Cable-icious

Although I’ve always loved cables, I was very surprised when I found out that I’ve actually been using it so often the past couple of months. It’s like cables have taken over my life! Not that that’s a bad thing, of course, but it does make me very grateful that I learned how to cable without a cable needle last year!

To begin, my finished pair of Eunice socks that turned out quite lovely, if I do say so myself:

They turned out very well (though a little small for me as they were a gift for my mom – who absolutely LOVED them!!!) and the subtlety of the colors really lent the sock a nice touch! Plus, the cashmere in the Casbah makes these socks incredibly soft to the touch – it feels wonderful on the feet.

Pattern – Eunice by Cookie A. (rav link | project link)
Yarn – Handmaiden Casbah Sock in Ivory (rav link | store I used)
Needle – US1 (2.25mm)
Cast on – July 5, 2009
Cast off – July 27, 2009
Modifications – None

Next up is a very very quick knit that turned out really beautiful and was so much fun to make! Plus, how can you not love the wave-like cables?

I call them my Purple People Eater Nalus and they only took me about 10-12 hours, came from a FREE pattern and only took up 133 yards of yarn. Honestly, how much better can you get? It’s a wonderful last-minute gift and this particular pair went to my cousin who just turned 17.

Pattern – Nalu Mitts by Leila Raabe (rav link | project link)
Yarn – Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock in Tanzanite (rav link | store I used)
Needle – US4 (3.5mm)
Cast on – August 15, 2009
Cast off – August 18, 2009
Modifications – None

And for yet another pair of socks, here are my Sunshine Socks made in the amazing Wollmeise Sockenwolle (yes, Wollmeise again… have I mentioned how much I love this yarn?):

I would have loved to take pictures outside (so you can see the true BRIGHTNESS of this yarn), but it was raining that whole weekend and now I’m much too lazy to actually go and retake pictures… but you can get an idea for the awesomeness of these socks… and of the yarn!

They were incredibly easy to make and so fast too! I took a lot of time off from knitting them but actual knitting time per sock was just a day or two! Plus, don’t you just love a twinkle of sunshine on a gloomy day? 😉

Pattern – Sunshine by Cookie A. (rav link | project link)
Yarn – Wollmeise 100% Sockenwolle in Safran (rav link | store I used – destash from Rav member)
Needle – US1.5 (2.5mm)
Cast on – August 6, 2009
Cast off – August 29, 2009
Modifications – None

The last (I swear it’s the last!) cabled project is still a WIP and probably will be for a while yet… it’s currently the slowest project I have yet to do (and I’ve made some doozies!) because of the endless cabling, the freaking twisted stitches (all knit stitches are twisted!) and the fingering weight yarn! It’s a great yarn, and I’m enjoying the way the hat is coming out, but man-oh-man am I ready to be finished with it.

I’m actually a little farther along on the hat now (about 50% done) and hope to be finished by the end of the month… I just can’t work on this more than 2 rows at a time or I swear my eyes will cross!

Isn’t the yarn pretty, though (second pic much more true to life)? I’m test-knitting the yarn for a new store (Stitch Sisterz, go check them out!) and not only do I love how it feels, it has beautiful stitch definition as I’m sure you can see above.

And that’s all for cables from me… for now! I mean, I do still love cabling, I’m just surprised how much of it I’ve done lately without really intending to be a cable-whore at all! It’s funny how I tend to migrate towards certain things without meaning too… first I went through my blue phase, then my green phase (still in it actually) and now a cable phase! I wonder what’s next in store for me….

What phases (knitting or otherwise) have you been through lately?