Wrap & turn

One short row heel demo

Darning Socks.

When I was growing up and materials and goods were hard to come by in Europe we treasured our hand knit wool socks. When it wore out we learned to "darn" them, the technique used here in this video is very similar to how my mother did it.

The Kitchener Stitch

front needle: pw, leave
back needle: kw, leave
*fn, kw, pull off
fn, pw, leave on
b,pw,pull off
b,kw, leave*

Sock Class at Amano Yarn Center

BananaKnits.com is teaching a SOCK Class

at Amano Yarn Center

When: Saturday Aug 23 rd & Saturday August 30 th 2008
What Time: ... 3-5 pm


A Mano Yarn Center
12808 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90066

(310) 397-7170 phone

amanoyarn@gmail.com

Cast on Methods

Two Needle Cast On:



Knitted Cast on:

My newest discovery: Knitting socks on a 9" circular needle. It has opened a whole new world. I usually knit socks on 5 double pointed needles and have been satisfied with this method. Well during the SeaSock Cruise to Alaska a lady named Angela was knitting on these tiny little needles and her progress was remarkable.

I thought I would give it a try, it takes a bit of getting used to but the speed you pick up is amazing. I am a convert from now on it's 9" circular for me. Socks knitted from some of my yarn stash from Alaska.

http://www.hiyahiya.com

Ugg Sock for Popsicle Feet

There are times when I jump in bed and my feet are frozen! They are like ice, hence the "Popsicle feet" reference.

How to warm up my feet, tucking them anywhere near my DH is not satisfactory and he really does not like it. I must confess I don't like him doing the same to me either. As a matter of fact I've been known to get hostile about even thinking of doing such.... the solution is the Ugg Sock.

I knitted a giant sock, size 13 needles DK weight wool yarn and tossed them in the washing machine to shrink/felt. Then I needle felted fleece to the inside.


The softest and warmest of all. Warm toes for me, and yes I made DH a pair too.

Tunisian Crochet Cast On

Tunisian Reverse Stitch

German Twisted cast on

toe up socks

I found this on Ravelry.com and it was posted at:
http://spacekitty.wordpress.com/2007/01/27/sock-class/#more-82.

The numbers in parentheses are for larger sized socks.

Yarn: Cascade Fixation

Needles: Size 3-5 (US)

Sizes: Toddler [women’s small (size 3-5), women’s medium (size 5-8), women’s large (size 8-11)]. Feel free to circle all the numbers for your size.

Skillz: Knit, purl, m1 (or kfb, as you like).

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Using the Magic Cast-on from knitty.com [http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html] cast on 16 [20, 24, 24] stitches (8 [10, 12, 12] per needle).

Rnd 1: Knit all the stitches on the top needle (this is the opposite needle from where the yarn is now hanging). Be sure to hold the tail of the dead end against the back of the toe so that you do not start to lose stitches off the ends of the needles. Then knit all the stitches on the other needle (this second set will be twisted, so knit through the back of each stitch).

Rnd 2: Knit 1; m1; knit to last stitch; m1; knit 1.

Rnd 3: Knit all stitches.

Repeat rounds 2 and 3 until you have a total of 36 [48, 52, 60] stitches (18 [24, 26, 30] on each needle), ending with round 3.

Next rnd: Knit 9 [12, 13, 15], pick up a fourth dpn, knit 9 [12, 13, 15]. Repeat for the other side of the sock. You will now be working with a total of 5 dpns: 4 in the sock and 1 to knit with.

Knit until the entire sock measures 4 [5, 6, 7] inches long, or to length.

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Short-Row Heel:

You will be working with ½ of the total stitches; that is, only the stitches for the heel. If you like, put 18 [24, 26, 30] on a holder so you don’t get flustered. Put the other half of the stitches on two live needles to work with.

Row 1: Knit 15 [21, 24, 27]. There will be 3 stitches left on the left needle. Slip 2 purlwise with yarn in back, bring yarn in front, turn work. Slip 1 from left to right purlwise, and bring the yarn to the front again, ready to purl.

Row 2: Purl until there are 3 stitches left on the left needle. Slip 2 purlwise, bring the yarn to the back. Turn the sock, slip 1 stitch left to right purlwise, over the yarn, and put the yarn in back again, ready to knit.
Row 3: Knit until there are 4 stitches left on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 4: Purl until there are 4 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 5: Knit until there are 5 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 6: Purl until there are 5 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 7: Knit until 6 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 6: Purl until 6 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 8: Knit until 7 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 9: Purl until 7 stitches are left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Small/Medium/Large Sizes Only:

Row 10: Knit to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 11: Purl to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 12: Knit to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 13: Purl to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 14: Knit to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 15: Purl to 10 left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Large Size Only:

Row 16: Knit to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 17: Purl to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 18: Knit to 12 left, wrap and turn.
Row 19: Purl to 12 left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Small/Medium/Large Sizes Only (again):

Row 20: Knit to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 21: Purl to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 22: Knit to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 23: Purl to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 24: Knit to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 25: Purl to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 26: Knit to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 27: Purl to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 28: Knit to 7 left, wrap and turn.
Row 29: Purl to 7 left, wrap and turn.

All Sizes (again):

Row 30: Knit to 6 left, wrap and turn.
Row 31: Purl to 6 left, wrap and turn.
Row 32: Knit to 5 left, wrap and turn.
Row 33: Purl to 5 left, wrap and turn.
Row 34: Knit to 4 left, wrap and turn.
Row 35: Purl to 4 left, wrap and turn.
Row 36: Knit to 3 left, wrap and turn.
Row 37: Purl to 3 left, wrap and turn.
Row 38: Knit 16 [22, 24, 28], and do not wrap or turn.

zebra1

You have now knit all the stitches on the heel side. Now you will start working in the round again, working on both the heel side and the instep (top) side. The heel is the first half worked.

Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: Knit 18 [24, 26, 30]. K1, k2tog, k 16 [22, 24, 28], ssk, k1.

Repeat these 2 rounds again twice more (6 sts decreased).

Knit until ankle reaches desired length. You may add in ribbing or pattern, if you like.

Sewn bind-off:

Break yarn, leaving a tail about 4 times as long as the circumference of the sock. Thread a tapestry needle.

Sew forward (right to left) through two stitches as if to purl, leave the stitches on. Sew backward (left to right) through the first (right hand) stitch as if to knit and remove the stitch.

Repeat. On last stitch, sew right to left and remove the stitch from the needle. Pull tight. Sew the loose end inside the cuff and trim excess.

Greatest invention since sliced bread....

That is if you knit socks with double pointed needles. One of the challenges of transporting sock knitting using 5 sharp double pointed needles has been in how to "corral" the needles for transport. I did invent one made of two large thimbles with a hole punched in the middle of each and I knotted a piece of elastic and the two thimbles just sort of capped the needles. This method was kind of ok but I kept misplacing the gadget.

I see others have had the same problem, and finally somebody invented this great gadget:


available: http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/dp_wip_tubes.htm

Twisted German Cast On

Knitting Socks

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.

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.

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.

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!

Free Patterns online

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

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Some other sock links:

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

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

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

What's wrong with store bought socks?

The seams!

I found a great sock generating page