Project May: Spiral Socks

Month: May

Project: Spiral Socks

Completed: Both Socks

Aside from working through printing errors in the book, the socks came out fairly well. They fit, which is the most important thing. I was worried about the second sock coming out in a similar stripe effect after the cuff started to pool,but with the stitch count and pattern, they both worked out to be very closely matched. I'm thrilled with the yarn, and have some more already wound into cakes, waiting to be made into a wonderful sock.

Pattern: Socks A La Carte
Yarn: Premier Yarn, Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Yarn, Amethyst

(Yes, I did back date this...)

New Scale & Fiber Converter

I got myself a kitchen scale today to weigh a skein of yarn after I've knit something with it so that I know how much I used for that project. I know, the 1st picture doesn't look that great, but that's just how it's going to be. I love that you can place the scale in the weighing bowl and place a lid over it. That feature will make it a joy to travel with. I don't know if I'll use the bowl when it comes to weighing the yarn. I'll try it out a few different ways and see what I prefer.

Now, I'm not a math person at all. I suck at math. Conversions I'm even worse at. So of course, I search on line to find a converter to do the work for me (I mean, why not?). This converter I've come across is great for fiber lovers. It converts yards to meters, meters to yards, ounces to grams and grams to ounces.

I can't wait to start trying this out. I'll be posting the link in one of my sidebars. You can also click here to get to the converter.

I've found another yarn count converter that I like much more. Click here for that one.

52 Pair Plunge

I just joined a group on Ravelry called 52 Pair Plunge III.

I must be crazy.

52 pairs of socks in a year. 52 pairs of socks between June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010.

Totally crazy.

Time to add another goal widget!

At least socks are portable....it will be the only thing I work on I think. Guess what my projects of the month are going to be?

How many pairs do you think I'll finish? Place your bets now!

I Have a Case of Startitis

I have a major case of startitis.

I started a pair of Musica Mitts today during my evening knitting group.

Then I came home and casted on for another Weekender Lace Wrap (No picture yet!).

There's a shrug that I want to cast on and start working on, raglan style. I want to cast on for a Booga Bag with some yummy Malabrigo.

Oh yeah, and there are these socks that I just started. I've finished the heel and the gusset for the first one. Socks are from Socks A La Carte.

I also have a hat that I've started, Selbu Modern.

I've got an unfinished shawl I'm working on when I feel like it. I think I'll be good on projects...For now!

Flip Page Errors in Socks A La Carte

Wanted to make anyone with this book aware with some printing problems I've come across. Taking this directly from a post I made in the Ravelry group for Socks A La Carte.

I was using my flip pages and found some problems in my book, so you might want to check yours. I’ve only done this with the heel/toe part because I think it’s just a case of mislabeling.

In my book I have two flip pages labeled for:
Dutch Heel with Star Toe
V Heel with Origami Toe
Round Heel with Star Toe

In my book I don’t have flip pages labeled for:
V Heel with Double Decrease Toe
Dutch Heel with Double Decrease Toe
Round Heel with Classic Toe

I hope that everyone can follow the next part. Post any questions you may have.

1. V Heel with Double Decrease Toe - This is the 1st flip page labeled V Heel with Origami Toe. This is the 7th flip page.

2. Dutch Heel with Double Decrease Toe - This is the 2nd flip page labeled Dutch Heel with Star Toe. This is the 15th flip page.

3. Round Heel with Classic Toe - There is not a flip page for this heel/toe. Both flip pages labeled Round Heel with Star Toe are that heel/toe combo. These flip pages are 12 and 13.

I Think I Like Socks

These pictures say it all...Mind you, this is just what I have upstairs and could find....I know there's at least one 100g ball missing.

And yes, I did take the time to turn the balls into cakes. Cakes are better than balls.

Yes, I'm aware that sounded a bit dirty. That was the point. :)

Project May: Spiral Socks

Month: May

Project: Spiral Socks

Completed: One sock

Getting through this pair quickly. Aside from dealing with a few errors, they aren't all that bad to knit. The toe decreases didn't have any errors, so that was a plus!

I'm hoping that I can get the second sock to stripe as this one did. I'll keep messing around until I can get it close to the same effect.

Worst. Project. Ever

I'm glad that I got this kit for free, because I would have hated to think I paid the amount it retailed for. I despised knitting this with every stitch I knitted. I'm sure out there somewhere there's someone that enjoyed knitting this. The kit is for a elephant shaped baby bib, a hat, and rattle.

