Deb's Sock Spot

Long time gone

2010-10-10T16:57:00.004-04:00

Wow I hadn't realized it had been so long since I posted here. With lots of therapy and a lifestyle change I've been able to get the pain in my shoulder under control. I discovered a great chiropractor that was able to relieve the tension in my neck and found that if I build the muscles in my shoulders and upper arm it really takes the pressure off the torn ligament resulting in much less pain.

I have a new job that is mostly office work so I don't have the heavy lifting to do anymore. I still knit and crochet but not obsessively like before. Right now I'm making 150 pineapple sachets for my daughters upcoming wedding. I'm up to 75 now and the good news is I have the pattern memorized. The bad news is that I am so sick of pineapples I don't care if I ever see another one!

New afghan

2008-05-10T10:24:00.002-04:00

I started this afghan a long time ago and it got forgotten in a tote. For some reason I kept messing up the count on it and having to frog so I got frustrated and shoved it away. I've been on a clean up campaign of either finishing or frogging all the partially finished projects so I decided to take another stab at this one. It's a time consuming pattern with the color changes around the edges but looks quite nice now that the strips are almost done. It's called Spiral Skyway from the ASN booklet Definitely Different Afghans #1288.

Step 21

2008-02-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

My shoulder is starting to feel a bit better so I started on another pair of Step socks in colorway #21. I've gotten one done so far. It's slow because I can only knit for 15 or 20 minutes then I have to take a rest but the good news is my physiotherapist says it's good exercise!

No knitting happening

2008-01-14T15:30:00.000-05:00

I've been having pain in my right shoulder for a few months now and have gotten a diagnosis of a torn ligament so knitting has been put on hold for awhile. I can do it in short spurts but find the crocheting is less annoying. I can still only do that for about 15 minutes at a time! So all that lovely sock yarn is sitting in it's tote waiting for a better day.

Making no progress

2007-11-10T15:52:00.000-05:00

My company sent me to Edmonton for what was supposed to be a 3 day trip to help move that division to a new site. The trip turned into a week and now I'm going back for another week leaving next weekend. I took along a ball of sock yarn and needles but never got a chance to even get started. I'm still plugging away on a pair of Kroy socks for my daughter's boyfriend that are so boring! If I could knit on the plane I would be sooooo happy. I may try taking my knitting along this time because my husband will be taking me to the airport and I can pass it back to him if they refuse me.

Step 05 done

2007-10-13T15:48:00.000-04:00

I finished the first sock in Austermann Step colorway 05. This yarn doesn't knit up anything like what it looks like in the skein! It's so hard to tell by looking at it in the skein just which colors are going to be the larger stripes. I really expected this one to be more of the browns and russet colors.

Finished Lava Rocks

2007-10-10T11:26:00.000-04:00

I have one more pair of my Xmas socks done now. The Lava Rock Step socks are finished! I'm working afternoons this week so I've had time in the morning to get some sock knitting done. I think I like the colorways of the earlier numbers better than the newer ones. The new ones only have a 3 color stripe repeat and it isn't nearly as interesting. My favourites so far are still the original ones called Melba.

4 more Steps done

2007-10-08T09:52:00.000-04:00

I have 4 more socks done with Austermann Step. They are left to right: 14, 11,03 & 15. I have the pair finished in the 15 so I have one Christmas present finished now! I'm way ahead of what I had anticipated so far. It's nice to have some breathing room! The 14 doesn't show the colors well in the picture. It's actually pretty shades of jade, amethyst and beige.

2 Step socks done

2007-09-23T14:05:00.000-04:00

I've managed to finish 2 single Step socks so far. It sounds strange but I seem to be making more progress by jumping between 5 or 6 or I've lost count how many socks I have on needles right now. When I get bored with one I just put it down and pick up a different sock. The repeats seem to be different on almost every colorway so it keeps it interesting. The only down side is that the repeats are really long so making matching socks means unwinding a lot of extra yarn to find the right spot to begin the second sock. It doesn't help that I just started in on the skein without giving a thought to how I would know where to start the second one. A smart knitter would have started at the beginning of a color change but that would be a smart knitter, not me!

Step 03

2007-09-22T15:13:00.000-04:00

I scrounged around and found 3 more needles to cast on one more of my Austermann Step colors. This is #03 and is mostly mossy greens. Not sure who these will be for, probably me!

More Step

2007-09-17T14:42:00.000-04:00

I just happened to be driving by the store that sells Austermann Step this morning and somehow I ended up in there buying 3 more balls of it. They have all of the colors now and I picked up 21, 05 & 03 as well as a couple balls of Kroy in Winter Eclipse that I hadn't seen there before. I'm out of empty needles right now so getting started on more socks is going to have to wait but I can't stand not being able to see what they're going to look like!

Last Austermann Step

2007-09-10T10:41:00.000-04:00

This is the last Austermann Step colorway that I bought. It is number 11 and consists of peaches, browns and beige. I really like this one and may keep them for myself!

United Way Afghan

2007-09-04T09:19:00.001-04:00

I finished the afghan that I said I would donate for a raffle for the United Way. It didn't have to be done until the end of October but I have 5 pairs of socks to do before Christmas so getting it finished and out of the way is a good feeling. I found the pattern in the back of a book of afghans put out by Vanna White. It's called Zipper Tape and went quite quickly. I may do this pattern again when I have time.

More Step yarns

2007-09-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

I've knit a little bit of another 3 of my Austermann Step yarns just to see what the pattern repeat is. I don't see any logic between the different colors at all. Some have quite a few stripes before a repeat and some have only a few. The ones with the long repeat are really going to be interesting when it comes to trying to get a second sock to match!

This one is all denim blues and is number 02 on the label. The repeat on this one is really long, I made it all the way to the top of the heel flap before I got a repeat.
The color number on the ball band of this one is 15. The colors look very muted and stone like.
This is number 18 and I saw it somewhere listed as Lava Rock for the colorway.

Austermann Step #14

2007-08-27T11:53:00.002-04:00

This is one repeat of the Austermann Step colorway #14. It's a plum color, forest green and creamy beige.

Austemann Step socks

2007-08-27T09:56:00.000-04:00

This pair of socks is made with Austermann Step yarn #10 Melba. It has Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil in the yarn which is supposed to last for at least 40 washes. I don't know about the benefits of that but it is a wonderful yarn to work with. It has a very smooth and silky feel and drapes beautifully. It's a thinner yarn so you need a smaller needle to get a good fabric but the socks are nice for wearing in regular shoes. I really enjoyed working with this yarn so I've made it my Christmas gift of choice this year. It's a bit more expensive than some yarns (I paid $15.29CAN for a 100gr ball) but it's worth it to have a nice yarn to work with when you are making multiple pairs of socks. It comes in lots of different colorways as well.

This is our newest granddaughter, Emma. She's 7 months old now and is a very happy baby. It won't be long until she's on the run and ready to go.

