Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Socks on the Brain or Feet?

At the beginning of 2010 several friends decided to use up stash sock yarn. You know that glorious yarn you purchased, that you thought would made a fabulous pair of socks? Then you gently placed the yarn in a closet or box, under the bed or even in a drawer. Wherever you hide, no store, your stash yarns.

So, several friends went about collecting the yarns and putting them in plastic bags, with the pattern intended for that yarn. The first day came and we all pulled out our surprise projects, to get started. Well, all except for me. My socks weren't a surprise. You see, before I could even start a new pair of socks, I had to finish an old new pair. I started these socks about 2 years ago. I am knitting them, 2 at a time and from the toe up. There is a lace pattern on there too. When I pulled out my non-surprise socks, I had only gotten the toes done. I was so excited, after the first week of the project because I had made great progress. Now a week, or is it two, later, I have another inch done. I think I slowed down because I am getting closer to the dreaded heel. Oh, I have made tons, well not really tons, but lots of socks. Usually from the ankle to the toe and I have that heel mastered. Going from the toe to the ankle, and two at a time, the heel is a different animal. I have my directions, but I need to get my courage up. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.....



Well, I guess that I just had sock yarn on the brain. My friend, Liz, has knitting machines and she knitted up several sock blanks. Sock blanks are sock yarn, knitted in the shape of a rectangle and each rectangle has enough yarn for one pair of socks. The idea is to then dye the sock blanks and make your socks, starting at each end and having a coordinating pair, although not matching. Liz, being ever so talented, knows how to plate the yarn, basically to the novice machine knitter, she knit the yarn for each sock, together. So, we have two strands knitting the same rectangle. That way, we will have socks that almost match.

I decided to play with Easter egg dyes and dyed my 2 sock blanks, enough for 2 pairs of socks to almost match. BUT, before you think I have lost it, I am not planning to make socks. I am hoping to use this yarn to make a scarf.


No, the above picture is not a snake, but my rolled up blanks, with the Easter egg dye "painted" on them. After I had soaked the blanks overnight, I squeezed out all excess water and then I layed them out on top of plastic and sponge painted the dye onto the blanks. (I forgot to get a picture of that part, sorry) Then I placed the blanks on top of plastic wrap and rolled them up in jelly roll or cinnamon roll(yum) fashion. I pressed them slightly, wanting to make sure the dye covered most of the yarn. Next I carefully put them in my dye pot to steam for about 30 minutes.

I took them out, after they had cooled and unwrapped them and rinsed them out. The purple dye had separated and became a pink and blue color. The teal, became green, but the orange stayed orange! All in all, even though the dyes were different colors after the steaming, I still like my end product.

1 comment:

  1. I want to do this! What fun for scarves. does Liz have the sock yarn?

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