Tag: knitting socks

Posted in knitting

Friday Finish: Socks for him

Posted on by Laura Kate

At long last the toe-up socks I had been working for the past two months are done. And while I was cross at times over how tedious it was, in the end I fall in love with the finished product, just like every other piece of knitting that I finish.

As a reminder, the yarn is Signature Four-Ply by West Yorkshire Spinners. It is a blend of wools with 25% nylon for strength and regain. I purchased it in Madison, WI at a shop whose name escapes me. I used no1 circular needles, knitting in a 3 by 1 rib.

After washing and then left to dry flat, the socks became very soft and luxurious.

If I have the opportunity, I will buy more this yarn.

Posted in knitting

Monday Blues: Yes, I Still Knit

Posted on by Laura Kate

It’s been almost 2 months since I cast on this lovely blue 4-ply sock yarn by West Yorkshire Spinners.

I’m feeling guilty about my lack of progress since then on socks for my DH. It’s been very cold here and he has nearly worn out all the other socks I’ve knit for him.

In early January I picked this project up again and I hope that they’ll be finished soon.

This photo shows the toe-up method using two size one needles. Gauge is about 12 rows per inch. Because the stitches are so small, I find it difficult to work on this in low light.

But Ta-Da! I have one completed sock.

Today I worked on sock 2 during Westham United’s game against Darby. At the whistle, I had completed another 1 and 1/2 inches on the foot section. I’m hopeful that cast-off will take place before another week has passed by.

What are you knitting this month?

Posted in knitting

Friday Finish: Sock Challenge

Posted on by Laura Kate

The fourth and final pair of socks worked to fulfill my sock challenge posed in July is now complete. You see before you a triumphant stack of socks.

The final pair is second from the top in the photo. Made from Wisco sock yarn by Ewetopia in a colorway called Caterpillar, the pair are earmarked for my grandson. He participated in choosing color, yarn and pattern, so I will assume the gift will be welcomed by him. The question is, will they fit?

I know that his arch is slightly wider, and his foot is slightly longer than mine. At least that was true when I measured his foot last July.

These fit me nicely but have plenty of stretch left and a little more room in the toe.

I knit these socks using two 16-inch cable needles in size 1. They were made toe up, using the turkish cast-on. The bind off was Jeny’ surprisingly stretchy 1×1 rib bind off. I enjoyed using this method so much I will likely forsake my double-point sock needles for good.

Posted in knitting

Friday Finish – More Socks

Posted on by Laura Kate

As of today, the completion rate on my sock challenge is 75%. Newly added to the sock pile is a pair I am calling Dots and Dashes.

This is the largest pair of the challenge, with a foot length of 10 1/2 inches. I used 100% natural wool in two colors and a pattern from Berroco called Fairlee. I would rate the skill level for this pattern as intermediate, which matches the rating assigned by the Berroco designer. They are described as slipper socks – I’m assuming that’s due to the fact they are written for dk weight yarn.

Modifications that I made include the two-color pattern on the foot, which came from Barbara Walker’s Treasury of Knitting Patterns. It’s in Chapter Four, Two-Stitch Check, version 1.

The second modification is the bind-off. The pattern calls for a sewn tubular bind-off. That looked like a hassle to me, so I worked Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off for one-by-one rib instead.

You can find the original Berroco pattern on Ravelry, or visit my post dated October 3rd for the embedded link.

One more to go. I had to order some needles, so I won’t be casting-on the last pair yet. Tune in on Monday to see what goes on my needles next.

Posted in knitting

WIP Wednesday: Sock Challenge Progress

Posted on by Laura Kate

I’m slogging away at my sock challenge.

Cast-on Monday: Search and Swatch

It’s going quite well. I have finished the first Novita sock and worked my way well down the leg of the second one.

This is the first time I have worked socks on two cable needles, and I have to say that I am enjoying the process. I find that I drop stitches less frequently than when working with sock needles, which are by design quite short. Also, the knitting seems to go faster because I pause to shift the work twice per round instead of three or four times per round. The biggest disadvantage is the need to own two cable needles of the same size.

Not really much of a financial hurdle in my mind. A good cable needle can last one’s entire knitting career.

Right now I am sweating the yarn situation.

This is all that’s left of the cream ball. I’ll be truly annoyed if I end up buying another skein just to get an additional 30 or so yards.