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knit project: gentleman's fancy socks by nancy bush
difficulty (1-5): 1.5
size: modified (64 stitches cast on)
yarn: blue moon fiber arts' socks that rock in cobblestone county
knitting specs: US 1 cir.

another pair of handknit socks. but i have to say, they are the best fitting pair so far. all of my previous socks did not fit as well as they should. kind of disappointing! but this one, with some slight modifications, i found my kind of socks to wear in this coming winter!

i casted on 64 stitches, then with a little bit of maths, i centered the decreases and worked the rest of the socks with 56 stitches (i think, will check notes). it fits beautifully. i still have a lot of yarns left over. one of these days, i need to think of something to make for all those bits and pieces of left over sock yarns in my stash.

some thoughts on "socks that rock" yarn: nicely spun, beautifully variegated and very easy to knit using my addi turbo. i do prefer solid colors though. i like every single color in this variegation but it would be nicer if all of them are in a single, solid color skein! currently my sock yarns are mostly variegated and i have had a hard time matching my yarns with patterns available. i really want to make a pair of cabled or lace socks, with solid colors.

i haven't put them through the wash yet, but i suspect they would be fine with my washer and dryer.

next pair, i think it might either be knee-highs, or continue the fair-isle saga of my norwegian stockings (must conquer fear for fair isle knitting...).

however, i'm a bit itching to start a new sweater project. more specifically, kate gilbert's sunrise circle jacket, with yarns swapped from di (hey di, how's your sunrise circle jacket coming along?!). i'm just a little concerned with the sizing, not sure if i should make it closer to my fit, or with a bit of room. i found that most of my knits were pretty close fitting and sometimes, they are not the most comfortable to wear. i wear my cobalt blue cardi all the time, because it's so roomy and cuddly. my handknit sweaters tend to shrink a bit (with my way of caring, which was less than optimal), so i'm thinking size 37.

posted by blossom at 01:11 PM | Comments (22)

it was mostly snow and rain in montreal when i was there last week. sunday night, after stepping out the restaurant kaizen, we saw snow flurries. by the time we drove back to the hotel, the whole city was blanketed with white powder. but kaizen was so wicked good, i can not stop thinking about the food. next time i'm ordering omakase.

it became pretty apparent second day into the trip that montreal, aside from the conference, was going to be all about food. every single dining experience i've had in montreal had undoubtedly been the best of its kind. aside from kaizen, we also visited zenya. their tuna tartar was so unexpectedly presented and excellent to taste. if you're like me, a sushi lover, you must try the chirashi sushi. the best i've had in my life.

also, otto at the W hotel, hip and modern and oh so delicious. tangerine mojito, smashed blueberry, grapefruit juice and a dash of gin. i love theirs cocktails. love their food, too. such a joy to eat, beautiful to look at. at otto, food was not just a meal, it was a wholesome experience.

the last night in montreal, i met up with a long lost friend at rosalie. we had dessert under the dim light setting and dreamy decor. montreal is a trendy place. so french and so chic, i even forgot about the yarn shops. all i brought back with me was a bottle of maple syrup, and lots of fond culinary memories.

and this completed sock.

posted by blossom at 08:00 AM | Comments (10)

just wondering, if any of my readers are from montreal, canada. i'm going there for a conference this saturday, and i want to see if there's any yarn shops downtown i can get to easily. it's foolish not to get some handmaiden or fleece artist yarns while in the neighborhood, right?! along with a gigantic bottle of maple syrup. i also take any advice or tips for food. that's just as important to me as yarn (and fabric).

the weather has been cold, even in atlanta. sigh! i am digging out my packed sweaters and jackets. cold weather has also inspired me to knit up this skein of sock that rocks yarn. i am almost done with the first sock, it'll be great if i can finish the second one in montreal. that way i will get an extra pair of socks to wear. i never pack enough socks when i travel.

this isnancy bush's gentleman's fancy sock pattern, but it looks more like bubble gums to me.

posted by blossom at 12:39 PM | Comments (17)

my sister in law sent me some studio photos of my niece wearing the purple set. how adorable is this little chubby girl? they also sent me this one with mona kitty, notice kitty's shoes were gone. i think i may have to send her more.

posted by blossom at 04:45 PM | Comments (13)

my favorite spot in central park (click to view).

new york is as sexy as many tv shows and movies had portraited. however, seeing it unfold in front of my eyes was much better, beyond words even. we spent some time last week in new york. we were incredibly lucky as the sky was nearly cloudless. it's spring time in new york. what could be more beautiful than that?

we went to new york for a more realistic reason, not just because it's spring there. still, few days were not enough to catch a glimpse of her magic and charm. i even asked some local knitters for their favorite "only in new york" experiences. in the end, we trekked the city like tourists - picnic in the park, shopping around soho (honestly i was so overwhelmed i did not buy anything), pizza and hot dogs. i even dragged husband across chinatown just for some gelato (totally... worth it). new york was beautiful. it reminds me of london and paris with old architectures amongst the modern ones. but to a non-new yorker, like myself, nothing was more interesting than the people living there.

and i saw van gogh's starry night, up close and personal at the museum of modern art. that alone, was a trip worthwhile.

posted by blossom at 03:00 PM | Comments (7)