Category Archives: Socks

Cast On: Dad’s Camo Socks

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Due to my recent knitting ennui, I decided just to cast on some vanilla socks to get a jump on next year’s Christmas knitting. I pulled some Cascade Heritage 150 Prints from my stash. This is some self patterning yarn in a mix of brown colors. I think it looks a bit like camo.

This is just a 72 stitch toe-up vanilla sock on size US 1.5 needles. I think I will do a gusset heel as my dad likes the fit of that. It will mess up the self patterning a bit but he’s not fussy about such things.

This is a nice fat yarn that knits up very quickly. I’m already almost done with 9 inches of foot and getting ready for the heel after just a few knitting sessions on this. I was also pleased to use my new Big Bang Theory bag!

Happy Knitting!!

Woolfest Goodies

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Yesterday I talked about my trip to Woolfest and some wine tasting. Today I’m going to show you the goodies I picked up.

First, a set of Harry Potter inspired mini skeins from The Sexy Knitter. I have met Sarah in person several times now. She is such a bright and bubbly person and a blast to talk about knitting with. She has been putting one of a kind (OOAK) indie dyed mini skeins in her Etsy shop for awhile. I had resisted on Etsy but couldn’t pass them up in person. They are 25 yards each so I have roughly 100 yards here to add to my sock yarn memory blanket.

Next up is a sock blank from TreasureGoddess Yarn. I think this blank is made from her Treasured Toes sock base. And I have never knit from a blank before so I just couldn’t resist. I have knit with her Cashmere Super Toes before to make my Old Man of Storr shawlette. Which by the way, I was wearing  that day and was able to show off to her. This blank definitely needs to be a pair of socks for me!

Lastly, but certainly not least…..I found a perfectly geeky project bag. In my house The Big Bang Theory is totally a thing. I watch re-runs almost every day to help block out the negativity that is permeating the world lately. This bag is from AuntStephsHndmdGifts on Etsy. She had all kinds of geek themed fabrics but this just HAD to come home with me. It’s large enough to hold socks, a shawl, or a child’s sweater. I’m so excited about this bag I can’t even decide what should go in here!

And there you have it…my haul from Woolfest 2017. I thought I was remarkably restrained given the high volume of yarn fumes!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Happy Valley Vanilla Socks

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It’s a happy day! My Happy Valley Vanilla Socks are done!

You have to love the simplicity and speed of toe-up vanilla socks with sport weight yarn! I knit these babies in 12 calendar days without too much hassle. I successfully made it without any pooling or flashing. Just some mild striping. I used 98 of the 100 grams of yarn in a simple toe-up vanilla sock with gusset heel. I knit the leg until my ball of yarn got small enough that I was worried and then started ribbing. 

I will admit one sock is slightly smaller than the other. It was the second sock. I’m not sure if it was just the rush to finish them or what. I thought I held the second one up to the first to make sure I was starting the various phases at the same time. It’s totally not enough difference that they don’t fit. And no one but me would probably even notice!

All I know is that Winter is still here in Kansas and I have another finished pair of socks for my drawer!

Happy Knitting!!

The Fabric At Hand

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I’ve been working on my Toe Up Socks with a Difference. I’m working fingering weight yarn on size 2 US needles. I would normally be using 1 US. To compensate for the gauge change the pattern calls for using less stitches. When I hold the toe/foot up against a finished sock it’s about the right width and size. So this sock will fit. But because of the magic of gauge the fabric created is looser. It looks fine right?

It’s not bothering me enough to rip and adjust the pattern. Mostly because I’ve never done the heel in this pattern before and a little because I don’t want to re-math. A tiny niggling part of my brain worries that these socks won’t wear as well as some others knit a tighter gauge.

I don’t know why I’m even having this internal and external monologue. I have enough socks in my drawer to have quite the rotation so it’s not like these will be my only socks to wear. Have any of you other knitters out there had this silly dialogue with yourself?

