Knits

Yes, more yarn arrived this week. This is the second instalment of the Socktopus Sock Club. It’s Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Handpainted Ultra (that’s a mouthful) in a specially dyed colourway called Arcade Fire (yes, after the band). It came along with a pattern designed by Erqsome called Neighbourhood Tunnels (Ravelry link, but seen on her blog too) inspired by a song of the same name. Those who splurged on more than the Essentials package (yarn and pattern) also got a copy of a specially printed Arcade Fire CD which has a cool story behind it.

The colourway is orange. And red. And pink. And turquoise. And purple. It is definitely not a yarn I would be drawn to if it were up to me. It’s part of participating in something like a sock club where you don’t really know what you’ll get other than yarn and a pattern. You could love it or you could hate it. I am going to actually try this yarn with the pattern and see how I get on. I admit that the first instalment I wasn’t taken with the yellow/gold yarn and then I started knitting it and thought how much I’d like a whole bunch of it ’cause it’s so pretty so my mind may be changed with this yarn too.

And I am actually expecting one more bunch of yarn this week… but I didn’t buy it! I traded it so it’s okay right?

The first instalment of the Socktopus sock club arrived back in December. I really liked the purple, but wasn’t really keen on the yellow/gold and not so much the pattern. However, seeing that the package was designed to be knit with a specific pattern hence each skein of yarn was enough for ONE sock, I knew I’d have to do something similar or find another use. I was taken with the idea of colourwork that doesn’t actually involve carrying two (or more) colours at once and lo if there aren’t a couple of mosaic stitch patterns in the Sensational knitted socks books. Oh and it turns out I really love the way that the yellow/gold knits up; it’s stunning.

The pattern is the Stepped Fret and doesn’t appear to be very popular based on both a Google and Ravelry search, but I quite like it and will do the other sock in reverse (although I’m still not sure if that will appear any different other than the heel and toe). It is very slow going for me since every other round is purled to give it texture so it will be a “at home” project. That means I need to start something else this weekend to take with me on train travels next week as well as a knit night.

I tried to get one last thing finished up for January, but it didn’t happen since I got absorbed in some online reading and conversations the last couple of nights and I’m okay with that; it should be done tonight. =)

Trigger has been sick off and on all week and I think it’s due to a sudden allergy to her usual food. She’s on wet cat food now and is way happier (health-wise) so that’s good. She’d been rather lethargic and whatnot just like we are when we’re feeling bad. Unfortunately I find the smell of wet cat food to be foul (it was previously only a very occasional treat) and also bloody expensive! I’m hoping another type of dry food I’ll begin introducing in a couple days will work for her.

What a good morning to have stayed home to work! I got my first ever sock club package this morning. I tore into that thing so there’s no picture of the very shiny envelope adorned with Socktopus stickers.

Sorry for the dark photo, but I’m in a bit of a rush! Got a train to go catch soon!

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