Stasia's Place Of Grace

Tuesday, July 15, 2003

 

Success

I FINISHED JEFF'S NORTH AMERICAN HUNTING SOX!

Valentine and Jeff are pleased with the new socks.
Valentine does not hunt. Jeff is not trying out for "The Sound Of Music."

This project has taken me... I don't even want to remember how long. More than a year? Yikes - socks should take me a week, tops!

Jeff wanted some socks to keep his feet warm while hunting - something hard to accomplish. First, he has peripheral neuropathy, which means his circulation is really poor and his feet are cold to begin with. Second, Jeff actually likes to sit in a tree... in the freezing cold... and meditate... and get to see deer, more than actually hunt, so it's important that he keep his feet warm, as he doesn't move around much.

So... Jeff wanted these socks, but then he decided he wanted them made from fibers native to North America ("for luck," for some reason. Men!)

We came up with Qiviut, since it's so warm (many times warmer than wool); Bison down, since it is also very warm and was kind of cool to use; and Navajo-Churro wool, to be used as sort of a base. Somehow that struck a chord with the "Dances With Wolves" aesthetic he was going for. Men!

I spindle-spun the qiviut, and then wheel-spun the bison and N-C wool - each into a singles yarn. Then I plied all three together.

Close-up of socks.

I knit the socks from the toe-up, using my "gauge-less" method, making them up as I went along.

I'm so glad they are finished and that Jeff likes them! Do you know how boring it is to knit this much brown? Jeff's feet are size 12, extra wide!

Now, a day of rest, and then Wednesday is the big day to start... The Shawl!

What did I learn from this project?

• Don't let a non-spinner choose the fibers for the job at hand. If you're going to be working on it, you'd better like the color!
• Card the fibers all together first, for the best distribution (to make the most of more expensive fibers), and for faster spinning and plying.
• Don't be so afraid that the recipient won't like something that you put off finishing it and it gets to be a drag.
• Don't finish hunting socks in the middle of July.

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To top it off, my orchid is now blooming:

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May your day be as successful as mine and my orchid's!

Please put a message in the Tag-Board to the right and let me know you stopped by, and what YOU'RE working on!

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