August 20, 2007
Third Time's a Charm
Weren’t those “phone sheep” something? I had to look at the pictures two or three times before I realized that everything—the fleece, the feet, the heads, the horns—was made of phone bits and bobs. And now my brain is narrowing in on a pun about a phone with a baaaaaaaaa-d connection, but it’s not coming together.
Here’s something else I found a while back and though it’s not strictly fiber related—although technically paper is made from fiber—it's a great Kooky Kraft .
I spent this weekend learning about the vagaries and foibles of homespun yarn.
Baby Sock Numero Uno, knit using TMK’s Margaritaville:
Baby Sock Numero Dos, same yarn, same needles, same pattern:
Perhaps if I put them side by side?
Nope, not identical, not fraternal, more like half-brothers born ten years apart. Who loathe each other and are suing each other over the family fortune. Needless to say, a third sock is on the needles…and I’m discovering that it’s hard to knit with your fingers crossed. Fortunately, these socks are knit using a mere 32 stitches and knit up quickly. (One change I did make to the “standard” sock pattern: I always find that heels based on 50% of the stitches look very “horsy” on baby socks, so I used fewer, in this case, only 14 heel stitches instead 16.. It really helped. Just throwing that out in case anyone else feels about baby-sock heels the way I do.)
As rapidly as I’m getting this one yapping, nipping “Yorkie” semi-coralled, TMK is spinning new yarn and…ahem…adding to her stash. Her latest acquisition, hand-dyed merino/bamboo, from DragonFibers Emma:
The photo should give a pretty good idea of the colors: Caramel, gray, magenta, with the beautiful white sheen of the undyed strands of bamboo. You rock, Emma!
Viva la difference! (Le? I'm going to assume that handspun yarn has a feminine difference.) Babies don't need no stinkin' matchy socks. Maybe the baby is a free spirit, a rebel, and iconoclast.
Pretty wool, TMK! My stash is currently behaving like a cranky, skulking bear rather than yorkies. It must be spun and knit, or it's going to eat me.
Posted by: Melinda on August 20, 2007 01:50 PMSo when can I expect to see finished yarn TMK? 8oz shouldn't take you more than a few days right? :-)
Which sock are you hoping the 3rd one turns out like? And what will happen to the reject?
Posted by: emma on August 20, 2007 02:58 PMEmma, I'm trying to match Sock Numero Uno because it has a lovely "Gardens at Giverny" look about it, sort of impressionistic, water color-y. Wouldn't you know it? The third sock is turning out half-way between the two: water color-y like the first one yet with an overly strong line between two of the colors like the second one. Sigh.
Posted by: Ryan on August 20, 2007 04:15 PMHmm, so if you can't keep up with the backlog of spun yarn, i can take the the newest batch of bamboo/merino off of your hands. The roving is beautifulicousness!
Posted by: Wanda on August 20, 2007 04:23 PMThere are times when determination and hard graft pay off and times when the universe just wants us to chill until the arrival of a kid with one foot bigger than the other. Trick is - knowing the difference. I'm thinking one more sock and it might be time to chill :)
Posted by: caro on August 20, 2007 05:30 PMI have been meaning to comment but I've been out of town for a week - the references to Yorkies!!!
Now your buddy Chase is not yappie or an annoying ankle biter, is he? Ok, maybe he is when he's hungry. Otherwise he is pure love!
Ryan - remember he has taken a real liking to you - always sitting next to you. Next time you come over I might have to train him to be a yappy, ankle biter!! Just for you!
Posted by: Naomi on August 20, 2007 05:39 PMAfter this entry, I went back and looked at those sheep again! I had noticed the heads but not the feet etc. as being parts of phones. I thought the bodies were coils of some kind of fleece or yarn. Somebody there is very clever. Phone sheep indeed!
Posted by: kathyinoregon on August 20, 2007 07:05 PMBaby socks don't have to match. Indeed, there is a company out there who is selling socks in sets of three vaguely matching socks so you can mix and match according to your whim. So, I think you're on to something here... Those little baby feet will likely be that much more charming in the "mismatched" socks. Plus, who knows, you may have just invented a new way to stimulate those growing little brains!
Posted by: Kristen on August 21, 2007 09:53 AMThose teeny baby socks are gorgeous in person! I think Kristen is on to something---make it a pair of 3. Well done!
Posted by: Gail on August 21, 2007 02:11 PM
I love the paper art! I know it is also kooky, but it is a kooky that sends me to the paper store to buy things I don't need and won't probably get around to using. Wow!
Posted by: Seanna Lea on August 21, 2007 03:12 PM