In this episode: The Great Airing of the Stash 2023; hibernating projects emerge, blinking, into the light; revisiting Paint Pan; Against all Odds’ and the Red Edge, plus a veritable torrent of new knitting projects.
The Troublesome Socks are done. They are… okay. They’re flat. And they’re comfortable. I guess I like them, and am happy they’re off the needles because I am FREE!
Free to reunite with a few old friends! The Red Edge gets a new button band, and top-down contiguous sleeve cap.
I made a little progress on Against All Odds, which was closer to being done than I remember it being. Love that. The butterflies from Paint Pan will be knit into stripes, using the 24 Days Sock Pattern.
Then, after taking care to continue the work on my old projects, I went a little nutzy starting new projects.
Schnenke (top left) is a really fun knit with a clever and interesting shape; Gilet Parodia (top center and right) is destined to become my new favourite Grandpa sweater. And my first ever Argyle socks, from Anne Berk’s pattern Diamonds Are Forever knit to the length of August Argyles.
I’m home, Knitsib. I’m home!
Music in this episode:
- Jim Fidler, Merrigan’s Reel
- Tim Halperin, Celebrate
If you like what you heard in this podcast, I hope you’ll consider becoming a Patron, or buying me a coffee.
OMG, YES! On short rows on sweaters. WHY do designers skip this important thing? Are they afraid no one will buy the pattern because of short rows? Or are they just lazy?
It is frustrating. And some of those faulty patterns are quite expensive!
Will be going to the Schoppel Wolle headquarters in early July and was considering to buy Admiral Hanf – and even in the colourway Porzellan – to knit Scree by Erika Knight. Good to know that that yarn gets your thumbs up! But browsing the projects on ravelry of that yarn has shown me, that some other colourways might knit up stripy, which I really don’t want for that project.
Also hoping to find something suitable for Afield by Fiona Alice. Some of those interesting yarns of theirs that are felted instead of plied.. we’ll see, what will jump at me then.
Also re short rows: I am actually more of a sewer than a knitter, so not a lot of experience here, which let me knit a top-down allover brioche pullover without any shaping at the top. Just trusted the pattern. I never wear that thing because it is starting to ride to the back the moment i put it on. This is so irritating.
I think you were asking for short socks patterns for summer – in this episode or perhaps another recent one. I have been enjoying the Zabava socks by Rebecca Mauser:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zabava-2
I am an ambivalent sock knitter, but I am on my 4th pair of these. They use up leftover sock yarn, have a not-usual sock construction, and they change colors or techniques often enough to keep me going. See what you think!
Julie, thanks very much for your sock recommendation! I have just started my first pair of Zabava socks and you’re right. I”m already thinking about my second pair. The colour options make them a bit addicting!
Intarsia! I too had never learned and always assumed it was difficult. But I decided to try in the deep horrid lockdown (UK) of January – March 2021 when I had a load of tiny butterflies of Kate Davies Milarrochy Tweed left over from a colourwork project. I treated the intarsia as a kind of colourblock painting, or weave-your-own patchwork – just slotting them together to make a visually pleasing little swatches and it was SO MUCH FUN. I followed Debbie Stiller’s advice about twisting yarn (in one of the more advanced SnB books) and it was super easy. I look forward to hearing how you get on with it!