Recently in Socks Category
We had a good adventure into Michigan for the Michigan Fiber Festival on Saturday. Zosia slept all the way there (and most of the way back), Mom got to do a little shopping, Dad got to catch a short nap, and Grandma and Grandpa got some high quality baby time. In fact, I didn't have the baby much at all except to nurse her. Zosia spent a lot of time in her Baby Bjorn with one of her grandparents while we strolled through the festival.
Which gave me the chance to take a look at the goods to be had. I was pretty reserved this festival. Really, I don't need any more yarn right now (at least not until I finish something I'm already working on) and I really don't need much fiber at the moment either. But I always get drawn into Tracy Bunkers booth. I guess last time I saw her, I must not have been spinning, because I didn't remember the spinning fiber. So I made up for that with a few spinning stash additions.
Both of the bits of fiber I got are dyed in her Limeola colorway. The bundle on the left is a Silk/Merino/Alpaca blend and the roving on the right is superwash merino. I think both are destined to be two ply yarns. The Silk/Merino/Alpaca I'm going to attempt to get into the lace/sport weight range, the superwash merino is going to be, you guessed it, sock yarn. The whole green thing is out of my usual range of color selections -- perhaps my eye is being influenced by someone I know who has a passion for greens in this range?
Speaking of Alpaca, alpaca seems to be the new black these days. Almost every booth I went into seemed to have a good deal of alpaca or alpaca blend fibers and yarns. Alpaca is not generally my thing, as fiber goes, (not enough elasticity for me, and I find it to be a little hairy) so while I admired a lot of things, not very much ended up in my shopping basket.
Two other things that I was happy to find were Addi Turbo lace needles and Cat Bordi's new sock book. I always like to see creative new approaches to sock knitting and New Pathways for Sock Knitters looks like the kind of book that helps get the creative juices flowing. I've only been able to go through it at a cursory level, but her illustrations are lovely, and there are a number of sock projects I can see myself tackling. And I love how she demonstrates most of the sock designs and techniques on small sized socks -- given the new addition to my world, I think it would be kind of fun to try out a new technique and add to Ms. Z's wardrobe at the same time.
And speaking of Ms. Z... I didn't get too many pictures of her because she was busy entertaining her grandparents (and doing a lot of sleeping). But I did get one picture that I really loved.
Of course, you can't tell in this picture, but my Dad and Z are sitting on top of my parents' Gold Wing Trike (a Gold Wing where the rear axle has two wheels instead of just one) -- so Z has now officially been on her first motorcycle!
Now that I've finished the Sprung socks, it's time to cast on for another pair. But summer does not combine with an overheated pregnant woman to make her want to be working on a wooly socks. So I went to my sock yarn stash to see what else might present itself. And I found some handpainted cotton-elastic yarn that I had almost forgotten about, but was absolutely perfect for my current mission.
The yarn is Greenwood Fiberworks hand painted cotton/lycra yarn. It's a cotton yarn with a fine thread of lycra to give it elasticity -- a bit like a smaller gauge version of Cascade Fixation. It's completely machine washable (I'm not so good with the whole hand-washing socks thing) and a skein is sufficient to make a pair of women's socks.
Because I really didn't want to deal with knitting a gauge swatch, I just cast on onto 2.25 mm needles for a toe up sock and figured I'd see where my usual 64 stitch circumference got me. As it turns out, it looks like it should be just fine -- especially when combined with the exceptional stretchiness of the yarn. Knitting with this yarn is an okay experience. If you don't like stretch yarns, you probably won't like this stuff either, but they don't bother me too much. So far, the yarn is easy on my hands and the fabric feels soft and springy to the touch, so I think it will make for fine and comfortable socks. I have hopes, perhaps, of finishing them in time so that they can come with me and help me lounge around in the hospital after the Z is delivered. But that may be a bit optimistic, given my current rate of knitting!
