Monday, February 8, 2010

Personal Sock Club

There is a new fad about. It’s the personal sock club. Yarn Harlot has talked about it and it has been a common conversation on Ravelry.

Basically what you do is instead of subscribing to an online sock club where you get new yummy yarn each month you create your own. So you raid your stash - choose twelve sock yarns and twelve patterns. Pair them up and knit one pair a month. You need to package up the pairs - so you have everything you need to hand. Buy the patterns, download them, print them, photocopy if you have the book, or put a reference in with the yarn telling you where to find the pattern. The Yarn Harlot has bagged hers up. For the first month she just reached in and grabbed one blind. Another friend has wrapped hers up in brown paper so she’s no sure which one she will pick (and got someone else to number them.)

We started discussing this in the Yarn Yard’s shed on Ravelry and I have hatched my own plan.

Here are my rules…

  • There is no deadline - if it takes longer than a month that’s okay.
  • I am not playing catch up for missing January
  • I am not just doing socks
  • I do not have to finish one to start another
  • I do not have to limit my number to 12

So - I have searched the stash and pulled out some yarn I want to use. Some of it was bought for specific projects and this is my kick to start those projects. I still have some gaps - so need some help deciding on projects for some of the yarn. Here they are (in no particular order):

  1. Noro Striped scarf using Silk Garden Lite - I have a specific person in mind for this - so have a birthday deadline. So this may well be the first to be cast on.
  2. Little Birds jumper by Ysolda using Jamieson’s Spindrift. I have changed the base colour to dark brown and am using pink/blue/pale yellow for the birds.
  3. 5 skeins of deep red/pink Noro Lily. I got these in a swap and love the colour and really need help finding the perfect pattern.
  4. Yarn Yard Croft - in a deep red. This lovely tweed-look yarn needs a great pattern - any ideas?
  5. Clan - two 65g skeins in deep brown and one skein undyed - so obviously this needs colourwork/fair-isle - maybe gloves/mittens? Ideas please.
  6. Iceland lace-weight yarn in pale pink. Small ball (need to weigh this and work out its WPI) brought back from Iceland by my Mum. Thinking something lace-weight. This will not be for me - but will be a gift - something pretty?
  7. 100g of Caber by the Yarn Yard - in a silver grey - ideas please.
  8. Deep red Alp from the Yarn Yard - super squishy. Inspiration needed.
  9. 1 ball of Rowan Big Wool in deep purple. 1 ball. Bought to make a scarf for Orla - maybe just a cowl/neck type one? Ideas please.
  10. Yarn Yard Club Yarn Bonny This is lovely pink/orange/green - with a plain mini-skein of pink. Thinking maybe socks using the contrast for toe/cuffs/heel. I have TWO sets of this though - so could consider a larger project - maybe a cardigan using the contrasting colour for button band/collar… Just had a revelation - this lovely cardigan was mentioned today on Ravelry - wonder if I have enough yarn for it?
  11. Yarn Yard Macushla in Paprika - gorgeous colour - ideas please.
  12. Lots and lots of New Lanark bulky yarn in oatmeal to make my hubby a jumper. I have toyed with Cheesy Puffs and an EZ EPS jumper. My criteria is easy and knit in the round (oh and super-big - my hubby is a big man!)

What do you all think? I need some help - do let me know your thoughts.

3 comments:

scarlettina said...

The Yarn Yard Macushla in paprika will most probably match a certain pair of fingerless mitts. How about an ishbel or a damson?

RooKnits said...

How about some fair isle socks with the clan - there is a fab owls pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/owlsocks

Unknown said...

this is such a good idea. I'm not a sock knitter so I didn't think of doing it even though I'd read the Yarn Harlot post. Hmm... now if only I could find the time to package it all - let alone knit it!