Oldest UFO socks finished

I can't really be sure when I actually started this pair of socks. The copyright on the pattern is 2003, and I believe that it was in the early part of that year. I started these in a class at The Sheepy Yarn Shoppe. I will offer a bit of advice. When you stop working on a project, make lots of notes. Or better yet, make notes as you go along, so if you stop working on it you will have a clue where you are. It took my a great deal of time to figure out where I was in the pattern! Did I learn by this mistake? Only time will tell...

The color in the picture isn't really true, they are actually a clear red.

Maggie
http://wild4knitting.blogspot.com/

Short Row Heel

I don't generally get the opportunity to post to this blog so closely together but I'm so thrilled with myself right now that I had to share with someone.



I just completed my first short row heel and I don't think it went altogether badly. I'll probably stick to my normal heel flap, turn heel, pick up for the gusset mode, but I think I will use it in another pair of socks some day.

FInished socks with 10 hours to spare

I finished them!! My Tofutsie socks are done!! Woohoo. The most special thing about them is that they are for me. I'm wearing them at this very moment.
Here are some pics:

Sliding in with another Post Holiday Knit

Well this is what I worked on as far as "socks" are concerned. This is a slipper for my son's girlfriend. This is worked all in garter stitch - carrying it along as I went. I have 1 more pair to complete tomorrow which will make the total count...4 pair of slippers. I wanted to be sure to post this before the month ended!

I received this lovely yarn for Christmas and will be casting on the Annetrelac socks from the Holiday Interweave Knits right after the first of the year!

Connie
www.scrapovers.com/blog

Tofutsies Socks

I had originally planned these to be for my grandma for Christmas but I didn't even have one sock done in time. I'll save them for either her birthday/Mother's Day (her birthday is May 10) or next Christmas.




I didn't use this month's coupon because I already had this in my stash but now I wish I had because I really liked working with the Tofutsies.

Long Time - No Socks

I meant to finish these socks up when I signed up here. Unfortunately, Christmas gift knitting got in the way. These socks are Socktopia Mystery socks knit on size one needles using Crystal Palace Maizy -Cactus. I was intending to finish while it was still summer so they aren't particularly warm, but they will be nice for spring (and I have worn them with another pair of socks when my feet were really cold).

Are you a size 9 or 10?

Hi,

I am designing a sock pattern and I want to have it in two sizes. I am size 7, so I am looking for measurements for size 9 or 10.

I you have a size 9 or 10 foot (average for that size, not real narrow or real wide) and you don't mind sending me your measurements, I'd really appreciate it. I need to know the following:
* shoe size
* length of foot from toe to heel - put a ruler or tape measure on the floor with the end against the wall, then stand with the back of your heel to the wall and measure to tip of longest toe - in inches
* circumference around mid-foot - in inches

Please email to me at beqbeq@yahoo.com

Thanks! Rebecca A

Christmas Socks for Michael

Here are the Christmas socks I knit for my new nephew Michael. These are knit with Regia Stretch Color on size 3 DPNs. I like this yarn and it is good for children's socks. It is very colorful, with a non-repeating striping pattern - at least I didn't knit enough to find a repeat. The yarn is soft and stretchy - good for growing feet. These are knit with afterthought heels - I never tried those heels before and wanted to try something new. I'm not sure I'll ever do them again, unless I learn how to graft. My heel grafting was so terrible that I decided to finish the toes with a three needle bind-off, so these aren't the prettiest socks in the world, but Michael doesn't seem to mind. They are a little big, but he is growing fast, so that is good!

Stockings Count!

Tia, I'm going to say (with great enthusiasm) that Stockings are going to count. It didn't really dawn on me before, but it is the holiday season so if there are any of you out there who made holiday stockings and can get them posted, they, too, will count towards a "pair" of finished socks.

Do stockings count?

