Sunday, October 7, 2007

Northern Lights Socks


It has been a long time since I spun something with a specific purpose in mind (I'm a *let the fiber/yarn tell me what it wants to be* sort of person). And longer still since I spun something with a specific purpose in mind, and then actually carried out that purpose in a reasonable amount of time. But I bought the Northern Lights batts at the North Country Fiber Fair in September, and I spun 3 skeins (I have one full skein and small balls left from the first 2 left) of sturdy 2-ply yarn, and then I not only started the socks I had in mind, I actually finished them!



I love the bits of color in these socks- they really do look like the Northern Lights. These socks are sturdy, and heavy, and they'll be warm and comfy in the cold Dakota winter.


Stats: about 270 yds of yarn, 5ozs, Size 3 needles, CO 56, K2P2 ribbing for 12 rnds, decrease to 50 sts, 6" to heel, standard flap/gusset heel, 6 1/2" to toe, star toe. Started spining Sept 16, finished socks Oct. 6.

3 comments:

danielle said...

DOH! I am so slow....I bookmarked your blog cause I was enjoying reading it...and I kept saying, boy her name sounds familiar...DOH!!! I am one of your biggest fans! And have even saved an email you sent me a long while ago when I talked to you about one of your first Torie Bauer books! Wow! I am so excited to have found your blog - you made my day! Thank you! (ok, I will now stop sounding like a total stalking fan/freak!)

Kate/Massachusetts said...

Oh so pretty! I have the Northern Lights that I bought from Aleta all spun up, washed but not quite dry! I plan to make socks, too. I love this yarn! lol I had never spun longwool before. This is my new favorite!

Kathleen Taylor said...

Danielle- that makes me chuckle. It's not often that the mysteries and the knitting overlap. It's fun to find a knitter who has also read the books.

Kate-I am so pleased with how these socks came out. I will spin just about anything, but I do like the longwools- they're so easy to spin. The yarn isn't springy (like shorter wools), but it's sturdy and very pretty, and perfectly suited to cold winters.