Color Me Pink?

You know it's a strange day when I'm knitting pink and Margene is spinning green.....
I'm so not a pink person, but it has been fun stepping outside of my usual box....not only in the colorway, but the sock yarn blend.

It appears that the only flowers seen around in these parts lately are of the florist variety, but I thought this little Gerber Daisy looked so Springy against this finished silk stocking?  Of course the sock truly isn't silk, it's a tencel blend, but is surely shines like silk.

Last week someone mentioned to me that they thought of plastic when they thought of anything tencel, and I have to admit, I kinda felt the same way.  Having finished this sock though, I am rethinking that opinion.  The knitted sock is firm, yet very soft, cushy and very wool like in the way it feels on one's foot.  I can definitely see more socks being knit here in this blend.

Thank you for your encouraging words about my tangled mess.  A lesson in patience was learned once again the hard way.   Do you think that I was patient enough however to finish the second silk stocking before diving into this yarn??  Of course not...LOL.

For as many years as I have been spinning, I have never set about using my handspun for a pair of socks.  Seeing the beautiful socks on Crown Mountain Farms website, however lured me in.  I was concerned that I was not going to be able to get this superwash spun fine enough for a fingering weight sock yarn, but what I ended up with is a yarn that is almost too finely spun.  I will knit this pair of socks up, but with the remaining four ounces, I think I will aim for a bit thicker yarn, but still tightly spun for another pair of socks.

I love watching this sock evolve....the colors and the textures of handspun in a sock are wonderful! I'm thinking there will be lots more handspun socks happening here this year too.
What are your favorite types of wool to spin for socks?

Comments

[Laurie]

Lovely socks! I'm liking wearing the tencel/merino socks (Ellens HalfPint). They are a perfect midweight, and I forgive them the ladders that form (more than with plain wool). Gives me something to work on.

I'm impressed with spinning your own sock yarn. I have some blends for that but haven't tackled it. I did try spinning merino tencel top from Cloverleaf Farms, but it was very very titchy. I put it aside.

[Cheryl]

I am a huge fan of tencel! It adds a lot of luster and drape. It's like the poor man's silk!

[anne]

thanks for telling about the tencel/merino blend for socks. i have some left from another project and didn't think it would make nice socks, but now i'm going to try it!

[Angela]

My mom is weaving some scarves with hand-dyed tencel, and it's lovely! Not at all plastic.

[Wool Winder]

I find myself attracted to the same colors all the time. Good for you for trying a color you normally wouldn't. It's a pretty shade of pink and the socks are beautiful.

Your homespun socks look great. I think BFL is very popular for socks.

[Lynne]

Um, I love pink...I think they are just beautiful, Kim!

[Teyani]

woo hoo - a sock is born! Looks like you are doing a wonderful job (and the spinning looks amazing btw)
This sueprwash tends to like to bloom a bunch when you knit it, so I'm guessing that it is spun just right :-)
cool merino-tencel sock too.
my fav for socks? hmmm, right now I'd say superwash (since I hate hand washing socks)

[Vickie]

I love the pic of the second sock. The colors are stacking up nicely. I can't wait to see the finished product. Since I am new sock knitter choosing a favorite sock yarn is really easy. I love wool. I knit a second pair of socks with a cotton blend and they feel different than the wool socks. I am sure I will be trying different kinds, but so far wool has it.

[Donna]

I love the handspun sock! I have got a gorgeous skein of merino/tencel sock yarn here that you're making me wnat to start now :)

[Marisol]

I probably will not get around to spinning for quite some time. But I do have several skeins of Teyani's sock hop yarn! I really do need to cast on for a pair of handspun!

The pink socks are beautiful!

[Carole]

I haven't knit handspun socks yet but I've got several hanks of Teyani's fiber so I know this is in my future.

[Mary Ellen Dadds]

I do love the handspun sock your doing.
That is really lovely.
Dont suppose your going to Maryland for the May sheep and wool festival?
Mary Ellen

[elizabeth]

My favorite is probably BFL but the next time I'll make it three ply. The wool/mohair blend from Sheep Shed is also nice and makes a strong, tight fabric. I need to get back to knitting socks!

[Kathy]

That pink socks is so springy! And I love the handspun -- I am looking forward to making some too.

[Ruinwen]

Your socks are so pretty! I love the pattern on the pink on and the taxi is really knitting up lovely. :)

[Anne]

The sock pink and the flower pink match soooo perfectly! I really like CVM for socks - bouncy, but still soft, harder-wearing than some other fine wools, but not stiff or scratchy. I've also had good success with some finer Cheviot and Montadale.

[margene]

Oooo, pink! LOVE the way the Big Yellow Taxi turned out and so happy for you that it wasn't a worse mess. I'm still trying as many wools as I can for socks...not sure which I like best so far!

[Emma]

I love your pink sock. Of course, I love pink, so it only makes sense!