Friday, March 04, 2011

Fast Sock, Slow Sock

The first of the pair of self-striping Goth Socks is complete. I have deadlines circling like sharks, but I allowed myself to work on it as treat every time I crossed a quarter mile off the to-do list.

Goth Sock

The skein-in-chief came with an assistant mini-skein of pure black, therefore the plain heel and toe. I appreciate the black heel and toe because I never enjoy what happens to self-striping when you hit the heel and the colors start to hiccup.

Goth Sock

My only issue with the finished product is that it's so terribly cool, I fear I am insufficiently cool to wear it. It suggests a level of gritty urban élan I will only ever possess if I can develop a personal style that goes beyond slipping into whatever mud-colored sweater from Kohl's is lowest on the shelf in the morning.

I'll toss you the link to Goth Socks (catch!) but Steph is still replenishing her stock after rabid fans sucked her dry in forty minutes at Madrona. Please be advised that as of this writing, the cupboard is bare.

Also on the needles under the category "Socks, Assorted" is the blue Bavarian twisted stitch number I started a couple of weeks ago just for the sheer hell of it. Twisted stitch is not as easily picked up and laid aside as stockinette, so the growth is less spectacular, but I'm bewitched (yet again) by the technique.

Twisted Stitch Sock

The Pink Thing, in case you're wondering, has grown by leaps and bounds but I'm not going to bother putting up a photograph. At this awkward stage, it's all smooshed up on a circular needle and doesn't look like anything except a whole bunch of smooshed-up pink. If you'd like to get some idea of the effect, find a whole bunch of something pink and smoosh it. Smoosh it real good.

On the Air

In the last, frantic minutes of the marketplace at Vogue Knitting Live!, a pair of exquisite Canadian Podcasting sisters, The Savvy Girls, asked me for an interview. I was delighted, and they were delightful. The episode is here. It will be of particular interest to anyone who wants to know what I sound like when my body and brain are running on adrenaline, yarn fumes and cheap chocolate from the 24-hour deli on 53rd Street.

On the Road

Coming right up, I'll be in Madison, Wisconsin for a pair of appearances at The Sow's Ear prior to and following the dizzy whirl of the annual Madison Knitters' Guild Knit-In. I'll be hanging See You There!out and signing stuff at the famous Sow's Ear Late Night Knitting on Friday, March 18 from 6:30 pm–8:30 pm; and teaching two classes ("Photographing Your Fiber" and "Working with Antique Patterns") on Sunday, March 20. Check out the shop's Web site for details.

Looking ahead, it appears that Iceland won't be the only international destination on the calendar this year.

I've just been added to the roster for Knit Nation London 2011, the second coming of Cookie A's and Socktopus's brilliant idea in London from July 15-17. The schedule isn't up yet, but you can get yourself on the mailing list to be notified once it is. You know how I feel about London, and England, and knitters, so you'll also understand that now I have to go lie down for a while, because I feel one of my spells coming on.

58 comments:

bookcrafty said...

Smoosh it real good! Your posts always make me smile.

Patti Anne said...

Oh My - London - Knit Nation - it would definately give me the vapors - SO wish I could be there, but I will have to settle to hear ALL about it from you :)

International Knitter of mystery said...

Oh, I so wish I could get to London (it would make me more international)! Have enough of a good time for a bunch of us!

Lynn in VA said...

You wear motorcycle boots. No one will see the socks. Stealth cool. Undercover gritty urban elan. Dolores will be so proud.

Merry Karma said...

LOVE the socks!

Jody said...

since you introduced us to the Blackthorn's, life has not been the same. Mine arrived and I had to lie down. I take them out and admire them every day. I've promised them a roll in the Blue Moon heavy weight sox this weekend, followed by a cigarette and a nap. Many thanks..

Jennifer said...

Those are really cool socks. I'm pretty sure you're cooler than I am, so I guess I'll never be cool enough to wear them. I might have to buy some yarn anyway.

Jeremy said...

Sweet Blessed Elizabeth Zimmerman, Franklin, those socks (both patterns!) are amazing! I love the blue ones! What are the patterns?

