Swatcheroo!

Thanks everyone for the helpful comments about swatching for socks! As I more or less expected, there were almost as many methods (or nonmethods!) as there were commenters. Catherine reminded me that it's easy to do a small swatch when you use the Magic Loop method. Debi had a cute idea for a draft doggie made of connected socks swatches. Debi has an amazing tutorial on Turkish cast-on on her blog. (She's also done tutorials on beaded knitting and kitchener stitch for sock toes. Check it out!) Several people don't swatch for socks at all. They're in good company -- according to her intro in Knitting on the Road, sock guru Nancy Bush just starts the sock and rips if her gauge is off.

I just (re)bought this book today. Several months ago, in an eBay frenzy, I sold this book, thinking to myself -- Admit it, Laura, you are just not going to be a sock knitter. What was I thinking?! Ah well, that was BB -- before blogging. Anyway, I've read so many raves about this book from Sock Knitters in the Know that I decided I really needed to have it. So many beautiful socks! I really want to do Friday Harbor, Conwy, Whitby, and Unst. (I'm a little afraid of Unst.) I give Ms. Bush super mad bonus points for the handy chart o' sock yarns in the front. All that information would make substituting yarns a cinch.

I also found a copy of the new IK mag, knitscene. I expected it to be like VK's knit.1 but the projects are generally much nicer and prettier. That being said, there are some things here that I would never knit or wear. Prime example: the "Sleeveless Vest." You may know "Sleeveless Vest" by its other name -- "Tube Top." Kind of reminds me of "Not Prunes But Dried Plums." Knitscene features a goodly amount of novelty yarn, but there are plenty of projects using traditional fibers. There are a couple of nice-looking men's sweaters, too, and some crochet projects. Bottom line: fun eye candy in the IK tradition.