I know that I’ve said that I’m not a sock knitter. Tiny needles, skinny yarn, ugh. Especially bad because I tend to knit loosely, which means I have to use even tinier needles for sock yarn. I have been known to dabble in the land of sport, dk, worsted, and chunky weight socks, but for socks to really fit well in shoes, skinnier yarn is preferable.
The Yarn Harlot posted an interesting challenge yesterday for sock knitters. Apparently, Tracy at Stringativity managed to get a picture of Barack Obama with her knitting, and the Yarn Harlot would like to see more of this kind of activity. She is offering an incentive. This made me want to cast on a sock, just to be ready. I pulled out some gorgeous sock yarn that had been in the stash for an awfully long time, 10 years, I think. I cast on to size zero needles, knit ribbing and 12 rows of Spring Forward. The fabric was too tight. Woohoo, I could move up to size 1 needles! But as I began to rip out my knitting, I came to a part where the yarn was frayed. Hmmm, I must have split it while knitting. I started knitting on the size 1 needles, new yarn from the ball. Another frayed spot, 3 rounds into the ribbing. And then another. I rewound the entire ball, and there were several bad spots in the yarn. I’m not blaming the yarn; I didn’t take especially good care of it while it was in my stash (just hanging out in a dusty basket in the previously un-air conditioned upstairs). But I really don’t think it would be wise to knit a pair of socks with it and expect them to put up with hard wear. Too bad; the colors were glowingly gorgeous jewel tones. I now have several small balls of it, because I started winding a new ball each time I came to a break or frayed spot.
The only other fingering yarn in my stash (gave up on those socks, too) may end up being Endpaper Mitts because I only have one 50 gram ball of each color.
In the meantime, what’s this?
I believe it’s going to be a Monteagle String Bag from Mason-Dixon Knitting. It’s 2nd Time Cotton from Knit One Crochet Two, and it’s not expensive. 75% recycled cotton (new, from the garment industry) and 25% acrylic, 100 grams in the skein.
I’m feeling like I want to start several projects, which is strange for me, because I’m fairly monogamous when it comes to projects. The Central Park Hoodie is coming along nicely; do I really want to start some distractions? Monteagle bag, socks, Endpaper Mitts…I sense trouble ahead!
PDXKnitterati 