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by blacksheepknits

I finished my one year old's stocking just in time for Santa to fill it. Its loosely based on Knitty's Fuzzy Feet pattern, made with Cascade 200, felted and then Rosa's name is needle felted on. The roving I used is something I got over a year ago when I thought I wanted to learn to spin, its blue, red, bright green and shot through with red and silver tinsel. I am in love with this project, and so proud of how it turned out! Hopefully this will launch me out of my knitting blahs.

Happy Holidays everyone!

No Socks for Me This Month :-(

I didn't have much knitting time this month, but what I had was devoted to knitting Christmas presents. Even though I didn't knit socks, I did knit some sock yarn:



These were knit with one skein of Koigu, held doubled on size 7 needles. A fast and easy project and a good way to use up a single skein of sock yarn. Here's how they look on the hand:



Sock knitting will return as soon as I get one of these presents done - hopefully this week, right?!

holiday socks

Finished two pairs just in time for the holidays. : )

• Broadripple project/yarn details & more pictures are in this post
  

• Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock project/yarn specs & more pictures in this post

Happy Holidays everyone! : )

= limedragon :-: Harriet

Fighting the blahs

Those winter blahs can knock the knitting spunk right outta a girl. Which is not exactly a good thing when she's decided to knit Christmas presents. In an attempt to reconnect with my knitting mojo, I finished these:



Twisted Fiber Arts Duchess in Octarine with eye of the partridge heel and round toe. I tried eye of the partridge on the toe, but I'm not happy with the results. The decreases for the round toe interfered with the stitch pattern. Live and learn.



And now, it's back to black popovers and navy mittens.

Will my new socks be done by Christmas!?

I ran to the Yarnery and picked up my TOFUtsie yarn! I heard so much about this yarn and was happy to try it. I thought I might use the same design I did for November's socks, a slip stitch cable, but I decided it was too much work compared to the way it looked in this yarn.
So, I let the slip stitch cable be the ribbing and continued on in stockinette. Maybe, this way I'll be able to finish them by Christmas. Afterall, they are my present to myself.:)

Thanx to all those at the Yarnery for making it easy to knit socks, socks, and more socks.
Shawn

Just a Little more to go

Hello knitters, I'm here to share the socks I've been working on:

They are Cascade 220. Made for my dad who lives in the Great White North and does a lot of snowshoeing. So I though a good snug wool would be good for him. I hope he likes them. If he doesn't, I'm keeping them cuz they are toasty!!

Also, you can see in my photo one of the stockings that I have made for my family. They are your standard, but I needed to make them match (as best as possible) the ones that my great-grandmother had made for my family when I was born. And, no, I didn't make them this year, I've been making them as each person has been added to the family. Sadly though, My son Henry is 2 and his name still isn't finished on his stocking. It's an ongoing joke at my house.

Well, Happy Holidays to all of you. I hope that you all have a great time whereever you spend them.

Sarah W.
incaknits@yahoo.com

Ted's new socks

Dad's Christmas socks are complete. Very muted colors, but he's that kind of guy. He may even think the blue is a "little bright".
Pattern: two-color version of "Peppermint Twist", by Susan Lawrence
Yarn: KnitPicks Essential (gray), leftover Opal used for contrasting color (ball band long gone).

This pattern is a great way to use up bits of sock yarn leftover from other projects.

I need inspiration...

I am in a knitting slump. The Breeze socks I finished in early November... one is lost after their maiden washing voyage. :( We share a laundry room with some very unsavory neighbors. These were the first socks I ever finished before Sock Wars II and now I am just discouraged. Anyone have an exciting pattern to help me out of my slump?? I have about half a ball of Dream in Color Smooshy, some Paton's Kroy stripe and one skein of Claudia Handpainted. Right now (on the sock needles) I have about 1/4 pair of Short Scar socks in Rowan Cashsoft in a dusty pink... they just aren't keeping me interested... :(

Simple Socks

Anyone watch The Sopranos? A few weeks ago I rented the last season. The main character constantly says "Every day is a gift" after a certain life-changing event. Later on Tony (re: David Chase) has a bad day and mutters, "Every day is a gift-- but does it have to be a pair of socks?"
***

Usually I'm all about texture and lace when knitting socks, but I've been working on simple stockinette and ribbed items in the last month.

