I think everyone who knits socks should have a knitting partner. It is so much fun. I love getting hand knit treasures in the mail. Just before we left on our trip to Florida I got a package from A. that had one of these socks and more pink yarn.
She had chosen the pattern, Girl's Lacy Socks in Vogue Knit to Go sock book and used some pink yarn she had on hand to make socks for P. This was a great project to work on while on vacation and I finished my sock on the plane ride home.
The yarn is Wildfoote Sonatina, shades of pink with a touch of orange for spark. 75% wool, 25% nylon.The pattern was easy to follow and quick to knit, however, I did the cuff a little different from the instructions. I turned under the hem and knit it together as I went instead of hemming it after the sock was finished.P loves them because, you know, they are PINK.Sock knitting partner - if you don't have one, get one.
Waving Lace WIP
I'm working on my next sock, Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn Clark. These are from the same pattern as the socks on the cover of Interweave's Favorite Socks
I have to remind myself that they are just socks. As my grandmother would say, "No one will notice from a galloping horse..."Does anyone else have this problem with eyelets?
Merino Lace Socks
Another pair of socks hot off the needles.
The pattern is Merino Lace Socks by Anne Woodbury in Favorite Socks, 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave. The yarn is Step by Austermann. 75% wool 25% nylon
I like that the pattern of the instep also continues down the back of the heel. Too bad I didn't get a picture of that before packaging them to send to A.I have some Bearfoot by Mountain Colors for my next pair of socks. I jsut need to choose a pattern and get started.
Fair Isle Socks
It seems like I was working on this sock forever. In fact, with all of the knitting and reknitting on them I could have made several pair! I do like the way they turned out.
The pattern is the Fair Isle Sock in Kerter SRK 402. We also used the recommended On Your Toes 4 Ply Sock Yarn. If you do make this pattern please note that the chart is labeled incorrectly. The main color and accent colors are reversed in the chart. Also, the pattern should be for 72 stitches. We found that the 60 stitches in the pattern makes a very small sock. The sock pictured is knit on 72 stitches. We also used an afterthought heel instead of the one in the pattern.
A. let me borrow her 12 inch circular needle which really helped with the fair isle work. I did find that I did a lot of reknitting because a round on the sock goes so quickly. I would get in the rhythm of the row pattern and keep going and be well into the second row before I noticed. This was probably not the best time of year to work on this project because it required more concentration than I could give it while talking, or in only small amounts of work time. The week AFTER Christmas would have probably been a better choice. I learned a lot from making these and will probably make more fair isle socks. But, I think I'll work on some simpler socks first.The next pair of socks will be mine. I need to go digging in the freezer (wool storage location) and see what I can find.
Knitting on the Road
I have been working on the latest pair of socks while traveling in the car and visiting with family. Adele chose this pattern and knit the sock on the left. I am knitting the one on the right. This pair of socks is challenging as I have to match the sock that is already complete. I had several inches knit and compared the two. They were the same diameter but I noticed that if I continued the way I was working that for the same number of pattern repeats my sock would be inches longer than the other. I turned them inside out to see if I could see a difference there. Adele's sock, on the left was knit stranded and I had knit mine by weaving the yarns.
I pulled it all out and tried again. The second attempt worked so that the pattern repeats were equal but my sock was narrower. I kept knitting but then decided to take it out again. This time I am knitting with both yarns in the right hand, alternating colors.The third time's the charm. Right?
Just in Time for Snow
I got a package from my Two Make a Pair partner on Friday. I knew it was the latest pair of socks arriving just in time for snow. Saturday, I put them on and they are toasty warm. They are great for sleeping too.
This pair is knit from some beautiful hand painted yarn from Briar Rose Fibers. I do love Chris's yarn. The pattern is Ann Budd's Undulating Rib Socks in Favorite Socks 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave.
These socks are a pleasure to wear. They are like getting a little hug (around my foot) from my friend in a another state. I miss you A.
Socks to Dye For
Did you think we had given up on our sock project? I can't believe it has been almost three months since we finished a pair. Well, that would be me not finishing my half. A has been knitting along and I have a small pile of one socks to match! I guess I have been very busy this fall.This pair is knit from Nancy Bush's Anniversary Socks pattern in Timeless Designs 25 Favorite Socks. The yarn is Bare by Knit Picks. I really like the feel of this yarn. It is a super soft merino, silk blend. It tended to split a little but the feel is well worth the care taken to knit it.
A. has plans to dye these! I think we will need a photo after they are dyed.
Spiral Eyelet Socks
Here they are, the tenth pair of socks in the Two Make a Pair project.
