Sock Architecture

I don't know if anyone else remembers, but over a year ago I took a (non-matching, very small) pair of socks on a trip with me and did the usual knitter-normal things like put them on landmarks and take pictures of them..and put them on Twitter, with the tag #GreatSockAdventure. If you like, you can see more of them here.

In the lion's mouth. OK, it's just a cool-looking door.

It was mainly because I couldn't tell you about my other Great Sock Adventure, and the fact that those two little guys weren't alone. They were part of this crowd.

Safe at home.

Which is kind of a long way of saying that my recent silence hasn't just been because of the move. I have been feverishly working away at finishing my book. It's called Sock Architecture. Writing it has been quite an adventure, and I can't wait for other people to see it. I love it, and I'm not just saying that because it's mine. I keep printing out pages and using them as a reference in my own knitting bag (not just when I'm getting frantic emails from test knitters), and I think that's a pretty good sign.

I'm going to explain it more and share as much of this final process as I can, but just for starters, here's the basic book description:

Sock Architecture is perfect for both experienced and novice sock knitters. This thorough, imaginative collection of sock shapes and patterns to try includes 17 toes that can be knit either from the top down or toe up and heel shaping techniques that can be combined into 26 ways to knit a heel from the toe up and 68 ways to knit one from the top down. You're bound to find at least one or two new favorites!  

Choose the best shape for a perfect fit, add a new technique to your bag of tricks or simply try out a different look for your hand knit socks. All the heels and toes are carefully explained and clearly photographed, and you can plug in your own numbers to work at the exact size and gauge you want.  

If you'd rather just pick up the needles and start knitting, Lara designed 17 patterns for Sock Architecture. Most of them include 5 sizes, from women's extra small through men's large, and an adjustable size. With the adjustable size, you can choose your own gauge, size, or both, to make socks as unique as you! 

Lara also demystifies popular sock-knitting techniques and gives you tips and tricks that could only have come from the mind of the creator of Math4Knitters. Terrified of grafting? Love afterthought heels but hate retrieving those tiny left-on-hold stitches? Adore the look and fit of your usual top-down heel, but hate picking up gusset stitches and dealing with that weird little hole at the top of the heel flap? There are tools and methods to make everything easier, and Lara explains them all.  

Jump right in to this ultimate guide to the world of sock knitting!

I'm so happy/terrified/proud/excited that I can barely sit still. Good thing I've got my knitting.

P.S. - Sock Architecture is available for purchase!

Still Kickin'

I can't tell you about this project, yet. I'm sworn to secrecy until sometime next year. But, I can tell you I did get to be a part of something that's bigger than I am, and I used my camera. 

I bought my little Nikon D100 way back in 2004. It has held up through professional use at a newspaper (tough on every piece of gear) and even my honeymoon (I kind of dropped it, but I caught it by the lens. Tough luck for the lens.)

It's not the fastest, it doesn't shoot the biggest files, there's no pc input for studio strobes and it doesn't make videos. There are many like it, but this one is mine. 

...and I still love it!

I also really liked the project. You know you had a good day when someone pays you and you think "Oh, wait, I'm getting PAID for this? Great!" It's a pretty good feeling.

Random Colorwork Inspiration

These are all from a nice but ordinary hotel room. I love toying with ideas for knit stuff with these shapes/colors, even though I have no idea when or for what reason I am likely to use them. Anyway, great two-color schemes, no?

A Little Green Sweater

A few months ago, the charming Lore (I assume she is, she looks charming on Ravelry) knit up my Keys to the Castle Baby Sweater. It's still one of my all-time favorite designs, and I asked her if it was ok for me to use her project photo on my blog. She said "yes" and also included these notes.

"I modified a few things. First the contrast color I used was some leftover yarn and I wasn’t sure how far it would go. So I didn’t do the vertical stripes on the arms (although I still kept the CC cuffs). I also wasn’t sure if there would be enough of it for the front bands so I picked those up after I finished everything else. If I hadn’t had enough CC I would have picked up bands in the MC.

Second, I detest knitting I-cord and avoid it at all costs. So I decided to go with buttons instead.

Thanks for the pattern. I had fun knitting it. Out little baby boy should be arriving in June, although he’ll have some growing to do still before he gets to wear it."

There have been some photos of an adorable baby boy on her Ravelry page, so it looks like it all worked out!