Stash Enhancement!

[kniteracy]

[x-posted to brit_knits and my journal.]

In an earlier post to brit_knits, I asked about the reliability and customer service of Angel Yarns, and got quite mixed responses, as you can see from the comments if you read that linked post.

But I have good news! After only a week (counting Saturday and Sunday), my order arrived here in Singapore, which means that it was assembled and gotten in the post, er, post-haste!

Now I have two skeins of Opal silk blend self-patterning sock yarn in delicious colours, and I have six new addi turbo circular needles, two each in 2, 2.5 and 3mm sizes.

One item wasn't included in my order, so I emailed the site about it. I received an answer less than two hours later from the shop owner, who assured me that according to her computer the item (a tasty Sirdar sock kit) was in stock and that barring an inventory discrepancy, she'd get that out to me today as well. :-)

So I'm very happy with the service, and I'll probably be ordering from them again. If folks who had bad experiences had those things happen awhile ago, maybe their order-handling has improved and they might well be worth another try.


Gratuitous project-basket photo, with tantalising glimpses of the new Opal!

Comments

[aunty_marion]

The Opal looks nice, but personally I rather like the stuff you're knitting in for bardling :)))

[telynor.livejournal.com]

You mean that yellow, purple and blue toe poking out of the basket there? :) That's one of those beautiful aloha cast-on toes. I can't wait to show you that when I get back home.

[carrielee.livejournal.com]

Pretttty. I'm just not sure if I'm cut out to knit sox. I tried to finish the pair that I started last fall with you, but when I got to the cuff the sock was too tight. It looks too tight anyway. Plus, I detest the double points. I'm not giving up yet though. Susan just ordered me two size one addis so hopefully if I give it a go with them it'll happen. That sock magic.

[telynor.livejournal.com]

There are lots of ways to make the cuff not-too-tight. I can't remember if we started that toe-up or cuff-down, but I can help you either way. I really prefer knitting with one or two circular needles to dpns, so you may very well see a difference. Let me know how it goes, and hey, post something sometime, whydon'tcha? ;-)

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

Know of any websites or books that have a really nice introduction to sock knitting? I've never done it. I don't know how to do short rows, either. I'd like to start on dpns because I don't knit continental (yet) and most circs have short stiff parts, making it frustrating to knit with right-hand carry aka english.

Oddly enough, I was relieved to find that bamboo circs have bamboo parts long enough for me. I'm knitting a pretty ribbed tank top from Interweave Knits magazine. It's actually one of the more complicated things I've knit, so here's hoping.

[telynor.livejournal.com]

There are several websites that have sock primers, and I can recommend a number of good books, as well. This month's KNITTY (which has a lot of horrible patterns) has this step-by-step sock primer, (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/FEATsocks101.html) but I haven't really looked at it to see how good it is.

I hate to answer a question with a question, but what kind of a learner are you? Do you want just something that will teach you how to make one and only one pair of socks, or do you want to grok socks?

There are many circular needles that have long enough needleparts for me, but they are all of over 24" in length, which is why I love knitting socks on two circulars. Don't worry; I'm not going to try to convert you. Yet.

The best book on the real construction of socks, if you want to do short row heels, is Priscilla Gibson-Roberts Simple Socks, Plain and Fancy. She gives directions for dpns, so reading the instructions will be simple for you and you won't have to convert anything.

If you want to just knit a sock, kathrynt has made a universal sock pattern that is very good-- it's referenced all the time on the knitting community, but I've never used it. Socknitters.com (http://www.socknitters.com) (I am not making this up!) has a number of tutorials that might be just what you're looking for, and on my "What I'm reading" link list you'll find "Toes and Heels," which gives a rundown of just about every kind of sock toe and heel there is in existence.

So really, I suffer from Too Much Trivia disease, here. But let me know how you learn best, and I'll be able to recommend a resource that'll be right up your mental alley.

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

*lol* I plan on knitting on two circs eventually. Mostly because I know I'll have the tendency to knit one sock and then not the other. If I have both going at the same time I'll always end up with both.

I mostly seem to learn best from trying it once with a specific pattern, and then getting an explanation of why everything works the way it does. Aka: first a pattern, then grokking socks. *lol*

I just think it's so neat to be able to knit socks. Lots of people knit hats and scarves. But when I pull dpn's out on public transit, people stare at me like I'm doing goddang rocket science. It's like, sheesh people, it's just a baby hat. I have this pattern memorized. The other thing I like about socks (other than impressing people who don't realize that knitting isn't all that hard) is that they make good presents! My mom doesn't wear a lot of sweaters or hats etc, but she wears socks. And socks don't require so much yarn!