SM19 Sock Madness .... again

 

This year I seem to be free of any impediment to my competing in Sock Madness 19. Last year, I was busy with the solo exhibition, which seemed to eat up my time. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

The Warm up socks for this year are the Gansey Adventure Socks. I just picked out some stash yarn to knit with. It wasn't a particulary successful choice, but they are well fitting and a fun colour. What was really interesting about these socks was that many people converted them to fairisle or a mix of fairisle and the original gansey stitches, It was very effective.

The qualifying sock, Conjoined Sock twins, owed it's name to the construction method. A fairly simple looking cable and rib sock turned out to be something a bit more interesting. You started at the toe, knit up, then after a couple of rows of stocking stitch, knit the second sock down, then divided the sock and cast off afterwards.

Before splitting the socks, they looked like this:

And afterwards, like this:

Despite being a fairly simple, but effective pair of socks, they did hold some interest. Obviously, the construction method was novel, but also:

    -  Interesting how a little 1x1 twist in the centre of the cables has such impact

    - Nice to revisit the Judy's Magic Loop cast-on

    - Nice to try Judy’s surprisingly stretchy cast-off

Had to adjust enough of my thinking to do the top down after the top up, how did the designer do it?

Reprise the Spiral Socks

 A couple of Christmases ago, I made spiral socks for all the very grown up 'kids' in my family and close friends. Spiral socks were one of the first things I made out of my handspun yarn and I still have them as they were originally intended, bed socks.

I used the book 'Joy of Socks' which is now a bit battered after damp issues in my previous studio, AKA garage. Pages have stuck together and I'm reluctant to try the steaming method to prise them apart. Fortunately, the spiral socks were fine.

My youngest son requested another pair as he works from home and wears them about the house. I'm happy to oblige. I picked out some handspun yarn, including the more hard wearing gotland which I put on the heels and toes. 

I hope he's happy with the result.

A handknit Golf Vest from Rowan

 To start off 2025 I managed to finish my 'golf' vest.

Having played right through my first Winter of golf, I found that a short-sleeved top with a sleeveless vest managed to keep me warm and not too hot. All I had was two of Peter's golf vests, which were fine, but as they were commercially made, I preferred to have one of my own. 

I've been subscribing to the Rowan magazine for only a year previously to the issue where I found my vest.

I wanted to completely stash dive and made this in green tones, including a yarn that was a cardigan I knit when I was a child. It's the lightest green and the mid green was some handspun yarn. I'm very pleased with the result.

I do love my magazines, however, my usual goto magazines have disappeared in various ways. Vogue Knitting (Designer Knitting by the time it reaches Australia) has not published an issue since early 2023. This never arrived in Australia, except, I think for a few subscribers. They've never announced that they're done with, which hardly surprising as they've been difficult to deal with as an overseas subscriber and is the reason I've not had a subscription for quite some time relying on it's delivery to Australia, via the UK after getting a new cover.

 Pom Pom magazine announced it's closure and I got a digital copy of the last issue. This has been my goto for funky young designs and I'll keep using the copies I have as they are really lovely. I'm sorry to see them go, but I understand that two young publishers have finally found it too difficult. They are, however, continuing to work and publish in this space. I do look forward to see what they're doing next.

Then the Crafts Council UK magazine 'CRAFTS' has gone to a model where you join up and receive other benefits of a community. Unfortunately, it is not worthwhile to do this in Australia, as the only real benefit is the magazine and the cost is not suitable. I am bitterly disappointed as this magazine has been an inspiration for a long time. And now I find that they're discontinuing the magazine entirely.

And we come to Rowan magazine from the very famous stable of Rowan Yarn Company. I found, in Vinnies in Wonthaggi, the very first issue, just by chance and bought it without thinking about subscribing. 

I did like the issue and it had quite alot of interesting articles, and the patterns were still interesting after all these years. So when my magazine options ran out I decided to try Rowan. A subscription for a year is only 2 copies and you do become part of their community, so I don't find it too expensive.

I've been very happy with this. It doesn't have as many articles as the first issue, but enough to be interesting. The patterns are lovely and it arrives quickly after being released in the UK, so quickly, in fact that I get the latest copy before the previous copy arrives in Morris & Son in Sydney

So I have continued my subscription and received this next issue (No 76), in which was my pattern for my vest, along with a couple of contenders for inclusion in my wardrobe.

And, yes, I like the cover jumper!

Sock Madness....yet again

Sock Madness 18 has started. This is my ninth sock madness and this year I've made a vow to make sure I get gauge and fit correct.

So, in February, when you register, you get a pattern for a Warm up sock. This year it was 'In the Twilight', a twisty cable pattern. I used Naturally NZ – Waikiwi – Shade 420 which might end up being a present for someone else as they are too small.

Here, I played around getting the gauge correct. It was interesting as I knit at 7sts per 2.5cm in the round and 8sts per 2.5cm flat. However, my row count stayed at 10 rows per 2.5cm on 2.25mm needles. 

I obviously knit looser in the round, so I tried going down to 2.00mm needles for equivalent correct gauge.

