It all began some time ago with wool/silk yarn and some madder dyeing. There was madder root of antiquity. I soaked it overnight first. And tried to follow Jenny Dean’s wisdom.
It all looked good to me. Eventually I added wool to the vat to exhaust the dye, and got apricot shades on the wool.
The yarn came out rather nicely. So then I was looking for a pattern that might be suitable. Somehow I slipped a gear and thought I might not just knit the sock that lives in my head.
I cast on, on the bus to work one morning.
Here we are preparing for class and waiting for lunch.
Here we are at a break in a conference, admiring kangaroo paw. I knit the heel three times at the conference because apparently I can’t be trusted to read a pattern. The first time I knit as the pattern required, and then had a failure of understanding, so I ripped back, re-knit and then realised what I had missed on the first pass, and followed the pattern again! That slowed me down. I am prepared to knit in a conference but not to rip back and pick up live stitches! I had to do that in breaks.
Here I am on my way to a formal occasion, wearing a frock and knitting at the tram stop. I thought perhaps the rare occasion of me in public in a frock should be recorded for posterity.
Nearing the final moment… just prior to the grafting of toes…
And here is a less than wonderful mood lighting photo of the socks on their rather wonderful intended recipient, at last! The pattern is Treppenviertel by Nicola Susen. It is a rather lovely ode to the ‘stairs district’ of Hamburg. As promised, I managed to pick up the pattern after a while, rather than needing to count every row–and this is just what a public transport knitter needs! Three cheers for frieds, socks, and public transport.
Local & Bespoke 
Magnificent, maddening, madder socks…..!
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Thanks, Lydia!
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Great socks! I spent a day (only) in Hamburg this Sept and i didn’t see this area although I had the best tour I have ever had in a city! So I just ‘went’ there and really enjoyed the photos…I get the stairs bit. Fun.
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I have never been there, but the design and the idea are so clever.
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Ha ha, love recording wearing a frock for posterity photo.
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🙂
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What a perfectly planned sock! The madder is wonderful. Have you grown this yourself before? Some of the ladies at the guild grow madder for dyeing but I haven’t heard about the logistics yet. I am propagating woad at the mo.
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Thanks! I love it when the right pattern idea comes to mind… I am growing madder right now. I must say I am really surprised to find that everything likes to eat this stuff! Caterpillars eat it. Including some from native moths that I don;t see anywhere else in the garden. Grasshoppers like it too. The leaves feel like sandpaper, so to me it is very odd that it is evidently very tasty. Next autumn, I am going to see what lies under the ground, and hopefully move it to a place where it will thrive. Right now it is contained in a half wine barrel, which seemed like a good idea but seems to dry out too much. I am growing woad too. Mine is looking very satisfyingly leafy. I look forward to seeing what you do with it!
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