Recently in socks! Category
My first FO of the year!
yarn lana grossa mega boots stretch, color 715 (bought at MDSW 2006 -- yay for more fest yarn!)
pattern basic toe-up on 60 stitches, increased to 68 about 2 inches before the top
needles knit picks 2.75 mm / US # 2
What can I say about these socks? They're really simple -- toe-up, Judy's magic cast-on, stockinette foot and leg, short row heel, a couple inches of 2x1 rib, and a decrease bind-off.
Even though they're so simple, these socks are really special to me.
They meet several of my 2008 goals:
- Stash yarn - I bought this at MDSW 2006!
- They're socks - I really want more hand knit socks this year.
- Finishing what I started. Being able to wear what I knit - priceless.
Up next is finishing up Gigi's dress. The birthday party is in a few weeks and let me tell you, that innocent little dress has hours of finishing in it.
yarn: Socks That Rock medium weight in Rocktober
pattern: My own basic toe-up using Judy's Magic Cast On, a wrapped, short row heel, calf increases in the center back, spread 2 sts apart (approx every inch), k2, p1 ribbing, and the Evelyn Clark Leaf Lace Shawl Bind-off. Look how pretty that bind off is!
needles: 3.25 mm / US # 3 Addi Turbo Magic Loop (I use the 24" length to make for quick needle changing)
No one can argue that this was a long time coming. This pair of socks has seen a lot of changes.
The first sock started out as a diagonal rib sock (hated knitting it, hated the pooling), and then became a knee high with contrast koigu ribbing.
I cast on for sock #2, knit until I was almost to the ribbing, and stopped. It sat there for 6 months until yesterday.
Yesterday, I finally admitted to myself that I hated the koigu ribbing, It's much lighter weight than STR, and I'm not a huge yellow fan. So, I weighed the yarn I had left, split it, and decided to try to knit the ribbing in half of what was left of my yarn.
So there you have it, my third FO in June (my most productive month this year) and yet another fest yarn used up.
Evelyn Clark's Leaf Lace Bind Off
Work 2 sts, move both sts back to the LH needle and knit them through the back loop, *work 1 st, move both sts back to the LH needle and knit them through the back loop*
I work it loosely (or you could use a bigger needle). It makes a great chain edge that's as stretchy as the ribbing itself.
No one can accuse me of being an early adopter with the pattern.
Now I finally know what all the fuss is about. This pattern is fun to knit, pretty to look at, and intricate-looking enough to keep me interested.
I'm using Sliver Moon Farm's fingering (another fest yarn circa Rhinebeck 06). Plus, it counts as my first Summer of Socks knit. And that's a good thing considering I still have yarn for 11 more pairs of socks from festivals.
Ahem. Moving on...
I bought this yarn at the end of the last day at Rhinebeck. I had looked at it several times but kept putting it down. I'm not sure why. Look at the gorgeous variation -- subtle but definitely interesting to knit. And the size of the hanks? You get 200 grams -- enough for two generous pairs of socks.
What's not to love? Hmm...well it might be that it knits up best at 10 stitches per inch. I'm really not complaining though -- it's making a sturdy sock that's finer than most handknit ones, so II think I'm going to really like wearing them too.
And yes, your purists out there will note that I'm making them toe-up. I didn't have to make any mods, the pattern works just as nicely when knit in the opposite direction.
