Dalarna Socks

The Dalarna socks for the Knitting on the Road KAL. This was the pattern chosen by the members for February and March of 2007 and I actually completed my socks on time. Yes, my feet really are that big.

Pattern: Dalarna from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush

Yarn: Dale of Norway Falk , which isn't a sock yarn but was the closest I had to the Guernsey yarn called for. I used 147 g. of color 3841, which appears to be naturally colored, not dyed. I tried adding reinforcement thread to the heel flap but it made the fabric too stiff so I settled on using a smaller needle instead.

Needles: 2.5 mm (US 1 1/2) rosewood for the main part of the sock; 2.25 mm. (US 1) for the heels .

Gauge: 7 stitches per inch on size 2.5 mm.

Modifications: I had to adjust for the different gauge, did 6 rather than 4 decreases down the calf and added the 4 decreased stitches back in at the top of the heel flap. I made a wedge toe rather than the toe called for in the pattern.

Size: To fit a woman's size 9 medium foot.

Helpful Hint: When working the decorative cuff with two strands, don't break the extra strand until you done both sections; just carry the extra strand down the ribbing section. This leaves you with two fewer ends to weave in.

Below is a closeup of the top showing the decorative edge:


Next is a closeup of the foot:


These are very thick and warm. I liked the pattern and will probably make it again with a thinner yarn.

Glove Knitting Kal

Recently I joined the Glove Knitting KAL which is being monitored by Nanette Blanchard of Knitting in Color. If you've never seen her blog do yourself a favor and spend some time there. It is filled with beautiful photographs of wonderful, colorful knitting. Nanette's technical information is very clearly explained and she includes numerous helpful links. Nanette has written several booklets on stranded knitting and offers them for sale on her blog. NAYY, I'm just very impressed by her work. The gloves I'm making are Nancy Bush's Vanalinn Gloves in A Gathering of Lace. I am using Dale Baby Ull in off white and size 2.0mm dpns.

Rascal Goes to the Beauty Parlor

Our miniature schnauzer finally went to the groomer last week. Doesn't he look pretty? He was a rescue so he might be a mix rather than a purebred dog. He's all white, which is unusual for a schnauzer, and has shorter legs than the other schnauzers I've seen. He is 10 and a half years old but is still quite spry, has a typical terrier personality and is very smart. We love him!

How I Spent My Easter Vacation

My husband, our youngest son and I went to Texas and New Mexico for a week and a half over Easter. One of the highlights was a visit to Hill Country Weavers in Austin, Texas. Yes, I managed to convey utter knitter nerdness by taking photos of the store and the sign. The friend I was visiting kindly drove my husband and son home and went shopping elsewhere so I could touch and admire all the yarn. Despite the "Weaver" in the title this store is a knitter's heaven. The converted house has numerous rooms and is filled with many varieties of yarn and more books than I've ever seen in one yarn store before (and I've visited plenty). They had many popular yarns one doesn't find in our warm climate since south-central Texas gets cold(er) in the winter. I bought myself some lovely wool/mohair, a few sets of needles, some silk laceweight for a shawl and even a gift for a friend. Details will have to wait for another post.

Log Cabin Socks

The Log Cabin Socks from Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick was one of my favorite knits of 2006. I made them as my project for our Knit the Classics (see link in the sidebar) December selection--A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Via ebay I managed to acquire 3 skeins of the yarn called for in the pattern--Rowan Cork-- which is now, unfortunately, out of production.

These socks are soft, warm and extremely thick. They were a wonderful comfort to wear when I was recovering from Rotator Cuff Repair surgery in January 2007 during our "cold snap."

I hope to make these again in another chunky yarn such as Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky although I suspect that the DB will create a much softer and "floppier" sock.

Stats: Rowan Cork in color 046 (Horizon), 2 1/2 50 gram balls.

Modifications: I continued the ribbing down the toe as suggested in someone else's blog (I'll edit this to add a link if I can find the source) and lengthened the foot to fit me.

Helpful Hint: Cork has great yardage so anyone who wants to substitute a different yarn will most likely need more than 150 g. of yarn to insure that enough yardage is purchased.