FO Friday- N socks

Another pair of alphabet socks that almost didn't make it to their FO Friday post in the two week window I like to give them. This time it was because of the tour de fleece taking up most of my crafting time (loving that spinning!), but thanks to knit night yesterday they made it, here they are, fresh from grafting the toes!

Pattern: Noviembre by Helena Fernandez (English version)

Yarn: Lang Jawoll Magic Degrade in a super rainbow colour

Needles: 2.25mm

Mods: worked over 70sts as using thinner yarn than suggested. Picked up a couple of stitches in the corners of the heel to close the gap and increase the foot circumference.

I decided to go with the pattern and do short row heels on this, normally I would switch it for a simple heel flap as my first pair of short row heel socks were disappointing. I followed the instructions in the pattern, which double wraps the stitches and am really pleased with the end result. Depending on how comfy they are to wear I might be a convert.

Since the heels went so well I also went with short row toes for the first time ever (it is all about learning new things!). They are fine, no harder than the heel to work, but I probably wouldn't bother again. They really don't look that different to a round toe and take much longer, plus you get an odd bit of colour under the toes.

The stitch pattern looks great when it is done but Oh boy is it boring! If it was worked over the suggested 56sts in a thicker yarn you might not be ready to poke yourself repeatedly with the needles by the time you drag yourself to the finish line, but worked over 70sts I was definitely over it by the end of the second sock. It needs concentration, so you can't just watch TV and get on with it, but it is not exciting enough to keep you interested (note- I didn't actually poke myself with the needles, well, not deliberately).

I now feel a bit like I am being mean, I love the FO, I just wouldn't work it over such a big stitch count ever again.

Yarnwise the colours are fantastic, my niece picked this out for my birthday and I have to say she has super taste- I love rainbows!

I am not a huge lover of singles yarns, they tend to be very fluffy, which although soft makes it hard to see stitch patterns. I should also probably have worked these with a 2.5mm needle as the fluffiness plus tight gauge makes them feel a little felty. Upsides are softness, colour and it is not overly splitty for a single.

FO Friday- Nessie

I am going to start today's post by apologising for the lousy pictures, just like the real Nessie she is suprisingly hard to photograph!

Pattern: Loch Ness Monster by Hansi Singh from Amigurumi knits

Yarn: Green Yarn Yard Croft held double, overdyed purple Arucania Ranco

Needles: 2.25mm dpns (although it is actually knit flat with short row shaping.

Mods: Lots!

The belly was a nightmare, you are meant to pick up stitches from tail to chin and work it across, after trying four times I managed it, but when I came to graft it together it made the neck twist, and not just a little bit, right round Exorcist style! So I ripped it out and made a separate belly section, details of what I did are on my Ravelry project page.

I also made a mistake on the fins but it turned out ok so I repeated the mistake on all of them plus made the back fins smaller. Those details are on my project page too.

This was meant to be a scrap down, it did use up some sock yarn leftovers but it was definitely not a quick project, I am pleased with how she came out though so she is now standing guard over my fish tank.