Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Oh, the Koigu Goodness!

Last year, I was lucky enough to win a blog contest on Wendy Knits. The prize: two scrumptious hanks of Koigu KPPPM. This was big--I NEVER win anything!

The yarn never made it to the stash. It flew right out of the mailing envelope and straight onto the needles.



Black Cherry Jaywalkers

Pattern: Grumperina's Jaywalkers from MagKnits
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (color P308, 2 hanks)
Needles: U.S. 2 Clover Bamboo DPNs
Started: 01/15/06
Finished: 04/30/06
Modifications: I shortened the leg, mostly because I like socks with legs just a little higher than ankle socks...but I also was worried about running out of yarn!


This was the second pair of socks I ever knit, the first being a pair of basic ribbed socks knit from Lion Brand Magic Stripes for my grandmother's 2005 Christmas gift. As you might've guessed, I love the Jaywalker pattern. (I have one more pair that I've knit and have yet to blog about!) Even more, I love this yarn. It's so soft and smooshy and an absolute dream to knit with.

This is yet another project I knit while blogless and now have a means to display. They get a lot of wear; I wear them with sneakers, and they put up with a lot of walking. They're perfect for keeping my feet warm while waiting for the train, and best of all, they don't look worn at all.

As for washing them, I started off hand-washing them with a gentle shampoo, rolling them in a towel to get rid of the excess water, and laying them out to dry. Then my husband (who is a total gem because he'll do the laundry while I'm at work before he goes to work at night) threw them in the washer in cold water, delicate cycle, then laid them out to dry. I held my breath and inspected them--no harm done. (He was lucky. I may have had to kill him, and as long as I had a jury of my knitting peers, I would not have been convicted!)

I love these socks. Hopefully, I'll get to wear them again soon. But first, it has to stop hitting 90 degrees everyday. Makes me wonder if fall is ever going to arrive. We can only hope the scarecrow that The Girl, Serena, her hubby, and I made at the Oktoberfest in Germantown, MD, this past weekend will coax the fall air out from its hiding place. (Give it a month or two, and I'll be begging for summer again!)

(We still have to prop up his head, slap a hat on him, and well...remove him from the trunk of the car!)



**Photos Copyright 2007 Serena M. Agusto-Cox**

14 comments:

Serena said...

ah those wonderful socks...i love that pattern as you know and the colors you have made those socks in are great. I love mine also. :D thanks. Just need a certain orangy pair to go with them...yeah that's it.

as for chris the donutman...he better be out of the trunk by the time we get there this weekend...we should prop him up with the cake as recurring theme to freak out your man!

Anna said...

I'm glad you like them! Maybe another pair is in your future...

Well, if the hubby pulls him out of the trunk, he'll get out. I can't lift him by myself.

Serena said...

I'll have to help you and the girl get him out of the trunk...that's no place for a body!

Anna said...

Boy, what are people going to think about this conversation???

Rachel said...

Mmmmm....koigu. There's no going back once you start.

Anna said...

Oh, if the budget allowed, I'd have lots and lots of koigu...

Charlie Chuckles said...

Those socks are gorgeous! I want some!!!

Bethany said...

Those look great, I did not know you knitted socks. I have never used Kogiu, but maybe I should.
Is that a hard pattern? It seems very popular. I am knitting a pair using Tofutsies right now. That is some moody, splitty yarn.

Dawn said...

I'm so jealous! I've only done up-teen pairs of plain ol stockinette because I'm too chicken (and maybe a bit lazy) to do patterned socks! They're gorgeous!! I like the length you made them too, I'm an anklette kind of gal! :)

Anna said...

Jaywalkers are easy, I promise!

Anonymous said...

They look toasty and warm! Congrats on your pretty socks!

Anna said...

Thanks a bunch! It's warm here again...I should've brought them out last week when I had the chance!

Dawn said...

Anna, do the Jaywalker's stretch much? I've been looking for a pattern for a friend for christmas. I checked comments on Ravelry -a few said they didn't like that it wasn't a stretchy pattern but I wonder if it was the yarn they used etc. What do you think? Thanks!!

Anna said...

The Jaywalkers definitely aren't as stretchy as other socks I've knit. I haven't had problems because I was knitting them for me and I tried them on alot while I was knitting. I have another pair I made for myself out of Trekking XXL (I'll have to post the pics eventually) and I didn't really notice any difference between the two pairs.

I did make a pair for my friend for this past Christmas. She requested them, so I just had her measure her feet so I could make sure they fit her. She says the fit fine, and she wears them all the time.

I hope this helps.