Bayerische Socks

And they are finally done! My Bayerische Socks. I'm never taking these off!

I couldn't decide which photo to post here on the blog, so I just posted all of them. Enjoy.











While knitting these, I bent and twisted both my fingers and the needles in ways I didn't even know they could be bent. As much fun as these were to knit, I'm really glad that they're finished now and I don't need to knit on them anymore. I feel like I've accomplished something. :)

I didn't have any problems with the pattern once I got started. The charts and the instructions were very clear. They look insanely complicated, but they're really not. Just a lot of work and aching fingers.

The yarn is Sandnes "Lanett". Not exactly a sock yarn. It could probably get really fuzzy if the gauge wasn't so tight. Don't think I'll use it for socks in the future. I only wear socks at home on the couch, so they don't really need to be that durable, just comfortable. And these are definitely some comfy socks!

Shopping and knitting...

Ok, so a few packages have arrived at my doorstep again. I blame the flu for this. There's nothing more boring than sitting inside coughing and sneezing when it's really warm and sunny outside. I had to do something to cheer myself up!

So I ordered some books I've had my eye on for a while. Stefanie Japel's "fitted knits" and "Knitting Lingerie Style" by Joan McGowan-Michael. I really like the patterns in both of them! I've already started knitting a camisole from Knitting Lingerie Style.


I also had to order some yarn. Is there a better way to cheer yourself up when you're a knitting maniac? Don't think so! These are all fingering weight merino and they were all on sale at different yarnshops. I'm going to try to knit socks with them, so let's hope it works. I usually knit socks with all kinds of weird yarn that isn't "sock yarn", and so far it's turned out great. I especially like the light rose/peach color and the green. I'm so obsessed with green at the moment it's frightening!

And last, but not least, a Finished Object. Yay! My Swallowtail Shawl. It's knitted in Wetterhoff's Sivilla (wool/silk) and it's, yes you know it, green! I really loooove the yarn. Go check it out here.

A few UFO's

I've been knitting a lot lately, but I still haven't managed to finish that much. I'm almost done with Eunny Jang's Deep V Argyle Vest. I just need to weave in the ends and finish the steeks. Cutting the steeks was some seriously scary business! I was so worked up about it that I forgot to take pictures! But this is what the almost finished vest looks like.

I really like the colors. I've used two completely different yarns, and I'm really surprised that they actually work together! The white yarn is Novita Nalle, a wool and polyamide fingering weight yarn. The green one is Rowanspun DK, an almost "tweedy" yarn with small blue specks in it. It's amazing how much the fabric changed after washing and blocking the vest!

I've also started a new project. Swallowtail shawl from IK fall 2006.

I seem to have a preference for green these days. And especially really light spring green shades.

My Bayerische Socks are also coming along nicely. I finished the first one a few days ago, and I'm already on the third repeat on the second one. These are absolutely my favorite socks so far! The details are amazing, and they fit perfectly.

I also like the fact that they're so much more challenging than most of the sock patterns out there. It takes a while to get comfortable with the charts and the pattern, but the reward is so worth it! I can't wait to finish the second sock so I can wear them!

And the winner is...

Thanks to my friend, the random number generator, we now have a winner of Mission: Delurk! And the winner is... Joanna

Congratulations!

This is what you've won.


One skein of Sivilla yarn, 70% wool/30% silk. 50 grams is about 250 m.


One skein of Noro Silk Garden.

Thank you everyone for the comments! It's nice to see that so many knitters read my blog and like the things I knit.

Mission: Delurk

Ok, so I know you're visiting, because the counter keeps ticking away. :)

It would be really interesting to know who is lurking around on my blog.
Leave me a comment, and there might be a yarny prize in store for a lucky visitor...

De-lurky-lurky!

(Thank you everyone for the comments! The contest is now closed.)

Nearly finished sock and green eye...

My first Bayerische sock is almost done! Just one more pattern repeat and I can start with the toe. I really like these! They fit great and the pattern is so pretty.

I stumbled upon an "unusual" meme here today. Finnish knitting bloggers with green eyes post a picture of their eye on their blogs. Ok, why not. So here's my green-ish eye.

It's not exactly straight forward green, but it does have a light green circle around the brown circle. It feels kind of strange to look at your own eye like this!

Remember...

And people, don't forget to sign up for this KAL if you like knitting socks and visiting different countries!

So spoiled!

My Secret Pal is the best!! Look what I got in the mail today. A really nice card. A blueberry muffin bath fizzer. Some white yarn for dyeing, and Kool-Aid to dye it with. Aaand, the pattern for Swallowtail shawl! Yay! Thank you so much Secret Pal. And no, I haven't figured out who you are yet... I'm soooo curious!

I've started knitting a new sock (oooh, surprise!). This time, Eunny Jang's Bayerische socks caught my eye. I was browsing around to see if there was a KAL for these, and the only one I could find is a Finnish one! Apparently, I'm not the only finn with an obsession for knitting intricate socks!

This is how far I've got in two days.

Three whole pattern repeats. I almost gave up while I was knitting the first repeat, because it felt like these would take foreeeever. But after the second repeat, it started moving along nicely. The yarn is Sandnes "Lanett". Not the most obvious choice for a sock yarn, but it works!