Friday, December 2, 2011

Fiber Arts Friday: Paralympic Medal Socks

I've been saying for more than two years that you might be inspired when reading through the Fiber Arts Friday Blog Posts.  Well, back in July I was inspired to make a very specific project.

This post by AllyB included a pair of socks that just about knocked me over.  She referenced this post by ScoutJ for the custom yarn used to make the project.

Well, with it being more than a year since the original yarn post, it was no longer available and I didn't find anyone on Ravelry willing to part with theirs.

So being a recovering engineer, I can usually find a way to get something done...  I Facebooked a friend who is a knitter and dyer along with many other wonderful creative things and told her about my idea.
Seriously, as much as Facebook frustrates me, I can almost always reach someone there.
She liked it, so we set about on the details.

The yarn was finished in October.  We made arrangements for me to pick up the yarn and then I worked furiously to finish My (well, Hubba's) First Socks.


The big secret that I didn't tell you about before is that those first socks were really a template for these socks.  :-)


I wanted to be certain I had a pattern that worked for him, but I couldn't let him know about the real project until it was ready.  I finished them right before he got home from Guadalajara so I decided to give them as a welcome home present.  :-)

He's pretty stoked!  Especially since his first socks have gone on their own adventure.

So again, I used the Sock It To Me pattern plus the amazing Olympic Colorway from Wattsolak.
If you  like what we did, please visit her on Etsy, Ravelry and Wattsolak.com.  I'm sure you will love her as much as I do.  :-)

And when you're done doing that, please head over to Wisdom Begins in Wonder because it's Fiber Arts Friday!

18 comments:

pinkundine said...

They look fab :) I love the Olympic Medal colours idea, and looks like you got a perfectly dyed yarn to do it :)

Annie said...

These look so wonderful knit up! I have to admit I was second guessing the dye job until I saw your FO!

Kathryn Ray said...

@Annie - I was in love with the yarn from your first photo. Hubba accidently put the socks thru the wash... I had little seizure, but they came thru perfectly!

Dutch Hollow said...

Fun colors! Hope he enjoys them.

Melissa said...

Very nice!

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi Kathryn! What a lovely sock story and so beautiful socks! I love your idea for the colours!
Have a great weekend!

Voie de Vie said...

See, and you just whipped up a new pair, pronto. :)

Great job - and that's a neat colorway. What were you afraid of when Hubba put them in the wash?

Tamara Miller said...

What a sock story. Colorful and comfy looking socks!

Kathryn Ray said...

@VdV - I was afraid the colors would run, they would felt, shrink or completely fall apart... you know, all the little things that could go wrong with a hand-knit, hand-dyed, wool item.

Whew, I'm so happy they're still perferct. :-)

Vivian said...

That's some fast fingers! the socks look great, love the colors!

I have to laugh about those adventurous socks. Hope they are having some serious fun with some famous Olympian ;-)

Kathryn Ray said...

hahaha, fortunately these were mostly done when his other socks went on their adventure. :-)

Kathryn Ray said...

... with thier famous Olympian. :-)

Spinster Beth said...

The yarn reminds me of butternut squash ... very lovely! You are making me want to cast on socks, but I must resist!

WonderWhyGal said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors and the socks. I am so happy that you have these done especially since he lost his first pair.

AllyB said...

That made me have a tear on my eye. I love that you loved that yarn and that your version was made for such a noble cause. Your dyer is a wizard and the socks look great! Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Kathryn Ray said...

@AllyB - I didn't mean to make you cry.

Andria said...

What a great post, and wonderful socks! I'll bet your husband was really please after the first one went walkabout.

Alittlebitsheepish said...

Love them, they look like super socks and a great colour scheme.