These are knit with Austermann Step -75% superwash wool, 25% nylon it also has Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil. I am not sure what happens with the Aloe and Jojoba when laundered but it was nice to knit with it. The pattern we used was Spiral Eyelet Socks. There is a right spiral and a left spiral sock. They can be worn on either foot but the spirals are mirror images.It was a little tricky to get the spiral design to continue down the instep. The pattern just said to "maintain the spiral pattern as established." Once I figured out how to start the new spiral on one side and end it on the other I was OK.
I do like the way the spirals and stripes match.
Go With the Flow Socks
I think I may have started a few too many projects and I am now on a mission to finish some of them off. Let's see what I can get done in the next few days.First off the production line is the next, pair nine, in the Two Make a Pair project. A. knit hers lickety split as she was driving to her new home. I, however, only worked on my sock a few minutes here and there until I had to sit at the car shop waiting for my car to be serviced. While there, I finally made enough progress that I was encouraged to finish without much more delay.
The pattern, Go With the Flow Socks by Evelyn Clark, can be found in the Spring 2005 issue of Interweave Knits or Favorite Socks by Interweave Press.We used Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn by Brown sheep. We followed the pattern as printed except worked the first 10 rows P2, K4 instead of following the chart in the book.I have learned that it is very difficult to photograph your own feet from the side. I have done it a few times but I have to take soooooo many photos. I just hold the camera out and click. There is no way to see what will be in the picture. I take a bunch of shots and then look at them on the computer and go back out to try again. So, I sort of put M. in charge of this photo shoot. When the evening light was right we went out and he had me stand on some old fence boards beside the pumpkin patch. I didn't argue because at that point P. was the only other person around and I don't think her photo would have turned out any better than one I would take. I am lucky I did not break a bone. The next sock photo may be a photo taken by me looking straight down at my feet. We shall see. M also took photos here, here, and here.P. wanted in on the action so he also took this photo.
Sometimes I wonder what the neighbors think when we are out with the camera.We just "go with the flow..."
Happy Trails
Sadly, the time for A. to move has come. I mentioned when we started making socks together that this would be a good way for us to keep in touch when A. moves away. A. and I are still working along on our socks. Our latest pair is a basic crew sock. A. chose this design to make for her teenage neighbor who shoveled her driveway each time it snowed last winter. He would not take payment so she decided that warm socks for next year would make a good gift. With the flurry of activity as school ends and summer vacation begins, my knitting time has dwindled a bit. Knowing that this pair had to be finished before she left, I gave A. the sock in progress almost finished...
As the movers at her house packed everything in sight she finished it off in a hurry.
So, here they are, pair eight in the "two make a pair project." Nothing spectacular in the pattern but that was not called for here. Socks for a teenage boy shouldn't be fussy. These say, "thank you." Thank you for being a good neighbor, for being a friend. Thank you for going along with my knitting together idea, and for not making me feel bad for not finishing the sock. Who knew all that could be said with "just socks."The movers packed everything except the needles A. was knitting with so I am sending her on her way with some yarn and sock designs to work on until she unpacks her supplies.Happy Trails to you.
Stripe Socks - pair 7
We have been dealing with a power outage the last few days. We said we needed rain and I guess we have gotten it. Every day! They say we are supposed to have power returned by 11 pm Wed. (tomorrow night).So, here I sit in the library parking lot AGAIN (see below) with my laptop- so that I can show you my new socks. These are the seventh in the "Two Make a Pair" project.
These socks are knit with Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Multiringel 45% cotton, 42% wool, 13% polyamid.The pattern is my own design. Since there is so much cotton in the yarn I wanted a design with ribbing to help them have some elasticity and stay up. I added a little lace work to the ribbing. I like the way the stripes match all the way to the toe. Thanks A.!
