Inky Socks 2

I started with 4 balls of Knitting Fever Indulgence Cashmere in my stash that I had acquired a while back from a friend's destash. So given the success of Inky's first pair, I set out to make a second pair, but this time quirkier.

Yarn: Knitting Fever Indulgence Cashmere (discontinued)

Needles: US 2 / 2.75 mm

Pattern: Same basic design as before: cuff down, extra long heel flap, wedge toe

Since Inky was so delighted with the off-kilter stripes in the last one, we doubled down on the quirky. I used up the last of the first color before switching the the new ball in a a coordinating colorway of the same yarn that had some of the same colors. This meant that those very long repeat stripes moved in opposite directions. Fun!

Sparkle Red Rainbow Socks

My dearest Majes had his birthday this week, which was great motivation to finish these socks that I had been working on for basically forever. Ages ago his wife had acquired this yarn and asked if I could do the knitting of some extra sparkly red rainbow socks. She wasn't sure how much yarn that would take so she bought 300g of fingering weight sock yarn! This seemed like the moment to finally make those handknit knee length socks that he has been dreaming of.

Yarn: details lost to history, but it has a strand of silver sparkle and rainbow variegation in the red

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Pattern: 84 sts cast-on, cuff down, decrease down to 72 stitches for the ankle, heel flap, wedge toe

I am not going to lie, these socks were a slog that I put down and "rested" a lot. But I am really pleased with the result.

Totality Socks

Like many other Americans, we were eclipse chasing at the beginning of the month. We ended up in Texas, where we had some amazing food, had some lovely time with family, and got to experience the total solar eclipse surrounded by people of all walks of life, united in that moment.

Also while we were there I made a pair of socks for Salvbard, who has not received a pair in a while.

Pattern: 72 sts 2X2 rib cuff down sock with heel flap and wedge toe

Nothing special here pattern wise, just my default pair of socks to his preferences. He has one pair of black socks that I knit 16 years ago, and I had told him that I was not doing another pair of just black ones. So he got creative in his yarn choices to get as close as he could manage.

Gloucester Rowing Socks

Last year my partner and I checked Glacier National Park off my bucket list, and this trip was my very first time to Montana. 

While I did not really need any souvenir yarn given the size of my stash, a mutual friend of ours with a huge love of orange had been on the sock list for a while, and our color palettes are so different I really didn't have anything in my stash. So while we were out that way, we picked up some locally dyed yarn that was right up her alley.

Yarn: Big Sky Yarn Co. Star Sock

Yarn Supplier: Cama's Creek Cottage in Kalispell, Montana

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Patter: cuff down, 2X2 rib with offset cable twists

Our friend is active with the rowing community up in Gloucester, MA, and a pair of warm wool socks will be very useful for those early morning rows. Plus I was very charmed to add running cable that travelled from the leg down the top of the foot.

Mountain Fire Socks

While I was sitting around knitting Majes' Fire Circle Socks, a mutual friend started chatting with me about them and jokingly asked how to get on the sock recipient list. She has been going through a lot in recent years, so it was nice to surprise her with a pair that the next pair of stockinette socks that I was just making to keep my hands busy anyways

 Yarn: Hobbii Happy Feet Print in Sea of Flames (leftover from making Majes' fire circle socks) and a lonesome skein of Lang Yarns Jawoll Superwash Acrylic Blend in Navy

Yarn Supplier: Hobbii Yarns and Knitting Treasures (permantly closed) in Plymouth, MA

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Not the best photo in the world (no blocking done out in the woods), but these were warmly received by a very surprised recipient.

Fire Circle Socks

This past summer, sitting around campfires I knit my friend Majes another pair of socks for his selection. He has been a fantastic knitwear recipient, so I don't mind the fact too much the fact that he has unreasonably large feet. 

Yarn: Hobbii Happy Feet Print in Sea of Flames

Yarn Supplier: Hobbii Yarns

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Nothing fancy here pattern-wise, just my standard cuff down, heel flap socks with wedge toe. The simply 2X2 rib and stockinette was perfect for sitting in the dark knitting around a campfire and talking with friends.

FO: Smores Socks

Well, from a stash-busting perspective, these socks were successful, and they are very soft and cozy. I am a bit nervous about how they will wear though, after the amount of halo that I can see just from traveling with me to work on and then blocking.

 

Yarn: mystery  handdyed wool sock yarn in the colorway S'mores 

Needle: US 1 / 2.25mm

Pattern: 64 sts toe up sock with wedge toe and tubular bind-off

I didn't use a real pattern, but I did thrown in a tubular cast-off  just for fun. I had really loved it in the Alpenglow cuffs. I think actually it is a good bind-off for me for this length sock, but it wouldn't work for everyone or even every pair of socks for me.