After much hemming and hawing I finally settled on a K4P2 ribbing for the top of my Curious Yarns "Sprung" sock. It seemed to be the right combination of simplicity and compatibility with the leg pattern. And it fits pretty well, too.
I'm pleased with the overall look of the sock. I think the pattern stitch is well matched to the delicate colors and the open/airy pattern makes for the right weight and warmth for a spring and summer sock. A number of folks asked for more information about the pattern. The whole sock is really quite simple. When I complete the second sock, I'll put the outline together and make it available to everyone and anyone who wants to try it out for themselves.
A while back I got the chance to go to a Japanese bookstore with Bonne Marie. This was my first voyage into such an arena, and I found it very intriguing, even though the bookstore was a mere fraction of its normal size due to renovations. I didn't buy much except a book labelled "Knitting Patterns Book 300" (ISBN 4-529-041727) and it's been a great source of inspiration. Some pattern stitches are relatively common or are just variations on a common theme. Others are new to me, somewhat bizarre or both. Given my love of stripey sock yarn, I was hoping to find some that would bias in interesting ways, and there are definitely a few that fit that bill that I will try when I am workin on something that I can focus on. The stitch that I ended up with for this sock has a six stitch and 6 row repeat, making it a pretty easy pattern to commit to memory and work up on the leg of a sock (if you have the book, it is pattern #134). It has, to me anyway, an interesting combination of eyelets and angles. It actually reminds me of little trees -- which seems rather appropriate for a spring colored sock.
Now I just need to decide what type of ribbing to put on the top of it to finish it off. 1x1? 2x2? It probably doesn't matter, but since the pattern is rather loose and open, I'd like to have something with a little pull and traction to make sure the sock stays up when I put it on.
Don't let the sunshine fool you, all the warm weather has left Chicago. We were hovering right around 40F for most of the day. But the sunshine made it a lovely day to take some pictures. I started this pair of socks not too long ago because I just needed a burst of springy color in my life. What could be better than this soft yellow and green yarn from Curious Yarns (they have a website, but it doesn't seem to be functioning right now) in the colorway "Sprung"?
There's not much exciting to say yet about this sock -- there will be more when I get farther along on the cuff, but I just think the color variations in this sock are both subtle and beautiful and even a bit mood lifting.
Just enough variation so you can see it, but subtle enough so that from a distance it blends together a little bit and just gives you the impression of spring grass and daffodils. The subtlety surprised me, because in the skein the greens and yellows seemed so distinct.
Since the striping/pooling/repeating color pattern were so subdued, I decided that I could probably do something more interesting with the top. The red yarn is a lifeline so that I could play and rip out as needed. Which I did several times before coming across a eyelet and textured stitch that I liked and seemed to keep with the spring theme. These socks aren't entirely mindless knitting (I might need to start another pair in straight stockinette for that) but the pattern stitch isn't that difficult, either. I figure if I can't knit myself sweaters for a while, I'm most definitely going to work on filling up my sock drawer!
No baby stuff today, because I suspect these socks will be much too large for her, at least for the next 15 or so years. But here they are, my completed pair of socks from Regia Silk, in colorway 190.
These socks are my standard operation: ribbed cuff, short row heel, wedge toe. I did start them toe up so that I could maximize the yarn. But other than that, there's no innovation. They are just a simple pair of striped socks.
As far as the yarn is concerned, this yarn definitely felt nice to the touch and moved fairly smoothly over my wood needles. My biggest complaint with it is that it tends to be a bit splitty, and the pointy tips of the double points I was using often would slip between plies if I wasn't paying attention. But this is relatively minor, and certainly not a reason to avoid treating yourself to a little silk for your feet.
