A Knitter’s Blog

My good friend, Nancy Mcfarlane, knit this pair of socks to test my Right-Cross Lace pattern.

I love the way in which this particular pair displays the JoJoland Melody. Melody is a variegated fingering/sock weight yarn. Some colors are 100% wool and others are machine washable wool.

We like the machine washable wool for socks.

I first saw JoJoLand yarn at Stitches Midwest 2006. It was love at first sight. The color combinations are glorious. The long lengths between color changes is an added bonus for me. There is never any pooling.

The yarn is actually plyed with two colors in each colorway length. Looking at the ball of yarn, one would think that the knitted fabric would be tweed-like. However, the colors blend together when the fabric is produced creating ever so subtle color changes.

Of course, I could not leave Stitches without several balls in my bag. I was so excited by the yarn, that I had to buy a set of needles at Stitches also. I started a pair of socks while riding home in the car knowing that I could generate a pattern for the heel and the foot with Sock Wizard when I arrived home.

The first sock was a dream to knit. When I was ready to start the second sock, I was flummoxed, frustrated and confused. In the past, when I had used self striping or self patterning yarn, I always started the second sock at the same place in the colorway that I started the first sock.

I think I unwound the whole ball of yarn, and couldn’t figure out how to start in the same place. I then remembered that not everyone in the world is as obsessive as I. It finally hit me. Listen to the yarn. I did. I rewound the ball and started knitting.

I couldn’t believe the end result. Although the socks don’t match, they do! I still don’t understand it. Look closely at Nancy’s pair. You will see that there are subtle differences in colors on the legs and the feet. There are different intervals in the striping. Yet, when the socks are on a pair of feet, they look like they are a pair. How can that be? Different but the same.

I love this feature of Melody. I no longer worry about matching anything. I don’t even look to see on which color the ball started. I just start knitting.

Filed under: Projects, Sock Wizard by cwulster