The best way to disolve yarn stash is to knit gifts for friends. Odette has been a grand succès and I get loads of requests. Combined two variegated yarn and it turned out wonderfully :)

You're probably fed up seeing my feet but the bad news is that if I am not fed up knitting socks, you'll be seeing them more :)

I still have a good stock of sock yarn ... This one is hand-dyed / hand spun and the pictures do not really reflect the beauty of it. Was purchased from an eBay seller about six years ago.

In the mean time ... Both pairs successfully completed. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn. The patterns are from "Überlieferte Strickmuster Aus Dem Steirischen Ennstal" by Maria Erlbacher ( aka Bavarian Twist ).

Now, a few words for the so called yarn ... High quality and great to knit with. But on the other hand quite expensive to buy two skeins for a pair of socks when there are more color alternatives to invest. My critic is why they would not produce a reasonable skein weight so you need not buy a second one which will leave a significant amount of waste yarn behind. Because these yarns are variegated, there are not much alternatives to combine in harmonious colors in an other project. The skeins are less than 60 grams which is not enough for a short cuff/leg pair of socks. I would not have minded paying a couple more dollars rather than having have to end up knitting one of the pairs' toe from another brand yarn. You'll see the picture below. Not fun!

And for the first time - after all the knitting years - managed to break a bamboo DPN ... Luckily, one end was longer enough to handle the divided stitches. Shaped it up with a nail file :)

FOX PAWS by Xandy Peters

Wow ... What a challenge! The original pattern is five repeats with fingering weight yarn. I reduced it to three cause I am using a thicker ~ acrylic ~ yarn. Plus, this is a test knit. I used whatever was left from Yack Blanket. It not as complicated as it appears but needs a lot of attention and concentration. Very pleased with the way it turned out. I want to call this color palette Peacock in an Autumn Garden.

Odette again ... This time with variegated yarn ... Knitted for a friend :)

Now ready to wear ... If I remember right, the scarf's raw silk yarn was from Madagascar. I had bought in it in France during Fete en Auiguilles some years ago. The edging is Mexican Lace. 

More photos from previous posts HERE and HERE :)

The rose brooch is needle lace with naturally died silk. Bought from Ödemiş, an Aegean town

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Just saw this hanging behind the door now and realized forgot to mention this wrap if I may call it. It was knitted some time between the berets.

Besides increasing stitches, I think I had used about four bigger size needles.

The wrist warmers are ready. Quick to knit ... They'd make a good last minute gift!

If you're not happy with them, you might as well use them as ear warmers ha ha!

Having dissolved most of the hibernating projects, managed to pile up more. Just can't stick to one project for long, while my mind is full of new adventures. Very flighty of me!

I'd call myself an intermediate knitter. However, recently I have dived into modifying patterns or coming up with ideas. These ideas are from what has already been discovered, tried and true but that I use them in a different way.

One of them is a toe-up sock with Turkish cast on. I shall talk about the detail later when I proceed with what I got inspired to form the heel. There will not be a second pair. Just this one. The demo sock :)

The other recent goody is a wrist warmer. Again I used an existing pattern but modified it significantly. Luckily, I have a nice friend who appreciates my little adventures which gears me up to finish rather than drop them aside until next century or so.

These are some attempts for the edging. I ended up modifying and using a ruffle but these antique knitting designs were enjoyable to play around. They were quite big though I used lace-weight yarn. Thus dropped.

This is the coquette I talk about. The cat too is coquette :)

And ta-ta-taaa ... Off to knitting the other pair!

Hmm ... Had totally forgotten to mention this one. This lacy edging is for an Indian scarf and has always been an escort whilst traveling. Can hide the DPNs in one of my pockets and get away with the security check at the airports. Now that I do not travel as often, this should be the next to complete before I plunge into a new knitting adventure.

The yarn is DMC Coton Floche a Broder ~ Size 14 (Taupe) ... I had bought a set of them in their original box from an auction. The box looks real old. Probably one of the earliest production.

Progress today with the Mexican Lace scarf ... The pattern is thirty-rows and each row is different. Needs super-attention but a lot of fun indeed.

Next project is to complete the Mexican Lace scarf which was also started last year. Unfortunately, the powder pink yarn did not make it again for the second time. The first project was a complex one that I had designed myself but unraveled when it was about to finish when I found a loose stitch on one of the sides :(

Before I forget, this was also started some time in August last year and finally got completed a couple weeks ago; happily residing in one of the drawers :) The yarn is organic cotton (color 41115 - Susan) and I very much enjoyed knitting it.

It is a difficult color to capture with the camera. The photos above are very close. It is like DMC 500. The picture below is to show the stitch pattern (double moss), does not reflect the right color. Neckline is crab stitch (crochet).

Update October 2015 ... The neckline is a beautiful crochet technique but not suitable for this sweater. I decided to change and am happier now :)