knitting socks – Page 4

F.O. Friday – Hermione Socks

Posted on August 20, 2021August 17, 2021 by Laura Kate

This project is finally off my needles.

Not sure why it took so long. I guess that I was having too much fun on my recent vacation to focus on knitting. I also had no internet access for almost two weeks.

The pattern is Hermione’s Everyday Socks (for some reason, I am unable to pronounce that name!) I made no adjustments to pattern – just knit exactly as written.

I enjoyed this pattern and would consider using it in a future project. They feel a little loose – guess I should have used a smaller needle size.

The yarn is Wisco Sock from Ewetopia in colorway Superior.

Here’s the link to the pattern. There are 34,000 projects attached to this pattern in Ravelry. Even for a free pattern, that’s a lot of endorsements. If you feel compelled to give it a try, click here:

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks

knitting

Summer’s Yarn Bounty

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Laura Kate

I finally got around to taking photos of the yarn purchased during this year’s KnitPicks summer yarn sale. It includes yarns I have used in the past and a few new ones. With an eye toward knitting socks as holiday gifts, I have focused on fingering weight yarns.

This is a new offering from KnitPicks. Static is a fingering weight blend of superwash wool and nylon – the same fiber content as their Stroll line. I guess what makes this yarn different is the self-striping color sequence. This colorway is called Paradise. I thought the bright colors would be nice for children’s socks.

Gloss is a luxury blend of 70% merino wool and 30% silk. I have used it in the worsted weight to make vests and shawls. The fingering weight has all the attributes of its larger sister – softness and a light sheen. I bought it to find out if silk helps the socks wear longer in the heel and ball of foot areas. I also plan to use it as the solid color contrast in 2-color shawls. Colorways shown are clarity, blackberry and navy.

Hawthorne has become a new favorite for me in the fingering weight group. I like its plumpness and high twist. It is made from superwash highland wool, which pills less than merino wool does. The kettle-dyed line (Poseiden is shown here) give nice color variation to items knitted in basic stitches. I also purchased two painted yarns: Burlingame is the top one, Vancouver shown in the bottom of the photo.

This month I will be teaching a short course on knitting shawls. I plan to use these yarns to demonstrate how they can bring pizzazz to a simple garter ridge pattern.

Beyond that, I have no clue of what these yarns want to become. But I will enjoy discovering it.

knitting

Cast-on Monday: Sock Time

Posted on July 19, 2021July 16, 2021 by Laura Kate

With the heat of the summer beginning to settle in, it’s time to start projects that are A: not heavy in your lap. B. suitable for year-end giving and C. car trip worthy. Socks fit that description beautifully.

Today I am starting a sock pattern that has been in my library for some time. Hermione’s Everyday Socks, available on Ravelry, are simple to knit, but have a lovely texture created by working purl stitch sprinkled evenly throughout.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks

I have chosen to use a monochromatic colorway from Ewetopia that drifts from light to dark and back again. I’m hoping that the color doesn’t vary so much that it overwhelm the subtle stitch pattern. This yarn is called Wisco Sock, and is milled and dyed in Wisconsin.

Here is a link to the yarn producer: About — Ewetopia (ewetopiafibershop.com)

The colorway is Superior, as in, the Lake. I’m very drawn to it – not a green but not a blue, rather a cool-ish grey such as how the lake surface may appear on a cloudy day. While I started these socks as a potential gift, it could be that I will selfishly keep them for myself.

knitting

F.O. Friday: Socks!

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Laura Kate

This project was begun about 2-3 weeks ago. In my initial post I brought up two main points:

An unconventional sock yarn.

This Berroco yarn is a dk weight, not a sock weight. It contains 52% acrylic, 40% wool and 8% nylon. The knitted fabric is soft, stretchy and strong, all of which are highly desirable in a good pair of knitted socks.

The other point is the method of sequential knitting:

I used two skeins, two sets of sock needles and worked the socks in sequence: leg, heel flap, gusset, foot and toe. Frankly, I loved this work method. It provided for variety in the knitting and resulted in finishing both socks at the same time without the use of a long cable needle. Given my fairly extensive collection of doublepoints, I would choose to use this method again.

These images shows them modeled on my feet.

But the new owner professes to be satisfied.

Time will tell.

knitting

Cast on Monday: Socks!

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Laura Kate

Moving on to smaller and better projects, let me introduce Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Woodsmans sock pattern. Here you see my cast on, accompanied by my evening libation. I am working my pair in a thinner yarn than what is called for in the pattern. It’s a Berroco blend called Vintage DK.

These skeins were purchased at Sunset Yarns in Madison, WI this past spring. I adore the softness, and have high hopes that the elements of acrylic and nylon will keep my socks from getting holey before their time.

EZ’s pattern was published in The Opinionated Knitter, and can also be had on a streaming DVD video with Zimmerman’s daughter Meg Swansen.

Ravelry: Woodsman’s Socks pattern by Elizabeth Zimmermann

The only variation I will be making to the pattern is to knit a 3 by 1 rib instead of the typical 2 by 2 version. I find this rib to be every bit as stretchy but it results in a smoother texture.

I’ve also started both socks, not exactly as the same time, but in tandem. While I haven’t perfected the magic loop technique, I have many no. 5 sock needles, and I purchased two skeins of yarn. The plan is to knit in sections: working each leg down to the heel flap, then work each heel flap, then turn each heel, etc. This could help me avoid single sock syndrome.