It's All About the Socks

 

It's been almost two months since my last sock-knitty update back in March, and this morning I decided I have a burning need to show you what's been on and off my needles since then. I've been busy, and have managed to produce five complete socks which I'm rather proud of. My little pile of cosy comfort is growing slowly but surely and I remain delighted with my humble efforts.

When I last talked all about the socks, I was half way through this pair, oh how I loved making them! 

This yarn is scrumptious to knit with {West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply, colour Peacock}....

....and the resulting stripes are really, really lovely. These socks wash beautifully and come out very soft - I'm super pleased to have peacock feather colours on my tootsies! 

After the peacock socks were done, I started straight away (like the very same day) making another pair, this time for my Mum. You might remember back in November I gifted a pair of socks to her for her Birthday? Well, she fell in love with the cosy warmth of hand knit socks and asked if I might make her a few more pairs. I decided to try a different brand of yarn and went for this hand painted beauty in colours of the sea {Cascade Heritage Paints, colour 9770 Celtic}.

Wow, this yarn is sooooooo soft and gorgeous, made with 75% merino yarn, it feels quite different to the Opal/Regia/WYS that I'd got used to knitting with. For one thing, it was really smooth and slippy on the needles, which resulted in some fairly speedy knitting. I loved feeling like I was flying through the rows.

The colours are soothing and very easy on the eye, although I did find myself thinking about green vegetables quite a lot whilst I was making them. They became known as The Pea Socks. And then the Boring Pea Socks...............there, I said it. I realised, not for the first time, that I am a stripe addict and one of the main appeals of knitting socks (aside from getting to wear them on my feet), is the visual joy of the colourful stripes emerging before my eyes.

So I diligently worked the Pea Socks for my Mum, enjoying the speed and softness of the yarn whilst lusting for some visual excitement............

...........oooooo, bring on the Opal Stripes!

 This is {Opal Sweet & Spicy 3, colour 9127 Fruchtgummi}

Oh hello stripy, colourful loveliness, I have missed you!

Aren't these just a weeny bit beautiful? I was in stripy heaven knitting up this pair, it was so much fun discovering how the yarn worked especially after the yawn of the Peas.

I knitted this pair of socks a little differently, in that I worked on both at the same time instead of completing one and then the other. I find that even though I use a little clicker thingy to keep a track of my rows I often get distracted and forget to click. Or else I do click but then immediately forget that I've done it and end up clicking twice. So I bought myself a second small circular needle and worked both socks in sections, checking at the end of each section to make sure the stripes on both socks were matching up with each other. Does that makes sense? I divided the knitting into six sections (rib, leg, heel flap and turn, gusset, foot, toe), and it somehow made the knitting process seem faster and more enjoyable working two socks together. I think I'll do it this way from now on.

This particular Opal yarn didn't feel all that soft when I was knitting with it, but the socks softened up a treat after they'd been washed and blocked and are wonderful to wear. I love them very much, well I love all my socks....

I've knitted six pairs of socks now, which is roughly a pair a month. The Pea Socks will be posted off to my Mum next week, and I've got another ball lined up to make her a super-stripy pair next. I just want to mention that my Mum wears purple Dr Marten Boots which have been hand painted all over with flowers, so super-stripy socks won't faze her in the slightest.

Do you know something amazing? I think this might be the very first time ever, ever, ever that I'm arriving at the end of Winter and not craving my flip flops! I've loved wearing my socks and red boots so much this winter - the joy and the comfort of having warm, cosy feet tucked up inside all those itty bitty hand made stitches is not to be underestimated. It feels absolutely, stonkingly wonderful.

I realised this morning when I was taking my sock photos that I am building a little collection of left-over sock yarns, of course! For some reason I hadn't really given much thought to the left overs as I've been stashing them away in a small wicker basket and had forgotten all about them until today. I think I might have a go at some 'happy scrappy socks' (inspired by these ones made by Susan Anderson).

Now before I go, let me just quickly show you two inspirational sock drawers............

 

{sock drawer found on Flickr}

{sock drawer found on Ravelry}

Sigh. #operationsockdrawer is really rocking my boat.

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 ps I use Christine's fabulous Basic Sock pattern which you can find for free on her blog {Winwick Mum Basic Sock Tutorial}

If you want to find out more about my own sock making journey, all my posts are archived in the Sock category {my socks}

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Comments

[Rebecca]

Hey, Lucy!

After nearly four decades of crocheting, I was inspired by your sock posts to learn to knit. So thank you. I think.

Overall, it's going well, although it's a strange transition, from expert crocheter to novice knitter. The main problem I'm encountering is one you mentioned-troubleshooting. I have no idea how to redo a stitch, or where to grab if my work starts to unravel.

Do you have any recommendations for videos or blog posts about troubleshooting? Or would you consider doing one, yourself, maybe with the anatomy of a knit stitch?

Thanks, Rebecca

[Mari]

Oh, I love sock posts. Weird, I know. I usually get into sock knitting on September, but I can read about it in any time :D

Trouble is - where to put all those socks I've knitted...

[Pat]

Lucy, I was going to suggest you look at the sock leftover yarn project, but Dianne beat me to it. Well done! Dianne!
If you haven't already looked at it, I would suggest looking at the '2016 KAL' on Craftsy.com - it is about SOCKS. 3 interesting patterns & some fabulous techniques to learn.
Love the double thickness heels shown there.

