A pair of Juta's

Pattern: Juta's Stockings from Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Times Remembered Nantucket Heather in Wild Strawberry
Needles: Size 1 (2.5 mm) Knit Picks circulars
Modifications: I used my regular round toe

I finished my Juta's Stockings yesterday and I must say I'm very pleased with them. The pattern was, of course, very well written and super easy to follow. After the first round it was very easy to memorize the pattern. The pattern on the leg is very similar to the Dublin Bay pattern and I like how these lacy panels work with an almost solid colored yarn.



Unlike Pat, my perfectionist side wasn't bothered in the least by the difference in the k2 togethers and the ssk. I think mine look equally neat. Instead, I was bothered by the difference in the size of the lacy holes on the foot portion. The holes were decidedly different after a k2 together than they were after a ssk. It drove me crazy. I'm sure you can't see it in the photo but trust me the holes are different.



Overall, however, I'm happy with the pattern. I think it makes a nice looking and nice fitting sock. The yarn I used is much different than my usual sock yarn. I bought it at NH Sheep and Wool for less than $4.00 a skein. It's 100% wool and is much more "rustic" than the luxury yarn I'm used to. It wasn't rough and it didn't have any debris in it. It was nicely spun and had no knots or slubs. After I got used to the rustic feel I really enjoyed this wooly feeling yarn. It's not the least bit itchy on the skin either. When I handwashed the socks yesterday, there was quite a bit of color in the wash water. I'm hoping this is a one time thing.

Now I'm gearing up for Summer of Socks which starts tomorrow. Although I had been planning to knit Brigit from Socktopia, I found that the yarn I wanted to use didn't match the gauge for the pattern. Rather than switch yarns I've switched patterns. I feel a little like a lemming but I'm going to knit Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks with the Louet Gems I frogged from my failed Whitby. I'll get to Brigit another time.

First Juta's

If I never showed works in progress photos you'd see very little knitting on this blog. Here, then, is the beginning of my first Juta's Stocking from Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia. One of my knitting goals for this year is to knit at least one Nancy Bush pattern from every one of her books that I own. This sock was in my queue and I was pretty excited when I saw that Pat was knitting the same socks. The pattern is very simple - much like the Dublin Bay pattern - and easy enough to memorize after the first pattern repeat. Right now, however, I'm not entirely sure I'm happy with how the lace is coming along on the foot. The leg turned out quite nice but for some reason on the foot the right side yarn over holes are much, much smaller than the left side yarn over holes. They're made the same way on both the leg and the foot so I don't know what's changed but it's not making me happy.

I bought this yarn at NH Sheep and Wool from a company called Times Remembered. It's from their Nantucket Heather line in a color called Wild Strawberry. The yarn is 100% untreated wool and is a but more "rustic" than what I usually use. It's not rough and it doesn't have any "stuff" in it but it definitely has a sturdy, rustic feel. I'm enjoying it.