The real SKA challenge

SKA is Sock Knitters Anonymous on Ravelry. If you're a member of Rav, you know how it can suck you and your knitting into a great vortex of imagined over-achievement. Sometimes it's the same as a double-dog-dare - if you can, I can.

So it was with the January challenge - beads and texture. There was a mystery sock (beads and texture) that I finished. And then, because I can't resist the challenge of designing my own socks, I designed my own beaded texture sock based on the King Charles Brocade stitch pattern. That one I finished. But then I got adventurous - another beaded sock with a variation and then a second textured sock - no beads. And one more textured sock that had nothing to do with King Charles.

I finished one of these on time. And did I finish the others then? Nope. Started the February challenge - and then the March challenge.

So I figure the real challenge of SKA is not finishing in time for the draw - it's finishing the single socks when a new challenge is calling and you'd really rather move on.

So tonight I pat myself on the back: here is the King Charles Brocade Cuffed version - in all its glory. The yarn is The Painted Tiger's Silver Lynx in the Jelly Beans Colourway.



These were the greatest pain to knit - what with starting the cuff on straights and joining it, but when they're all said and done, I quite like them.

Isn't there a special prize for people like us?

Not quite a pair

These are my lace socks for the Sock Knitters' Anonymous Challenge for March 2010 - lace. I used my trusty Harmony Guides and selected a stitch pattern I thought wouldn't be too hard, given that I was leaving shortly to go to Ottawa to visit my daughter. The problem is I took everything on the plane but the Harmony Guide and I had to try to remember the stitch pattern. Let's just say I sort of did.

After one repeat, I knew it wasn't right, but I was too lazy to frog, so I modified the pattern and kept going. The mod was actually the correct version and once I got going, I really liked it.

The yarn is Colinette's Jitterbug and I love it. Firm, squooshy (is that a word?), easy to work and .... short skeins. One toe is Simply Sock Yarn's solid in purple, left over from my Ripple Socks.



Which you can see better, here:



Actually, I really like them. And the cuffs aren't the same either, since I didn't want to do the same messed up version twice.

My challenge now is to find a skein of yarn that will be long enough to chart and test the pattern. Much as I love it, it won't be Jitterbug.

Does that mean I can't call the pattern Jitterbug Jive?

Some progress

The leg is finished. This is a finer yarn than I am used to working, so I suspect these will be gifted to someone with smaller feet than mine. It is not a strong yarn and when I caught it on a chair leg, a tug broke it. Good news is it's easy to splice back together.



Mine isn't quite pooling. I've got broad, soft barber pole stripes that I quite like.

We're off!!

Yes, we're off. Proof is in the picture. (As an aside (I love asides), the original expression is "the proof of the pudding is in the eating. That has been abbreviated to "the proof is in the pudding", which means result are what counts. Good looking isn't good eating.)



Not the greatest photo, but it's only the cuff and there is more knitting to be done. (Have I ever mentioned I love knitting. A perfect day has both knitting and quilting. Oh, and a run with the dog and a decent meal, not cooked by me. And a good book.) I digress. (See the comment on asides, above.)

So far, I'm not certain about the quality of the yarn, but I am impressed with the dyer. I like the way this yarn pools.

April Sock Yarn - Sara's Colorwave

The yarn for April will be Sara's Colorwave Magic Sock Yarn. She has designed this so that the yarn pools, rather than stripes.



I have a weakness for blue and green together and am anticipating that I'll get pools of both on the sock.

When I wound it, I found two knots. The yarn is loosely twisted, but I did not find any slubs or badly spun areas.

March Sock Yarn Review - Dicentra Designs Superwash Sock

Two done. Thank goodness for Law and Order UK. The energizer bunny and I love the accents, event when it's a repeat.



This yarn has short repeats, so unfortunately, the brilliant colours get somewhat muddied in the sock. You can really see them on the heel turn, but not really on the leg and foot.

The yarn was good to work - no knots, although there were some slubby bits that did not make a difference to the knit.

Gauge: 8.5 sts per inch
Needles: 2.25 mm


This is a firm sock and I'm pleased with the way it has knit. I would buy this yarn again and would try others that she has dyed.

Dicentra - finished one sock

Oh, my. Too much March. I worked too much, played too much and didn't do very much knitting. This is the first of the March socks.



What entertains me is the heel turn, which is the only place on the sock where I can really see the rainbow stripes.

So far, I love the dye job, but the yarn isn't quite as good as I'd hoped. There are a few too many slubs, although, thank goodness, no knots.

I hate knots.