Knitting the sock blank

So my sock blank is dry and I have decided to unravel it into two matching balls before I start knitting. I made two large heaps of crinkly yarn and then wound them on the ball winder making sure I started with the same end:-) It would defeat the purpose if I got it wrong now! (although I have seen a deliberately opposite pair that worked very well too - just a thought for another time).

I know I could probably start knitting straight away but the yarn looks so crinkly. I read that it evens itself out once you block your sock but I think I prefer to wet it and stretch the kinks out first. I tensioned the skein when it was drying to get the yarn straight again. I think you can use steaming as well but I've never tried that.

So now I have two straightened balls of yarn ready to knit. Plain stocking stitch is a bit boring even with coloured stripes and I want to try something else than a rib pattern. So I'm going to incorporate the cabling that I used in firestarter - without the gusset detail. I know I've only knitted that style once but it makes the heel seem interminable! So I'm going to revert back to a short row heel for this one. I'll have to do a bit of manoeuvering with the cabling but I'm sure I'll find a solution:-)

So, the sock so far.... The cabling pattern is working well, good definition working with the colours and I like the way there is some of the subtle colour gradations within the greens and the purples as well as the blending into the next colour. The colours are making bigger bands than I expected but I can bear that in mind for the next one.

Next stop, the heel. Only a few more inches for me to think of a way to keep the cable pattern and have enough stitches to have a wide enough heel. Yes, I know! I really should have thought about that before I started but hey, I was being impulsive:-)

Dyeing sock blanks

Everywhere I go recently I've been hearing about sock blanks. 'What's a sock blank?' I thought. Is this something I should or want to know about? After a little bit of research, I've found out it's a long knitted length of sock yarn, knitted with two strands at once. This 'blank' is then hand painted/dyed in whatever pattern or colours you like and once you have fixed the dye and left it to dry, you can knit up two identical socks when you unravel the blank - clever, huh?

The intention is you can knit both socks at once if you want using this method but I've not tried that technique as yet so I can either knit one sock and wind the second thread into a ball as I go, or I could unravel the whole lot and wind into balls ready for my two identical socks.

So, I've got the gist of sock blanks. First thing to do is knit myself a blank. Out comes the knitting machine. The looser the knit, the easier it will be for the dye to get into all the stitches and not leave any white bits, so I selected every alternate needle on the loosest gauge and knitted two 50gm balls of sock yarn together for as long as it lasted. I cast off with a chain stitch so it will unravel easily after dyeing. I guessed as to the right proportions of height and width here - I'm not sure how this compares to shop bought ones. I could change the width to get different effects too but for now I'll stick with this size and see how I get on.

Understanding the theory and applying that knowledge are two different matters:-) What type of pattern will give what effect? I found a really helpful link at Knitpicks that gives you an understanding of how stripes, dashes and zigzags will look knitted up. Exactly what I needed. So on to the dyeing....

I used some already mixed colours - greens, aquas, blues and purples - and started with a basic stripe pattern. I tried to make it repeat the colour order but it doesn't really need to as it's more like a canvas. Both socks are being painted at once so you could paint a landscape - that would be interesting! - and they will still knit up the same.

Each colour band was broken up a bit more with some tonal variation. You don't need to load a brush with dye, it goes through the knitted fabric easily so no turning over and smudging your work of art! And you can get some fine detail in there.

Then wrapping up in cling film, just like a painted skein and blasted in the microwave (or steamed if you prefer) until the colour is fixed. I gave this about 15 mins just to be sure as it was more of an unknown quantity. A little colour came out in the first rinse but not much more than that. So good result.

Dried, it looks a little paler in colour but has still retained some of the finer painted detail. If anything, the purple has receded and the greens now dominate. I think both the aqua and the purple dyes must have been a weaker solution. I also got a few little blobs from either some sediment or dye on the edge of the cling film. This hasn't happened before so I'll have to remember to wipe the excess dye off the edges before wrapping and mix fresh dyes each time from now on.

But all the same, I do like my little experiment. Now, the exciting bit - what will it look like knitted up? Tune in tomorrow:-)

Firestarter giveaway

Well, a week has passed already - that was quick! - and the first giveaway prize has finished. And the winner of the tootiefruitie sock yarn kindly picked at random by John at the Textile Blog, is..... Tom! I know you said in your comment you are on a yarn diet:-) but I hope you can squeeze a little tootiefruitie sock yarn into your stash! Please send me an e-mail Tom with some contact details so I can send this off to you soon.

