Socks and Hats

Socks for the Duchess! I handed them off on Thursday--they fit beautifully! I'm so happy!

Here is the hat that was given in trade. It's absolutely gorgeous!!

I started working on my next commission, a pair of Turkish socks for a Baroness. This has been a learning experience since there are a few more new techniques to learn. The sole of the foot is different than the rest of the sock, the heel shape and structure is different, and the patterns are so much fun! The directions in the book, Fancy Feet (Zilbourg), that was loaned to me for this purpose has some rather confusing directions without any illustrations as to exactly how it's constructed--I'm making my best guess based on the written instructions and looking at the photos of finished socks...I think I can make it work. If I can, I will be writing up a paper on it and having it published in a newsletter or two. Baroness Anastasia has been urging me to write an article for the Costumer's Guild newsletter.

This is the top of the sock, which will also be the pattern on the body of the sock (by the ankle). (Don't be horrified that the photo was taken in my car--I was at a rainy soccer game...and that my feet are blindingly white.) My feet are 7" long from heel to first metatarsal, so I will have to knit the socks to at least 7" (maybe 8") for the sock's future owner, then begin the heel flap and cast on stitches for the top portion of the sock. It'll be interesting!

This is the sole of the sock--it is traditionally a different pattern than the rest of the sock, and seems to often be a smaller, more delicate design.

Dye experiment using tumeric, vinegar and alum using stuff from my kitchen. The idea first came from pickling this summer--it actually turned my plastic ladle yellow. I figured if it could permanently color my plastic utensil, I wonder what it would do to yarn? I pulled out some white yarn called "snow" that I thought would be much better as a yellow in the Turkish Sock design. They didn't have any yellow at the store, so I got the white with the intension of possibly dyeing it. I brought the ingredients to a boil, then simmered the yarn in it for about 10-15 minutes.

When finished, the tumeric dye turned a brilliant canary yellow.

Next I tried to do a dye bath using paprika. It was only partially successful--perhaps it doesn't create a very dark dye, or maybe it needed to have a different mordant.

The finished product was a little more peaches-and-cream than I would have expected.

More updates as they are created...

Elewys