Sunday, December 10, 2006

Christmas socks are finished

With a little sparkle added they are warm and comfy. But I like short socks and I guess my feet are not that big so I always have sock yarn left over.

What to do with a partial ball of red sock yarn? Hm..... oh I know I'll knit a hat!

Current project on the needles a Christmas Hat. I promise I won't wear them together. I'm really not into the Matchy matchy bit.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Koigu - Garden Green


Finished what do you think?

I did these socks in sections both socks worked at the same time. On two different set of needles and two different balls of yarn. I broke up the sections

Cast on and do the k2p2 bit for 3" then do the same thing on sock #2 while sock #1 is waiting.

Now the knit bit and I kept track of how many rows I'd knitted on #1 sock and repeated this on #2 sock. The reason I did this because I recently rediscovered my kacha counter and felt compelled to use it. Totally unnecessary!

Turn the heel on one sock turn the heel on the next sock.

And on like that.

Summary: Would I do this again probably. While knitting it went a bit slower so it seemed but at the end I had two socks. Voila!

Therefore no Second Sock Syndrome.

The pattern I use is a basic sock pattern this was 14 sts on each needle and the style is my basic short sock. I prefer most of my socks short, probably a good reason I just have not analyzed that part.

As I was knitting on these socks yesterday at Stitches From the Heart sitting around the table, there was a lady there knitting socks. She was a very powerful personality. Considered herself an expert knitter and a knitter who takes "commissions"! Wow so she is a knitting Pro!

But the problem was that she kind of had the My Way is the Best kind of attitude, and I so am not that way. I say in knitting there are No Rules as far as I'm concerned. Mistakes can turn into an element of design, I like to "step out of the box" as often as possible. Make things the way I want and mostly have a practical use. Just because I like my socks short I don't tell you to make your socks short. But this lady was trying to convert me to make my socks taller.

I don't like my socks high up on my leg, my feet seem too confined then, I don't know maybe because it never really gets that cold here and if it does get cold I just wear a heavier sock and maybe leg warmers. Yes I said leg warmers, I've worn them for years not as a fashion statement but as a practical piece of clothing. My feet seem to get warmer than my leg and knees so often I will wear leg warmers and while sitting at my desk I will pull them up over my knees. My poor old knees I have to treat them well.

Here are the "blemishes" that my evil twin threw in:

Knitting along and suddenly I throw in 6 purl stitches:
Oh well only my evil twin will notice it the minute I put it on.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Current Project,



These are my favorite tools that I use, size 2 needle, a row counter and knitting two socks at the same time. Koigu, 56 sts.

Monday, September 18, 2006

The anatomy of a Sock

What I've learned about sock knitting:

The smaller the needle the longer the sock will last. Finer the gauge the better it feels on my foot.

I prefer to use 5 double pointed needles and I like the shorties my favorites are the



Five Inch Double Points, they are a set of 5 needles 5" long and made of Surina wood. Surina wood is from the Lal Kohla (Elegant Tree) from India. So says the little brochure that came with the needles. It also tells me that "Highly skilled artisans craft this strong, lightweight, flexible wood into exceptional knitting needles."



Always keep a nail file handy though because the tips have a tendency to split and need a bit of touching up once in a while. Don't ask me why I like these but these feel nicer and have a more pointy tip then the bamboo needles or the little plastic needles. But as always it really depends on the yarn as to which kind of needle to use.

Casting on....for top down socks: I always use 2 or 3 size larger needle and I like to use the German twisted cast on method, this gihttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifves the top of the sock the stretchy feel.

I rather knit top down because it's easier for me to cast on a stretchy top then to cast off a streachy top. Somehow my cast off tightens up no matter what method I try. So it is just easier for me to cast on loose than to play with the cast off.

I'm kind of new to knitting socks, so I have been experimenting. When I tried to knit both socks at the same time it did seem like it took longer, for me there was more wasted time "handling" and sorting out which sock was which etc. I find that the first sock sort of goes in sections or mini challenges.

Casting on as for any new project is sort of fun and exciting because it's a new project! So the cast on and figuring out the gauge etc. is sort of the first challenge......

Then deciding on the pattern and how far to k2p2 ribbing on the top is the second little challenge......

Then settle in and knit and knit easy mindless round and round kind of fun because I don't have to pay attention kind of like mindless knitting.....

Now the heel! Woopie now I get to make the heel flap, paying special attention to make sure it's exactly the way I want it.....

Now for that little triangle bit of short rowing is kind of fun to see the three dimensional thing that appears.....

Then picking up the stitches on the side, making sure there are no holes and that both sides are even.......

Now the decrease to get back to 4 needles with the same amount of stitches on them.....

Then it's downhill... mindless knitting get to the length that I need....

The toe decreases is where the hill gets really steep and goes fast...decrease and I'm almost finished.....

Now for the grand finale the Kitchener Stitch

By the time I finish one sock the second one seems to go faster, I've figured out the gauge the pattern and I'm familiar so it is easier to knit......

the Kitchener Stitch here is my little cheat sheet for that:
front needle: pw, leave
back needle: kw, leave
fn, kw, pull off
fn, pw, leave on
b,pw,pull off
b,kw, leave

*f,kw,pull off
f,pw,leave
b,pw,pull
b,kw,leave*


Voila a sock is finished!

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Free Patterns online

****************************
http://www.socknitters.com/sockpatterns/sockpatterns.htm

*****************************
Some other sock links:

Free Knitting Pattern-Joan's Socks-Lion Brand® Wool-Ease®
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kwe-joansSocks.html

*****************************

Sock Anxiety:http://www.az.com/~andrade/knit/socks.html

*****************************

Michelle's Basic Socks: http://mimoknits.typepad.com/knitting/michelles_basic_socks.htm

Thursday, August 31, 2006

What's wrong with store bought socks?

The seams!

I found a great sock generating page

Sea Sock Cruise.....



Yes folks we are going to knit socks on the high seas!

Socks Rock!

Sea Sock Cruise!




If you are interested in more information there is a blog:

Sea Socks Cruise & Yarn Expedition

Why Socks?





Well since I have discovered the wonderful world of hand knit socks, I can't get enough of them. I want more! You can never have enough socks or at least I can never have enough socks.

Hand knit socks are magic on my feet. Not only I get to knit them and they are very fast sort of instant (2 or 3 day) project fairly reasonable as far as yarn investment but I get to pick wild colors and patterns that I would not wear say as a sweater.

So this blog is dedicated to Socks!

I will be posting my hand knitted socks with pictures and notes and sometimes patterns. I also have BananaKnits Blog but I don't want to "bore" my BananaKnits audience with my new obsession of SOCKS!

Socks Rock!