Monthly Archives: June 2006

Here I am, yarn and needles in hand, trying to find a pattern. When Ashley came to Madrid on vacation, we met and did a little swap. She went home with two skeins of Sirri yarn and half a kilo of Sirri fiber for spinning and dyeing. I was the lucky recipient of two skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Forest, and one skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Fall Foliage.

And yesterday I got a surprise package from the very same Ashley that contained a set of five double point needles. But not any set, a set of Brittany needles, US size 1 (or 2.25mm for us metric people) that are as short as 5in. (12.5 cm). She used these pretty tiny needles (also known as oversized toothpicks) successfully on her flight back to the States.

I fly quite often (at least for a student ;) ) and needles are forbidden on european flights. However, Ashley had no problems with these, and thought I’d like to be able to knit some on the flights to and from Belgium. And she is very right, and can’t thank her enough for her generousity!

And now, for the help request! I want to make a pair of socks with either the Lorna’s or the Cherry Tree, using my new tiny needles, and that I can keep track on the plane. I want something not too complicated and that shows the pretty yarn well. Monkee (from the KnittyBoard) suggested me the generic “You are putting me on” pattern. I’d perhaps like to spice it up with a very easy lace panel on top of the foot, or the side of the leg… But I am open to all the ideas and suggestions you give me. I’ll be deciding on the pattern the first week of July (so I can print it).

Thank you in advance for the suggestions!

And no, it’s not the kilt hose yet. I am going to start the second sock, so Jan can try on the partly done I have already and tell me if it’s too fitted, too tall, or what. Meanwhile, I needed a break from them, and some instant regard, so I whipped up a phone cozy for my poor neglected Nokia geek phone. I used leftover sock yarn: the green was leftover from (the still unblocked) Branching Out I knit some months ago, and the white was used my mum to make herself socks.

• Pattern: My own.
• Yarn: Katia Caricia, 100% superwash merino, 175m per 50gr ball. Leftovers in green (colour #14) and off-white (#3)
• Gauge: 32 stitches to 10 cm.
• Needles: 2.5 mm aluminium dpn’s by Pony
• Finished measures: to fit my Nokia (only measured perimeter, and tried the cozy on as I knitted to see how tall it should be).

I actually wanted to make it all in green, but I ran out of it, so I just digged the off-white and kept knitting, not a drama. Mum helped me with the crochet border (I still haven’t learnt and didn’t want to screw this up) and all was done in a weekend. My phone won’t be cold any more.

I used one of the beads Bec sent me along with the tangled yarn and other pretty things. I loved this butterfly bead as soon as I saw it, so I had to use it. Close up:

Innit it pretty?

Kilt hose and normal schedule of this blog will be resumed some time soon!

* This phone cozy reminds me of a pistachio-cream icecream, thus the “Icecream Phone Cozy” name.