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

Finished Socks for a Duchess

The finished socks made on commission--it took approximately three weeks to finish them and I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out! I can't wait to see the other half of the trade...

Elewys

Making socks for Duchess Lao.

Finally finished the first sock! It's taken me quite a bit longer to make this pair than it did the first one, but it's the beginning of the school year and there are a lot of things going on.

I have started the second sock, as you can see from this picture--only the size of a half-dollar here--and have increased it slightly today, including all the stitches I will need for the foot, but not beyond.

Elewys

Finished Egyptian socks

Finally put the last stitches on it last night and made the garter this afternoon.

I'm not sure if I would do anything differently...maybe add more stitches earlier in the increases over the calf to fit a little better. I started increasing every 4th row starting after the zig-zags at the ankle, but I might do every third row for a while, then every other row until I reach 104 stitches.

I've been asked to make a pair on commission by a well-respected artisan...I'm pretty jazzed about that!

Elewys

First Sock Done!

First Egyptian sock finished today. The second sock has been started, but it'll be several days before it's done. Garter is attached in the back--a five loop fingerloop braid. I don't know if it's period for that pattern or culture, but it was quick and easy.

Here it is worn by me. I see now that I needed a couple more stitches through the middle where those diamonds are a little less square...too late now. Maybe if I lose a bunch of weight it'll be less noticable. :)

Elewys

Sock Update

Making some serious progress on the Egyptian sock. After a few stops and starts, I was able to turn the heel and start increases to fit over my calves. Spindley legs do NOT run in our family.

I may even finish it in the next couple of days. The trick will be to see if the yarn reaches the end of the pattern, and if I can make another one just like it.

Elewys

Toe Up!

While I was working away on the new knee-high socks...I got distracted by the ecru and navy wool that was just sitting there...taunting me... Yooo-hoooo!

I went ahead and cast on 120 stitches for a top-down Egyptian sock...but doing a bit of cruising on my favorite blogs revealed that there are other crazed SCAers who are recreating these socks. One was on display in the Sock Museum at the recent Sock Summit in Portland, OR which Heide kindly photographed for me. I recently joined the Historic Knit list which started discussing the Sock Summit, and decided to post a question about the sock pattern, if anyone had a copy that I could compare my first attempt with theirs. Not surprisingly, I received a couple of responses, including from the maker of the sock on display, and the author of the pattern she used!

My pattern that I created based on looking at the extant piece was very close to the pattern from Ellen Perlman that I was referred to. However, while my first attempt was a top-down, this was a toe-up sock, which I had never tried before. She recommended using Judy's Magic Cast On method for toe-up socks, which was taught at Sock Summit, and the directions can be found on www.knitty.com, so I had to try that! I followed the directions and after a few attempts, got it to look like the photos. Success!

So today I learned how to start a toe-up sock, as well as a new cast-on method, as well as trying a two-color sock, as well as trying to recreate the Egyptian socks. It's been a day of firsts!

So how are the socks coming, you ask? So far, so good! They're a little bit big, but because they're wool, I may be able to shrink them if necessary. Maybe size 3 needles would have worked better? Or four repeats instead of five? We'll see when they get closer to being done...now I just have a toe-cozy.

Elewys