Cast On: Toe Up Socks With A Difference

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In addition to my ongoing PigskinParty KAL I have heard in the podcast-verse that a couple new KALs are popping up in January. The first is the Self Indulgent KAL with the Yarniacs and then the New Year New Ewe KAL with the Actually Knitting podcast. I figured I would cast on something special that would hit all three. My solution? The Toe-Up Socks with a Difference by Wendy D Johnson. They are a Pigskin Party sponsor, they are a new to me technique of the gusset on the bottom heel for the New Year New Ewe KAL, and the yarn is a golden skein I have been hoarding in my stash for the Self Indulgent KAL. Best of all…..these will be all mine!

I was off to a great start during nap time the other day. Until I noticed a problem….ladders on my toe increases. The designer recommends using a knit front and back increase which I failed spectacularly at. See….

So I turned that attempt into this….

I went with my old standby of the lifted left and right increases. Much better…

Now I’ve switched to my nine inch circs and I’m plowing up the foot!

Happy Knitting!!

Halfway Happy Valley

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My Happy Valley socks are halfway there! (Don’t mind the dog hair…no matter how I clean it sticks to everything, sigh)

I’m copying the stitch count and measure from my Cygnus Vanillas with the exception that I’m working a gusset heel instead of an afterthought heel.

The yarn is Knit Picks Hawthorne Sport in the Happy Valley color. It’s playing quite nicely with my stitch count. I didn’t encounter any pooling or flashing, just some mild striping!

It actually went up farther than I anticipated based on how fast my yarn ball was shrinking, but not as far as my typical socks. But these are so lovely I’m just rolling with it. I used all but three yards of half of the ball…if that makes sense. I knit until I was scared I didn’t have enough to bind off and then stopped!

Now I need to get cracking on sock #2!

Happy Knitting!!

A Very Happy Valley

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My Happy Valley socks are swimming right along. But what does one expect with sport weight yarn on size two needles?

I’m working over 60 stitches so I’m getting more striping than pooling of these colors. Which suits me just fine. You can see even the heel turn didn’t pool things too badly. I’m ready to zoom up leg. I should have started the heel turn like maybe two rows before I should but the fit should still be fine….I hope.

I peaked in my project bag and noticed that I don’t have that much yarn left. My size 10 foot really eats yarn quickly at sport weight. I don’t think this sock will be as tall as I normally make but I can probably live with that, lol.

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Cygnus Vanilla Socks

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Guess what I finished on Christmas Day? The Cygnus Vanilla Socks are done!

Pattern: 60 stitch toe-up vanilla socks with afterthought heel

Yarn: String Theory Orbit in the Cygnus color

Needles: US 2

I used 98 grams of the 100 gram skein leaving just enough leftover for future sock mending. They are snuggly and warm and boy, do those stripes just POP! String Theory Colorworks is definitely one of my favorite dyers!

These are also special because these are my 2016 birthday socks. I got the yarn from my husband and cast them on for my birthday cast on project. Bonus points for finishing them Christmas Day 🙂

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Happy Valley Vanilla Socks

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I have a FO later this week to share but in the meantime I want to show you my Christmas Day cast on project!

I pulled the Hawthorne Sport in the Happy Valley color from my stash as we dashed out the door for our Christmas travels. I knew I had the right needles in my bag to start another pair of sport weight socks. So while Jellybean was taking a post-Santa coma nap (p.s. Christmas with a little person is SOOOO much fun!) I got my needles clicking on a vanilla toe up sock!

This is now my purse knitting de jour! I’m kind of in love with the speed and beauty of sport weight socks…

Happy Knitting!

Cygnus Vanilla Update

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I admit all the focus on my Mighty Rainbow Blanket has made me yearn for other projects. And with my wrist being sore I needed a lighter project than my super heavy blanket. I’m sooo close to done so I indulged myself a little and pulled out my Cygnus Vanilla socks!


I pulled the yarn from the other end of the cake and installed the afterthought heel. After lots of trial and error I’ve found a formula of sorts for my heel. Instead of straight knit one round and decrease one round combo I have found a combination of multiple knit rows to a single decrease row that adds depth to the heel for a better fit. I’ll try to put notes in my Rav project for those with inquiring minds.

For now I’m off to finish the leg of this sock. With sport weight yarn it shouldn’t take much!!

Happy Knitting!