Long time gone

2007-08-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

It's been a long and busy summer. We took our granddaughter, Nyla, to Sudbury on a camping trip. Now I know why old people don't have children! I finished my Raspberry Swirl socks finally and have worn them once. They feel alright in my work shoes but are a bit heavy. I finished another pair using Austerman Step and they are really nice. I'll have to get a picture of them. I like that yarn so much that I bought 4 more balls to do socks for Christmas for the usual recipients.

Raspberry Swirl

2007-04-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

I finished one sock of my SOTM kit called Raspberry Swirl. I like the yarn even though it is a bit heavier than would be comfortable in normal shoes. I think it will work fine in my work shoes. The yarn is Lily Chin's Chelsea and is a combination of 30% merino wool, 35% cotton and 35% acrylic. It doesn't have lot of stretch so I'm hoping that they don't stretch out and get baggy. The pattern is easy to follow but I'm finding it hard on my hands. I'm not sure if it's all the K2tog, knit into the back of the K2tog's or if it's the heavier yarn or maybe a combination of both. Anyway, I work on them a bit each night and then switch back to my scrap socks.

It's kitten season again. I found 3 in the barn that are really cute but the mother is pure evil so if I want to look at them I have to sneak in when she isn't around!

Circles of Hope

2007-04-08T13:48:00.000-04:00

I started making these little granny's daughters with my leftover yarn years ago. They never seemed to amount to much and I sort of forgot about them. I saw a woman on my local Freecycle list offering 600 of them and decided I would put them together. The directions can be found at Granny's Daughters Assembly which also has some other ideas for things to make with them. I think I'll donate this to my local nursing home as a lapghan.

I made this afghan for my co-worker Jeff's wedding. It's a Mile A Minute pattern and worked up quite quickly. I've done this afghan twice lately so it's time to retire that pattern for awhile!

Afghan time

2007-03-17T09:47:00.000-04:00

We took a trip to visit my daughter and a 5 hour drive each way gave me time to make this baby afghan. I don't have anyone in mind for it right now but it's always good to have a stash ready for an unexpected gift. I should make a pink one now too and put it away so I'm ready for any new arrivals. I love the Mile A Minute patterns because I can make all the strips while we drive and put them together later. It's so much easier than having a whole afghan sitting on your lap all the time.

My co-worker Jeff is getting married the end of April so I decided to make this afghan for him. I have 4 of the 8 strips done so far.

Ridged scrap socks

2007-02-26T18:03:00.000-05:00

I am really, really impressed with this sock! I had all these leftover yarns and wanted to make something that didn't look like leftovers stuck together. I used plain red acrylic for the cuffs and heels and Kroy Paintbox with some unknown yarn that I had on a cone in a forest green. The cuff is 2" of K2, P2 ribbing then I repeated 4 rows of plain knitting with one row knit, one row purl and one row knit in the forest green. On the foot I left the sole in plain knitting continuing the stripes but kept the purling on the top side. The colors really bring out the best in each other and the purl rows give some interest to the sock.

My daughter came home last weekend for a belated birthday and to pick up more of her things for her new apartment. She may have just turned 26 but is still not too old to go out and roll in the snow with her niece!

Good weekend for socks

2007-02-19T19:56:00.000-05:00

I had a good sock weekend. I finished the first pair of scrap socks. The Kroy Denim was enough to finish off the toes so that went well. I finished the first Moda Dea sock and it looks great. Now I'm on to a second pair of socks to use up my scrap collection. I used plain red in an acrylic for the cuff and then Kroy Paintbox and some green wool on a cone for the leg. I decided that I might have enough Kroy if I mixed it with another color but plain stripes would be boring so I'm doing 4 row of stockinette in Paintbox then one row knit, one row purl and one row knit with the green. It makes a really interesting design and doesn't look like a scrap sock. I'll get a picture when it gets a bit further along.

Monster socks

2007-02-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

My basket of odd bits and balls of yarn has been growing again so I decided to create a pair of Monster socks. So far I have some navy of unknown origin for the cuffs and heels with Kroy for the leg and another ball of unknown origin for the gusset. Next will be Kroy in Denim for the foot or as far as it will go.

This is Moda Dea yarn that I bought last year by mistake not realizing that it was acrylic. The color is very pretty and they make great socks as long as you don't need the wool factor for warmth. I tried wearing the other pair I made when we went out to cut wood last weekend and my feet nearly froze.

I've been teaching 2 of my co-workers to knit socks since the first of the year. It's a slow and painful process! I'll have to get pictures of their finished product if and when they ever finish even a first sock. Both are using Kroy yarn, one in a bright turquoise and the other in the Crayon colorway. I hadn't realized how many ways there are to mess up a sock!

Raspberry Swirl

2007-02-10T15:41:00.000-05:00

I started my new SOTM kit from theknitter for January yesterday. It's called Raspberry Swirl by Debbie O'Neill and the yarn is Lily Chin Chelsea which is 30% Merino Wool, 35% cotton and 35% acrylic. It's a bit heavier than sockweight but is knitting up nicely and looks like they won't be too thick to wear in shoes. I'm not sure that this yarn has great stretch to it so I hope the cotton content hasn't compromised it's memory.

I finished the socks in Mega Boots Stretch and they look fantastic. It is really a nice yarn and it blooms beautifully after the first wash. I'll give them the work shoe test on Monday!

Lots o' Socks

2007-01-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

I finished my Kool-Aid dyed socks. The yarn was white Sisu that I dyed with 3 colors of Kool-Aid. I just washed them and the yarn really bloomed nicely.
These socks were from my SOTM kit at theknitter.com. I only have one finished and I just tossed it in with my sock wash to see how it comes out. I like the feel of the yarn, Mega Boots Stretch, and think that these will be a really comfy pair of socks.
Another pair of Kroy Country Jacquards on the way. Knitting 3 pairs for other people has left me with enough yarn to make a pair for myself!

I washed my Clematis Socks and they really turned out very soft. The yarn is Jaggerspun Superlamb and it felt quite stiff when I was knitting it. I really think I should have put some woolly nylon into the heels and toes but by the time I thought of it it was too late. The yarn came from a SOTM kit and didn't have any label so I had no idea what the content was when I started them. I have a lot left over and another ball set aside so I will definitely reinforce the next ones and only wear this pair for good and not in my work shoes.

More Country Jacquards

2007-01-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

I finished Jane's socks with the Kroy Country Jacquard yarn and discovered that after making 3 pairs of socks with this colorway I have enough leftovers to complete a pair for myself. As much as I'm sick of this yarn now, I've cast on a pair for myself that are just plain knitting so they'll make a good take-a-long project and use up the little balls of this yarn that I have sitting around. Now all I have to do is dream up a project for all the other little balls I have in my leftovers basket.

We're expecting a major winter storm here so maybe I'll get snowed in and not have to go to work tomorrow! A whole day for knitting! Not likely to happen but I can dream.

