First the yarn report that people asked for on the Crystal Palace Panda Cotton.
I don't know quite what I was expecting. I've seen this yarn compared to Cascade Fixation, but it's really quite different. It's a true fingering weight, for one thing - Fixation is closer to a sport weight. The bamboo content gives it a very smooth texture, whereas Fixation is highly textured. In both yarns, the elastic content makes it much easier on the hands than cotton is traditionally thought to be. Panda cotton has a very high sheen and is cool to the touch; I expect these to be wonderful summer socks.
The downside of this yarn is that it splits like the very dickens. It's more like knitting with four cobweb lace-weight yarns held together than one single fingering weight yarn. I expect there to be issues with the darned in ends. It's not horrible to knit with, though. You just have to pay attention - no automatic pilot knitting while reading or watching TV on this pair of socks! Suprisingly, stitch definition isn't an issue. Once the stitches are knitted off, they look very crisp.
And now the state of the sockapalooza sock
I like the yarn (see above), I like the modifications I made to the Dublin Bay pattern - moving the lace panels in toward the center front will let them continue down the front of the foot of the sock with the gusset stitches making a small border. And the re-charting of the second lace panel to mirror the first instead of repeat it worked out just fine.
BUT ----- LOOK!!! Unlike the swatch, with this width it's flashing and pooling!!! And the yarn has a LOT more yellow in it than it looked in the skein! I'm not loving this......
Solution - same yarn in a solid. My sock pal gave me two colorways - either sea colors or pinks (either light or bright). I really wanted to do the sea colors, but the solids in Panda Cotton are very bright colors in the blues and greens. So pink Panda may be in order.
I'm VERY lucky - my sock pal and I have the exact same size feet - width AND length. Which is making the decision to put this sock 'on hold' very easy. *I* will wear socks that flash - I don't LOVE them, but I'll wear them.
6 comments:
I like the "flashes" in that sock! I also like your pattern mods. Can't wait to see your next sock!
your socks look great despite the flashing. i'm knitting elfine socks in a solid red (laquer red) in panda cotton right now. the splitting seems to bug me less during the day when i can see what i'm doing, but it's definitely more comfortable to knit with than pure cotton (which i did for some baby socks before this pair) and i re-ordered more panda cotton because i love the feel of this yarn knit up and because it's much cooler to knit during these warm months.
The flashing looks like rolling waves on the bay. Thanks for the report on the Panda Cotton.
Thanks for your review. I just bought Panda for myself and am anxious to see how I like it. I'm looking for good lightweight sock yarns.
I'd totally have to agree with your review of the Panda Cotton, as I working with it for the first time. I found that it split more when working with size 2 than size 3 dpns ... but maybe that's just me. But the yarn does show of a pattern well... at least the one I'm working with. I'm working with a solid color and I love it.
I like the report on the Panda Cotton - its been on my wish list for some time, and I will be more incluned to order it in teh future. Thanks :0)
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