On the wear test angle (I wore them for most of the day after I took the pictures, but without shoes, because I didn't really leave the house), they looked fine after a day of light wear. However, one thing I did notice, perhaps because they are longer in the leg than my standard socks, is that they tend to want to slouch just a bit, compared to regular Regia wool/nylon sock yarn. I suspect this may be because of the silk content. Silk is not elastic and there's about the same amount of nylon as in regular Regia sock yarn. So non-elastic fibers make up about 45% of the total fiber content of the yarn. So if you're going to use this yarn, keep that in mind. This yarn might be better for patterns like slipped stitch patterns where the structure of the fabric helps to keep the shape of the garment. Or you might want to use a few less stitches around than you normally use, knowing that this stuff definitely will stretch a bit.
I'm hoping tomorrow it will be cold enough for me to give them a proper "with shoes" wear test, and so I can get a sense about how warm they really are.
Now I better get back to my quilt... I still have a whole bunch of 9 patches that need my attention!
Seems like there's always a sock going on where I am concerned. I started this one the day before my father-in-law's visitation because my husband knew it would help keep me on balance during all the emotional events. As it turns out, very little knitting was done, but it made me feel good to know it was in my bag. And it made me feel even better that John didn't mind me having something along that I found peaceful.
This sock doesn't deviate much from my normal pattern except that it is a toe up sock. Most of the time when I use Regia, I end up with a bunch left over. This time I decided that I would start toe up and work until I had used most of the yarn since it would be a shame to waste much of the Regia Silk. I am definitely beginning to see the allure of knitting toe up. I was able to use most of the skein and the only thing that I had to search to find was a stretchy bind-off for the ribbing - instructions for that bind off (which is very simple) can be found here in one of Grumperina's always thoughtful posts.
By stitching toe up, I ended up with a sock that was 11" tall from heel to cuff. Other than that, it's my standard Regia sock: 64 stitches around, short row heel, wedge toe. I guess now I should cast on the second one... there's a part of me though, that is thinking it's time to work on something else with a little more designing involved. But I also want to finish these up so that I can take them out for a wear-test. I'm hoping Regia Silk might turn out to be one of those yarns that is warmer in the winter due to its silk content without having too much extra thickness.
Right now, as I type this, it is 1 degree farenheit in Chicago. Send in the polar bears and the penguins it is officially cold here. So it's a good thing that I finished up John's newest pair of socks.
General specs:
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Socks that Rock Heavyweight in Mudslide'
Needles: US Size 3.0 (3.25 mm) Chiaogoo* Needles
Gauge: 6 stitches/inch
These socks were knit toe up so that I could make the most out of the yarn.. I did my "standard" wedge toe, a short row heel and the rest was pretty much straight up stockinette. These socks are taller than most of the socks I've made for John -- 12" from base of the heel to top of the cuff, and are meant to fit a man's size 10.5 (somewhat narrow) foot I did a conventional bind-off, but in order to make sure the tops weren't too tight, I bound off on US 7 (4.5 mm needles) after 2.5" of K2P2 ribbing. I had about 31g (1 ounce) left over of the 200g (7 ounces) I started with, so I think it's clear that one skein of this sock can make a respectable pair of socks for most men. All told, these socks took less than a week to make. Practically instant gratification from a knitting perspective.
John is happy with these socks. The stripey-ness is just about at the edge of his tolerance for striping/pooling but he likes the browns and he really likes how thick, warm, and soft the socks are. In fact, I received the coveted, You could make me another pair of sock out of this yarn. statement that makes everything worthwhile. John tells me that because of their weight and warmth, these socks are only good for late fall, winter and early spring. They will definitely be ideal for his Monday morning commute downtown.
What's next for John? Either another pair of thick socks or a double knit headband... I haven't quite decided what would be best suited to the weather and my mood.
* BTW these needles are destined to be some of my new favorite sock knitting needles. They are a wooden needle (I'm not entirely sure what they are made out of -- it's a light wood) and they have a smooth, but not too smooth surface that really has the right amount of grip for keeping the stitches on the needles but not so much grip that the stitches don't slide well. Also, the size of the needle is laser etched into the needle. Most double points, by the time I've knit a pair of socks, the sizing information has worn off. But for these, after this pair of socks, the numbering is still completely clear. Even better, these needles are completely cheap! I found them at the Fold and I think they are less than $5/set. And they come in those very handy 6" lengths!
