Saturday, June 25, 2005

Sockapal2za

I got my mate for Sockapal2za. She didn't have specific requests for fiber content or color so I get to indulge my own creativity. So, you know I'm dead in the water! For starters, I don't know if I want to knit cottony, warm-weather socks or woolly, cold weather socks. The exchange occurs in mid-September. Here in the East US we'll probably still have a couple of weeks of warmish weather but the cool winds of October and November will only be weeks away. Dear Reader, if you would be so kind, could you help me solve this dilemma? To aid our deliberations I went to the wall of yarn. I have several candidates for these socks.
First up are the warm-weather fibers. Starting with (upper, left) a couple of skeins of a lovely red, cotton/nylon blend from Zitron (Sitron?) The red (in reality moreso than in this photo) is vibrant and cheerful. I was thinking that this yarn will make lovely lacey socks. I could also use this for a nice pair of cabley socks. I could even continue the cables down the heel flap as my sock mate tends to wear sandals and clogs with her socks. The next yarn to consider is the peach, cotton/nylon blend in the lower right of the photo. This cotton yarn feels slightly softer than the red. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing for socks. The same design ideas apply for the peach yarn as for the red.

Cool weather socks call for wool blends. Both offerings here are wool/nylon sock yarn. The upper, right skein is a self patterning yarn. I have never used a self patterning yarn before so it might be fun to try. The only problem I see with this is that the socks won't be terribly creative. That might be okay. What do you think? The lower, left selection is something I've had in stash for a while. It's Trekking yarn. (I removed the labels long ago when some of my stash became "art") I love the colors in this yarn. I think a texture stitch possibly including cables might be nice.

I feel that I am in a rut with my design ideas. If you were my Sockapal2za mate which yarn would you like to receive? Which would you like better for your socks - lace or cables (or any other idea you might care to share!)?
I almost forgot. I have more yarn. Here are three different colorways of the same yarn. It is a cotton/elastic blend. I dyed it myself. I used this yarn a couple of years ago to make a pair of Moss stitch socks for A. She would wear them as soon as they came through the laundry. She has since outgrown them but I'm still waiting to see if K will like them. They have a good bit of stretch to them. I like the way they kept their shape even after multiple trips through the laundry.

Okay, you have seven yarn options here. Which would you like if you were my Sock pal?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the three hanks you dyed yourself. You already know that they make comfy socks that last through several laundry cycles, so why not? Also, these socks would be enirely one of a kind :).

Anonymous said...

I live in subtropical Louisiana, and wear wool blends all year. I knit one cotton pair, and they just weren't as soft and absorbant. I vote for the self-patterning.

Anonymous said...

Sure is difficult deciding! I love the Trekking yarn colors, very nice for fall. I also like ones you dyed yourself, especially the one on the right. Hope that helps! :)

EvaLux said...

I love those 3 yarns you dyed yourself. They're gorgeous!!! they're all so yummy that I wouldn't be able to pick just 1... and as the person wears clogs or sandals she would be able to show them off. If I had to pick a color from the other picture it would be the red or the blue (with other colors) yarn. I do not care for that peachy color or the colors in the self-striping pattern.
Cheers Eva

Anonymous said...

If I were your sock pal, I would have a tough time choosing! I love the yarns you've dyed, in particular the middle one--it would look great with blue jeans and clogs/birks. But I'm also partial to the Trekking wool blend, because the exchange will be happening mid-September, the beginning of fall. *smiles*

Jenn said...

I say go for the yarn you dyed yourself! It's beautiful.

If I had to pick out of the others, it would be the Treckking!

Kimberly said...

Definately your died yarn. I love the colors! Knit the pink on the right in lace for summer. Or blue in the middle with cables. Sorry I love them all, I'm no help at all, I'm very bad at such decisions. Can't wait to see what you do!

Anonymous said...

I love the Trekking yarn, it would look nice in a simple sock or dressed up with some texture.

alison said...

Great ideas for your sock pal socks! I love the solid colors and cables sound divine. Hope your sock pal stops by to give you the "right" answer! ;0)

Liz said...

While heel flaps with cables sound wonderful, i would go with the yarn you dyed yourself. Especially the blue/green one.

Kitten said...

The ones you dyed yourself are very nice. I think the pink on the left is especially good.

Anonymous said...

Here's another vote for your hand-dyed yarn! I'm partial to the colorway in the middle, but they're all gorgeous. After that, I'd go for that Trekking yarn, but without a fancy stitch pattern....The rich colors could speak for themselves.

Have fun!

Anonymous said...

I'd use the Trekking and probably the cable and rib socks from the Fall IK. That would look so rich and warm. Plus, they'd be simply gorgeous.

Carola said...

I like the idea of the cable/lace pattern for the solid red Trekking yarn most, it sounds so fresh but elegant at the same time. I also admire your hand-dyed yarns, specially the one on the right. and I like the blue with some greenish and reddish sparkles, they look like northern lights and would make beautiful autumn socks.