FO: Mad for Fair Isle, Batik Style

Pattern: Mad for Fair Isle, Batik Style
Designer: Tina Lorin
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Spanish Moss and Natural
Needles: US 1 (2.25mm) DPN's
Mods: None, really. I shortened the toe a bit but that hardly counts as a mod.
(Edited To Add: The pattern calls for a row of purl stitches down each side of the foot. I knit those stitches thereby eliminating the column of purls.)
New Techniques Learned: Fair Isle (whoo hoo)! I held one color in each hand, which meant I also had to learn how to knit Continental style. At the beginning of this year I decided I wanted to knit socks and learn Fair Isle. I'm delighted that my first Fair Isle is on a pair of socks. And I'm enchanted by the beautiful batik. It is way more my style than a traditional Fair Isle pattern.
Recipient: Me. These socks really aren't my colors. Because of that I had no intention of keeping them for myself when I started them. But as I worked on them, learning how to Fair Isle (can I use that as a verb?) and falling in love with the pattern, I knew I wouldn't be able to part with them. They are good enough for a first attempt at Fair Isle that I'm proud of them. Simultaneously, they're too flawed to give away. All the mistakes of first time Fair Isle are painfully evident. I'd be embarrassed to gift them. But they make me happy. They are knitting only the knitter could love. That said, the second sock is much better than the first. I turned the first sock inside out and assessed that I was stranding the white too tight and the variegated too loose. Having had a whole sock worth of practice, I was able to even out both tensions on the second sock and achieved better results.

Now I'd like to tie up (weave in?) a few loose ends.

The Mad Batik socks were the sixth of seven rounds of Sock Madness. Round seven came and went without my so much as casting on. I'm not sure when or if I'll tackle that final pattern. I'm pretty sure the next socks I start will be the Spiral Boot Socks from Summer '07 IK.

The winner of Sock Madness was Kristi R. If you click the link on her name, you'll see that her blog is called Needlefingers. She said she adopted this moniker when a friend called her Kristi Needlefingers because her knitting (fast, furious, lots of clicking) is like Edward Scissorhands cutting hair or hedges. She is mind bogglingly fast and absolutely deserved to win. It was so much fun (and a bit terrifying) to see how fast she could crank out a pair of socks. Yowza! Anyway, congratulations Kristi!

Also, do you remember the Mad Color Weaves?


Some of you expressed interest in this pattern, so I wanted to let you know that it is now available. For free! Go to Tina's blog. There's a link on her sidebar.

That's all for today.

Look Ma, Two Hands!

Have you seen the latest Sock Madness Pattern? Go on, click this link, you gotta check it out! It's another pattern from sock designer extraodinaire Tina. The same Tina who designed the Mad Color Weave socks.

This anklet sock is knit using the Fair Isle technique of stranding yarn. But the pattern itself is not a traditional Fair Isle. Instead, it was inspired by Batik fabric from Indonesia. It's stunningly beautiful.

One way of knitting stranded color patterns is to hold one color in each hand. So one hand knits Continental (picks the yarn) while the other hand knits English (throws the yarn). (video tutorial here, scroll down) This is what I've been trying to do. It is my first time stranding and (basically) my first time knitting Continental.

Can I just tell you what a challenge it has been for me to be this coordinated? It's enough of a struggle to knit with two hands, but I've got to keep my place in the pattern, too?!? I have to laugh at myself because I'm concentrating and focusing so hard, but still likely to screw up. It feels like craft day at the asylum.

Therefore, I felt very proud (special, if you will) upon completing the patterned ankle cuff. Flushed with success, I proceeded to completely mangle the one-color, completely straightforward, totally reasonable, short row heel. Not only do I not know what I did wrong, but I didn't catch it until the very end of the heel turn.



See how it's veering off to one side?

I thought I was ending the heel turn because I had only one un-worked stitch on one side. Imagine my chagrin to find, like, seven un-worked stitches on the other side!





I'm telling you, craft day at the asylum.

I'm not sure if this egregious disservice to the short row heel was just one mistake early on, which compounded along the way. Or, if it was several mistakes which stacked up. Either way, it was time for Bruce the Frog to help out.

By the way, I was totally tickled by how you guys stepped up to give Frog naming suggestions when I asked. I'm very lucky you're willing to humor me when I'm being a goofball. And you came through with many, fantastic suggestions. They were all so funny, I couldn't possibly chose a favorite. So I went the democratic route, and used the name which received the most votes. (Thanks Kellie and Ali!)

And heeeeerrrreeeee's BRUCE!



Before I let Bruce have at it, I had the sense to insert needles (one size down) into the row before the heel start.





Then Bruce went to town, while Sadie "supervised". I guess she's heard frog legs are a delicacy.







I paid more attention on my second heel attempt and it all worked out.





The heel incident behind me, I'm happy to report that the rest of the sock went as well as can be expected for a first time attempt at Fair Isle.


Top of the sock.


It's a different pattern on the sole. How cool is that?

These socks are all about "assertive beginner-ness", to borrow a phrase from Margaret. They are puckery in some places and baggy in others. Ladders and bulges right on top of each other, which I never would have anticipated but makes sense upon reflection. I can painfully see all their flaws and I'd be lying if I said I don't mind them. But I also see their beauty. I look at them and I see the fun I had making them. I also see room for improvement (a lot of room) and I look forward to making that progress.

Maybe I'll even see progress on the second one.