Socktober - Self striping yarns Part I October 10, 2008
Another socktober is upon us… Last year I didn’t do too much sock knitting during Socktober… but at least I thought about socks a lot. There is the slim possibility that I will cast on for sock this month. I can guarantee that I am not going to finish one sock, let alone a pair. So I’ll just have to write about socks.
Through the wonders of the internet, an intrepid knitter has at his/her needletips an amazing selection of sock yarns. The indie dyeing community is expanding everyday with beautiful new color combinations and dyeing techniques. I do a little dyeing myself, and I am usually on a tight budget. This makes justifying yarn purchase a difficult task. If I spring for a $20 pair of socks (that might spend a very long time as yarn) it has to be something good. I have two favorites that I can justify purchasing at almost any time: Socks that Rock and indie-dyed self-striping yarn. You have probably already heard about Socks that rock, so let’s talk about some of my favorite indie-stripers.
Lovestick’s yarn makes an awesome striping pattern using three colors… Two colors make wide stripes separated by a thin stripe of a third color. Here - just look:
Photo from Flickr user Sock-a-holic
And my favorite thing about her shop… she has Sport-weight yarn. Perfect for a quick pair of socks.
Ravelry Yarn Page
I first found Twisted on etsy, but she has since graduated to her own site. There is always a wide variety of base yarns available from sport weight SW merino to merino/bamboo or merino/tencel blends. I like nearly every colorway that Meg has produced, and I don’t think there is anything else like her subtle striping effect. Now she even has coordinating mini-skeins of heel and toe yarn available with come of her colorways.
Photo from flickr user Meg of Twisted
I use the Twisted Ravelry group to stay in the loop about shop updates and fiber clubs.
Ravelry Yarn Page
i have too many favorites for one post, so stay tuned for one more installment
Wow- Twisted is hard to resist! Lot\’s of good stuff there. I hadn\’t heard of either, but they both have pretty things! I think I might have finished a pair of socks in Socktober but it was shear coincidence. I won\’t cast on for any either- to much Christmas knitting.