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.