Book Lust

I checked out a couple of knitting books from my local library last week.  It's a perfect way to preview books before buying them.  Since Borders went out of business, my town is left without a decent bookstore.  The nearest Barnes and Noble is 20 minutes away... not convenient for a quick pop-in.

Knit, Swirl and The Knitter's Book of Socks

Knit, Swirl by Sandra McIver is a beautiful book.  The pictures are gorgeous and the patterns are wonderfully innovative.  Sandra's swirl jackets are knit in one piece in four different round or oval silhouettes.  She says, "A Swirl is a uniquely flattering, one piece, one seam, circular jacket with sculptured shaping and fluid fit,"


The models wearing the jackets range from 5'6" to 5'9", so I'm not sure a short, stocky woman would look good in them.  Be that as it may, each jacket is worn by at least two different models and they all look fabulous.  My favorite is the cover jacket, the coat of many colors.  I wish I could knit that sweater with the suggested yarn, but it would take 10 skeins of mountain goat, costing over $220.  Yikes!

Clara Parkes' The Knitter's Book of Socks is a wonderful guide for sock knitters.  Everything you need to know about sock yarn from elasticity to moisture management is discussed .  And the patterns!  She's compiled patterns from 20 different rock-star designers including  Norah Gaughan, Jared Flood, Cookie A, Cat Bordhi, and Ann Budd.  There's too many lovely patterns to pick an absolute favorite, but one of mine is veil of rosebuds by Anne Hanson.

Both books are available on Amazon and Knit Picks.  I think I see a future book order coming my way...

Tea Stains

Remember when I lost a ball of purple Trekking yarn and had to order another skein to finish my uptown boot socks?  I also ordered a second light blue skein so I could try Double Heelix from this fall's Knitty.  The swirly, knit-from-heel, two-toned, mismatched socks intrigued me from the first moment I laid eyes on this picture:

Double Heelix by Jen Staimen, Knitty, first Fall 2011

In anticipation of an eleven-hour car ride, I packed my sock yarn for my very own Double Heelix sock.  The pattern starts with casting on 20 stitches with Judy's Magic Cast-on over two needles.  I read the instructions for JMCO online before our trip.  I even watched the recommended video.  By the time I was on the road with my yarn and needles, I couldn't remember anything about any Judy or her magic cast-on.  I tried for miles and miles, but my first few rows didn't look anything like the picture on the pattern.  The pattern clearly states that you need two working strands for each color.  At the end of the cast-on, both strands for the main color should be on the same side of the needles.  Why are my strands on the opposite ends?!!!!  Argh!!!!!
At our hotel, I checked the instructions and video online again.  I still couldn't get it right.  Finally I found a video by Cat Bordhi.  I don't know what it is.  I can usually follow written word directions or pictures pretty easily.  For whatever reason, I couldn't understand the pictures and video from Knitty.  It took Cat's tutorial for me to finally get it.  I guess that's why Cat is such a popular teacher in the knitting circuit.

Finally got it!

By the time I was half-way home, I had knitted the heel and most of the foot.  Tragedy occured when I spilled my diet iced tea inside my knitting bag.  What a mess!  When I got home, I ripped out the whole sock and washed my yarn.  I couldn't get all the stains out.  And since the tea was the instant variety, the stains were pink, rather than brown.  It didn't look half bad...

Can you see the stains?

That first sock has since been reknit and completed.

Yes, I have big feet.

Now that I'm knitting the second sock, my attention is already wandering to my next project...  Apres Surf Hoodie?