The socks below are toe-up socks on 2 circulars. I used six different Koigu colorways.
(approx. 15 grams ea. Some had more, some had less.)

Can you see the creases on each side of the sock? :) This goes away after a soak. Judy's magic cast-on was used (fabulous, highly recommend), and I tried Wendy Johnson's heel. It seems to fit people with high insteps well, but does leave a bit of a fabric gap on the instep opposite of the heel turn. Personally, I think the Widdershin heel solution is a better option for heel flaps (or pseudo flaps) when knitting toe-up socks. Hopefully the holiday recipient likes them more than a fake mob boss would...
Last week I pulled the first sock out of my (now infamous) Sock Drawer of Shame. It was knit just shy of a year ago in January. Time for it's mate, I say.

-Deb

www.kitchencotton.blogspot.com

No Photos!

I need a new camera, oh well! I am will have finished socks this month! I promise. I missed last month. The socks are Christmas presents so they have to be done! MUST KNIT FASTER.

A New Winner

The new drawing has taken place. With the help of my beautiful assistant we announce the winner of a Jean Christiansen pattern and double points to be...

Renee

Congrats (have I done this before?)!!

See you at the store.

A Mistake Fixed

Does anyone remember the whole Marisa Tomei incident at the Oscar's? Well, this goes to show we are all able to make this mistake.

It was brought to my attention that MaryKnits did not have a finished sock in the month of November. And through some checking I realized that all of the people who posted were entered into the drawing. It is time to stand up and take my licks. This was totally my fault and I apologize to those of you who finished a sock.

Because I sat here for much longer than I should have trying to figure out what to do about this I finally just decided this...

I will be doing a new drawing for the pattern and needle prize, however, because MaryKnits "winning" was my fault I personally will be donating a pair of sock stitch markers to her.

Again, I apologize to those of you who did finish your socks, and I hope this fixes it in your eyes. The new drawing will be later today and the prizes will still be available tonight after 4pm.

Sarah W.

And The Winner Is...

Well, through a very high-tech process the winner has been chosen.

And the lucky knitter who will be receiving a Jean Christian Mosiac Sock pattern along with a set of double pointed needles is:

MARYKNITS!!

Congrats Mary. Your prize will be waiting for you anytime after 4pm on Monday Dec. 3. If I'm there I will also be taking your picture for the website. Haha, dress up purty!!

One more time... thanks to all of you who participate. We know that you are all busy and are really happy that you are checking in when you can!

Also, on another topic, I'd like to invite you all to end your posts with your website (blog site) if you have one. I don't know about all the other readers, but I have become quite addicted to checking out our local blogs. So each time you sign off please put a link to your own site so we can get to you quickly (unless it's secret and you don't want us lurking.)

Sarah W.
incaknits.blogspot.com

They aren't supposed to match!

These are for my two year old grand daughter for Christmas. They are not supposed to match.

I designed the pattern myself. I used KnitPicks merino Style on #3 needles. I cannot believe how fast socks make up using the larger needles.

I could probably write up the pattern if anyone was interested.

Anne Lorene

landolakesgirl@blogspot.com

November is Closed

OK, first, a note to Maggie... I see that you posted at 12:12 AM so I'm going to go ahead and get you into the drawing for November. Because anyone who stays up late to post on our blog is good people to me.

Second, as you know, November is over so there will be a drawing soon. Also, I will be sending out you December post rewards soon as well. hopefully by the end of today.

But I'm off to work at the Yarnery now so I let you know all the goodness later... check back!!

November Socks

I hope this isn't too late. Had a bit of a problem working with Blogger.

I have been working hard trying to finish up more socks that have been languishing about the house. These haven't got a recipient right now. I think that my daughter has outgrown them. I lost the ball band, but I know that the yarn is Regia.

I have another pair almost done. Will post them in a few days, I imagine.

