And now, back to our regular programming!

I have gotten a fair bit of knitting done since the last knitting post, so I’m trying to  catch up here.  I did finish Keith’s Cable Cardigan, but since I haven’t been able to corral him yet for a picture, I’ll save the details until I can.

Windowpane Check Rib Sock

Here’s the first half of a pair of socks.  This is an ‘original’ design – meaning the pattern came from my head, but with no claims to uniqueness, since it’s simple!  However, I think I like this as a somewhat anti-pooling stitch for handpaint or multi-color sock yarns.  This is a 3×2 broken rib stitch pattern; five rows of rib, then a purl row.  It’s interesting to see how different it looks when the light falls on it from various angles.

Windowpane sock detail

I like the way the colors trade places in the purl rows!  Those look best when contrasting colors fall above each other. Although it is rather heavily textured on the outside, the inside is a smooth rib.  I’m calling it “Windowpane Check Rib”, but in this colorway, I think something like “Brickwork” would be just as appropriate.  This is a gift sock, and since the recipient requested fall colors, I was delighted to find this Happy Feet yarn.   I liked working with it, and particularly like the short color changes.

Bumpy on the outside, smooth on the inside!

Mini gusset with short-row heel shaping

This pair is my first experiment with a short-row heel using a small gusset. I toyed with some other heel techniques, but wasn’t totally happy with them, so came up with this solution.

I used HiyaHiya double-point bamboo needles for these socks, but don’t think I would buy another set.  They have just the right surface feel, warm and smooth but not slippery, but they are too flexible for me!  I tend to knit tightly, with a semi-deathgrip on the needles, and started bending these immediately.  They now have a permanent curve, which is a slight annoyance, but they still work just fine.

‘Customized’ HiyaHiya needle

Now it’s time to get on with the second sock, and to pick up Ithilien again for my at-home project.  All of which is easier said than done, when I have two more sock pairs that I want to start on right away, and another sweater that is calling me.  Not to mention that spring is coming and the garden is looking forlorn, and I’ll have bunny litters coming along soon!  Nor am I mentioning the other less-fun projects around the house that need to be tackled.

*sigh*  Life sure gets in the way of the fun stuff, doesn’t it?