I am woefully short on handknit socks, last count 2 pairs - one knit by me and the other by Karen (thank you Karen) so when a year long knit-a-long was mentioned at my LYS the fabulous
Knitting Hut I immediatley said yes.
We read lots of sock books and looked at a million sock patterns, then voted in six categories for the socks we want to knit this year. We finally settled on these six.
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Left to right top row:
Java,
Almondine,
Hedwig and Freinds Left to right bottom row:
Carretta Carretta,
Cat ,
MonkeyDue to the voting there wrere two draws for first place so we can choose which to knit.
Instead of Java -
Francie, instead of Almondine -
Van dykeWe have picked the Monkey as our first sock (we met over champagne just after new year to decide) the descision was based on the fact that it is a quick and easy sock. I have knit a pair of monkeys before plus one loan monkey which never had a mate (maybe I should finish that pair too!) so I wanted to make it a little more interesting. I chose to knit n0-purl monkeys and subsituted an eye of partridge slip stitch heel.
We are all knitting with different yarn as well so that we use up stash. I cast on with
Pagewood Farms Yukon sock yarn (merino/bamboo/nylon mix) in Sky Blue Pink colour way
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It looked colourful but not too much in the skein, but now I am knitting it I can see that it's a bit too bright for me generally, too many different colours.
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I suppose I could overdye them when finished but it's only socks - nobody will know when they are in shoes! The yarn itself is very soft and has a sheen from the bamboo, it is slightly splitty and I should change needles to a blunter set but I really like the feel on these ones (
Lantern Moon sox stix in rosewood)
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If you would like to join the knit-a-longs, please join the group on
Ravelry.