I have my reason for disliking it, as did someone else who knitted the same bib. The yarn supplied varied in thickness, even though it was the same brand of yarn. Along with that, the yarn seemed to be too thin to really work up well. Doing the intarsia wasn't enjoyable because of the yarn. Using metal needles wasn't a wise choice, but it was all I had at the time. As this was a gift, I needed to get it done.

I was knitting it for a friend of my aunt's. Her friend and her friend's husband are originally from India. It's good luck for an elephant to have it's trunk turned up, from what my aunt tells me. So when I was offered this kit, I knew it was perfect.

Off I went, started knitting, and disliked it from the start. It was difficult to work on because I just wanted to be done with it. I stuck with it to get it done and was thrilled when it was off the needles. I pinned it out to block it before sewing a backing on it. The bib stayed pin for a few weeks.

Finally got around to backing it, forgoing the crocheted edging. Lets just say the the backing didn't work out too well. That got removed, and I just gave the bib to my aunt. I was sick of looking at it and wanted it out of my sight.

And the finished project looks....Kind of scary. I've started the peanut shaped rattle, but it's not priority. The bib was.

If you would like to knit this kit, you can purchase it here.

Project May: Spiral Socks

Month: May

Project: Spiral Socks

Status: Leg completed on first sock


I just started these socks from the Socks A La Carte book. I'm work with Serenity Sock yarn from the Deborah Norville collection in the Amethyst. I am loving this yarn! This colorway isn't long enough to self stripe, but I cast on in just the right spot to make it stripe. I'm hoping I can achieve the same effect on the second sock. Despite working around errors, these are coming along quickly and shouldn't be a problem to complete. These are also the socks I started on while waiting in line at the Vera Bradley sale.

May's Project of the Month

Pick Three...With Three Errors?

I love the Socks A La Carte book. I love the concept of it. What I don't love is that I think I've found three errors...In each of my choices for my first pair of socks from the book. That's not real reassuring.

I'm posting this to my blog to see if it's just me, or if it's the book. One I know for sure is an error, the other two I need confirmed.

Cuff: I chose the Upward Spiral Cuff, page 29. There are four rounds to complete this pattern. Rounds 1 and 3 are the same, and those are right. Rounds 2 and 4 can't be done the way they are instructed and the stitches line up correctly.

Leg: I chose the Spiral Galaxy Leg, page 36. Rounds 13 and 14 should be omitted, otherwise you'd have too many knit rows and it would not come out like the picture shows it should.

Feet: I chose the Dutch Heel with Star Toe, page 50. I have just done the Dutch Heel, so this is the only thing I know to be wrong on this section thus far. I have checked with someone else on this one, so I know that this one is wrong. Row 3 doesn't work with the number of stitches you have.

If anyone else has found any errors, post them in the comments. I'm wondering how much errata there is. There has only been one errata posted to the SWTC website for the book, but I'm planning on e-mailing the address provided with what I've posted about. I do hope that this had just been a fluke and I'm not going to find anymore with the next pair of socks that I do, but with the one that's been posted, the one I know for sure, and the possibility of two others, I'm not too hopeful.

So, is it just me, or are these errors?

Weirdest Place I've Knitted? Could Be!

If any of you are familiar with Vera Bradley, you probably know of the major sale in Ft. Wayne, Indiana each spring (and if you aren't familiar with Vera Bradley, the link is gladly provided). You have to wait in line to get into the sale, then you grab what you want, then you have to wait in line to pay for all of your goodies, and then you go home to admire all of your goodies and match bags and accessories and see what you still need and make your list for the next sale (last year they had a fall sale. Hopefully another one this year?).

I went up Saturday with my mom (she went Wednesday, the day the sale started, and got me what I wanted, plus some!), and had started a sock the night before so that I had something portable to slip into my bag.

I knitted in line while waiting to get into the sale. I knitted while I sat in a specifically taped off area with some of our VB goodies while mom went back to look around some more. I knitted while going through the weaving line to pay for all of our VB. I had young girls wondering what I was knitting, some other ladies saying, "Look, she's knitting!", and if anyone tried to grab something that was mine...well, they weren't going to get far (not that I promote violence with knitting needles, but when you're stuck in a group of women trying to grab a sought after bag/pattern that's dirt cheap, even though you didn't want to be stuck there, you do think about it....).

I do believe that knitting at the Vera Bradley sale is the weirdest place I've knitted...For now. Very public knitting!