SOTM Ripple socks

2007-01-06T14:18:00.000-05:00

I got my new SOTM kit from theknitter yesterday and couldn't resist starting it. The yarn is Meilenweit Mega Boot Stretch and I'm really liking it. It's very soft and has a nice "spring" to it. The pattern is just called Ripple Socks and has an easy repeat once you get it in your head.

On the needles

2007-01-01T16:07:00.000-05:00

All the gifts that I made for Xmas were hits with their new owners. My twin nieces loved their sweaters and everyone's socks fit!

I'm now making my 3rd pair of socks with Kroy Sock yarn in Country Jacquard. I made a pair for my daughter-in-law for Xmas and a co-worker loved the color and asked if I'd make her a pair. The "I don't have anymore of that yarn" trick didn't work because she surprised me by showing up at work with 2 balls of it that she got at a store in another town. I like Kroy yarns but I'm starting to really get sick of this colorway!

My new work project is this pair of socks that I'm making with some yarn that I Kool-Aid dyed last spring. The yarn is/was white Sisu that I got from theknitter and dyed with 3 colors of Kool-Aid. They're a refreshing change from the Country Jacquard. I'm using a stitch pattern called Little Ladders that is:
Rnd 1: K4, P2.
Rnd 2: Knit.
It gives the socks a little more stretch and is a bit more interesting than plain stockinette but doesn't get overwhelmed by the colors in the yarn.

The third pair on the needles are the socks from my last post. I got bogged down after the first one and have abandoned it in the ribbing stage. The yarn is very fine and it takes a lot of knitting to look like there is any progress at all. Maybe I'll get into the right mood again soon to work on it.

Socks, socks, socks

2006-12-24T15:25:00.000-05:00

These socks are for me after I got all my Christmas knitting done. The yarn is Jaggerwool in an autumn tone. It knits up into quite a nice fabric but I haven't done a wash test yet. The pattern stitch is called Eyelet Mock-Cable Rib and I don't remember where I got the stitch pattern from but it's very easy.

Eyelet Mock-Cable Rib Stitch
Rnd 1: *Sl 1, K2, PSSO, P2; rep from * to end.
Rnd 2: *K1, YO, K1, P2; rep from * to end
Rnd 3: *K3, P2; rep from * to end
Rnd 4: *K3, P2; rep from * to end
These socks are for my daughter done in plain stitch with Kroy sock yarn in a color called Krazy Stripes.
These socks are for my mom using Kroy sock yarn in the color Paintbox and using the
Blueberry Waffle pattern.

Off to the frog pond

2006-11-13T19:24:00.000-05:00

I spent the morning frogging 2 pairs of socks that I've never really liked. One pair was done in a faux cable with Trekking XXL that has always been a bit on the tight side. I did them toe up and the instep has always been so tight that I had to yank to get them on.

The other pair were with a Lana Grossa yarn that I really loved but the socks shrank a bit when they were washed. So I ripped back the toes and added more but they still were tight in the instep so they got frogged too.

I'm still working on Christmas gifts so reknitting will have to wait but I feel better with them wound into balls instead of sitting in my sock drawer reminding me that they don't fit every time I open it.

Tutti Frutti

2006-11-10T17:34:00.000-05:00

These are the latest socks completed on my Christmas list. The yarn is Kroy Sock in Tutti Frutti.

Hallowe'en princess

2006-11-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

This is my little princess, Nyla, dressed up for Hallowe'en!

Fixation

2006-10-08T14:19:00.000-04:00

These socks are made with Cascade Fixation. I really like the feel of the fabric that this yarn makes. It takes a bit of getting used to not stretching the yarn out as you knit so that it will have some elastic to the final product though. I think they will be really comfy in my work shoes and great for next summer. The yarn came with a pattern from my Sock of the Month kit but I was having enough trouble keeping the yarn at the right tension without throwing in a pattern stitch too!

I made these little socks for my granddaughter with some left over yarns. It's a great way to use up all those little balls and she loves to wear the socks that grandma makes for her.

Fish tank

2006-09-09T15:40:00.000-04:00

I posted before about my new venture into keeping goldfish. This is my 55 gallon hexagonal tank now that it's all setup. It's got too many fish in it but I'll probably move some to my tropical tank once a few more of those ones go to the big fish tank in the sky.

I'm still working on the soy socks. I've been on vacation this week and hope to get them finished to wear to work when I go back on Tuesday. They're supposed to be good for perspiration so 10 hours in my work shoes should be a good test!

The Chain of Hearts tablecloth is within a few rows of being completed. I've already found my next project while cleaning out some dresser drawers. It's a pansy bedspread that I started for my daughter's bed from the Crochet Yearbook. I'm not getting it out until the tablecloth is done or I'll never finish the tablecloth at all.

Wicker Basket Socks

2006-09-02T15:01:00.000-04:00

I finished this sock this week from my SOTM kit from theKnitter.com made with Wick yarn from KnitOne CrochetToo. It's 53% soy and 47% polypropylene. I wore it around the house a bit to see how it feels because the yarn feels very much like acrylic which I hate. It's supposed to have great "wicking" properties to keep feet dry. It's also a heavier weight yarn so the sock is quite thick. I'm not sure how it's going to feel in my shoe.

Otherwise, I've been continuing to work on my Chain of Hearts tablecloth and we're in the process of installing an outdoor wood furnace so that seems to be taking up a lot of time.

Chain of hearts

2006-08-19T14:20:00.000-04:00

I kind of got back into crocheting when I finished my pineapple tablecloth so I decided to finish this Chain of Hearts tablecloth I started about 6 years ago as a tester for the pattern. The original idea was to use up all the odds and ends of balls of thread I had hanging around but now I'm not so sure I like the look. I started it for my old kitchen table that was considerably smaller than the one I have now but I'm about 1/2 way done so I guess I'll keep going! There's still about 4 banana boxes full of thread upstairs that needs something done with it. My obsession before sock yarn was thread!

Pineapple tablecloth finished!

2006-08-08T14:37:00.000-04:00

After 8 years I finally finished this crocheted tablecloth! The pattern came from Craftown for free. I have no idea how much thread it took but I know I used at least 2 of the giant balls from Walmart. It really needs to be blocked properly but it's just been too hot here to even think about getting a steam iron out.

Sock monkey

2006-07-29T14:07:00.000-04:00

I finished this sock at work this week. It's made with Scheepjes Invicta that I made an attempt at dyeing with spots of red to make it sort of "sock monkey" looking. I didn't really get the effect I was going for but they're alright.

Tablecloth revisited

2006-07-15T15:51:00.000-04:00

It's been too hot here to hold wool yarn in my hands so I've switched back to working on my neverending tablecloth. It's going to be 76" across when/if I finish it and it's taking over an hour to go around it once now. I'd really like to finally finish it this summer so I've challenged myself to do a round a day on it.

A co-worker gave me a 55 gallon hexagonal aquarium that I set up for goldfish. This isn't my fish but it's the type I've put in it. They're called Oranda's and are almost round with a lumpy thing on their heads. They're really graceful swimmers and are supposed to live up to 10 years. We'll see how I manage with that!