Maggie
http://www.Wild4Knitting.blogspot.com

Half a pair

These past two months have been so insane that I have only finished one pair of socks--this month I could only finish half a pair! Here's the finished half:



The yarn is Fleece Artist, and the pattern is a modified version of Child's First Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks.

always a month behind

I did finish up the Tiger cubs from last month. Here is proof.


They are funny when worn though, with the heels sort of hanging down. I have a little flatfoot on my hands. Heh.

I also cast on for Bengal Tiger cubs but have made painfully slow progress. I might make them tube socks, based on the experience with the heels detailed above.

Anyway, I think I have to set them aside because I have promised the dear huz a pair of socks for his birthday (12/15) and one for Christmas. Yikes. I have no idea how I'm going to do it.

You all should know, by the way, that in the era we shall call BC (before child), he used to get a sweater each year for his birthday. And no, they were not rollneck, top-down, stockinette raglans. Sigh.

Naples

This month was way too busy! I did manage to finish a pair; the pattern is Lichen Ribbed Sock from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks and the yarn is Lane Cervinia Calzetteria, color 904 Naples. (Both skeins I had were labeled with the same dyelot, but I don't think they were!)

I'm not going to be done

As you can see I have a ways to go. The sock (or sock to be) on the left is the one I started with, but realized that the design was off. I started the one on the right to see if I could get it right before ripping out the first one. The one on the right is correct. However it has taken many tries. One day I spent almost two hours redoing every row I knitted. (It was a low point) However, I've learned a lot. All the socks are just beautiful on the blog and so are the mittens. I'll keep working on these, but I'm going to attempt a simpler pair for next month. Happy Holidays

I Want to Hear From You

Hello sock knitters!

Just a reminder that the end of November is upon us so if you want to qualify for next month's in-store special. We have had great response and I want to keep it going so post, post, post. Remember, even if your sock isn't finished, we love to hear from you.

Also I wanted to post the results of the poll that many of you voted for. It was a close call with Fancy Scmancy at 47% and Plain Janer's at 52%. All in all it looks like we are split down the middle.

Also, just a quick side poll that you can respond to in the comments of this post:

If you are making any holiday presents this year, which one do you think will be the best received and why?

For example, I am making some tote bags for my nieces who are in dance class and I think they will squeal with delight when they put their tap shoes and tutus in it to bring with them to class.

Keep on knitting!

My November socks

I finished this over the weekend. Sarah helped me pick out the yarn when I last visited the Yarnery. The pattern is from Betsy McCarthy's Knitting Socks.
The yarn is Frog Tree Alpaca. These are certainly warm socks! They are for my daughter in law for a Christmas present.
Well, I have been trying to add a picture of the socks and I can't.
I will see if I can post it on my blog.
Anne Lorene

November socks

Well, my trip to Chicago over Thanxgiving weekend did the trick: I was able to finish my November socks. Knit in Pagewoodfarm hand dyed sock yarn, they were a joy to knit. I used a simple slip stitch cable design for the legs and down the top of the foot, decreasing the number of pattern repeats as I went towards the toes.
Can't wait to start my next pair!

Under the influence of ... Lucy Neatby

If you are familiar with Lucy Neatby, you would not imagine that these plain ol' socks would have anything to do with highly skilled, creative and colorful(!) Lucy Neatby.  

She has a DVD series and I bought the Sock techniques set on a whim.  I've just incorporated a few of her basic tips in these socks. 

Hoping I can spread some Lucy skill, here are the changes I made:

1. Used smaller needles (size 1, 2.25 mm) for this standard sock yarn.  [I was not crazy about the feel of the smaller needles, but it did result in a lot less sag than in my previous knitted socks.]

2. Double-stranded my long-tail cast-on by doubling the length of the tail and folding it over while casting-on (she says it's sturdier, improves elasticity and helps with the cast-on tension.)

3. Slip-knit the heel flap in reverse, i.e. on the purl row.  Try it!  It's much faster to slip the stitch while purling the second stitch at the same time.  Think of it as an incomplete purl 2 together.

