1/27/2017

Monkey - or was it a rabbit?

Sometimes you can be in such a rush to cast on for a project, you barely have time to wind the yarn. That was the case with these socks.


What: Monkey / Cookie A.
How: Circular needle 2.25 mm
From: Drops Fabel, 59 g
Ravelryssa

Last April I was having the time of my life at a knitting retreat, where I also took part in a dye class. I have done some dye experiments at home with spinning fibre but never with yarn before this. I took two white and two light grey skeins of Drops Fabel with me. I wanted to dye some burnt orange and something minty green.


The burnt orange turned into more of a fox color in the dye pot. The muted minty water colored skein was a success. I added the dye already in the cold soaking water. A hint of green and just a drop or two of blue. I was a bit scared as even that one drop of blue seemed to explode once it hit the water. Half a drop would have been enough, I think. I mixed the colors in the water, added the yarn and splashed some more green on top. The yarn stayed soaking so long it had already absorbed all the color from the water before moving into the kettle. I did heat the yarn for a while and it turned out amazing. The semisolid of my dreams.


Because the yarn turned out so beautiful, it needed to be paired up with a simple sock pattern. I decided finally to knit the most popular sock pattern of all time. At least on Ravelry, there are about 20 000 projects for this pattern. It was about time to knit myself a pair of monkeys.



There's a reason this pattern is so popular. First, it's free. Second, it's brilliant. A few decreases and increases, and a few purl stitches. So much with so little effort. The pattern was easy to memorize and the socks finished in record time.


I modified the heel. Following the pattern I would have ended up with a way too tall heelflap. I also didn't understand why I should move stitches from one needle to the other. This is my pet hate: transfering stitches from one needle to the other. It doesn't work when you magic loop two socks at a time.



I found the cutest little rabbit statue at a nearby park. Thanks for posing, bunny!

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