Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Finished Tofutsies, Started Sachiko Kimono

I finished another Pair of Socks For Me! This is my first pair of Tofutsies socks, and I'll need to see how they wash and wear. My first impression is I loved the way the yarn felt as it ran through my fingers, and the finished socks feel soft and squishy.
I love the subtle colors, and I must admit I've been window shopping here. Some of the colors are too bright for me, but their range is wide enough to please my oddball color sense. Even the bright ones look good to me today. Can't you just see #799 in a baby kimono? #802 would be even better! With 100 gram balls, I might eke out a matching hat and sockies! Honestly, I'm planning a trip to my LYS when the roads clear. I'd love to see those colors and squish that yarn in person!
The Socks for Me Project is on the back burner while I make a last minute push for a few sweaters for Bean. He's due in about 4 weeks, and that means his window of opportunity is approaching quickly!
This is the Sachiko Kimono by Erika Flory. I found it here while surfing for baby patterns before Christmas. I was searching on Ravelry, and many knitters are making the Baby Yoda Sweater, but I like the look of this one, plus it is sized for 6, 12 and 18 months.
I haven't used Mission Falls 1824 cotton before, and I'm not happy with the way my eyelets are so big on the diagonal fronts. I may knit extra I-cord and thread it through those holes just to cover them up. Next time I will remember to snug up the stitch after the eyelet.
I bought this yarn on sale, intending to make a Baby Surprise Jacket, and changed my mind. I had 2 balls of Lentil, and trimmed it with the Olive Green. I have only 20 grams of Lentil left, and I know that's not enough for the sleeves. I plan to divide the leftover yarn, pick up the stitches and knit till I have just enough left to sew the seam. I'll finish in green, and if I'm lucky, it will look like it was a Plan! There will be enough green to make I-cords and then I'm done!
In my opinion, this kimono rivals the 5 hour baby sweater for knitting simplicity, and I like the way it looks! I have three more balls of 1824 cotton, and will probably make another kimono just so I don't have the yarn hanging around. I'm not fond of knitting worsted weight sweaters for babies, but I'm reserving judgement till I actually see the sweater on Bean. I also don't know how this stuff washes and dries. Diametrag is going to be busy enough, she shouldn't have to worry about special washing instructions.

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Sunday, January 20, 2008

Progress on Tofutsies Socks

I turned the heels and have a few rounds done in the cuff. When I looked at the picture, I thought the socks looked a little short, even for me, so I measured them. The rectangle toe folds under so they are actually a bit longer than the photo, but still measure barely 8" from toe to heel. I was concerned this might be too small, and slipped one on this morning. Aaaah, it is a snug fit in a beautiful soft yarn.

Now you can see the colors are gray-toned rather than all brown. In natural light I can see spots of pale aqua in the mix. Diametrag, this is excellent yarn and I love the color! (#807)

I must admit, Tofutsies will split if my attention strays. When I was working the heel flap, I didn't like the way the end stitches stretched. I knit through the back of those loose stitches, and avoided gaps where my heel flap joins the gusset. The heel flap shows very little definition with the k1, sl1 heel stitch. If I make another pair of Tofutsies, I will try giving the knit stitch a twist by knitting in the back.

I like Tofutsies, but wouldn't recommend it for a beginner because it splits easily. I am used to knitting with a thin sock yarn like Opal, and I think Tofutsies is comparable in size. If you are used to knitting with a dk yarn, you may have to make some adjustments to get the correct size in your sock. I'll be very interested to see how it wears and washes. All my handknit socks go through the washer and dryer, I'm not knitting heirlooms, I'm knitting for warm feet.

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