4. Chimney toe in place of kitchener stitch at the toe.  I can't try to explain that one, but it does work better than my previous attempts with kitchener.

Sadly, since these socks are a gift so I'll not know how much better they'll wear, but I will continue to watch and try Lucy's techniques 'til I perfect my own.

Happy knitting!

Sock specs: Kroy socks 4-ply, size 1 dpn, basic top-down sock pattern

A Trio of Socks

Hi everyone! I have been very busy knitting this month, not all socks, but I have been able to finish 3 pair!

OK - so they are baby socks, but socks none the less! The 3 babies who will be receiving these do not know each other and will probably never have an occassion to meet - so making them from the same yarn is acceptable. I also made 3 hats to go with the socks! Now I need to get back to the Christmas knitting!

Mitten Fairy

I have been so busy knitting Mitten Fairy Mittens that my socks are somewhat neglected but below is a picture in progress




They are a Christmas Present for my son so they will be finished in December.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely snowfall and time with friends and family as much as I am!!

I kicked off the holiday season by finishing up my first knitted Christmas present:



As I mentioned before, they're the Quidditch Socks from Charmed Knits. I used Lana Grossa Meilenweit yarn which I used my initial SITCKAL coupon to buy. It's my first time using this yarn and it seems like a nice, basic sock yarn. I think it'll wear pretty well.

Purple Pandas

Here's a fuzzy picture of some not-fuzzy socks. Crystal Palace's Panda Cotton, that lovely silky smooth yarn, knit up into socks for my wool-allergic sister. Wouldn't that just be a bummer? So glad I don't have that issue - I loooove me woollies.

Thanks, Sarah for the Melenweit coupon - a great Thanksgiving treat.

Oh, and the socks really are the same size, they just appear different due to positioning.

Fabulous Felted Fireside Footies Finished

Last night I felted these slippers. They are a present for my friend Evanne in San Francisco - I hope they dry before Thursday morning when I leave to visit her:) I changed the heel turn a bit, because I didn't understand the pattern instructions. They turned out very cute - I love this colorway of Kureyon. When my boyfriend saw them, he asked for a pair and he wants them to be colorful! The last time I asked him about knitting something for him, he asked for boring colors.

This is a free pattern called Fireside Footies, found at:
http://www.pippikneesocks.com/blog/fireside-footies/

Rebecca A

This Week Only!

For Socks In The Cities Knit Alongers...all of you... 20% Off a single skein of Meilenweit sock yarn. Consider this an official coupon. Let the gals at the store know that you are a member of our very cool club so they can check your name off the list.

This is not the special for December, it is just an additional thank you to those of you who are helping to make this KAL a success.

A Run For The... Socks?

I know the holidays are right around the corner but let's give these gals a run for their money...

Debra, mE, Anne Lorene, Emily and Inky Orchid have socks done already! I know there are more of you out there who like to win things so c'mon and get knitting!!

Also, check out the quiz to the right and vote!!

New socks and yarn!

I'm so excited! This is the first Knit-a-long that I have joined!
Yesterday I purchased some GREAT yarn: Pagewood Farm, hand dyed sock yarn, Merino, bamboo and nylon. I've only got about 1 inch of ribbing done on size 2 needles, and can't wait to get to the leg and start my pattern idea!

More to come!
Shawn

Monkey Socks!

I finished a pair of socks in a week! That's really crazy fast for me. I started these on Sunday and just Kitchnered the toe and wove in the ends this morning. They're out of Fleece Artist Merino 2/6 which I am loving. I have another skein in reds, browns, and purples that I'm itching to get to now. Unfortunately, my next socks need to be ones I finish for Christmas gifts so those others will have to wait.

My last note is to congratulate Debra. I voted for yours so I'm very glad that you won.

Where's the month gone?

