Can you guess what this post is about?
Socks. Hasn’t gotten old for me yet – you’ll just have to put up with my sock ramblings for a while longer 
.
I finished my 4th pair of socks for SOS
These socks are the last installment in Knitting Central’s Sock Club.
Pattern: Catch a Wave by Pam Grushkin
Yarn: Alchemy’s Temple
Needles: Size 3 & 4 Addi’s
began: July 27
finished: July 30
Such a quick knit – sport weight socks are the best! I love this pattern – it’s easy to memorize and shows off this gorgeous yarn – Alchemy’s Temple – it’s a new superwash – so soft and yummy. The pattern features a picot edge with ribbing inside and a short row heel. I will definitely make these socks again.
The actual color of the yarn is somewhere in between these close up photos and the one above. I love how the color spirals and almost stripes around the sock.
In other sock news, the green Spring Thaw socks are in time out – even thought I got gauge, the sock is huge. I think I’m going to frog it and use the yarn for another pattern. The Big Basin Socks in the Sockina have been frogged. Again, the sock was way to big. Teaches me to short cut Cat Bordhi’s new techniques. Her book is amazing but you have to flip back and forth all over the book to knit a sock. When I found the Big Basin Sock pattern, all the numbers were in one place, all nice and neat, all figured out for you. Problem is, the sock is way too big for me. Next time, I’ll just do the math and figure everything out for myself.
I’m also working on a new sock design – should be published by the weekend. Here’s a little teaser:
Happy Sock Knitting!
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Socks, socks, and more socks
Well, the summer of socks continues.
SOS #2: Rainy Day Sock progress – moving along nicely
SOS #4: Big Basin Socks from the Six Sock Knitalong, Sockina Cotton, Size 1 Addi’s
SOS #5: Spring Thaw Socks, Shibui Sock, Size 2 Addi’s
Yes, I finished the third pair started before the second pair started. I’m fickle, what can I say?
Off to knit more socks.
Hope you had a wonderful 4th. This is what I woke up to this morning:
I made sure this little one wandered back into the woods instead of the street just beyond the trees there. Don’t know what I would have done if he wandered toward the street. Guess if you see a crazy knitter running through the street at 6 am chasing a deer, you’ll know it’s me. Wave and say hi!
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Summer of Socks 2008 has begun!
Well, want take a wild guess as to what I did this weekend? The Summer of Socks knit along kicked off at 12:01 am Saturday morning. I made it to midnight, cast on, knit one row, then went to bed – yes, I can still party with the big boys! I knit on and off all weekend, and here’s what I accomplished:
Pattern: Toe-to-Cuff Lace Rib Socks, Heartstrings
Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino
Needles: Size 5 addi lace circs
One sock done, the other growing quite steadily.
Pattern: Rainy Day Socks, Yuliya Sullivan
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
Needles: Size 3 addi lace circs
Just finished the gusset decreases and am cruising down the foot.
You didn’t think I could just cast on for one pair of socks did you? Though the patterns are similar, both are easy to work. When I get bored with one, I switch to the other. Hopefully I’ll have both completed by the end of the week – don’t quote me on that though – life has a tendency to get in the way sometimes.
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Charlene Schurch Rocks!
I had the opportunity to take the most amazing sock class with Charlene Schurch this weekend. If you can, sign up now! Charlene is a wonderful teacher – so knowledgeable, patient and funny to boot! The sock samples she brought from her 2 books were so inspiring. Good thing Summer of Socks 2008 starts soon – if I knit all the socks I want to knit, well I’ll be knitting socks for many, many years to come!
I learned so many new techniques -
From left: the cuban (aka sexy) heel, short row heels, 2 color heels, and a toe-up sock.
I’ve never really liked toe-up socks, partly because of the fiddly cast on and partly because I don’t really like short row heels. She taught us Judy Becker’s provisional cast on – an amazing cast on. I will be using this cast on for all my provisional cast ons from now on. She also taught us reverse heel flaps, and how a short row heel is actually a good thing. Of course I was inspired to cast on for a toe-up sock:
Just the beginning, not sure what pattern I’m going to choose – there are so many to choose from in Charlene’s 2 books. Whatever I choose, it’s going to be awesome, that I do know. The yarn is madelinetosh hand-dyed sock in the color rhubarb, on size 1 lace addi’s. Can’t wait to see what this yarn wants to become.
I also got to take a peek in Charlene’s newest book – the little box of socks. Beautiful patterns on cards that you can easily slip into your knitting bag. Run to your LYS and get yourself a copy!
What a great way to spend the weekend – socks and Charlene Schurch. Just what I needed to inspire and excite me about sock knitting again!
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Knitting Central Sock Club Socks!
Last month I mentioned the Knitting Central Sock Club. It has begun, so I can share my design. The pattern is exclusive to Knitting Central for 3 months, so I’ll have it available in January for purchase. Introducing: Cables, Cables Everywhere!
I was so excited when Cynthia brought up the idea of a sock club with the staff designing the socks with their favorite hand-dyed sock yarns. Koigu is my absolute favorite sock yarn – soft and squishy, with great stitch definition, and gorgeous colors. Thinking fall was right around the corner, I wanted a sock with warmth and style. Cables always remind me of pulling on a favorite sweater and raking and jumping in piles of leaves in the fall; growing up in Connecticut gave me plenty of opportunities for that. I also wanted a ribbed style that would hug the foot in comfort and warmth. Koigu is dyed in many beautiful colorways, each skein a work of art in itself. I wanted cables, but not so many as to get lost in the colors. I chose an alternating pattern with only a few cable twists set between ribs.
When knitting the sock, the cables don’t look like much. But once on the foot, the cables bloom and enhance the color changes. I have found my perfect sock for fall!
The sample was knit in Koigu color P105. I did start another pair in Koigu color P612:
These are the perfect colors for a pair of fall socks – not that you can tell it’s fall here – we had thunderstorms and highs in the 70′s yesterday. The leaves should reach peak in a few weeks, and we’re still wearing short sleeves – ok, say it with me – global warming.
Check out Knitting Central’s blog for photos of the club member’s socks in progress – www.knittingcentral.com/blog.
Christmas Knitting has commenced, more on that next time.
Happy Sock Knitting!
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