WIP: Smores Socks

Last weekend we stayed just a few minutes walk from Webs, but somehow I overcame temptation and did not stop in. It helps that I have recently been going through my stash at home, and I have lots of inspiration of things I can make with the stash that I have.

So instead I worked on these toe-up socks in a yarn that I remember was from a hand dyer inspired by smores on a wool sock blend yarn, but that is about it. It is a good travel project and has kept me company through several meetings and lectures.

In general over the last few years, I have been trying to focus on really looking first at what is in my WIPs and stash to see if any of those would match what I want to be making. I still have passion projects, but I find that I am often reinspired by the stash I have when I take this time.

Hallima socks

In 2022 I joined a local LARP, and since my character knits in character I had a great excuse to make socks during down time. It literally had been many years since I had made socks in worsted weight, and I forgot how incredibly fast they go.

Needles: US size 3- 3.25mm

Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Wool Solids & Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Yarn supplier: The Knitting Room (closed) and Mind's Eye Yarns

Pattern: made-up toe-up with short row heel

These were just made up from stash leftovers in relevant colors, but I totally added them to this character's kit.

Sock Recap: Blue and Gold

A pair of socks that I had knit my dear Majes recently developed a sort of random hole in the cuff that suggested it got snagged on something. By the time they made it back to me, it had gotten to be a bit of a structural concern, so I ended up ripping out the cuff and knitting them up from the leg and finishing with a sewn bind off to make sure they were still stretchy enough.

This pair of socks was this lovely navy and gold yarn, which I couldn't remember the handdyer off the top of my head, but I was sure would seem obvious to me when I looked back at them in the blog and/or Ravelry... Only then I discovered apparently I have never blogged these anywhere. Opps!

FO: Resoleable Knee Socks

Another find during my craft room shelf reorganization was a pair of resoleable knee socks that I started on January 2nd, 2009. That is almost 13 years on the needles, mostly hibernating! The navy yarn I bought while I was living in Wisconsin one summer for my graduate research. And the variegated Regia was bought from Mind's Eye's first owner.

Pattern: Two-Yarn Resoleable Socks by Wayne Pfeffer, adapted by Anne Merrow

Pattern Source: Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave
Needles: US 1 - 2.25 mm
Yarn 1: Patons North America Kroy Socks in color 54110 - navy
Yarn Supplier 1: Wisconsin Craft Market
Yarn 2 (sole): Regia 4-fädig 4-ply Color in color 5574
Yarn Supplier 2: Mind's Eye Yarn

The sole is a great place to use those lonely 50g balls of sock yarn. Honestly this pattern is very clever. Unsurprisingly, doing the sole reminded me of the Panel Ribbed Socks.

In general, I found this to be a bit too fussy to do again for myself or partner, since we do not tend to wear out the bottoms of our socks first. At the time I felt like it would be worth it since I adapted the pattern to make them knee socks with generous calf shaping.

Mostly I am just relieved to have these out of hibernation and off the WIP pile!

FO: Venus in Aries

So I started a pair of socks for a friend I have not been able to see in person for several year due to babies and then Covid. In the fog-like haze which is my memory these days, I did make sure to carefully inspect my finishing, to include a heartfelt handwritten letter, to wrap them in tissue paper and get them sent out on time.

What did I not to? Take a picture of the finished socks. Doh! So here is pre-knitting photo.

Yarn: Urth Uneek Fingering

Needles: US 1 - 2.25 mm

Pattern: stockinette toe-up socks with wedge toe, short row heels, and surprisingly stretchy sewn bind off

This was my first time knitting with this yarn, but it was great. I would gladly knit again, which is good, since I have another pair of socks worth in my stash in a different colorway.

FO: Dusty rose cabled socks

So in cleaning out my craft shelves, I ran across a pair of socks that was just missing the final ribbing for the cuff. The are a little more dusty rose/taupe than the tan they appear here, but I was so glad to get them on to their new home (not my WIP shelf) that I wasn't fussy about the photo.

Yarn: mystery sock yarn
Needles: US 1 - 2.25 mm
Pattern: toe up, wedge toe, short row heel, 4st cables on leg, 4X2 cuff, stretchy sewn cast off

The weird thing about these socks is that I clearly remember them but can find no previous reference to them in Ravelry. I can't even find the yarn they are made of in my stash, although I thought they were a Regia silk 4-ply. Anyways, they are already in the hands of their recipient, and it is off my visual to-do list in my craft room.

Rites Leftover Socks

It had been quite a while since I had knit anything for myself, so since I had a bunch of leftover self striping yarn from the Rites of Spring socks, I decided to to just that.

Yarn Supplier: Mind's Eye Yarn

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

At this point, I admit I have no idea what yarn I used in these except that they a standard ratio wool nylon sock yarn and that I bought them from the lovely folk at Mind's Eye Yarn.

