Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Saggy old cloth cat

That is how I would describe my first pair of Socktopus Sock Club Socks. Doesn't the yarn just remind you of a certain pink and white cat?

Socktopus Sock Club Parcel Jan 09

This wonderful smelling parcel arrived in the middle of January but was ignored whilst my trapped nerve was playing up.

Raspberry Ripple Socks

I wound the yarn on impulse just before our trip to the Lake District last week. I knew if I didn't start them soon they would linger untouched forever.

I cast on one rainy afternoon, straight after the Oolong socks had been finished, and in what seemed like no time I had a toe and half a foot. AND I was magic looping - something I've never got the hang of before - I think the Harmony needles definitely make a difference.

Raspberry Ripple Socks

I cast off sock two on Sunday night after knitting half a foot turning a heel and knitting the leg in the car on the way home! As you can see, they are a fraternal pair, sock two pooled on the foot in a kind of lightning bolt, but I'm not really bothered.
Started: 2nd March 2009
Finished: 8th March 2009
Pattern: Om Shanti by Alice Yu for the Socktopus Sock Club January 2009
Yarn: Chameleon Colorworks Evolution in Peppermint Cheer
Needles: 2.75mm - magic loop
Comments: The pattern is well written, I have a new found love of garter stitch toes and heels and even magic loop with my new Harmony needles. I didn't really like the yarn, or rather I didn't like the knots and the massive variation in thickness in the yarn. Sock one had 3 knots in the skein, luckily it didn't make too much difference to the way the colours behaved but is annoying nevertheless. The skein of yarn for sock two was considerably thicker than sock one, and is definitely more "solid" and I think the colours pooled on the foot as a result. The yarn is mechanically stretched merino, so it is gloriously silky soft, I can only imagine that some yarn is more "stretched" than other. I haven't blocked these yet, I know others have had experience with this yarn growing quite a lot when blocked. As I plan to wear these as bed/house socks it doesn't matter that much, but I probably wouldn't choose to use it again.
All in all I do have a very very soft pair of new house socks... and have learnt new techniques when knitting them... so they get the thumbs up, especially as they look like Bagpuss.

7 comments:

Roobeedoo said...

Thanks for the yarn review - I certainly won't be rushing to buy that one! It's funny - Hanne said exactly the same thing about one skein being fatter than the other - maybe they should have been rematched so one person got two thick ones and another got two thin!

Kate said...

I blame the mice on the mouse organ... *points finger*

Dawn said...

One of my skeins was a whole 20g heavier than the other - I ignored this (thinking that I had more length) when in fact the yarn was thicker also. Ended up with one sock larger than the other. OK for bedsocks, but I'm going to sell my other skeins!

Joy said...

Ruth, your socks are lovely. I am sorry you had so many issues with the yarn, I rather think I was very fortunate with mine.

Esther said...

i just love these socks and the yarn - so scrummy! Remids me of the shrimps you oc uld buy for a penny in the sweet shop. The oolong socks are great oo - oI think I might have to join a sock clu, just a shame I don't have so many spare pennies now I only work part time!

Anonymous said...

I called mine 'Saggy Cloth Cat Socks'! My DH said they reminded him of Bagpuss so the name had to refer to the loveable cat. Yours look great :D

AMIT said...

Socks color is good and the design is also good.Thanks for the picture.

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