:Kalliope Lane

Look at this luscious Manos scarf:

Isn’t it so gorgeous you want to eat it?

No? Well then, it’s just me.

It’s My So Called Scarf , obviously. You can also see my new Knitpicks Options needles. I got the set! I had started this scarf with my Denise needles, and then switched to try the new ones out. I do love how the yarn slides on the metal needles. One thing I noticed, though, is that using the Options for a thin straight project like this is markedly different than using the Denises for the same thing. Because the Options needle is so flexible and the needles slightly heavier, they flop around (and clink) a lot more when I’m just moving the project around but am not knitting, such as when I’m stuffing it in my bag or getting it out. I’ve taken to sticking the needles in the coil of the finished portion of the scarf when I put it away.

On the other hand, I just cast on for Fetching using the Options for the magic loop, and I love that the cables are flexible enough to do that. I’m also thoroughly enjoying using the 32″ #1 Classics for magic loop sock knitting. The sharp points and cable are fantastic. I would rather have a 40″ to have a bit more room for knitting two socks at once, so I hope they make them, but it’s definitely do-able.

Heels will be the death of me.

So when I started this new pair of Badcaul socks, I went down a needle size because my first pair were a bit loose on size 2’s. I’ve been very happy with the snug fit this time around and was happily proceeding to the heel. I put in my first Sherman heel and realized that there was no way that it would comfortably and attractively rejoin in the round over my somewhat high instep. So on sock #2 I am trying the Eclectic Heel. It seems easy enough, but things are complicated by the fact that I’m knitting both socks on one magic loop, so I really can’t rearrange stitches very easily once I pick up gusset stitches.

For the moment, I have the stitches picked up after the heel on the heel needle and those picked up after the instep on the instep needle, to even out the number of stitches on the two needles. I’m not sure what this means for my gusset decreases, but we’ll see how it works out. I have to finish the other heel first before I start working rounds again. (Hmm…after searching the web I found great recommendations in the comments here, and also here[pdf].)

Thank goodness for the lifelines!

In happier news, I have a lot of new sock yarn:

Knitpicks Gloss in Cocoa, Koigu #323 (teal/grey) and #852(crazy multi-color).
I was sort of disappointed in the Cocoa color. While it’s nice, it isn’t a very sophisticated brown, if that makes any sense.

Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Heather in Loganberry (above) and Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Charcoal

Opal Unisolid, #713 (Heathered Brown)
Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch: Softcolor 502
Lang Jawoll Superwash, #67-Dark Chocolate Brown

Manos in Granite colorway (#108) and Schaefer Anne in “Denim” (The Manos obviously isn’t for socks! It’s being used for a scarf I’m making and will post pics of soon.)
Don’t they look great together? The Anne picks up the steely blue in the Manos.

And finally:

Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Midnight Sapphire (above) and Moose Creek (below)

(I posted a pic of the Midnight Sapphire before, actually. Sorry. Repeat.)

There’s a lot of man-yarn here, with all of the soft browns and charcoals. There are dad and boyfriend socks in the near future.

This picture doesn’t show it well, but the socks I’m making my mother for Christmas are looking camo-colored. (click for larger pic)

What had seemed a very feminine, delicate colorway in the skein is seeming very brown/grey/green camoflauged in the sock. Ah well. They’re still pretty, just not in the expected way.

I’m also trying out a thing I ran across online: using Eye of Partridge stitch across the arch of the sole for a snug fit in that area.

I think I like it, from what I can tell from trying on half-socks.

You can see my little waste yarn lifeline in the socks above. I’m about to start the heel, and wanted to be on the safe side. On my first short row heel (PGR’s yarn-over method decribed by Purlwise and Alison) I had to rip it out because of holes, and I don’t ever want to do that without a lifeline again. I eventually used the Sherman short row heel (handy row-by-row instructions here; see also: knit and purl encroachments), which I did once before and it turned out great. I’ll be using it again on these.

I’ve got to get back to writing a paper, unfortunately. But I’ll be posting pics of a bunch of new sock yarn in the next day or so, though. I think I have a few pairs of Christmas socks to knit…