New Footies

2006-07-04T15:21:00.000-04:00

I decided I needed to make use of some of the yarn I've been collecting. I have a bunch of yarn on cones that someone gave me but I have no idea what the fiber content is on any of them except that most are natural fibers of some sort. I also have a lot of Bernat Hot Sox that I bought because it was cheap. That was before I discovered that wearing acrylic socks is like putting plastic bags on your feet!

This footie is a combination of some red Bernat Hot Sox and some blue yarn from a cone that has flecks of other colors in it. I added some pink woolly nylon to the heels and toes because I'm afraid it will wear through because it has no nylon content. I already washed it to see if it would shrink and I can't see that it changed at all. Next I'm on the the wear and comfort test. Hopefully it works out because I have a lot of this stuff!

Michigan trip

2006-06-24T22:51:00.000-04:00

We went to Michigan International Speedway last weekend for the Nascar races. My husband wanted to go to the Arca race which I found totally boring so I amused myself by taking a picture of my Flickering Flames sock enjoying the race with the Nascar banner on the grass behind it. I embarrassed him to death but I now have proof that my sock went to the race!

I got some good knitting time in while we were away and finished sock number one of last months SOTM kit from theknitter.com. I didn't do the pattern as written because I kept getting the repeats messed up when I was knitting and talking so I just did a 2 row repeat. It looks nice and fits well so I'm happy.

We had Pit Passes so I was able to go down on pit road and get a picture of my favourite driver Kevin Harvick's car sitting on pit road before the race. We watched qualifying on Friday from the pits as well.
On the way back from Michigan we stopped at The Pinery to camp for a few days. This butterfly came and posed for me and it was such a brilliant blue I just couldn't resist taking its picture. I have no idea what kind it is but it was definitely pretty. I'd love to know what kind it is if anyone knows.

Footies

2006-05-21T19:18:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a hectic month or so. My father-in-law passed away on April 2nd suddenly and left a lot of things to be looked after. Then my daughter moved home from university for the summer in the middle of April. She immediately decided that her old bedroom wasn't to her liking anymore and had to be changed. What started out as a coat of paint ended up being a re-do of everything including the flooring.

When we started cleaning out my father-in-laws house no one wanted his big oak table because it needed refinishing so I brought it home and started that project. It took a week of blood, sweat and tears but looks really great now. So great that I decided to re-do my cupboards too!

So knitting has been taking a back burner to all our home renovations but I have managed to finish a pair of footies using Sockotta Bold Stripes. I had no idea when I bought this yarn what it would look like when it was knit up and I am pleasantly surprised! I guess Bold Stripes should have been a tip off for me but I wasn't expecting the wide striping at all. These will make fun summer socks for work.

Kool-Aid Dyed socks

2006-04-01T08:41:00.000-05:00

I finished the first sock with my Kool-Aid dyed yarn. The yarn came in a kit from the SOTM club at theknitter.com but the pattern is one I found on the web that I liked called Fluted Bannister Socks designed by Laura Gallagher. I really like the way the colors turned out and this yarn is great. It has a lot of stretch to it but unfortunately I threw away the wrappers when I dyed the yarn and have no idea what it is! This pattern has an easy repeat and gives a really nice texture to the sock.

Toddler Socks

2006-03-27T15:51:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make a pair of socks for my 2 year old granddaughter but had trouble finding a pattern in her size that used sock yarn. I finally quit looking and adapted my old standby plain sock pattern to something her size. I haven't finished the second sock yet but I think the pair are only going to take about 25 grams of yarn. The best part is they take next to no time to make! The yarn is Bernat Hot Sox that I had left over from previous projects. Now I have a new way to use up all those little balls of yarn.

Toddler Socks

Fits Size 7 or 8 shoe

With Size 1 needles, cast on 44 sts. Arrange on 3 needles ( 12.20.12 ) and work 1 1/2" of K2, P2 ribbing. Continue in straight stitch until work measures 3".

To arrange heel stitches: Slip 2 sts off beginning of 3rd needle onto end of 2nd needle ( 12.22.10). Divide the 22 sts on 2nd needle onto 2 needles and leave for the instep. Work the 12 sts of 1st needle onto the end of the 3rd needle. 22 sts for the heel.
Next row: K1, P9, P2tog, P9, K1. 21 sts on the needle.

To make heel:
1st row: *K1, Sl1*, Repeat to the last st, K1.
2nd row: K1, Purl to last st, K1.

Repeat these 2 rows for 1 1/2" ending with 1st row.

To shape heel:
1st row: P10, P2tog, P1, turn.
2nd row: K3, Sl1, K1, psso, K1, turn.
3rd row: P4, P2tog, P1, turn.
4th row: K5, Sl1, K1, psso, K1, turn.
5th row: P6, P2tog, P1, turn.
6th row: K7, Sl1, K1, psso, K1, turn.
7th row: P8, P2tog, P1, turn.
8th row: K9, Sl1, K1, psso, K1, turn.
9th row: P10, P2tog, P1, turn.

To make instep:
Put the 22 sts for the instep onto one needle. 1st needle: Using the needle with the 11 heel sts pick up and knit 10 sts along side of heel. 2nd needle: Knit across. 3rd needle: Pick up and knit 10 sts along other side of heel, then knit 6 sts from 1st needle. Stitches are now divided 16.22.15

Gusset:
Round 1: Knit across all needles.
Round 2: 1st needle: Knit to last 3 sts. K2tog, K1. 2nd needle: Knit across. 3rd needle: K1, Sl1, K1, psso, knit to the end.

Repeat these 2 rounds until 43 sts in the round.

Continue knitting even until work measures 3" from where sts were picked up for instep. Knit one round decreasing 1 st on needle 2.

To shape toe:
1st rnd: 1st needle: Knit to last 3 sts. K2tog, K1. Needle 2: K1, Sl1, K1, psso, Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 3: K1, Sl1 , K1, psso, knit to end.
2nd rnd: Knit.

Repeat these 2 rnds to 14 sts. Knit the sts from the 1st needle onto the end of the 3rd needle. Kitchener stitch toe closed.

Day of Mourning

2006-03-19T12:16:00.000-05:00

I'm sad to announce that when I went to feed my fish this morning I found Freaky Frog floating lifeless on the top of the aquarium. He seems to have passed away peacefully in his sleep. I guess I'm just not meant to have frogs.

Sockotta and Kool-Aid dyeing

2006-03-18T10:14:00.000-05:00

I received my SOTM kid from theknitter.com and this months yarn was dye it yourself with Kool-Aid. It was fun to do and looks great. I had some other yarns here that I decided to give a try too. I think they turned out pretty well although the white yarn gives the most vibrant colors. One thing I do know is that I will never drink Kool-Aid again. Anything that will dye my socks permanent colors is not going in my stomach!

I finished these Sockotta short socks for my friend Pam's birthday. I like the feel of them better than 100% cotton yarns and I think I have enough yarn left to make another pair for myself so it was really an economical buy.

