inexpensive sock blockers/stretchers you can make yourself

This is a great idea. I'll have to remember not to return the hangers to my local dry cleaner next time as I've only got plastic hangers in my closet.

i <3 this ring!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10546574

Too many other financial obligations right now (property taxes, income taxes, etc.) and the fact that I just plunked down bank for my Legare 400 Circular Sock Machine.

Sign of "A Great Yarn [Company] for Socks"...

Well, I'm very impressed. I emailed SWTC about my displeasure in coning up a ball of their new yarn Tofutsies. I wanted to try it on my new to me Circular Sock Machine and discovered that the ball was riddled with separate pieces of yarn. I counted upwards of 10 joins before I stopped counting!!! In anycase, I got on their website and found their "Contact Us" link and wrote a short complaint letter. I received an immediate response and a request to win their "love" back with a replacement ball. That email was on Friday and in my mailbox Monday morning was the ball of yarn! Thumbs up to SWTC, you guys ROCK!

Sockcess #2

Ok, so there were a few socks that were pulled out and re-knit before I got to these, but they're my 2nd sockcessful pair.

Yarn: Austermann Step Duett Color 52
Using 54 cyllinder: 20 row hem top, 45 row 5-1 mock rib, 10 row knit with all 54 needles, heel, 45 rows knit, toe. Kitchnered by transferring all stitches to a #2 long circular needle and did the Knitter's Companion version of the kitchner stitch. This helped me out alot to make sure I was getting the right stitches and not inadvertently the row below or a non-"live" stitch.

Some issues I had with these...still dropping stitches here and there...do not seem to have the height of the yarn carrier set to it's sweet spot yet. I have to guide the initial beginning row in afterwards it seems to work alright. The 1st sock came out in a tighter gauge than the 2nd even though I did not change the tension settings. I guess I have to pay more attention to when I place the various weights and where.

They're being washed and dried as I type. Crossing my toes that they don't shrink too much. I need to stop gambling with these expensive sock yarns and get some practice yarn. I've got a huge cone of undyed merino I should really be using. I guess I could dye them later if they're worthy enough. :)

Sockcess socks after 1st washing & drying

The tag said not to dry, but I did anyways. They're made of Superwash Trekking XXL Zitron and they didn't shrink too much. A tad definitely. I guess that's why it's called superwash and not superwashndry.

Sockcess!!!

 
 


Check it out...first pair of socks made on my Legare 400!!! Woot woot! These were made using Trekking's XXL Zitron (Color 145). Using the 54 cyllinder it's a mock rib 5-1 pattern with a hem top. I cranked out 75% of a 2nd pair with this 459 yards of yarn. I think I'll rip out the 2nd pair and save it to mix with another leftover ball.

note to self...try using this as a set up bonnet on the CSM

Legare in da house!

Wooooohooooo! Picked up one heck of a heavy box from my PO this morning. It was shipped from Quebec and wow did they do a great job of packing it. The prob is that it will take me hours to uncover the CSM inside. Each piece is individually packaged in cardboard and taped over to death with packaging tape. I took a coupla snaps with my phone. They're a bit blurry, sorry. You can view the images sent to me by the restorer here. Also in my PO Box was a notification to pick up one of these. It's a vintage (70s) Mattel Knitting Machine. I thought it would be kinda fun to have the extremes (in cost and performance) in the circular knitting machine realm. Not to mention it was a complete impulse buy. ;)

Item (Legare 400) successfully delivered

2008/03/14 09:09 94XXX,USA Item successfully delivered
2008/03/14 07:40 94XXX,USA Item out for delivery
2008/03/14 07:39 94XXX,USA Item has been received at the delivery office in the destination country
2008/03/04 12:16 QUÉBEC, QC Item accepted at the Post office

Unfortunately, it was delivered to my work address and I won't be able to pick it up until Monday. :( Probably a good thing though as my weekend is booked with necessary chores. If I had that Legare in hand, all that would have gone out the door! Never would have thought I'd wish it was a Monday! ;)

I feel like Humbert without my Legare (LeGail)...

but i can't really knit (but i could crank!) now anyways as i had a little bicycle accident last weekend and my right hand is in a splint thingy for two weeks. typing on the right with two fingers...sigh