Lynn's Stripe Sockssize 1 double pointed needlesfingering weight yarnCast on 64 stitches.10 rows of K2, P2.Rnd 1: K2, P2, SSK, YO, P2; continue aroundRnd 2-4: K2, P2Rnd 5: K2, P2, YO, K2tog, P2Rnd 6-8: K2, P2Repeat this sequence 5 more times.Knit one stitch from needle one onto the last needle to center the pattern on the instep.Heel Flap:Row 1: (S1, K1) across.Row 2: S1, P across.continue for 30 more rows (16 large chain stitches at the side of the flap)Turn Heel:Row 1: Knit across 18 stitches SSK, K1, turn work.Row 2: S1(pwise), P5, P2tog, P1, turn.Row 3: S1(pwise), P to 1 stitch before the gap, SSK (close the gap), K1, turn.Row 4: S1(pwise), P to 1 stitch before the gap, P2tog (close the gap), P1, turn.Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all stitches are worked. End with a WS row. (18 stitches)Heel Gusset:Knit across all heel stitches and pick up and knit 18 stitches along the side of the heel flap (needle 1). Knit in pattern across instep (needle 2). Pick up and knit 18 stitches on other side of heel flap (needle 3).Knit 9 stitches from needle 1 onto needle 3. (start of rnd)Rnd 1: Knit to last 3 sts on needle 1, K2tog, K1, knit across instep on needle 2, at beg of needle 3, K1, SSK, knit to end.Rnd 2: KnitRepeat rnds 1 and 2 until 64 stitches remain (16 each on needles 1 and 3).Foot:Work even in pattern until 15 total pattern repeats are worked (or until desired length before the toe).Toe:Rnd 1: On needle 1, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1; on needle 2 K1, SSK, work to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1; on needle 3, K1, SSK, knit to end.Rnd 2: KnitRepeat rnds 1 and 2 until 32 stitches remain.Repeat rnd 1 until 8 stitches remain.Close with grafting stitch.I lost this whole pattern when I tried to post from the library this morning. I'll try again and hopefully it will work. If it disappears into cyberspace I will not type this again. It is rather tedious. If you can read this - consider yourself lucky!I may be breaking out the treadle sewing machine this afternoon. I have a pile of projects to be sewn. I had just cut out 3 pair of summer pajamas for P when the power went out. Actually, I had set the pajamas beside the sewing machine and was going to work on them while some banana bread was in the oven. I'll have to let you know how four day old bread batter bakes up.
Wild Cherry Socks
Here are the finished Wild Cherry Socks.
These were a little different to knit as they have the pattern going down the heel.
They also have a round toe decrease.
I am so glad they are both safely in A's care now.The pattern is Jane's Hedgerow Socks. The yarn is Wild Cherry by Cherry Tree Hill Yarns. The yarn is very soft and great to knit with as long as you don't get it caught in your car door.I am now trying to finish P's quilt in time for her birthday. I almost finished it while she was away. I have three sides of the binding left to sew but can only work on it while she is sleeping. The problem is that I have too many projects saved up for her sleeping time.
Unraveling the Mystery
Things were going great. Really. I had been working on A's sock for our next pair in the "Two Make a Pair" project. The yarn she chose was Wild Cherry by Cherry Tree Hill. I was enjoying knitting with this wonderful fingering weight merino yarn and my brand new 5 inch bamboo double point needles that I am SURE will make sock knitting go even faster. Yesterday, after turning the heel and starting the gusset, I realized that I had forgotten to add the wooly nylon when knitting the heel. I sat and pulled it out and then reknit the heel flap. When it was time to pick up M from track practice I put the whole project in my bag and headed to the van. I pulled up to the front of the school and did not see M waiting, so, I thought I would continue knitting on the sock. I reached into the bag but the sock was not there. I saw that the yarn end was going behind me in the seat. Funny, it didn't feel like I was sitting on the sock. I followed the yarn behind me and - out the car door. How embarrassing! I must have driven all the way to town with a half knit sock hanging out my door. I opened the door so that I could quickly pull the sock in and start knitting before anyone I know noticed my error. Well, I opened the door, got out, and followed the yarn halfway across the parking lot to find that it just ended. No sock.My first thought was of A; this was her sock and her gorgeous yarn. I did not have enough left in the bag to knit her another whole sock. My second thought was my new needles. They must be tiny splinters in a mess of dirty cherry color yarn that at one time looked like part of a sock. I jumped back in the car to retrace my path. M would just have to wait. Maybe I could save the sock before it was run over. Maybe the sock wasn't in too bad of shape. I drove slowly looking for a pinkish red blob on the road. I saw a dead squirrel but not the missing sock.I drove all the way home. No sock. I wondered if someone had picked it up. Maybe even someone I knew. Maybe they would return it to me. I could handle the embarrassment if I had the sock back!I walked up to house and there it was in a puddle on the porch. The extra yarn that I had pulled out earlier had gotten closed in the door. Still, I had driven all the way to town with a long tail of yarn flapping behind me. What a sight. I went back to get M but he was waiting so I didn't even get to knit!
