New Turkish socks for Moreleigh. The pattern is from "Fancy Feet", a book on traditional Turkish socks. (Pardon the image being 90 degrees askew--I can't, for the life of me, get the thing to turn and STAY that way.) These were knitted using 100% wool Cascade Heritage yarn, Red and Black on sz. 4 DPNs. It features a different sole and heel pattern, and has the traditional triangular heel found in Turkish socks.

At Halloween, I borrowed my husband's Lao hat, took a picture, and was teased for being a HAT THIEF! I was then offered to have another hat made in trade for socks, as I had done earlier this fall. These red-and-yellow socks in progress are the new pair for Duchess Lao. The blue and white sock is simply for size comparison. Includes "Baraka" (blessings) on the foot, and Trees of Life around the ankle, which I designed, and will be repeated around the top of the sock. Yarn is 100% wool Cascade Heritage yarn, red and a skein of formerly snow-white, but now tumeric yellow, dyed in my kitchen.

The next thing that I'm considering is whether to enter a knitted item into Kingdom A&S, as a single entry not for champion. I'm going to have to go down to Weaving Works to find some supplies to make cotton socks in the Egyptian style. I'd love to also dye them with indigo, just to try it once. I'll have to do some more research on the topic.

Elewys

More dye & sock experiments

Cloves - not as bright as the tumeric dye, but a beautiful mustardy yellow (it's a little washed out here due to the flash). And the wool smells lovely!

Finished the first Turkish sock tonight, though I'm not entirely happy with the heel closure. I may take it apart and re-do it. The construction/closure of the heel is unusual and I was going to follow the directions, but I chickened out on attempting it, thinking I could just crochet it together. That didn't really work, so I think I'll take that apart and try again.

This is the sock top. I just picked a pattern that looked fun.

As is traditional with Turkish socks, the sock sole is different than the rest of the sock. This can make for some really fun patterns and designs!

More later,

Elewys

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