#6 Tiny Chex

 This is my first time to try colorwork, in the round no less.  Squeeeee, I am so excited. I got up early Sunday morning (before church) and knit two toes, just to see how the yarn would look. Then decided to begin trying colorwork. I used red variegated Koigu and my own hand speckle-dyed merino/nylon sock yarn from Wool2dye4.com. Simple pattern of two by two, by three rounds. 

The needles were a major investment. I was advised by the Sock Guru-ess Summer Lee that colorwork is best done with Chiao Goo Twist Short needles.

Two sets were included, so it sorta hurt less to spend $32 for this teeny packet.  The needles are different lengths to make it easier to hold when doing socks. So they say. I was all thumbs at first having to hold and knit two yarns in both Continental and then English style. But I knew this was the challenge and I was determined to get the technique. FYI I am an inveterate Continental knitter, but now I feel like English is a good thing to have in my repertoire.

 Inside the sock, where all the floates are visible. One must not knit too tight, and one must use a larger size needle than for a single color sock, as the floats diminish the stretch of the knitting. 

  And here they are finished.  Afterthought heel again which worked perfectly and with this pattern I was easily able to site the heel exactly for both socks. 

 

Not terrible, no puckering and it feels cozy on the foot, but it was not too smart to use two hand dyed yarns as the pattern is not as crisp...O well. It's a learning pair.

 The fit is just right and I am so relieved. 

I noticed an abundance of red socks from my output. That will change as I have a desire for sweet pastels and Fair Isle patterning in bright colors. So inspired. 

Well, it's the last day of June and I have finished six pairs (not counting the four that were started ages ago and got finished before the Sock Project got rolling). 

I've learned toe up construction, magic loop and English knitting, different heels, lace, stripes, cables, and colorwork, and that is the tip of the sock iceberg.

I bought and assembled this bookcase (Walmart) for all my sock yarn, and put it on bed risers so I could easily access the colors I want to use without having to kneel down. My little chair and lamp fill the corner and it sits across from me as I knit. So lovely. 

I've spent a goodly amount on new yarn, but it was all on sale and that's my justification. Also I am using my tax refund, which has yet to come in the mail, but never mind.  

#5 Red Luxury Socks

I used one of my estate sale purchases, bargains which retailed for $34.75!!! I have saved it all these years and finally felt 'worthy' enough to use it. The variety is Carnal and the colorway is Hoochi Mama. O yeah baby.  This yarn was so sensuous to knit and I totally lost my mind as I started this sock. 

 The first mistake...My new size 1 needles arrived and I wanted to use those on this design (my own pattern)  and knit my entire first sock and found that it was so small and narrow that I had to completely rip it out and start over with size 2 needles. I could barely get my hand through the sock. Boo hoo.

 Undaunted, I tried again and did the same pattern, cast on 56 stitches, toe up, afterthought heels and super stretchy bind off. I was thrilled even to get them on the sock blockers and steam them. Phew!

The stitch patterns is called OXOX which simulates those letter shapes (I adapted my design to stretch out the cables) . I kept getting lost in the row count and had to reknit sections a few times. But they are correct now and both socks match. Minor miracle. I blame Hercule Poirot on PBS which I binge watched as I knit.  

 

Love these so much!

#4 Lacy self striping Socks

 Somewhere on Youtube (?) I saw this lacy design sock and later decided I would knit those next, but I couldn't find the pattern. Looking everywhere and finally giving up, I figured I could just design my own. It wasn't difficult, using only elementary math and I was ready. Top down is not my fave way to knit socks now that I have learned toe up Turkish cast-on, but decided (why???) to do top down anyway, so I could get the lace design to center on the foot when I got down to there ( O that's why!). But then what about the heel? Oy. So I chose cut through afterthought heel again because it is my new fave. It is shown here before I cut the yarn, and I am doing it before I knit the whole sock so I can try it on and decide when to start decreases for the toe. 

 After the afterthought heel is finished. I used a different yarn, more highly twisted, thus making it a bit more hardwearing.

 Here's the picking out the in-between row of yarn to begin the heel. It was scary the first time I did it and the second and third too, but practice makes perfect and now it is so much easier and not scary at all. 

 And then voila! the socks are done and ready to be steamed.

 Steaming relaxes the yarn, makes the stitches look so much better and gives the socks a finished look and feel. It really improves the softness and yumminess and I am so glad I found this technique.

 While the self striping doesn't match, they are coordinated and look hand knit rather than commericially knit. The yarn is Drops Fabel Print and is 75% superwash wool and 25% polyamide. I used a 2.75mm needle and cast on 48 sts.

 I ordered a bunch of yarn from Drops, as they were on sale and I couldn't resist all the great colors. This lot came from Denmark and oooooh it made me happy.

NO skeins to wind and enough in one ball for a pair of socks.  I intend to try colorwork and 'needed' a bunch of solid colors that I didn't have in sock weight. That's my excuse.

