Category Archives: Socks

Dude Socks Are No Joke

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I had a moment of doubt while working my Dad’s 2019 Christmas Socks. They just felt and looked HUGE. Significantly enough that I quit knitting and put them aside just in case I had messed up somewhere.

I mean they are as wide as my hand! See??

I took them and held them up against a pair of socks I previously knit for my husband. Both he and my dad have size 13 feet and can wear the same shoes. And guess what? They were just right.  I guess after knitting women’s socks for so long I forgot what dude socks are like. And size 13 is no joke!

I’m through an entire repeat of the colors. I think I’ve managed 7 inches? My struggle is now to decide on a heel. I’ve always put toe up gusset heels in my dad and husband’s socks because they accommodate a wide foot really well. But this is self striping and I like the look of the bulls-eye looking afterthought heel. I’m just not sure how that will fit? Much debate is going on in my brain because I can’t just easily put in an afterthought heel and change my mind. I would have to re-knit the leg! Sigh…

Happy Knitting!

And Then Stripes Appeared

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I kinda feel silly. I was knitting in a waiting room yesterday (I had my dad’s sock in my bag for purse knitting). As I happily went round and round I thought to myself “oh these are going to be striped!”

This really shouldn’t haven been a surprise to me. The yarn skein CLEARLY shows itself to be self striping. Chalk one up for mommy brain!

They are nice thick stripes on 72 stitches. I can’t even imagine how much bigger these would have been if they had been socks on a stitch count for me! I do like the blend of blues, purples and grey. It’s pleasing yet still “dude” appropriate. But I’m pretty sure if I knit my dad bright pink socks he would proudly wear them, he’s that awesome.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Dad’s 2019 Christmas Socks

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I was feeling a sock sized hole in my life after finishing my Helping Hippos Socks. My dad is the most grateful and totally knit worthy person in my life. So I decided to get a jump on some 2019 Christmas socks. I found some machine washable sport weight sock yarn in my stash I got from a yarn store closing in 2017. It’s not one I have worked with before but it feels sturdy and will stand up well to my dad’s work boots. I managed to pull together a full kit and get started after my tiny humans went to bed.

The best part of these? While they are 72 stitches total, they are sport weight on US 3 needles so they really feel like they fly!

I am having to keep a lotion bar in my project bag. This yarn just sucks the moisture out of hand. Look at all those lovely guard hairs! These babies are going to warm!!

Happy Knitting!!

Oh Yarn Balls

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I recently did a wooly wash day. I was so proud of myself for washing and restocking my hand knits drawer. All this cold weather has really had me digging in there lately! But as I was putting away socks I found a problem. I might have uttered something worse but adjacent to “oh yarn balls”….

Guess who didn’t citric acid treat her finished TurtlePurl yarn socks? This girl! Even though I KNEW the white was next to red and despite the talent of any given dyer that red dye can be a fickle mistress.

It’s so subtle at this point. But I know the white is no longer the bright white it was when I knit them. Sigh…. I’m still going to wear these and I’m not mad at the dyer. I should have known better. I’m just mad at my sleep deprived mommy brain.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to citric acid treat them to stop it from getting worse. Or just let it do what it’s going to do. Right now they are in time out until I decide. Oh Yarn Balls!!

 

Cast On: Gonna Need Sunglasses Vanilla Socks

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I have a serious case of Cast On-itis and I’ve held it in check to try to finish Jellybeans sweater. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on that project so I indulged myself.

My lunches at work involve quality time with my constant companion aka my breast pump. So I spend about 45 minutes sitting. Turns out that if I eat before I pump then that time span is just enough time to start a toe up sock toe. This is some Regia Fluormania that has been in my stash for awhile. Between the obnoxious color and the fact I didn’t have to wind it made this the perfect yarn choice! My sock needles were cold…..what’s a girl to do!? CAST ON ALL THE SOCKS!!!This will be my bedtime knitting as the Mood Indigo currently resides in my purse. I really should finish the soon too….

