side effects

Posted on Posted in designing, projects

(i know—it’s just a taste; there’s a lot more to be viewed when the pattern is released)

the thing about knitting lots of lace is that most often i am working with subtle variegates or nearly-solid yarn. i have stuff that is more boisterous though, and periodically, i realize that i am using the noisy, more-flamboyant yarns in my stash to stretch my imagination flex my design skills in a new way rebel.

i don’t even particularly like wide-striped socks, but i love this yarn AND the colors in it—or maybe especially because of them. it’s a challenge to come up with a fresh way to use yarn like this . . . and yet i need to entertain myself down the long cuff that is my preference and over the long foot that is not (but it’s what i got anyway).

these socks are super comfy; the gusset heel and premium yarn offer a precise fit which i appreciate. and what aout that striping pattern (do you mind if we marvel again over it??). i mean right down to the toe point, those stripes maintain the correct width to fit in with the rest of the sock.

normally i don’t care at all if striped socks match, but as with the merlot vine pair i knit with this same yarn brand, i am making the effort to match this pair (to the best of my ability).

and when i’m not working with that yarn, i’m having a lot of fun with these

another joyfully noisy yarn that i relish every minute with. adam has outdone himself completely with this one (truly, this is superior yarn; you’re gonna love it). and now, he has the kit listed here in both colorways. the pattern (which includes five sizes from child to large adult) is in test knitting now, so it won’t be long.

the thing is, working with noisier yarns presents its own challenges—not all stitch patterns work with the often high-contrasting colors in variegated yarn. and lots of ideas that sounded great when you were staring at the skein look positively awful in the knitted fabric. that’s just the way it is. and once in a while i like to take on that challenge and try to come up with ways to have some fun with these yarns.

when i look around there’s even more evidence of a rebellion going on,

though this one is not so much noisy as . . . . spicy? not sure but i know it’s part of my whole mood this week (lotsa small projects in yarn i would never knit into a shawl—not that there’s anything wrong with that—it’s just me and my taste).

anyhow, i really do appreciate everyone who wrote in to say “save the mitt!! (and make a scarf!)”.
thank you for that . . . i feel incredibly well-supported in this mitt endeavor, thank you. and i will knit a scarf—just because you asked me to (actually i had that on the drawing board, but it was SO good to get votes for it without asking or supplying the power of suggestion).

i have one project that’s not so flash (it’s a little flash, but not as much as i thought it would be)

here it is in the glow of the sunset last evening; you can see that the bamboo fiber really picks up and reflects the light. here’s another photo from this morning in a spot where i didn’t have such direct sun

(i added a little more to them late last night) debbieKitter’s husband steve has been asking for some time that she knit him a sock with diamonds (and he loves bamboo blend yarn). i do think we have diamonds here—and triangles, and pillars—but i don’t know if they’ll pass muster (he’s an architect; i’m sure he has something specific in mind that the word “diamonds” doesn’t really capture). but just in case he doesn’t like these, i have other diamond stitches i can try . . . and other people who will love them, in fact.

and with that folks, i think i will say good evening and get on with my work.

22 thoughts on “side effects

  1. Those socks for Steve remind me of geodesic domes, which integrate triangles and diamonds yet curves – as in curves in this case around the human form. As an architect, surely he will admire all this integrated into a stitch pattern.

  2. Okay, all of those are gorgeous, but I am officially DYING for the pattern for those Twisted socks. I have some of her yarn in my stash and it is ready to FLING itself at my needles the second you release the pattern…as long as it can be sized for a size 11 bigfoot. (And if not, I may make them anyway.)

  3. Hmmm…perhaps “riotous” in place of “spicy”?? Like a bed of irises….

  4. I cannot believe how fast you knit lace. I just tagged you for a meme. Obnoxious,I know. If you’re up for it, visit my blog.

  5. That’s a boatload of gorgeous socks you’ve got going there! I’ve got some Yarn Nerd marinating in my stash that I’m just going to have to use soon, after hearing you talk about how great it is to knit with! And I’m so glad you decided to keep the mitts — I really quite like the combination of color and movement in them. Have fun knitting tonight!

  6. So many great projects, so few adjectives worthy enough to praise them! Go on, rebel a little! I’ll be watching this space for the patterns to come up!

  7. We all need a bit of bright and stripey colour in our life now and then, and I really love your display of cool wips.
    I will agree on the superiority of Adams yarn… I was totally in awe when I knitted with some yarn I won from him (I love the socks that are the result).

    Cheers and happy knitting

  8. I haven’t knit socks in three or four years, but I hope to get back to it this summer. I broke my wrist the end of December, and I’ve slowly been getting back into crocheting and knitting as part of my therapy. I’m not sure I can manipulate the sock needles right now, but your photos sure inspire me to want to try! They’re all lovely!

  9. Gorgeous projects as always. i don’t care for lots of different colors in the yarn because i think that it makes it difficult to find a pattern for them. i think that you have done an excellent job matching vibrant sock yarn with cool patterns! i especially love the striped one!

  10. The Yarn Nerd socks are so awesome!! I’ve already ordered the kit…can’t wait to get started. A big round of applause to Anne & Adam!

  11. Adam’s colors are gorgeous! I love all of the socks, and I can’t wait to get them in my hands. Love them!

  12. I really truly love to see what you are doing with busier yarns. I always love looking at the busy varigated and striped yarns and just never know what to do with them so it is great to see some patterns made for them.

  13. I love seeing what happens to different colorways in your various stitch patterns. I’ve been burned so many times with hand-dyed and variegated yarns that I’ve been staying away from them for quite a while now, but I still have a lot in my stash. Eventually I’ll figure out what to do with them!

  14. I love the nice loud yarns. I’m pretty subdued otherwise in my dress, and so is my DH but we both like the wild socks. Before they closed the Warner Brothers store here we darn near bought them out of crazy socks. DH’s favorites being the Marvin the Martian ones. This is of course, in the time before I discovered it was actually possible for me to knit socks. So I’m glad you’re feeling a tad rebellious. I look forward to seeing what’s next.

  15. I already ordered my kit for the Yarn Nerd sock! Love them and love the diamond socks. When will we see a pattern for them? And your scarf is so pretty love the purple.

  16. I really like the bamboo blend sock. I’ve got some in my stash, but like you, I haven’t had the guts to try it yet.

  17. I am always amazed at how fast you produce a new shawl or sock pattern. But as long as I haven’t the ones I have here, I must resist all temptations!

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