I feel like the challenge of lace was met. And now onto the next project. 

#3 Stripey Pride Socks

My new 'wear with socks' fake plasticky Birkenstocks I got at Aldi for $5. 

Knit with Merino Mia from Prism and my own hand dyed pastel rainbow, both are fingering weight. I used Addi Turbo 2.75mm and Turkish cast on for the toe up sock. The Cut Through Heel is the new technique. One marks the spot where the heel will go with a clip-on marker and then just knit a tube. When the sock is at the end then slip the needle into the right leg of the stitch for half the amount of stitches, skip a row and repeat for the second needle. Then take your life in your hands and snip the center stitch of the skipped row and pick out the two ends of yarn, leaving a couple of stitches at the beginning and end of the row. This will prevent those dastardly holes at the apex of the heel. In theory.

 Here's the pair I tried this on first...don't know the brand of yarn but am guessing it is Mad Tosh Sock and then Koigu for the heel. I am using the scissors to show how there is no hole at that apex of the heel

 And Voila! it worked on this pair. 

 This finished pair. When I finish the socks I slide them onto sock blockers and then steam them to relax and fix the stitches. The difference with a steam finish is miraculous. The sock becomes smooth and drapey and it makes my knitting look perfect. 

 And this time they fit just right. I used 52 stitches for this pair.

 Happy feet.

#2 The Fleegle Heel

I'm using the fancy schmancy yarn for this pair of socks. 395 yds. 100% merino.

Madeline Tosh in Mansfield's Garden Party. 

Here it is caked up and ready to make the pattern, by the book from The Sock Project. You may be aware that I rarely if ever follow a pattern but that is the way I am approaching this project so that I am semi-assured it will turn out. 

I've cast on 56 stitches and am using the Turkish cast-on which starts at the toe. This is relatively new to me, but already it has proved to be the easiest cast on ever. The toe was formed using yarn over increases, which is also new to me for socks and it is just wonderful and almost invisible. FYI, my usual cast on is 48 stitches so this will be quite a bit larger. Size 2 Addi 24" circulars, using Magin Loop technique.

Here is the Fleegle heel which is triangular and quite an ingenious design. Nothing tricky, easily memorized and quite fast to knit. And no Kitchener stitch in the whole sock!

After knitting the heel I could try on the sock. 

O dear.

At least two inches too long. I followed the directions exactly, with the minor modification of using a size 2 instead of a size 1 needle thus changing the gauge. But, but, but...it fits everywhere but the length.

(I must say that the pattern was wonderfully written and illustrated, and my goofs are simply my own.)

There is a solution of course which is one of the things I love about knitting. Rip out the heel and then rip away at least 1.5" off the foot and knit the heel again.

Second try. Much better. 

So much for following the measurements in the book. When the heel is finished, it's just the leg left to knit and I went for a 7" ribbed cuff.

Here's the finished pair. Lovely yarn to knit, just as smooth on the needles as one would want. Yay! I'm glad I got this yarn at the estate sale otherwise I might never have purchased it full price.

And a close up of the Fleegle heel. I would make these socks again, and use fewer stitches and they would fit me better. I will no doubt offer these for sale come the autumn when this sock project nears the end. 

And here is the size difference of my normal sock compared to the one from the pattern (minus my gauge mistakes.) The Fleegle Heel sock foot measures 9.75" in length and my blue sock is like 7.5" long. 

Starting The Sock Project

#1 Cherry Vanilla

Start: June 11

Finish: June 13

Yarn: My hand dyed Punta Arenas 100% Merino Superwash Hard twist

Pattern: Weekend shortie socks a free pattern, cuff down

Needles: I tried all my different needles in size 2 or 1, including dpns and circulars in order to determine which I enjoyed the most. The jury is still out. 

Listened to: The Widow by John Grisham, which was just ok until it got to the murder, (that's just me) when it picked up steam and I got into it.

Drank: Decaf coffee from Aldi with sugar free Hazlenut creamer. 

   

      My bin of dyeable sock yarns. The largest collection of any yarn I own. Must dye more often.

The first pair is the basic sock I initially learned to knit and which I rarely make anymore, but I thought I ought to get back to basics, so there they are. 

Since I have already learned all the details of making these, I instead tried out all the different needles I own and tried to decide which were my favorite. No final decision has been made as I am awaiting another set of needles to add to the zillions I have collected over the years and see which rates a gold star. 

The heel on these socks consist of a heel flap, a heel turn and a gusset. Pretty easy once they become familiar and very nice fitting.  The back of the heel is 'reinforced'  to prevent wearing out faster, but my socks never wear out there, but at the bottom of the foot, so it seems unnecessary to me. 

OK I have started and already I am thinking my brain has come to life.

Going grocery shopping without my written list and I remembered everything this time. Knitting is such good memory work.