Socks Socks Socks

Jenn tagged me for this sock meme. Which would have been the perfect ending to my “Summer of Socks,” but it wasn’t as “sock-ful” as I had imagined. I only managed 3 pair and 2 ½ singles. Somehow I lost steam after the first pair. I was always the student in high school who loved to read, but not what we were assigned (even if I liked the book). I think it has to do with being told what to do. So maybe I jinxed myself.

When did you first learn to knit socks? About 4 years ago. My mom had requested a pair for Christmas. I thought I would knit her a pair and that would be it (humm..that sould like my story about knitting in general…)

What’s the first sock you ever knit? The pair for my mom was made from a very fine wool from Rhinebeck. I used a basic pattern, but with a lace trim from Nicky Epstein’s Knitted Embellishments (Amazon Link) (Ravelry Link).

Favorite Sock Pattern? I like a little interest in my socks, but nothing too difficult to memorize. Socks are always a good subway project, so I can’t be pulling out a chart (esp. if I don’t get a seat). Jaywalkers and Embossed Leaves are at the top of my list (sorry, only Ravelry links here, I am too lazy. If you don't have a Ravelry Account yet...why? It's free AND fun).

Favorite needle method? Magic Loop R-O-C-K-S. Thank you Heather for turning me on to the brilliance of this method. Other than that, I usually work toe up. If I have a big skein, I will spilt it in half and work till I run out of yarn. I also do a Turkish Cast-on.

Favorite sock needles? Addi Turbos, size 0 32" – I knit really loose.

Who do you knit socks for? Mostly me. I have made a few pairs for my mom, a pair for my sister-in-law, a pair for Amie and a yet to be gifted pair for Lisa.

How many pairs have you knitted to date? I think about 12-15. Not sure.

What is on your sock knitting to-do list? I love Ester, but as I will need to pay close attention to this pattern, it will have to wait till I have the time to sit and give them the concentration they deserve.

What kind of socks do you like to knit-
striped? No, too many ends.
colorwork? NO WAY. I hate colorwork. I always pull too tight. Too many yarns to get tangled. See above about ends.
plain stockinette? Sure, these are perfect subway socks.
cabled? Diddo what Jenn said. Even though I cable w/o a cable needle, it’s still a pain in A** to do cables on such small needles.
lace? I am a girly girl.
anklets? Not yet. I just don’t see the purpose in my wardrobe.
knee socks? Too much of a commitment. I need something fast when it comes to socks.
solid colors? I tend to do semi-solids more than solids. Kogiu, Claudia (it is really weird not typing –ine)
bright and crazy? Not really. In general I am drawn to softer colors. Usually anything that has a grey or brown undertone. I especially like pastels.
Faux Faire Isle (where the yarn is doing all the work) I have no desire for the most part. But I do want to make some of the Kaffe Fasset Regia self striping yarn.

Jenn has been so busy with her new job we haven’t had time to compare notes about the sock-off. I am still pretty sure she is the hands-down winner. Although I do have a few single socks, so I shouldn’t count myself out yet. We are going to compare notes on Tuesday. So stay tuned to find out who the sock champion is.

In the meantime here is a picture of Amie in her birthday socks.

Sock Off!

After looking at my stash earlier this year, I noticed I had a bunch of sock yarn. I mentioned to Jenn that I was planning on knitting though my sock yarn stash this summer and she suggested a competition. So, without further ado, I present the First Annual Sock Off!

Beginning Memorial Day and ending Labor Day of 2008, PassionKNITly and Smitten w/ Knittin' will compete to see who can knit the most socks in a summer. Socks will be awarded points for each component, as well as weight after Labor Day. Both contestants will bring their completed socks to Annie & Company Knitting for weighing of socks and awarding of points. The current point system is:

Component...............Points
Heel Flap.................1
Short Row Heel............1
Short Row Toes............1
Patterned Heel............1
Lace pattern..............2
Cable Pattern.............2

Other points will be added as needed.

The winner will receive bragging rights and sock yarn of her chossing from the loser.

I am pretty sure Jenn will win. She has a new job that has a lot of traveling. With traveling, comes knitting time. What is the best traveling knitting project? Socks. Oh well, I will try and stop my natural Capricorn instincts and not get too competitive. The most important thing is to have fun and knit though my sock stash, right?

Amie, if you are reading this STOP now.

Seriously…click here or here.

Go on…

I am planning on Socks for Veronik (Ravelry link) for my first pair from Interweave Holiday Knits. I am making these as a gift for my friend Amie. I bought some nice green Artyarns Ultra Merino 4. Green is her favorite color. Even though I am primary a toe-up knitter, I am going to make these as the pattern is written (gasp, I know!) Although, instead of a K3tog, I will probably do a sk2p. A little easier on size 0 needles. So these should count as a 3 pointer, plus weight.

Let the knitting begin!

Long Post to Make Up for Long Time No Post

So, I swear I have been knitting, and actually have some finished objects.

