FO Friday: Stark Effect Socks

I did manage to clean my craft area just enough to find a plastic tapestry needle. Not my first choice but it got the job done and my Stark Effect Socks are complete!

Pattern: My own 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock “recipe”

Yarn: String Theory Colorwork Inertia Self Striping in the Stark Effect Colorway

Needles: US 1

Mods: none

They turned out fantastic and a great fit on my foot. As with all my afterthought heels I add in extra plain rounds to the heel to accommodate my high instep.

They are also almost a perfect match. Which I totally managed and did on purpose. It does mean I have to tiny balls of yarn left that aren’t in color sequence. I will still find something to do with them, probably my memory blanket?

In the meantime, I’m off to pick out my next sock project! Happy Knitting!!

All But The Heels

Thanks to some TV show binging my Stark Effect Socks are complete save for the Kitchener on the toes!

The good news is that I’m getting fairly proficient at grafting. The bad news, I can’t find any of my tapestry needles so I need to either clean or buy more, lol!

These socks have just brought me so much joy to watch the bright colors pop. I did in the end decide to use the rainbow yarn for the heels. Probably would have looked cooler with black but I couldn’t be bothered to put in that effort. I just want these socks on my feet!

Happy Knitting!

I Think They Glow In The Dark

Jellybean was was watching my finish my sock tube last night and he exclaimed “Mom, I think those glow in the dark!” And so we went outside where it was dusk….and he’s not wrong! Even in low light these puppies stood out from the grass.

Next up is to install heels and the socks will be done. I kinda want to do solid black heels, but I don’t know I have the yarn for it. I might have to just use the same self striping and manage where I start in the color sequence.

I need to ponder a minute on it perhaps. Happy Knitting!!

Knitting In The Park

Motherhood means stealing stitches where you can. PB and Jellybean are finally old enough to play fairly independently at the park. So to celebrate seeing the sun for the first time in a week we hit the local playground. I had a large iced coffee and my Stark Effect Socks.

I made super good progress on sock number two. I am through the full tube and almost done with the ribbing. I need one more black stripe and then to knit and cast off in the dark purple. I have been knitting for 12 ish years and it never ceases to amaze me how fast self-striping yarn feels like it knits up.

Happy Knitting!!

A Second Stark Toe

Thanks to family movie night last evening, I have a second Stark Effect Sock toe!

I always make toe up socks and start with DPNs. I work the magic 8 cast on and put my increases at each side of the toe. Once I get up to my “recipe” totale of 68 stiches I switch to my nine inch circular.

Now I’m ready to zoom right through the tube. Watching the stripes develop is super addicting so I envision this sock will go quickly as the first tube. Happy Knitting!!

One Stark Tube

Another silver lining of COVID? I can knit one full sock leg whilst binging Netflix and isolating from my family. My first Stark Effect Sock tube is done.

I made the decision to save the afterthought heels to the very end after I knit the second tube. There should be enough yarn left from the skein after the second tube, but I want to make sure.

I worked exactly three rainbow repeats total in the tube. For the last three cool stripes I used 2×2 rib to make the cuff. Pictures don’t do this yarn justice, its so vibrant and happy! The dyer is String Theory Colorworks and she does amazing work.

Now on the second sock! Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Stark Effect Socks

After finishing my shorties last week, I found myself with no socks on the needles and a date night planned with my hubby. I conned him into taking me to The Lost City with Sandra Bulluck and Channing Tatum. So I hurriedly grabbed the first sock yarn I found and got a sock toe cast on.

This is a skein of String Theory Inertia Self Striping in the Stark Effect colorway. Its very neon and very spring/easter-y. I LOVE IT. And this much sock is exactly one movie’s worth of stockinette in the round.

I think I will knit a sock tube and cuff and then add an all black heel as a contrast. This project is just making me so happy. I will be sad when this one is over and might have to order another skein of this colorway…..

Happy Knitting!!!

FO Friday: Paintbox Socks, Take Two

The second heel breezed right along this week and now I have a FO to share! My Paintbox Socks, Take Two are done and ready for the sock drawer.

Pattern: A basic 64 stitch vanilla sock make a sock snake/tube

Yarn: Stranded Dyeworks OOAK Paintbox color

Needles: US 1s for cuffs, toes and heels

I used up almost every bit of the remaining sock snake that equated to roughly 195 yards of the main color. The contrast heels are from a Knitting Fever Teenie Weenie Wool mini where I used about 30 yards. So all in all, these shorties are just over 200 yards.

The fit is pretty good but like the first pair, I need to test these in some shoes to see how they perform. And in the meantime, I need to find my next pair of socks to start knitting! Happy Knitting!!

Can They Be Socks Yet?

Despite my choice to knit and drink wine, my Paintbox Socks, Take Two have heels that are swimming along.

The first sock heel is complete. I do a modified afterthought heel where I add extra plain rows at the beginning of the heel to add depth. I have a high instep and this extra fabric makes for a better fit. I didn’t invent this, but I have knit enough socks to figure out what works for me.

I need to finish the second heel and then I will I have a second pair of shorties done in as many days! Gotta love knitting from machine knit socks tubes. Happy Knitting!!

Multitasking, Self Care Style

The chaos continues and I decided to take some time out for me this past weekend. My kids were visiting family and I had the TV to myself. It was glorious!

This self care session was brought to you by a class of red blend wine, some lavender scented candles and my Paintbox Socks, Take Two. The tubes are all done except for the afterthought heels. I did pause for a second to think “should I really be cutting my knitting while drinking wine” and then did it anyway!.

Happy Knitting!!