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

Yarni and a Monkey

This is a post from my personal blog, but since it has sock content, I thought I would share here as well. Check out Yarni if you haven't already. It is well worth it!!


I love a good sock yarn. In fact, I might like sock yarn above all others. Cotton, wool, sea cell, It makes no difference. I think that I like knowing that within that one skein that I am holding in my hand is a finished item. ONE SKEIN! And even when suffering from second sock syndrome I know that it really won't be long before that FO emerges. Now I'm not saying I'm Michelangelo, but it really is like the Captive Slaves (Unfinished Bound Slaves).

You have this mass of... well, whatever, in this case, marble, in my case, yarn. And you work and work and soon, something is emerging. It is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. And my Second Sock Syndrome is much like this sculpture. Unfinished, yet still beautiful.

And what does all of this have to do with my love of sock yarn and where am I going with it. Well, besides flexing my Art History Major muscles, I wanted to tell you about Yarni. I bought this the day it arrived at the Yarnery. It is hand-dyed by V and is soft, and pretty and it has been sitting in my basket begging to be worked for too long. But I just couldn't. I needed to have something good. I couldn't just work this into a plane-jane sock, oh, no, not me. Even though, until VERY recently, all I did was plain-jane socks. So I pulled out the big guns (which would be Cookie A. patterns from Knitty.com) And I decided on Monkey. I know this seems like a very simple pattern, and so far, so good. But it is my first attempted at anything but stockinette and rib so I'm looking forward to it.And as I'm taking the pictures, I swear I can hear the Yarni whispering... "thank you, thank you for bringing me out of that basket. I knew you loved me." And I do.

This Could Be You

Get your socks into the store by Monday evening (yes, I just extended that time-line) because I will be putting up the socks in the store for a vote and you could be the next winner. Much like Rebecca, you could be standing in the Yarnery holding a new skein of yarn.

I Did it!

I got these finished last week, just took time to get the photo loaded. They are for my grand daughter for her birthday, which is at the end of next week. They actually will be in the mail tomorrow. I used a simple pattern with an Eye of Partridge heel. I can't believe how easy it was to change and make the heel.

OTN now: only four pair for Christmas presents!

Anne Lorene

A Little Inspiration

The Yarnery's own Heather is working on socks right along with us. She knows she can't win any prizes but shows her support by knitting up some awesome socks. Right now she is working on this beautiful pair for her mother-in-law. It is from the Interview Holiday edition in Louet Gems. Are they beautiful or what? If you think she's talented with socks, you should see her work the Savannah by Fibre Co. into a sweater!!


So how 'bout it... what are you all planning, sock-wise, for November? Me, I'm just trying to finish some beaded rib stitch socks in MegaBoots Stretch. Will they be done already?!! I want to start a new pair!

Happy knitting!

Drum Roll, Please.

Well our first month has come to an end. Thank you to those of you posted to, knit for and cheered on this KAL. But now what you really want to know... PRIZES!!

If I were working for Bob Parker on the Price Is Right I would run my hand along the bottom of this photo with pride:

A skein of Pagewood Farms in "Look at my Hot Socks Pink" and some handmade stitch markers by, well, me. All wrapped up in a wonderful project bag (which I don't have a picture of but you'll see when you pick up the prize).

And NOW can I have the drum roll, please...

The winner is...

REBECCA A

The prize can be picked up at the store anytime after 4pm tonight.

So you know I want to see you all back here next month. And don't forget to bring your socks into the store by Saturday Nov. 3 so we can display them in the store and have a vote for the second prize. I promise to take good care of them. Bring them in, Bring them in.

Don't forget, to those of you who have posted in October to check your emails for your November special.

Congrats to Rebecca A., see you soon!!