I really enjoyed reading all your comments about your knitting achievements and although there could only be one winner last week, this week I've got a slightly different giveaway for you. There are two prizes for two separate winners, so when you comment please state which one, or both, you would like to be entered for - if you don't specify I'll enter you for both:-)

So, what is up for grabs today? Well, firstly we have have a pair of Firestarter Socks for you (pattern by Yarnissima). This pattern has lovely cabling detail running up the side of the sock and makes a feature of the ribbing on the heel and the upper part of the sock. These are knitted in my own hand dyed 'Orange Mango' which give you lovely graded bands of colour.

Yarnissima's pattern knits up in only one size - womens medium - which is stated at US 7-8 and European 37-38. Now I'm a 38/UK 5 and these once knitted up are slightly looser on the foot length than I would normally knit for my size. And because of the natural elasticity of the rib knitting on the heel, I think these would stretch to accomodate a good few sizes larger. They are also very generous on the calves - I know this is an area where some socks pinch as we are all so differently shaped;-) but I think this will fit most calf sizes too.

But if you prefer to knit your own socks or know you won't fit the firestarter socks, or if you are a bloke:-), I have here for you our second prize, a skein of stripey emerald green sock yarn just waiting to be turned into socks, or scarves, or gloves...... It knits up in small stripey bands exactly like the orange firestarter socks and is looking for a new home. This sock yarn base I'm using is very generous on the yardage. I knitted extra cable repeats on firestarter and still didn't use all the 50gms for one sock. I think I had about 10gms extra left. Maybe not quite enough for knee highs though!

So to enter this weeks competition, please leave me a comment answering this question - Within your own discipline, knitting, quilting, sewing etc, what materials or tools couldn't you live without? Are your addi needles the one thing you would rush back into a burning building for? :-) (Okay, your family and everything else is already safe!) Or would you be trying to cram all your yarn stash into bags as you are dragged out trying to find your precious Koigu?!

Please remember to say which prize, or both, you would like to be entered for. Again, this giveaway closes this sunday evening (16th) and the winner will be drawn next monday, 17th August. Good luck everyone and I look forward to hearing your answers:-)

Giveaway finishes tonight!

Just a wee reminder that this giveaway finishes tonight! I will post the lucky winner tomorrow and also list next week's giveaway prize. Good luck to all who have entered:-)

Ruby Spice

Ruby spice

I've been doing a little more playing with dyes - more monochromatics and tones of colours this time. Sometimes, I want to mix up brand new colours specifically for a project in mind and this strong red with a hint of burnt orange was where my head was at. Unfortunately my washed fleece didn't seem to take the dye the same as the sock yarn at all. What should have been more of a flame red like the yarn below, turned into more of a ruby/deep red umber. But a happy surprise, I like it a lot. It did felt a bit more during this process so it'll be 'interesting' trying to card that lot out;-) I'll have to be more careful next time!

Flame red

The sock yarn came out spot on for colour though. I wanted to try and get some intense solids for smaller projects like cabled gloves or detailed lace scarves that would be killed using a strong variegated yarn - like tootiefruitie:-) I'll have to knit it up to see if I've been totally successful but it looks a smooth, strong, vibrant colour which is just what I was looking for.

Cinnamon spice

Cinnamon spice is an experiment in subtle variegations, tonally very close but just enough variance to give a subtle sock. Well, that's the theory! Again it'll have to be knitted up to see the effect but I think it will be a subtle enough colour to use a detailed lace sock pattern. After the green and orange stripey yarns fighting the lace, I'm hoping this will have a better balance.

So, that's as far as I've got dyeing this week as I ran out of re-sealable freezer bags for the microwave! But I got some more last night as well as a couple of casserole dishes - £1 each in Asda! - that hold 2 litres and small enough to fit in my teeny microwave. The theory is they will be better to use than the freezer bags, washable and I won't have to throw away so much plastic every time I dye. I'll tell you how I get on.....:-)

Autumn Ana

I forgot to show you another of my finished hats. I photographed all three hats and berets together on the first dry day but forgot to tell you all about this one. Meet Autumn Ana. Its knitted using one of the first of my dyed yarns from january. I've been saving it for just the right project - a project that will show off the variegations and the colour contrasts to best advantage. And I think this hat pattern does the job nicely.

