The great mosaic challenge

Most months I try to do a pair of socks for the Ravelry group Sockknitters Anonymous (although, seriously, is anyone in this group actually trying to stop knitting socks???). The January challenge was mosaic knitting / slipped stitches. Ah - weakness. I enjoy slipping stitches. It's such an easy way of adding interest to a sock without having to do a lot of work.

So... instead of taking it easy in February, I hit the needles - two pair of Biscotti and two of my own. The Biscotti are done - it was January's hit pattern - Elizabeth Sullivan's Cranberry Biscotti. My version was a bit of an experiment. I used The Unique Sheep's Verve in the Doctors Without Borders Gradiance -

This is where I started: the #4 skein, the darkest, I saved for the cuff, heels and toes. The other three I used for the slip stitch pattern:



I'm not sure this was a great choice - and I'd use another gradiance again where there is a gradual transition from one colour to another. In this case, there was a lot of contrast within each skein and varying amounts of the three colours used - white, red and burgundy.

Keeping track of where I was proved to be difficult - and I couldn't swear that the two socks are identical. They are, however, lovely and I will enjoy wearing them.

Some progress

I don't think I could be any slower at this month's sock. The poets say that February is the cruelest month - and as far as I know, it's because of the weather. It's usually neither good nor bad: not the deep-freeze of January, but not quite spring. The days are long enough that you know summer is coming, but no-one in their right mind would step out of the door without boots and a winter coat. (At least, where I live.)

February should be good sock knitting weather, but so far, it's been dreary.

This is progress so far:



Part of the reason I haven't done a lot for this months sock is because of the Sockknitters' Anonymous challenge on Ravelry. (Ravelry is addictive. Do not attempt this at home.) I had great fun with a couple of slip stitch patterns from the Harmony Guides (also addictive) and then, just at the last minute, decided I'd cast on the simplest sock of all (well - almost the simplest). It's a plain old Toffee Sock with slip stitches with yarn in back every fourth row.

In Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR Lightweight, this is a fast knit - great for meetings.

February Sock Yarn Review - Schaefer Anne

Already February 6, and nothing about this month's yarn. Too much work (definitely too much driving), a fair bit of knitting in the early morning hours but no time to write. I've driven in and out of Winnipeg on business, and have been thinking a lot about quilting.

But there's always time to knit.

This month's yarn is one I have in my stash several times over, but have not yet knit - Schaefer Anne.

The Schaefer Yarn Company of Interloken, New York has is an American yarn dyer with several weights and blends of yarn. Schaefer Anne is a fingering weight yarn with superwash wool, mohair and nylon. It can be used for socks, scarves or mittens.

This colourway is Elizabeth Zimmerman.



Schaefer takes the majority of their colourway names from notable women. Elizabeth Zimmerman is a remarkable woman of American knitting, no longer with us, unfortunately, but in her lifetime and beyond a remarkable designer. Her Baby Surprise Jacket is still a great favourite for grandmothers (and everyone else who must knit an infant garment quickly. It's wonderful because it finishes in one piece and all the knitter needs to do is add a few buttons and sew in the ends. This is particularly wonderful for those of us who hate sewing together pieces of knitting.) Elizabeth Zimmerman's book, "The Opinionated Knitter" is worth reading, regardless of how experienced you are.

Whenever I look at Schaefer's offerings I wonder at how they chose colours for women's names. This one both intrigues and confuses me. I think of Elizabeth Zimmerman as being a colourful woman. How could she not have been and been as prolific a knitter as she was? This colourway is hardly, well.... colourful. To my mind, it's rather dull and a bit too much like camouflage for my taste.