Test knitting a sock

So the called went out on Ravelry by Lottie Lodge that test knitters were needed for a pair of socks and I thought "Why not!" so said I could do it and the pattern was duly sent. There are always a few small problems that the designer has overlooked and it helps to have things knitted by others just so that it all works out as the designer plans.

I started with some Wendy Mode 4 ply in a deep red that I had as the design has a distinct cable pattern and verigated yarn can hide small but perfectly formed details like that. I started with a swatch and that seemed to be fine. I was knitting the wide version but the yarn really wasn't playing along. It started off wide and just got worse and worse. I kept checking to make sure that I hadn't managed to get more stitches into the design but no, it was the yarn.


This is it just bofre starting the heel and it's already wide, by the time it was up and over the ankle I was very baggy. I suppose that I'm used to knitting socks with sock yarn which can be more tightly spun, but this was 50% wool and 50% acrylic and has quite a lot of loftiness to it and I think that once a critical mass was reached with the sock it started to have it's own rules.

Anyway I knew that there was no point on carrying on so I started again. This time I'm using Schoppel-Woll Zauberball in a lovely long repeat of reds into oranges and browns and back again and it is behaving much better.

From GlamGirl Knits

I have one finished and am cracking on with the other so hopefully by the weekend I should have a lovely new pair of cabled autumn socks to wear, just as the weather turns.

Down-sizing

Where has the past few months gone? I have been drifting again and haven't been keeping track of time. This past few days I have been trying to get stuff sorted to sell on ebay again. I figure the onset of autumn and the general crappiness of the summer weather might get people on their 'puters again. So far all I have listed is books, and books and a few cds but I'll break into some of the bags and start to pull out the clothes and nick nacks that I no longer need. Which is most of it if I was to be honest.

I think that I really want to get rid of most of my stuff but at the same time it's a comfort to know that it's there. It has nothing to do with how much things cost me to start with but I suppose that it's filled a bit of my house for so long that I'm not sure what I'd do with all the space: make more room for the things that I actually use and need I imagine. I'm not sure that I am a hoarder as I don't keep broken or useless items (but I suppose it depends on your definition of useless) but everything I keep has got a use, I just don't use them. So I am going to try and get rid of just about everything and the stuff that doesn't sell I'll donate to charity or freecycle. Might even have a yard sale next spring if I have anything left.

I wonder why there are those that amass stuff and those that find it easier to keep things simple, uncluttered. I definitely amass but what is the trigger for that? There has to be an element of security in having things about you, even if you don't look at them or use them, but what starts it off? As a child I had lots of toys and was messy. As an adult I am still messy and still have lots of things. Not many clothes but just things, books; that I don't read, yarn; but I am beginning to use that more and not buy so much 'new' stuff and other things.

This is rambling and not really getting me anywhere, but I am curious about the amassing of junk and why some people do and some don't. And can a person swap from being one to the other and not feel as though something of them has gone.

On the Plinth

I am going to be standing on the plinth in Trafalgar Square, London for a whole hour on Tuesday 21st July from 6am. It's part of an work of public art called One and Other by Antony Gormley - the man behind the Angel of the North, Another Place and Field. He plans to fill the plinth for 100 days with members of the public who are being chosen randomly from all parts of the UK. Those overseas can apply too but since you cannot choose when you get to go on to it you do kind of have to know where you might be in the next couple of months.

I've been trying to come up with a fab thing to do but since I do not have a cause to sell or anything to promote I shall probably just do some knitting and have a look around.

I'm kind of excited as it's a big project but made of individuals so it has that unconnected element too.

Busy Doing Nothing

Working the whole day through,
Trying to find lots of things not to do

Oh where has the past month gone? I was made redundant 6 weeks ago and I still haven't really done anything. I potter in the garden. I fill in job applications and I pretend to be really busy. But in reality I am just sitting here, perving the internet and doing very little. I should try harder to do something.

Well, that's a bit of a fib, I have been doing a few things. I have finished off a couple more small projects for the WIPs Wrestlemania. So far my total stands at sewing on the handles of a bag, finishing a pair of socks, performing surgery on a bear/mole/peanut/potato creature (don't ask it just gets messy) and finishing off a crochet octopus. I have also made great strides on my Cathode sweater and have finished the body and the ribbing and have just, this very night, started on the sleeves. I also did a bit of tidying up and found a couple more projects to add to the ever growing pile of WIPs. I have also reached a decision about my Topsecret sweater that has been languishing since November 2007 - it's going to be unravelled and I shall use the yarn for something else. I'll never wear it even if I were to finish so better that I make something I'd want to wear. So I have knitting successes to boast about, it's just the rest of things that is a bit poo.

And another one goes

This is my Garter Goth Jacket - it's a large child size. I had worked out how to up size the pattern from the original design and started, then realised that I did not have a recipient for it but thought that I'd carry on just in case.

From GlamGirl Knits

It sat, or rather flumped in the WIPs bag for a while. I took the needle to use for another project and I suppose at that point I should have known that this was a goner. Still I did nothing. today I was hunting through the bag to find another WIP to finish off and made the decision to frog it and be free from it forever.

It put up a fight, the yarn is that slightly fluffy stuff that catches on the ends of the rows,and I had to break it 3 times but I finally managed to wrangle it.

From GlamGirl Knits

I like the way that it stripes so will re-use it on another project - I was thinking that Hanne from Knitty might do very well.

Another one bites the dust

Yay - got another one of my projects finished. This time it's the green woolen bag that I finished ages ago except for adding the handles. Well they are not done and it's all green and red and FINISHED

From GlamGirl Knits

I also played with Abomination Bear who is currently being bashed up in the washing machine so I'll know later today if my surgery worked and I added a fair amount to my Green and Lumpy Cathode.

First one down

Thanks to WIPs Wrestlemania I have managed to finally get the BFF socks by Cookie A onto the mat in into submission: it's only been a year.

From GlamGirl Knits

and a side view

From GlamGirl Knits

The yarn is Knit Picks Dancing which is a wool, cotton and nylon with added elastic and is a great summer weight sock yarn. I think that the colourway is Hula but I misplaced the ball bands before I got all of the details onto Ravelry.

They are a great fit. I didn't make any modifications except for twisting the cable the other way on one of the socks. Not that it's visible because of the variegated nature of the yarn but I know that it is there. I am very pleased with them and are wearing them as I write.

Now I just have to get a few more things done - might deal with the abomination bear today. I won't show pictures just yet as it's not a pretty sight.