Sunday, March 18, 2012

Year of Projects - Christmas in Tallinn 01


Knitting on the Road: Canada • Canal du Midi • Conwy • Dalarna • Denmark • Friday Harbor • Hiiumaa • Huron Mountain • New England • The Road to Oslo • Santa Fe • Spey Valley • Christmas in Tallinn • Traveler's Stockings • Uinta Cabin • Unst • Whitby

Full disclosure: this is actually my second go at these socks. On my first go I used navy as the second contrast colour but found it too dark and too close to the dark green contrast colour. Oh, and I messed up the chart too on that first go.

Now with peacock blue for contrast the colours are playing nicely together and my Christmas in Tallinn sock is well underway. The pattern as written directs that the last nineteen rounds of the chart are to be worked twice but I think once will be enough for me - after all I want a wearable sock not a Christmas stocking. If you click the above photo to enlarge you will see that the variegation of the dark coloured yarn is detectable. It's a bit more subtle than I had hoped but I'm only about a third of the way through the cuff chart. Maybe it'll become more obvious as I knit more?

The sock begins with a "double-start cast on" which I'm now (finally) able to do without prompting from diagrams or a YouTube video. The next two rounds of the cuff are an Estonian pattern called Kihnu Vits - alternating colours knit in round one are purled with the opposing colour in round two while both yarns are carried in front of the knitting so that the purl bump from round one and the float from round two create a lateral braid. Cool huh?

There won't be much time to work on these today though. Gavin agreed that this weekend we could do whatever I wanted, so we're off to The National Home Show and Canada Blooms. Maybe seeing all those gorgeous gardens will be enough to keep me out of my own for now despite the mild weather?

12 comments:

Emma (GirlAnachronismE) said...

Looks good so far, the colours go together really well!

Pumpkin said...

You are seriously making me want to start another colorwork project, especially since this one is looking so pretty!

WildflowerWool said...

You are off to a great start!

Anonymous said...

That cuff is gorgeous!!!

Have fun @ the Home Show. Take lots of photos!

Kate said...

Have a lovely day! I like that new sock very much, and I love the contrast between your colours.

Erin Kate said...

Love the colors!

Stefanie said...

I am so impressed that you're doing a colorwork sock! One day I will have enough guts to do one.
I am blown away by all that you have described.

Marie/Underground Crafter said...

These look great so far! I'm impressed that you are translating something meant to be a stocking down to a sock.

Evelyn said...

I love the colors and the design is gorgeous. I agree with you -- one set of 19 is enough. Hope you and G had a great time at the home & garden shows.

Sandy said...

Awesome.....I'm always soooooooo impressed with your knitting. Sure wish I could sit beside you and learn a thing or two.

Liz said...

The sock looks fantastic. I love the colours and they work really well together. :)

Andi said...

I *love* this colour combo!