Recent Socks

Here's some socks I knit over the summer. I knit all my socks toe-up, one-at-a-time on two 2mm circs (Addi Turbos). Basically, I use the same formula for every sock, and just sub in whatever stitch pattern for the instep and leg that takes my fancy from any of the numerous free patterns available on-line. I always use the sewn bind-off now too, as it yields the stretchiest, yet non-ruffley, cast-off edge I've found. I'm generally working on somewhere between 64 and 74 stitches, depending on the thickness of the yarn and the stretchiness of the stitch pattern, all to fit a medium woman's foot (mine!).

















Wool: Spinning Bunny, I think the colourway was Clematis (50% merino/50% tencel)

Plain stockinette with a bit of feather and fan at the cuff
This wool feels wonderful to knit and wear, but it's a bit weird how the colour patterned itself. One sock has considerably more white on it than the other. I was very careful to make sure I had the same number of stitches on feet and cuffs for both socks.















Wool: Meilenweit Cotton Maya (wool/cotton)
Stitch Pattern: slightly modified Monkey (no purling)














Wool: Trekking Pro Natura (75% wool/25% bamboo)
Stitch Pattern: Cascading Leaves from the Townsend Knitalong Group

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Meilenweit Meeting

80% wool/20% polyamid

Nothing special about this wool, but the price was right. I'm not terribly enamoured with the self-patterning "fake isle" either. From the feel of it, I suspect it will wear beautifully.

I appear to be a bit of a sock wool snob. I much prefer knitting with (and wearing!) the more luxurious (and way more expensive) merinos and merino blends.

Greyhound Burrito Redux

Free Range Day

Once or twice a week, I lock up the dogs in the kennel and let the chickens and turkeys out to gorge themselves on grass, weeds, seeds, bugs and whatever else they can find. Some of them did a little gardening in the big planter beside the garage; they are terrific weeders, but they aren't terribly discriminating about what they pull up!

The top photo is my two young Blue Slate turkeys and an Isa Brown hen. There's a Barred Rock hen almost hidden under the rose bush at the back of the planter.

The second photo is one of the "mutt" chickens hatched last summer.

The third photo is more Isa Browns, a Turken and a Silver-Laced Wyandotte exploring down the side of my driveway.

The fourth photo is the incomparable Turkenstein fresh from her summer moult, all glossy and beautiful.

And finally, #5 is a frustrated Traveler on one side of the fence and the black Silkie rooster on the other.