2006-03-11T11:14:00.000-05:00

I hit the jackpot on Freecycle this week! Someone posted that they had received a box of knitting machine yarns on cones and that they were no good to them. I picked them up and most of them are some kind of wool blend and will be perfect for socks. I have enough to make socks for at least half the world but hey it was free!

Another great find. Last week at Dollarama I found eyelash yarn for 50¢ a ball but being a moron I decided I would need about 4 balls to make a decent scarf. There were very few colors that had more than 2 balls so I bought 4 gold and came home. Later I decided to knit the scarf. I found out that a ball and a half will do it so I hurried back to get more. It was all gone! Now I'm kicking myself for being so stupid. There were some really great colors there too. I could have had half my Christmas presents done already.

I ordered 2 balls of Sockotta yarn from theknitter.com came that came this week. I just love the color of this one. These are going to be ankle socks for my friend Pam's birthday. I'm not sure I like the tops yet but I really like the colors.

Back to socks

2006-02-26T18:58:00.001-05:00

I finished the 4th lapghan for the nursing home last night and that's about enough crocheting for a bit. I had a basket of granny's daughters that I added onto an afghan I started making with them eons ago. It looks interesting but in order to have lots of color to it you have to have a lot of odds and ends of yarn. I make a few everytime I have some bits leftover but it's still a long term project. It takes longer to join them together than it would to just crochet a few rows on an afghan. You can find out more about Granny's Daughters or Circles of Hope at this link.

So I'm back to finishing up some socks I started about a year ago. They're made with laceweight Baby Alpaca and I decided to do a cable pattern on them so it's pretty slow going. I'm not totally sure about how they will wear after I do get them done but they sure are soft. They were supposed to be for St. Patrick's Day last year and I didn't make it and I doubt I will for this year either!

Moda Dea Sock done

2006-02-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

I finished the first Moda Dea sock. It looks nice and fits well but I'm still not impressed with paying $5.09 a ball for acrylic yarn. They'll probably end up going to my daughter since she likes any handmade socks no matter what the yarn is.

Nothing much

2006-02-18T07:40:00.000-05:00

I haven't accomplished much this week. I started another lapghan, then got sidetracked with making a shawl for my mom. I made her one a couple years ago and apparently it was getting past it's best so she presented me with a bag of yarn on Monday night and asked for a new one. It's made with Bernat Illusions and a big crochet hook but it's a boucle type yarn and it's impossible to work with. The "nubs" catch all the time and won't pull through the loops. It only takes 3 balls and I've just started the 3rd so the end is in site.

I've almost finished the first Moda Dea sock and it looks alright. I'm less impressed with the yarn now since I found a join in the ball and the stripes don't match up after the join. I should have pulled it out and fixed it to match but I was at work and it just didn't seem like an option at the time. So now I either have fraternal socks or I have to make the second one wrong too!

Another lapghan done

2006-01-30T16:34:00.001-05:00

I finished another one of my stash buster lapghans for the nursing homes. I sure hope that they like green. I keep finding more of it everytime I open another cupboard or tote. It has to be multiplying in the dark because I don't remember ever getting this much of it!

I started a pair of sock with the Moda Dea that I "accidently" bought at Christmas time. It looks nice and is knitting up well but I'm still not happy about the price I paid for acrylic yarn.

Winter has finally settled in to Southern Ontario. Last week it felt like spring was here and now it's snowing everyday. So much for groundhog predictions!

New sock kit

2006-01-30T16:34:00.000-05:00

I started my new sock kit from theKnitter.com this week. The yarn is called Bollicine Dolly from Cascade and the pattern is Pink Ladder Socks by Nancy Walsh. It's all done with slip stitches so the pattern is very easy and the yarn is lovely to work with. I still have a sock on the needles that I really need to finish up but I couldn't resist just starting this one to see how it would look!

I finished the glowy green lapghan and started this one. The yarn is named Victorian Christmas Ombre but it doesn't look very Christmasy to me! It's interesting how the color pools as I go giving it almost a tartan look.

My freaky frog is still alive. This is the original one that I bought first and he seems to be a survivor. It's grown quite a bit and has decided that attacking the fish is no longer the fun he thought it was. Everyone in the tank seems to have settled in to live together peacefully.

Paintbox socks

2006-01-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

My daughter had a better idea of what to do with the glowy green yarn. My dog blanket turned into a laprobe that I'll give to the local nursing home. A friend of hers volunteers there and said some of the residents are close to blind and like bright colors because they can see them so these blankets should really fit the bill. I thought I had used up about 1/2 of the green yarn and then I found another bag of it in my craft cupboard. I'm starting to think it's some kind of alien lifeform that's reproducing when I'm not looking. I'm sure I didn't start out with that much of it!

I've been working on these socks at work. The yarn is Kroy Sock in Paintbox. It's an interesting color combination and reminds me of autumn more than a paintbox. I brought them home this weekend to finish because I'm getting bored with the color. Seems I've been knitting the same socks for months which actually I have since I only get a few minutes at lunch to work on them.

My freaky frog is still alive and has discovered that he can hide in the plants and jump out on the unsuspecting fish. I'm not sure that the fish are enjoying the game as much as he is.

First sock of 2006

2006-01-14T13:14:00.000-05:00

I finished my first socks of 2006 this week. They're just a plain sock done with some yarn I bought on a cone at Value Village for a dollar a couple years ago. It says Cashmoulon on the inside of it in handwriting and no one seems to know what that is but I made a pair with it before that I gave away and it seemed to be fine. It's a bit heavy for ordinary socks but should be fine as a boot sock or to just wear around the house. The photo isn't great but there's not much to see anyway.
PS: Thanks to Emily I now know the name of the yarn is Cashmilon and it is an acrylic.

Over the holidays I realized that my stash had become way overgrown. I've saved every bit of yarn that's been left over from progects plus I used to be a Girl Guide leader and people would always give me craft things for the girls. I was the proud recipient of many balls of this lovely "green" yarn. I can't think of anything I'd want made with it so my daughter suggested making blankets for the dogs at the shelter. I've gotten started on that now and hopefully dogs really are colorblind!

My freaky frog is still going. The two tankmates I bought for him weren't so lucky. I think I'm just not meant to have frogs. This one is the original frog and he is wired. My granddaughter loves to watch him zipping around the tank so hopefully he'll last awhile.

Disappointed

2005-12-27T16:10:00.000-05:00

My daughter convinced me I wanted to go Boxing Day shopping yesterday. That little voice inside me said, NO, don't do it, but I went anyway. What a zoo! I dragged along behind her until I couldn't stand being pushed and shoved anymore. I have no idea why anyone would willingly subject themselves to this madness. There were no great bargains that I saw, just a sea a crazy people all looking for something cheap.

