When working with yarn that might bleed, you’re going to want to wash it before you knit to make sure it isn’t going to bleed AFTER you’ve wrestled with it for eons.


Here’s the back story on that priceless tip:
I WAS thrilled with the Vanessa socks and gave them a quick cold bath (I’d let the water sit for a day so it would be cool since it is like 105 degrees out and my tap water is warm). While taking them out of slightly brown water they’d been in less than 5 minutes, I hoped/prayed the yellow would be less green when they dried and tried to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach. No such luck. The colors next to the yellow bled and there was a darkish stain down the middle. I resisted a frustrated cry and wrapped the less than satisfactory socks up for Turtle.
God bless her, she opened them and exclaimed over them like they were the Sistine Chapel. Only a day later when I mentioned the stain during the photo shoot did she even acknowledge it. She agreed that if she didn’t crease them on that line when she washed them, the stain might fade. I offered to overdye them so they’d be semi-solid but she declined, declaring that she still loved them which made me feel worlds better. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why she is now the proud owner of a second pair of socks knit by yours truly.

I delivered the Rainbow Vanessa Socks to Turtle and was happy to spend some quality time with her clan.

Knit socks also make great hats.

I also had a lovely time playing Marco Polo in the pool with my brother and nephews and niece. The gray socks fit my niece; I was so pleased to find them a home with someone I love enough to give hand knit socks to….and it healed my heart to have them go to someone that knows and loves my dad (the intended recipient).

The niece may have a future in sock modeling.

I forced this yarn to stripe/bend to my will and I’m terribly pleased with these socks. But, they no longer make me think of Muppets and Rainbow Connections. Now, they make me think of lessons learned, how happy I am that the person they’re going to LOVES them, and the one time in my life people compared me to a saint.


Pattern: Vanessa antiopa Socks by Hunter Hammersen

Size: Medium

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Solemate
When I hand washed/blocked these socks, they sank like rocks in water. I was surprised by this as my wool socks float. It seems that this yarn (55% superwash merino, 15% nylon, 30% viscose (rayon) fiber that interacts with your body’s microclimate to moderate temperature from being too hot or too cold) does not seem to have the water repelling properties of wool.
Colorway: Rainbow

Mods: The toes should have been all purled, but the giftee and I agreed that we prefer ribbed toes, so the toes match the cuff ribbing.

Needles: 2.5mm for the leg, 2.25mm for the foot


To see what other folks have finished, check out Tami’s Amis, Wisdom begins in Wonder, and Natural Suburbia.