socks!: June 2007 Archives
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.
Just slightly over a week after I cast on, and they're done.
ETA: i forgot the best part! 2 balls of fest yarn are gone!!
Specs
Pattern: Cassie's Loksins socks
Yarn: Regia Bamboo Color in Red Spot Color
Needles: KnitPicks 2.5mm / US #1 (3.25mm / US #3 to cast on)
Mods/Details:
- Short row heel instead of flap
- I knit 9 repeats for the leg, 7 repeats for the foot, and 2 plain rounds between the lace and starting the toe decreases. I wear a women's US shoe size 7.5 or 8.
- Next time I'd make the legs longer, but I'll need a few extra leg sts to do that.
- Thoughts on the yarn: The wool content works really well with the bamboo. These socks have a great, soft hand, but the wool gives them resiliency. The ballband says it can be machine washed and dried, but I think I'm going to knit up a swatch first. I don't know what to expect the bamboo to do.
That's really all there is to say. It's a great pattern -- absolutely addicting to knit, and beautiful to wear. I can't recommend it enough.
In what has to be some sort of record for me, I finished the first sock last night. I just couldn't stop until it was done. Both ends are woven in (don't you love socks? just TWO measly ends)
I used the toe called for in the pattern. It's a different toe than I'm used to doing but I wanted to try it out. You knit until there are 8 stitches left and then you pull all 8 together, bring the yarn to the inside, and weave in the end.
Technically, the toe is fine. But, it doesn't fit my foot quite as well as a boxier toe would. I'm glad I tried it, and it's really still OK to wear. I just know now that next time I'll do my standard toe and kitchner the end. I actually missed kitchnering the toe. It's one of my favorite things about cuff-down socks.
Several of you asked about how the sock stayed up since it didn't have any ribbing. I was concerned about it myself -- especially in a bamboo yarn. So, I wore it around the house last night as a test drive. The sock barely slipped down my leg at all. Maybe a 1/2 inch. I'm happily surprised!
If Who am I kidding? *When* I make my next pair of Loksins, I'll make them a few repeats longer in the leg. I'll have to widen them by a couple stitches to do so, which is why I didn't do it this time. I knit 9 repeats (as the pattern states) so my pics will give you a good idea of what yours would look like if you followed the pattern.
I really do love this pattern. It makes a beautiful sock, and I've been thinking about modifying it to make a scarf by using several repeats of the cabley section in the center, flanked by a single column of the little circles. I think it would make a beautiful scarf as well.
In sticking with this very non-traditional knitting approach (for me, anyway) I cast on for sock 2 last night. I hope to have a finished pair by end of the weekend. After all the bad knitting mojo I had with my experimental lace scarf, I need a nice FO to balance me out.
And I really don't care that they're predicting it will be 94°F (34°C) on Friday. I'll just fold them up nicely in my sock drawer so I have something to look forward to come October.
ps - a BIG thank you to Stephanie from yesterday's comments for suggesting I try one of the online photo editing apps until I get my laptop back. it was a big help! thanks again, stephanie!
I cast on for Cassie's Loksins this morning, and I'm already more than halfway through the first sock. I absolutely love knitting this pattern. It's an 8-row repeat which seems to be my perfect repeat length -- long enough for real progress, but short enough to not feel like I have to knit forever before I've completed a single repeat.
The yarn? I love it too. It's the Regia Bamboo I picked up at MDSW last month. It's much drapier than a 100% wool sock -- a good match for the lace in this sock -- but it still has nice body to it, and even a little bit of sheen. Like other bamboo yarns it can be a bit splitty, but it's not too bad.
I decided to follow the pattern with almost no mods. I'm doing this cuff-down, but I did do a short row heel instead of the flap. Since I know exactly how to do a short row heel to fit my foot, I couldn't bring myself to bother with the flap.
ps - sorry for the funky picture quality. my hard drive died this week and i have a loaner until it gets fixed. i miss my photoshop :(