The pattern is called Ana, but I can't help calling it ana bandana:-) It just rolls off the tongue you see! I chose it because it reminds me of the hats washerwomen wore to keep their hair out the way when they were working. And I'm always having to tie my hair back when working so I can have practical and lovely at the same time. Mind you as long as it's a LOT more flattering on than some of the washerwomans hats;-) I haven't tied my hair up in these photos but it does work well to keep the hair in place - and your head warm!

With drier weather comes better light to take photos that are spot on for colour accuracy. I love the little hint of the cooler green in there with the warm reds and oranges, and a little plum. I do love how this has knitted up. It was worth waiting for.

The actual construction of this hat is unusual but relatively easy once you get going. You knit a long rectangle of stocking stitch to the S/M/L size you want - please check your gauge here! This pattern uses a DK/worsted weight yarn and I substituted my fingering sock yarn without adding more stitches on the width. Of course I didn't realise this was a problem till I had FINISHED and it didn't fit! So, please do check before you have knitted 22" or so of mindless st st and have to rip it all back.


Then you have a pleating technique to 'fold' the fabric into gathers at the back. I thought this was more complicated that it was and didn't 'get' the pattern until three attempts later. Not that it is hard, I was just making it harder than it actually was. So, tip when you get to this stage - just follow the instructions, trust the instructions, they are right and we are wrong;-)

You use a three needle bind off, casting off small groups of stitches into pleats. Once you've done the first one, you think, hey! I can do this! Then you start the second and wonder if you are doing it right as the yarn at the end of the pleat pulls the tip of the pleat back to the base of the second pleat. This is right!! Don't get creative and try reversing the process to get the perfect pleat - moi! That was wrong, wrong wrong and taking back the pleats takes longer that knitting all that stocking stitch. Well, not quite but it felt heartbreaking so near the end:-) (three attempts remember!)

So I hope this saves someone a load of hassle so they can move swiftly on to enjoying a gorgeous and lovely hat design - without the cursing and the swearing part:-))) But I love my ana bandana and I think it will get a lot of wear!

Colour interpretations

Occasionally I find one of these quizzes that I feel I'd like to try - just to see:-) I came across this one today which tells you what your personal colours are based on how you answer a series of questions. I love colour and this intrigued me. So what colours would represent my personality and how would my answers be interpreted?

Your rainbow is intensely shaded green, red, and violet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are a passionate person. You feel strong ties to nature and your mood changes with its cycles. Those around you admire your fresh outlook and vitality. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Actually, its rather accurate. I can have patience on some things as I love to learn new things but those mood changes lead me to switch tasks regulary and have my fingers in many pies:-) I couldn't be a one project or one craft gal, I'm afraid as I get bored too quickly. Or maybe it's less like boredom, more like I've learnt that so what's next! Definitely a mixed media, hands-on, try everything gal:-))

2nd Blogiversary Giveaway!

Today, the 3rd August is my second blogiversary! I can't believe I've been blogging about my making and knitting for that long! Over the last two years, I've moved about from felting, collage, embroidery to dyeing yarn and knitting. I've also had a few health problems which have affected how much - or little - I have been able to do, which is just a tad frustrating when you like to be a busy beaver;-) So this last year has been challenging but it has also made me consider new directions in my work and possibly a new career - all from my creative passions.

I've met lots of new lovely friends here along the way so to celebrate, I've decided to hold a month of giveaways starting today! Every monday I will be offering something new to give away. I've worked out there are 5 mondays in August so that's 5 chances of winning:-))

So today I have for you a lovely skein of sock yarn especially hand dyed in the colourway 'Tootiefruitie'. As well as being my name on ravelry, it just looks full of fruit colours and is a little bit colour mad! The skein is 100gms, enough to knit a pair of socks or a small shawl.

So to enter, all you need to do is tell me what you have made/created that you are most proud of and why. It could be something you have made recently or something you made when you were seven! Just leave a comment and you will be automatically entered for the draw. If you can't think of anything, then maybe there is something you would love to try someday.

I'll announce the winner next monday morning so you'll need to comment at the latest sunday night. The winner will be chosen at random and I am happy to post worldwide so everyone is invited:-)

This is my favourite dyed yarn to date so I can't wait to see what the winner will make with it! Good luck and I look forward to reading your posts - elaine x