Plodding along.....

I finished the Hedera socks for the January Knit.Sock.Love KAL - not too sure I understand why people rave about / enjoy this pattern so much. I found it quite boring, and had to really push myself to finish them. They are now in the hands of Royal Mail, heading off to Scotland - hopefully they will bring a touch of spring to my best friend's feet :-)


Pattern: Hedera by Cookie A.
Yarn: Buffy Sock by Juno Fibre Arts in Stargazer colourway
Start date: 15 January 2011
Finish date: 4 February 2011


I'm still soldiering on with the Hazel Knits mystery socks - I've reached the final clue on both socks, so hopefully I will have a new, finished pair to show you shortly. I've enjoyed knitting these - mainly because I know completely understand why people rave so wildly about this yarn. However, they have been slow-going and I will be glad to get them off the needles and onto my feet. The yarn is super squishy and bouncy - and these socks will be very warm and cozy - perfect!


I've also started a pair of Monkey socks for the February Knit.Sock.Love KAL. I'm using some Socks That Rock Lightweight in the Quinault Canopy colourway. I've always drooled over this yarn when I've seen it on Ravelry - so I treated myself to four skeins for my 40th last year. This is the first one to be knitted up - and I LOVE it....the squishiness, the colours, the excitement of seeing how the colours come out and they way in which they pool together in different, mysterious ways......happy sigh! Here's the first sock (are you impressed with the photographic composition?)

I've also started another Mystery Sock (I know, I'm powerless to resist!) in the Barking Dog Yarns group. I've only recently discovered these yarns, and I'm looking forward to knitting with the skein of Sirius that I recently purchased. However, I'm not using that yarn for this project, as my swift has had to be sadly retired to knitting heaven and I am therefore forced to only use yarns that I have already wound into cakes until I can find a replacement.

I started out using a rather interesting yarn I had traded last summer with another Knitting Goddess - it's composed of 50% wool, 50% yak (of all things!). I love the colours and it was coming out quite pretty:

Unfortunately, it feels very stiff and scratchy. It's also unbelievably fragile - in the space of one single row, it broke THREE times. So, I have frogged my progress so far - I think I'll use hold it double and use it for something that won't get intensive wear, like a hat or scarf. We'll see......

I'm now going to be using this:

Zitron Trekking XXL in a lovely grey that is shot through with red, orange and brown. I've had this for ages, so it's definitely time it got used! I've only managed the cast on so far, but I reckon I should make good progress in the next few days.

That's it for today - now must get off and finish those HK socks!