-poster called them the Best Socks in the World and after knitting them, I whole-heartedly agree. The technique was a joy to learn and the pattern is gorgeous. Actual casting of the sock was a SHOCK. I had never in my life casted on 187 sts for a sock! Yep, read that right... 187 stitches to cast on. After the scallops, the stitch count went down to a much more reasonable 66 sts on the round. The leg pattern has a lovely fan & feather motif and is flawless in its authoring. I found no problems with knitting these babies up. They are soft and gorgeous. Unfortunately, they are not quite my style. I will use the scalloping technique again on baby items, but these puppies are going in the gift basket (since it is now empty from all of the birthdays that came this summer). Overall, this sock is amazing. I recommend it highly to sock knitter with a lust for ruffles and a couple socks under their belt. I plan to make this pattern again with the only alteration being a three purl curled cuff, similar to the edge of my Chevron scarf. Hopefully in a blueberry or sage colorway. I just might have some yarn in my stash. I'm off to look...

Quick photo updates

I have walls! Whoo hoo! And stairs... and closets... and a second floor... and bathroom layouts... and windows... but no roof. The trusses are going in as I type. The framer is progressing at a massive speed. I cannot fathom how much work he has been able to achieve in such a short amount of time. I wish I could be that effective. It is so nice to drive up the road and see the house sitting there. So many details HiOhSilver and I have worked out, argued on, discussed including, discussed excluding, walls moved, walls moved again, and wall moved yet again; and now we can finally see the proof of all of our planning. In six working days, we went from foundation to 2nd floor. Tired from working on the house every weekend and after work every workday, HiOh and I decided to take the kids camping. And did we take just the kids? No, we took the kids and four of their friends. Where in my blind eye did the thought of taking nine teenagers camping strike me as a "good idea"? Whereever that cell in my brain is located, my the vodka tonight kill it. Kill it, dead! I love my kids, but never again will I take them camping with their friends. Pack mentality took over. If my son ever acts that stupid, I will take him out into the woods and shoot him myself. Now, dont turn me into the cops just yet, it was just a figure of speech, but damn. Teenagers DO NOT have a grip on reality. Yet I totally ran off topic. Sorry the knit on the sock is a bit tight. I was stressed. I started the Kaibashira sock in the Spunky Eclectic's Chocolate Covered Cherries colorway for Mom's birthday, only to decide that the pattern isn't quite for her. I will soon have a very frilly pair of lace red socks. Hum, anyone requesting ruffly red socks for Christmas?