Monday, March 29

No Idle Hands Here

That's so not my problem. It didn't used to be this way. I was happy with the occasional afghan or baby blanket, secure in the knowledge that I could drop this habit anytime I wanted to.

I can't say that anymore. Thanks to the Internet, I'm discovering new designs and new yarns everyday that make my hands itch. Sometimes it's the challenge; sometimes it's the novelty. Whichever, my meager discretionary funds are more meager than ever.

Take those winter gloves, for example. I have very small hands, and finding gloves that fit is a never ending problem. Especially since I'm prone to losing them. And then one day I stumbled across the answer to my problem when I discovered a pattern for crocheted gloves. And when I spotted the Mini Mochi sock weight yarn, it was love at first sight.

My latest longer-term project is this tunic in last fall's issue of Interweave Crochet. I've got all the pieces done ... I just have to do some tweaking and get it all pinned and sewed together. I'm using a really lovely yarn from Cascade called Venezia Worsted. It's a blend of Merino wool and silk that feels soft and drapey in the hand, especially after a brief soaking. I don't know why, but you can never really know what a yarn will do until after you have washed it. It was nice before, but the stitches loosened up so beautifully that the fabric just flows now.

All the putting together steps take time (I'm hoping it will be ready to wear before it gets too warm out!) though, and I get impatient. Which is why I like to have a smaller, quicker project, such as these socks. For these I used Karabella's Superfine Cashmere. Yeah, cashmere socks.
Ain't that a kick?

6 comments:

The Merry said...

Hafta say, those are some dang cool gloves. I'm jealous. (I usually end up buying gloves in the children's section. Why do manufacturers all think we've got large hands?)

extolsl - I would love to extolsl on the excellent nature of those gloves.

McB said...

I know! I get those tiny stretchy ones, but they aren't very warm.

GatorPerson said...

I'll be interested to know if you can pick up stuff with those gloves on.

And if the socks stay up and also don't get eaten by shoes.

Then maybe I'll try some. Maybe.

GatorPerson said...

How long did it take to do the gloves?

The socks?

Morse? Really!

McB said...

The gloves could probably have been done in a few days if I really tried. And the pattern includes an option for putting a small slit at inside of the first knuckle, allowing the fingertips to peek out so you can pick up stuff. But it was pretty easy to work. I think I might do a few pair this summer/fall to have them ready for winter. There are things I'll want to tweak next time, such as using fewer stitches around the fingers for a closer fit.

The first sock took me a while, just because I had to get used to using the yarn, working with the tiny steel hook, and deciphering the pattern. The second sock I finished in a few days. The yarn I used isn't stretchy; I picked it more for the cozy factor. I was thinking of them more for wearing around the house. The cuff is short and fairly sturdy, so I don't think it would fall, plus the inner cuff is ribbed. The original pattern has the cuffs closing at the sides with small buttons. I'm not a 'buttons on my socks' kind of person so I set the cuff seam at the back and just mattress stitched it closed. I don't know whether shoes will eat the socks, since I don't tend to wear those kinds of shoes much.

It was interesting from the construction perspective, and kind of fun. It doesn't feel bulky on, and the toes fit my toes and the heels fit my heels.

Gauge was easy to figure out. It's the same number of stitches, you just work in a smaller or larger hook to get the size you want, and the foot is just worked in rounds until you get a certain length and then you start working decreases for the toe. Very simple.

Theresa said...

Oooh, what fun projects! One of these days, I'm going to finish that sock that I started. Of course, I'll still have the other sock left to do...