Sweet Camden Lass said...

Stripey sock, blue sock...

Redford Phyl said...

Cool is in the eye of the beholder. You are the coolest.

Seanna Lea said...

I'm not sufficiently cool for those socks, but I want yarn to make my own.

Maybe even enough for knee highs, which probably makes me even less cool. But those are awesome socks (both of them).

Eileen said...

I LOVE that Goth yarn. (And that's ridiculous, because I don't like self-striping...only...that stuff isn't pooling. Or looking like a 2 year old dyed it (on a sugar high).)

As for the upcoming events, I can only say that you'd better keep an eye on Dolores. Especially if you manage a visit to the Tower of London. It would be handy to lock her in, but I think the guards might be too much for her, all those uniforms....

Alwen said...

Oh, pish!

Wear the socks. We know you'll find it in yourself to live up to them.

Anonymous said...

London? In the year of the royal wedding? Are you sure you didn't get an invite?
Deborah

The Foggy Knitter said...

Awesome socks

I was so excited when I saw you were coming to KnitNation - and you'll be able to listen to the Archers at the proper time, providing they haven't killed everyone off by then.

Are Dolores and Harry coming? Is Harry going to the royal wedding?

Hope to meet you (or see you from afar) at Knit Nation!

Kitty Mommy said...

Even though Heather already told us, I think I may have squee'd loudly enough for you to hear in Chi-town when I saw that you are coming to the Ear in text!

Cheryl said...

You are way cool enough for those socks.

Anonymous said...

You ARE cool enough to wear those! Great socks, er-r- sock. Dolores should be having a ripe ol' hissy that they don't fit her! And are you keeping the pattern name a secret on those blue darlings? K

Samina said...

You wear a biker jacket & biker boots. How could you not be cool enough for the socks? Or is this all a charade?

roxie said...

Those blue socks trip my switches with exquisite labrynthine beauty!

Are you going to go all OC if the second Goth sock is not an exact match to the first?

Is London ready for you?

What ever happened to the thousand knitters project?

Yvonne said...

Looks like I need to book some holiday dates for July!

Can't wait to see you again, will dig out the vintage patterns

Kimberly said...

London IS ready for you!!

Elizabeth said...

Ack, there won't be parking or a chair to be had for miles around on March 18!

Pam Sykes (aka Pretty Knitty) said...

lovelovelove! and you are way cooler than the socks!!! (although, they are pretty stinkin' cool!)

anne marie in philly said...

congrats on your invitation to knit nation! YOU HAVE ARRIVED! and to think I knew you when...

I personally would have liked to see more sexay leg in the first pix. but that's just me! ;-)

HipDroppedStitches said...

Very cool socks... but there is no way that you are insufficiently cool for anything!

mschoir01 said...

Awesome socks.

Anonymous said...

Those photos of your socks are enough to make anyone sign up for your photography classes.

Anonymous, too said...

Those socks + you = more cool than even Lou Reed could manage.

I am a little surprised by the colorway for the Goth Stripe socks. Glad to see you're breaking out of the gray/black/brown/blue rut.

KnitSewFast said...

...need to see more leg next time!

janna said...

An "assistant mini-skein" made me laugh! You are, of course, cool enough for those socks- but if you still don't think you are, wearing them might trick you into believing it!

Anonymous said...

Great socks! Love the pattern of the blue Twisted Stitch.

So many great adventures that you have! Enjoy!

Gerri in St Paul said...

NOT urban enough? How the heck could you have pulled off that Skacel ad it you weren't urban? Do you think we've all forgotten the biker jacket?

Love the Sow's Ear and might be cruising through, east bound that day.

SusieQ100 said...

I think you are definately cool enough to wear those socks! And if I manage to persuade the other half that we need to visit my parents in the UK (only 60 or so miles from London) in July instead of April, then I expect to see you wearing them at Knit Nation!!

Anonymous said...

Those may be the greatest self striping socks I have ever seen. I love the stripes and their width. Embrace your coolness!

The twisted stitch stocks are going to be gorgeous as well!

