Sock Monkey Memory

As a child I did not have an attachment to any particular toy except for my Great Aunt Win's Sock Monkey. This Sock Monkey lived at her place and I played with it every time we visited. I loved its hat, ears, limbs and tail. There is a picture of me, before memory, dragging it along by its arm. I am not sure what the attraction was but I have remember that monkey to this day. Before getting these pictures I spent more than a few spare moments looking at Sock Monkeys on line trying to remember what this one looked like. Well, my Great Aunt's daughter found him and took these pictures for me. He has suffered over the years, but it is so nice to see him again.



Here we have a full body shot. He used to have pompoms on all of his limbs and his tail. I remember his hat and ears very clearly.

Lovely Lace Socks

The lovely Embossed Leaves Socks are done. I have been wanting to knit up these socks ever since I first laid eyes on them. But first I had to find the perfect yarn...

Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks
Source: Favorite Socks, by Interweave Press
Designer: Mona Schmidt (Her website can be found here.)
Yarn: Oceanwind Knits Hand-dyed Sock Merino, Thyme (I also considered the Sweetgrass colourway) - I believe the perfect yarn for this design
Needles: 3.25 mm (3 US)
Tension: 28 st / 10 cm (4 in)

I love the detail of the star toe that seems to complete the leaves.
The pattern (as printed) has two problems. First is the 1x1 rib cast on - I didn't like it and I found out that the designer hadn't done this cast on either. She had intended the tubular cast on. She even posted a Tubular Cast On tutorial on her blog. My cuff (above) is cast on in this method - I love it!

The other problem is where the heel gusset begins. The directions ask you to (gasp) cut the yarn. This is not needed. I just picked up one side of the heel flap (becomes needle 2 I think), continued with the lace pattern on needle 3 & 4, and then picked up the other side of the heel flap (needle 1). This works beautifully and I didn't cut the yarn!

Then I got carried away and continued all of the lace repeats for the foot. After finishing (weaving in ends and blocking) I realized that these socks were too long for the intended recipient. It took me a day before I could face frogging and re-knitting and re-blocking. But now they are perfect (if I do say so myself) and ready to be popped in the mail.

Garter Stitch Baby

My first Baby Surprise Jacket. appropriately knit for a friend's first child.

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket, from The Opinionated Knitter

(I used the pattern along with Dawn Adcock's notes.)

Designer: Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn: Sublime Extra Fine Merino Wool DK 063 Taffeta (light), 066 Myrtle (medium), 067 Sloe Berry (dark) - one ball each.

Needles: 4.0 mm (6 US)

Tension: 22 stitches per 10 cm (4")

This jacket is so famous I felt I HAD to knit one. Now that I have knit one I can see what all the fuss is about - it is so much fun to make. It goes from this amorphous shape to a lovely jacket with only two shoulder seams. EZ instructions were a challenge (but as you can see I got help from Dawn Adcock). Rather than just diving in to this project it was important for me to read and try to understand EZ's pattern. But once I started to understand the sweater was done before I knew it.

The choice of Sublime Extra Fine Merino was wonderful. I love the stitch definition and luxurious softness of the yarn.

I also made my first custom label (with the help of Grumerina, a.k.a. Kathy Veeza). Not the best picture, but you get the idea.


I complemented this pattern with Saartje's Bootees.

These lovelies knit up very quickly with what I had left over from the Baby Surprise Jacket. They are so cute!

And after all is said and done, here is what I have left over!

Note: My last post was November 17, 2007! I am still recovering from my computer crash and have rebuilt my system. Now I just have to put it all in the new chassis and, at last, recover the files from my previous hard drive. Well, I am back and it won't be so long again before I make another post.

Question 17, 1007 Winners

Thanks to all who entered the last Question 17.

The 3 winners are:

1. Hannah
2. Michelle
3. Lizzie

I have emailed these people and will wait 7 days for their response. In the unlikely event that I don't hear from one of the winners, I will run the random number generator again and pick another entrant.

Happy knitting!

Question 17 1007

This will be the LAST Question 17...

Tell me about your favourite sock yarn?

My parents came to visit a few weeks ago and my father had on a lovely pair of handknit socks. They had subtle earthy tones and were extremely soft. I had never seen a sock yarn like this before. My mother said the yarn contained aloe vera and jojoba oil. Unfortunately she didn't know the type of yarn.

I figured it out! It is Austermann Step Sock Yarn. I especially like the earth tones of colour number 12.

