Skrilla Knits

Knitting has long been considered antiquated, something for grandmas and whipped little housewives. That just isn't true. Knitting is one of those minute to learn, lifetime to master deals, and I'm in it for the long haul.

8.12.2007

Double sock fame!!

My socks arrived! Green lace, just like the socks I knit for my pal!



My pal? Perhaps you've heard of her:



Yes, THE Alison Hansel, author of Charmed Knits, founder of Sockapalooza, all around excellent Boston blogger! I'm almost flustered by these socks, probably the way Grumperina's Sock Pal from Socka-pa-2za felt (she was the recipient of the original Jaywalker socks!)

They fit perfectly and I love the pattern (Embossed Leaves) so, so much! I'm one of those unimaginative types who firmly believes that leaf patterns should only be knit in leaf colors (granted, this does leave a lot of options). One of my jobs as marketing assistant at Webs was to organize the Charmed Knits book signing and book Alison on the podcast. She did a great job of keeping the secret, I had no idea!!

On Saturday I was heading out the door to attend a party for a friend who had successfully defended her Master's thesis (on Maxim magazine). I realized that I didn't have a bar appropriate project. I fully realize how ridiculous this might sound, even to knitters, but please remember that I commute mostly by bus, which takes forever. And what's better than a little drunken knitting, even if you have to rip it out the next day?

I threw a few balls of Kidsilk Haze into my new Monkey bag so I could cast on for the Earth Stripe Wrap, the cover design on Rowan 42. I fell in love with this when I saw it in a promotional poster at TKGA which MAY be hanging in my room, violating my post-college anti-poster sentiments. I'd assumed it was knit in Kidsilk Aura because I couldn't readily identify the colors. I soon learned that Kaffe has paired 14 shades of Kidsilk Haze in different combinations to create entirely new, entirely gorgeous colors. Apparently, all of my favorites--rooting through my stash I realized that I already had a single ball of almost every color he calls for. Single balls that I acquired on random road trips, before Webs was carrying KSH, simply because they were nice to look at.

I'm about 6 stripes in and it's a glorious, easy project. I love stockinette stitch, which makes me a knitting simpleton. Oh well. I've added 6 stitches so I can keep the first and last 3 in garter stitch. I realize that the rolled edges are probably a carefully considered design element but I
abhor rolling edges.

While I'm on the subject of Rowan, Jen had a few apt appraisals of the new issue. We both love when the designers re-knit the items--I find that without the extreme styling and ethereal sets you get a much better sense of the garment's practicality (as well as it's suitability for different bodies). They did this last fall and showed the same sweater on women from different age groups, it was brilliant. I was tickled to see the focus of this re-knit feature: the same tenets of color analysis I've been jabbering about! I created a Flickr set with excerpts from Carole Jackson's book Color Me Beautiful, as well as a few pictures of the Rowan design team in their season appropriate knitwear. Inspiring, no?


CR

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13 Comments:

Blogger hotsauce said...

That's so cool that your pal was someone famous!

I checked my calendar and I can only go to Rhinebeck on Saturday. I'm on the planning committee for an event that's happening here that Sunday so I can't miss it. Maybe I'll take the Web's bus.

3:18 PM  
Blogger melissa said...

wow! i can't believe she was your pal!
i've always loved the embossed leaves pattern too!

5:54 PM  
Blogger Miss Scarlett said...

How fun is that?! I watched those socks take shape on her blog - so glad they fit so well. It's so rare that you find out by reading sender & recipients blog to see where a gift ended up.

It's a close knit world. :-p

The Earth Wrap looks great. I have never knit in a bar and think I would have a hard time choosing a project to take there - and not just because I hate ripping back!

9:58 PM  
Blogger tiffany... said...

i'm still working through my first ever socks... i'm quite enjoying it, but have been so obsessed with sewing that my knitting just sits around waiting for me to pick her up... i probably shouldn't tell the socks that i've started a cardigan as well.

i totally understand needing a bar project... apart from the long busride... it is quite necessary to keep your fingers moving while drinking. when i lived in philadelphia, i used to go to a knitting circle at my favorite bar... the male bartender started it. it was so great. we'd drink high balls and tea.

i like that earth wrap... a lot. hmmm...

6:06 AM  
Blogger ginabeana said...

Beautiful socks! Lucky you, I was wondering who got to be Alison's pal.

The earth wrap is beautiful, too, I can't wait to see it. Although I'm a little confused--you needed a project for drunken knitting and you chose MOHAIR? Kidsilk Haze makes me cry under the most sober of circumstances :)

10:36 AM  
Blogger Peggy said...

lucky!

i do have to disagree with you about the leaf pattern/colors. Mine turned out beautifully in cream!

9:38 PM  
Blogger Melissa said...

I am glad to see them on your feet. I was worried you'd be holed up in your room stroking them or something. ;)

5:46 AM  
Blogger Carol said...

Saw you were knitting the Earth wrap on Ravelry. Me too! There's a crocheted border after the knit is finished but not sure if that would keep it from rolling. I like your garter stitch idea.

9:28 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I love the socks! What a great swap surprise! Long time fan of the blog (found it via craftster) and the style of it. Just wanted to say keep it up!

8:53 PM  
Blogger hotsauce said...

Are the Rhinebeck overnight plans still in the works? I can go both days now.

4:28 AM  
Blogger The Chickengoddess said...

Since Blogger no longer provides email addresses with comments... The border sure is crochet, all around, and I figure that's how you hide all those loose ends from all the color changes. Right now my wrap looks fringed all around. Thanks for stopping by my blog. The good thing about the no email address thing is that now I get to see yours too!

4:08 PM  
Blogger stricken madchen said...

Love your socks! And how neat that you got them from Alison. And by the way, I love the shade of nailpolish you are wearing.
That wrap sounds gorgeous. I can't wait to see yours!
I finally got pictures up of my socks. I'm so sorry it took me so long, but I have been adoring them very much. And I want to know more about you! Where in Germany did you grow up? I was born in Augsburg & lived in the Bayern area through 2nd grade (then I moved to Tirol, Austria). Did you go to the german schools? (I've got so many questions now!).

7:01 PM  
Blogger Leah said...

How awesome!!! Those socks are amazingly lovely!

It's really cool that she kept it a secret from you too! :)

8:25 AM  

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