Sock Wars and Trekking Mitts

OK, so the Cyberman Sweater is seriously in the frogpond. That’s what you get for winging the pattern for a style of sweater you’ve never knitted before. Not to worry. I broke out the Stitches software and have a pattern I think will work. At least I know my prototype was cute, if small. It should knit up not-too-slowly once I get going.

I’m very excited that yarn-monkey has posted the specifications for the Sock Wars bloodbath, that is due to start on September 22. The good news is that the pattern is in DK, which means it will knit up relatively quickly. That is also the bad news, since I’m sure there are knitters out there who do not have two small children and two grown men to look after at that point (no, I’m not a polygamist, but I will have my father-in-law staying) and who will also be able to knit socks quickly.

I ordered some “Bare” DK from KnitPicks and intend to break out the Kool-Aid and dye the yarn into something fabulous. I may get #1Son to help. Or I may not, since I have great plans for how I can figure out how much yarn goes into each round, and create great looping stripes of colour. (You know it’s all going to end up as a puddle of mud, but hey, even that will go well under business trousers).

After I had clicked the “BUY, BUY, YOU CRAZY FOOL” button, it did occur to me that I might never see the finished result, should I be killed in the first round, but I’m hoping that wherever the socks end up, they end up with someone with a sense of humour, a digital camera and a blog.

In other news, I broke out the Trekking XXL (which seemed only fitting coming up to today’s 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of Star Trek), that I bought at the Knit and Crochet Show back in July. It is absolutely gorgeous. Subtley gorgeous, but gorgeous nonetheless. I’m knitting some fingerless mitts (and maybe mitt covers). I had started them as socks, but I couldn’t bear to put this beautiful colour where I wouldn’t see it very much. Looking down at my hands will be like looking down into the tarn at the bottom of a ridge on a mountain I once climbed on a clear autumn day, back when I was free to date outdoor cats. It is deep and blue and watery and as natural a blue as I can imagine.

And what’s more it feels great in the hand.

I’ve been very impressed with KnitPicks, but I have to say theirs was the first sock yarn I ever used and it almost put me off for life. I think the fact that I was using needles too big (what did I know?) didn’t help but it felt like I was knitting with string. Trekking feels like I’m knitting with spun baby hair and sponges. Hmm, that didn’t sound as attractive as I meant it to.

Anyhoo, I’m off to add the mitts to the sidebar. Pictures tomorrow in the natural light, if I remember, because I’m not sullying this project with yellow artificial light.