Sock of Shame #1

By happy chance, the first Sock of Shame to come down off the clothesline in 2010 is the oldest of the bunch, black Pink Beads by Christina Coghill. It was the December 2004-January 2005 Six Sox Knitalong sock. The first sock predates Ravelry and even this blog. The second sock was finished Saturday evening.



The sock is a basic design with beads that form graceful argyle diamonds. (DH insists they're really alien spawn. I suppose I can see that, although they look more like DNA strands to me.) The beads are placed while knitting and therefore sit vertically on the fabric, rather than being strung before knitting to sit horizontally. I have no strong preference for either technique – for me, it depends on how I want the beads to be arranged.



I rather like the bit of ankle bling. Here's a somewhat blurry indoor photo of the socks modeled over another pair. Alas, the good light is outside and it's sufficiently cold today that even with a second pair of socks, my legs rapidly became uncomfortable, so this shot will have to do.

And a brief public service announcement for those in the U.S.: The FCC is currently taking comments on Internet neutrality through this Thursday, January 14. You can bet your last skein that the giant telcoms have weighed in on the subject! Here's more information on the matter and an online petition for those who support 'Net neutrality.

Your Caption Here

These pix need snappy captions! I'm feeling somewhat at a loss for words – I've briefly described what's going on, but surely you can do better.

1. _______________.

   
   Failed sock menaced by scissors, 18 months after cast on.

2. _______________.

   
   Brainz Frogged.

3. _______________.

   
   Ready for a nice relaxing 15-minute soak.

4. _______________.

   
   Reconditioned yarn.

5. _______________.

   
   About 95 yds skeined up.

I was tempted to use the reconditioned yarn to cast on Whitby for January Sockdown. However, as Socks of Shame #1, #8, and #11 each fit the January criteria, I think I shall resist startitis and finish a pair instead. Which leaves me pretty much speechless; feel free to insert your own caption.

Go Fish

Fresh from their bath, here's a pair of sprightly child-sized Goldfish Mittens, knit in Frog Tree Alpaca Sport. They're so adorable (if I do say so myself) that I think I must knit more, yea, a small school of them, in many sizes and colors.



Meanwhile, the people's choice among the Socks of Shame currently is Piscean, shown here with some strangely orange snacks. It's still early in the new year, but I can't help noticing a theme of colors and motif seems to be emerging. Hm....



Last year's fibery resolutions pretty much crashed and burned: there was backwards progress on the Socks of Shame as previously noted; the tally for NaKniSweMoDo was 2 FOs, not 7; the blankies never got started, much less made; a Sheep 2 Shoe kit was forfeit; and most of my stash is still stored in plastic. I joined a number of knitalongs, then didn't knit much. I'm not unhappy about how I spent my time and the consequences thereof, but it was hardly my most successful year in fiber.

Undeterred, I'm setting three fibery goals for the new year – or rather, reprising three goals:

Reduce the official number of singleton socks aka the Socks of Shame. The count currently stands at 12. But it occurs to me the real task is dynamic rather than static. No doubt at this time next year there will be new singletons on the clothesline – that doesn't trouble me. Success hangs on removing socks from the line faster than they are added.

Spindle sufficient yarn for a pair of socks before my birthday. Despite abject failure last year, I'm feeling strangely confident of achieving this goal. I can't say what's different this year. Some writers develop creative blocks; perhaps some spinners do also. Or perhaps I just needed to let that STR roving go.

Reduce use of plastics, particularly plastic bags and stash storage. It may well be that this should be a life goal rather than an annual fibery one, but it bears repeating. One of my favorite gifts this Christmas was a fancy insulated market bag that will be perfect at the farmer's market, not to mention it's a thematic fit.



Coincidence? What say you? With all these synchronicities, surely 2010 will be a good year.

Coy

This blustery winter has been providing the motivation and the NaKniMitMo photo pool the inspiration to knit mittens!



Next up, a pair of Goldfish Mittens, shown here cavorting in a Eucalan bath. They're a bit shy at the moment, but will be ready for their close up shortly.

First of the Year

Happy New Year! Here's something rarer than a year end blue moon: my first FO of the year, finished on the first day of year.



I'm inordinately pleased with these beaded Yule Tree mitts. They were knit out of handspun fingering spun from 2 oz. of Zarzuela's Fibers Superwash Merino Top, colorway Santa's Coming! The yarn turned out smooth and springy, with a delightful spongy quality, and the knit fabric has a light, smooth hand reminiscent of wool crepe. I beaded the cuff and the lace motif (but not the top edge because that would fidget me); the yarn held up to the friction of stringing well and supports the weight of the beads nicely.



Perhaps best of all, Yuletide is only half over, so my mitts are still in season, at least for a few days. It seems like an auspicious beginning to NaKniMitMo.