I knit these as socks toe-up with magic 8 cast-on, forethought heel,2X2 rib and sewn bind-off. Also I used a contrast yarn used for toes, heels and tops of cuff in order to extend the striping yarn as far as possible. Ultimately I probably didn't need to, since I have small feet, but I still like the look.

Rites of Spring Socks

Last year I offered to knit a pair of socks for a member of the my community, and then I laughed when I got the cardboard tracings of their feet. It was a good thing I am no stranger to knitting giant socks. I ended up purchasing 200g of self striping yarn, knowing that I would need more than 100g but wanting flexibility to make sure the striping pattern was not interrupted at the ball change.

 Yarn Supplier: Mind's Eye Yarn

Needles: US 1 / 2.25mm

The recipient was very sweet and easy going. Fortunately their spouse was more helpful at pointing me in a direction for color and where socks typically wear out first. These were knit cuff down with 2X2 ribbing, reinforced heel flap and wedge toe.

Berkshire Weekend Away

Salvbard and I took the weekend to get away to the Bershires for a mixture of pleasure and a memorial service that I wanted to attend. The weather was absolutely perfect, and that meant I got lots of outdoor knitting time.

I worked on a new hat for Diamondsoled out of Zauberball she had bought for this purpose:

I also worked on a pair of toe up socks from a bunch of leftover self striping yarn:

On Saturday we even stopped into Webs, and I picked up yarn for the Scheepjes Rozeta CAL, which my friend fiber Fiddledragon turned me on to. I am freestyling a bit with colors chosen based on my personal preferences.

I could do less with the "help" from out 6 month kitten who has never show interest in balled yarn before though.

All and all, it was a really lovely recharging and connective weekend. I am very lucky.

Locusts Socks - take two

Recently I got back a pair of socks that I had knit in 2009, which had developed a hole right where the cuff met the top stockinette section. Weird failure-mode, but after 9 years of service, I can't complain too much.

I put in a lifeline, snipped and seperated the intact bottoms from the cuffs. I lost a little more yarn on the sock with the hole, so I worked on that one first to knit the leg a little longer before adding a new cuff in a contrast yarn. For the second sock I will do the same, but match the length of the first sock.

This yarn is fairly fine, and I had needed to knit it on size 0s originally. I think they still have some wear in them though. The colors have lost a lot of their brightness, but settled into a nice sort of forest drab.

Orange Socks

I finished the pair of socks I had started in the woods and knit on a small piece of the Appalachian Trail. Good thing too, as the weather has just started to turn cooler, and Diamondsoled could use another pair of socks.

Yarn: Shepherd Baby Wool 4 Ply

Yarn Supplier: Knittin' Kitten in Cambridge, MA

Needles: US 1 / 2.25mm

Pattern: cuff down, 2X2 rib, stockinette, slip stitch heel flap heel, wedge toe

Since Diamondsoled had been a really good sock recipient (not only does she wear her other hand knit socks regularly and care for them correctly, she also noticed someone else's handknits had developed a small hole and delivered them to me for repair), she was on the short list for another pair.

So we visited my stash, and she picked out some yarn. And man, did she ever pick some deep stash. My now sophomore in college offspring was in elementary school when I bought this yarn...

I am not sure if it is due to the age of the yarn, the yarn line itself, or storage conditions at some point, but one of the balls of yarn had a lot of weak spots around the outer part of the ball. Pulling from the center was enough to solve the problem, and I just didn't use that most outer part. Annoying though!

Otherwise, I am pleased with these. They are not particularly interesting, between the solid color and the stockinette, but that is exactly what the recipient wanted for socks to be worn to work. So success!

Chasing Waterfalls

This weekend Majes and I went hiking on the north side of the White Mountains. Between the earlier heavy rains still pouring off the mountain and the terrain itself, this was definitely a push to get in just the couple of miles to where we would camp.  And also, I am so very grateful for opportunities like this.

I even spared a few ounces of pack weight for my current pair of socks in progress. Their intended recipient will appreciate their brief visit to the AT.

Earthy Mother Socks

Friends are expecting their first baby, so per my own tradition, I knit the pregnant parental unit a pair of socks. While I know lots of people really love knitting baby things for expectant parents, I love doing this. There is something about a tangible reminder of community, support and grounding.

Yarn: Araucania Ranco Sock in colorway 308

Yarn Supplier: Winsor Button (out of business)
Needles: US 1/2.25mm

Pattern: toe-up, magic loop, wedge-toe, 2X2 rib, Japenese short rows, sewn bind-off

Since I made these as a surprise, I had to do some surreptitious eyeballing. Fortunately in this case the mom has very similar sized feet to me, which made it easy.

I finished this pair on the Mountain, and I am pleased. They were no frills but well received, but it felt good just to be making thing again. Work has been intense, and I hadn't been able to find the energy when I have been home.