Tag Archives: socks

Tomayto, tomahto

Posted on January 13, 2024 | 4 comments

I finished the Dotty socks yesterday afternoon, and immediately drove them over to my friend Doreen’s house. They’re for her birthday tomorrow, and it’s snowing and icing this weekend. I wanted to beat the weather, and I did!

I didn’t take an FO picture, but she did! Our planned dinner out tonight is OFF, but at least she’s cozy.

This photo popped up in my Facebook memories today. It was blocking day for my Camellia Wrap, and for the unpublished striped bed socks. That Camellia Wrap is one of my favorite things to wear, fantastic drape and swing. And apparently there were two of those striped socks…I wonder where they went? They weren’t in the drawer with the orange/purple prototypes that I frogged. Maybe I already gave them away as a gift? I don’t recall.

Remember the Ann Norling Fruit Cap pattern from eons ago? I knit a whole bunch about 20 years ago; they were my go to baby gift for a while. I can’t find the pattern in my house, so I winged it. Pretty close, I think. This is for a baby shower on Monday that may be iced out. Oh, weather.

I actually knit two of them because there’s a baby due at church, too. I bought a skein of Malabrigo Rios in Ravelry Red, what a great color. I paired it with Ivy that was leftover in my stash from designing for my Brioche Knit Love book. Rios is one of my favorite yarns. Lovely colors, not expensive.

I knit these on a US7; I started with a US6 but it was firmer than I wanted. I use a 6 for all my Rios brioche, but not for stockinette, I guess!

Inclement weather is great for knitting productivity. Now I only have one project on my needles again (having four was definitely outside my monogamous knitter comfort zone). What are the other two projects? One is done, and I’ll let you know about both of them in a bit.

But I think it’s also time to swatch for the When Harry Met Lucy sweater KAL, finally!

4 Comments

Posted in KAL, Knit, yarn

Tagged Camellia Wrap, Dotty Bed Socks, Knit, knitting, Malabrigo Rios, sock knitting, socks

Sock it to me

Posted on January 11, 2024 | 8 comments

It’s chilly here! I decided to sew in the ends on the mismatched (design prototypes) orange/purple bed socks so they can be of use. But when I pulled them out of the drawer, I noticed the stripe pattern and the dotty pattern resulted in two very differently sized socks. Not okay!

I never published the striped socks; the slip stitch stripes were too variable gauge-wise, and the pattern was too fussy to write, too. So the striped sock needed to be frogged back to the cuff, and the dotted sock needed to be frogged back to the instep to get rid of the striped sole. But I like the dotted instep better than the striped instep. (They are both options on the Dotty Bed Sock pattern, see below.) It wouldn’t add much knitting if I ripped out the gusset, too.

If you’re wondering why the bottom of the gusset is striped, here’s the designer’s secret: The gusset decreases would complicate working the dotty stitch pattern on the bottom of the foot. I wanted the pattern to be easy knitting! So those are just 2 row stripes where the decreases occur, no thinking.

I’m almost done…

Halfway down the second foot. You can see I’m using magic loop here, which I like, mostly. I think I prefer my Flexi-Flips, but I didn’t think of them until working the toe of the first sock, and I don’t want to change needles mid-project for fear of changing my gauge and having 2 different sized socks again. Next time!

Dotty Bed Socks are worked cuff down with a slip stitch pattern, so there’s only one color used per round. And they’re worsted weight, so they’re pretty quick! My socks are 44 stitches around in Malabrigo Rios.

Do you sock? How do you sock? Cuff down? Toe up? DPNs? Magic Loop? Two circulars? Flexi-Flips? Do tell!

8 Comments

Posted in Knit, yarn

Tagged Dotty Bed Socks, knitting, Malabrigo Rios, sock knitting, socks, yarn

A long time coming…Seafoam Socks Pattern

Posted on March 20, 2009 | 13 comments

I just can’t stop knitting this pattern. It makes me really happy! The pattern is so logical, so easily memorized, so easy to track. I had to make another…

The Fly Designs Monarch sport on top is my favorite yarn so far. The colors are even more vibrant than in the picture. The yarn is really springy and fun to knit with.

