Self-striping Sock Yarn with Silk 🤩

February 21, 2023

Last week, one of the #Fiberuary prompts was "WIP Tally." I generally really try to keep things moving along, and typically have 2-3 projects in active rotation. But I was a good sport, and tracked down the things that have been put on the back burner for one reason or another.

This is the video inventory, and here are the works in progress in the order they appear:

Gartergan

Favourite Sweater Sock

Sophie Scarf

Crochet Linen Stitch Loop

Fizz

Temperance Shawl

Photography Shawl

Pressed Flowers Cardi

Versa Cowl

(And I knew that I was missing Romi Hill's Time Heals MKAL shawl, but couldn't find the project bag.) (Which I found the following day.)

I've borrowed an eight-sided die from my kid. A couple of these are close enough to completion that they won't be included, but I'm planning to number the languishing projects, roll the die periodically, and add a few rows or rounds to whichever number comes up.

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…to learn (and do)

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Social Stitching

Every Saturday, 2-4pm

Join us around the big table for a couple of hours of convivial stitching.

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Gartergan KAL

January 14-February 28

Pattern here. This KAL will be self-directed, but please feel free to join in on Saturday social stitching, or to reach out for assistance. The beginning steps are well-designed and explained, but the cardigan starts out a bit differently than most, and I am happy to field questions! Recommended gauge is 20 stitches / 4"--lots of options will work for this! (Lore, Loch Lomond, Tosh DK, Encore, Lanas, Ultra Wool, Rios, Forge, Woolstok...)

...to anticipate

There's a new sock yarn in town--with a touch of extra luxury. Ferner Wolle Lungauer Sockenwolle is an Austrian sock yarn that is 60% superwash merino, 20% silk, and 20% recycled nylon. If those specs sound intriguing, they feel even better. In the context of socks, silk is a strong fiber, and is a good temperature regulator. It's not a fiber that has a lot of bounce or recovery, which is why it's blended here with wool. If you're a sock knitter who prefers nylon in your sock yarn, this blend has a generous 20%--and though it's still a synthetic, it is recycled. These colorways are all self-striping, and there are examples of each knit up on the product page. Not into socks? Try the Sockhead Hat or Sockhead Cowl--the stitch counts tend to preserve the striping of self-striping yarns.

Also? The stock of Schoppel Edition 3 is refreshed--this is a great option when you need a substitute for Spincycle Dyed in the Wool.

I also sewed up a few new Kiko Drawstring Bags in the Tall size. This size came about when I was maximizing yardage, but I like them for keeping the next skein or two at the ready in the bottom of the bag, with the project itself on top.

…to inspire

I recently finished a repair project -- something I don't take on frequently because they are generally very labor intensive and therefore expensive, even when I "round down" the time involved.

When I do take on a project, there's generally a compelling story attached, and this was no exception. The sweater belongs to a neighbor, it was made by their mother many years ago, it was designed to make it easier to replace the hems and cuffs, and they hope to pass it along to a younger family member. (A close up of the most significant damage is pictured above; I forgot to take photos at the completion of the project.)

Because there was a heritage component to the job, it reminded me of this article I read last summer, and bookmarked to share. It's about stringed instruments, and the ways careful artisanry can persist through time, even as climate and cultural shifts alter materials and production methods. It all brought to mind many parallels with fiber production. The intersection of human effort and natural forces gave me lots to think about.

...to stitch

This week bon my needles: I finished the body of the Gartergan, and started a sleeve. I'm about halfway through the sleeve decreases. (Of note--the body is knit to the specified length, but the designer has accounted for the fact that blocked garter stitch increases in length.)