The first of my tea-dyed cormo socks is finished, and it joins my lone Latvian sock (Ravelry pattern link). They need their mates! I liked the look and fit of the Half Handkerchief heel on the Latvian sock, so I improvised the same heel turn on my cormo sock. I’ve been referencing a helpful pdf called Heels by Number.
With my new iPod Touch (surprise post-holiday gift from my dad), I can pull up pdfs from anywhere. And do other clever stuff with apps. So far I’ve got iFiles (to manage pdfs and other files), Knit Counter, and iKnit Needle Sizer. But the first app I downloaded was Bloom, Brian Eno’s “music box for the 21st century.” This an engaging little program – endless colors and sounds to play with.
We’re a few days into this new decade, so what better time to start a blog? It’s fitting that my first post is about the latest socks-in-progress. Last December, after a fruitless search for some good sturdy socks, I saw that I’d have to learn to knit my own. I’ve been so thankful for Ravelry and the craft blogging community. I’d like to use this blog to document and share the things I’m learning and making.
The socks I’m working on now are in two great woolly yarns: Imperial Stock Ranch sock and Elsa Wool Company worsted-spun, fingering-weight cormo. I dyed the cormo using black and red tea. The dyeing experiment was a lot of fun. My next plan is to use eucalyptus leaves on some undyed Imperial Stock Ranch sock yarn. Supplies and space are limited for now, so I’m sticking with dye plants that don’t require a mordant.
It’s a pleasure to see the fabrics these yarns make. The Imperial Stock Ranch socks seem like they’re going to be the warmest, more durable socks ever. I keep stopping to look at those dense little stitches.
The Ravelry project pages are here and here.