It took me 9 days of gentle knitting to complete these socks while we all waited for the Qualifying 

So the Qualifying socks are Hydra Scales by Clair Wyvern. I got the correct gauge on the 2.00mm needles.  I Knit the Large and added a 16 row repeat to both socks. Did not adjust for my different foot length which didn't really a compromise on fit.

Used Katia United Sock, Queensland Collection Perth and yarn from an Indie dyer. The entire effect was all green. Took me another 9 days of easy knitting.

                                                 

It all now starts in earnest as we are allocated to Teams. This year the theme is pastries and I'm in Team Qatayef. Now we can get dropped. The first round is from 48 people down to 42. The pattern is I walk the line by Shuyi Wu

Took me 5 days to knit and it was passed and I'm into Round 2, not without a hitch, however.

I used the leftover Queensland Collection Perth yarn from the Qualifier and some Bendigo Sock yarn. I had a leftover ball which did most of the two socks which I was very happy with only to find that the whole ball I thought was the same wasn't. Fortunately, you are allowed to 'run out of yarn' provided you do used all the yarn and join in the new yarn for the rest. All I can say is that you won't see it when I'm wearing them!

A House Warming gift

 My son and his partner have purchased their first home together and as part of their house-warming present I decided to make a blanket. I have a 'thing' about blankets. I see them as warm and caring, just the right sentiment, but they're are also emminently practical. My youngest son used to drag his doona to the television couch until I knit him his own blanket.

I found a gorgeous pattern by Beba Blanket, her 'Happy Together' Mosaic Crochet pattern on Ravelry. Just love the geometrics.

I decided on the following Bendigo Woollen Mills 8 ply yarns.

I wasn't entirely sure how it would work, but I had a hint that it would either be really the right colour choice or really weird. They attended a beautiful wedding where the cake matched my son's partners' outfit and these were my colours also! Fingers crossed.

I wanted the size of the blanket to be able to be used on a bed but not a full bedspread size. I measured and started:

Not a bad start! One full pattern repeat later...

...until I realised that the blanket was going to be too big, take too long and take too much yarn, so I frogged it and started again.

I did finish it, and eventually managed to wash and dry it. We've had a very wet Summer which made it difficult to find sufficient good weather.

I haven't got a last photograph! It has been presented and hopefully appreciated, but I haven't seen it in situ yet. 

Whilst a little frustrating, this was a very enjoyable project. The pattern is gorgeous and well written and she is an amazing designer of blankets. 

Finally finished Plastic Fungi

 I've been working on 'Plastic Fungi' since late 2021. It's now delivered to the Yarra Sculpture Gallery for the 'Sculpture Now' exhibition. This is a members exhibition of the Contemporary Sculptors Association. I'll be going to the opening and trying to figure out if I can find time to sit the exhibition. This is the first time I've exhibited with the CSA since rejoining two years ago.

         Sculpture Now 2023

       Opening Exhibition
       8th of October 2023
       2pm - 4pm


Show will be open on Friday the 6th of October to the public and close 22nd of October

Plastic Fungi was inspired by the book 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake. An amazing look at the life of fungi, which I carry around with me on my Kindle. 

An absolutely fascinating read. Makes you think about connectedness, life and where fungi sits in relationship to humans. It's the biggest single organism, fungi lives in our bodies. It can kill us, cure us, feed us, give us a trip, deal with all sorts of waste. And, who is the planet made for?

Somehow, this feeds into my artwork, and, plastic fungi is the first work to result from this inspiration.

I decided on plastic and to attempt to be more three dimensional with it. Rather than weaving a flat piece, I decided to work with it and attempt to 'build' a work. So, I've wrapped, stitched and fitted together.

I was still working on it when I did the residency at Ivanhoe Cultural Centre in July 2022, in the middle of trying to sell our house!! It did get displayed at the Banyule Art Salon, which was pleasing, but it still wasn't quite right and it wasn't stable.

I've added more to the base with a thousand, almost, plastic ties that I'd got from Gail at TACAS. I still have a box full. I'm now quite happy with it.

A scarf remake

 I have a very special scarf that I spun and knit many many years ago. At a time of deep pain, it was the only thing I felt like doing. I was a new spinner and yet to embark on my textile studies. 

Now, I don't wear it, as long scarves don't really serve their purpose. So, it is time for it to be reknit and reworn. A new life. It seems to be the right time.

So, I've unpulled it all and washed the resulting skeins. 

I did a favour for a friend and as a reward she gave me the book 'Knit Fold Pleat Repeat' by Norah Gaughan. On first looking at this book, I wasn't sure if I really liked it, but as I was getting it for free, I thought I'd give it a go. Well.....I've knit the cover scarf, which is named Pinion, and am in the process of knitting one of the tops inside. And now there are a few other things on my wish list.

For this I knit my yarn trying to use as much as I could, whilst leaving enough to knit a pair of matching fingerless mittens. To make the cowl effect, I twisted it in the grafting to make a mobius scarf. Am very happy with the big bulky warm scarf. Just right for Winter at the beach.

It feels like quite an achievement to give this scarf a new life. Warming in all the right ways.