Knitting my Rainbow Connection

I'm obsessed with rainbows. I can't get enough of them. I'm hoarding skeins of rainbow yarn like it will insure world peace through the end of time. Rainbow yarn = endless happiness. I'm just sure of it. Did I hear you snicker? Just look at these socks and tell me the 12 year old girl deep inside you didn't just hug her stuffed unicorn and smile knowing everything is going to all right. Nothing bad can happen in the presence of a rainbow. A drawer full of rainbow socks are my new insurance policy against the big bad world. Hey, they're softer than whiskey and firearms, so I'm rolling with this plan.

I'm tired of dressing like every other sad middle aged adult. I'm tired of black and conservative cookie-cutter clothes. I want hand-knits custom made for me and rainbow socks!

This yarn is a dream to work with. It's so squishy, and has lovely stitch definition. These are probably my favorite fitting and feeling socks I've knit to date. I absolutely love them. 

Yarn: Manic Pixie Dream Yarn in the Zooey base; 80 SW Merino/20 nylon

Colorway: Cloudy with a Chance of Rainbows

Pattern: Pin Striped Socks by Julia Swart

I also wanted to share some of my new favorite things:

This is the most ingenious little stitch/row/repeat counter EVER...

This is by KaratStix on Etsy. She makes all sorts of wonderfully hand crafted knitting accessories. You can also see my Kitchener Stitch key chain, which I cannot ever finish socks without. But let's talk about the Counter. This thing is genius. It comes with 8 little pegs with multi-colored rings so you can keep track of multiple stiches, rows and repeats all at the same time! What!?! I know! And it's so stinkin' cute. She burns the images into the wood, so they are not going to rub off. All of her products are extremely well made. I've used this for my latest socks and it is such an awesome system. Yes, at 5 1/4"x 6" it's a bit bigger than most stitch counters, but it does so much more. LOVE, love, love it!

Here's the flip side of the key chain. How cute are those sheep? I'm all for plastic mass produced knitting accessories when you need to get the job done, but when I can buy well made, cute, hand crafted accessories, they are going to win my heart and money every time. So cute and Karen is lovely! I really need a 4" x 4" gage counter next.

Now check these out. Yes, I have the cardboard tube DPN holder/protectors, and they work fine. But they are big and bulky and take and take up a lot of real estate in my project bag. These are the bomb!

 These clever DPN holders are by Pokdej on Etsy. The are sewn fabric with snaps. So simple, soft and flexible. Smart design that really works great. They fit so much better my small sock project bags. Plus I knit my socks in tandem--two at a time simultaneously. Yes, I use DPNs, and I'll knit one cuff, then the other, then the leg on #1, leg #2, etc. That way I get perfectly identical socks. I can remember if I modified one or started/stopped at a particular place in the pattern or the yarn color repeat, and in the end I finish the pair of socks on the same day. I always close my toes up at in the same sitting. So, I always have two sets of DPNs in my bag at all times, and need two sets of DPN holders in my bag, and these fit smashingly. I HIGHLY recommend them! Grab yourself some. She's lovely and ships super fast.  

And now for your moment of Zen:

Wishing you much peace, love & wool,

Heather