Okay. It is now officially cold here in Chicago. Really cold. Like it was 7 degrees this morning when we got up. My husband is a public transportation commuter and his trip downtown on the bus leads to some outdoor walking to his building. So some of my personal knitting and spinning has been put on hold while I work on providing him with some extra barriers against the cold. In other words, it was time to make this man some boot socks.
The nice thing about boot socks is that you get to use nice big yarn. In this case, I'm using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock, Heavyweight. STR Heavy knits up at about 6 stitches/inch on size 3 needles and it makes for a pretty quick pair of socks. I completed this sock in three days -- it would have been two if I had started on Saturday instead of Sunday. And it's actually taller than I normally make socks for John. Once again, my attempt to help keep him warm on his commute.
John is still a touch suspicious about the striping in the colorway, but he likes the feel of the yarn and the thickness of the fabric. And in the end, warm feet win out over somewhat dodgy color options for him.
What I am particularly pleased about with STR Heavy is that I can easily get a pair of good sized socks for John out of one skein. I was a little worried about this, so I actually split the skein in half before I started and then knit toe up. This sock is 12" from bottom of heel to top of cuff and the foot fits a standard men's size 10-1/2*. What this means, is that if John likes this pair of socks, then there will likely be more in his future, since I know one skein will yield a respectable pair of warm socks.
So now it's time to cast on for sock number two. With a KIP tonight, I should be able to make good progress on getting John a new pair of socks for his trip to work on Monday.
*Well, perhaps not entirely standard. John has very narrow feet for a guy. I was surprised to take a measurement and be reminded of the fact that the ball of his foot is pretty much the same circumference as mine. But even if I had been knitting for my dad or my brother, I would have gotten a very respectable sized sock. I had enough yarn left over to knit another inch or two I think.
Woohee! The knee socks, they are done!
The specs: The "body" of these socks were knit with Sock Hop handspun sock yarn from Crown Mountain Farms in the colorway "Say a Little Prayer". The heels, toes and cuffs were knit with my own hand spun, made from Crown Mountain Farms hand dyed superwash merino in the colorway "Hang on Sloopy". Gauge for both yarns is 7 stitches/inch on US Size 1/2.25 mm needles, and the socks are 56 stitches in circumference increased up to 80 stitches at the widest dimension.
The process: The socks were made toe up using a "standard" wedge toe which was started using a provisional cast-on technique. the instep was done in straight stockinette, followed by a shortrow heel. The sock leg is embellished on both sides using the "Ears of Grass" motif from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting patterns, which was knit in conjunction with the increasing required for the calf shaping. The sock was completed with a cuff of K2 P2 ribbing and bound off with the standard cast-off method on larger needles.
The knitter: The knitter is happy. The knitter wore her socks to work today, and even though no one but the knitter knew about them, they added a little bit of sunshine to her day. The knitter did observe that they might be just a tad looser than is perfect, but they still pretty much stay up on their own. After a day of wear at work the stitches and yarn look good.
A few small details:
The increases and decreases are visible on these socks, but I sort of like the pattern they create.
I think this is a great sock stitch pattern, and some time in the future might have to make a sock where the pattern extends all the way around (it's an easy pattern and doesn't really slow the knitting down too much). I charted it in Excel with a knitting symbol font (the instructions are just written out in the BW book) and would be happy to share it with anyone who would like to have it.
Since a number of folks expressed interest in knee socks, I though I'd spend the rest of the week doing an impromptu toe up knee sock tutorial to share what I learned and to help anyone else out there who "needs" a pair of winter knee socks get a running start at it. Stay tuned tomorrow for a discussion of toes and heels.
