fo : clarke, jacquard ankle socks, rhubarb show-offs

2017 has been a year focused on a lot of other things, like the surprising turn my career took, the first apartment I moved to (with a partner I never thought I would meet and grow with). I lost a lot of good knitting time this year being swept up with a lot of that but still managed to get a few things off the needles.
The problem (?) with taking so long to blog about something you've knit is that it's likely that you've already spent some time incorporating them into your life and putting them into use.

pattern : Clarke Pullover by Jane Richmond
yarn : Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Cobblestone Heather and Garnet Heather
needle : US 6, 7 [4-4.5mm]
size : 40
My Clarke sweater's already a little rough around the edges. I haven't really felt the push to block the garment to make this look as attractive as possible for the blog, I hardly even wove the ends in! As soon as it was bound off I wore it and continued to whenever the weather deemed it appropriate to. It can't be that heretical to admit that, right? I don't block that often at all!
The first pullover I knit was a Jane Richmond pattern. It was such a simple and enjoyable process that I sunk my teeth into the Clarke pattern expecting the same straightforward, highly customisable design. I was not disappointed and might make another sometime in the future. So far the Swish Worsted has been soft and very comfortable--no scratchiness at all. One issue I see is that it pills quite a bit. The pilling makes me wonder whether this batch of skeins I bought from knitpicks would suffer the same unfortunate fulling effect post-wash that I read complaints about on ravelry. It would suck to see such a fate from a sweater I love this much.



pattern : Show-Off Stranded Socks by Anne Campbell
yarn : Regia Hand-Dye Effect in Rhubarb
needle : US 1 [2.5mm]
size : medium, 10"
This whole sock project was a nightmare, and it was entirely because of the yarn itself. I had this in the time-out pile since 2014 and didn't pick it back up until 2016. I was determined to finish it. Ignoring the general convention of knitting both socks with the same types of needle to ensure gauge is the same, I just picked some aluminum dpns and sped through the last sock.

With the frustration of the yarn behind me, I can enjoy these gorgeous colors and how the Anne Campbell's pattern has let them shine. To give the pattern a good faith effort once more with less annoying yarn, I casted on once more with a Zauberball skein instead. Anne Campbell kicked ass with this design.

pattern : Improvised (Toe Decreases by Brittney Elbertson)
yarn : Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards in Hip Hop, Regia Hand-Dye Effect in Rhubarb
needle : US 1 [2.5mm]
size : 10"
Another scrap anklet sock! I use a single skein bought on sale in Solvang. I wasn't sure whether it was going to be enough for this single pair but didn't mind too much. Turns out it wasn't the case, so I happily took the chance to use more of the leftover Hand-Dye effect to finish off the single toe. Two more little skeins like these for a few more ankle socks. I'll be even closer to my goal of a fully hand-made sock drawer.
I have three works in progress (not including shop commissions) remaining, and am excited to see those off the needles. I'll try my best to share them in a more timely manner than this!