Tag: Schoppel Wolle

Sock Addict.

Stripy Sock

I always thought it was a bit silly when people learned to knit socks and promptly gave up knitting anything else. I’ve made a few pairs for other people over the past couple of years, but it wasn’t until I made a stripy pair for myself that the bug really bit. As soon as I’d cast them off, I started the toe of this one straight away.

This is another Regia colourway, and I rather like the pink, red and orange stripes. I couldn’t tell from looking at the ball quite how the pattern was going to develop, but I’m pleased that it’s turning out so regular. I’m using my usual toe-up pattern with a slip stitch heel, and I’ve just reached the stage of increasing for the instep. This means I’ve just realised that the stripe pattern’s going to be disrupted as I keep increasing and when I work the heel. I’ll find out how much that bothers me as I go along. One solution would be to work the toes and heels in another colour. This avoids the pattern disruption to a certain extent (although the stripes will still get thinner as you work the gusset increases), and it also means that the toes and heels can easily be pulled out and re-knit when they start to wear out.

I have plenty of stashed Regia waiting for me, most of it earmarked as Christmas Socks for friends and family. I’ve also thought of a few basic pattern variations, so I don’t go mad from knitting the same socks over and over again.

I’ve also started looking at different sock yarns, although there’s not much available in the shops where I live. Noro sock yarn feels kind of scratchy, and I’m not sure I’d like to knit with it. I’m looking forward to seeing how my Schoppel Wolle Flying Saucer comes out. I’m on the hunt for some extravagantly purple sock yarn for a friend (recommendations welcome!), and I’ve spent a while looking for the perfect green-and-white self-striping yarn. Thanks to the Yarn Harlot I found it this morning, and have now ordered the last ball of Clorophyll from String Theory Colorworks. I also picked up a mini skein of plain white, specifically designed for the toes and heels.

So, I’ve just spent twenty-five pounds on the materials (and international shipping) to make a single pair of socks. For a friend who hasn’t asked for socks, doesn’t know they’re getting socks, and has no idea how long a pair of socks takes to knit. Clearly this isn’t a gift for them, it’s a gift for me.

I’m turning into a sock addict.

London Souvenirs

London Souvenirs

Everyone knows that yarn and fabric bought while you’re on holiday doesn’t count as stash, right…?

On the left is two balls of Schoppel Wolle’s “Flying Saucer” sock yarn. It’s dyed two strands at once, so that when you unwind it into two balls you can knit two identical socks. If you follow their pattern, it also creates a somewhat psychedelic flying saucer pattern on the legs of the socks. I probably won’t be following their pattern (because I’m awkward like that), so it’ll be interesting to see how it knits up.

The little burgundy stick is a shawl pin that exactly matches the never-ending stole that I’m currently knitting. I bought the stick and the yarn from Loop, which was just up the road from our hotel. We also had a nice little wander around the antiques shops and stalls around Camden Passage while we were waiting for Loop to open. (I’d accidentally dragged my friends there half an hour too early. Oops.)

The fabric, as you can see, is from the V&A. I was slightly disgruntled to look at the V&A online shop and discover that both of the fabrics I’ve chosen are on special offer, and therefore cheaper, but I guess the shipping would make up the difference, so never mind. The fabrics were produced to go with the 2010 exhibition Quilts 1700-2010, and are a limited edition featuring designs from prints in the V&A collection.

The top fabric is ‘Palm Tree’, and is taken from a patchwork coverlet pieced from various early 19th century printed cottons. It was possibly made in Wales, sometime around 1830-40. The bottom fabric is ‘India Flower’, taken from a patchwork coverlet composed of block-printed cottons of the 1780s and 1790s. It was made in Britain, and dated 1797.

Being tight of budget, I bought a half-metre of each print. It’s a metre and a half wide, so there should be enough to make three pairs of shoes from each design, if anybody might be interested in such a thing…? They had so many lovely prints, I wish I could have afforded to buy one of everything!