[Diane]

Check out the knit pattern on Ravelry called "Barn Raising Quilt". It is not a quilt at all, but an afghan made of sock yarn. The Ravelry page will give the name of the book where the pattern is found (or you may use a knit square pattern of your choice). I have been saving sock yarn leftovers to make an afghan some day. Since I have different amounts leftover, I have considered choosing a solid color with which to edge the squares so they will be of a uniform size (although the amount of colored sock yarn will vary inside the square, giving a kind of "op-art" effect). There are other sock yarn blanket patterns to research, if you are so inclined.

[OHSue]

I have been knitting since I was a kid, but once I discovered sock knitting I couldn't stop. I also find myself going back to Opal yarns, they wear like iron, so many fun colors and they have lasted for years. I also knit two at a time on seperate sets of needles, ankle, ankle, heel, heel , gussett, gusset, etc. I work DPN and probably have a dozen sets of sock needles cause I keep buying the newest thing I see.

[Jennesse]

Your socks are beautiful.
With your left over yarn, you could also knit baby hats and donate to local hospital, perhaps depending on where you live. It seems everywhere in Canada the maternity wards love to receive donated baby hats, and the self striping wools look great, either alone, or as stripes on plainer wool, depending on what scraps you have.

[Erin]

Self-striping socks seem to knit up so much faster than plain ones, in my opinion, since you can actually SEE the progress you're making! I just finished my 62nd pair of socks the other day when I realized that I've barely made any for myself! I am currently working on a sock that started out to be for my husband, but I may just change my mind and make this pair for me. 😊

[Beth]

I knit a pair in a different Opal Sweet & Spicy colorway a year or so ago, and they make me smile every time I wear them. Self-striping yarn is not to be sneezed at!

[barbara micheau]

If I knew how to make socks - especially socks like these - I wouldn't ever stop. They are gorgeous!

[Brenda]

Lucy---your socks are gorgeous! I love to knit with self-striping yarns too, but I knit mine two at a time on two circular needles. It is easier to match up the stripes and make sure the socks are the same length, and it doesn't seem to take any more time. I hoard my scraps, too---I like to make patchwork socks like Susan B. Anderson, but I don't worry about making them match at all. I just keep them in a basket and grab whatever two when I wear them. My Ravelry ID is brenda0312.

[bloepper]

i love how your socks match your blankies. so perfect.

[Jane]

Your socks are amazing Lucy. If you're knitting two at a time but on separate needles you should give magic loop a try it's great! Happy sock knitting 😊

[Brenda B]

Try looking up Ugly Ducklings or Gaudi on Ravelry, you'll need a plain sock yarn too, and the pattern is super easy! Also Farewell to Yarns and Cranberry Biscotti spring to mind. I started sock knitting exactly like you with bright, stripey yarn, now (4 years later) I'm all about tonals and solids and beautiful patterns! It's a beautiful journey you're on!

Brenda,
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/racinggirl?set=socks&view=thumbnail

[Sarah]

Beautiful sock Lucy. You may be ready to add a pattern into that self striping yarn! I like to make crazy striped socks using up all of the leftovers, I don't even match the pair up!
There are some great sock pattern books out there...
Happy knitting xx

[Mona]

Why?? Why??? WHY??? I'm so jealous! I only crochet... Tried knitting long time ago & gave up. Those yummy socks make me want to try again! I'm so sacred though!
Have you tried crocheted socks?

[Elsie Pop]

Self-striping yarn is just magic! I can see why you're flirting with the knitting side - we don't get this kind of regimented stripy joy from crochet yarns do we? xx

[Jo G]

Lucy,
If you are looking for inspiration for your sock left-overs......have a look at the beekeepers hexie blanket on Ravelry, it's stunning !
x

[Sam]

Fibernymph dyes these cool sock sets called Inversibles. I have a pink/orange set, meaning one sock will be pink with small orange stripes and the other will be orange with small pink stripes. I also have a turquoise/purple set.

http://www.ravelry.com/people/samie1914/stash/bounce-5

http://www.ravelry.com/people/samie1914/stash/bounce-6

[Sanne]

Hi Lucy, you have inspired me by knitting socks and helped me over my ‘lonely sock syndrome’, thanks! (I knit my socks on a circular needle with magic loop, two at the time and toe up now. Never lost track on the rows, easy fitting for the right size and adjustable length of leg.)

[Heather Chalkley]

Lucy, re your left over sock yarn; you need to have a look at 'blankie'. Google 'The Heathen Housewife' and see the work of a lovely lady, in Newcastle I think. Love your growing sock collection, I too have caught the sock bug:-)

[pippa]

amazingly lovely socks. i bought some sock yarn eons ago, in fact must of been three yrs ago. i really must give them ago and make some . prob take until nxt winter to finish themxx lovely post especially to imagine your mums lovely dr. martensxxxxx

[Alli jones]

Knitted socks! What treachery is this?

[Kate/Massachusetts]

I've knit socks for years but often make them either too short or too long. I recently bought this sock ruler from a catalog and really love it for its accuracy: http://www.sockruler.com/ Have you seen it? It's a great tool to have in your knitting bag! Thank you for all the lovely links in your post and comments!

[Karen]

Love your gorgeous socks. I actually learned how to knit so I could make socks. I always keep a pair going on the needles and my family is always asking if the current pair is for them. I love having a custom fit sock without the nasty seam across the toes!

[Jess]

your socks are so wonderful - you inspired me to make my first ever pair and now I can't stop buying lovely sock yarn! x x