Another silly thing I've probably done is get a couple of African Dwarf Frogs. Same daughter convinced me I needed 2 of them on Christmas Eve. I have an aquarium with a few guppies and platies in it and so I thought it would be OK. Wrong! We put the 2 new frogs in and all was fine until Christmas Day when 1 of them was missing. I don't think it could have possibly gotten out but it sure isn't anywhere in the aquarium so unless someone ate him whole he must have escaped. Fortunately, they are only the size of a penny and can't live out of water so he's probably stuck in a dust buny somewhere.

So we left the mall and headed for my favorite fish place which was not crowded at all and bought another frog which we found out would be much better off in it's own tank. So now I have my old Betta tank set up with 2 tiny frogs in it. I have to admit that they are cute and interesting to watch. I just hope these ones stay put!

My next stop was my favorite yarn store which may not be my favorite anymore. Since I was there last they've rearranged the whole place and seem to have almost eliminated sock yarns. They had a lot of Bernat Sox which I did not want because it is acrylic, a few colors of Kroy sock but they were boring colors and a new yarn called Moda Dea Sassy Stripes. They colors of this yarn were super but Hope wasn't interested in yarn shopping and I didn't spend enough time checking it out. I bought 4 balls of it, enough I figured for 2 pairs of socks for $5.09 per ball. Last night, I got it out to check it out and decide what to make with it. It's acrylic! Now I feel really ripped off paying that much for junky acrylic yarn and I really don't know if I want to make anything with it. Maybe it can become cuffs for other yarns.

I did finish the second boring grey sock so it can go off to Sudbury on Thursday to it's new owner. Sure hope he likes them!

Christmas Gifts

2005-12-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

I've been chugging along on my Christmas knitting and have almost made the deadline. Everything is finished except this pair of neverending, boring grey socks for my daughters boyfriend and I have until December 29th for those so there is still hope.

I made these mittens and socks for my friend and co-worker Pam. She loved the last socks I made her but asked for something brighter next time. I think I managed to fill her request with these ones! She saw me making mitts to donate to the local foodbank and asked if I made them in big sizes. I assured her that I didn't and then made these for her for Christmas. The yarn was something I found in my stash that I bought at the Spinrite outlet store a few years ago. I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy more now. It's called Aspen and has 15% merino wool content and it is sooooo soft. I can just see a really cosy sweater made with it.

More stripes

2005-11-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

I made another pair of these scrap socks to use up some of the little balls of yarn that I accumulate. I need to come up with some other idea because I'm getting tired of the stripe thing. I'm thinking maybe some kind of slip stitch design or just trying to match up some of the colors and knit 2 socks at a time doing longer stripes in co-ordinating colors.

My Christmas knitting is on track. I did a pair for my mom in Kroy Jacquards in a denim colorway. This is the third pair of socks I've done with that yarn and I still have another 2 balls of the colorway left! I must have really fallen in love with it the day I made that purchase! I still need to finish a pair for a co-worker yet that are in shades of pinks and purples. She said she liked bright colors!

Hawaiian Lei

2005-11-03T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is the Sock of the Month Club sock from theKnitter.com for September 2005 and I love it. It's called Hawaiian Leis designed by Adrienne Fong and the yarn is Trekking XXL in color number 106 called Pastel. I really like Trekking XXL yarn and this colorway is gorgeous although I'm part way into the second sock and still can't see that there is any repeat. The pattern looks really difficult but was quite easy to do. I do have to admit that I cheated and turned the heel in my own way instead of following the pattern though.

Making progress on WIP's

2005-10-22T10:32:00.000-04:00

I've been making pretty good progress on finishing up some of the socks that I've had laying around here without a mate. I finished off the Turtle Track socks that I started back in the summer and am at the heel flap of the Basketcase socks. I've worn the Turtle Tracks and really like both the pattern and the yarn. The Basketcase look like they will be really warm.

These socks are for my daughter since she loved her Hot Tamale socks so much. They are made with Bernat's Hot Sox and the color is a bit off in the picture. The heels, toes and cuff are actually a bright purple not blue. I love the color of the jewel tone yarn, I just wish it was in a wool instead of acrylic.

Another co-worker is expecting a baby in December so I started this afghan for him. They chose to find out that it will be a boy so I'm safe on color with this one. I love the MAM patterns so I should be able to finish this up quickly.

Finishing WIP's

2005-09-26T13:50:00.000-04:00

I finally picked up my hook again and finished a baby afghan that I started last year. On Thursday my supervisor mentioned that he might be off for a couple of weeks because his wife is expecting a baby any day. Nothing like not mentioning it until the last minute! I had Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today off so I quickly finished the afghan up and ran it into work today hoping that his car would be there. Sure enough it was and I was able to slip into his office and leave it for him.

This pattern comes from Liesure Arts book "mile-a-minute Afghans". It's supposed to be a fullsize afghan but I've adapted it to be shorter for a baby. It also looks nice with brighter colors & a black border to use up scraps.

I started these socks while on vacation last month. I finally finished up the first one and I really like it. The yarn is Kroy in a color called Fancy Free and the pattern is free from the 'net called Blueberry Waffle and the pattern is easy to follow.

This shows the pattern close up. It gives a nice tight fit so the socks stay up.

I was really busy and finished up the other Hot Tamale Ugly Sock and took them to the Post Office this morning so they are on their way to their new home in Newfoundland now. Now I only have about 15 more things to finish up and I'll be ready for some new projects!

Hot Tamale

2005-09-17T10:29:00.000-04:00

I got a better picture of the detail of my Mile A Minute afghan this morning. It would show a lot better on a lighter color but since this is a stash reduction project I have to go with what I have!

I finished one of the Hot Tamale socks and I still think they're ugly. My daughter has moved to Newfoundland and thinks she's freezing to death so I'll send them off to her when they're done. Ugly socks are better than no socks!

Mile A Minute

2005-09-16T19:41:00.000-04:00

I haven't done much knitting or crocheting in the last little while. Work has been extremely busy and I've been doing 7 am to 6 pm days and even worked my day off this week. By the time I get home doing anything other than having something to eat, a shower and going to bed just seems like too much effort.

I was on a major clean-up campaign of my stash room aka the spare bedroom. The stash had really taken over a major part of the room so I decided that MAM afghans would be the answer. I started this one a couple weeks ago but only have 5 of the eight strips done so far. The picture is crappy and doesn't show the design and it isn't blocked yet.....and right now I don't even care that much! I lifted something the other day that I shouldn't have and my arm is a bit sore so I decided maybe giving it a rest from crochet might be the answer. Knitting doesn't seem to bother it so I pulled out a pair of socks that I started while on vacation last night.

Back from vacation

2005-09-03T15:52:00.000-04:00

We're back from our vacation and not much sock knitting took place! The weather was great, only a sprinkle of rain overnight on Tuesday from the remnants of Hurricane Katrina. We had our grandaughter, Nyla, with us and she certainly can occupy a lot of time. She loved the beach, digging in the sand and swimming. I thought she might be scared but wasn't at all. I thought the water was freezing but she would just march right in.

