First, thanks for all the comments yesterday. I *heart* knitblogworld. :-) I wish I hadn't been neglecting it so much lately! But I've been knitting, the tiniest bit, I swear. Unlike Kristi, my version of spinning doesn't involve a wheel or turning fiber into yarn. Instead, I've been obsessed with rpm. You see, before Knitty goes live, the designers get to see a pre-live version of the site which includes all the patterns from the other designers. This is, seriously, a big perk of contributing to Knitty. In any case, I got hold of the link sometime last week and instantly fell in love with rpm by the one and only sockpr0n. The simplicity, the awesomeness, the swirls! I wanted to cast on RIGHT AWAY.
Unfortunately, the only thing that was up were the pictures and the title, so no directions. I must have tried to reload the pattern every ten minutes, waiting for someone at Knitty to put it up so I could start. I finally gave up the waiting two days later and decided to try reverse engineering it from the pictures. The swirl looked like a knit/purl combo, but I couldn't figure exactly how many knits and how many purls. I settled on p2 k6 and this is what I got:
The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in an Earthtones colorway that I scored from Full Thread Ahead:
I love the swirls. As soon as I made the connection between the record in the photograph, the swirling stitch pattern, and the pattern name, "You spin me right round, baby, like a record, baby, right round round round " started going continuously through my head as I knit it. I was sooooo happy when the pattern went up and I discovered:
- The Dead or Alive song is the first thing in the pattern description!
- My reverse engineering isn't that far off. I was doing p2 k6 instead of p3 k6 and using thinner yarn (cast on 64, started with 2x2 rib), but overall similar enough that I'm not frogging my rpm-wannabe.
- "Weave in ends and oscillate wildly." Heehee. Heeheehee! I have every Smiths album on CD. I have all of Louder than Bombs and Strangeways Here We Come memorized. When I saw the picture of the record cover, I was all "Which album is that? I don't have it! What is it?!" Then I looked it up and saw it was a single and felt relieved. Though really, the idea of another Smiths album would be really exciting. I remember when I bought the Smiths videos on DVD because I needed MORE SMITHS. Ah, if you want to see the height of Morrissey's self-infatuation, there's a good place to start. I love the video where his face is superimposed on top of... his own face, and the lips get closer and farther away. It's utterly fascinating.
Anyway, that's all. I love this sock. It has the perfect combination of mindless, but not too mindless. Exactly what I need right now. I leave you with a close-up of the stitch pattern:
Wow! I love your designs. Your Baudelaire socks are to die for...hands down the best and classiest sock design I've seen out there. I've never knit a pair of socks in my life but this pattern may very well make me a sock knitter. Now, off to look for some suitable yarn...
Posted by: Becky at July 6, 2006 1:22 PMI was a really big Smiths fan when I was in high school. I remember being that age where my friends and I were old enough to drive but not old enough to have any where to go so we would drive around belting out the words to Smiths songs. I still listen to them and if a song comes on the radio who ever is in the car with me better watch out (cause me singing loud with a britsh accent is probably not pleasant!). :)
I've made your last two patterns and enjoyed them so looking forward to the Baudelaire. Just not sure about the gauge and what yarn I'll use.
Posted by: bridget at July 6, 2006 5:47 PM