Noro Sock Yarn

Noro Sock Yarn
Are they not three of the most beautiful words in the English language? I mean to ask you, what's not to like in that equation? Yarn? I love yarn! Socks? Me likes knitting socks! Noro? Pfff! Don't be silly, of course we love Noro!

This wonderful yarn hit the shop last Thursday, and first thing Friday morning I was in there laying my hands on a few skeins. Since making a couple pair of socks lately for Christmas gifts, I have fallen in love with sock-knitting all over again. My first project when getting back to knitting was a pair of socks. I remember sitting on the bed at my sister's house that night with a ball of yarn, a set of dpns, and a book on knitting open in my lap so that I could figure out what the heck to do with all that stuff. At the moment I have 1.5 projects to knit, or design and knit for upcoming January classes, and as soon as those are off my plate in the next week I am diving into a pair of socks with this wonderful new yarn. Lynn had a sock on the needles that same day.already

The Kureyon sock yarn has a total of approximately 450 yards of yarn to it's 100 gram balls, so there is plenty in one skein to make a pair of socks. The fiber content is 70% wool, 30% nylon which should wear well and give lots of spring to the fiber. It is a handwashable yarn - socks like these are worth a swish in the sink.

The other day, someone on one of the knitting lists was asking which element other knitters find first - the pattern or the yarn - (several people answered simply, 'Yes!') and my answer was: whichever one I see first. If I see a yarn that I love, I'll buy it, even if I don't know yet what it will grow up to be. If I see a pattern that I love, I'll start with that, and then find the yarn that works for it.

In this case it was definitely a yarn-first deal, I knew I would have no problems finding a pattern that works for the type of long color changes that Noro yarns are known for. Then last night, flipping again through the Interweave Knits Holiday 2007 issue, I saw the Annetrelac Socks, and knew that this would be the first thing I try with this yarn. I love my Lady Eleanor that I made with Noro Silk Garden in entrelac, and I can picture that Noro Kureyon sock yarn would be perfect for this type of pattern. The KnittingZone also has a downloadable entrelac sock pattern called Basket Case Socks that would probably work wonderfully for a sock yarn such as this.

I can see myself altering either of those patterns to get my ideal, but at any rate, these are going to make some gorgeous socks, and would be equally as wonderful for wrist warmers - good last-minute Holiday gifts!

As a last note - a reminder that Old Pueblo Knitters, our local knitting guild, is having it's December meeting tomorrow, Thursday that 20th, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Philip's Church at River and Campbell. There will be a Holiday gift exchange - something small - a potluck (Desi asks that we not all bring deserts!) and a baby shower for Tia. Guests are always welcome, and hopefully I'll see you there!