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Helping Hippos Vanilla Socks

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My Helping Hippo Vanilla Socks have reached FO status just as I was literally racing a waking baby PB. They are speckled and tall and glorious! And this is my first FO in like….awhile. It feels nice.

Two toe up vanilla socks worked with 68 stitches with a gusset heel. I used just under 81 grams of yarn which leaves just the right amount of yarn left for repairs and putting some scraps in my blanket. I used US 1.5 needles so my fabric isn’t the densest ever. But I think it should hold up just fine.

One side has a little more “grey area” or blank areas without speckles. But come on, this is hand dyed yarn and that’s just pretty darn awesome. The fit is also pretty good. Admittedly they are VERY snug up around my lower calves. But as hand knit socks are want to do….they will stretch with wear and maybe this pair will then be able to stand up all day long!?

I did notice one small problem. In my haste to beat the clock also known as baby nap time…I was just eyeballing sock two against sock one and I shorted the second sock by like 1/3 of a inch. See above, sigh. But you know what? You can’t tell when they are on my feet and if anyone really gets that close to my feet to investigate….well they just might get a little nudge from said foot. I have a finished pair of socks to keep my footsies toasty in the Kansas winter. That’s a win in my book!

Happy Knitting!!

This Might Be Insane

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I’m INSANELY close to finishing my Helping Hippos Vanilla Socks. And last weekend we spent some time at my parent’s house….which meant BABYSITTING! I’m also trying to up my daily step count for health initiative at work. So I decided to see if I could multitask!

I did managed to stay upright and add some decent leg length to my sock. Lots of people walk and knit, so why would a treadmill be different. Now, I don’t know that I would do this all the time as this particular treadmill is a little finicky. But it was an excellent use of my time on a cold winter morning when neither PB or Jellybean were glued to my hip.

What is the best thing you have ever multi-tasked while knitting??

Even Medical Professionals Craft

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The germs continue in this house. I guess that’s what we get for having two kids in daycare plus working in germy offices during cold and flu season.  I took my knitting with me to visit an urgent care clinic. And guess what? My physician was a crafter!

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She spotted my knitting and correctly identified it as socks (my second Helping Hippo Socks)! Turns out she crochets and we swapped crafting stories as she did my exam. Turns out we are all just fighting an upper respiratory virus and it just has to run its course with fluids and rest. But oy vey….so much coughing in my house right now!

Happy Knitting and stay well my friends!

A Helping Hippo HO

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My first Helping Hippo Vanilla sock is done!

The hubby and I got some rare baby sitting coverage over the holidays and managed to sneak out to a movie. We got to see Bumblebee. Not a franchise I am super invested in but I found the film delightful. I liked the strong female lead. And the icing on the cake was I managed to work my last set of increases and the cuff ribbing in the dark. I only dropped a stitch once.

 

 

I added a total of 8 stitches to the leg total as I went up. I just worked them kind of willy nilly but as evenly as I could eyeball. It does help the fit but as you can see I still have a TON of negative ease in my leg. I mean the sock fits but it’s stretched pretty darn tight. Now I like negative ease so that my socks don’t fall down but this might be borderline.

I’m happy enough with the sock to make the second one match. But I may have to amend my vanilla sock recipe at least in the leg to reflect my post baby #2 calves. Maybe on my next pair?

For now it’s NYE and almost everyone in our house has a cold. So I think we are going to have soup for dinner and have a countdown at 7 pm and just go the heck to bed. Happy New Year to you all!!

Twinning Heels

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My purse knitting has been fruitful! My Helping Hippos Vanilla socks both have heels now! These have seen many a waiting room and lots of windshield time.

Pssst….don’t worry the sock feet are the same number of rows. I just managed to snap a picture from some weird angle that makes one look bigger than the other. I guess perspective is a b*tch, lol.

Now I just need to cruise up the legs and finish the cuffs. I gotta love me some auto pilot stockinette in the round. It is my happy place lately.

Happy Knitting!!