Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Sock update

Much to my own astonishment, I managed to complete the second pair of my 2010 Personal Sock Club socks by their due date, 15 July. In fact, I actually finished them on 14 July, a day early. Even self-imposed deadlines seem to work for me (well, for knitting, at least).

Ember socks 1

I'd been calling them Ember Socks because of the smoldering dull red and grey-black colour combination, but have decided they are more appropriately named Eccentric Socks. I like the way the colour changes make swirling spiral patterns, with some colour clumping around the ankles, and I like the inelegant gaudiness of them - what an earlier generation would have called their lairy quality.

Knitabulous had creatively named this colour combination 'Count Sockular' and had supplied a small amount of variegated grey yarn with the red and grey main skein. I suspect I was meant to use the grey yarn for contrasting heels, but I used it for toes and ran out of the grey just before I finished the toe of the second sock. So, an added eccentricity is the tiny bit of red yarn on just one sock toe.

Ember socks 3

Yarn: Knitabulous Merino Sock in 'Count Sockular'
Pattern: Nancy Bush 'Oak Ribbed Sock' from Knitting Vintage Socks
Needles: 2.5 bamboo dpns

Last night I remembered to lucky dip into my manilla envelopes containing the PSC sock yarns for the rest of the year and opened it to discover some Madelinetosh sock yarn in 'Scarlet'. More bright red socks! Wonderful.

PSC 3

I think I'll make the Tsunami socks from Judy Sumner's Knitted Socks East and West. Due date? 27 August (the date of my son-in-law's citizenship ceremony). Let's see how I go.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I must say that I missed your daily blog once July began, so it was fun to see the burning and burnt ember socks appear. Is the background a Philippino textile?

LynS said...

Yes, Barb. It's a Tingguian hand-woven blanket from Abra - a province between the coastal fringe and mountains on the west coast of Northern Luzon. I've had it for quite a while and love it.

Rose Red said...

heh, eccentric socks is a very good name for these. Congratulations on meeting yet another PSC deadline. Love the colour and pattern for the next instalment!

Anonymous said...

oh horray for red sock yarn! the eccentric-ember socks look really terrific, and that madeline tosh... mmmmm....i have fondled that east and west sock book a number of times but havent been game to buy it, so i will be very interested to see how these ones turn out.

M-H said...

It will be interesting to compare the two citizenship ceremonies. I attended another one recently too. Not as much fun as mine - no brass band!

Charisse said...

Love the socks, love the Scarlet Mad Tosh, love that Knitted Socks East and West book! Love it all Lyn!

bells said...

Every time I see a personal sock club post from you or someone else I wish I'd kept mine up. I might have to reinstate it.

But my goodness I love those socks - what a great effect!

Unknown said...

Ah count Sockular - I love seeing it knitted up with all that (deliberate) pooling. When pooling goes right it is a wondrous thing, and I think you've really nailed it here Lyn.