Lisa said...

Franklin, wear the Goth socks like women wear pretty lingerie: nobody can see it, but you walk around with a little smile on your lips because you know you are wearing it. It puts a little sashay in your step.

Twisted-stitch patterns are my absolute favorite for sock knitting. What is the pattern you're knitting? Can you recommend any books of twisted stitch patterns?

Sungopolis said...

Yeah, those socks are okay. But, man, those legs are freakin' hawt!

Anne O'Nymous said...

Before this, I've never wondered what Salt, Pepa, and Spinderella would knit or what sorts of knitted stuff they would wear. Now I can think of little else. Thanks for giving me another kick in the right brain!

And you are cooler than Cool Hand Luke and hipper than Birkenstocks. They're magnificent socks; you are a magnificent person. Perfect match!

Anonymous said...

if i were you, i wouldn't worry about the sock being too cool. I'm cool, and I wouldn't be caught dead in those hideous things!

Anonymous said...

Such a fun colorway! I'm sure you'll totally rock the goth socks. But I'm a sucker for plain ol' colors with amazing stitch patterns like your Bavarian Twisted Stitch ones you've got in progress. What can I say, I guess I'm a traditionalist. But there's very little as fun and exciting as watching a stockinette sock with a fun stripe pattern fly off the needles, so I can't say I blame you in the least.

JoAnn said...

I'm with Lisa's philosophy on underwear. It should make you smile/smirk and put a bit of bounce in your step. After all, the only requirements (according to uncounted past generations of grandmothers) is that it be clean and "neat". Also covet the twisted stitch pattern.

Linda said...

I have never managed to buy Goth Socks on the internet. That stuff is harder to buy than Wollemeisse but hoe I love it. Can't even get into the Sock Club, sigh...

Anonymous said...

Just been catching up with your posts. I'm the crazy lady from Alabama who made you the Battle Dwarven Hat when you came to Yarn Expressions a couple of years ago. Anyhow, have you STILL not made yerself some winter hats? Hmmm....I may have to do something about that. I made another friend of mine a couple of hats in handspun alpaca a few years ago- he's quite a fashionisto and he liked them very much and they were almost sinfully pleasurable to knit........ I think I may start saving up for Madrona! You were terrific on FiberBeat. Carry on with all yer wonderfulness. :o)

Laiane said...

That blue is breathtaking. I love your photos, Franklin!

Harpa Jónsdóttir said...

That blue one is just beautiful.

Are you going to give any independent courses/lectures in Iceland? As for actual Icelanders that have seen all the sights on the tour(or might live smack on some of the tourist spots) and have knit several lopapeysa, but might be very interested in a photography course perhaps?

Anonymous said...

hmmmm, those socks with a nice pair of combat boots. The rest of the ensemble is optional, and possibly unnecessary.

word verification "ariporks"? wtf?

Evalyn said...

I agree with Lynn. Because if you don't wear them, you know Delores will.

Annetta said...

Franklin,

You are Cooler Than You Think - the socks look wonderful and I'm pleased you are rewarding yourself in the midst of huge deadlines/workloads.

Have a wonderful day.

G said...

The Goth Sock is perfectly awesome. They have that lime thing going on only more understated. Finish and wear. You will be standing on cool.

bfree2read said...

Those Goth socks are so cool that you must find a reason not only to wear them but to kick off your shoes/boots to show them off. They will be SO COOL on you and even cooler every time you wear them.

Anonymous said...

I love the twisted stitch sock. I wish more companies would make great solid or semisolid colors so patterns like this show up well. Self-striping yarns are fun, but stitch patterns do not show up well.

Anonymous said...

I have to ask: how did you get those socks to stripe to perfectly? Mine never stripe like that, even with self-striping yarn. Did you knit them in some magic way or is it down to the yarn?

Chandramouli S said...

Those look great! Nice color combination.

KnittingInMind said...

It bugs me when a self striping yarn or a color transition gets messed up by the heel, too.
I use yarn from the other end of the ball (the outside end if it's a center pull) to make the heel and switch back to the original strand after the heel is done.

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