twistedloops

I finished the Embossed Leaves socks.  I’d wanted to knit this pattern since it was first published in Interweave Knits in the Winter 2005 issue.  Somehow, I’d never gotten around to it.  But, after seeing Jennifer and Michelle (her blog photo does not reflect the true beauty of that yarn/pattern combo) working on theirs at KTog, I decided that it was finally time for my own pair.

This pattern was pretty easy to learn, and I didn’t need to refer to the chart much once I got past the first pattern repeat.  The key was to know that the yarn-overs alternated on either side of a single stitch, and the decrease moved across the pattern repeat, but always left three stitches unknit.  Once I realized that, it all just clicked.  Not the fastest pattern, but not too much work either.  These are definitely a nice addition to the sock drawer.

Pattern: Embossed Leaves
Designer: Mona Schmidt
Source: Interweave Knits, Winter 2005 (also in Favorite Socks)
Yarn: KnitPicks Risata (196 yards / 50g)
Quantity: 2 skeins (392 yards)
Color: Cocoa
Needles: KnitPicks US0 (2.0 mm)

Started: December 27, 2007
Completed: January 7, 2008

Pattern modifications:

• I only knit the ribbing to 1.5 inches.
• I added an additional pattern repeat (4.5 chart repeats instead of 3.5) on the leg to make leaf patterning on the leg longer.
• I eliminated rows 10 and 12 in the sock to shorten the sock length.
• I changed the plain stockinette heel to a slipped stitch heel pattern (eye of partridge), but I kept the garter stitch borders on the heel flap.

Yarn overview

This was my first time working with the KnitPicks Risata.  I’d asked for and received this yarn as a gift for my birthday.  The yarn line was new in 2007, I was interested it in what it had to offer.  While I love my hand knit wool socks, they sometimes a bit too warm when the weather is warmer.  So, I’ve been interested in trying yarns with a higher cotton percentage in them.  Previously, I’d only used Cascade Fixation.  While it is a fine yarn, due to the unusual elastic nature, it isn’t suited as a replacement yarn for all patterns, and I don’t love it.  The Risata, however, can be a replacement for any fingering weight yarn, and has a fiber content of 42% Cotton, 39% Superwash Merino Wool, 13% Polyamide, and 6% Elite Elastic (this elastic does not give it the same elastic propery of Fixation).

I really enjoyed the Risata.  I only had one issue with it, and that was after I had managed to tangle a bunch of loose yarn after ripping back to fix an error.  Other than that, it knit up quite nicely; I didn’t find it splitty or anything of that unpleasant source.  The socks have been washed twice now, through the washing machine and dryer, and the yarn is great.  No pilling, no fuzzing – it still looks new.  This is definitely a yarn I would buy and knit with again (and that wasn’t my experience with the other KnitPicks sock yarn I’ve used – Parade, which has been discontinued).

For Christmas, I was the lucky recipient of three skeins of Socks that Rock Lightweight, including two of the Ravens.  Jim described his color choices as two he liked, and one he thought was hideous – so of course I’d like it.  If the man had his way, I’d only knit with black yarn (and maybe some charcoal gray).

First up is Grawk, one of the Ravens.  It’s a bit of purple and olive-y green mixed with the black (or, as described by Blue Moon – raspberries and pond scum drowned in black).

Next up is Corvid, another Raven.  It is shades of purple and greenish-blue mixed with the black.

Finally is Sun Stone.  This is one of the shaded solids, and I’m really excited about it.  Jim was right, I love the color.

Of the three, I think that the Corvid is my favorite. Not sure what any of them will become, so they’re all headed into the big sock yarn stash bag for now.  Jim purchased sock yarn for me for all of my major gift events this year, my birthday, our anniversary (which featured 5 unblogged skeins of Socks that Rock), and Christmas.  If he keeps this up in future years, I may never need to purchase sock yarn again!

With the holiday schedule, I have been knitting much faster than I’ve been posting.  I cast-on and finished a Sunflower Tam from Knitting Nature without posting about it, but I’ll give it it’s own finished project post soon.  My current project is the Embossed Leaves Socks.  I’m using the Interweave Knits Winter 2005 issue, but it’s also available in the Favorite Socks book.  I’ve been using the Knit Picks Risata in Cocoa that Jim got me for my birthday.  I flew through the first sock and have started on the second.  The only major modification that I made was that I used a slip-stitch pattern on the heel.  I kept the garter-stitch border, I just didn’t like the plain stockinette heel flap.  I’m not sure if I’ll finish these before heading back to work, but I’m going to try.