Split cells socks

What: Split cells / Jeannie Cartmel

How: Circular needle 2.25 mm

From: Cascade Heritage, 67 g

Back in spring I had the idea of a box of socks. I would get rid of lonely sock yarn skeins, finally work some patterns bought long time ago, and the person opening this box at Christmas will be very happy, I think.

However, I didn't stop to think that perhaps not all patterns bought long time ago would be my cup of tea anymore. You know, there might be a reason why I never got around to working a certain pattern. For example these socks, since nowadays I don't really like cables all that much.

I started the socks back in July on a business trip. I finished another project and was eager to cast on for another pair for the Box. I was excited to finally use this Cascade Heritage skein I got from a friend as a present, and the Split cells socks by Jeannie Cartmel have been lingering in my Ravelry queue for ages.

The yarn was great and it was nice to get back to this basic sock yarn after a long time. I also really like this bright deep green color. The pattern was well written and clear. The only problem was that the socks have about a million and three (yes, I counted!) two stitch cables with some of them having twisted stitches, and some of the having just one twisted stitch, and some of them having no twisted stitches and and and... You get the point, right?

The heel flap was the worst. I really, really like socks where the stitch pattern continues over the heel flap. Except that in this case it meant working twisted purled stitches. And that would be fine too, except that because of the cables worked on the RS, the twisted stitches kept switching places making it really hard to spot them on the WS. This was not the kind of project you can easily work at a knit night.

So, I started the socks back in July and only now finished them at a knitting retreat last weekend. Oh boy, was I happy to bind off. The Box has six pairs in it already, and still room for a few more. Perhaps something simpler next time.

Still

I just hate it when I have to admit I was wrong about something. But I guess it's nicer to admit defeat in a beanie made of mohair/silk and cashmere...

What: Still / Own pattern

How: Circular needle 3.5 mm

From: ITO Karei + ITO Sensai, 22 + 13 g (for the grey, size L) and 17 + 11 g  (for the purple, size M)

But let's start from the beginning. Nowadays, it's very trendy to combine two different types of yarns for projects - especially such that the other yarn is mohair/silk. I've always loved silk but I can't stand mohair. Or so I thought.

I have only one mohair(/silk) sweater in my wardrobe that I actually use. The others I've given or thrown away over the years since all I got from them was a terrible itch. On the other hand,k I really like that one sweater and don't have any problems with it. So perhaps, those other knits haven't been made in a quality yarn?

Anyway, I had firmly decided I wasn't getting along with mohair and could let this knitting community fab pass me by. Except... My LYS started to carry those candy-like little skeins of ITO Sensai. They are so pretty. And to top it off, they just got a shipment of ITO Karei, the new 100 % cashmere yarn. There was also this one sample knit beanie combining the two. I was smitten. It didn't feel itchy, not at all. If I'm totally honest, it felt quite heavenly.

I wasn't going to buy anything. I just wanted to feel the yarns. But of course, before I noticed, I had already bought a skein of each. And, I cast on right away.

I designed this light as a feather hat with the yarn combo. The hat has a tall ribbing that can be folded in two for a more fitted beanie look. The rest of the hat is easy lace worked on every row and the crown decreases are hidden among the lace. The lace looks so delicate worked in this cashmir-silk/mohair combo.

The hat can be made extra special by choosing one of those few Sensai colors where the silk core is a different color than the mohair fluff around it. It makes the yarn glow. And since my LYS had more than one of those special colors, I had to make another beanie.

The pattern has two sizes, M and L that fit a head circumference of 9.75-22.75''. And, there's a 25 % discount till Sunday September 23rd if you use the code FLUFF.

Do-over

Back in the prehistoric year 2014, I designed my very first graded sweater pattern. I took a trip down memory lane and revamped this free pattern.

What: La grasse Matinée / Own pattern

How: Circular needles 3.0 ja 2.5 mm

From: Rowan Fine Tweed, 274 g

I didn't knit another sweater but I cleaned up the pattern to the layout I use now. And since I don't like letting myself take it easy, I re-calculated the pattern for all the nine sizes I use these days. Back then, the pattern had "only" sizes S-M-L-XL.

La grasse matinée is an easy sweater and a great pattern for your first top down sweater project. It has 3/4 raglan sleeves and the body has no waist shaping. The hem and sleeve cuffs have a pretty little row of eyelets before few rows of garter stitch.

It was fun reminiscing this old pattern. It's been just few years but my, how I've grown as a designer - the techincal skills to grade patterns and to make clear schematics. Not to mention photography skills!

I decided it would be fun to take new pics with the same hairdo and clothing. Can you tell the difference in anything else except my blonder hair?