Pischi Days: Lacy Rib Socks

Golly, I checked the dates on the blog and realized that there has been no knitting posted since December and do Korknisse really count? This is the big sockknitting post, were I catch up on what I've made in the last few months. Socks, socks and more socks. September came and went and the Lacy Rib Socks were an SKA project that didn't quite make the deadline. These are pretty flashy in citrus colors. I had seen the EllieBelly Sea Wool online and couldn't resist the Florida colorway. As I resolved to be more active in Ravelry's Sock Knitters Anonymous and was semi-successful. There was an October reprieve where knitting a single sock, Christmas stocking, was acceptable. I jumped right in with Claire Kellogg's, My Christmas Stocking. I used Jo Sharp Classic DK and scraps of baby alpaca for the "kitten heel".
A detour from the sock knitting to a quick little November project that I just loved knitting. Just Enough Ruffles was knit from Marks and Katten's Dream and matches my Sitcom Chic. The scarf gives just enough warmth on a cool day. Unfortunately the yarn is very soft, not enough sproing, and doesn't hold the ruffle as well as I would have liked.

December had me knitting a pair of socks for Tom's birthday. These were also SKA entries whose deadline I failed to meet, yet again. I didn't quite make the birthday deadline either, but it was close. They are Anne Hanson's Lighthouse Gansey Sock knit up in Regia Silk 4-ply. This is some of the finest commercial sock yarn that I've knit in a long time.

Onward to a January quickie, Leigh Radford's Cable Footies, from One Skein. I used some rustic marled wool from Germany. We've had a fairly cold winter and all our floors are tile. There may be more of these cranked out in favor of warm toes.I made this purchase over twenty years ago and have never quite figured out what to make with it. Its pretty course for sweaters and we're not vest people. I still have two skeins left and I'm sure I'll figure out something to make with the rest.

A special request from one of Tom's colleagues, a handknit golf club cover for a new driver with a head as big as a beach ball (or so it seems). I hope its cozy and warm and not suffering from hyperthermia while riding in the trunk from course to course.
Here we are in February and it's Valentine's Day and in the early stages of the Winter Olympics, my favorite Olympics. I am knitting for Canada and have chosen Baktus, a Norwegian pattern, German Zauberball and JaWoll yarn, in Canadian colors of red and white covering three great Winter Olympic countries! So bring on the Lefse, Schnitzel mit Pommes, Nanaimo Bars and Butter Tarts. Stock up on firewood and hand me my Olympic knitting, a glass if wine, and transport me to the slopes.

October is here and but the weather here in Florida is still sweltering. We had a few "cold snaps" in the high 60's, but that only lasted a few days and now we're back to running the air conditioner. The days are getting painfully short. At this point the sun rises and sets at 7.
I am back in school and taking 12 credit hours. So far so good, I seem to be keeping up with the work. I love having my trusty companion at my side.

I have plenty on the needles. The Hanami Shawl from Pink Lemon Twist is humming along. The yarn, it's really silk thread, is from the Neighborhood Fiber Company. I was turned onto this stuff by Miriam Felton of MimKnits. Although its thin, it behaves and turns out a great fabric.

I won't bore you with Wisteria. I'm still steamed at all the work on the Arwen wasted that talking about this sweater is still a sensitive subject. It is getting some attention.

My latest finish is Kansas Harvest Sock. I found this pattern on the Townsend Sock Yahoo Group. If you aren't aware of this group you should race to the site and join. The patterns are brilliant. Another great group is Stephanie van der Linden's Socken-Kreativ-Liste Yahoo Group.

Back to the sock. If you've read the blog for a while perhaps you'll remember this item. It was the Lacy Scarf, an otherwise fabulous project except that superwash wool has an incredible memory and this yarn was no exception. It curled despite hours of blocking. I finally came to grips, frogged the thing, reskeined, washed, and rewound. Presto, two weeks later I had knit a pair of bright yellow socks, ready to enter into the Ravelry SKA monthly contest. I am also working on these Lacy Ribs by Wendy Johnson from her new sock book with a second sock to cast on.

There is too much stash acquisition going on. I have discovered the Dizzy Sheep site. A deal a day and the prices are great with shipping only $1.00, no matter how much you order or where they ship to. I have also discovered a nifty way to search through the Ravelry stashes for treasures. I chronicled my techniques here, post 28. I hope that it doesn't get everyone into too much trouble.

Meanwhile, I would like to cast on something heavier than socks and a shawl! Bring on the fall!