The pattern has been written for a while, but I wasn’t happy with my pictures! Pictures that looked good on the screen didn’t look good coming out of the printer. It’s been a frustrating couple days, but I think I have what I want now.

The pattern is available as a pdf download through Ravelry. See the pattern page for more information.

13 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Tagged Knit, seafoam socks, socks, yarn

Are we there yet? Seafoam Socks

Posted on March 15, 2009 | 16 comments

I love how these turned out. Just the way I wanted…after much trial and error!

Seafoam Socks
2 skeins Mirasol Hacho, size 2 Lantern Moon ebony Sox Stix

See the waves? The bubbles? And the sea foam at the rippling edges? I like how the pattern doesn’t fight with the variegated yarn. I’m playing with different yarns and gauges to finish writing the pattern; it will be along soon. By the way, I’ve started a sock with the Butternut Woolens sock yarn. Gorgeous! But it’s pretty heavy for a fingering weight yarn. It actually feels heftier than the Hacho, which is listed as dk weight. Funny how fingering can feel thin, thick, or in-between!

One more contortionist picture:

16 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged Knit, Mirasol Hacho, socks

Beach souvenir, and a Lantern Moon event

Posted on February 25, 2009 | 19 comments

I bought two skeins of Mirasol Hacho at Coastal Yarns in Cannon Beach, Oregon last year during Crafty Moms Weekend. It’s been sitting in my tiny stash, waiting to become socks. I love dk weight socks; they knit up so quickly.

When I first started swatching, I tried some lacy patterns, but the lace got lost in the variegated yarn. I thought about my entrelac socks like the ones Anna test knit for me with some Hacho last year (same yarn expedition).

But I wanted something different. This yarn definitely needs some stockinette to have an opportunity to sing. Here’s what I finally settled on:

I love the way this is knitting up. The ripples remind me of waves at the beach. Very fitting for a yarn from the coast!

I’m having a lot of fun making this up as I go, and I’m planning to write up the pattern when I’m done.

In local news, Lantern Moon is having an event at their warehouse next Thursday, March 5, 6:30 pm. There will be an opportunity to view January’s TNNA fashion show, local yarn shops showing what’s new and hot in the stores, Leigh Radford signing copies of her new book, AlterKNITS Felts, and refreshments. It’s also an opportunity to purchase Lantern Moon products at 20% off retail prices. Reservations are required; RSVP to diana@lanternmoon.com to let them know you’re coming. It’s no secret that I’m a big Lantern Moon fan; I’ll be there!

19 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged Knit, lantern moon, Mirasol Hacho, socks

Leyburns, encore

Posted on February 11, 2009 | 23 comments

The next thing I did at Crafty Mom weekend: I gave away my Socks that Rock Eggplanted Leyburns. They were just a bit too big for me, but they were perfect for Carole! And after she gave me the fabulously fun needle felting supplies, how could I not give her something wonderful?

But how could I go through life without my own Leyburns?

I can’t. I’m using the Marisol Hacho that I won in Elizabeth’s blogoversary contest. The colorway is Peacock. I wasn’t sure I’d like this colorway in a “normal” pattern because of the red and green together, but I was pretty sure I’d like it with the Leyburn’s slip stitch pattern. And I do.

Like the Eggplanted Leyburns, these are knit from the cuff down. These are on 48 stitches; the last ones were on 54. This is a much snugger fit. Perfect! I used the same twisted edge as the last ones, except I knit 6 rows of garter instead of 4 before twisting. I like the oomphier rolled edge.

The only thing I didn’t love is how the red pooled at the top of the ankle while I was decreasing my gusset stitches. (The bottom of the gusset pooled blue and green, which looks great.) I know this is a function of my round heel (flap and gusset), but I like the fit of this heel better than the short row heel I used last time. I’ll live with it; it’s a sock! One down, one to go.

Oh, I made my first Leyburns with Lantern Moon Sox Stix, ebony size 2, 5 inches long. These were nice to work with, but just a bit too short for the way I hold my needles. I rest the far end of the needle against the pinky side of my hand, and these were poking me there. As a research project, I bought some 6 inch long Sox Stix, and I like them much better! I’m pleased that there’s a choice offered. I don’t mind knitting on my old 7 inch birch needles, but this keeps me from having to slide stitches as far to the working end of the needle. And I love working with ebony. The 6 inch needles will be my go-to needles for socks, since most of my socks are on dk or sport weight.

