i was meant to be cleaning the bathroom this morning but instead i took an hour out to finish off the monkey socks i have been working on. im glad i did, they are lovely.
you may notice a few things however. firstly, they are not the same.
i quite like the idea of making a pair of handknitted socks where one is slightly different to the other, although i know this sends some people into paroxysms. also, it helps with the dreaded second sock syndrome.
the changes go like this: the first sock is a traditional, exactly as per the pattern, knit and purl monkey. 2.5mm knitpicks bamboo DPNs the whole way, 6 pattern repeats on the leg, six on the foot. it fits nicely, possibly about a quarter centimetre too long, and perhaps a tad tight on the cuff. but when are they not, with my calves?
the second sock has quite a story to tell. i cast on on 2.75mm knitpicks bamboo, thinking this would give me a bit more stretch, with the intention of swtiching to 2.5 for the legs. i promptly jumped in the car for a long road trip, forgetting to pack the spare needles. you may remember, we stopped in berry and i ran into a famous shop there to procure me some 2.5mm needles, which, i was informed, dont exist. huh.
because we were away for the weekend, and this was the only knitting id bought, i thought i might as well just do the rest of the leg in 2.75. i thought it was a bit loose though, and i think i knit a bit looser with bamboo sticks, so when i got home, and it was time to do the heel and gusset, i switched to these:
they are the wonderful kollage square needles i picked up at iknit london, and i knit my favourite koigu socks with these, and they are 2.75mm and did a lovely job, so i stayed with these for the whole foot. they made a lovely smooth slightly tighter fabric than the bamboo needles of the same size and i should make a big note to myself to only ever use these for socks.
the other thing that is different about the second sock is that it is a ‘no-purl’ monkey. so everything exactly the same as per the pattern, but just knit the purls. i like the effect a bit better i think, although the colours pop more with the purls. i love the way all the knit stitches make the pattern a bit more swirly, and less ‘branchy’, if that makes sense. can you see?
the only other thing to note about these is the yarn, which is lorna’s laces shepherd sock in’pilsen’, and i love it. this is the first time ive knitted with lornas laces, and lucky for me i have a lovely purple colourway in my stash, because i want more. smoosh factor high.
and for trent, pictures of the magnolia:
this is one of the last flowers, and i’s so big and covered in leaves now it makes a lovely shady spot on the front lawn.
today really feels like summer is coming here on the coast, there is that salty haze we get on hot days, and the windows are open, and im wearing a tshirt.
none of which means the bathroom will clean itself, however.
kxx
