Holy Dyelots Batman!

So the New Year is starting off pretty well as far as knitting goes.  I've just finished Marnie's Wyvern Socks.  It was a very easy knit - the pattern was easy to memorize after a while.  My third pair of socks which I think turned out pretty well - it made for good commute knitting.  If I were to do them again there are a few things I'd change -

• Not too stripey a color of yarn - the striping of the Lorna's Laces detracted from the lovely scale design, Koigu would probably be really pretty.
• No bottom ribbing - it makes for a little too snug a fit for me, and while it does fit - when the sock is not on - the ribbing pulls the yarn in to the point where it looks extremely narrow.  It got mistaken for a willy warmer more than once.
• DOUBLE check your dye lots.  I used 1 skein of Lorna's Laces and got to about 2" from the end of the cuff on the 2nd sock when I had to break out the 2nd skein... which ended up being SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than the first skein.  *headdesk*  I was pretty sure the dye lot was the same too.  So I had two choices, frog back the first sock to a point where I could steal the yarn and even out the lengths, or suck it up and deal with a lighter cuff and knit to the same length as the first.  Guess which I chose?  The lazy way of course!  Who looks at cuffs anynow, they are usually hidden by pantleg.

• Next time - two socks on two circulars knit at the same time.  No more 2nd sock syndrome for me.
• Kitchener Bind off next time - while I like the stretchiness of the picot bind off, I hate how it rolls downward when you wear them

All in all, I love them even with the minor color issue, the pattern was well written and fun to knit up.  The color is a little blotchy cause they are slightly damp being blocked on my feet.

Pattern:    Marnie MacClean's Wyvern Socks
Yarn:  Lorna's Laces (oops threw away the band)  1.25 skeins
Needles:  Addi Turbo's Size 2
Method:  Toe up w/ Magic Loop
Toe:  Short Row
Heel: Short Row
Bind Off:  2 cast on/ 4 cast off Picot Bind Off

I've also done my swatch for the Sexy Knitters Club Picovili KAL - Knit Picks Shine in Orchid.  I really like this yarn!  Its super soft, and makes a nice tight fabric.  I got gauge with Size 4 circ's and the color is cheery and bright.

I'd not completely decided to participate until my credit card threw itself at the KnitPicks web site.  Can't beat the price either at $2.29 a ball - definately won't be finding something that nice at Michael's or Walmart. 

My contribution to JenLa's ugly avatar contest:

Would it be too gauche of me to bring knitting to Heidi's housewarming?  What if I brought booze and fried risotto balls?  (I thought of Fried Rice Balls, but I know how perverted ya'll are)

Comments

[Jeanie]

I actually like your avitar! And the socks are great... I didn't even notice the color difference until you mentioned it. I also want to learn how to do two socks on two circs sometime soon (say that 10 times fast!). And you know... I'm getting so impatient waiting for my KnitPicks Shine to arrive, that I just may start the KAL with something else. I do have some apple green Shine here but I didn't really want to do Picovoli in that color. What do you think?

[spaazlicious (wendy)]

Dude, I'm bringing knitting in case all y'all bore the shizzle out of me...

I think the socks look great!

[Heidi]

Definitely bring your knitting--I love how it fascinates non-knitters! And anything fried! We've got booze (I think I covered all the booze basics), but any party is more fun with more booze and yarn. At least it is now that I'm not in my early 20s. As far as I can remember ;-)

[Hilari]

Hey, I'm starting the Wyvern socks and I'm not sure I'm interpreting the pattern right. Do you remember if the first couple of pattern repeats looked kind of weird?