Would you like to try the 5 inch Sox Stix? Leave a comment on this post, and I’ll have a drawing for them on Monday, February 16. Good luck!

23 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, leyburn sock, socks

Wash day…

Posted on February 6, 2009 | 17 comments

is inventory day.

These are all my wool socks. For a true sockaholic, it’s not many. But for me, it’s a lot! Four out of the five pairs were knit within the last year. I don’t love knitting socks, but sport or dk weight yarn makes it palatable.

I just remembered, I have 2 pairs of cotton socks from way back, too. And two pairs of dk weight socks planned for knitting this weekend. (It’s Crafty Mom Weekend at the beach.) I guess I should stop saying that I’m not a sock knitter. I’m just not a skinny yarn, toothpick needles sock knitter!

17 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, socks

moment of truth

Posted on February 5, 2009 | 14 comments

I finished the single entrelac sock with the Sheep Shop Yarn Company’s Sheep Feet DK. (Shop model)

It’s a riot of color! The sun came out today, so I had to shoot outside to make the most of it.

This is fun yarn to knit with, very springy and smooth. What I really wanted to know: Could I get two socks out of one skein? At 100 grams/218 yards, it looked iffy. And the answer is…

No. At least, not two socks in this size, this pattern. My scale tells me that there were really only 92 grams in this hank of yarn, not sure where the other 8 went. The sock weighs 53 grams. The leftover yarn weighs 39. Even if there were the reported 100 grams, the sock still takes more than half. ‘Tis a pity, because it’s so lovely. Good thing I only needed one. I’m guessing I could get a pair of plain stockinette anklets out of one ball.

Check out the way the colors pooled/flashed on the foot. This is the sole.

And this is the instep.

I like the way the color zigzags; it echoes the zigzag of the entrelac. I don’t know if it would do it again, and I guess I won’t find out, but it’s sweet!

14 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged entrelac, Knit, socks

Sock rescue mission

Posted on February 2, 2009 | 13 comments

One of my original entrelac socks has been working as a shop model over at Twisted since last summer. This week I realized that I’d really like to be *wearing* that sock. I brought it home yesterday, and it has been reunited with its mate.

It’s a little stretched out from being on the foot mannequin, but a trip through the wash should even things out.

I still do want a model in the shop, so I’m making one with Sheep Feet from Sheep Shop Yarn Company. It’s a dk weight yarn, very similar in weight and feel to the Yarntini that I used before. And the colors are glorious! This colorway is called spring. I love how vibrant it is.

I’m a little worried about the put up, though. It’s 100 grams, 218 yards (199 meters). I’m only making one sock, but I’m not sure if there’s enough yarn for two, because entrelac takes a bit more yarn. I’ll weigh the sock and leftover yarn when I’m done. I’m so pleased to have a new digital kitchen (yarn) scale for that. Thanks, Sis!

13 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, socks

Knitting around in circles

Posted on January 11, 2009 | 14 comments

Pippi 3 is off the needles.

It looks just like Pippi the first, right?

Almost! The Cashmerino Aran colors are really rich and and seem to glow. I wouldn’t call it Aran weight, though. It’s a very nice worsted. Note the slightly shorter earflaps. And now that I’m looking at the picture, I see that I used double crochet instead of half double crochet on the edging! Oops. I’m not a crocheter, really, and I mis-remembered how to do it. I like the way it looks, though. I love this pattern, but after three hats, I’m definitely ready to move on.

What next? I started my Athena for me.

Lest you think that I am in a rut (three of the same thing, and three of the same thing?), I have another thing in the queue after Athena:

My friend Susan gave me these Lantern Moon Sox Stix for Christmas. Size 2! I guess that means I need to knit some somewhat skinny yarn socks. I bought some Socks That Rock Mediumweight (still not ready for the really skinny stuff); this color is “Eggplanted.” There’s a KAL on Ravelry for the Leyburn Socks, so I’ll start with that idea and see if it flies.

14 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Tagged cowl, earflap hat, entrelac, Knit, leyburn kal, neckwarmer, socks