HP all Over

With all the hype of the newest Harry Potter book release and play I'm got Potter on the brain. I just finished reading the new book and have the illustrated version prepped and ready to read. My knitting just seemed to follow along. My latest FO is Bellatrix Socks by Monkey Toes.

This sock pattern is part of my 12in16 club (mentioned here and here). This is pair #5 and I'm so in love with them!

The yarn I received as a graduation gift and I didn't have much of a plan for it. The yarn is Done Roving Yarns, Frolicking Feet in the Razzberry Brambles colorway. Frolicking Feet is a 100% Merino base and so springy! This yarn was so nice to knit with! I love the way the colors work in the dropped stitch sections, this was a perfect yarn for the pattern!

I did find that the drop stitches made the leg a bit loose. Because of this I decided not to use the drop stitches on the top of the foot. I used my regular US 1.5 needles and Eye of Partridge heel flat and turn, this combo couldn't be better for my foot shape! Toasty feet for fall for me!

Back on Track

I've been a little remiss on knitting my new years resolutions. I planned to knit one pattern from each the knitting books that I owned at the beginning of 2016 as well as knitting some of the sock patterns that I had been avoiding. I dubbed the sock knitting 12in2016, one pair per month of the year. I wasn't avoiding the patterns because they weren't good, they weren't easy knitting and would challenge me. I don't always want the challenge but sometime I know I need it.

My most recent sock FO fit both my resolutions! These socks are from 101 Socks and one of the patterns from my 12in2016!

The multi yarn I picked up while on vacation in Hawaii a couple of years ago, both colors are Cascade Heritage. The pink is Heritage Paints and the green is Heritage Solids, I love how they knit up together!

The construction was interesting, I knit each roll separate first and then knit them together when they reached the correct length. I had a bit of trouble understanding what the pattern wanted because the translation into English was not the best. Once I understood they were a piece of cake.

Instead of following the book pattern for the heel I used my favorite Eye of Partridge heel and wedge toe combo. This combo fits my foot like a glove! They were a fun easy knit that helped me get back on track with my 12in2016. And they're just plain cute!

Finishes & Starts in Park City

My family and I visited Park City, Utah in the last week of March. It took us much longer driving from Cali to Park City than it took going back, I definitely blame the snow storm that followed us across the states.

Anyway, we were in Park City for four days without internet so a lot of knitting commenced. And reading The Friday Night Knitting Club, which I'm really enjoying! I was able to finish what I call my Disney Socks, Disney Socks because the pattern is Anastasia Socks and the yarn is Little Mermaid color way by Schaefer.

 

I felt a little sacrilegious combining the two disney aspects together...but not really. I really enjoyed this pattern though I opted not to do the toe in the pattern just using my regular Judy's Magic Cast-On. 

I really like that the swirl pattern was opposite on each sock, made it feel like it wasn't the exact same pattern. I would consider the yarn more of a sport weight than a sock, it weighed 140 grams for 405 yards, though I stayed with my usual US 1.5 needle. They are so soft and squishy! I didn't really love the color of the yarn until I started the socks, it definitely grew on me. Because the yarn is so squishy I had considered a shawl but these are not my colors. 

All in all I really enjoyed working with this yarn, too bad it's discontinued! I finished these on our last night in Park City so I cast on another pair with some of my favorite sock yarn. Knit Picks Felici, in Tea Party (can you see my color mood here?); In my knitting bag Spring has arrived! 

I cast on Nemesis by Susan Dittrich, I don't usually pair self-striping yarns and complicated patterns because you can't really see them, why put all that work in if you can't show off the pattern? Tea Party is so pastel that the pattern stands out! 

This is a charted pattern which started out a bit difficult for me, I much prefer a written to charted pattern. But after completing two full repeats I'm not having any difficulty with the pattern. I'm struggling a little with the fact that I do have to make a second one... they will get done. 

I'm keeping up with my goal of at least one pair per month for the year. I'll keep you updated!