OK, so we're only halfway through the month, but I feel like November is just zooming along. I have found time to finish a pair of socks (Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock heavy weight in Harlotty) in the midst of my holiday knitting. I'm not sure how I feel about the linen stitch heel. I've used the wrong side of the stitch before on a pair of socks, and liked it . . . I do like the round toe, though. First time I've tried that.

And, while I haven't had the time to comment, I've been enjoying seeing everyone else's socks on the blog.

Lastly (definately not leastly): Congratulations, Deb!

And the Winner is...

DEBRA

The competition was fierce but in the end, Debra was the winner. And because the picture I took at the store did not do the socks justice, I simply grabbed one of her photos from her post from October.
So, Debra, your prize and socks will be waiting for you on Wednesday (That is the next time I work) so come in looking pretty for your picture to be taken with your winning socks and prize of Fleece Artist!!
Thanks again for sticking with us at The Yarnery and Socks in the Cities.

November Socks

After viewing the beautiful designs on the October blog, I thought that I would launch out from plain socks to something with a design. The pattern is Cat Bordhi's "Columbine Peak" from her book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles. The yarn (purchased with last month's discount coupon) is LANG JAWOLL Sport (superwash) which includes a spool of reinforcement yarn. So far, I have had to only rip out once, but it's early.

Just a note: yesterday I purchased from the Yarnery Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks, which was a real eye-opener for a beginner like me. In addition to patterns, she has size charts, stitch tables, ways to figure out the number of stitches to cast on for a modified pattern, applying different yarns to the same pattern; a whole new sock world.

Looking forward to seeing the November socks.

The Voting...

is going well at the shop. For those of you who brought in your socks, I will be tallying the votes on Monday evening when I work. So the winner will be announced on Tuesday. Thanks for those who brought socks. I think that our customers liked seeing them... and so did our employees.

Holiday Glow. Only Slightly Radioactive.

Thanks to the lovely Mrs. Pao, I found myself with some lovely cherry-colored wool that cried out to be made into Holiday Socks.

Unfortunately, I had snapped a critical number of my lace-sized dpn's (I sport a brilliantly needle-eating combination of corrosive hand oils and an extremely - tense - tension), and I was facing a long family session of Battlestar Galactica Watching (Season 2.0) without an alternative Fidgit Project available. And I'm more likely to Make Do than I am likely to hike any sort of distance in order to deplete our tiny bank account unnecessarily. Hey, I *earned* these bad knees.

So I decided to do basic stockinette socks, and let the wool fall where it may.

But after getting to the bottom of the leg, I started to feel that the plain pattern was not doing justice to that lovely yarn. It looked a little... well, bored with itself. Oh, dear, what to do? (DON'T suggest that I could have ripped back and introduced a nice cable or knit/purl pattern. What if all the crying blurred up my eyes right at the point where Starbuck came to everyone's senses and gouged out Gaius' eyes with a conveniently placed set of Addi Turbos? I've got Priorities...)

The wandering ball of cherry wood cozied up to some teensy leftover balls of Koigu. Clearly it was Fate nudging at me. I'm not one to give a big wet razzberry to Fate, so I took the hint and happily fell to, using up every inch of that Koigu. Brilliant!



Well, maybe a little too brilliant, actually. It may not *quite* be a classy color combination. But I won't worry about that. Because, you know, during the Holidays who notices one more retina-searing spot of brightness in the general glow of flickering tree lights, neon Rudolphs, lit menorahs, and metallic wrapping paper?

But what will I wear with them?

Forgive Me Please

Well, Monday came and went and I forgot to get the socks up. I work tonight and will be displaying them then. So if there were any of you who went in to check on your socks... that'd be my fault. Ah, well, more suspense I guess.

Which one of these

...is not like the other?

Even though I loved the extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning, I absolutely hate the lack of natural light that remains once I get home from work. For a finished project pic, I had to resort to a quick lunch-time bench opening.

Oh, daylight savings.

Start: August 2007, finished in October 2007

Yarn: Wollmeise, Suzanne colorway

Pattern: Welt Fantastic by Charlene Schurch (modified)

Needle size: 2.25