Sockalicious!
FO, baybee, FO!!!! I present to you, the long-time-in-the-making Broadripples!
Specs:
Pattern: Broadripple, by Rob Matyska
Yarn: Cascade Fixation, color 9989
Needles: Size 3 Boye DPNs
Time on the needles: Forever (ok. more like four months)
They grace the feet of my lovely roommate Jennifer, because I would rather be taking the photograph than modeling the goods. Control freak, me? Naaaahh. I was actually going for an Interweave Knit kinda photo here, but I was missing, you know, natural light, the perfect stool, a decent camera. In other words, the essentials.
I can't say enough good things about this yarn! (Clearly, because I said them already in this post, near the end.) It will not slide off the needles, not even the cheap-ass, ghetto Boye aluminums I used--you could do the Pee Wee Herman Tequila dance with the UFO sock in your hands, and you will not drop a single stitch! If you're a beginning sock knitter, getting used to DPNs, this is a blessing. And the yarn makes such a nice, springy fabric; the socks hug your feet like they never want to let go. I may wear them all the way through the end of winter (which, here in Austin, will be in about two weeks).
Heather and I have been racing--she with her Flared Lace Smoke Ring, and me with my socks. Olly olly oxen free, Heather! Smoke ring, come out come out wherever you are!
In more socky news, I got my Sockapaloooza Pal info, which I'm sure many of you have, as well. This is my first time participating in the festivities, and I was thrilled to see that my pal is in the U.K.! Alison encouraged us to send with the finished socks a postcard or something from our hometowns, so that got me to thinking about even the kind of yarn I want to use. I saw Hill Country Yarn on Lolly's blog a while ago, and realized that this would the be the perfect yarn.
Now, to choose between colorways. (I just noticed that it takes Discount Yarn Sale 2-3 weeks to ship, so I'd better hustle!) I'm partial to the Bluebonnet and the Pecan Orchard, and found a couple of links that nicely illustrate the inspiration for these. But a friend suggested that it might be fun to send the Longhorns colors to jolly old England. Personally, I think that burnt orange is the most heinous color ever chosen by a school and doesn't flatter anybody, but then I thought...hey! Might be fun. What do y'all think? Be honest!
16 Comments:
Your Broadripples are absosmurfly fantabulous!! I love, love the colorway and the pattern works so well with it Bonus with the Tequila dance, too! ;-) Awesome job!! I think your sock pal is one lucky girl to receive Hill Country Yarn socks from you! You know me, I'm totally partial to the Pecan Orchard, too. For some reason, though, my eye keeps wandering to the golden yellow colorway. I don't even *like* yellow! WTH?! Pretty yarn must mess with your mind like meth or something. To be honest, I'm not really loving the burnt orange, but that's just me. What do I know? I think Kermit Green is divine! ;-) Take care, Miss O! :-)
Yay finished socks! They look great, Olga.
You know, I actually am a fan of burnt orange; I may be deluding myself, but I like it on me! However. It is perhaps an aquired taste? I vote Bluebonnet --especially because it is about to be bluebonnet time, and you could take a zillion pictures to include in the package, or even press and dry and actual bluebonnet! (Not that I would ever suggest desecrating the state flower by plucking it from the gound.)
Although if I may suggest an alternate? That Ruby Red Grapefruit is making my mouth water.)
Oooohhh, I am loving those Broadripple socks!!! However, the picture I really wanted you to post is the one where you are dancing to Tequila!!! (I've been known to spontaniously bust into that one myself . . . but usually not with a half-knit sock in my hand). I'm really gonna need to check out that yarn. I believe I'm getting Hill Country Yarn for Valentine's Day because I sent Pea my wishlist for gift ideas, and when I went in yesterday to make sure I still liked the colors I had picked my wishlist was empty!!! YES - 3 skeins coming my way - though I hate to spoil the surprise. Anyway, I know one is Pecan Grove - I'm really loving that colorway too, so add my vote in with the one Chris left!!
Yay! I'm glad you finished your socks! They look super.
I knew I didn't have a chance at beating you! I've still got like 10 inches to go on the smoke ring. I must bow and kiss your feet. ;)
That sock yarn is pretty stuff. I like the Pecan Orchard colorway. Yummy.
Loving the socks! Personally, I'm partial to white socks. ;-) I can't diss Burnt Orange until my nephew graduates from UT, but if you want a "local" color it's a good choice for Austin.
Beauteous Broadripples!
Re bluebonnet vs. burnt orange, both have their merits - why don't you ask your sock pal?
yay, finished socks! dude, most of my circulars and dpn's are boyes, and i actually have no problem with them. i like that they're metal and the yarn can slide around...much better than some plastic or bamboo thingies i fiddle with every now and then. of course, i love addi circulars but it's such a pain in the arse to have to buy the different sizes and lengths; they should take a cue from the denise people.
ANYWAY, i just had to laugh at the pee wee herman tequila dance comment. that made my day ;) hee hee...
i kinda like burnt orange, much more so than bright orange...just sayin'.
Actually, I like the rubyred grapefruit color. So pretty!
Gorgeous socks! And I'm so glad to hear good things about the Fixation. I've been eyeing some, myself, but have wondered if it affects your gauge at all? (I'm sort of a tight knitter)
And I say knit her some Longhorn socks! 'Cause where else is she ever going to get any? ;) *Okay, the Hill Country Yarn is pretty awesome, too . . .
Seriously smashing socks! I love them! I have some Fixation in the stash ... it may have to be knit up next. (With the Tequila Dance, of course!)
I really, really, really like the Bluebonnet. The Hook Em Horns colorway, not so much. Unless you stalk her blog and realize that she wears brown and orange all the time.
I find it quite disturbing that I continue to read about knitting. Nonetheless, I seem to be drawn. And, I must disagree w/ your dislike for burnt orange.
those are some sexy feet and ankles! ;)
Beautiful broadripples. Love the colorway. Tell all your fixation friends, that it is fun to knit with, but an uncomfortable wear. Truly. Nothing like some nice superwash wool. Fixation actually hurts my heels when I wear it. Sorry. Just my experience. I ve heard it from others as well.
Nice Broadripples... they look great! I really like burnt orange - I think the UT colors, for instance, are really tasteful. Much better than my own grad alma mater, Illinois, whose colors are navy blue and signal-flare orange. yeck.
Hey Olga!
Thanks for your encouragement! I'm plugging away, but you're most definitely right about the OCD. Not that I have it, mind you, but the thing with knitting is that what you're doing is within your control, so letting it go is not an option. "It is in my power to fix it, so I'm gonna fix it even if tears of frustration run down my face in the process."
I never complimented you on your Broadripples but I admire them every time I stop by. Congrats! They look wonderfully funky! With any luck you guys will have a little more cold so you can justify wearing them just a smidge longer!
Be honest, eh?
All right, fine.
One time I threw up in your car. I like to kick cats. I never vote. I sometimes don't flush and I never wash my hands. And while we're at it, I don't really care for knitting all that much. I buy my socks at Target. They're a beautiful off-white.
Wait, why did I join this knitting web-ring anyway?
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