Saturday Mochas

I feel like it's been a while since I took a photo like this:


Ta da! A new pair of socks!

Pattern: Oak Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Phoenix Fiberworks Fetish Superwash, colorway Hot Cocoa
Needles: size US 1.5 for top 2", size US 1 for the rest
Modifications: I knit the first 2" of the sock with slighter larger needles so the top of the sock wouldn't be too tight. Reinforced the heels and toes with Lang Jawoll Reinforcement Thread.

I thought it was best to stay simple with such a high contrast colorway. I just let the yarn do its thing. The yarn is on the skinnier side, kind of the same weight as Lorna's Lace Shepherd Sock. It's a good match for the pattern. I once tried knitting the same pattern with Vesper Sock yarn and it came out way too big.




Another mocha, this one is from Sea Breeze Cafe. Mmmm.

Mocha socks

One done.




One in progress.

More Saturday sewing

With some help from my sewing buddy,



I successfully made the buttonholes for my shirt:




It is done!


(thanks to Jimmy for being my fashion photographer for this pic)

I like it a lot, and I will definitely use the pattern (Simplicity 4077) again.

I wanted the inside of the garment to look nice. I really hate zigzagged seams, so I did French seams for the side seams and darts. For the shoulders and cuffs I used Hong Kong finishes. I made my own bias strips from a light-weight yellow cotton fabric. It was more work, but very satisfying.

Not for kittens!!

I started my Garden Gate socks a while ago, but found that they are very difficult to knit when there are two kittens nearby, since two tempting balls of yarn are involved. My solution was to go on vacation to the opposite side of the country from the kittens, find a comfortable spot in a crazy old beach house with way too many doors, and then knit away.

Unfortunately I still have a lot to knit on these socks, so I'll have to figure out something else now that I'm home.

The story so far

My current crop of knits-in-progress, randomly arranged. Clockwise from the top left, there's a hat (Relm by b r o o k l y n t w e e d in Knitpicks Swish Worsted), a sock (Evening Stockings from Knitting Vintage Socks in Panda Silk), a sweater (knittingschooldropout's Garter Yoke Cardigan in Skye Tweed), and another sock (Garden Gate by Emily Johnson in Socks that Rock Lightweight & Dream in Color Smooshy Sock).


Perhaps you spotted my new favorite stitch marker:



It's actually a zipper pull that someone sweet bought for me at Kid Robot!

In progress

The brilliant Garden Gate from Knitty:



I'm using Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn in Petal Shower and Socks that Rock Lightweight in Rauen. Size 1 bamboo dpns.