Finished Object: Bittersweet Freedom to Be

The Specs:

Pattern: None
Yarn: See Jayne Knit Superwash Merino Nylon Sock (4 Ply)

Color: Freedom to Be

Amount: 314.8 yards, 68 grams, 0.68 skeins
Size: women's 8.5
For: ME

Needles: US 1 - 2.25mm, magic loop
Start to Finish: 26 June 2020 to 30 June 2020

Notes: Man, where to even START?

This colorway is meant to celebrate Pride and Ravelry and the freedom to be whomever you are.  Supposedly a freedom supported by Rav.

However.

The new design (NuRav) was released June 16th and it quickly became evident that what I though Rav stood for and meant .. is NOT what TPTB at Rav actually stand for and mean.  Oh, sure, they do some great lip service and say all the right things.  But when it came to actually Doing The Things, they have failed.  So hard. 

I know I am not the first person to post about this.  I won't be the last.  I am not alone in my anger and I am not the only one tilting at windmills by sending emails and bug reports and asking them to actually change the parts of the design that are actively hurting people.

But the excitement that I started this project with - I wound the yarn in the beginning on June - was completely gone by the time I cast on.  They are a memory of what I though Ravelry stood for, that it is now clear wasn't ever actually true and honest. 

But the yarn is awesome and I love the rainbows.  I did my standard star toe, starting with 6 stitches, increasing to the left for one sock and the right for the other.  Increased to 66 stitches, then did a twinned short row heel.  14 rounds of k2p1 ribbing before JSSBO.

I am in awe of how quickly I was able to knit these - 5 days!  for a whole pair of socks!  But I also wasn't on Rav as much because of the whole disaster that they are now.

Finished Object: BFF Rainbow Socks

The Specs:

Pattern: none
Yarn: Must Stash Yarn & Fiber Perfect Sock Self Striping

Color: Vespa
Amount: 382 yards, 83 grams, 0.83 of a skein
Size: men's 10.5
For: the Weirder Half
Needles: US 1 - 2.25m, magic loop
Start to Finish: 07 August 2020 - 21 August 2020

Notes:  Standard star toe with increases to the right of the start of the round on the first sock.  Increase to 66 stitches, continue in stockinette. Toe started at the start of the paler orange color, last increases occurred a few rows into the yellow.

Twinned short row heel over 33 stitches.  First attempt took 45 rows and all of two colors and only a few rows of the third.  So I counted and frogged and re-knit with exactly 15 rows of each color.  More ends to weave in, but it looks a lot better.

Knit to the orange color that the toe started with, then knit one plain round before starting k1p1 ribbing.  Knit orange and yellow in ribbing, then tried JSSBO for the bind off just as the color changed to green.  First tried Tubular kitchener, but it wasn't stretchy enough. 

Weirder Half confirms it fits.

I always struggle with self-stripping sock yarn like this, because the heel is always going to throw off the stripping pattern.  Of course, in shoes, you'll never see it... but I will know.

I had so much fun watching the color changes in both the sock as I knit and the ball of yarn.

This ended up being item number 20 of my attempt to knit 20 projects in 2020.  Some items were kinda small (baby booties for friends), so I might keep going, but it was fun to have a challenge.  I've not posted some of the items because they are to be GiftMoose gifts and I don't want to give anything away just yet.

Finished Object: Urban Aran

The Specs:

Pattern: Urban Aran by Jared Flood

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted

Color: Jalapeno green

Amount: 11 skeins, 1210 yards, 550gm

Size: me-sized

Needles: US 5, 3.75mm

For: me.  ALLL MINE

Start to Finish: August 2008 to 2009?  2010?  Seaming takes forever

Notes: This was a fun knit!  It went way faster than I expected it, once I account for the delay that always happens when it comes to finishing the seams and so on.  Even sewing in the zipper wasn't too bad, since I got to hang out with other CPaAG people in a Panera in Chicago and borrowed a sewing machine then and there.

Unfortunately, I washed it in the washer a few too many times and it felted and shrunk too much to fit anymore.  I still have my paper copy of the pattern and I think I might end up re-knitting this one in a super-wash option at some point.

Finished Object: Odessa Hat

The Specs:

Pattern: Odessa by Grumperina (in library)

Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Treasure

Color: Fog

Amount: less than one ball

Needles: no idea, but probably similar to Blaze.

Start to Finish: January 2008 to January 2008, a few days

For: me

Size: head-ish

Notes: Knocked this out in a few days.  Omitted the beads because I didn't have any.  

Unfortunately, it didn't cover my ears and what's the point of a hat that doesn't keep your ears warm?  Ended up giving it to a friend (I think DJ Cool Beans?)

However, I think I might have some of this yarn left in my stash, I could make another one.  Or use different yarn.

Finished Object: Print O' the Wave Stole

The Specs:

Pattern: Print O' the Wave Stole by Eunny Jang

Yarn: Taiga Yarns ALPACA

Color:  Lavender

Amount: 5 skeins, 1040 yards, 250g

Size: stole sized

Needles: US 5, 3.75mm

For: me

Start to Finish: Feb 2008 to October 2010

Notes: I am pleased with myself for this one!  Wore it for BFF's wedding, so it sat for a while before I finally finished and blocked it.  It lived on the top of my dresser for a long time, before enough items spilled and the cat threw up on it and a stain set in.  Would definitely knit this pattern again.

Finished Object: Eagle's Flight socks

The Specs:

Pattern: Eagle's Flight by Megan Humphrey

Yarn: Zwerger Garn Opal Uni Solid 4 ply

Color:  Brown

Needles: US 2, 2.75mm

Start to Finish:  2007 to 2008

For: me

Size: medium

Notes:  Man, these socks gave me a run for my money what with the LOSING AN ENTIRE SOCK, THE REMAINING YARN, AND NEEDLES.  I have no idea what happened to them, but I have knit this pattern enough to have at least two pairs.  And yet, there is only one pair.

Being Opal, they have held up amazingly well - I finished these nearly 12 years ago and they are still in the sock drawer.  Admittedly, one of them is sliiiiiightly smaller than the other one, so I am reminded on a regular basis to be thankful that my feet are not exactly the same size.