We stayed at Pinery Provincial Park near Grand Bend, Ontario. There's nine miles of beautiful sandy beach in the park so we had lots of places to choose from. The water is very shallow with lots of sandbars.

Our campsite was great. Lots of sand in the trailer but nothing a good cleaning with the shop vac didn't fix this morning.

We had to walk across the dunes on a boardwalk to get to the beach. I'm not good on height or distance but these are BIG sand dunes.

I did get most of one sock done in the Blueberry Waffle pattern using Kroy Socks in a color called Fancy Free. I'll post a picture of it when I get done.

Basketcase finished

2005-08-27T12:24:00.000-04:00

I just finished the first Basketcase sock. I really like the stretch of this pattern. Now all I need to do is get the second one done but I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow morning and taking my 18 month old grand-daughter along so working on anything with a definite pattern is out. I've put in two different patterned yarns that I can either do in straight stitch or with a simple fancy rib so I can sit my sock down without having to worry about where I was.

Best of Intentions

2005-08-19T13:31:00.000-04:00

I always have the best of intentions with my projects. I start them with all the faith in the world that I will stick with them and see them through to completion. Somehow that never happens. I started this tablecloth in the summer of 2000 for my dining room table. Somewhere along the way, it got shoved into a tote bag and forgotten until a co-worker asked me to help her decipher a pattern at work. I got thinking, Hmmm, I have a tablecloth started somewhere in my craft mess. So I dug it out this morning and am going to take a stab at getting a bit more done. No illusions it will be finished anytime soon because it is supposed to be 75" round when done and is at 43" right now.

I've switched to 10 hour shifts at work now which means I get a long break in the afternoons so instead of sitting and eating junk food which is what we usually do, I decided that I would take some socks to work on. I dug through my stash and found this really ugly Bernat Sox yarn that I can think of no reason for buying. Must have been one of those moments I have where I have to have every color of yarn! It's called Hot Tamale and the picture isn't showing bad color, it really is that bad. It's orange, pink, green and turquoise with the colors oozing into each other at the changes so there are spots of olive green and murky brown. I think I'll gift these to someone but for sure no one will steal them off my table in the lunchroom!

So while digging for the above ugly yarn I decided that the plastic tote with the sock yarn in it was too full and a jumbled mess. This morning I dumped it out and sorted it into matching pairs as well as sorting by acrylics and wools. The left are the nice wool yarns and the right is my assortment of Bernat Sox acrylics that I use for making socks for those I know won't look after wool socks. As far as I've heard, this yarn is now discontinued but from the looks of it I should be alright for awhile yet!

My needles are here!

2005-08-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'm off work today and it was great to go out to the mailbox to find that my new needles had arrived. I ordered a set of Inox 6" needles in size 2mm awhile ago from Judy at theKnitter and just loved them so I ordered another 2 sets that came today. Now I can get all those socks I have on long needles onto the short ones and it will be soooooo much better! Ok, so it doesn't take much to excite me but I really hate trying to work with the long needles now.

Basketcase

2005-08-12T08:22:00.000-04:00

I started these socks this week from the Sockknitters Intermediate SAM list. The pattern is called Basketcase and is going really well so far. I decided to use Kroy yarn instead of what was called for since I normally use 56 sts for a sockweight yarn anyway. The sock really has a lot of stretch so it should stay up well and the pattern is easy to follow. I actually have followed it to the letter so far, even doing the square heel which I hadn't done before.

Turtle Track

2005-08-05T20:52:00.000-04:00

I finished one of my Turtle Track socks. I absolutely love this yarn. It is the perfect balance of cotton and wool. To find out more about this sock read on down to a few posts ago!

Inside/Outside Sock

2005-08-02T19:56:00.000-04:00

I finished the first sock of the Inside/Outside Socks from the SOTM kit for June from theKnitter designed by Nancy Walsh. I changed it a bit (like always) because I didn't want to do the wraps on the garter stitch short row heel or the garter stitch toe that the pattern called for. The sock is made with Fortissima Cotton which is 75% cotton and 25% polyamid so the offset rib pattern gives it some extra stretch that a cotton sock needs. Now all I need to do is get the second sock done without getting sidetracked!

Flickering Flames

2005-07-30T16:49:00.000-04:00

I managed to finish the Flickering Flame Summer Socks by Sharon Bergerson this morning. This was the April '04 kit from theKnitter that I just got around to getting done. I had started it last year and didn't like the way my tension was going so I ripped it out. Guess the second try was the charm. This sock is made with Fortissima Cotton which is 75% cotton and 25% Polyamid so it should wear well.

July SOTM club socks

2005-07-26T11:04:00.000-04:00

These are the July socks from theKnitter SOTM club. The pattern is called Turtle Track and is designed by Debbie O'Neill. The yarn is Fortissima Socka and is a blend of cotton, wool and polymide. It is really nice and has a lot of stretch. The pattern doesn't show up really well in this picture but I'll try to get a better one of the finished sock.

Fell off the wagon

2005-07-25T21:44:00.000-04:00

Ok so I did get one pair finished before I started another. I just couldn't resist trying out the new kit and I'm almost to the heel flap now on that sock! I wore the new Opals to work today and got lots of comments, not everyone understands the theraputic value of sock knitting though. Some thought they were really great while others couldn't seem to get past the idea that I would knit socks or that you would knit socks in those colors!

Success!

2005-07-23T11:39:00.000-04:00

My plan is working so far. I put all the unfinished socks on the coffee table so they are staring at me. I finished off these Opal's last night and this morning so now they just need a bath to soften up a bit before I wear them. The empty set of needles are calling for me to start the new kit I received this week though. Just to see how the yarn works up!

Too many socks!

2005-07-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

After thinking about it this morning I realized I have way too many socks on the go. I decided to pull them all out so they would encourage me to get moving on them. The Opals on the left are almost done. I'm just past the gusset heading for the toe on the second sock. The pale blue is a "newer" sock kit in Fortissima Cotton that is just started. The yellow is a baby cotton that I don't think is going to work for socks. Purple is another Fortissima Cotton from a sock kit over a year old that has the second sock barely started. The dark green is Misti Baby Alpaca with only one sock done!

2005-07-05T13:44:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been too hot to knit much lately. I've been working on this sweater for over a month and finally finished it. My daughter's friend is expecting a baby in September and good ol' mom volunteered to make a sweater. I already had this yarn but after I got part way done I was told it was definitely "girly" so now it's finished I'm doing another one in blue and white! I have sock kits and sock yarn I've bought piling up here and the second sweater isn't nearly as much fun as the first not to mention the extreme heat and humidity we've been having here. I know in January I'll be complaining that it's too cold!

Vacation

2005-06-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

I had great expectations of getting lots of knitting done on my vacation last week but all I managed was a few rows on my Opal socks. It was too hot most of the time to sit with yarn in my hands and some how sitting in the sun with my knitting just makes me sleepy! We're going away again next weekend so maybe I'll get more done.

