Celtic Cast On

It’s a new month with SKA and a new mystery sock! This months sock it a fair isle design by Chrissy Gardiner. I’ve been queuing fair isle sock patterns since I took the plunge into colour work with Opus last year.

This months challenge was the perfect opportunity to give fair isle socks a go knowing I’d have a whole group of people to help me out if I got stuck.

I’ve completed clue one on the first sock and plan to get started on the second sock as soon as possible so I don’t get behind. I think they’re going to be pretty!! I’m really challenging myself this month by knitting not one but two designs! Here’s a little sneak peak at what I’ll be casting on for soon.

The colour work bug has arrived!!!

I’m so excited to share my next project with you.  I have wanted to try Fair Isle for MANY years but have always shied away from this “scary” technique. Pat and Elinor have inspired me for years with their beautiful projects and many of  Elinor’s original designs are waiting in my queue to be knit.

In December I started a binder with a collection of  patterns I wanted to knit in 2009. I was determined that 2009 would be the year I would learn fair isle and added a few stranded patterns to the collection. So determined  in fact that I put a colourwork beret at the top of my list and decided it would be my first knit of 2009.

Well………… its now the end of October 2009 and I FINALLY mustered up the guts to give this fair isle gig a go.

I must say I was fretting for nothing! Once I got the hang of knitting with both hands I was flying. I didn’t seem to have any trouble with tension either, which was surprising.  It all just seemed to flow so wonderfully.

Pattern: Opus Spicatum by Kate Gagnon

Yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool in grey mix and plum heather

Needles: 4mm and 5mm

Start Date: October 22nd 2009

Finish Date: October 23rd 2009 

Every time I put it down to tackle something else all I could think about was picking it back and knitting some more. It didn’t take me long to finish and it was sooo much fun. Addictive would be an understatement.

This pattern comes out quite small, mine was a perfect beanie when I cast off but I was dreaming  more along the lines of a slouchy beret. I blocked it over a dinner plate and volia, instant slouchy beret!

I’m already thinking about my next fair isle project and I’m excited that I no longer have to sit and drool over all those colourwork sweaters and cardigan’s. You better believe I’ll be knitting one of those before long!

Opus and my owl mitts completes my “grey” set of accessories. On to the next!

Pattern: Give a Hoot by Jocelyn Tunney

Yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool grey mix

Needles: 4mm and 5mm

Start Date: October 19th 2009

Finish Date: October 21st 2009

Mods: I had to add about 8 plain rows before I started to decrease for the top in order for them to fit me. They also benefit greatly from a good blocking before wearing.