Uptown Boot Socks
I have had these socks on my knitting list since the pattern appeared in the Winter 2003 issue of Interweave Knits. The pattern, Uptown Boot Socks by Jennifer L. Appleby, is also included in Favorite Socks
A. and I knit this pair from Garnstudio's Baby-ull 100% Merino. I love the mustard color. We used size 2 needles and 64 stitches.It is good that I enjoy knitting with the baby ull as I have a pillowcase full of it in my deep freezer. We won't mention that the ENTIRE freezer is full of wool or that I actually purchased the freezer when the yarn shop where I used to teach went out of business and B. suggested that I buy a 10 year supply of yarn while it was on sale! Since the freezer is to keep the yarn moth free I only store the animal fiber yarns there. The cotton and other yarns are stored in other areas of the house, like in old suitcases that are not in use...It does make it interesting when looking for a particular yarn and can't remember where I stored it. More often, I'll be looking for something else and I'll come across a stash of yarn I had forgotten about.
I know I am not alone. I bet you have yarn, fabric, beads, or some crafty supplies stored in strange places too. What creative storage ideas have you come up with?
Knit Pick
M. is in a music group with some friends; they have a cello, two violins, and he plays djembe. They perform at some local events like Pioneer Day at the Waterloo Farm Museum and the eleven week summer festival, Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights. Monday, I took him to the Common Grill where they were having auditions for this summer's festival. The restaurant is closed on Mondays so it made a great place for the auditions. Since auditions were first come, first served, I knew I would be waiting a while. I took my knitting bag and the yarn to start my next "Two Make a Pair" sock. It was going well, I knit and listened to the different groups who were auditioning. Then, I got to a cable row. Irealized after digging to the bottom of my bag that I did not bring a cable needle. Not wanting to waste valuable knitting time, I searched around to see if there were toothpicks or something I could use and had to make do with this:
The Pattern:Aran Braided Socks by Susan Lawrence for Knit Picks. (Fourth pair in the Two Make a Pair Project)
Knit Picks Bare Essential Tweed 65% superwash wool 25% Nylon, 10% Donegal
Fancy Silk Sock in Cotton
We are glad to be finished with this pair of socks!
The pattern is "Fancy Silk Sock for a child of 5 or 6 years" in Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. We knit the pattern as written in the book except that we put two rows of purl as shown in the original Weldon's drawing instead of two rows of knit between the two lace patterns at the top.
I don't know what the yarn was as I lost the label before starting the socks. I do know that it is a cotton yarn that neither A nor I liked knitting. It must be because the cotton yarn did not "give" and was tiring on our hands. Don't look too close. There are mistakes on both socks that neither one of us wanted to take out and reknit. If it weren't for this "Two Make a Pair" project I know I would never have a match to my sock! I like the stretch that wool has as you knit.
We are already working on the next pair - using a nice superwash wool from KnitPicks.
Pink Panther
Here they are, the second pair of socks in the "two make a pair" project.A. chose Gems 100% merino Pink Panther by Louet to knit the pattern "Girly Girl" Socks by Robin Fauquette in Socks. 
We knit them by the pattern except used the knit one, slip one heel variation for longer wear.They knit up quickly despite the fact that I had to knit the foot on mine twice. Thinking that I would make good use of my time, I took my knitting project to teacher conferences. Alas, I miscounted the decrease and didn't realize this until I was almost finished with the toe. At least I got good reports from the teachers.
The First Pair
Happy spring!We are getting a bit of sun on the first day of spring. It is a great day to photograph my new socks.
This is the first pair of socks in the "Two Make a Pair" project I am doing with a friend. I knit one, A knit the other, and they both fit! The pattern is Cabled Sweat Socks by Claire Ottman in Socks by Rita Buchanan and Deborah Robson. The yarn is Bearfoot Lupine by Mountain Colors. We are calling our sock project a success so far and will continue with more socks. The second pair will be the Girly Girl Socks by Robin Fouquette in the same book.
On the first day of spring, our grass is still brown but at least the chickens are venturing out of the barn. They have been scratching around in the flower gardens.
We took a walk around the yard and still, the only signs of growth are our snow drops.What did the first day of spring bring to you?
Epiphany
This morning I took my new knitting book, Favorite Socks 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave Press, to the coffee shop to meet the aunties.
A and I were flipping through the book and drooling over every page. We both wanted to make them all. We came up with a plan- together we will knit through the book. The root of the plan is that we will each knit only ONE sock from each pattern. The best part of the plan is that we have cured second sock syndrome!Here is how it will work. We will take turns with each pattern. The first person will choose the yarn and keep both socks. The next will do the same. That way we will get to try all of the patterns and will still get a pair of socks for each two socks we knit!We believe this is a clever project for us as A will be moving about 5 hours away in the near future. This will be a neat way for us to keep in touch and have fun mail.
