Belvedere

Posted on | May 11, 2008 | 19 Comments

I attempted an indoor shoot of my new socks yesterday in the afternoon light, but someone decided to be a camera hog:

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This was actually quite an unusual turn of events. Middy is usually quite prissy & standoffish when I pull out the camera, but since I was using stealth mode (aka the camera remote) she didn’t seem to notice that she was actually working it for an audience – since you all don’t see evidence of our other four-footed child very often, I thought you might enjoy. This may be my new strategy in snapping pictures of the Middy-cat-o! We took a time out for some play and pets, and then I decided that my normal sock-picture-studio was boring and decided to move the shoot outside.

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I love my new springy socks – They look right at home growing here in the garden! Get a load of this lovely stitch pattern (click for big):

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Pattern: Belvedere, by the talented Kirsten at Through the Loops!

Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in Velvet Olive. Recognize this? I’m a green fanatic – 90% of my knits are green, but this one in particular is a fairly recent repeat. This is the backup skein I got for Tessa’s Rivendell socks in case I ran out. I only needed one skein and so I had more green yarn to use for selfish purposes. I was previously unaware of Jitterbug’s reputationally skimpy yardage, but I’m happy to report that one skein was plenty for this pair, which comfortably fit my US Women’s 8.5 feet; and just enough for the larger gauge and size Rivendell’s – @ US Women’s siz 9-9.5, I’d say.

Needles: US1 Bamboo DPNs

Mods: None! I moved down a needle size since they were coming out a bit big on the US2′s, but aside from that, no change.

Time to knit: Hmm about 4-5 weeks, I guess. These progressed rather slowly because of the spring yuck, general busy-ness, and the sidetrack of the work on Summer Sky, but they were great commute knitting! They were knit almost exclusively on the way to & from work with Tad driving – when I wasn’t snoring away in the passenger seat.

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Verdict: Beautiful! The sock love grows. The stitch pattern is gorgeous on and off the foot, and I adore this heel – this slip/twisted stitch pattern was new to me, and aside from being very pretty, seems very sturdy and strong – I think it will hold up quite well. Thanks go to Kirsten for a lovely and well-written pattern!! I’ve been looking forward to making these since she introduced the pattern last fall – and they did not dissapoint. Belvedere was worth the wait, a very satisfying knit!

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Now playing: Andrew Bird – Fake Palindromes
via FoxyTunes

Comments

19 Responses to “Belvedere”

  1. PrincessPea
    May 11th, 2008 @ 3:54 pm

    These are beautiful – definitely one for the queue! And the camera remote, duh, why have I not thought of that…

  2. Gudrun
    May 11th, 2008 @ 4:36 pm

    Love the socks (especially the colour) and the cat photo gallery…we’re cat lovers in this house…. big time!

  3. barefoot rooster
    May 11th, 2008 @ 7:39 pm

    oooh, these are gorgeous. i worked on a sock today in the car while friends drove — how luxurious! love the setting for your outdoor photo shoot — looks like spring has arrived.

  4. Shannon B
    May 11th, 2008 @ 7:48 pm

    Wow! great socks!

    By the way, do I have you to thank for the GORGEOUS Buckeye recipe? I went to the postbox last week and squealed out “personal mail! personal mail!”

  5. Kirsten
    May 11th, 2008 @ 10:51 pm

    YAY! Love them! :)
    I’ve got to get my green Belvederes out and knit that pesky second sock!

  6. Cheryl
    May 11th, 2008 @ 11:34 pm

    Wow!! These are gorgeous!! I must resist the temptation to start my first pair… have two more sweaters to finish… argh!! But you’ve made it oh-so-difficult with your lovely pairs.

  7. Steffi
    May 12th, 2008 @ 3:19 am

    I can’t decide who/what is better-looking: the kitty or the socks! :-D

  8. katrin
    May 12th, 2008 @ 4:40 am

    they look like plain perfection!
    bad you placing a link to the pattern… *sigh*
    now there are even MORE things I can’t knit! ;)

  9. Shannon
    May 12th, 2008 @ 10:55 am

    Love them! They came out very nice. I enjoyed seeing Ms. Middy too.

  10. elizabeth
    May 12th, 2008 @ 12:32 pm

    Very pretty – I’ll have to add them to my list!

  11. angelarae
    May 12th, 2008 @ 4:34 pm

    Wow! Those socks look complicated. Pretty, though. Love the cat:)
    Ang

  12. DeltaDawn
    May 13th, 2008 @ 1:13 pm

    Super socks, and very, very nice to meet your “other” furry beast. I have one who always looks away and one who’s voguing for the camera anytime I whip it out – go figure.

    Camera remote? Coolness – I need to get me one of those!

  13. Michele
    May 14th, 2008 @ 1:02 pm

    Mel, they are so beautiful! I just love the color as well. Hope to get together soon. M

  14. susan b
    May 14th, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

    I’m going to have to buy myself some Colinette Jitterbug now – I always like it when I see it, but this might have just been the skein that tipped me over the edge!

  15. desiknitter
    May 14th, 2008 @ 2:10 pm

    Very pretty socks! When I first looked at them I thought – oh, that looks like one of Cookie’s patterns, but it’s a different one. But just as gorgeous, and I love the colour too.

  16. Octopus Knits
    May 14th, 2008 @ 4:16 pm

    The socks are gorgeous – great color, beautiful pattern! …and Middy is a lovely modeling assistant. You should definitely rig some more stealth cat photoshoots : )

  17. Rachel
    May 19th, 2008 @ 10:07 pm

    Very nice! Perfection is all I can say!

    And I was so glad to hear that one skein of Jitterbug would cover a pair of socks for my small feet. Since somehow in the middle of my stress a couple weeks ago, I ended up with a skein. Hmmmm.

    Cool to see pics of the kitty…she’s a beauty too!

  18. Ann
    May 21st, 2008 @ 3:04 am

    They were beautiful, and your colour choice is master. Well done :D

  19. Mel
    May 22nd, 2008 @ 8:57 pm

    Ooooohhh, those ARE pretty! beautiful job. Middy is adorable! Surprise blog guest….

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