Pam's socks

2005-05-15T19:07:00.000-04:00

These socks are for my friend Pam for her birthday so don't anyone tell her, OK? The yarn is Bernat Sox in Jazz Hot. I've never made socks for Pam before and her description of her feet is "Flintstone feet". Very wide, very flat and square across the toes. Sure hope that these are going to fit her!

Opal Magic 1038

2005-05-04T19:45:00.000-04:00

Opal Magic #1038 is the yarn I used for these great socks. It has a very long pattern repeat so finding the start for the next sock is going to be fun! My daughter bought me this yarn as an early Mother's Day gift because I had been talking about wanting to try it. I didn't find the yarn itself to be much different in texture or quality but the colorways are certainly different.

Maui Magic finished!

2005-04-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

Today I learned that taking a picture of your own foot is not all that easy! I tried putting this sock on the stretcher but it just didn't show the pattern up. Anyway, this is my finished Maui Magic sock. I like the pattern for a summer sock and once I got the pattern repeats in my head I could do it without really looking at the pattern much which is a bonus. All I need to do is finish the second sock!

Maui Magic

2005-04-23T15:25:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I did finish the other Lana Gossa Cool Wool sock but the Misti Alpaca has been sidelined at one sock. I started this new sock from theKnitter SOTM club for April instead. It's called Maui Magic and is made with Meilenweit Cotton. This picture shows what is supposed to be the detail down the back of the sock but I think I'm going to switch this panel to be on the front of my leg.

This picture shows the cabled ribbing pattern on the rest of the sock leg. Not hard to do and a very interesting look. I was worried that the cotton yarn might not have as much stretch to it as needed to stay up but this yarn is 45% cotton, 42% wool and 13% Polyamid so it has a much nicer body than pure cotton. By the way, the color on these photos isn't great, the yarn is a soft mauve color in reality.

New truck!

2005-04-09T16:11:00.000-04:00

This has nothing to do with socks but I finally got my new truck! It's been a big debate about whether I would drive my old one until it finally just died or buy something new. I compromised and found this 1999 Ranger that is just perfect for me.

Misti Alpaca

2005-04-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

I finished the baby alpaca socks this morning. The pattern is adapted from a knee sock pattern in an old Patons book. They feel so soft I can't wait to finish the second one so I can wear them but they are a very fine knit so I think I'll save them for special occasions because I'm not sure how well they are going to wear.

Sidetracked!

2005-03-27T19:03:00.000-05:00

Here's what I got sidetracked making. This yarn came in the mail for the March 2005 SOTM club from theKnitter. It was a graph pattern (yuck) so I decided to come up with my own cable sock. The yarn is laceweight Misti Alpaca and is unbelievably soft. It says 100% baby alpaca so I hope there aren't a bunch of baby alpacas going around cold so I can make socks!

Lana Grossa Cool Wool 2000

2005-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00

This is the most gorgeous yarn I've ever worked with! Lana Grossa Cool Wool 2000. It is so soft and cushy. I only have one sock done so far because I got sidetracked but I can't wait to get them on my feet.

Broadripple Socks

2005-03-27T18:57:00.000-05:00

These are the Broadripple pattern that I did in a Knitalong. I really enjoyed this pattern and will definitely use it again. The yarn I used was Bernat Sox and it isn't too bad with this pattern because the little holes let your feet breathe a bit.

Valentine Hearts Socks

2005-03-27T18:54:00.000-05:00

The February 2004 sock from theKnitter.com SOTM club. I discovered that beading is really not my thing and that I'm not really fond of Lana Grossa's Meilenweit sock yarn either.

What a bargain!

2005-03-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

I bought a cone of yarn at Value Village that said Cashmere on the inside. I have no idea how much yarn is on this cone but I made this pair of socks and I can hardly see that it is smaller. Anyone need a pair of maroon socks? It's about a sportweight and made quite a nice boot sock.

Mystery yarn

2005-03-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

I created this sock to use up some yarn I had laying around. It's some kind of acylic and doesn't make the best sock.

I'm Twining for You

2005-03-27T18:47:00.000-05:00

"I'm Twining for You" was the January 2004 sock from theKnitter SOTM club. It's in super soft Silja, which tends to pill a bit but that may be because I knit these socks a bit looser than I do now, and uses a technique called twining. I intend to make more of these someday!

Kroy Jacquards

2005-03-27T18:40:00.000-05:00

This is my first pair of self-patterning socks. I couldn't believe that the yarn could actually create patterns as I knit. Once again a Kroy yarn.

Faux Braided Cable Socks

2005-03-27T18:35:00.000-05:00

This pattern is from theKnitter SOTM club for September 2004. I used my yarn from the March sock for this because it was a graph pattern and I hate them. The yarn is Trekking XXL color 283. I really enjoyed making this sock and did another pair for my mom using a purple colorway from Kroy.

Reynolds Swizzle

2005-03-27T18:32:00.000-05:00

These socks are knit with Reynolds Swizzle. The yarn has the same texture as Kroy and looks like it will wear really well. I tried to match the stripes exactly but the yarn was missing one yellow stripe so I have one sock with a wide black band! By the time I realized that the yellow was missing I was on to the green and didn't feel like frogging back.

Sun and Moon Sox

2005-03-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

I started these socks for my daughter but so far only this one has been completed. I'm not really impressed with the stranding of the yarn on the inside. For now it sits in my knitting basket taking up space. The pattern was found at Brownfox.com.

Striped Scrap Socks

2005-03-27T18:27:00.000-05:00

Once again I had a basket full of yarn ends to use up. These socks are like having a little sampler of all the previous socks I've made.

Mystery Cables

2005-03-27T18:25:00.000-05:00

This was the SOTM from theKnitter for December 2004. The yarn is a very soft Cascade 220. It is a heavier weight yarn and these make great lounging around socks. The pattern is called Mystery Cables.

2005-03-27T18:22:00.000-05:00

Another Kroy sock.

Color Block Sport Socks

2005-03-27T18:20:00.000-05:00

This sock was the July 2004 SOTM pattern from theKnitter. I had enough yarn to make the top longer than the pattern called for. The yarn is Star by Classic Elite.

Short Row Heel

2005-03-27T17:20:00.000-05:00

This was my first experience with a short row heel. I like the fit but I'm not sure abut the durability of the heel. I always wear the heels out of cotton sport socks so I'm going to test these before I make anymore. The yarn is Kroy in the Denim colorway and the pattern came from the OZYarns site which is not longer available.

Kroy Crayon Jacquard

2005-03-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

I used Kroy in Crayon colors for these socks. Kroy seems to wear like iron and knits up easily. It's pretty much the only wool sock yarn I can buy locally.

Fortissima Cotton Colori

2005-03-27T17:17:00.000-05:00

This yarn is came from theKnitter SOTM club for June 2004. It is a cotton yarn called Fortissima Cotton Colori and has very little stretch. It's been wearing well but the socks tend to fall down and stretch out over the day so I would recommend using some elastic in the cuff and working a stretchy ribbing.