First is a baby blanket for someone at work. She and her husband don't want to know the sex of the baby, so I decided to use the sage green cotton/wool I had in my stash. I was planning on making a lace border, but I just could seem to do it for some reason. I kept losing track or dropping stitches. So I made the decision to do a seed stitch border, log cabin style.



Not bad, but not perfect. But I think the mom-to-be seemed to like it. The best part? I was in her office a few weeks ago. She had just bought the bedding online and was dying to show someone. It's blue with sage accents. SCORE! It'll match.

I also finished Soliel for my mom. I changed the neckline to a square. I am not thrilled with this one, but at least it is done. Sorry no photo on this one, it's in the mail as I type.

The SnB girls were so nice to get me a gift certificate to Macy's for my birthday. I finally went shopping and ended up with this:



Cute, right? The only thing was it is a little to bare to wear to work. So of course, I need a new shrug. Enter Florence, a rowan pattern from a few years back. I used the Ella Rae Shibu in natural.





(Why do I feel the need to tilt my head whenever someone is taking a picture of me?)

Last in the finished object category is a little sundress I made for Peanut, Jessamyn's yet to be born little girl. I never seem to have little girls to knit for, so when Jessamyn told us she was having a girl I jumped at the chance. But then I hit a brick wall. What should I knit? Cardigan, pullover…this baby is going to be born in June, not exactly sweater weather in New York. While scouring Ravelry, I found some really cute tunics and sundresses for little girls. I modified this one from Vickie Howell.



I had some Claudia Handpainted yarn in my stash in a bright coral. The yarn was a different gauge that what was called for in the pattern, but math doesn't scare me. I also wasn't crazy about the way she wrote the smocking. To give it a slightly more finished look, I added an applied i-cord. And of course...I knit it in the round (do I have to say it, no seams!)



Stay tuned for rules to the upcoming 1st Annual Sock Off between PassionKNITly and myself.

You Know You Knit Too Much When...

You know you knit too much when you are watching a popular show about a psychic, and one of the characters owns a knit shop and you are pretty sure you recognize the yarn in her hands.

What a Feeling…an 80’s Flashback

Flashdance was on TV last night, which is very fitting since what I have to post is a couple pair of legwarmers. The first I made for my friend Amie for Christmas. She loves anything green. I had 2 skeins of Noro Silk Garden in my stash in a lovely, yet discounted color :-(, of olive and plum.



I used the Super-Easy Legwarmer pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. A 1 x 1 rib in the round using magic loop until I ran out of yarn. It really was Super-Easy. I decided not to try and match the stripes, because, well it was Noro.

The other pair I made for myself. I have really been wanting to try the tunic and leggings thing, but didn’t have the right boots for it. So instead I chose to make some slouchy legwarmers.



I even put a little spat action on them:


(One of the mannequins at school was kind enough to model for me.)

I used 4 skeins of Jasper from Berroco in Black Galaxy. I love this yarn. It is so soft and the colors it comes in are so beautiful. A true joy to work with. Because I wanted these to be a little slochy I cast on a few more stitches, which was enough so I could use 16" circulars. I also decided on these to not try and match the stipes. I wore them on Saturday and got lots of complements on them.

I other knitting news, I have been working on a square neck version of Soleil from Knitty (Ravelry Link) for my mom.



This is another easy knit. Made in the round until the armholes. Which is were I am now. I am using ArtYarns UltraMerino 6 in a soft yellow (not so sun shiny as the photo suggests). This yarn is so nice. It’s 100% merino and has a great hand. It comes in 3 different weights (4, 6 and 8).

I also started a baby blanket for a co-worker who is due in May. My co-worker and her husband don’t want to know the sex of the child before he/she is born. So I am using some cotton from my stash in a soft sage. I’m basically using the big bad baby blanket (Ravelry link), but instead of a seed stitch borer I am going to make a lace edging (but not too lacey, in case it’s a boy). I am also making it a little smaller. I am a little nervous about running out of yarn. Everyone cross your fingers.

Knit It...Loved It...Wore It Out.

This was my first cable project EVER. And I loved everything about it. The pattern (an Adrianne Vittadini pattern), the yarn (alpaca from Patternworks, bought in person when they were in Poughkeepsie) and of course…the color.



This sweater got worn A LOT. At least once a week for the past 4 or 5 years (when the tempeture promitted, of course.) So why was I surprised when I put it on the other day and saw this:



I have never worn a sweater so thin, whether it was something I made or bought. The only good thing…I have an alpaca sweater in the same color on the needles. I already get teased about my obsession with pink; imagine if I had 2 sweaters in that mauve/plum color.

I think that it is time for a nice hot bath for the cable sweater. Maybe it can be reincarnated it into a bag, so I don't ever have to give up my favorite sweater.

Just a Quick Note

Just a quick note to tell all you sock fans out there that Annie’s now has the coveted NORO Noro noro SOCK Sock sock YARN Yarn yarn. We have these beautiful colors:













The pictures don’t really do the yarn justice. They are all so pretty, I don’t know which one to pick.