Sunday, July 08, 2007

Cookie, Canning & a Contest

So my toe-up sock with Cookie A. Thursday night was a lot of fun. The perfect way to end a workday. We made a small sample sock so that we would have time to knit all the hard parts, i.e., the toe, the heel, the gusset, the bind-off, etc. For some, this sample sock made perfect baby socks. They could go home and practice further by making a matching sock and have an instant baby gift on their hands. For me....


It would have to be a baby with mighty fat feet. I put the pen in for scale. The sock doesn't look as big in the picture as it really is. I think these would even be too big for a 3 year old. We used worsted weight yarn, size 7 needles. Oh yeah, and I'm a loose knitter (get your mind out of the gutter!). So no matching sock for this lonely sole. (heh) I bound off to pratice the sewn cast off rather than continuing up the leg.


The class accomplished exactly what I wanted.



  • It was a refresher on making socks. I had taken a top-down sock class a few years ago at Stitches, but never actually made a pair other than the class sample.

  • It renewed my interest in making socks. I've been thinking about them ever since! Maybe I'll actually make a pair this time.

  • I met Cookie! She's very down-to-earth, approachable and patient. Things you would want in an instructor. Her designs are amazing. I bought several patterns.



The Thelonious Sock,



Millicent,




and Rhiannon


But first I'll try something a little more simple! I'm glad I took the class. I don't have a preference to top-down vs. toe-up. I think I have to actually make a few pair before having an opinion. I find it interesting that a lot of people prefer toe-up because they don't like doing the kitchener stitch over a few stitches at the end, yet they'll do a sewn cast-off over 64 stitches. They seem very similar to me. Maybe they do a different bind-off. I know there are other benefits to toe-up. You get past the fussier parts at the beginning and you can knit until you run out of yarn. I wonder what my prefernce will be.



My knitting hiatus seems to be ending. What did I do in my free time if I wasn't knitting, you ask?





I've been playing in the kitchen. We have an apricot and plum tree. We've been told the apricot tree is dying, but it put out a good crop this year. I didn't want the fruit to go to waste like it has in the past, so I made preserves. It's been fun! And tasty! I'll definitely do it again.

On a final note, Ali at Skeins Her Way is having another contest. Let her know I sent you. Good luck!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice Cookie pattern score!! I looks like you girls had a wonderful time. I love toe up socks, but also don't mind top downs. I think it's good to know how to do both, that way you can adjust to any pattern that strikes your fancy.

YUMMY looking preserves!! How lucky to have produce right in your backyard.

mary said...

Those cookie socks are gorgeous but so intimidating! I'm actually thinking about bringing my Cookie yarn from Stitches to my class this morning. What a geek I am. Don't worry about your big practice sock. Try again on size 5s and you'll be fine. The preserves are incredible!

Glenna C said...

Oh, how fun to be in a class with Cookie. And those patterns are completely drool-worthy! I love the Millicent one, it's on my 'someday' list...

Madge said...

Grrl - You're in Ravelry! Yee haw. Isn't it cool?

Mmm, your apricot jam is yummy!

Maybe we need to have a sock KAL?

Jen said...

It surprises me everytime I actually encounter baby feet just how fat they really are. So you never know. You could have perfectly fitting socks there! And yum... preserves!

Also, I
tagged
you for a meme. I hope you haven't done this one already.

amanda said...

Oooh, that looks like a nice side track from knitting. yum!