La Nadadora
Last spring I was swimming one day, getting all woozy from the sun shining through the water and refracting along the bottom of the pool, when I had the inspiration to try to recreate that shimmer in a pair of socks*.
What? That doesn't make perfect sense to you? Come on!
In any event, I dashed home and perused multiple websites, looking for the perfect semi-solid colorway. After much searching, I found it, along with a couple of others. I ordered (too much) yarn, stalked the post-person (sometimes male, sometimes female, so I'm trying to be inclusive here), swatched, knit deliriously, swooned over the yarny beauty, started writing a pattern, swore, pulled out my hair, threw my calculator out the window**, wrote some more, took some photos, put everything together, submitted, got rejected, got a test knitter, revised pattern (changing the entire heel construction), resubmitted, got rejected again, and decided to offer the damn thing for sale myself. So here it is.
La Nadadora
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight
"Blue Moonstone" and "In the Navy"
The pattern is toe-up and includes charts for the tile pattern on the body of the sock and on the heel. Sizes include women's S, M and L (~7, 8 or 9 inches around). Size L (pictured) used less then one skein of Socks that Rock lightweight in the main color, and about 80 yds of the contrasting color.
Enjoy! And let me know if you have any problems (see contact info in sidebar).
** Not really.
Green stuffs
After a disastrous attempt to start the Aleita Shell (Rav link) last week at Knit Night (I cast on the entire thing, counted, had the right number of stitches, knit several rows and discovered I'd twisted the row before joining. Mobius Vest is not my thing. Ripped out. And by then, what with the talking and gabbing and screeching and such, it was time to go home), I made it past the first few rows. In fact, thanks to five hours on the confocal microscope yesterday, I've made it all the way up to the bodice and am working my way through p4, k1 ribbing galore.
This one is a fun knit. I like the yarn (Silky Wool), the pattern is fairly straightforward, but interesting enough to keep me from getting bored. And my new toy is making finishing one skein and having to start another a lot of fun.
However, this evening I am casting on something new (slut!). No project monogamy here, no sirree. This is the only yarn I picked up in London on our house hunting trip:
Indie Dyer Mini (fingering weight 100% superwash merino), in the colorway Dad's Den. Purchased at I Knit London, right by Waterloo Station. Given that my commute will involve changing from the train to the Tube at Waterloo, I suspect I may be stopping by on a weekly basis. This could get ugly...
I want to marry the sheep that produced this
Briar Rose Fiber BFL, custom dyed for the Ply by Night March/April projects.
This crimp makes me swoon. Seriously weak in the knees. I get wobbly just looking at the pictures.
And touching it?
Never mind. This is a (semi) Family Show. Suffice to say that I'm having a good time spinning up some bulky singles with this stuff. I'm planning on the Chickadee Cowl, and I think it's going to be stunning. Stay tuned!
FO: Manon
Self-portraits
Pattern: Manon by Norah Gaughan, in Norah Gaughan Vol 1
Yarn: worsted-weight no-name wool purchased in Florence, then dyed using Jacquard Acid dyes. I had two big skeins of this, and ended up using just over one, so I've got plenty left for something else.
Needles: US 9/ mm
Gauge: 18 st/24 rows = 4 in
Comments/mods: To start off with, I think this is the best sweater I've knit for myself so far. I loved the construction - the peplum gives a lot of visual interest, but the upper body isn't to busy - and the way the pattern fits together. The dyeing worked out incredibly well; there some varigation to the yarn, but it doesn't pool or stripe or do anything terribly funky.
Thankfully, IM took some other shots
I did a number of modifications, so I'll try to remember them all.
1. I knit the fronts and backs together, splitting at the armholes and then finishing each section separately.
2. I left off the daisy chain stitch on the lower seams.
3. I completely ignored the directions for the sleeves and knit them as set-in top down sleeves a la Barbara Walker. Since my arms are somewhat generous for the size of the rest of me, I can avoid having too tight sleeves this way. I did knit the cuffs separately as in the directions and then mattress stitched them on.
Now I have to decide on some kind of closure. I've been wearing it open, which is fine for this time of year in Houston (or the weather last week in Houston, since it was 80 degrees today!), but I suspect I'll need something to keep it shut next winter.
One last self-portrait...ooops!