Southern Summer of Socks 08/09

She knits

Cherry cardigan

So yeah, this is one of the knits that I had been working on. It’s the Cherry cardigan, by Anna Bell. I started this back in November last year, and I think I finished all the knitting and seaming sometime in December, although in true procrastinator fashion I didn’t put the buttons on until two weeks ago.

Pattern: Cherry cardigan, by Anna Bell.
Yarn: 7 balls of Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton in ‘Sailboat’.
Needles: 3.25mm and 4.00mm addi circulars.
Rav link.

Modifications: A few.
— Made the body shorter, by working one less repeat of the pattern below the waist detailing. This worked out better than working one less repeat above the waist detailing (which was my first attempt), which would’ve made the waist detail sit significantly higher than my natural waist line.
— Made the sleeves wider, by casting on extra stitches. The sleeves as per pattern wouldn’t fit my chubby arms!
— Made the neckline higher, but this turned out to be unnecessary, in fact I made it a bit too high. Although no matter, I can always wear it with the top button undone.

It’s a cute top, I thought. Before I started this I contemplated leaving out the waist detailing altogether. But then I decided that the waist detailing is what ‘makes’ this top, it’s what drew me to this pattern in the first place. So I left it in, and I’m glad that it turned out quite well. In fact it looked sort of retro, I think, especially when worn with a skirt 🙂

Cherry cardigan

I think knitting garments — wearables like Cherry, cardigans and jumpers — are definitely my ‘thing’. It’s just so satisfying, and I’ll always need them in my wardrobe. Unfortunately at the same time, my enthusiasm for other things, like scarves and socks, is waning. But I did manage to finish another pair of socks, the second off my list, although these might be my last pair of socks for a while… so much for my ambitious goals! So here they are, the socks that I was making for my mum.

Pair of Hearts Socks

Pattern: A Pair of Hearts, by Donna of Random Knits.
Yarn: The Knittery’s Merino Chubby Sock yarn in ‘Purple Night’.
Needles: 2.25mm circulars, magic loop.
Rav link.

Love how they turned out, and I think my mum will be pleased too. Beautiful yarn, and great pattern, the only modification I made was to make them shorter in the leg, just 2 repeats of the hearts pattern between cuff and heel.

There are some more finished projects that I’m yet to blog about, I think I’ll save them for next time!

11 March 2009

One pair done

Paraphernalia socks done

Pattern: Paraphernalia socks, largest size, for my dad (so they’re a bit big on the foot for me in the picture there)
Yarn: 2 balls of ONline Linie 2 Supersocke Silk in charcoal
Needles: 2.5mm circulars, magic loop

Despite how it looks, this pattern is not that complicated, as the cables pattern is only on one side of the leg and foot (the side facing outwards), and the rest is just simple 3×1 ribbing. I don’t have much experience knitting socks for a man (in fact this is the first time, as hubby doesn’t want knitted socks — go figure), but I think this is indeed a nice man sock pattern. The ribbing and cables keep them ‘manly enough’ I guess? Although that said, I wouldn’t mind something like this for myself either. I hope my dad likes them. Now I just have to finish my mum’s socks and then I can send them both.

14 November 2008

The single socks edition

So I’ve decided to join Southern Summer of Socks again. A rummage at my WIPs, revealed quite a few socks already in progress. Poor, poor socks, languishing at the back of my cupboard, waiting to be liberated! Look at this mess. So this will be my personal challenge for SSoS, to finish these WIPs by the end of it.

Single socks

Some info:

1. Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings from Knitting Vintage Socks.
2. A Pair of Hearts socks, by Donna of Random Knits. This one is for my mum.
3. Plain toe-up socks. This was my practice sock when I was learning magic loop, as I thought I’d better learn with a simple pattern. Well it worked, and now I’m totally a magic loop convert. Would still be nice to have a pair finished, though.
4. Firestarter. I loved this pattern, I still do. I hope I can pick it up again, I remember it being quite complicated at the time.
5. Roza socks. I’m not sure about this one. The pattern is pretty, and the yarn is lovely, but I’m just not feeling it anymore somehow. I’ll see.
6. Paraphernalia socks for my dad. I’ve already started on the second sock for this one, so this one might be the first one to be ‘liberated’!

Of course, I also love a new technique, an intriguing one at that. I first heard about the Houdini socks (free pattern on Twist Collective) on an episode of Cast On. When Cat Bordhi (the designer) described the construction, it sounds so intriguing that I just have to see how that works. So I hope to squeeze in a pair of these as well.

4 November 2008