Special notice: This month I will be picking three entries, at random, each one to receive one ball/skein of sock yarn* (enough to make a pair of adult sized socks). The prize winner will be chosen on November 16th, 2007. If you would like to be included in the draw please send me your email address to fingersfancy at inbox dot com once you have posted your submission to the comments section of this post.

*1 each of Step Yarn, Opal Yarn, and Posh Yarn Emily Sock Yarn.

ETA: If you wish to email me, please put "[FF]" in the subject line (without the quotes). Otherwise your email will be lost.

Socks of Love (1)

Here is one of the pair of socks that I knit up for my grandmother. She has a green thumb and loves roses. I chose this colourway because it reminds me of a rose garden. I thinks socks look best on feet! But my feet are larger than my grandmother's and the socks didn't fit. Don't you like my hand crafted sock board? I made it just to post pictures of these socks. What a good reuse of a shipping box!


Pattern: Calla Lily Socks

Designer: Sandara Murphy of Sundara Yarn

Yarn: Seacoast Handpainted Panda Yarn (400 yds per skein)

Contents: 60 % superwash merino, 30% bamboo, 10% nylon

Colourway: Strawberry Patch

Needles: 2. 75 mm (2 US) DPN

Tension: 28-32 stitches per 10 cm (4")


This yarn is lovely in every respect. It is very soft and has a sweet sheen. It was a pure joy to knit up. And there was plenty of yarn for this and a child's pairs of socks.

I made some modifications to the pattern because I wanted it to be able to stretch & cling depending on the state of my grandmother's ankles. I increased the number of stitches to start and then decreased gradually to the number indicated by Sundara. I also added a set of ribs on both sides of the front section of the sock for more elasticity. The simple lace pattern was fun to knit and I like the result (see below). Sundara is great for details like the reverse stocking stitch that carries from the cuff down the bottom of the heel.

Love & Hand Knit Socks

This post is without pictures :o(

My computer is feeling very low these days and will not boot up (hard drive failure I am afraid). So a lot of my spare time will be spent trying to raise her spirits. That means I won't be posting as much as I would like. Wish me luck!

My next series of posts is about hand knit socks made for those I love.

I get immense satisfaction choosing the pattern, considering the size, picking the yarn, and knitting up a pair for those I love. This gesture epitomizes sweet, abiding, true love.

Hand knit socks are love: often taken for granted (until they fail and you are left with a painful blister), intimate (would you knit a pair for the Queen?) and constant through difficult times (i.e., puddles, and snow banks). There is nothing quite so tender as a warm pair of socks snuggling your cold toes on a stormy night. If you listen closely you'll hear their wee sock whispers, "See how much you are loved! The knitter cares for you so much that s/he has made us for you!"

Hand knit socks say "I love you" so very well.

When my computer up and running again I will share some pictures of my sock affairs.

Question 17 0907

It is that time of month again! Time for question 17 of course! (what else could you be thinking?!). Here it is...

What is your current favourite yarn? Why?

This is hard for me, I have so many favourites! For now I have narrowed it down to two choices:

Eva 8 ply (Aran weight, 55% silk / 45% cashmere yarn. Each skein is 55 g / 100 yards) in colourway "Love is..." by Posh Yarn. It is such a tactile treat. If I could use only one word to describe it, it would be sumptuous. I am completing a project using this yarn and will post it in the next few weeks.

Now I can't resist posting a second yarn. Panda Sock Yarn (60 % super wash merino, 30% bamboo, 10% nylon, 400 yds per skein, 7 sts=1") in colourway Strawberry patch by Seacoast Handpainted Yarns. The yarn is super soft and has a wonderful sheen. I made a lovely pair of Sundara Murphy's Calla Lily socks for my Grandmother in this yarn. I will post these socks next week.

Winner chosen for Q17 0807

Thank you all for making last month's Q17 such a success! I enjoyed checking out each designer. (You can check them out too by clicking here.)

Of those who entered the contest, Martha (chosen by a random number generator) wins the Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Heather fingering yarn in Highland Mist. Thanks for your winning submission Martha!

Commuter Scarf Pattern

A. K. A., Diagonal Garter Scarf

I have done it - the pattern for the Commuter Scarf is completed!

If you would like a copy please click here to download. This pattern is free for individual use. If you decide to make this scarf (or just look at the pattern) I would truly appreciate your feedback.

Knit on!